GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Hunting Gate => Topic started by: PGunner on May 18, 2022, 04:33:07 PM
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What pellets do you use for hunting or what pellets are best for hunting?
I'm using medium springer or a pumper .22 cal. or a lite springer .177.
Just trying to find out what hard and dose the job on anything from rats to Racoon.
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What ever will hit your target is the best pellet. As long as you have power at your rang and can hit it that is all you need.
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The most accurate pellet in your gun. 12 fpe is my minimum energy level for small game. Raccoon and armadillo are 16 fpe, and I’ve got a couple of magnum springers in the 25-27 fpe range I’m itching to try on coyote. Find the most accurate pellet for your gun and it is most likely going to be the best hunting pellet too.
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R9 .20 cal armadillo are fun they snap together and jump a few feet in the air. Tree rats with moded 1322 long barrel and shoulder stock red dot scope.
What do you think for shape wadcutter pointed or round?
Or all the same weight and same gun what would do the most damage?
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What pellets do you use for hunting or what pellets are best for hunting?
I'm using medium springer or a pumper .22 cal. or a lite springer .177.
Just trying to find out what hard and dose the job on anything from rats to Racoon.
As a general rule for hunting, you want to use the heaviest domed pellet that your gun can shoot the most accurately. And by accurately I mean that you will hit what you aim at in precisely the spot you aimed at 99 out of 100 times.
Best of luck to you.
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I found that an accurate .177 cal dome pellet worked best for my squirrel hunting in the WV woods.
For the first few years of springer squirrel hunting I shot .177, .20 and .22 cal pellets from a Beeman R9 when living in West Virginia. I even read a thread on "the forums" where a shooter claimed that a .20 cal Crow Magnum pellet shot at 14fpe at the muzzle would increase the killzone size by 50%. To test the theory I tuned my .20 R9 to shoot the 12.81 grain CM pellets at 750fps (16fpe) and hunted with that setup for a full week. After that week of hunting I found that my "hit to retrieve ratio" was a piddly 50% compared to a normal ratio of 90+% with a .177 CPL dome weighing 7.9 grains. Obviously the hollow point pellet didn't increase the killzone size enough to compensate for the rather poor accuracy past 25 yards. On the other hand, the .20 CM pellet did a wonderful job when it penetrated the vitals and this recovered CM shows a rather nice mushroom shape......
(https://i.imgur.com/C5pNeQ8.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/Kfy08cM.jpg)
Anywhoo, here are a few critters taken with my .177 R9 using a single 7.9 grain CPL dome......
(https://i.imgur.com/nkJD2lU.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/jOqzhB7.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/5m3aq42.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/KwinU67.jpg)
All hits on the squirrels were either through both lungs or the brain and larger raccoon and wood chuck were taken with back of head hits. IMHO, at mid powered springer power levels and larger critters only a pellet into the brain was very effective. Forget fpe, with moderate power springers, only PENETRATION THROUGH the vitals matters and as long as there is enough power to penetrate deep enough the hit will be effective with an accurate hit.
There was on exception when living in WV. I had a small fenced garden to keep out the deer but I would find holes dug at the roots of the tomato plants. One Saturday I was in the living room and saw a skunk waddling across the lawn from the direction of the garden. I got the .177 R9, loaded a CPL and took aim at the skunk 30 yards away from the front door. The hit was just behind the front leg which I read was a good place to hit a skunk and deflate the lungs so it couldn't spray. The skunk simply rolled over and didn't spray or move but I still waited 1/2 hour to dispose of the critter just in case it was "playin' possum". During that time I went into the woods and dug a burial hole, then picked up the skunk by the front paw and carried it to it "final resting place". All went well except the skunk was leaking and dropping "Pepi Le Pew bombs" across the lawn as it was carried. The skunk was buried but those "LePew bombs" on the lawn stank for a few weeks, especially when it was humid with a breeze the wrong direction.
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An accurate domed pellet is best overall, IMO. Some situations might require a wadcutter or a hollow point on light bodied critters (Hosp's, chippers, etc.), but accuracy takes priority. If (and a big IF at that) you're guns shoot Crosman Destroyers well, they hit very hard and open easily. Unfortunately not many guns shoot them with enough accuracy.
As for specific pellets used, I've used H&N FTT's & Baracuda Hunters, JSB/Air Arms domes, various Crosman domes & hollow points and Daisy/Winchester (new style) Hollow Points with good success in .177 & .22 for most of the pellets listed. Some bigger critters might need a harder pellet, so I'd go with a Crosman or (maybe) H&N domed to get through tougher/thicker skulls, JSB/A.A. and Daisy/Winchester pellets are very soft and I'm not sure they're up to the task.
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Pepi Le Pew bombs Good story.
I have not shot any further than 20yds. I like the domed, Pointed, and Destroyers so I guess I'll have to move out to about 35yrds try from there then see where it hits from 50yds and then back to 20yds to find where POI is on each and go from there.
I read a post on taking a can of corn or beans set it up at X distance if your pellet goes threw it your good if not then reduce your distance. I guess I'll try that too.
Have to find a cans of corn on sale or buy one get one. LOL
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The “can of beans” thing is an old standard but still a pretty good one. Back when all we had were 880’s and 760’s it was the rule.
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880’s and 760’s not sure about them.
I ended up with my grandfathers Crossman 114 we use to drop tree rats with it back in the mid 50s.