HW75 putting in the work - iguana and starling today

[Miami Airgunner]

I'd always hesitated to use anything smaller than a 12+FPE gun for ANY hunting, until this forum convinced me that shot placement really can make a theoretically underpowered gun do just fine.

Accordingly, I've been pesting my back yard for invasives using the HW75 the majority of the time these days, and I'm really pleased! (Though, I can't resist the Leshiy Classic occasionally, especially if the shot is 15+ yards out, good excuse for the power.)..

For a 2.5FPE .177 the results are just outstanding. Of course, being absolutely dead-nuts accurate is the reason, this thing is stellar.

So far today we are down one starling and one green iguana.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Only 2.5 fpe? I thought it takes something like 3.5 to break skin. I'd think the lizard would need more, probably not the bird.

 

[Miami Airgunner]

Only 2.5 fpe? I thought it takes something like 3.5 to break skin. I'd think the lizard would need more, probably not the bird.

I've never tested my example, but the reading I've done leads me to believe that it is between 2.5-3 FPE. If anyone has better info, I'd love to hear it!

 

[beerthief]

i used to pest with a Webley Tempest .177 wadcutter just fine on a city lot , no racoons but plenty of Possums but possums play dead (freeze ) and then a gangland shot to the back of the head . Shot possums because of many kids on the block .

 

[Miami Airgunner]

Only 2.5 fpe? I thought it takes something like 3.5 to break skin. I'd think the lizard would need more, probably not the bird.

BTW: On the point about penetration, 100FPE won't break skin, assuming the projectile is of sufficient diameter. ;-)

I posted this thread because I had previously held the opinion that the HW75 was good for paper and absolutely nothing else. I have, through real world experience, discovered that I was incorrect in that assumption.

With that being said, I should probably restress the SHOT PLACEMENT portion of the equation here, I've had one starling that did get off after being shot, but I'm relatively certain that it didn't make it far.

Though, I've shot a touch low on a couple, with the pellet placement in the breast, and even at 10+ yards, that's a lethal hit, despite the low energy.

 

[dv8eod]

It takes 4mm² /mm² to break skin on a human. I didn't mistype that. I just don't remember the mercuries that translates to. I went through a bunch of medical books to find that out.
Not long after I got my Walther Nighthawk (.177), I nailed a squirrel at approx. 25ft center of the chest as it was peeking over the neighbor's fence with a gold PBA pellet and dropped it like a rock. That is roughly a 3fpe pistol. Everything about our sport is guided by precision. Shot placement is key and leads to glory, whether paper or pest.

 

[.20calguy]

Only 2.5 fpe? I thought it takes something like 3.5 to break skin. I'd think the lizard would need more, probably not the bird.

I shot my HW75, with the FX chrony. 410 fps @ 7 gr 2.61 ft lbs.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

That just seems so low to actually kill an iguana. The starling is pushing it, but I guess it just proves that shot placement is key

 

[Miami Airgunner]

That just seems so low to actually kill an iguana. The starling is pushing it, but I guess it just proves that shot placement is key

This was, admittedly, a rather small green iguana. Absolutely worked fine, honestly on the iguanas I used to just hammer them with a .30 by default, but I have, as demonstrated, decided that, at least for the small ones, that much power just isn't needed. Though, I will admit, smacking the off button is a lot easier when the bullet is twice as wide.

 

[Struckat]

I am a big fan of wad cutters at close range.
That flat combined with extreme accuracy let’s small guns punch way above their weight class.

RWS super mags out of my 1720 @650fps or so….mmmmm