I have a MAC1 .22 which I love for plinking and small varment control. It's tuned for 20-25 shots. My question is will a .25 reach out significantly more to take out a groundhog say at 50 yards? I have a fellow that will build me a modified QB .25 that will shoot around 900fps for 30 shots with a 3,000 lb fill. Is this a good idea for groundhog hunting purposes?The other issue I have is my SCUBA tank pressure is 3,000. Will it fill the small bottle on the QB? How hard is it to top off with a Benji pump? Will it be necessary to upgrade to a SCBA tank? I have limited knowledge of HPA and there is no one around me that is into PCP's to ask these questions. Thanks.
A well placed head shot is a dead chuck. But they are pretty tough animals. Definitely prefer .25
Quote from: hammer0419 on September 07, 2016, 07:18:11 PMA well placed head shot is a dead chuck. But they are pretty tough animals. Definitely prefer .25I have to confess I do not live in chuck country. However I spent three summers of my teen years in the Poconos and shot them with a single-shot .22 LR. I learned a lot about the job in those times. If my opinion means anything, I have to recommend using the .25 over the .22. Those varmints are very tough, so don't use a lighter pellet when you can use a heavier pill with a broader cross section.
You all seem to be saying that a .25 is the way to go.
Quote from: Dbez1 on September 07, 2016, 11:47:10 PMYou all seem to be saying that a .25 is the way to go. That's not the message I'm getting as I read this thread. The message is any caliber zipped through the brain of a groundhog will promptly result in a former groundhog. Conversely, any caliber put into the vitals of a groundhog will likely result in the shooter reaching for a shovel. Well, either that or accept the smell of a rotting carcass wafting up from the earth for several days.A quality .25 cal will surely get the job done but only if its barrel likes a high-BC pellet will it have an appreciable advantage in anchoring the groundhogs where they sit. For example, the 25.4gr JSB King in .25 cal has only a slightly better BC than the 10.3gr in .177. A 5mph crosswind would push the .25 cal off course by 1.45in at 50 yards, or the .177 cal by 1.68in. Not much difference at all given inevitable differences in accuracy between two hypothetical guns.
To Dbez1, while I admire your search for a more reasonable rifle for hogs, I must honestly suggest, this may be a fruitless attempt. I've killed groundhogs with a great range of firearms over many years and, IMO, they are simply not animals that can be hunted in a responsible manner with a .22 or .25 pellet rifle, sorry. I've seen them virtually blown in half with high-velocity center fire cartridges, and still crawl away to a hole. If you are in situation where a pellet rifle is your only option, restrict your shots to circumstances under which you can be assured of a brain shot. When I consider the virtual lack of tissue destruction from hydrostatic shock, and the limited penetration at extended range, a pellet rifle is not in my groundhog arsenal.
"BC" stands for Ballistic Coefficient, the ability of the pellet to retain energy over a given distance. That is a very basic description, believe me.
At some point my brother will have the chance to take out a groundhog that's taken residence under his new shed which is roughly 25 feet to the side of his sighting target. .25 Predator Polymags from his Synrod should do the trick. They are skittish creatures and it bolts for the burrow at the slightest noise or movement from his garage.
They are skittish creatures and it bolts for the burrow at the slightest noise or movement from his garage.