Power/Ballistics/ Backyard...

[39M]

Also, a polytipped pellet isn't pushed fast enough to explode like those polytipped bullets out of varmint rifles.

The pellets just flatten out, like stepping on an aluminum can.

[PAcanis]

I imagine it is good they retain their mass then, since they are geared towards hunting.

[39M]

I imagine it is good they retain their mass then, since they are geared towards hunting.

The pellets I shoot have very little mass to begin with. Almost all are less than 10 grains.
 
They'll bounce off the ground at a low angle, but only very slow moving pellets will bounce off of a hard surface as in a ricochet.

A faster pellet will just crush under it's own weight, or embed itself into wood.

[39M]

I mean if fired directly into a hard surface.
I suppose they could bounce off of a hard surface at a glancing blow.

[PAcanis]

I imagine it is good they retain their mass then, since they are geared towards hunting.

The pellets I shoot have very little mass to begin with. Almost all are less than 10 grains.
 
They'll bounce off the ground at a low angle, but only very slow moving pellets will bounce off of a hard surface as in a ricochet.

A faster pellet will just crush under it's own weight, or embed itself into wood.

I did get some 14.35 to try out. I figured if I went too light I would have more of a problem with wind correction. But then most of my shots will be 25yds and under, so maybe not so much.

[anti-squirrel]

About pellets and mass and energy Oh My!

My primary pesting gun is a Hatsan 95QE- in .25.  It does shoot slower than a .22, but the pellets I choose to use are Polymags, and they happen to be very accurate out of that airgun.  Every squirrel, starling, and sparrow I've shot has died.  The birds instantly, the squirrels with very little fanfare- usually the spastic tail-spin thing  ~26 grains of Polymag to the head does 'em in, even at a stately 600 FPS.  I'll add I only take headshots, only on squirrels in my backyard, and generally at quite short range.

Although I have other airguns I know can take them (my Benji 392, a couple B-3 underlevers, my 760 pumper, my PP700W, and my Supercharger pistol), the 95QE remains my top choice because of pellet mass, plain and simple.  Every squirrel I've shot with that gun died within 3 feet of where I shot it.  That's my goal when it comes to Power and Ballistics in my Backyard. 

[39M]

I imagine it is good they retain their mass then, since they are geared towards hunting.

The pellets I shoot have very little mass to begin with. Almost all are less than 10 grains.
 
They'll bounce off the ground at a low angle, but only very slow moving pellets will bounce off of a hard surface as in a ricochet.

A faster pellet will just crush under it's own weight, or embed itself into wood.

I did get some 14.35 to try out. I figured if I went too light I would have more of a problem with wind correction. But then most of my shots will be 25yds and under, so maybe not so much.

I mainly shoot .177 cal,.

I would like to have a .22 cal. They generally don't move as fast, but I think they'd buck the wind a little better for longer range target shooting.

I haven't done much hunting with a pellet gun in a long time.

I have shot a few rats with my little 1377 pistol.