Nutter Down, potential problem....

[454 Big Block Chevy]

Well, i just shot a nice fat nutter out of my pecan tree.  I took a Shoulder shot, as it was my only available shot at the time.  i saw the nutter flip and land.  i thought, pumphouse shot, he's down.  he then ran up the tree, and with front left leg down, he cliffhangered off the tree, stairing at me... i reloaded and took a center chest shot.  he fell and immediatly expired.  i picked him up and took him inside.  here lies the problem.... first shot.... did not penetrate... second shot, same distance.... (15 yds) punched clean through and through.  are a squirrels shoulderblades that strong?  i did recover the pellet, it did make it through the shoulderblade, and was inside the chest cavity, but did not damage any internals.  would have likely died from bleed out however.  second shot, (chest) went through and disconnected the heart from the viens/arteries... cleanly.... the heart just fell out during cleaning.  i took some pictures of the completely expanded CPHP 14.3 grain, and i want to know what you guys think?  is my Titan underpowered, causing improper penetration?  or is it strong, causing the pellet to expand and expell its energy... or did i just get unlucky.  i included some pictures of a completely expanded pellet, and am linking them one at a time....   oh and i included as the last one, FOOD PORN!!!!



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nutter in bowl... FOOD PORN



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Pellet 1



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pellet 2




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Pellet 3

[454 Big Block Chevy]

after more thought, i'm guessing the reason the sparrow i shot earlier, flew off, is.... my pellets are probably just punching clear through and so fast that the critters aren't dying instantly... or i'm just not hitting them good.....

[1shotwonder]

Hmmm.. I dont know what the problem would be... With the sparrows, even if the pellets are punching right though, with a good body shot they should go right down... With my .177 BC (with velocity problems) with CPHP go right though sparrows, and they just drop like a rock... I dont think that a squirrels shoulder is that strong, but then again, if you hit it at it's biggest part, it might be... I never thought that a deers shoulder blade was strong enough to take a hit from a 175lb crossbow at 15 yards eigher.. And yet it did... Stuffs weird!

[shadow]

I think your shooter's alright along with the ammo used but for their size Squirrels have been known to take some real good hit's and keep moving. I've taken Squirrel's with old wond's from someone's not so well placed shot, can be pellet proof little dudes. Ed

[rabbitguy]

Maybe it's time for me to release some rabbits and give the titan a try.

[454 Big Block Chevy]

i'm ordering some .22 pred's and some FTS from PA, just to see if i can squeeze some more accuracy out of my GP... however with 4000+ cphp's in my inventory currently... i doubt i'l be "needing" some more ammo until next week sometimes...

i bet a pred would have killed that squirrel first shot.... the polymer tip likely would have allowed mroe penetration.

[renowntwo]

i guess we all tend to forget about the animals will to survive sometime when we know that we put a kill shot on it; so not the pellet or the shooter but the anmials will to stay alive.

[pindog2000]

good shooting