After testing several pellets, I have finally settled on the RWS hobby wadcutter. These are 11.9 gr and the gun is a crosman 1322. I am getting very tight groups at 15 yds, and when fired into clay these do deform significantly. So my question is, would these be a humane choice for hunting squirrels? I realize these are very light pellets. But my 1322 is unmodified in terms of power upgrades, so lighter pellets seem logical to me.
Wad cutter for small game
- Thread starter Mark2282
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This Crow Magnum was fired from my Vantage NP into glycerin soap. Kind of a polar opposite comparison.
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I've used wad cutters many times,
Squirrels, rats, rabbits- those size animals. they don't pass through- well, with rats they do, but they cut some mighty big holes as they proceed downrange.
My opinion is: if it doesn't pass through, penetrates to the vitals- brains or major cardio/pulmonary organs- you've got a great projectile. You don't need expansion if you are leaving all of the energy within the target.
Squirrels, rats, rabbits- those size animals. they don't pass through- well, with rats they do, but they cut some mighty big holes as they proceed downrange.
My opinion is: if it doesn't pass through, penetrates to the vitals- brains or major cardio/pulmonary organs- you've got a great projectile. You don't need expansion if you are leaving all of the energy within the target.
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Wadcutters work exceptionally well on small game provided you can maintain sufficient accuracy (dime- or nickel-sized groups for gray squirrels), and that you have adequate velocity to ensure penetration. 400fps minimum, and preferably more like 450fps at the point of impact. An unmodified 1322 will be marginal so I strongly recommend testing penetration with a fresh kill at whatever will be the max range. If the wadcutter does not make it to the hide on the opposite side, try a dome instead.
For example, here's a brief clip that I recorded a while back demonstrating how effective a low power airgun can be with proper shot placement. In .177 cal, this wadcutter arrived at about 470fps (4.6fpe) and hit the off switch. As stated in the clip, it's intended not as a recommendation so much as showing what is possible. There is very little margin for error. For example that would have been a no-go if I had any wind to contend with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMC04JPmWns
FWIW, my preferred 30yd squirrel rifle these days is a QB79 HPA conversion running the same RWS Supermag wadcutters at about 14fpe at the muzzle (vs only 8fpe for the video). It's unusual to find wadcutters that group well at that distance at any velocity but this is one of the exceptions. Given the fact I stick almost exclusively to brain shots on gray squirrels, a wadcutter doesn't really offer me any benefits for that purpose but they are very effective for center mass shots on smaller targets like chipmunks and house sparrows that show up.
For example, here's a brief clip that I recorded a while back demonstrating how effective a low power airgun can be with proper shot placement. In .177 cal, this wadcutter arrived at about 470fps (4.6fpe) and hit the off switch. As stated in the clip, it's intended not as a recommendation so much as showing what is possible. There is very little margin for error. For example that would have been a no-go if I had any wind to contend with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMC04JPmWns
FWIW, my preferred 30yd squirrel rifle these days is a QB79 HPA conversion running the same RWS Supermag wadcutters at about 14fpe at the muzzle (vs only 8fpe for the video). It's unusual to find wadcutters that group well at that distance at any velocity but this is one of the exceptions. Given the fact I stick almost exclusively to brain shots on gray squirrels, a wadcutter doesn't really offer me any benefits for that purpose but they are very effective for center mass shots on smaller targets like chipmunks and house sparrows that show up.
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Squirrels can be hard at times to kill. I shot one with a .30cal Boss and blew off his whole lower jaw. He ran along a lower branch and was dazed but took second shot to finish off. Thankfully I hit him in the head the second time. Sometimes they die from almost nothing and sometimes they don't.
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.22 wadcutters don't need to expand to put the SMACK-DOWN on squirrels. But that doesn't mean you don't still have to hit 'em right.
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Hobbies will work. Very low power there, definitely a brain shot or nothing and a close range deal. For a brain shot, if the hobby is the most accurate, go for it.
If you just want the hobbies for the velocity, I think that is a little mid-guided. The range that gun is effective, trajectory isn’t even a question really. And in a pumper the difference in velocity is going to be negligible but the difference in power will not. And heavier pellets penetrate better than lighter, domes penetrate better than wadcutters.
20 yards max with the 1322, brain shots only, should work fine.
If you just want the hobbies for the velocity, I think that is a little mid-guided. The range that gun is effective, trajectory isn’t even a question really. And in a pumper the difference in velocity is going to be negligible but the difference in power will not. And heavier pellets penetrate better than lighter, domes penetrate better than wadcutters.
20 yards max with the 1322, brain shots only, should work fine.
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