Realistic hunting range of 8.5ft/ib rifle?

[Damo666]

On the range, I've zeroed my scope in at 20 yards - but as the targets are paper or metal spinners, I've not actually checked penetration.

My rifle chronies at 9.25 ft/ib for the first few shots, then drops to 8.75ft/ib for most, then around 8.25ft/ib for the remainder of shots until the Co2 cart is empty.

Can anyone please give me a ballpark range for clean kill on Birds, Squirrels, Rat's, etc'?

[BackStop]

On the range, I've zeroed my scope in at 20 yards - but as the targets are paper or metal spinners, I've not actually checked penetration.

My rifle chronies at 9.25 ft/ib for the first few shots, then drops to 8.75ft/ib for most, then around 8.25ft/ib for the remainder of shots until the Co2 cart is empty.

Can anyone please give me a ballpark range for clean kill on Birds, Squirrels, Rat's, etc'?

At that range, you should have enough fpe at POI for a clean kill on the small game you listed, but shot placement will be crucial.

I shoot with a MV of 730fps/~12 fpe  (with .177) and as long as my shot placement is good... DRT (Dead Right There).    That goes for from 10 meters out to ~50 yards. 

[Chouchin66]

Your rifle is a taste hotter than a R7/HW30... so it's capable to 30 - 35 yards... If you're up to it.

[Arch_E]

Based upon what I've gleaned from others here, I guess-timate that the pellet loses 25% of its fpe every 10ish yards. Some here believe that it takes 6fpe to kill a squirrel; others, 4.5. Like Kerry just mentioned, it's the shot placement that matters most. So, I accept 4.5 fpe in a brain shot as a DRT for squirrels. With your gun, 20 yards might be possible; maybe not.

Again, others here can provide much better factual info: I'm just trying to pass along what I believe to be true based upon my hours of reading on the forum. OTOH, I killed a squirrel 25 yards away with my CO2 Hammerli 850, which the chrony showed was shooting at 627-675 FPS. Assuming the kill shot left the barrel at 650 FPS, that 8.64 grain H&N FTT would have it the squirrel in the brain at less than half the 8.11 fpe it started with. That was 25 yards. So, again, shot placement and real numbers can make a difference.

trying to be helpful,

Archie

[BackStop]

Based upon what I've gleaned from others here, I guess-timate that the pellet loses 25% of its fpe every 10ish yards. Some here believe that it takes 6fpe to kill a squirrel; others, 4.5. Like Kerry just mentioned, it's the shot placement that matters most. So, I accept 4.5 fpe in a brain shot as a DRT for squirrels. With your gun, 20 yards might be possible; maybe not.

Again, others here can provide much better factual info: I'm just trying to pass along what I believe to be true based upon my hours of reading on the forum. OTOH, I killed a squirrel 25 yards away with my CO2 Hammerli 850, which the chrony showed was shooting at 627-675 FPS. Assuming the kill shot left the barrel at 650 FPS, that 8.64 grain H&N FTT would have it the squirrel in the brain at less than half the 8.11 fpe it started with. That was 25 yards. So, again, shot placement and real numbers can make a difference.

trying to be helpful,

Archie

It's just like with Real Estate...


Location, location, location! 

[subscriber]

That depends on the actual pellets used, and on their accuracy out of your rifle.

If you can make brain shots, then a range out to whatever distance drops the pellet energy to 4 ft.lb should work on all those critters you mentioned.  The snag is that the brain is a very small target, and that is likely to limit your range.

For body shots on sparrows and rats, 4 ft.lb should also be enough.  But for body shots on squirrel, you are going to need a bit more than that.  Probably should not shoot a large squirrel past 10 yards unless you hit its brain. 

If you manage to brain a squirrel, you could sacrifice its body to science, and shoot it through the chest to see what penetration you get at 20 yards.  Penetration all the way to the underside of the skin on the far side will be very effective and should be your goal.  Even so, squirrels are very tough and are likely to run off, despite taking a shot that would be fatal within another 20 seconds.  That said, puncturing one lung will kill a squirrel, but it will take a lot longer than puncturing both.  If the heart is involved that would be good, but it is a small target...

For larger birds such as pigeon, head shots don't take more than for sparrows.  However; body shots take a lot more energy; especially if you do not avoid the very heavy sternum; or the flight feathers.  The junction between neck and shoulders is the better aim point, if the head cannot be hit for some reason.

[Damo666]

I'm still a beginner on the shooting range, with yesterday being my 2nd visit - but I'm proficient at 1/2 inch groups at 15 > 20 yards with the odd one at 3/4 inch.

I'll do some more practicing, then use this upto around 25 yards to be on the safe side.

Appreciated for the input as always blokes.

[BackStop]

That depends on the actual pellets used, and on their accuracy out of your rifle.

If you can make brain shots, then a range out to whatever distance drops the pellet energy to 4 ft.lb should work on all those critters you mentioned.  The snag is that the brain is a very small target, and that is likely to limit your range.

For body shots on sparrows and rats, 4 ft.lb should also be enough.  But for body shots on squirrel, you are going to need a bit more than that.  Probably should not shoot a large squirrel past 10 yards unless you hit its brain. 

If you manage to brain a squirrel, you could sacrifice its body to science, and shoot it through the chest to see what penetration you get at 20 yards.  Penetration all the way to the underside of the skin on the far side will be very effective and should be your goal.  Even so, squirrels are very tough and are likely to run off, despite taking a shot that would be fatal within another 20 seconds.  That said, puncturing one lung will kill a squirrel, but it will take a lot longer than puncturing both.  If the heart is involved that would be good, but it is a small target...

For larger birds such as pigeon, head shots don't take more than for sparrows.  However; body shots take a lot more energy; especially if you do not avoid the very heavy sternum; or the flight feathers.  The junction between neck and shoulders is the better aim point, if the head cannot be hit for some reason.

Location, location, location!  LOL!

It is possible to kill ANYTHING efficiently with precise shot placement and less fpe than most people think.

[anti-squirrel]

That depends on the actual pellets used, and on their accuracy out of your rifle.

If you can make brain shots, then a range out to whatever distance drops the pellet energy to 4 ft.lb should work on all those critters you mentioned.  The snag is that the brain is a very small target, and that is likely to limit your range.

For body shots on sparrows and rats, 4 ft.lb should also be enough.  But for body shots on squirrel, you are going to need a bit more than that.  Probably should not shoot a large squirrel past 10 yards unless you hit its brain. 

If you manage to brain a squirrel, you could sacrifice its body to science, and shoot it through the chest to see what penetration you get at 20 yards.  Penetration all the way to the underside of the skin on the far side will be very effective and should be your goal.  Even so, squirrels are very tough and are likely to run off, despite taking a shot that would be fatal within another 20 seconds.  That said, puncturing one lung will kill a squirrel, but it will take a lot longer than puncturing both.  If the heart is involved that would be good, but it is a small target...

For larger birds such as pigeon, head shots don't take more than for sparrows.  However; body shots take a lot more energy; especially if you do not avoid the very heavy sternum; or the flight feathers.  The junction between neck and shoulders is the better aim point, if the head cannot be hit for some reason.

Everything is point-on here.

I use everything from my 10 FPE CZ-634 springer on up to my hot-running MRodAir Varmint on squirrel, but almost exclusively go for headshots.  This includes my favorite 2 "squirrel guns", my PP700 pistol (now turned back to 12 FPE) and my 2400KT CO2 rifle.

HOSPs don't take much energy at all to kill- 4 FPE to the head with a wadcutter. Avoid the domes and pointed pellets.  Wadcutters are ideal for these tiny birds unless you're going out past 20 yards.  Domes and Polymag-style are fine for body/neck/headshots on birds, but placement is crucial, though since a sparrow is so small, hit cnter-mass with almost anything and they fold like paper.  Pigeons... well, just, errr, subscriber and watch some of Ted's videos 

I've taken a few thousand pigeons (well north of 6) during a relatively short time I was employed doing avian abatement in the SF Bay Area.  An R-7 springer (equivalent to the HW-30) and a Blue Streak pumper (both guns were .20) netted most of those, but I also used a Tru-Mark one-piece non-folding wrist-rocket with Tap-Cons at relatively short ranges (15 yards or less on average).  A Tap-Con isn't fast but the sheer mass imparted a lot of energy and a pigeon nailed in the body or neck by one died instantly.  A pellet hitting the keel or breastbone has to go through some serious muscle so I'll only attempt pigeon body shots either from directly behind or using one of my more powerful airguns- and then using domes, not wadcutters.  Knowing your quarry is absolutely vital.

Rats and squirrels are a different topic.  Rats are fairly fragile but incredibly smart.  Shoot the larger ones in the head.  They've lived the longest, have learned the most, etc.  Seriously, pass on the smaller ones because they're younger and hav learned less.  Wait until the old ones are all dead, then focus on the younger.  4 FPE to the skull kills a rat dead as can be.  Your CO2 gun should be good to 25 or 30 yards provided you have pellets you can stack hole in hole repeatedly.  My 2400KT can do that with a number of different wadcutters at even 30 yards, and really deserves a better scope than what I have, but most of my shots are 19 yards (distance from my deck to my feeders).

Squirrels...

Well, you see my forum name.  I pass on many shots as my focus is almost always headshots.  Ear canal, just aft of the zygomatic arch (cheekbone), or into the eye socket if they face me.  My shots are almost always taken at a downward angle since my deck sits higher than the feeders , so those eye socket shots cause brain-death instantly.

As an aside, my PP700 pistol is incredibly accurate.  I can grab any of 14 different pellets in .177 and make surgically precise shots at 20 yards (have to vary my POA depending on what I'm sighted-in for).  Still take mostly headshots as mentioned above.  The few I squirrels I took with heart/lung shots I then spent time trying headshots to see what penetrated.  Obviously, pointed and domes penetrated, but what surprised me the most was the wadcutters.  Inside their accurate ranges (roughly 30 yards), they remain my favored pesting pellet.  I extended this by cleaning their nasty little tick-infested carcasses and then taking shots at skulls.  It also provided much more insight to the internal layout of the tree-rat.  Plus it was cathartic taking extra shots on those rotten little disease-monsters.

A special mention should be made to pumpers- most of the rifle-barreled pumpers can be rendered extremely accurate using minor mods (taping the barrel on the 880 for example), and even the lowly 760 pumper can get an upgraded barrel from the MK4-177 pumper from Crosman (barrel is ~ $10 and practically drops in).  If you feel the need for year-round pesting, not just CO2-season, look no further than your garden variety pumper, find The Pellet, scope it, and perform high-speed lead-based brain surgery.  Of course, why limit yourself.  Get a big-bore PCP and create HOSP vapor and squirrel mist

[BackStop]

That depends on the actual pellets used, and on their accuracy out of your rifle.

If you can make brain shots, then a range out to whatever distance drops the pellet energy to 4 ft.lb should work on all those critters you mentioned.  The snag is that the brain is a very small target, and that is likely to limit your range.

For body shots on sparrows and rats, 4 ft.lb should also be enough.  But for body shots on squirrel, you are going to need a bit more than that.  Probably should not shoot a large squirrel past 10 yards unless you hit its brain. 

If you manage to brain a squirrel, you could sacrifice its body to science, and shoot it through the chest to see what penetration you get at 20 yards.  Penetration all the way to the underside of the skin on the far side will be very effective and should be your goal.  Even so, squirrels are very tough and are likely to run off, despite taking a shot that would be fatal within another 20 seconds.  That said, puncturing one lung will kill a squirrel, but it will take a lot longer than puncturing both.  If the heart is involved that would be good, but it is a small target...

For larger birds such as pigeon, head shots don't take more than for sparrows.  However; body shots take a lot more energy; especially if you do not avoid the very heavy sternum; or the flight feathers.  The junction between neck and shoulders is the better aim point, if the head cannot be hit for some reason.

Everything is point-on here.

I use everything from my 10 FPE CZ-634 springer on up to my hot-running MRodAir Varmint on squirrel, but almost exclusively go for headshots.  This includes my favorite 2 "squirrel guns", my PP700 pistol (now turned back to 12 FPE) and my 2400KT CO2 rifle.

HOSPs don't take much energy at all to kill- 4 FPE to the head with a wadcutter. Avoid the domes and pointed pellets.  Wadcutters are ideal for these tiny birds unless you're going out past 20 yards.  Domes and Polymag-style are fine for body/neck/headshots on birds, but placement is crucial, though since a sparrow is so small, hit cnter-mass with almost anything and they fold like paper.  Pigeons... well, just, errr, subscriber and watch some of Ted's videos 

I've taken a few thousand pigeons (well north of 6) during a relatively short time I was employed doing avian abatement in the SF Bay Area.  An R-7 springer (equivalent to the HW-30) and a Blue Streak pumper (both guns were .20) netted most of those, but I also used a Tru-Mark one-piece non-folding wrist-rocket with Tap-Cons at relatively short ranges (15 yards or less on average).  A Tap-Con isn't fast but the sheer mass imparted a lot of energy and a pigeon nailed in the body or neck by one died instantly.  A pellet hitting the keel or breastbone has to go through some serious muscle so I'll only attempt pigeon body shots either from directly behind or using one of my more powerful airguns- and then using domes, not wadcutters.  Knowing your quarry is absolutely vital.

Rats and squirrels are a different topic.  Rats are fairly fragile but incredibly smart.  Shoot the larger ones in the head.  They've lived the longest, have learned the most, etc.  Seriously, pass on the smaller ones because they're younger and hav learned less.  Wait until the old ones are all dead, then focus on the younger.  4 FPE to the skull kills a rat dead as can be.  Your CO2 gun should be good to 25 or 30 yards provided you have pellets you can stack hole in hole repeatedly.  My 2400KT can do that with a number of different wadcutters at even 30 yards, and really deserves a better scope than what I have, but most of my shots are 19 yards (distance from my deck to my feeders).

Squirrels...

Well, you see my forum name.  I pass on many shots as my focus is almost always headshots.  Ear canal, just aft of the zygomatic arch (cheekbone), or into the eye socket if they face me.  My shots are almost always taken at a downward angle since my deck sits higher than the feeders , so those eye socket shots cause brain-death instantly.

As an aside, my PP700 pistol is incredibly accurate.  I can grab any of 14 different pellets in .177 and make surgically precise shots at 20 yards (have to vary my POA depending on what I'm sighted-in for).  Still take mostly headshots as mentioned above.  The few I squirrels I took with heart/lung shots I then spent time trying headshots to see what penetrated.  Obviously, pointed and domes penetrated, but what surprised me the most was the wadcutters.  Inside their accurate ranges (roughly 30 yards), they remain my favored pesting pellet.  I extended this by cleaning their nasty little tick-infested carcasses and then taking shots at skulls.  It also provided much more insight to the internal layout of the tree-rat.  Plus it was cathartic taking extra shots on those rotten little disease-monsters.

A special mention should be made to pumpers- most of the rifle-barreled pumpers can be rendered extremely accurate using minor mods (taping the barrel on the 880 for example), and even the lowly 760 pumper can get an upgraded barrel from the MK4-177 pumper from Crosman (barrel is ~ $10 and practically drops in).  If you feel the need for year-round pesting, not just CO2-season, look no further than your garden variety pumper, find The Pellet, scope it, and perform high-speed lead-based brain surgery.  Of course, why limit yourself.  Get a big-bore PCP and create HOSP vapor and squirrel mist

If the situation is like mine, then pass through and ricochet are a HUGE concern!

[Bayman]

I've done squirrels and rabbits from 10 to 20 yards and house sparrows to 40 with an 8fpe 177cal Hw30. You'll get fatal body shots with the furry ones but they run a ways before they die. Not really a concern if you're shooting them as pest. Not so good if you have nearby neighbors. Well placed head shots smoke em every time but aren't easily made on twitchy squirrels.
 I've gone to wadcutters since they are accurate at short ranges and pack a wallop similar to hollow points. Low power rifles won't open hollow points. I also use them to minimize pass throughs. Yes with only 8fpe at the barrel a domed pellet will pass through a squirrel at 15 yards. Wadcutters also bleed off energy quickly to minimize collateral damage on missed shots. I know, I know, nobody here ever misses.
Lots of good information here from more experienced shooters this is just my experience with similar power equipment at short ranges.

[BackStop]

I've done squirrels and rabbits from 10 to 20 yards and house sparrows to 40 with an 8fpe 177cal Hw30. You'll get fatal body shots with the furry ones but they run a ways before they die. Not really a concern if you're shooting them as pest. Not so good if you have nearby neighbors. Well placed head shots smoke em every time but aren't easily made on twitchy squirrels.
 I've gone to wadcutters since they are accurate at short ranges and pack a wallop similar to hollow points. Low power rifles won't open hollow points. I also use them to minimize pass throughs. Yes with only 8fpe at the barrel a domed pellet will pass through a squirrel at 15 yards. Wadcutters also bleed off energy quickly to minimize collateral damage on missed shots. I know, I know, nobody here ever misses.
Lots of good information here from more experienced shooters this is just my experience with similar power equipment at short ranges.

The main problem I have with wadcutters is that I never found any that work accurately in any of my AGs out to 25 yards.     Actually, I never tried them except at 10 yards/meters indoors and that told me all I needed to know.   Groups were no good even at 10 yards/meters.   If I can't put hole in hole at 10 meters, I know at 25 yards, they will be all over the place.

[anti-squirrel]

Kerry, all my Crosman barrels love RWS wadcutters, from the MK4-177 on my 760 pumpers to my 1740, Maximus (with both .177 and .22 barrels), 1377/1322, and of course, my 2400KT.  Dunno if you've tried 'em, but if not, give it a go- but keep in mind WC are match pellets, designed for tight groups at slower power levels.

I go with the RWS Meisterkugelns in .177.  H&N Match and Match Heavy WC for the .22s.  I'm not so keen on the H&N Excite wadcutters in .22 except in my 2400KT, but this gun still prefers the .22 Meiterkugeln WC way more.  The Maximus (and Varmint) both spit the wadcutters too fast for accuracy, though if I use the RVA to drop speeds on the Max down to 760-800, it becomes a squirrel-thumper.  Move 'em faster than 800 and accuracy takes a dive.  720 FPS seems to be nearly perfect, but m 2400KT doesn't shoot that fast and it's a laser with the RWS Meisterdadburnit WC.

I've killed a whole arseload of squirrels using headshots with either wadcutters or Polymag-style pellets over the last few years.  My ranges are short, usually 19 yards, often less, rarely more.  I also have woods behind my home filled with hickory, jack pine, and oak, and don't have much in the way of hawks or owls (sadly), and the coyote got all the feral cats a few years back.  Squirrel are everywhere, so I've spent wayyyyyyy too much time figuring out good short range combinations.  At some point I need to either get a PRod or perhaps a Sortie with a Sumo so I can make a real dent in the obnoxious tick-carriers.

side note: anybody know of any vendors even considering selling .25 wadcutters?  I think they would shine in my 95QE.

[BackStop]

Kerry, all my Crosman barrels love RWS wadcutters, from the MK4-177 on my 760 pumpers to my 1740, Maximus (with both .177 and .22 barrels), 1377/1322, and of course, my 2400KT.  Dunno if you've tried 'em, but if not, give it a go.

I go with the RWS Meisterkugelns in .177.  H&N Match and Match Heavy WC for the .22s.  I'm not so keen on the H&N Excite wadcutters in .22 except in my 2400KT, but this gun still prefers the .22 Meiterkugeln WC way more.  The Maximus (and Varmint) both spit the wadcutters too fast for accuracy, though if I use the RVA to drop speeds on the Max down to 760-800, it becomes a squirrel-thumper.  Move 'em faster than 800 and accuracy takes a dive.

I've killed a whole arseload of squirrels using headshots with either wadcutters or Polymag-style pellets over the last few years.  My ranges are short, usually 19 yards, often less, rarely more.  I also have woods behind my home filled with hickory, jack pine, and oak, and don't have much in the way of hawks or owls (sadly), and the coyote got all the feral cats a few years back.  Squirrel are everywhere, so I've spent wayyyyyyy too much time figuring out good short range combinations.  At some point I need to either get a PRod or perhaps a Sortie with a Sumo so I can make a real dent in the obnoxious tick-carriers.

side note: anybody know of any vendors even considering selling .25 wadcutters?  I think they would shine in my 95QE.

Peter, the 10.5 CPUM and brown box work so well, I quit looking.   They also work very well out to 55 yards.   There is no wadcutter that will do that.

[anti-squirrel]

Kerry, all my Crosman barrels love RWS wadcutters, from the MK4-177 on my 760 pumpers to my 1740, Maximus (with both .177 and .22 barrels), 1377/1322, and of course, my 2400KT.  Dunno if you've tried 'em, but if not, give it a go.

I go with the RWS Meisterkugelns in .177.  H&N Match and Match Heavy WC for the .22s.  I'm not so keen on the H&N Excite wadcutters in .22 except in my 2400KT, but this gun still prefers the .22 Meiterkugeln WC way more.  The Maximus (and Varmint) both spit the wadcutters too fast for accuracy, though if I use the RVA to drop speeds on the Max down to 760-800, it becomes a squirrel-thumper.  Move 'em faster than 800 and accuracy takes a dive.

I've killed a whole arseload of squirrels using headshots with either wadcutters or Polymag-style pellets over the last few years.  My ranges are short, usually 19 yards, often less, rarely more.  I also have woods behind my home filled with hickory, jack pine, and oak, and don't have much in the way of hawks or owls (sadly), and the coyote got all the feral cats a few years back.  Squirrel are everywhere, so I've spent wayyyyyyy too much time figuring out good short range combinations.  At some point I need to either get a PRod or perhaps a Sortie with a Sumo so I can make a real dent in the obnoxious tick-carriers.

side note: anybody know of any vendors even considering selling .25 wadcutters?  I think they would shine in my 95QE.

Peter, the 10.5 CPUM and brown box work so well, I quit looking.   They also work very well out to 55 yards.   There is no wadcutter that will do that.

   

yeah, I'm a big fan of the 10.5 CPUM and Brown-Box (especially the latter in my PP700- 4th best pellet in that gun).  But I have to worry about pass-throughs with the domes depending on which direction I shoot.  And... the WC still shoot a trifle better (excepting in the PP700.  Silver Jets work best in that which baffles me since their pointed- even at 35 yards!)

[BackStop]

Kerry, all my Crosman barrels love RWS wadcutters, from the MK4-177 on my 760 pumpers to my 1740, Maximus (with both .177 and .22 barrels), 1377/1322, and of course, my 2400KT.  Dunno if you've tried 'em, but if not, give it a go.

I go with the RWS Meisterkugelns in .177.  H&N Match and Match Heavy WC for the .22s.  I'm not so keen on the H&N Excite wadcutters in .22 except in my 2400KT, but this gun still prefers the .22 Meiterkugeln WC way more.  The Maximus (and Varmint) both spit the wadcutters too fast for accuracy, though if I use the RVA to drop speeds on the Max down to 760-800, it becomes a squirrel-thumper.  Move 'em faster than 800 and accuracy takes a dive.

I've killed a whole arseload of squirrels using headshots with either wadcutters or Polymag-style pellets over the last few years.  My ranges are short, usually 19 yards, often less, rarely more.  I also have woods behind my home filled with hickory, jack pine, and oak, and don't have much in the way of hawks or owls (sadly), and the coyote got all the feral cats a few years back.  Squirrel are everywhere, so I've spent wayyyyyyy too much time figuring out good short range combinations.  At some point I need to either get a PRod or perhaps a Sortie with a Sumo so I can make a real dent in the obnoxious tick-carriers.

side note: anybody know of any vendors even considering selling .25 wadcutters?  I think they would shine in my 95QE.

Peter, the 10.5 CPUM and brown box work so well, I quit looking.   They also work very well out to 55 yards.   There is no wadcutter that will do that.

 

yeah, I'm a big fan of the 10.5 CPUM and Brown-Box (especially the latter in my PP700- 4th best pellet in that gun).  But I have to worry about pass-throughs with the domes depending on which direction I shoot.  And... the WC still shoot a trifle better (excepting in the PP700.  Silver Jets work best in that which baffles me since their pointed- even at 35 yards!)

That's why I only shoot the Freedoms on low power (~730fps/~12fpe) and I always make sure I have a safe "backstop".  (grin)

At 55 yards, the hold over is just under 5 inches and fpe is over 6fpe at POI... I forget the exact fpe at POI.

[nervoustrigger]

I’m pretty well in agreement with most of what has been said here so far.
 
I’ll just reiterate that squirrels are tough to drop on the spot at the energy levels being talked about here so I would skip vitals shots and opt only for the brain.  A few weeks ago I posted a short clip of a gray squirrel with almost precisely the same scenario as you’re asking about…8fpe at the muzzle, 4.6fpe on target:
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=27855.msg155842107
 
With small birds like house sparrows, it takes very little energy indeed and I agree that wadcutters are a great choice.  A center mass placement is instant lights out even at 4fpe on target.  No need to aim at the tiny head.  Of course that’s only an option if you can find a sufficiently accurate one and often that will limit the practical distance to something like 20 yards although sometimes you may get lucky and extend that to 30-35 yards.  If you need to use a dome, that will get the job done too but the placement really needs to be though the vitals, not just more broadly center mass.  Pass-throughs are a guarantee.  For example I’ve gotten hosp two-fers with a 6fpe .177 using domes.  That says something about how little of the energy is being dissipated as it passes through, and therefore how little tissue damage is sustained…which is why the placement of a dome is more important.

[UCChris]

That depends on the actual pellets used, and on their accuracy out of your rifle.

If you can make brain shots, then a range out to whatever distance drops the pellet energy to 4 ft.lb should work on all those critters you mentioned.  The snag is that the brain is a very small target, and that is likely to limit your range.

For body shots on sparrows and rats, 4 ft.lb should also be enough.  But for body shots on squirrel, you are going to need a bit more than that.  Probably should not shoot a large squirrel past 10 yards unless you hit its brain. 

If you manage to brain a squirrel, you could sacrifice its body to science, and shoot it through the chest to see what penetration you get at 20 yards.  Penetration all the way to the underside of the skin on the far side will be very effective and should be your goal.  Even so, squirrels are very tough and are likely to run off, despite taking a shot that would be fatal within another 20 seconds.  That said, puncturing one lung will kill a squirrel, but it will take a lot longer than puncturing both.  If the heart is involved that would be good, but it is a small target...

For larger birds such as pigeon, head shots don't take more than for sparrows.  However; body shots take a lot more energy; especially if you do not avoid the very heavy sternum; or the flight feathers.  The junction between neck and shoulders is the better aim point, if the head cannot be hit for some reason.

Everything is point-on here.

I use everything from my 10 FPE CZ-634 springer on up to my hot-running MRodAir Varmint on squirrel, but almost exclusively go for headshots.  This includes my favorite 2 "squirrel guns", my PP700 pistol (now turned back to 12 FPE) and my 2400KT CO2 rifle.

HOSPs don't take much energy at all to kill- 4 FPE to the head with a wadcutter. Avoid the domes and pointed pellets.  Wadcutters are ideal for these tiny birds unless you're going out past 20 yards.  Domes and Polymag-style are fine for body/neck/headshots on birds, but placement is crucial, though since a sparrow is so small, hit cnter-mass with almost anything and they fold like paper.  Pigeons... well, just, errr, subscriber and watch some of Ted's videos 

I've taken a few thousand pigeons (well north of 6) during a relatively short time I was employed doing avian abatement in the SF Bay Area.  An R-7 springer (equivalent to the HW-30) and a Blue Streak pumper (both guns were .20) netted most of those, but I also used a Tru-Mark one-piece non-folding wrist-rocket with Tap-Cons at relatively short ranges (15 yards or less on average).  A Tap-Con isn't fast but the sheer mass imparted a lot of energy and a pigeon nailed in the body or neck by one died instantly.  A pellet hitting the keel or breastbone has to go through some serious muscle so I'll only attempt pigeon body shots either from directly behind or using one of my more powerful airguns- and then using domes, not wadcutters.  Knowing your quarry is absolutely vital.

Rats and squirrels are a different topic.  Rats are fairly fragile but incredibly smart.  Shoot the larger ones in the head.  They've lived the longest, have learned the most, etc.  Seriously, pass on the smaller ones because they're younger and hav learned less.  Wait until the old ones are all dead, then focus on the younger.  4 FPE to the skull kills a rat dead as can be.  Your CO2 gun should be good to 25 or 30 yards provided you have pellets you can stack hole in hole repeatedly.  My 2400KT can do that with a number of different wadcutters at even 30 yards, and really deserves a better scope than what I have, but most of my shots are 19 yards (distance from my deck to my feeders).

Squirrels...

Well, you see my forum name.  I pass on many shots as my focus is almost always headshots.  Ear canal, just aft of the zygomatic arch (cheekbone), or into the eye socket if they face me.  My shots are almost always taken at a downward angle since my deck sits higher than the feeders , so those eye socket shots cause brain-death instantly.

As an aside, my PP700 pistol is incredibly accurate.  I can grab any of 14 different pellets in .177 and make surgically precise shots at 20 yards (have to vary my POA depending on what I'm sighted-in for).  Still take mostly headshots as mentioned above.  The few I squirrels I took with heart/lung shots I then spent time trying headshots to see what penetrated.  Obviously, pointed and domes penetrated, but what surprised me the most was the wadcutters.  Inside their accurate ranges (roughly 30 yards), they remain my favored pesting pellet.  I extended this by cleaning their nasty little tick-infested carcasses and then taking shots at skulls.  It also provided much more insight to the internal layout of the tree-rat.  Plus it was cathartic taking extra shots on those rotten little disease-monsters.

A special mention should be made to pumpers- most of the rifle-barreled pumpers can be rendered extremely accurate using minor mods (taping the barrel on the 880 for example), and even the lowly 760 pumper can get an upgraded barrel from the MK4-177 pumper from Crosman (barrel is ~ $10 and practically drops in).  If you feel the need for year-round pesting, not just CO2-season, look no further than your garden variety pumper, find The Pellet, scope it, and perform high-speed lead-based brain surgery.  Of course, why limit yourself.  Get a big-bore PCP and create HOSP vapor and squirrel mist

I'm almost offended that the 6 fpe QB79 shorty that I sold you didn't make an appearance in this post.

[BackStop]

Noticed this one out at my extreme range while posting in this thread.

The shot went a little low, but he was DRT @ 55 yards (~6+fpe @ POI).   (grin)

10.5 grain CPUM, .177 Freedom on low power @~730fps.

Woo HOOO!   My first kill at 55 yards in quite a while!!!   I am getting better!  (smile)

Almost forgot, this shot was taken with the cheap Hatsan Optima 3-12x50 scope using 12x power.

[Thane]

Stormrider .177 doing 12FPE is my most blooded in gun and sits next to my rear door on hosp/rat duty. Light weight, consistent and twig snap quiet.

Lower FPE is where the vast majority of dispatches occur, watching youtube personalities taking pigeons with 80 FPE guns is entertaining, but primarily for pumping up like counts and totally unrealistic for most of us.