Why headshots

[Dr. Kralenstein]

You make a great point here.

In my case shooting the NSA slugs in .357cal the slug sidewalls are very thick compared to the NSA slugs in .25cal. That may be great for penetration on big game like a hog, but for smaller game, we prefer expansion earlier. This is the very reason why ammo testing for the type of game you intend to shoot, at the energy level you are shooting it at is so important! I had excellent luck literally decapitating Starlings using NSA .25cal slugs out of a 50fpe airgun, but that performance didn't transfer over to the .357cal with the energy levels that my Bulldog can generate. But when I do some ballistics gel test with the FX Hybrid Slugs shooting out of the Bulldog, I expect a ridiculous amount of expansion!

Definitely look like they'd expand pretty well even at a lower fpe. They seem like softer lead and the walls are pretty thin.

 

[jt-outta-cali]

That is my theory. But I must be clear, that airguns do not generate hydrostatic shock like high velocity firearms do. Hydrostatic shock causes the rapid expansion of tissue so fast that it exceeds it's elastic limits, and it is ripped and shredded in the process. As in the case of airgun ballistics, the physics is pretty clear that energy doesn't disappear, it gets transferred. So If a round had 175 fpe at the muzzle, and 150 fpe at the target, and it took 50 fpe for the ammo to penetrate the target, but the round expanded fast enough that it did not do a full passthough, the round transferred 100 fpe to the target.

Another way to think about it, is a round hitting the target at 900fps is the same as that round hitting the target at 613mph!

Take a look at my Ballistic Gel testing video where I go into more detail on my airgun knockdown power theory. I know it is by no means a scientifically sound test, but some correlations can be made as to why some round perform differently than others. Just a note about how tough Clear Ballistics Gel is. Neither my wife nor myself could stick our fingers in a slug entry and push our fingers in until the entire finger was in the block. When you see that massive 3" bubble in the video still frame, know it takes a significant amount of energy for that to happen. And even if I didn't put the round through your liver, if your liver was an inch away, it's like getting punched in the liver at 613mph!!! That is gonna incapacitate a whole lot of prey!

Nice video! I kinda feel like even a polymag in 9mm still acts like a slug in 177 or 22. I’m shooting hades in 22 could have sworn it bounced of the skulls of two squirrels. Which is why I’m thinking of going back to the metal pointy h&n

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Nice video! I kinda feel like even a polymag in 9mm still acts like a slug in 177 or 22. I’m shooting hades in 22 could have sworn it bounced of the skulls of two squirrels. Which is why I’m thinking of going back to the metal pointy h&n

Idk, I have zero issue putting a 22 hades through a raccoon skull at 40 yards when leaving the muzzle at 32 fpe. They splatter the squirrel brains where I live!

 

[WarriorPoet]

You make a great point here.

In my case shooting the NSA slugs in .357cal the slug sidewalls are very thick compared to the NSA slugs in .25cal. That may be great for penetration on big game like a hog, but for smaller game, we prefer expansion earlier. This is the very reason why ammo testing for the type of game you intend to shoot, at the energy level you are shooting it at is so important! I had excellent luck literally decapitating Starlings using NSA .25cal slugs out of a 50fpe airgun, but that performance didn't transfer over to the .357cal with the energy levels that my Bulldog can generate. But when I do some ballistics gel test with the FX Hybrid Slugs shooting out of the Bulldog, I expect a ridiculous amount of expansion!

I have recently tested those 68gn Hybrids out of my Bulldog, not the most accurate at my current tune level. 2-3" group @ 50 yards shooting 1010fps for 154fpe. I suspect If tuned below 950fps they would be more accurate out of my gun. But as far as performance as a Hollow point... WOW! just doing testing at 12 yards shooting water jugs, or leather into cans with water. The slugs rip themselves apart above 1000fps, literally just the base left with lead shrapnel...

When I shot at a lower psi to achieve around 940fps , they mushroomed really nice.

 

[intenseaty22]

Took one about 30 mins ago. Only shot I had was a head shot, and a good one at that, meaning the squirrel was not moving around etc. It was on a branch, up the ol’ Pecan tree, most of it’s body hidden behind a branch, but the head sticking out like a sore thumb. I have my ever reliable @KalibrGun Carbine Mini on rotation, so I took the shot.

One thing I don’t get on a vitals shot at that power level (22fpe) and that distance (28 yards) is pass through. Not sure I would have taken the shot if I anticipated a pass through.

 

[Simplyhooked PCPs]

I don't understand why cries headshot so much I understand with a lower power gun without hollow points that's the only spot to shoot but for the higher power guys (35 fpe plus) why not take a vitals shot people say headshot is the most humane way to kill and I agree if and only if you hit where your aiming if you miss right around that area or the animal moves it's head then you could hit whatever your shooting at in the ear nose skim the skull or shoot it in the jaw or mouth ( which I have done before luckily it was close range and I was able to make a quick follow-up shot) but vitals on the other hand is a much bigger target that can't move so quickly and will kill the animal just as dead as a headshot it just takes a second longer I take my fair share of headshots to but only when I'm 100 percent sure of my range wind and that the animal isn't going to move other than that I aim for the vitals so just curious of everyone's thoughts rant over.....for now

These 2 were taken yesterday with my Maverick in .177 with head shots. The first one at the top was a little figgiddy getting hit in the mouth and the larger one at the bottom was taken at the top of its left eye and out of its right ear crushing its skull. Both of these shots were 1 shot kills at 20 to 22 yards from a rested position and when they hit the ground, they were DRT. The reason for me taking head shot are for one simple reason to me and that's when I'm cleaning them.

The one that I shot in the mouth was a little messy because it tore up its vitals ending up in its hind quarter but the one taken through its head-brain was a cleaner kill. My Maverick seems to like JSB Redesigned Monsters at 13.43 grains and it's a laser when I do my part.

 

[Simplyhooked PCPs]

View attachment 312152
These 2 were taken yesterday with my Maverick in .177 with head shots. The first one at the top was a little figgiddy getting hit in the mouth and the larger one at the bottom was taken at the top of its left eye and out of its right ear crushing its skull. Both of these shots were 1 shot kills at 20 to 22 yards from a rested position and when they hit the ground, they were DRT. The reason for me taking head shot are for one simple reason to me and that's when I'm cleaning them.

The one that I shot in the mouth was a little messy because it tore up its vitals ending up in its hind quarter but the one taken through its head-brain was a cleaner kill. My Maverick seems to like JSB Redesigned Monsters at 13.43 grains and it's a laser when I do my part.

Anything between the "10" ring marks the spot for a decent kill but I prefer between the eye and the ear. Heart/lung shots are the way for me to go if I'm using one of my .22s but even with that caliber or my .25, I still prefer head/brain shots.

 

[intenseaty22]

This one was a 25 yarder, .22 Hades out of the Kalibrgun Mini @ 22fpe. Hit just above the nose, pretty sure it went straight into the cerebellum and turned all the lights out at once.

 

[Simplyhooked PCPs]

This one was a 25 yarder, .22 Hades out of the Kalibrgun Mini @ 22fpe. Hit just above the nose, pretty sure it went straight into the cerebellum and turned all the lights out at once.
View attachment 312192

 

[Haganaga]

Again it depends on the game. Tree squirrels are infinitely tougher than ground squirrels. I primarily hunt ground squirrels and have found chest shots will drop them within 1-2 seconds after impact. I’ve had tree squirrels take 3-5 chest shots before dropping. So if I get a tree squirrel in my sights I usually will go for a head shot. But all my tree squirrels were within 30 yards. Ground squirrels are anywhere out to 150 (my basic limit) yards on the pasture I hunt. Past around 30 yards or so I do mid chest aiming. I get various results out there. All were kills with varying amounts of time, from drt to helicopters to scamper then plop. So if they are in close, I go for the heads, when the yards go up I go for the chest.

 

[jt-outta-cali]

Again it depends on the game. Tree squirrels are infinitely tougher than ground squirrels. I primarily hunt ground squirrels and have found chest shots will drop them within 1-2 seconds after impact. I’ve had tree squirrels take 3-5 chest shots before dropping. So if I get a tree squirrel in my sights I usually will go for a head shot. But all my tree squirrels were within 30 yards. Ground squirrels are anywhere out to 150 (my basic limit) yards on the pasture I hunt. Past around 30 yards or so I do mid chest aiming. I get various results out there. All were kills with varying amounts of time, from drt to helicopters to scamper then plop. So if they are in close, I go for the heads, when the yards go up I go for the chest.

I have fox squirrels in my yard. I could blast them with 0.30 several times, ripping open their stomachs and intestines falling out, broken bones, still manage to run off and die somewhere else (my fault)

Since the ive dial back my calibre to 22 and dial up my accuracy. Last 4 where hit with 1 headshot straight into the dance. Only DRT once or twice in the past and those were straight through the heart from the front

Lead in the head is dead

 

[intenseaty22]

Just posted to my VITALS THREAD a proper autopsy performed this morning. I believe it highlights the point made regarding the debate at hand.

 

[Clayshooter25]

I shoot a Diana Chaser in .22 so not an especially hard hitter to say the least, but have successfully and importantly, consistently gotten clean kills with head shots out to 30’. I’ve had squirrels run to die elsewhere with body shots. I think I’d rather miss a head shot altogether than lose a walk-away to die later.

 

[JimD]

In my experience a shot to the vitals is not a "run away to die later" shot. I haven't lost a squirrel hit with either of my 25s. About 10 were vitals shots and only a couple got more than 1 pellet. One probably needed it because I was dumb and tried to shoot through twigs and the other one probably didn't need another but got one because it hadn't laid down yet. I've more recently taken a couple with my 177 with what I would call vitals shots and they did not die instantly but died quickly (from a single 177 pellet). I just finished eating them and a head shot one for dinner (over several nights). I get DRT more often with head shots but I get dead within a few seconds with the vitals shots that are not DRT.

I may have one run off again, hasn't happened on the last 34. But if it happens, I will be pretty sure I it too far back and only got intestines.

I prefer head shots because I consistently get them dropping at impact and they are easier to clean without holes in the body. But if my best shot is a vitals shot I take it.

 

[intenseaty22]

Hellava Shot! 104 yards

 

[tommyb]

One of five today with 4 being head shots. This one at 104 yards with a light breeze and 30* F ambient temperature. Using an 8 year old FX Royale, shooting .22, 18.1gr at 905 ft/sec. Even at 104 yards, pellet made a complete pass through.

View attachment 313707

Amazing.

I use my FX Royale 400 .22 cal as my backyard squirrel gun. Also shoot it from the bench at 30yards and for N50 50 yard target challenges. It will shoot a pretty tight one hole 5-shot group at 20-25 yards for zeroing purposes. At 50 yards it’s normally between 1/2” to 3/4” in a very light wind. One of my favorite air riflles and I shoot the JSB 18.1g at 880 FPS. Perfect velocity for this gun. My range for backyard squirrels is typically 25-35 yard average, but 50 yards is pushing it for my skill level, but I have shot a few at 50 yards. Conditions were perfect for those rare 50 yard attempts. I.e., Squirrel sitting up eating a nut and pretty still.

When I tried ( and try I did many times ) for 100 yard bench rest shooting, it did not shoot well - ever! Not enough gas to get anything close to MOA groups. Also, the wind really blew my 18.1 g pellet a lot. It is strictly a 30-50 yard gun for me,

The fact that you got that squirrel at 104 yards blows my mind, and with a slight breeze. Great shooting!

 

[Clayshooter25]

One of five today with 4 being head shots. This one at 104 yards with a light breeze and 30* F ambient temperature. Using an 8 year old FX Royale, shooting .22, 18.1gr at 905 ft/sec. Even at 104 yards, pellet made a complete pass through.

View attachment 313707

Wow... That’s quite a shot at that distance!Says a lot about both the equipment and the shooter.