.22 FX Hybrid's...do they work for tough and furry critters?

[Contndr35BB]

After some experimenting with my customized Taipan Veteran Long .22 and finding what she likes to eat...I've settled on the FX Hybrid slugs at about 985 fps. This is just under 50 fpe but more importantly these things are really accurate out of my setup. The Hybrid's are absolute carnage on every bird I've hit with them so far...I'm talking bird parts flying everywhere. It sounds like a .22 rimfire when I center punch unfortunate fat fowl.

Since I've got these dialed in so well I'd like to stay with them if possible but I'm concerned about larger tougher critters...do these Hybrid's stay together well enough to penetrate a groundhog skull at 75 meters? Has anyone tried the .22 Hybrids on tougher critters than just birds?

Peaceful , Hello. I have not tried Hybrids . They are too pricey for me ( more than .22 rimfire , so no ) . I have nothing above .22 caliber in airguns and I have killed over 100+ Pennsylvania G-hogs w/ many different types of airgun ammo. My experience ; ANY head /neck side shot 40 yrds & under w/ ANY RN pellet 16grs & over w/ Mzl. fps over 880 is a kill shot . Any straight on Or quartering toward upper chest ( straight line shoulder to shoulder ) W/ a JSB Knockout 25gr or H&N 27gr slug or head / neck shot under 60 yrds from same gun(s) have the same results . Most side shoulder shots w/ any 16gr & up RN will pass through at 35 yrds and will be fatal , although they may go 30-35 ft before expiring if on open ground away from burrow ( this mirrors .22 rimfire experience ). I would say that if your go to ammo is Hybrids & if, under field conditions , you hit where you aim , then by all means use them ! I'm retired and have used many different PB's on G-hogs for many years . In the last 10 or so years .22 rimfires ( & RF Mags ) have been the preferred for my " urban / farm hunt areas , UNTIL I got airgun serious . I now limit myself to under 60 yrds mostly now when I can . And if I can I set up w/ the right airgun for the ammo / distance & condition I want at the time ( Re-read retired !) I do not try to make my airguns into anything like a .22 rimfire , rather I use them for the shots I couldn't take safely w/ a rimfire gun . I also get more shooting opportunities now at pests ( pellets only for me ) w/o the worry of the projectile falling somewhere a mile +or - away ! I hope this ramble helps in any way .

 

[peaceful_ruler]

You all might want to investigate RMR slugs, rumor has it they made them for FX at one point, I can say they are extremely consistent for sizing and weight. $60 for 500 plus some small fright charges. The .22 are 22 gr, the .25 are 26gr

Just received 500 of these in the mail today

 

[N2 Shooter]

I took 33 groundhogs last year with my FX Maverick VP .30 cal shooting FX Hybrid Slugs. The majority of my kills were bodyshots, from 20-90 yards away, and the most all were dead where they were shot. If you do your part and get a good heart lung shot, it's all over for them.

• Groundhog Bodyshot
• Groundhog Bodyshot - Slug was recovered after video review, and it had decent expansion.
• Groundhog Neck Shot
• Groundhog Nose Job
• Groundhog Bodyshot

 

[peaceful_ruler]

I know I keep raving here but the combination of a Taipan+Hybrid slugs is proving to be a deadly one.

The consistency of my Taipan never seizes to amaze me. From 15-60 meters(with a 50 meter zero) is my PBR and from day to day I can count on it staying zeroed. This afternoon a whole flock of gracklings landed on a tree around 55 meters away from my front door. They were asking for the Taipan. I centered one and it POPPED like they normally do and the flock erupted. I put Taipan away and went outsidr again and there was another sitting in the exact same spot! Yeah, we have too many grackles around here. I grabbed the Taipan, chambered a Hybrid, and placed the shot right about where the crop is. No POP this time, but he dropped like a stone. It's just too easy with this setup...

On another note, I have certainly felt like the .22 Hybrid's expand wonderfully on almost everything I've hit with them, which has been mostly birds. I definitely feel like they expand better at faster speeds(950-1000 fps) vs slower speeds(900-950 fps). They just transfer a bit more energy when pushed a bit faster in my experience. YMMV

Recently, I shot a few rounds at 80 meters in some stiff wind to get an idea of what my windage hold should be...the target is a 3/4" solid oak board and only one of the 6 shots didn't fully penetrate although it was protruding from the far side. In trying to prove to myself that they wouldn't penetrate well and retain mass well I actually proved otherwise.

 

[peaceful_ruler]

I know I keep raving here but the combination of a Taipan+Hybrid slugs is proving to be a deadly one.

The consistency of my Taipan never seizes to amaze me. From 15-60 meters(with a 50 meter zero) is my PBR and from day to day I can count on it staying zeroed. This afternoon a whole flock of gracklings landed on a tree around 55 meters away from my front door. They were asking for the Taipan. I centered one and it POPPED like they normally do and the flock erupted. I put Taipan away and went outsidr again and there was another sitting in the exact same spot! Yeah, we have too many grackles around here. I grabbed the Taipan, chambered a Hybrid, and placed the shot right about where the crop is. No POP this time, but he dropped like a stone. It's just too easy with this setup...

On another note, I have certainly felt like the .22 Hybrid's expand wonderfully on almost everything I've hit with them, which has been mostly birds. I definitely feel like they expand better at faster speeds(950-1000 fps) vs slower speeds(900-950 fps). They just transfer a bit more energy when pushed a bit faster in my experience. YMMV

Recently, I shot a few rounds at 80 meters in some stiff wind to get an idea of what my windage hold should be...the target is a 3/4" solid oak board and only one of the 6 shots didn't fully penetrate although it was protruding from the far side. In trying to prove to myself that they wouldn't penetrate well and retain mass well I actually proved otherwise.

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Trying to hit grackles in evergreens with wind at 80 meters is really good practice. I feel like shooting a groundhog will be a piece of cake.

 

[kapok6]

"work" is relative.

Here's pics from a squirrel I shot over the weekend. 47yrds. 950fps. Hybrid entered the chest cavity below the neck and stopped under the skin 1/2-2/3 of the way back. NO expansion. Pretty sad IMO. Nielsen's on the other hand have expanded VERY well for me.