Arsenal gaps

[Alexandro Faria]

So, I need the opinion of those in the know, please:

I have the 375 for hunting, I'm very happy with her and I have found no need to add anything else to the hunting arsenal in that sense.

I've recently started taking our farming seriously and I'm having issues with monkeys and birds in crops. I'm selling my o/u to buy a pump (far more useful and versatile for a work shottie) and I'm looking at getting something to deal with stationary pests at distance.

The main issue is, the farm is flanked by 2 accommodation-orientated properties and hence there are a lot of people around us. I was originally going to use a simple 22lr, but that projectile is moving awfully slow for the distances I need to be shooting at and I've seen too many ricochets from a 22lr to consider it a safe bet.

I was looking at 17 hornet and find it pretty much ideal, but I have no faith in its ability to put down any livestock that may need it. The next option is a 6x45 with 55gr varmint projectiles, I just don't know if it would be overkill and I'm aware that the report will be substantially louder. I guess I could just use a 223 as well, but then I don't see why I wouldn't just go with the 6x45??

Any suggestions and comments are obviously welcome, please help if you can!

TIA

 

[One Day...]

Have you considered the .22 Magnum? Significantly faster and more range than the .22 lr and significantly more killing power. Can be had with soft nose jacketed bullets that would be less prone to ricochet, and with a decent sound moderator it is still a fairly discreet rifle... Not to mention ammo is still cheap...

The good old .22 Hornet would also fill the niche pretty well...

 

[Nyati]

.22-250 with a sound suppressor, and softpoint bullets.

If you reload you can reduce speed and sound.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Buy an AR or clone in .223 and have at it. As you know monkeys don't sit still after the first shot, you'll need to be able to fire rapidly. Put a suppressor on it. Birds? Another autoloader in 12 gauge.

 

[JakeH]

Sounds to me like you’re looking for a .22 Hornet.

 

[AZDAVE]

Suppressed 22 hornet

 

[Dr Ray]

222 Remington using 50 grain Bullets. I have used 40 grain Bullets really stoned up with Reloder 7 (basically terrible)

 

[Newboomer]

I'd say suppressed 223 with soft points. Load it light or heavy according to distance and game.

 

[Dr Ray]

The 40 grain Bullets driven in my 222 were coming out at over 4000 FPS. Ballistically inefficient and when they hit their intended target there were one of two results. They often blew up the target or for some reason they drilled through in crows.
They were okay on foxes though.
Personally I would suggest 45 grain Bullets not driven too hard.

 

[fsrmg1]

Get a nice 22 Hornet or maybe a 32-20 and load it up a with 100-115 gr projectiles for about 2000 fps.

 

[Ridgewalker]

So, monkeys and birds at what range?
You state “livestock”? What for?

 

[spike.t]

.22 hornet or .22wmr

 

[thriller]

so a 22-250 would do great as well as a 223 or a 22 wmr get something you can get ammo for fairly cheap in a bolt gun with a higher mag capacity if possible and suppress it so they dont run so much after the first shot and reduce pressure on other critters.

 

[meigsbucks]

+1 for the .22 Hornet or suppressed.223

 

[CBH Australia]

4000fps in a .222?
Anyway, they would all work we don’t have monkeys in Australia except the few running the country but they are protected.
Sorry, .223 is popular here. I discussed loading it down with my brother for use on smaller holdings
. There are powders that will do reduced loads safely. Slow down a heavier projectile perhaps. Then maybe getting back .22magnum or .22 Hornet performance with a bit more thump at the end. So I’m expecting a limited distance and rainbow trajectory so it doesn’t exit the property in case of a miss. Havent researched fully to be sure of velocities etc. Trail boss will do quiet loads in most calibres. In Australia AR2206H can be loaded a to 60% of max load in most cases. Beware confirm for yourself

. Anything suppressed will need a subsonic load if you want it real quiet. Suppressors are restricted here so no experience just reading

.would you consider a .300blackout, I’ve read plenty, I wanted to shoot small pigs with reduced loads so I read heaps. Small case, heavy Bullets more retained energy on target. Ideally use proper projectile but I guessing monkeys are not as tough as even average size pigs.

.monkeys are kinda cool, but I don’t have to deal with them. We have Kangaroos everywhere and they are a hazard for cars at night but foreigners just see them as our national emblem.

 

[Scrumbag]

I would say .223Rem with a moderator or maybe soft points in a moderated 7.62x39..? (Friend of mine has one and remarkably quiet with a good can on the front)

 

[Jeffrey]

SO you're in RSA, where you can only have so many firearms on your license. Have you looked at those CZ 455 rifles? You can purchase one in 22lr, and then get a barrel/magazine conversion and have a 22mag or 17HMR as well. Three barrels, one rifle. Lots of versatility.

 

[spike.t]

Same thinking as above. A friend has one and thinks its great

https://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-quad/quad-synthetic

 

[Wheels]

22Hornet.

A family friend used it on impala, bushbuck,warthog and all kinds of varmints. Also shot a leopard with it and pg up to zebra(not recommended).

There are a number of good recommendations above.

 

[Longwalker]

I also suggest a .22 centrefire. Your original list mentioned a lot of people around your property. So the extremely useful .22 magnum rimfire and .22 hornet are probably eliminated because of risk of ricochet landing where it shouldn’t. I use a .222 for that type of work. A .223 would serve as well. Noise is their only problem. Bullets can be chosen that will fragment and pose little risk after a few dozen meters past the target.