Im a new member and this is my first post and question. Looking at the pellet rifles I’ve accumulated over the years they are mostly just plinkers and may be ok for a squirrel but not serious enough to take out a ground hog. I have a beeman kodiak and Ruger super point 17gr wasn’t effective. Looking to upgrade to a better rifle im seeing blogs saying I should be in the 25fpe and better range. Im not seeing many rifles that show fpe in their specs. I also would anticipate that fpe is like fps - dependent on the pellet used. I could go all in and get a Gamo swarm magnum but that’s a hard cocking rifle and I’ve had arm issues and a few surgeries so it’s not in my best interest. Are there any off the shelf rifles at Wally World or Dicks that with a commonly available pellet could take out a wood chuck at say 20yards?
Woodchucks with 22
- Thread starter Multical
- Start date
Side of the head, between the eye and ear and they'll drop where they stand with anything over like 15fpe at the muzzle. Body shots aren't going to do the trick unless you get super lucky. I've got 3 with my 17fpe .22 97K this year so for at 30yds using headshots. You'll want to give them a point blank double tap to the back of the head to verify before handling though.
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Not proud of it, but I've also taken out a good sized woodchuck at about 20yds using a 15fpe Gamo break barrel in .17 caliber. Woodchucks are the reason I got heavy into air guns, also why I now have a couple PCP guns. Like you I was after more power to make dispatching them easier. They are tough critters for sure. Accuracy is paramount. I'd say headshots only with anything less than 30ftlbs. You could go the route I went and get an Umarex Origin in 22 or 25 caliber with a cheap hand pump. I got the 25 caliber and a $70 hand pump from Amazon. That combo worked fantastic for woodchucks.
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I have a sigsaur mcp that I had set up for bulk co2 or pcp with a 1500psi regulator - also a hand pump but that takes 300 pumps for a 1300 bottle so went to a larger bottle I could refill at a paintball shop near me. It’s a plinker but I have hardware to cross over to a heavier pcp if I want to. So you went with the 25 cal, what pellets (alloy or lead/ domed or pointed/ weight) ? I’d have to order anything like that online. I’ll look up the specs on that. I don’t readily see a fpe listed. Anyone else feel free to chime in.
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I’m not sure what a 97k is. Hw97 I guess so maybe 650-700 fps realistically(?). I have to admit I’ve been aiming for mass not head. Mostly because these fat little flickers are wise to me and fast. I don’t waste a second shot, if I get one down it’s a shovel smacked across the head a couple of times. But I definitely get what you are saying, a lower energy shot well placed will do the job.
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