This is a VITAL thread

Another one today. 28 yards to the Pecan Tree. Sub-12 Revere in .177 shooting JSB 10gr Knockout MK2. Yes! Slugs out of a Sub-12! It shoots them very accurately.

Hit just behind the shoulder, it ran like a banshee after jumping down the tree, and up a bush 3 yards away, and onto the workshop roof and that’s when it realized that it had been dead all the while. It dropped off the roof and onto my trailer.

I recovered the spent ammo, that had traveled through the vitals and stopped under the hide on the distal side.
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I think it is important to define a shot to the "vitals". That's not a body shot. It is a shot to the chest cavity anywhere above the diaphragm. Preferrably going through both lungs. Ideally crossing the heart or one of its major arteries.

The diaphragm is positioned slightly differently n every mammal. So are the heart and lungs. Below (or behind) the diaphragm it is a gut shot. It will not be a clean shot and will require another shot in the vitals to recover the animal humanely.

Any animal can be taken more reliably with a chest shot than a headshot. As long as you have enough energy to smash a front shoulder you are good. It may not kill immediately if you go through a shoulder but it will kill. And they aren't going to run away.

You can always whip out your bowie knife and finish them. Or just walk over and break their neck to effect an ethical kill.

Headshots are a recipe for failure unless you know exactly what you are doing and have a perfect shot.

If you try a headshot on a guided big game hunt your going to be sitting in camp afterwards. Most hunters and guides won't tolerate it.

Same with a follow up shot if the animal is down. You sit and wait for death or you do it with your knife. The second shot is usually a huge mistake. Once the animal is on the ground shooting stops in MOST cases.

For deer you never take a headshot. They can have chronic wasting disease (CWD). You try your best not to disturb the brain or spinal cord. That's where the prions are that cause the disease.

For rodents and vermin headshots are fine. Probably not the best strategy but its fun and appropriate. For a game animal it's just a bad idea no matter what weapon you are shooting.
Generally speaking, I consider Vitals a shot to the lung/heart cavity. However….a shot just below the diaphragm can be a Liver Shot, which technically is still a vitals shot. On a squirrel, the liver literally runs the whole length of the diaphragm.

I usually aim for the shoulder when taking a vitals shot. That gives me a little wiggle room for shot placement.
 
Another one today. 28 yards to the Pecan Tree. Sub-12 Revere in .177 shooting JSB 10gr Knockout MK2. Yes! Slugs out of a Sub-12! It shoots them very accurately.

Hit just behind the shoulder, it ran like a banshee after jumping down the tree, and up a bush 3 yards away, and onto the workshop roof and that’s when it realized that it had been dead all the while. It dropped off the roof and onto my trailer.

I recovered the spent ammo, that had traveled through the vitals and stopped under the hide on the distal side. View attachment 499891View attachment 499889View attachment 499888
Wow, that is some very impressive performance in a sub 12z
What velocity’s are you pushing those slugs at?
I also shoot those 10gr knock outs, but I shoot them at 950 to 995fps. The performance is excellent, with massive mushrooms!
 
Wow, that is some very impressive performance in a sub 12z
What velocity’s are you pushing those slugs at?
I also shoot those 10gr knock outs, but I shoot them at 950 to 995fps. The performance is excellent, with massive mushrooms!
I will have to chrono and see, not quite sure about speed. I tested for accuracy only. Generally speaking I will default to the most accurate ammo. In the case of the Revere, that’s the 8.44 Diabolo, probably just as deadly, but on vitals, something that tears up flesh or expands, is advantageous.

I shoot the slugs because why not. The sub-12 ensures that the ammo will either not pass through or not go much further if it does because I am in a suburban neighborhood.
 
I will have to chrono and see, not quite sure about speed. I tested for accuracy only. Generally speaking I will default to the most accurate ammo. In the case of the Revere, that’s the 8.44 Diabolo, probably just as deadly, but on vitals, something that tears up flesh or expands, is advantageous.

I shoot the slugs because why not. The sub-12 ensures that the ammo will either not pass through or not go much further if it does because I am in a suburban neighborhood.
This is a JSB 10gr Knock out shot at 954fps, hit the side of rabbits chest, double lung shot at 40something yards, mushroomed, dumped 20FPE and stopped under skin on far side.
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This is a JSB 10gr Knock out shot at 954fps, hit the side of rabbits chest, double lung shot at 40something yards, mushroomed, dumped 20FPE and stopped under skin on far side.View attachment 501010
That’s Awesome Expansion right there! Even though I absolutely LOVE my Sub-12s, I, unfortunately don’t own any “full power” .177s. That hopefully will change soon enough!
 
Off the topic of this thread I know, but I do professional rabbit culling and I’ve been using these slugs for the last 100 or so rabbits. I’m putting together a little video of the performance of these .177cal 10gr Knockout slugs on rabbits. I have been seriously impressed so far 👍🏻.
Chest shots, neck shots, even head shots all seem to give excellent expansion and devistation results.
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Now back to vital shots 😉
 
Off the topic of this thread I know, but I do professional rabbit culling and I’ve been using these slugs for the last 100 or so rabbits. I’m putting together a little video of the performance of these .177cal 10gr Knockout slugs on rabbits. I have been seriously impressed so far 👍🏻.
Chest shots, neck shots, even head shots all seem to give excellent expansion and devistation results.
View attachment 501067
Now back to vital shots 😉
I had a similar experience shooting an iguanas at about 20-25yds shooting the 10gr V3 at 1000fps

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Off the topic of this thread I know, but I do professional rabbit culling and I’ve been using these slugs for the last 100 or so rabbits. I’m putting together a little video of the performance of these .177cal 10gr Knockout slugs on rabbits. I have been seriously impressed so far 👍🏻.
Chest shots, neck shots, even head shots all seem to give excellent expansion and devistation results.
View attachment 501067
Now back to vital shots 😉
What pcp are you using? Choked or unchoked barrel? How far out is it accurate to if it is unchoked.
Only pcp in .177 I know of with an unchoked barrel is the RAW.
Sorry for all the questions but really interested in getting a full power .177 for shooting slugs
 
Off the topic of this thread I know, but I do professional rabbit culling and I’ve been using these slugs for the last 100 or so rabbits. I’m putting together a little video of the performance of these .177cal 10gr Knockout slugs on rabbits. I have been seriously impressed so far 👍🏻.
Chest shots, neck shots, even head shots all seem to give excellent expansion and devistation results.
View attachment 501067
Now back to vital shots 😉
Also are those the new style, looks like it, with larger hollow point https://www.airgundepot.com/jsb-knockout-slugs-mk3-177-cal-10-03-gr-hollowpoint-500-ct.html
 
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Notos
14.35gn @ 757fps (18fpe)

Did a little culling of sparrows. I don't know why I was holding left on this one but was trying to not hit the door as it was only cracked open about 1-1/2 inches . Was aiming with the -1 hash mark because it was so close, hit dead on the hash mark but again, no idea why I was holding left of center mass. One reason I like doing the vids so I can see where I mess up and hopefully not repeat it. Notos did it's job though and right through the right lung.
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Notos .22
JSB 13.43 @783 fps / 18 ft lbs

I was actually really surprised at this. Never shot anything this size with the Notos before and had my doubts how effective it would be but I guess that placement is everything. So used to shooting with my 30 cal at 120 foot pounds of energy.
It was a complete pass through. I hit right behind the shoulder (he was quartered away), must have missed all the bones because it went right through him but then again domed pellets don't expand that much but still I was surprised. Skunk moved a foot or two and just dropped. Had my tactacam on my Vulcan 3 so no video of the shot, just have pictures. Trail cam alerted me to him in the backyard. I don't have a night vision scope or thermal so used red light which worked great. Able to see perfectly through the scope using the red light.
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Here is my first groundhog I took with a bodyshot using the Maverick VP .30cal shooting FX Hybrid Slugs. I didn't even trust my eyes, and did a follow up headshot after I stopped recording, but it had long died. After this performance, I was completely sold on the airgun and the .30cal's capabilities.

That reaction is normal when you hit the spine. Good video.
 
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