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Thread: Patterning .22 shot ctg.

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Patterning .22 shot ctg.

    I've got a Stevens favorite M1915 with about as shot out a bore as I've ever seen. Wonder if she will shoot shot. At what range and what type pattern should I expect? Relining is not as cost effective as it used to be. Am waiting on a price on boring it smooth if nesessary. Thanks for looking, Jaeger

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Well, there was the Model 20 smoothbore Favorite, specifically made for shot cartridges. Worth a try. You can pass a .2250 chucking reamer through the barrel to clean out what's left of the rifling, but I'd try it as-is first. FWIW the Model 20's bore was about .218, i.e. a production barrel that they just didn't rifle.

    That fine shot they use in .22 cartridges won't carry far anyway, so pattern may not matter much. In my ongoing war against trash birds on the feeder (i.e. doves and cowbirds) I found that they just shrugged it off at 20 feet.
    Cognitive Dissident

  3. #3
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    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    Based on using CCI .22LR shotshells on Mr. No Shoulders, I am going to say the effective range is about ten feet.

    Even then it may not be a DRT hit, but it doesn't take much to get a snake to stop what it is doing and twist up into a ball, giving you time to actually aim the next shot.

    That is why I like to load my own shot shells in larger calibers still using #12 shot for pattern density.

    Robert

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    I seem to recall one of the old-time gunwriters - might have been Allyn Tedmon - reminiscing about shooting sparrows as a boy with .22 shot cartridges. A neighbor lady would pay him a penny apiece. She fed 'em to her cat.
    Cognitive Dissident

  5. #5
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    I have a smoothbore Mossberg and find the smooth bore to make a big difference over a rifled barrel. I took down a woodpecker that was being a nuisance, not sure of the range but it was more than double 20 feet and it killed it decisively. Took out a pack rat in the yeard at much closer distance and it had pretty impressive terminal ballistics.

    It'll never be a power house, but I think a little gun like that is useful if you're in the sticks and need a pest gun that won't make a lot of noise or tear stuff up.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    We used to take out pest birds in the barn(s) with either a Ruger MK 2 or oddly a Hi Standard Supermatic Citation. Didn’t own a .22 revolver at the time but that would have served better. Range was close.

    Shot only a few times with a smoothbore 22 but was aware it extended range markedly over a rifled gun. Within its range and with a suitable size target I/we found the 22 shot shells sufficient. Sparrows, mice, starlings. No pigeons way up in the roof. Never tried a smoothbore 22 on anything living but wouldn’t mind giving that a go.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Im curious to hear your results.
    My experience with 22 shot charges have been less then impressive.
    While they may work on a snake at spitting distance,, piegons on the barn rafters at 20' didnt even flinch at a shot from a handgun,, though from a rifle it would at least make them fly a short way...
    I found a BB gun way more effective.
    Last edited by yovinny; 09-12-2020 at 10:11 AM.

  8. #8
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    A friend and I used to shoot “birdshot .22’s” as kids a lot. These were the kind with the shotgun crimp in the brass.

    Pretty pointless exercise in a rifled bore, as the rifling spun the shot and the centrifugal force coming out the muzzle put most of the shot in an ever-widening circle with only a few in the center.

    The friend could make a square hole in a piece of plywood with one, holding his rifle muzzle the right distance away.

    Never could find a smoothbore to try, and haven’t tried the new ones with the shot in the blue plastic “bullet.”

    The Mossberg “Targo” System used a smoothbore Mossberg .22 rifle with the target slinger mounted in the barrel. Was supposed to break the little clay pigeons at a distance of 5-7 yards, IIRC.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks

    Thanks all for your responses. Jaeger

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