.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light?

BOBinIN
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Posts: 524

.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light? May 30, 2010 9:49:32 GMT -5

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Post by BOBinIN on May 30, 2010 9:49:32 GMT -5

Guys,
A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new toy...a pellet rifle. I bought the Gamo Big Cat in .177 caliber and intend to use it this fall on squirrels. It is plenty powerful, shooting through both walls of a tin (not aluminum) can at 40 yards. I have tried several types of pellets in several weights and from my limited experience with the rifle it appears that the heavier pellets will kill more quickly than the light ones. Weights that I have tried are: 5.25 Gr., 7.0 Gr. and 7.5 grain. Hits that I have made on neighborhood spatsies and robins (actually, now that I have had time to think about it, I believe they were "Starlings", sorry for the confusion

) indicate that they don't even twitch when the 7.5 grain pellets make contact. But I'm wondering if a heavier pellet will kill Fox and Grey Squirrels better than the 7.5's that I have. You pellet rifle hunters out there, what do you use? Thanks, BOB

Last Edit: Jun 3, 2010 10:16:45 GMT -5 by BOBinIN

Decatur
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High Fence is NOT "Hunting", it's killing. There's a difference!

Posts: 17,346

.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light? May 30, 2010 11:22:23 GMT -5

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Post by Decatur on May 30, 2010 11:22:23 GMT -5

I would definately want the heaviest pellets I could get, squirrels are tough little critters. The lighter pellets may kill them when head shot, but you always should plan for a worst case scenerio with an errant shot, and you need something that can break their neck or spine, or punch through their ribcage and do enough damage to knock them out of the tree. A squirrel shot and crawling into a nest does nobody any good.

Also, just so you know, Robins are one of the many Birds Protected Under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves." ~ Ronald Reagan

TagTeamHunter
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Posts: 1,879

.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light? May 30, 2010 15:25:51 GMT -5

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Post by TagTeamHunter on May 30, 2010 15:25:51 GMT -5

Consider a 40 grain 22 lr bullet traveling at 1,000 fps will deliver 88 foot pounds of energy (at the muzzle). 7.5 grain pellet traveling at 900 fps (I know the Gamo Ads say 1200 fps) will deliver 15 foot pounds of energy. I don't know if you hunted with a 22 lr, I've seem (me included) some bad shot placement lose squirrels.

Last Edit: May 30, 2010 15:36:20 GMT -5 by TagTeamHunter

Passing on the Tradition

tobias
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Posts: 317

.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light? Jun 2, 2010 16:28:49 GMT -5

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Post by tobias on Jun 2, 2010 16:28:49 GMT -5

I hunt w/ a .177cal pellet rifle alot during squirrel season. When I take the dogs that's all I ever take. I shoot the PBA's from Gamo and have had AWESOME results. It's not a .22, but a well placed shot w/ this combo has no problem killing a tree rat. I can't tell you how many fox squirrels I've shot w/ mine the last couple of years, so I know your not going to have any problems w/ greys.

Key thing to remember is that it does NOT have the kill power of a .22! Make sure you can shoot it well and keep the shots fairly close. If you get the right setup and become efficient w/ it you'll have alot of fun.

BOBinIN
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Posts: 524

.177 Pellets, Heavy or Light? Jun 3, 2010 10:24:42 GMT -5

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Post by BOBinIN on Jun 3, 2010 10:24:42 GMT -5

Tobias,
Thanks for sharing your experience with your pellet rifle on Squirrels. I too have shot the PBA's but they are the ones that are the lightest at 5.25 grains, although they were very fast and accurate. I was concerned that they might be too light so I have settled on Beeman #1222 pellets at 7.5 grains, which are equally accurate. I was thinking about trying some 8.5 grain pellets but based upon your experience maybe this is good enough. I'll let you know how I do on the squirrels this fall. Good luck to you.