After doing some of my own research. I have ordered and have been shooting 22 caliber Hornet pellets from H&N sports. They have been doing a lot better then my plain old Jumbo Heavy Diabolo's . I have a squirrel problem in my back yard. Shots are 92 to 59 yards out. Occasionally they make a mistake and come into 30 yards. Any other pellets out there working good for you guys ?
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Hornets
- Thread starter Bigjohnt
- Start date
I don’t shoot that far, but the Hades are reigning terror on Chipmunks & Squirrels inside of 35 yards in my yard.
Love the Hornets too, but they fly right through them and I’m in a neighborhood.
Love the Hornets too, but they fly right through them and I’m in a neighborhood.
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I remain in awe of you guys shooting long shots with .22 slugs. The 5.56mm is a .223 caliber; I wonder if your .22 slug has greater grain mass that the 5.56mm .223 pellet?
BTW, great shooting if you're getting kills at 50-60 yards.
What scope are you using?
Best wishes,
Arch_E
BTW, great shooting if you're getting kills at 50-60 yards.
What scope are you using?
Best wishes,
Arch_E
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@Arch_E the Hornets aren’t slugs 
, they are pellets, Bad Ass pellets, but pellets none the less.
, they are pellets, Bad Ass pellets, but pellets none the less. Upvote 0
I switched from a springer to a PCP a few months ago. It’s a affordable Hatsan. I had them mount up any scope the had in the shop. It’s a Athlon 3x12x40 with a bdc reticle. You have to watch the air gauge while using the hash marks in the scope. It’s a great start and move up from the springer. I set up my shooting bench and bags on the back deck when not shooting high powered rifles. I have steel targets set up in the backyard and use them to teach my daughter as she is getting ready for a elk hunt.
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Old thread with good info so I decided to not make a new one just post my question here.
I recently switched over to slugs for my .22 FX Impact M3. I shoot raccoons at 10-15 yards mostly, on occasion up to 20 yards in my backyard. I used to be on pellets but recently I had some bounces (off of their skull) so I switched to slugs. I have shot several of them with 31gr, 27gr, and 25gr. No bounces there. All dead. I had one that turned into a body shot, which ran, but I assume it was dead within a few minutes. So all is well, except my neighbors are not far. There is a jungle behind us that goes for 700 feet, but on the sides, the neighbor homes are like 20 yards away. For the slugs I really had to crank up the gun and it is not quiet especially at midnight. No complaints so far, but I don't want to push my luck.
The Hornet is advertised for raccoons as well as other similar sized pray. But it is only 16gr. It would help with the noise for sure. Anyone with some experience with this pellet vs raccoons? Thanks!
Below my typical shot distance at 2x. So they are usually close.
I recently switched over to slugs for my .22 FX Impact M3. I shoot raccoons at 10-15 yards mostly, on occasion up to 20 yards in my backyard. I used to be on pellets but recently I had some bounces (off of their skull) so I switched to slugs. I have shot several of them with 31gr, 27gr, and 25gr. No bounces there. All dead. I had one that turned into a body shot, which ran, but I assume it was dead within a few minutes. So all is well, except my neighbors are not far. There is a jungle behind us that goes for 700 feet, but on the sides, the neighbor homes are like 20 yards away. For the slugs I really had to crank up the gun and it is not quiet especially at midnight. No complaints so far, but I don't want to push my luck.
The Hornet is advertised for raccoons as well as other similar sized pray. But it is only 16gr. It would help with the noise for sure. Anyone with some experience with this pellet vs raccoons? Thanks!
Below my typical shot distance at 2x. So they are usually close.
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I have done bodyshots on 35 pound raccoons with them with a .25cal Hatsan Bullboss (45fpe), and the Hornets didn't deliver for me. But I will say the greatest things about the Hornet, are the tips are crazy sharp and it's molded extremely well around the body of the pellet.
I have never owned a .22cal, but I would be very confident shooting a raccoon in the head at 25 yards with a .22cal Hornets.
Here is a .25cal Hornet and Grizzly slug recovered from shooting into a 4" thick wooden post.
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Shot placement is key, If you wait for the right shot and hit the side of the head between the eyes and ears, or between the eyes, but about 1-1.5" above the eyes. Only take the shot when you can get trajectory near perpendicular to the skull, by waiting for the coon to look down or from shooting above. Body shots are likely to have them run off. I have made a bad shot center of the body behind the lungs. The coon only made it 10'. But I was using a 34g .25 JSB MK2 at 890 fps muzzle, coon at 23 yards. I was lucky it didn't run farther away.
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Yes I definitely was planning on headshots. With my close distance and being slightly elevated this is almost always possible. If not I will not shoot. The only way they get a body shot is if I screw up, when they move last second, etc. Even shooting slugs at 750-850 fps (depending on gr) that one body shot ran away. I am sure it expired, but it did run. I no longer remember which slug that was as I am experimenting back and forth with them but probably 25 or 31gr.
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Just an update. Got the Hornets at 16gr (I guess that is all you can get in .22, right?.) and tuned the gun back to shoot them at 920fps from shooting 25-30gr slugs. After a few nights of silence, I finally got two raccoons in my sight and shot at one. No problem killing it at 20 yards. Instant. It was from the front above the right eye. It had a slight chance for a bounce but it did not. Impressive little pellet for 16gr.
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I have a leishy 2 that i have been shooting the Crossman premiers and they work just as good as the H and N's and I can get 500 of those for about 12 bucks here in Ohio. Great pellet for the price. Don't get the recreation Crossman's absolutely horrible.
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