Over the past two years, I’ve fired more 22 ARC than any other rifle cartridge. That’s closely followed by 22 and 6.5 Creedmoor. Between factory and handloaded ammo, I’ve fired more than 6,000 rounds of 22 ARC — half of that through one barrel. I became infatuated with firing heavy bullets through these modern 22s after seeing how well they behaved in the wind at distances out to 1,000 yards. That, combined with positive — and trustworthy — initial reports on terminal performance from my friends Tom Beckstrand at Guns and Ammo, and Colton Bagnoli at North American Whitetail, I theorized that the 22 ARC, and others firing these modern bullets, could be an ideal option for mid-sized game like deer, antelope, and black bears. Just to be sure my theory was correct, I went and killed a moose with one.
Since then I’ve continued to shoot and test the modern 22s, killing a few black bears, an antelope, and compiling much more range data. But I’ve also had it in my mind to kill a grizzly with one. That’s not because I think it’s the ideal grizzly cartridge. Rather, using it for what some consider to be North America’s most formidable game would provide a valuable and interesting data point. After all, if it works well on moose and grizzly bears, it would obviously be sufficient for deer as well.
Moose Hunting with the .22 ARC
The Rifle
The 22 ARC that I’ve shot and hunted with the most is a build I screwed together around a Zermatt Arms Origin action. It’s got a 20-inch barrel chambered by Eric Hoover at Hoover Precision Rifles, and is the most accurate, confidence-inspiring rifle I’ve ever owned. I’ve got more than 3,000 rounds through the barrel and It’s still a hummer. I’ve used this rifle extensively with an MDT CRBN stock, but it was configured with a Manners PPF for this hunt.
Rifle Specs:
- Action: Zermatt Arms Origin SA
- Barrel: Proof Research 1:7 Twist, 20-inches
- Stock: Manners PPF
- Optic: Steiner H6Xi 2-12x FFP MIL
- Suppressor: Airlock Industries Zero Gravity Nano
The Bullet
Bullet construction is a huge component of how effective any cartridge is. Some will plant their flag in that statement to advocate for their favorite particular type of bullet, but there are several different .224 slugs that will deliver impressive results on big game. The 80-grain Hornady ELD-X is one that I’ve seen decisive penetration and wound cavities from. This bullet has a long lead core and very thick jacket, which helps keep the material from peeling away as quickly and exhausting the lead column as quickly as a match bullet. That results in a slightly smaller wound channel, but better penetration. In fact, I’ve found the 80-grain .224 ELD-X to out-penetrate a 90-grain .243 ELDX, with virtually identical wound cavities.
22 ARC vs 243 Winchester: This Ballistic Gel Test Will Surprise You
While I’ve shot the 80-grain ELD-X extensively, I chose to use the McGuire Ballistics 71-grain Copper Rose for this bear. These are monolithic copper bullets that look like a solid, but have an internal cavity in the nose which causes violent expansion after which the bullet’s petals break away and radiate out. I’ve shot several bears and large pigs with them, and have always been impressed.
I loaded these bullets in my 22 ARC with Varget at a muzzle velocity of about 3,100 fps. Out of this rifle, these will print 20-shot aggregate groups in about an inch at 100 yards, and bullets will stay above an effective threshold of 2,000 fps out to about 600 yards. Most of my bear hunting is at very close range but the shootability of, and reps I’ve gotten with this system, give me a lot of confidence at any practical distance.
The Bear
Hunting grizzly bears over bait in interior Alaska has been one of my favorite things to do for many years. What seems, and can sometimes be, a straightforward hunting strategy usually ends up to be an exercise in patience, perseverance, and frustration. With the appropriate time and effort applied, I’ve been fortunate to normally get one shot opportunity at a mature grizzly per season. Usually the timing, weather, and the grizzly’s nose give them the advantage — and I go home empty handed.
But this night was different. When I walked in to check the bait, I smelled grizzlies. This is always a good sign. The air was damp and musky, on the heels of a torrential thunderstorm. I stepped over a big pile of scat to pull the SD card from my camera. There had been at least six different grizzlies at the bait within the past 24 hours and, with some food left, I was sure a bear would return.
It didn’t take long for a small grizzly to show up. It was likely a 3-year-old who had been recently evicted. Then at about 10 pm, I heard the unmistakable sound of a bear’s paws thudding on the muskeg as it spooked and ran away from behind me. It had either seen my boat or cut my tracks. Like a mature whitetail, grizzly bears will spook when they smell your tracks.
About an hour later, a twig snapped, giving away a bear approaching from an alder thicket that flanked my bait site. Then another. I quietly shouldered my rifle and readied for a shot. While grizzly bears will often come to the bait and present a shot, I’ve missed opportunities at bears who noticed something they didn’t like and either spooked or just kept walking. Now I take the first reasonable shot offered.
The bear’s head appeared from the screen of brush about 15 yards away and I could tell it was mature. A few more steps and it paused broadside, and I quickly fired a shot through both lungs. The bear sat and wheeled around to flee in the direction it had come as I cycled the action. The bear gained momentum with its first couple bounds, and I hit it again. The big bear crumpled into a hole at the edge of the alders. The immediate sounds of air sucking through the chest cavity indicated the effectiveness of my first shot and the bear died as quickly as any I’ve seen. It had run less than ten yards.
Post Mortem
The bear was an old sow grizz with molars worn nearly down to the gums. The first shot, placed six inches or so behind the front shoulder, angled downward and exited above the brisket. From entry to exit was about 20 inches of bullet travel. Based on my experience shooting a bunch of other grizzlies with everything from a stone arrowhead to a .338 and .375, I expect this bear would have run 25 to 75 yards before expiring.
The follow-up shot was equally interesting and represents a less ideal impact that small-caliber detractors often use in their criticisms. Much like the femur-exploding shot on my moose, this was a good representation of a shot where I couldn’t choose the angle or shot placement, I just had to shoot. The bullet hit the bear at the base, or thick part, of the scapula — what some people call the shoulder knuckle. It completely shattered the three-inch-thick bone, and the bullet continued to penetrate into the bear’s body, causing it to fall. Combined with the lung trauma from the first shot, the bear was dead faster than any other grizzly I’ve killed — including one I shot twice at close range with a .338 Win. Mag.
Takeaways from Shooting A Grizzly With The 22 ARC
Using a piss-ant cartridge like the 22 ARC to kill a grizzly bear certainly goes against the grain of traditional wisdom, and that elicits a lot of feelings and responses. Some will write it off as stunt shooting and others will interpret it as an argument that the 22s are best for everything. Neither are correct. Traditional wisdom has its value, but if you’re not afraid to question it, and investigate for yourself, you’ll find that not all of it is exclusively true. Ultimately, shooting this bear is a small part of a years-long effort to explore the effectiveness of this cartridge. It’s a single data point, but the bullet worked just as expected. After shooting this cartridge extensively, the final result of this hunt was not surprising to me at all.
What It Doesn’t Mean
Like the 6.5 Creedmoor, I don’t think that one instance of cleanly killing a grizzly with the 22 ARC means that it’s the ideal grizzly cartridge for most people. I am an experienced bear hunter, and picking an appropriate shot angle while maintaining my composure isn’t an issue. If you’re booking your once-in-a-lifetime grizzly or brown bear hunt, it’s not what you should choose. But I would recommend you bring a rifle you are very comfortable and experienced with — even if your booking agent tries to talk you into ditching your .30/06 or .270 for a .338 Win. Mag. The rifle you can shoot accurately under stress is going to do you much better than a bigger one that you don’t shoot well.
I do think the 22 ARC is a much more reasonable option for bears (especially over bait) than most people would concede, but it’s also not going to hurt to go with something bigger — even if the benefit is mostly in your head.
What It Does Indicate
As another data point in my collection, killing this bear reinforces my opinion that several modern .224 bullets are extremely effective. For a lot of hunters, they are a capable, and even ideal, option for deer-sized game. Considering performance on moose, big black bears, and this grizzly, it seems a bit silly to argue otherwise.
Another point this experience reinforces for me is the value of a low-recoiling cartridge that allows you to shoot well and run your rifle quickly — and it almost doesn’t matter what it is. Most of us grew up where recoil knocking us out of the sight picture was the norm. Can you still kill while shooting that way? Yes. Is it ideal? No. Those who flock to the defense of their beloved magnums hold recoil tolerance as a rite of manhood. They miss the forest for the trees. The charm of the modern .224s is a combination of their accuracy, shootability, and lethality. As I’ve matured in my hunting career, I’ve come to prioritize shot placement — and making good decisions about when to shoot or not shoot — over all else. I’ve yet to be disappointed by that. In the seasons to come I, and other hunters, will continue to demonstrate that there is no substitute for good shooting and developing your skills.
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