Too tough squirrels

[JimD]

I have a tin of metal mags but they are not very accurate in my Prod or P35 in 22 caliber so I have not shot a live animal with them. I did shoot a dead squirrel with one to test penetration and it did pretty well for a "expanding" pellet. I put it in quotes because my Prod doesn't shoot them very fast and they don't expand much. If they were accurate in my guns I might try them on a live squirrel but they aren't. I have not shot polymags in my guns.

 

[elh0102]

Brad, two thoughts: First, yes, I would recommend lead pellets. I've never found any other alloy that shoots as well in my rifles, but I haven't really done much experimenting. Second, like many folks, I generally shoot squirrels in the head, largely as a matter of pride I guess. But, since I have killed so many in my pesting capacity, I have had the opportunity to experiment with various shot placements. Much to my surprise, a shot in the heart/lung area has proven equally as effective as the brain. I can't explain it, as that was not my experience growing up squirrel hunting with a .22 RF. My only thought, with the lower velocity and lighter weight of the pellet, maybe it expends so much more of its energy in the target, that its lethality is increased, just a guess. But regardless, I'm convinced of the results, as I've killed a bunch of squirrels using that hold, and they generally drop on the spot. My point, it's a larger target with a greater margin of error, and my experience suggests it is just as humane.
Ed

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Brad, two thoughts: First, yes, I would recommend lead pellets. I've never found any other alloy that shoots as well in my rifles, but I haven't really done much experimenting. Second, like many folks, I generally shoot squirrels in the head, largely as a matter of pride I guess. But, since I have killed so many in my pesting capacity, I have had the opportunity to experiment with various shot placements. Much to my surprise, a shot in the heart/lung area has proven equally as effective as the brain. I can't explain it, as that was not my experience growing up squirrel hunting with a .22 RF. My only thought, with the lower velocity and lighter weight of the pellet, maybe it expends so much more of its energy in the target, that its lethality is increased, just a guess. But regardless, I'm convinced of the results, as I've killed a bunch of squirrels using that hold, and they generally drop on the spot. My point, it's a larger target with a greater margin of error, and my experience suggests it is just as humane.
Ed

This is exactly my thoughts on pellets vs a 22 RF. The 22lr rounds don't really expand and just punch right through vs a soft pellet will deform or mushroom and the energy gets transferred to the prey vs a pass through. My higher power guns tend to punch right through with domed pellets, but the same dome pellet at a lower velocity will kill with the same shot. Slugs on the other hand obviously do better at a higher velocity.