.177 farmyard hunting....

[rhyslightnin]

Just watched an aeac video on long range .177 pellet stability. He used some predetor polymags and it got me thinking..... The Daystate hasn't sold, the BSA is broke, as am I & I'm currently without a pcp (don't like using a gun I'm trying to sell). So I'm considering re-scoping the DS and trying some of the above pellets or other various hollow point variations for the farm. Might even service it & wind the power back to 9.5/10 just to slow them down a bit more.
What is people's impression of the various "hunting hollows" ,"flat heads" & what I call "spiked hollows".... Any recommendations in .177?
And is there any other tips I could use for a .177 rat & bird rig?
Thanks Rhys

[Jonjon79]

Hi Rhys,

I found the Polymag shorts and Baracuda Hunter Extreme to be accurate in my HW100 and the DS Mk3 that I recently parted with.

Give me a shout if you want some to try.

[rhyslightnin]

Hi Rhys,

I found the Polymag shorts and Baracuda Hunter Extreme to be accurate in my HW100 and the DS Mk3 that I recently parted with.

Give me a shout if you want some to try.

That's a good offer.. you about Thursday?

[Jonjon79]

That's a good offer.. you about Thursday?

I'll be at work but, you're welcome to pop in for a cuppa mate.

I'll bring the pellets in with me.

[flyingfish]

I like flat heads. I don't believe that the extra shock makes any difference to a clean kill but the extra energy dumped (a considerable amount) means less over penetration and so less ricochet.
I will have some at the bash which you are welcome to try

[TonyL]

I like flat heads. I don't believe that the extra shock makes any difference to a clean kill but the extra energy dumped (a considerable amount) means less over penetration and so less ricochet.
I will have some at the bash which you are welcome to try

Yep, and I had much success back in the day for close range farmyard duties with the good old Hobby. Ideal at short range as it sheds energy quickly and is very soft.

Talking of being able to drop power for short range duties (and I'm not talking boingers, shock, horror), this would be a fantastic remit for a quality multi-pump wouldn't it?

[Steyr]

I like flat heads. I don't believe that the extra shock makes any difference to a clean kill but the extra energy dumped (a considerable amount) means less over penetration and so less ricochet.
I will have some at the bash which you are welcome to try

That doesnt make sense to me. If you have a pellet that has 10FPE in it and it drill thruogh then only a proportion of the potential.has been imparted. If its a flat or an HP and it doesnt drill through then all of that energy is imparted to the target.

Flat heads are generally a paper puncher pellet so the mass may not be present as in say an HP. But 10 FPE is 10 FPE. Cross sectional density and argualbly the softness or hardness may contribute to efficient transfer of that energy.

Either wauly....if itndoesnt groupmor makenthe distance then the most effective pellet on paper spec.9s uselezs if it cant hit the spot at the distance you need

[rhyslightnin]

I like flat heads. I don't believe that the extra shock makes any difference to a clean kill but the extra energy dumped (a considerable amount) means less over penetration and so less ricochet.
I will have some at the bash which you are welcome to try

IL do that thanks!

[angrybear]

What is people's impression of the various "hunting hollows" ,"flat heads" & what I call "spiked hollows".... Any recommendations in .177?
And is there any other tips I could use for a .177 rat & bird rig?
Thanks Rhys

Not tried the "spiked hollows" so can't comment, when I used .177 I found Powerpell were usually the most accurate.

Tips for .177 ratting if you must use it, either turn the power down or keep the range to over 25yds to minimize through shots.

[tmstech]

Not tried the "spiked hollows" so can't comment, when I used .177 I found Powerpell were usually the most accurate.

Tips for .177 ratting if you must use it, either turn the power down or keep the range to over 25yds to minimize through shots.

The RWS Supermag are a good option too.

[Mole trapper]

Not tried the "spiked hollows" so can't comment, when I used .177 I found Powerpell were usually the most accurate.

Tips for .177 ratting if you must use it, either turn the power down or keep the range to over 25yds to minimize through shots.

Or as i do for work, use barracuda hunter extremes. I use these exclusively through my ultra se night guns and they are so humane . No runners, just helicopter tails.

[rhyslightnin]

In .177 I don't think pellet shape makes any difference what so ever. Its completely dependent on shot placement.
In other calibres then weight of pellet might make a difference, but thats if it hits the right spot. Just deeper penetration which on a rat is way beyond the other side. Pigeon crop or feather plugging is the only real obstacle for the larger calibres at these low velocities. Maybe rabbit cranium, but not really.

There is very little hydraulic shock at these velocities/ft/lbs whatever the calibre. .25 might do something just because they are huge, big hole.

FAC then maybe.

Its shot placement that counts, and nothing else is going to fix a poor one.

agreed but the reason for the thread isn't about killing so much as trying to prevent through and through which can cause damage to property or ricochet.

Or as o do for work, use barracuda hunter extremes. I use these exclusively through my ultra se night guns and they are so humane . No runners, just helicopter tails.

been looking at these pellets and thinking id like to try them, only problem is I serviced the DS today and re-scoped with one of these:

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/N...ra-Turret.html

zero'd, measured scope height, chrono'd it & its running at 10.8 with jsb heavies (cos I had some) and its stacking them really tight at the preferred zero of 26 yrds. I wasn't really trying either. the new scope on 7 is clear as a bell from 18-40 yrds and on 3 from 8 yrds which is very cool. the plex ret is awesome too. so itl shoot flat from 8yrds to 27..., enough to aim dead on all the way.

now, although trying pellets is probably a good idea, its f'ing hard when something works as well as this does to change it ...
I really don't want to sell this rifle.. I really like it too much, I just need to put it in a grs stock., put a 4-16 on top and just use it for fun because its so good! I did have the idea of changing it to a .20 once.., scr quoted me bout £300-350 to do the swap but again, its so deadly in the calibre it is I don't want to change it. maybe I should just save up and sort the R10!

anyways.... doesn't look like ill ever manage to strip myself down to one pcp

[Muskett]

Shoot through happens equally with any pellet at very short range. At mid range then the .22 might slow a tad due to its frontal area but being heavier holds its energy better. Only .25 at range is most likely to slow considerably through a flesh tissue medium. But theses bigger calibre's have more weight if they miss so break brittle farm building materials more. .177 tend to break up, but cut through thin metal sheeting more easily. The all will dent thin metal sheeting.
On oak beams then all can bounce straight back at you, the bigger the pellet the more likely. .177 more likely to penetrate and stay. .22 ding and drop off. .25 bruise and drop off.

The velocity would have to be very low, or lead very soft, too soft, to stop damage from a miss. Going through a body cavity isn't reliable to counter over shoot damage to backstops. Farmers don't like paint damage to their multi thousands Tractors and machinery. Broken tile or sheeting is expensive to fix.

7 ft/lbs would deliver enough for a kill at "in the barn" ranges, and might not break as much stuff.

Maybe some vermin controllers might give their experience here?

[rhyslightnin]

Shoot through happens equally with any pellet at very short range. At mid range then the .22 might slow a tad due to its frontal area but being heavier holds its energy better. Only .25 at range is most likely to slow considerably through a flesh tissue medium. But theses bigger calibre's have more weight if they miss so break brittle farm building materials more. .177 tend to break up, but cut through thin metal sheeting more easily. The all will dent thin metal sheeting.
On oak beams then all can bounce straight back at you, the bigger the pellet the more likely. .177 more likely to penetrate and stay. .22 ding and drop off. .25 bruise and drop off.

The velocity would have to be very low, or lead very soft, too soft, to stop damage from a miss. Going through a body cavity isn't reliable to counter over shoot damage to backstops. Farmers don't like paint damage to their multi thousands Tractors and machinery. Broken tile or sheeting is expensive to fix.

7 ft/lbs would deliver enough for a kill at "in the barn" ranges, and might not break as much stuff.

Maybe some vermin controllers might give their experience here?

variable power required... I'm half tempted by a streamline you know...still.., il have a play with mine and see how it goes. Thanks for the input

[angrybear]

I use polymag shorts in my air ranger .177 at 11.4 ftlbs
ratting to 40 yards polymags stop them DEAD and dont leave an exit wound

I shot one Monday with the .22lr, about 15yds from an upstairs window & struggled to find an exit wound even though the bullet blew a fist size hole in the ground

Holes in the backstop (barn/shed wall) are often the first hint