Racoon massacre?

[N2 Shooter]

Why is .30 cal not enough but the .357 is, in an airgun? They're almost the same.

No, not even close! Caliber is but one spec in the damage equation. The defining parameter to look at is Foot Pounds of Energy. You are pushing a 45 or 50 gr round 800 fps, which is 71 fpe. I'm pushing a 110gr slug at 880fps, which is 189fpe! The .357 round is much heavier, and traveling faster, which results in deeper penetration, or in my case, a full pass through with a quartering shot.

Take a look at this photo, with the 3 rounds to the right being .357cal, and the round to the left of the red tipped Polymags are .30cal slugs.

Also look at my video showing penetration in Ballistics Gel.

I'm pretty sure you aren't getting a pass through on a raccoon with a low powered .30cal

 

[marksman]

You should think of raccoons as baby black bears. They are ridiculously tough, so I only use my .357cal Benjamin Bulldog when taking bodyshots. I try and line up the shot to get to the vitals by going through a shoulder or exit s shoulder, as the skeletal damage coupled with the organ damage and blood loss usually anchors them on the spot.

As others have said, definitely use a bait station approach to put them where you want them for the perfect shot.

Ok very nice shooting, but that's a very difficult shot unless you have the caliber and flbs. What velocity is your ammo? I need to mention I do not have a scope just a reflex sight and my range is close around 25 -30 ft at the most. One of my problems is adjusting for distance because the reflex sits so high on the rail for that distance so I have hit low multiple times on close range although I have a pretty good accuracy adjusting for distance by now. I tried finding a low rail but there's not one for the FX m3, so that one thing really sucks about this setup...Neverv mind my question about the velocity I did not see your first answer. Makes sense.

 

[marksman]

No, not even close! Caliber is but one spec in the damage equation. The defining parameter to look at is Foot Pounds of Energy. You are pushing a 45 or 50 gr round 800 fps, which is 71 fpe. I'm pushing a 110gr slug at 880fps, which is 189fpe! The .357 round is much heavier, and traveling faster, which results in deeper penetration, or in my case, a full pass through with a quartering shot.

Take a look at this photo, with the 3 rounds to the right being .357cal, and the round to the left of the red tipped Polymags are .30cal slugs.

View attachment 379778

Also look at my video showing penetration in Ballistics Gel.

I'm pretty sure you aren't getting a pass through on a raccoon with a low powered .30cal

Thanks much, I'd need a free day to analyse this. But I gather that obviously over 150ftlbs you are going to knock down the coon pretty much with chest shots as well. My main concern is not to kill them on the spot although ideally it would be the best if they get knocked down on the spot. But at least have a shot that will incapacitate them so they stay in the 6' radius and not just run off. So far I had a few run off because of bad shot placement either headshot too low or missed side shots towards the rear. But the ones that was hit right stayed and needed to be knocked out with follow ups. I need to get a better setup with lower sight and practice for short range accuracy. I could potentially upgrade the barrel to .357 but I don't know if the M3 will be able to get 150ftlbs. I will need to look into that.

 

[dv8eod]

I've had no problems. Muscadine thieves took .22s to the head and body.

 

[marksman]

Well they have come back, as they always do in more numbers. 3 and then 2 and then 1 last night. I still don't have the bait station completed but I waited for the right moment. The critter was in my arbor and all I could see was an occasional eye or two reflected from the foliage. There's a concrete wall where they come and go. I waited for few minutes, it was about to leave the foliage and I was thinking; it must be smart staying right under the leaves and away from the light...Then it came out and just stood there staring at the light on the rifle, darn it really is that stupid? All I could see was two lights staring down my sight. I was hesitating for a moment because never took a shot not seeing the animal just it's eyes. But I decided to go for it. It fell right away, then it wiggled for about 10 seconds and that was it. No fuss no noises, dead on the spot. I haven't picked up the body yet, but I might take a photo of it before I deliver this gift to the coyotes...

 

[TheCarFather]

Good to hear, and post up the picture!

 

[marksman]

Good to hear, and post up the picture!

There it is in all it's gory details...yikes. But I'm, definitely glad the way it went down relative to the previous one.

 

[marksman]

This one was slightly lighter by about 5-7lbs or so, then the previous one which was pretty large. I would say it was approx 30-35lbs. So this one maybe 25lbs. They look kindah small, but when I picked them up they're lofty oh boy. I never take such photos because I'm queezy of the whole ordeal, but this one had to be an exception.

 

[dv8eod]

Unfortunately, the pictures didn't make it into the post.

 

[marksman]

Unfortunately, the pictures didn't make it into the post.

It's in post #25. Can you not see it?

 

[dv8eod]

It's in post #25. Can you not see it?

I do now, thanks. When I visit the thread, it just jumps to the newest post and I didn't look to see what was above.
Good shooting, btw.

 

[olsenjb]

My boy traps them a ton. Good info here for dispatching them. He's always used a .22 rifle, but would like to try an air rifle.

 

[marksman]

...In the last few weeks another half a dozen came around to taste the cold end of metal. We see them go out with a messy amount of blood though, pools. Even with head-shots. Is there a reason for this? The only thing we can think of is the caliber. Is the wound channel large with a .30cal the reason for so much blood loss?

 

[BlackICE]

...In the last few weeks another half a dozen came around to taste the cold end of metal. We see them go out with a messy amount of blood though, pools. Even with head-shots. Is there a reason for this? The only thing we can think of is the caliber. Is the wound channel large with a .30cal the reason for so much blood loss?

This is a guess. The brain has a lot of blood flow. So poking a hole into the brain will cause a lot of bleeding.

 

[Hal4son]

...In the last few weeks another half a dozen came around to taste the cold end of metal. We see them go out with a messy amount of blood though, pools. Even with head-shots. Is there a reason for this? The only thing we can think of is the caliber. Is the wound channel large with a .30cal the reason for so much blood loss?

Head wounds bleed a lot. When shooting things in the chest a lot of the blood stays in the body cavity. There is no available space for blood to pool internally with head shots.

 

[rwsmike]

They are so tough and I always suggest a head shot with high powered 22 or above . I would only use a high powered 25 but 22 can work.

 

[HogKiller]

I've got a a few, ok I'm assuming it's trash pandas, could very well be possums, going after grubs in my lawn. Honestly that I'm not worried about, gets rid of grubs and aerates the lawn at the same time. I haven't set up my game camera for them, busy with a D### rat, which, I can only trap, no clean shots available and I'm not sure I want to invest in a night scope that I'll only use occasionally. Sadly with the trap the darn thing refuses to take the normal bait, peanut butter or Apricots, won't go after bean plants, which is what it's eating in my garden. Luckily it's only one or at least that's what showing up on my camera. Ok I lied, I may need a NV scope, recommendations!

 

[jarmstrong]

I use Peaches for bait in live traps, , , I get the single serving size in the canned fruit aisle
the kitty cats will not take the peach bait,,, but possums and skunks will

 

[marksman]

This is a guess. The brain has a lot of blood flow. So poking a hole into the brain will cause a lot of bleeding

Head wounds bleed a lot. When shooting things in the chest a lot of the blood stays in the body cavity. There is no available space for blood to pool internally with head shots.

I think this here about sounds right. Thanks! I really cannot otherwise explain this. Also the position in which some of these are getting shot is head down,so perhaps that adds additional pressure for blood to flow out...Dang it's messy.

 

[marksman]

I've got a a few, ok I'm assuming it's trash pandas, could very well be possums, going after grubs in my lawn. Honestly that I'm not worried about, gets rid of grubs and aerates the lawn at the same time. I haven't set up my game camera for them, busy with a D### rat, which, I can only trap, no clean shots available and I'm not sure I want to invest in a night scope that I'll only use occasionally. Sadly with the trap the darn thing refuses to take the normal bait, peanut butter or Apricots, won't go after bean plants, which is what it's eating in my garden. Luckily it's only one or at least that's what showing up on my camera. Ok I lied, I may need a NV scope, recommendations!

If you have total darkness I recommend simply adding some very low light source nearby,like garden lights. It will be sufficient if you have an illuminated scope such as Vortex 1-6x24 strike eagle. Otherwise I use a flashlight with low setting on my scope. I tend to actually hold the light with my hand onto the side of the rail (cause I'm lazy). It's just needs to be a small light. Night-vision is overkill, they don't care about light. I mean initially they do, but that lasts a few days with them then they just don't care even if the light is bright. My neighbors have motion sensors and animals give rats about if they're on or off, they just wanna feed. Night vision is for woods and deer I guess, although even then, pitch black nights are rare. Don't listen to me I'm old school and would go hunting with a Henry lever gun and nothing else in pitch dark.