Are the ballistics numbers lying ?

What ballistic coefficient did you use for each pellet?

What does chronograph show you at the muzzle for each pellet?

Did you measure velocity at 25 yards with chronograph? 

You probably have concluded somewhat correctly.
But plywood and squirrels are two very different media.

At the stated range and much further, both pellets from your rifle will kill small game with authority with correct placement.

Here is an extreme example as to comparative penetration:
In soft skinned game and pests the .22 Predator Polymag will devastate small animals and birds and penetrate much less than a round nosed 15.9 gr JSB at poi figures similar to the above. But in wood the Polymag generally out - penetrates other pellets be they solid nosed or hollow points. In soft tissues the Polymag sheds its tip soon after penetrating the skin then folds its lips back along the body of the pellet and expands to up tp .32 calibre, creates a lot of damage and will stop in the length of a rat. But in wood and when passing through plate bone, it crimps the lips around the polytip, becomes streamlined and penetrates much deeper.

So as in most things in life, each scenario is unique. I think you will find both your pellets will kill well with well placed shots within the range that each stays above a poi of about 5 fpe or a little less for squirrels.
I shall try to find the supporting results and data from my wood test and post it here as an edit.

Edit: Sorry if the pics don't show unless you are paid up with Photobucket (I am not presently) but you will get the gist from the script:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/message/1094344168/Predator+poly+tip+hollow+point+pellets---+further+test---+penetration

Another example of unique penetration: some 14 years ago I settled a question of penetration of pellets in water, .22 cal and at 28 fpe muzzle energy. The JSB 15.9 gr Exacts travelled just on 5 ft horizontally in a shallow tank when shot through a plastic film window. Baracudas did a few inches better, and it then ranged down to less than 18 inches for wadcutters.
Now, can you imagine a hollow point .22 Hornet bullet travelling 5 ft through water when shot at say 2,600 fps?

Best regards, Harry (Yrrah) in OZ.

I played around with BC values, but they don't change kinetic energy that much at 25 yards.

What I'm thinking is that Crosman pellets are a lot of harder and keep narrow which generates more force per inch to the wood on impact.

"fishinwrench"Is 5 fpe enough to efficiently scramble squirrel brains ? I thought it took more like 9-10 (seems I read that somewhere).

I had a pistol that I assumed hit with about 5-6fpe and the pellets would bounce off a bullfrogs head. And I think I heard him say "Ouch MF'er, stop it!"

Click to expand...

5fpe at target ( not muzzle) is plenty with a well placed shot.

Shot a tree rat at less then 3 feet away using CPHP with my P-rod set at about 8fpe between the eyes and it bounced off. It did scream in pain and bleed from the nose and a patch of hair was gone at impact point but didn't break the skin. Since then I now have my P-rod set at about 10fpe. It is my pest gun mainly for rats within 10 meters.