Anybody use the FX hybrid slugs on squirrels yet?

[LSS152]

I have a new FX Wildcat MK3 on the way should be here on Monday. I got the compact version in .25 with the new slug liner. Anyway I purchased the gun specifically for hunting squirrels. I am not a long range guy when it comes to this task, most of my shots will be inside of 20 to 30 yards with an occasional shot out to 40 or 50 yards. I was hoping the slugs would be prefect for this pupose. I have not been able to find much information on how these new slugs work on squirrels but it would seem like the expansion would help with clean kills. Especially if they are accurate in the yardages I mentioned. Any of you guys use them yet? I would be curious to know what you thought!

 

[TNT19]

Hmmm. There are tons of hunting videos with people using the hybrid on small game like squirrels, ground squirrels, doves, pigeons, rock chucks etc.. from what I have seen they are lethal easily to a 100 yards.

 

[Blejda]

For those distances I think hades would be perfect very accurate and alot cheaper.

 

[brink]

The Hades in .25 cal work on squirrels a .lot better than the .22 Hades in my opinion. I have been shooting them in a Taipan Veteran Long shooting about 935 fps like you I seldom have a need to shoot past 50 yards most shots are 20 to 30 yards.

RB

 

[qball]

I also shoot in the 20-30 yard range and don’t use slug simply because of the pass through. In fact I dial my shots to be below 700FPS and still more than enough energy for a good kill. At around 660 FPS I was able get the .25 Hades to not pass through most of the time when going for vital. Head shots still will easily pass through so be careful of back drop even with low power setting. In fact I’m planning on using standard JSB since at lower power the hallow point doesn’t open at all anyways. 



unless you are reaching out to 75 yards plus there is more harm than good with any slugs. 

 

[LSS152]

I am glad I asked the question. Thanks for all the input guys! I did end up finding some good videos on you tube that addressed the slugs. I first thought about the Hades but I saw some reviews where guys were saying they were not getting the expansion and I just figured the slugs would be better. The reviews I saw could have been They could have been the .22 and not the .25. I like the fact that the Hades are way cheaper and will work. I had a first generation crown in .30, and it was a great gun, I killed a bunch of squirrels with it but dang it was long and heavy. Shot many tree rats with a straight up JSB's, so any slight improvement would be okay with me. I am thinking the Wildcat will be much better in terms of hunting, lighter more maneuverable in a blind couple that with an ammo upgrade and I should be good to go!

 

[qball]

Hades might expand at higher Speed but at sub 700FPS I don’t think it does. The picture I have is a Hades I recovered from a vital shot that was lodge just under the skin so perfect amount of penetration but as you can see there isn’t that much expansion. I’m debating between lower speed and 34 grain JSB and the cheaper 25.4 grain JSB pellets. Since 99% of time I’m just target practicing I probably default to the standard JSB. Hades cost exactly the same as 34 grain heavy and more I think about it more I think the heavies would make a better hunting pellet since it has much better BC and less affected by wind even at lower speed. Pretty sure everyone agree that shot placement is way more important than expansion. Also with lower speed and power you get more than double the shot count and not to mention super quiet. 

 

[Deleted member 25487]

Hades in 25 cal make short work of these AZ ground squirrels 

 

[EricD]

I am glad you are asking this question. I want to know as well...especially in .25cal.

 

[RobR]

Hades in .25 make up for the difficulty in choosing shot placement through a thermal at distance. Hard to tell which end is which sometimes, they still don’t get far.

 

[qball]

In my experience hades doesn't perform any better than doomed pellets at the speed I'm shooting them at (680 FPS). At higher speed some youtube tests show it expand better but I don't shoot them at that speed, not even close.

 

[qball]

Got a good size squirrel today, dropped it on the spot with a neck shot which might be my go to POA going forward. The .25 hades went through with a pretty loud slap and hit the dirt behind it. Speed is around 660FPS and no sign of expansion at all. 

Think I’ll save the hades for higher speed shots/hunt. Going to switch to HSB 25.4 grain pellet to save a few bucks.