African Elephants with a .22LR

[azrednek]

i have eaten elk that was killed by a .22lr, and a hunting guide in canada told us about a moose that tried to climb into his boat that he killed with a .22 pistol.

My former in-laws grew up in an area where Elk were a nuisance. Migrating Elk would get into cattle and horse feeders, trample hogs and chickens. Horny Elk would attempt to mount and often injure cattle and horses. The Elk they couldn't chase off were often dispatched with a head shot with a 22.

My former in-laws refused to eat Elk meat as adults. When they were growing up a dispatched Elk was immediately butchered and the meat divided up with neighboring farms and ranches. When they were young Elk meat was abundant and it was the only meat they ate until all the Elk headed north. My X's uncle claimed he used to look forward to a breakfast of eggs and oatmeal. Occasionally there would even be some sugar available for their oatmeal and it was the only meal the kids really looked forward to. Lunch and dinner was Elk meat and beans often for several consecutive weeks before they got any beef, pork or chicken.

[deerslayer]

I personaly seen a friend of mine shoot a 2000 pound bull right in the but. The next day he almost went to jail over it as the bull was stone cold dead. The P.O.ed farmer had an autopsy done and the bullet had went clean through the animal and took out a lung on the way through. So if you need a cow dead tomorow shoot it in the but hole with a .22 and try it for yourself.

[Newtire]

I personally shot out all the elephants around here with my Double-Nine.

Sorry, just an excuse to show off my Double -Nine I finally got the time and parts to put back together.

[DLCTEX]

I had a double nine like that many years ago. Wish I still had it. I shopped the online auctions a few years ago to buy one but was unwilling to pay what they were bringing. It was a very accurate pistol.

[Newtire]

I had a double nine like that many years ago. Wish I still had it. I shopped the online auctions a few years ago to buy one but was unwilling to pay what they were bringing. It was a very accurate pistol.

Hi Tex,

I see these things on Gunbroker for $200 or a little more. This one cost me $40 plus $60 in parts to fix.

A bit on the cheap side as far as the build of it and a real bear to put back together. I finally found the right sequence of installing things and after about three tries, got it to slide together and put in the frame-to-grip-frame pin and then the hammer screw.

The rough part was getting the hand to slide in and the bolt to come up thru the main frame at the same time. Luckily, I found my third hand somehow and it slid together.

I learned alot and had fun though!

[azrednek]

I'm like Newtire, don't know what to say but I always enjoy showing off my Double Nine. When I bought it back in the 70's I was a crack-shot with it. Now days the revolver shoots much better than my aging eyes allow.

My Double Nine with the mag cylinder harvested a Javalina back in the 80's. Not by me but my neighbor's son. My neighbor missed the porker with his 357 and his 14 year old son carrying my Double Nine nailed it.

[MtGun44]

Boy this is an old thread!

I have been told that Capstick was actually a bartender and the whole "stockbroker turned white
hunter" deal was phony.

I don't know what is true, but his stories are well written and enjoyable. As to truth or
fiction, I am leaning towards fiction.

Killing an elephant with a .22LR??? May be possible, I sure would not
want to try it.

Bill

[RemSoles]

When my uncle was a kid he was out hunting with the 22, he saw a black bear so he got close and shot it in the head, it fell down, he went up to it, kicked it and it never moved so he turned and went to get the tractor to carry it home. When he got back the bear was gone! Must have only stuned it.

I have used the 22 on cows before but I went to a larger rifle for better reliability. There are reasons that powerhouse rifles like the 30-30 were invented!

[Retro]

http://www.retro.co.za/gundex/articl...%20a%2022.html

[KCSO]

Uh I watched the video of Howard Hill killing one with a bow and I KNOW a 22 will out penetrate a bow so... If the bullet gets to the heart the critter will die EVENTUALLY. I sure wouldn't want to hang around in the near vicinity waiting for it though!

[Larry Gibson]

Uh I watched the video of Howard Hill killing one with a bow and I KNOW a 22 will out penetrate a bow so... If the bullet gets to the heart the critter will die EVENTUALLY. I sure wouldn't want to hang around in the near vicinity waiting for it though!

Capstick is a wonderful story teller and I do love to read him over and over. I was somewhat disappointed that Capstick did not tell us what rifle he was carrying in case something went wrong with the .22LR shot. I suspect it was his ever present M70 .375 H&H but don't know, perhaps something of more "persuasion".

Larry Gibson

[waksupi]

Uh I watched the video of Howard Hill killing one with a bow and I KNOW a 22 will out penetrate a bow so... If the bullet gets to the heart the critter will die EVENTUALLY. I sure wouldn't want to hang around in the near vicinity waiting for it though!

I don't recall the details on Hill's arrow and broadhead, but I think the projectile weight was over 1500 grains, and his bow was around 130#.
I have seen demonstrations of .30-06, and arrows being shot into sandbags. The arrow penetrated further.

[Dave Bulla]

Uh I watched the video of Howard Hill killing one with a bow and I KNOW a 22 will out penetrate a bow so...

I'm a big fan of both 22's and longbows. I do nearly all of my hunting with a longbow and wood arrows and I'm sorry to say what you "know" is wrong. I can say without a doubt that any moderate hunting weight bow will out penetrate a 22 bullet in just about any medium you choose. Bow's don't penetrate by force or kill by shock like a bullet, they slice cleanly and kill by hemorrhage. Besides, a typical wood arrow weighs between 450 and 650 grains so think about the momentum an arrow has.

The demonstrations that waksupi mentions were popular back in the 60's and 70's. A bucket, box or bag full of sand would be set up and the crowd would be asked which weapon would penetrate farther, the rifle or the bow. Most said the rifle. The 30.06 would make a big bang, throw sand in the air and stop inside the bucket where the shooter could reach in and pull it out to show the crowd. He'd then step back and shoot an arrow and it would penetrate clear through and arrow would be sticking out both sides of the bucket.

But I'm getting way off topic..... so sorry about that.

[KCSO]

Well I saw a 22 penetrate the back seat of a car a small elephant??? of over 300 pounds in the front seat ans lodge in the glove box so I KNOW a 22 will penetrate.

As to arrow vrs 30-06 it's kind of a trick as the arrow doesn't expand and the 30-06 soft point in sand will flatten out to about quarter size and stop in about a foot. I never tried a 22 vrs and arrow but I will have to now just to find out. As to the arrow sticking out of the bucket well the POINT went farther than the 30-06 bullet but like I said it's a trick as a FMJ 30-06 will shoot clear through a 10" cottenwood tree and no arrow will do that. I wasn't denigrating the arrow just making the point that if the bullet has the penetration it will kill.

OH and by the way can I get someone to shoot a Howard Hill bow? I can't pull 90 pounds anymore!

[waksupi]

OH and by the way can I get someone to shoot a Howard Hill bow? I can't pull 90 pounds anymore!

I couldn't anymore, but used to pull #139 with a compound. Not one of the new ones with high let off. I used it for physical therapy of a shoulder injury after a horse accident. Started at the lowest setting, kept turning it up, had the wheels changed a couple times for more poundage. After they weighed it at the league and I found out what I was shooting, my score went to hell.

[KCSO]

22 vrs arrow penetration....

First of I wasn't trying to start a peeing contest just commenting on how long it would take for the elephant to die, now to the tests.

#1 45 pound long bow vers 22 bullet 40 grain rn lead

2" cottenwood plank arrow stopped dead bullet went right through

4" cotten batting archery target bullet stoppe in 3" arrow stopped 3 1/2"

Foam archery target rated for 70 pound bow, arrow stopped bullet zipped right through

Water shooting down into 5 gallon bucket bullet stopped dented bucket bottom arrow went through bottom of bucket.

All in all it proved nothing, depending on what you are shooting into either one could or could not penetrate better in a given circumstance. As to actual animal tissue I was unfortunate enough to have to investigate a animal serial killer a few years ago and got to delve into 17 animals killed with a 22 and 5 killed with an arrow. Only one arrow went in and out and 7 of the 22 bullets did on chest shots, what's that prove not much. BUT all the arrow killed cows dropped inside 100 yards of the fence line and some of the 22 shot cows didn't die for days.

Since I see very few folks shooting their 22's into foam archery targets in their back yard and I see a whole lot of folks shooting arrows into the same in some circumstances a 22 WILL out penetrate an arrow.

Oh and just for the curious a 45# long bow will put a broadhead through a kevlar vest that will stop a 44 magnum. I have the vest.

[Arisaka99]

Well IMO, if it drops the animal in its tracks and it doesnt suffer, then its perfectly humane, but any other shots are just careless. But if it was me, I'd use a .22 hornet or .22WMR

[preparehandbook]

I'm surprised nobody's brought up the aquila sss, It is my regular everything load when backpacking, I use a 317 as it's only 9ish oz and since I ultralight pack, every gram counts. I have no worries at all that any 2 or 4 legged west coast critter could be handled with the 8 available shots and a bit of luck.

Since I am not hunting when I hike, any shot would be a defensive one, if I'm hunting I'd choose something a heck of a lot bigger.

I've seen a SSS go straight through a good sized domestic sow, in one side and out the other with a straight on rib hit on the far side. (moron was trying to hit it in the head)

BTW, I keep elephants away by doing 2 nude laps around the property every morning, it also keeps the neighbors away.

[NSP64]

BTW, I keep elephants away by doing 2 nude laps around the property every morning, it also keeps the neighbors away.

[HangFireW8]

I recall reading a Jack O'Connor article, where he disdainfully dismissed a new writer that was a mere travel agent and no White Hunter. He didn't name names, but there was no doubt where Jack came down on the Capstick issue.