Best .22 LR Ammo for Squirrel Hunting (Buying Guide & Reviews)

One type of hunting that most hunters found enjoyable and relaxing is squirrel hunting. It is exactly the feeling of being in the autumn woods surrounded by squirrels on trees and in burrows. After a day of successful hunting, all other squirrel recipes will be served at dinnertime.

Hence, if you want to try squirrel hunting as well, the first thing you have to do is to choose a gun and the right ammo for your hunting gun. As choosing the right ammo can be crucial for beginners, we have provided you Five Best 22lr Ammo for Squirrel Hunting to ease your decision-making:

This ammo is another type of true premium grade subsonic hollow that is mainly used for hunting. It is designed with shooting accuracy and a reduced velocity to offer a softer and quieter target hit in comparison to other .22LR hunting cartridge. In fact, the ELEY also got one of the fastest recorded time when hitting a clay target.

Its hollow-nosed design provides a projectile motion that directly hits the target in the shortest penetration and outstanding stop power. Its ammo contains a non-greasy lubricant which provides smooth operation in different weather conditions especially in semi-automatic rifles.

When tested along with other subsonic ammunition, the ELEY .22 LR Subsonic Hollow Ammunition performs a flawless functioning as well as perfect accuracy. However, the downside of using this ammo is its loud noise as well as lacking terminal performance. It creates a devastating and fatal impact to small ranch pests and squirrels but may result differently to larger and stronger species. Meaning, it is only proven as effective in killing small animals, whereas large animals can easily run away from the bullet without causing them too much damage.

The RWS Subsonic HP is one of the special rimfire cartridges designed by RWS. Accordingly, this product creates high precision and excellent shooting ammunition for all purposes - may it be for training, hunting, or competition.

Although it cannot reach too far targets, it still provides extraordinary performance in close ranges. Further, the RWS ammunition, specifically the .22 LR, is designed with velocity below the sound barrier to prevent the production of sonic boom or sound. Due to its low-noise, this ammunition works best in squirrel guns with silencers especially when you are hunting in the neighborhood.

Apart from that, said ammo is noted as reliable and effective in pest controls as well as small game hunting. Although this ammunition lacks in functioning, it receives impressive regards to terminal performance. In fact, the RWS .22 LR produced the biggest wound channel among other .22 LR ammunition tested. Its accuracy is not too bad for close range, but it is said to be unreliable in far bullet travels.

The CCI ammunition contains low velocity that enables shooting to be as quiet as possible. It is done by producing powder charge to reduce noise whenever you hit a target. During penetration, the ammo splits into three (3) pieces on impact to make it more lethal to the target. This hits the target’s vital structures and organs to increase the damage. In that case, this ammo is said to work best when doing squirrel hunting in the woods.

Generally, the quiet and lethal effect of CCI Quiet-22 Segmented HP Ammunition is considered as its top features. During testing, the ammunition already produces a devastating impact to the clay target even before it splits into three (3). But, it produces a greater quiet impact once the bullet finally splits into three (3) ensuring that the target dies quickly.

Although this ammunition did not work in semi-automatic rifles, its accuracy has been tested acceptable. The reason for this is that the CCI ammunition is found more effective only in close ranges. When hitting a farther target, typically in 50 yards, the bullet produces a lower projectile motion which results to the failure of hitting the target. Hence, this ammunition’s accuracy is rated as fairly poor when it comes to far targets.

The CCI Suppressor .22 LR is famous among hunters and shooters for delivering an outstanding performance both in plinking and hunting. It performs consistent velocity to directly hit your desired place in the target.  Similarly, the controlled subsonic velocity of this ammunition aids in noise-reduction as well as its reliable terminal performance. The CCI Suppressor is also known best by cycling consistently through semi-automatic guns.

This ammo contains clean-burning powders that are rarely found in different ammunition. This powder is effective in minimizing blow-back and easing your dilemma in firearm cleaning. At the same time, every bullet is made with non-corrosive material that prevents any danger to the gun holder. Indeed, the CCI has been noted as one of the trusted brands for almost 50 years both in their excellency with accuracy and consistency.

This ammunition is also made with high-quality hollow point metal bullet with quiet response to targets. It creates an impressive impact to different targets by making it lethal and accurate even in varying distances. Whether it is used in target practice or squirrel hunting, giving out great results to your hunting experience is ensured with CCI Suppressor .22 LR ammunition.

Things You Should Look for in Squirrel Hunting Ammunition

In our personal choice, the Winchester Subsonic 42 Max Rimfire Ammunition ranks top in all features. It expanded quickly and contains impressive velocity and energy figures. The functioning of this squirrel ammo tested with a semi-automatic rifle was indeed flawless. The bullets’ hits resulted in devastating terminal ballistics in all clay targets.

Beyond a large cavity, the bullet also traversed the full length of the clay target. At the same time, its bullet is quite heavy which is safer to be used in far targets than the lightweight ammo. Generally, the Winchester Subsonic 42 Max Rimfire Ammo can be the best go-to squirrel ammo for hunters seeking for lethality, proven, and accurate performance.

However, the ELEY and RWS can also be on the top of the list especially if you are planning to obtain squirrel ammunition that has good exterior ballistic characteristics. At the same time, ammo that can cause a large wound channel without over-penetrating the target squirrel.

The bottom line: the different ammunition also vary in their specifications. That is why, when choosing the right ammunition for your squirrel hunting, make sure that you have objectively match the features of the ammo to the purpose of your hunting.