How does the .177 pellet do on squirrels?

[elh0102]

.177 will work although over-all a .22 will produce less maim shots and that trend continues as caliber increases .. we demand good shot placement but sometimes 'you take the shot' you got ... .22 will do better 'but' .177 is very easy to get cheap ammo for still locally .. so i look at it as i can use .177 for close in pesting which most of it is anyway .. if you got that long shot though, at 50 yards into the treeline you better grab something more substantial like a .25 if you want a pretty sure clean kill ..

Honestly, this has not been my experience. With equally good placement, I have found the .177 just as effective. That said, the math doesn't lie, and there will be a distance at which the .22 will, for example, punch through the heart/lung area, where the .177 might not make it through the initial bone. But, whatever that distance is, it is beyond my comfort level anyway. And it is definitely beyond my 35 yard pesting zone at home. 

 

[Jasonmc]

When my father n law and myself got into this hobby about 20 years ago we both used 177 (R9 and TX200) for squirrel hunting. The 177 done a fine job.. we hunted with a 177 for years. Since then we have moved to the 22 and 25 for small game hunting. shot placement is everything "lead in the head is dead" no matter the caliber.. 

 

[8thman]

I have killed more squirrels ground hogs quail bull frog, etc. in the 1960-70’s will a 177 Benjamin pump gun ! But now days with the nsa 177 slugs I believe that they will be more efficient.

 

[Emu]

@thumper, come on we all know a .30 should be the minimum caliber for squirrels. If you miss or wound one they can be dangerous...

Just a little bit less dangerous than a cape buffalo.

 

[UCChris]

@nervoustrig has done a lot of medium (12-18fpe) squirrel pesting, IIRC. 

 

[Jtlies1]

Just use a HN barracuda

 

[Rangeland]

Many thanks to everyone for your answers to my question. I hunt tree squirrels, and live on several acres of land. We have close to 100 trees. When the squirrels first came we welcomed them but then they started eating the bark all the way around tree limbs thus killing the limbs. Last year I used my .177 to wipe them out. But this summer some will probably move back in. 

I have been looking into PCP's and want to get the right caliber. 

Based on what you have said and my own experience I think I will go with .177. I like the increased velocity the .177 has. 

Thanks again to all who took the time to give your opinions on this subject.

 

[Pruitt58]

.177 will do it!

 

[thumper]

@thumper, come on we all know a .30 should be the minimum caliber for squirrels. If you miss or wound one they can be dangerous...

Just a little bit less dangerous than a cape buffalo.

They are just misunderstood is all.....I've been doing behavioral studies on them for a while now.

 

[Removed]

I really enjoy .177, took this jack at 60 yards with the Daystate Revere.

 

[elh0102]

Tom, I think you may have misunderstood some of the data. A .177 produces no higher velocity than a .22, assuming both are standard power rifles; i.e., approximately 20 fpe in .177, and 30 fpe in .22. 

 

[Springrrrr]

I have had people tell me that 177 doesn't do the job fast enough and they suffer. Even with a brain shot, there sometimes will be thrashing around for a short time. That is nerves just doing what nerves do. Ted has a video showing all about it.

My Daystates allow me to place a 177 pellet exactly where I want to (brain) at 40 or sometimes a few yards less. They flop around in a completely dead status.

And the only reason I eliminate them is because they like to chew on vinyl siding,

 

[elh0102]

They chew almost anything. As a rodent, their front teeth grow perpetually, they have to chew to control the growth. They chewed the plastic control knob almost off on my deck grill. And they chewed most of the wiring from my neighbor's car ECU, not covered by warranty! 

 

[thumper]

They chew almost anything. As a rodent, their front teeth grow perpetually, they have to chew to control the growth. They chewed the plastic control know almost off on my deck grill. And they chewed most of the wiring from my neighbor's car ECU, not covered by warranty!

Fun tidbit about the wiring....

At some point in the not so distant past the insulation on automotive wiring was changed to a more eco friendly material. Plant based I've heard, but have no real info. 

I worked as a power sports technician until fairly recently and repaired a TON of damaged wiring from rats. Funny thing though, is it was ALWAYS stuff newer than about 2012 and never any older stuff. Whatever Kawasaki uses now is like candy to them! More Kawasaki UTVs got eaten up more than anything else for whatever reason. 

Back to your regular programming......