Bye bye .22

[PasadenaMike]

I’m planning to ditch .22 altogether for my hunting needs—it feels like the ground squirrels around here are wearing Kevlar vests! The .22 just doesn’t do enough damage, even though the gun’s zeroed and I can make headshots on lizards all day long. The .25, though—that one sends them to their maker quick.

 

[Bladebum]

If your shooting pellets, head shots head shots head shots. Thats the only way they will be DRT. If you switch to good expanding slugs that will be night and day difference. I can tell you with absolute certainty it is not the caliber, its the ammo. I would not be surprised to see a shift downward in popularity to .177 slug shooters in the community.

 

[PasadenaMike]

If your shooting pellets, head shots head shots head shots. Thats the only way they will be DRT. If you switch to good expanding slugs that will be night and day difference. I can tell you with absolute certainty it is not the caliber, its the ammo. I would not be surprised to see a shift downward in popularity to .177 slug shooters in the community.

Hades? That should put them down at 23 foot pounds. The .25 never fails shooting hades as well

 

[Bladebum]

Hades? That should put them down at 23 foot pounds. The .25 never fails shooting hades as well

Not a fan of the hades tbh. And 23 ft lbs is more than enough to kill them, they are certainly dying with vital shots just not right there. As far as pellets go, standard domes hit just as hard. You are right that if shooting pellets, than the .25 will certainly part with more energy. But if shooting slugs that expand good ,caliber is moot. All I shoot ground squirrels with is 21 grain javelin slugs, and they hit those little suckers so hard its gruesome at times. This is the same topics discussed about elk hunting, caliber is always the big topic when in reality bullet choice is key.

 

[Pumacarl]

I’m planning to ditch .22 altogether for my hunting needs—it feels like the ground squirrels around here are wearing Kevlar vests! The .22 just doesn’t do enough damage, even though the gun’s zeroed and I can make headshots on lizards all day long. The .25, though—that one sends them to their maker quick.

I concur. Unless the .22 is doing +45fpe, it's for plinking, most .25 these days start there.

 

[Chief 10-Beers]

Well, after hunting Ground squirrels in Ca for Many years the Ground Squirrel is one tough little Rodent! But once I went to .223 and 40 gr Vmax it was lights out. lol

 

[pan60]

look at what we do around here with .22 I ran heII down on the the tree rats.
I see no reason myself to the Hades I have many tins of them and there as best I have seen no more expansion the the standard pellets.
I wish there was a better expanding pellet out there but I havent found one I aim for the head or front shoulder and pop they are dead
if I had a good set up for slugs I would like to someday I think some good hollow points would be the ticket

 

[Luis Leon]

I’m planning to ditch .22 altogether for my hunting needs—it feels like the ground squirrels around here are wearing Kevlar vests! The .22 just doesn’t do enough damage, even though the gun’s zeroed and I can make headshots on lizards all day long. The .25, though—that one sends them to their maker quick.

Maybe better shot placement? The .22 is a fine killer. Maybe switch up projectiles and send deliberately and with deadly intent…

I concur. Unless the .22 is doing +45fpe, it's for plinking, most .25 these days start there.

So .22s doing 30 fpe need not apply… Though I haven’t had the privilege of shooting ground squirrels. They don’t seem different than our Northern Gray Squirrels or heck our even bigger Woodchucks. And both of those critters find 30 fpe PCPs irresistible. Heck, I’ve taken a few chucks with my sub 17 fpe Atomic XR. I thought it was always about shot placement within your comfort zone for sure kills… The .22 is a fine caliber with a multitude of pellet and slugs to choose from…

 

[pan60]

I have dropped coyotes with my EVOL 15" in .22
good shot placement and dead and done.

 

[Pumacarl]

Well, like @Bladebum said, head shot is death, with any caliber. I've shot the bread boxes out of gray squirrels using .22mag hp ammo and they were still running on a tree branch with feet of intestines hanging down. It is and always will be more about shot placement than caliber or power, but having choices I choose a .25 too. I have actually killed the most critters with a sub 12fpe springer, but so what, it limited a lot of the shots I could have taken too. The past can stay there.

 

[Chief 10-Beers]

After seeing My Condor ss produce 58 fpe on its lowest power wheel setting with .25 gr Pellets, I intend to stick with .22 for now. The shot placement however will depend on Me. lol

 

[JimT66]

I’m planning to ditch .22 altogether for my hunting needs—it feels like the ground squirrels around here are wearing Kevlar vests! The .22 just doesn’t do enough damage, even though the gun’s zeroed and I can make headshots on lizards all day long. The .25, though—that one sends them to their maker quick.

Lord Mike, what brand of ground squirrels and tree rats yall have in California?

 

[Chief 10-Beers]

Lord Mike, what brand of ground squirrels and tree rats yall have in California?

The Ground squirrels in Ca. are tough little Critters! I have shot them and seen them crawl back to their holes with most of their "Innerds" dragging along behind them. When using a .22lr I found that the CCI segmenting rounds worked best. I wonder if Pellet Makers ever considered designing any of that type?

 

[JimT66]

After seeing My Condor ss produce 58 fpe on its lowest power wheel setting with .25 gr Pellets, I intend to stick with .22 for now. The shot placement however will depend on Me. lol

Both my Condor and my Escape SS are in .22 cal. I shot a crow last week at almost 50 yards with the Condor, using a Hades pellet. It blew out his back, big hole. He dropped like a stone, DOI. Not plugging for the Hades, just was what I had loaded. I will shoot 'yotes, skunks, trash pandas, fox, or bobcats with them. They all catch a sudden and severe case of death.

 

[JimT66]

The Ground squirrels in Ca. are tough little Critters! I have shot them and seen them crawl back to their holes with most of their "Innerds" dragging along behind them. When using a .22lr I found that the CCI segmenting rounds worked best. I wonder if Pellet Makers ever considered designing any of that type?

If they haven't, they need to start taking lessons. I have one or two...hahaha...rounds of the segmented. They work wonders

 

[Chief 10-Beers]

Indeed, they Do. The first were called "QuikShock" I believe, and I bought 1000 rounds. I think they are rebranded under a different name now?

 

[JimT66]

Indeed, they Do. The first were called "QuikShock" I believe, and I bought 1000 rounds. I think they are rebranded under a different name now?

That's right Chief! That's exactly what I have. Hooked up on a couple of cases of them when first released. Didn't know they changed brand names.

 

[Chief 10-Beers]

This is what they are now. Notice how slow they travel.

 

[JimT66]

This is wView attachment 13751hat they are now. Notice how slow they travel.

Hey! Make great slugs for the Condor or Escape!

 

[Danman]

Both my Condor and my Escape SS are in .22 cal. I shot a crow last week at almost 50 yards with the Condor, using a Hades pellet. It blew out his back, big hole. He dropped like a stone, DOI. Not plugging for the Hades, just was what I had loaded. I will shoot 'yotes, skunks, trash pandas, fox, or bobcats with them. They all catch a sudden and severe case of death.

.22 for LIIFEEE... the Hades are my fav for pesting, absolute anchors @ 15.89gr. However 23FPE is not....I get em zipping. 30fpe @ well over 900fps...
Waited a day and a half to bag these HOSPs. Made a nest in the eavestrough and the male was straight up obnoxious with his noise, drowning out the natives. I had my shop door open and S510 ready 2 go but the second he saw me...GONE, everytime! The female is missing her inards...the Hades tore em all out. Everything I've heard on ground squirrels tells me they are tough though!
The squirrel was last week, a vitals upper shoulder shot - DRT. I never take head shots on squirrels with 30fpe? An 18.13 woulda made it out the other side.