What springer for groundhog at very close range.

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Go for the between the ear and eye shot. Wait for it. Practice at that 25-30ft range and know what holdover to use. A body shot will usually allow it to run off,... maybe only wounded. Yes,... your guns will do it. I would lean towards the .22. A very good head shot will drop them pretty quick! Use a rest or be braced so you are nice steady is best. Good luck!
 
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Will alloy pellets penetrate better or worse than lead. My Hw50 .22 shoots one hole groups with GTO 11.75 grain alloys. 14 grain meisterkugeln pellets give me similar accuracy and energy. My Hw97 .177 sounds like it’s working a lot harder with heavy pellets. It shoots really well at ten yards with many different lead pellets. Jsb express and jsb heavy have grouped the best. I don’t think a sight in session and hunting with heavy pellets will hurt it though. 
 
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Will alloy pellets penetrate better or worse than lead. My Hw50 .22 shoots one hole groups with GTO 11.75 grain alloys. 14 grain meisterkugeln pellets give me similar accuracy and energy. My Hw97 .177 sounds like it’s working a lot harder with heavy pellets. It shoots really well at ten yards with many different lead pellets. Jsb express and jsb heavy have grouped the best. I don’t think a sight in session and hunting with heavy pellets will hurt it though.
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I can't answer that one. Penetration through bone? I mean, I think you are over thinking the problem. Range is so short on this one that either gun is going to do the job with just about any pellet so longs as you put the pellet where it needs to go. Just make sure the shot lands where it needs to land and pick the gun you like to shoot the most.
 
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I would say that it's kind of a toss up between the penetration of alloy verses lead. Alloy pellets are lighter but energy isn't lost as much due to pellet collapse after striking a hard surface. When a lead pellet strikes a harder surface some energy loss occurs when the pellet collapses in on itself before finally penetrating the object. In other words, the forward part of the pellet (head) strikes the object and crushes backwards towards the skirt end. This lowers the penetrating ability of the pellet. Alloy pellets collapse very little so more energy is available to penetrate. I've shot quarters with 13.3 gr Sig Wraith alloy pellets and the pellets length was barely reduced. If you shoot the same weight of pellet made of lead the pellet explodes into pieces. The dent in the quarter is far less with the lead than with the equal weight alloy pellet. The reason why is what I just explained .
 
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I got one groundhog with my 17hmr under a shipping container. I didn’t take my pellet gun because the farmer said something about smoking them out for me to shoot them? Long story short he wasn’t home and I should have brought my pellet gun. I had one broadside at ten yards in a scrap heap between two shipping containers and I forgot to holdover and I hit a piece of scrap steel. I had to aim for neck or chest because a pass through the head could have been problematic. Had I brought my pellet gun it would have been an easy head shot because it is sighted in at 10 yards. I guess the moral of the story is bring a pellet gun. The farmer was happy I got one for him. 
 
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The shot will be 25-30 feet. Firearm is out of the question. My two weihrauch springers are a 11.7 fpe .22 and a 14.5 fpe .177. I will only shoot if I can get side of the head between eye and ear. Is this enough horsepower for a groundhog?
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Dirt nap for this g-hog, sub 12 fpe Webley Longbow in .177, from close to 30 yards, lead q-tip application -
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EDIT: pellet was Crosman 7.9 HP from Wally World
 
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