22 Cal's legal in WYO

[Elkhunter1983]

New rules for deer and antelope in wyoming state that you can now use a .22 cal rifle to take most anything but elk and moose in wyo as long as you shoot over a 60 grain bullet and the cartridge is over 2" long in total length. Just an FYI.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Yessir!

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/wyoming-changes-caliber-laws-106990/


Now if we can get the suppressor bill passed we can move out of the stone age!


Our members just might see a doe vs AR-15 thread this fall

Thanks for posting,


t

 

[Elkhunter1983]

I still have mixed emotions on this one. Im afraid the general public is going to take out an ar loaded with a rapid expansion bullet or an fmj and go antelope and deer hunting which is not what this is intended for and will most certainly not kill animals quickly. Hopefully people still use common sense but I have ruled out all common sense among the general public long ago.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I stand with you on the common sense vote. On the other topic, most of the guys you're worried about can shoot worth a dern no matter what they are slingin lead with. No to say an AR will help them but, if they can afford an AR & are smart enought to use bullets in excess of 60grains (the only FMJ I am aware is the 62grn Green tip), they should do ok as most are hollow points.


t

 

[wildwarren]

If you handload, try the 70 grain Speer .22 out of a fast twist AR. They do work on 150 lb plus deer. Sierra makes a 63 grain varmint bullet, but may be too thin of a jacket. Barnes makes a 62 and 70 TSX.

 

[6.5Express]

I'm with Elkhunter on this one. P.O. Ackley wrote about the 220 swift in his book as a great hunting cartridge and how the .224 calibers should be legal for hunting. But, as Elkhunter stated the General Public doesn't have the knowledge or skill that Mr. Ackley did.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I'm with Elkhunter on this one. P.O. Ackley wrote about the 220 swift in his book as a great hunting cartridge and how the .224 calibers should be legal for hunting. But, as Elkhunter stated the General Public doesn't have the knowledge or skill that Mr. Ackley did.

I understand your worries, then again i've stood witness to many, many men that couldn't knock an antelope down with a 300 mag. I larger rifle most definitely does not make an inexperienced shooter any more proficient.

My hope is that, with a 223, 22-250, Swift etc the hunter will be able to practice more as: 1. Ammo is cheaper 2. the 22's won't kick the snot out of you like a Walmart 300 win can.

When the shooter isn't scared to death of the rifle, they tend to shoot it much better. It's a long shot I know, but it really can't get any worse than it is now.


t

 

[bigngreen]

I've hunted deer and antelope with a 223 or 22-250 for as long as I've hunted in MT, they work great and I'm glad to see this for Wyoming. My buddies taken deer and antelope beyond 500 yards with his 22-250 with 60gr Bergers and it's proven a sweet combo, he may be interested in coming to hunt goats in Wyoming now!!

 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

Over the years, we have shot alot of big game with various .22 centerfires ..Starting with the .22 Hornet up though the .22 Cheetah..In those days we often hunted several states each fall, and those rifles were legal there..While we never experienced a problem..I do wonder about some clown taking an AR with a 30 round mag. and starting to blast at a herd of antelope..Not that AR users are all bad, I have one myself and enjoy it..BUT when I see the damage and things destroyed by folks at the local range, I wonder about many of our shooters..Of course not all the damage was done with AR's or similar weapons..But the group that scares me most there are the beginners with a semi of any kind and a big box of ammo...What could be done to a running herd of antelope is kind of scary..
On the other hand, one of my very best friends, now hunting in a better place, told me when the .222 first hit the market, he bought a new 722..Over the years he killed 11 mulie bucks..Mostly with factory ammo and open sights!!! Again much of the success comes back to the person behind the rifle, some are pretty inexperienced...

 

[Altiman94]

It's good that WY now allows .22 centerfires. I think we're all in agreement that within the limits of reason .22 centerfire rifles are effective on deer sized game and smaller.

Definitely a good play on the part of fish and game to put a grain restriction at 60 grains, which eliminates the usage of typically 55 gr FMJ loads that are commercially available.

I'll be interested this fall to hear some stories about how the new caliber laws are working out. I have a 16.5" ruger scout rifle in 308 that's pretty handy, otherwise I'd contemplate taking my AR and developing a good load.

 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

While I can see the reasoning of the 60 grain requirement..FMJ's are all ready not legal for game..To me if .22 cal. are legal, then the bullet wt. requirement is just not required..It makes NO SENSE..I cannot shoot antelope or deer with a 55 grain Serria or Hornady, and they are very deadly on big game, but someone COULD shoot game with a .243 and a 55 grain bullet..I just don't buy the added requirement of a bullet wt..

 

[Tom Brush]

Didn't they used to be legal in Wyoming? I remember a friend telling me that he always shot his Antelope with a 22-250 and the 70 gr. Speer.

.22 calibers will kill deer. I have taken several with the .223 and 22-250 using (50 Nosler BT and Hornady 55 V-Max.) One with a .223 AR two years ago and two bucks with a 22-250 pistol last year.

Many years ago the neighbor lady shot a buck every year with a .222 You have to take broadside lung shots. The .223 shot was at a running doe around 80 yds. She went 10 yds. and piled up. Both bucks ran about 50 yds. The lungs on the first buck were gone, just blood clots. The second was missing half of his lungs.

I normally do not use .22's for deer as I have many others to choose from. The .223 shot was the last day of the season and I wanted to shoot a light caliber since I had open heart surgery just 5 months before. The 22-250 bucks were also taken the last day of the seasons in PA and NY. I was really looking for a coyote and had just gotten the 22-250 pistol and wanted to use it.

Anyway good luck in Wyoming with the .22's.

Tom

 

[extreme]

The law better say ...( head shots only ) or there are going to be a ton of wounded animals running around and dying ,that will never be found..there are people that can make and do make head shots at very long distances ,my.self included but i practice all the time doing so at 500 yards or better ..there are a lot of gies on this site that do the same thing....but the majority of the public does not and can not. Good example being able to read the wind.

 

[bigngreen]

The law better say ...( head shots only ) or there are going to be a ton of wounded animals running around and dying ,that will never be found..there are people that can make and do make head shots at very long distances ,my.self included but i practice all the time doing so at 500 yards or better ..there are a lot of gies on this site that do the same thing....but the majority of the public does not and can not. Good example being able to read the wind.

We've shot quite a few deer and antelope past 500 yards with a 22-250, just putting bullets behind their shoulder like normal and they pile up just like anything else!!! Damage done to their vitals were all very adequate for a fast and clean kill!!