pistol barrel length for hunting - subs

I am trying to figure out what barrel length I should get for my Browning buckmark for hunting subsonic with a can. Looking at a tac sol barrel to run my element 2.

I'd rather the 5.5 for longer sight radius and more velocity, but I am worried that'll generally (or at least sometimes) push HV ammo supersonic. Especially in colder weather hunting. I'd like to run CCI Mini Mags for hunting. Of course if they are all cracking with a can, that won't work.

I know with a 4", everything will stay subsonic for sure, but then I sacrifice sight radius, a bit of noise reduction and of course more velocity (I'd like to be close to supersonic, but not too close, like no more than 1060fps for the hotter rounds).

Looking at tests, same deal, minimags seem to expand well at impact velocities over 1100fps and will expand okay down to around 1000fps and then from not well down to not at all from 1000-900fps. So a 4" barrel would probably limit effective expansion range to maybe 25yds or so.

CCI subsonic 40gr HP testing I can't find expansion tests for pistols, but from a 12.5" tac sol 10/22 barrel with a can it looks like they were trucking along at around 980fps at 25yds, and 1 round expanded okay, but not great and one didn't expand. Which leads me to believe it wouldn't be a viable pistol hunting round.

No tests at low velocities of CCI suppressor 45gr out of a pistol that I can find, either actual velocity or expansion tests (out of a rifle I can find that info and it looks really good. Which I can backup on my 10/22 against ground hogs).

Any thoughts or suggestions here? Run segmented subsonic (those seem to break apart at pretty low velocities? Which makes me nervous through a can.

Other ammo I should look at that should work fine on small game. Admittedly if I was hunting with a 22lr pistol it would really be for squirrels and doesn't take much (non-expanding would be fine). But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to pot a ground hog of opportunity.

Something I am missing? What has anyone else used in a pistol for squirrels, rabbits, ground hogs, racoons? Ideally subsonic. I guess I could deal with the crack from a 22lr using a can for hunting and it wouldn't be the end of the world (can just use SV/sub for plinking). Should I just plan on using SV solids on squirrels and use something like the segmented rounds or subsonic HP on bigger critters and figure the HP may or may not expand depending on the distance?

Thanks!

You need a 6" barrel on a pistol to hunt in MD

Just use subsonic. 1100fps or less

Go big or go home

dontpanic said:

You need a 6" barrel on a pistol to hunt in MD

Just use subsonic. 1100fps or less

Go big or go home

Click to expand...

For hunting deer and beer.

Pretty much anything is a legal hunting device for small game in Maryland. Though shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than 2 rounds in their magazine. No handgun barrel length restrictions.

3 round for shotgun I thought was just for water fowl?

For squirrels, what ever gets you the head shot IMO and I don't care about expansion. I"ve shot lead or hollow point mini mags at squirrels and it just goes clean though and they are immortal. Most non head shots or at least right in the heart/chest will allow them to slither away into the leaves then you won't find your kill.
I"ve not done ground hogs but killing some trapped racoons took several shots from a 22 to the point I only shoot in the head now between the eyes if ever just a cruel death IMO if you have one trapped. I"m likely to use a suppressed 9 next time I catch one in a trap.

Segments would worry me in a can.

I like heavy in a sub for hunting, think I have 42gr and 45gr. Can cut a bit off the nose to make it a wadcutter shape to increase the wound channel and keep it from acting like a knitting needle.

Shot placement is key as pointed out above in which case it won't matter as much.

There were coated sub 22's out there before the insanity which would be nice to maybe keep the can cleaner. Unicorn now I think though.

Melnic said:

3 round for shotgun I thought was just for water fowl?

For squirrels, what ever gets you the head shot IMO and I don't care about expansion. I"ve shot lead or hollow point mini mags at squirrels and it just goes clean though and they are immortal. Most non head shots or at least right in the heart/chest will allow them to slither away into the leaves then you won't find your kill.
I"ve not done ground hogs but killing some trapped racoons took several shots from a 22 to the point I only shoot in the head now between the eyes if ever just a cruel death IMO if you have one trapped. I"m likely to use a suppressed 9 next time I catch one in a trap.

Click to expand...

Needs to be plugged unless hunting deer or bear.

Appreciate the advice.

Minimags go super above 6", would use use a heavier standard velocity. The HPs almost never expand reliably, some of the really hot loads like stingers do, but pretty much nothing will in a pistol. Would try segmented subs, they won't come apart till they hit something, but at least do so somewhat reliably. Shoot plenty into paper and cardboard first to make sure they don't come apart before they hit something( they shouldn't if your barrel is OK)

ohen cepel said:

Segments would worry me in a can.

I like heavy in a sub for hunting, think I have 42gr and 45gr. Can cut a bit off the nose to make it a wadcutter shape to increase the wound channel and keep it from acting like a knitting needle.

Shot placement is key as pointed out above in which case it won't matter as much.

There were coated sub 22's out there before the insanity which would be nice to maybe keep the can cleaner. Unicorn now I think though.

Click to expand...

Good point on that. I’ve got some subs left. Actually Midway has some CCI coated subs and also non-coated 40gr HP. Limit 2 boxes. As much as the shipping will suck on 4 boxes of 22s I am thinking about it. I am down to I think 500 rounds of subs (mostly round nose Winchester subsonics). Only a couple boxes of Winchester 42gr HP subs and a box of CCI 40gr HP subs for my rifle for ground hogs left. I’d hope that’s a couple of years at least…but it is nice to shoot a few of them occasionally to verify zero at the end of a range session.

I’ve been trying to track down more CCI 45gr HP suppressor rounds. I’ve got 3 left. Not boxes, loaded cartridges. Best round I’ve ever used on ground hogs other than segmented (and as you mentioned, out of a can that makes me super nervous). The Winchester work well. I’ve yet to try the CCI 40gr subsonic HP. But I’ve heard good things.

I guess I’ll go with the longer barrel and just plan for head shots on squirrels and rabbits if I am pistol hunting. Which is generally what I go for on them even with a 22 rifle unless it is getting rid of a problem squirrel. And then not worry too much about expansion. And if it is something else, either whatever subsonic HP I am using expands. Or it doesn’t.

I do a head shots on animals in traps. Though it’s hard with my 10/22 with a can on at close range. It’s one tiny part of why I got the buckmark. Shorter barrel and sight height over bore make it way easier.

PS it is too bad I didn’t get my can a few months earlier. I would have stocked up on coated subsonic rounds and hunting subsonic rounds prepandemic. I’ve got thousands of 22lr. But it is almost all cheap, bulk, HV stuff. A fair amount of CCI SV, but I get the occasional round that goes supersonic when it’s cold out of my 10/22. And coated/plated stuff in the 950-1050fps range to not dirty up my can as fast would be nice. Except that ~500 rounds of subs, which are all coated except the HP small game rounds, all my subs are round nose lead. So dirty.

If you really are into small game hunting with a .22, you need one of these tools. It works great and lets you get them DRT without spoiling the meat.

https://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/paco-kelly’s-acu’rzr-bullet-tool/

FWIW, all the hv ammo (38-40 grain@1200-1275 fps) I ever chrono’d in my 5.5” MkII Ruger went right around 900-1000 fps. This does not include hyper velocity rounds.


Hope this helps.