.25 enough for humane body shots on squirrels?

A .22 is sufficient for a well-placed body shot. You can definitely take body shots on squirrels with a 25.

In my experience, a .25 is sufficient especially when a hunting type pellet is used.

Also, in my experience a .25 is more than sufficient. Been using Hades pellets in my Royale 500 since December & before that I preferred Polymags. BOTH did their jobs effectively. I don't even own a .22 anymore as .25 caliber and above is, in my opinion, a more humane kill.

Yes

"head shot" = good eating.

If the below is to scale, hitting that tiny heart would not be easy, but it being hit by a .177 .22 or a .25 at speed would be like a human sized heart being hit by a cannon ball.

Yes easily enough for body shots. I know it has been said a million times, but "placement is key". Obviously you need to put the shot in the boiler room, but as long as you do that .25 is plenty.

I ALL WAYS harvest the squirrels around here with heart lung shots. DRT every time, no flip flopping etc.

Most taken with a .177 at 12 fpe too !!

the question is why would u want a body shot on such a tiny meat sack? your meat would be bloodshot, you would have less meat, and you would risk having lead particles everywhere. speaking of which, those predator polymags, im guessing that red tip shatters and gets everywhere huh?

I shoot Crosman 7.9 domes in my yard gun. Bouncing off a squirrel never happens and no lead contamination either. As for bloodshot .. at the ribs not loosing enough meat to even sweat it.

I use the .22 for “body” shots lugs/heart. They just drop right there no twitching. Like others have said not enough meat to notice a loss. But as as of late I found the .30 for rib shots works really well too. 

I use my 177 springer on squirrels, body shot or head shots are 90% pass throughs. .25 should blow through them super easy. 

Something I noticed this summer..on CA ground squirrels

I previously used a .22 P-Rod at around 10FPE shooting 16gr JSB. Every single squirrel whether a head or heart/lung shot was DRT. No radical floppy stuff with the head shots either just PFFFT plop flop. None moved more than a couple inches.

i just switched to a Leshiy in .25 shooting 25.4 JSBs at around 29FPE. Regardless of shot location head or heart/lung there has not been a single DRT event. All shots hit vitals and were pass throughs. They all died but managed to move 5 to 30 feet prior to expiring. The head shots resulted in the classic flip flop and tail helicoptering.

My take on these observations is that the .22 expended most of it’s energy inside the squirrel versus the .25 leaving most of it’s energy in the backstop. 


Maybe an HP or PolyMag in .25 would have different results..IDK

For years (decades actually) I hunted squirrels with my .177 FWB 124 and never had a problem with either a head shot or a body shot. These days I hunt with a .22 HW 100 PCP that I tuned down to about 850 fps (for increased shot count) and find it to have plenty of power for both squirrels and rabbits. 

You will find your .25 to have more than enough power for humane kills. I would recommend an expanding pellet (like the Hades) for better energy transfer. 

A .25 is plenty good enough.

For .177, you have to be a bit more precise, and mindful of your range. I've executed head shots with 13.43 Monsters at 65 yards, 860 fps, and they were effective. Closer shots I shoot the Hades.

For years (decades actually) I hunted squirrels with my .177 FWB 124 and never had a problem with either a head shot or a body shot. These days I hunt with a .22 HW 100 PCP that I tuned down to about 850 fps (for increased shot count) and find it to have plenty of power for both squirrels and rabbits. 

You will find your .25 to have more than enough power for humane kills. I would recommend an expanding pellet (like the Hades) for better energy transfer.

Click to expand...

Vana2, I bought a FWB124 .177 in 1976 and killed a squirrel with in last year in 2019. Many other game animals also. Have fun, Scott

Pass thru at 55 yards & 30 yards on the opener in CA




Troy Hammer, Kral Puncher Breaker .25 works Great!

Enough? Yes.

Humane? More humane than smaller calibers in that you won't watch AS slow, agonizing deaths.