Caliber proportionate to critter size, just a random thought.

You need to get a hobby! Too much time to think LOL. (Believe it or not, I've thought about the same thing but thought it was too wierd to post - you're a braver man than I! )

Btw, I use a .30 for Ground Squirrels, probably like using a 120 howitzer for humans! 

@kingsqueak
I appreciate it because some time ago I 'did the math' concerning .177 pellets hitting flies and drew a comparison to what object would be the equivalent hitting a human.

Can't remember exactly but something like... a Ford F350 hitting a 200lb guy at 400 mph.

@gerry52

I understand hitting GS with .30 they are tough and I've smacked a few. Currently use Taipan VL .25 for those.

I factored similar thinking into my desision on calibre, .22 is plenty big enough for my largest pest ( game ) European Rabbit.

The way I see it bigger is better so long as it can safely be done. So, nothing wrong with a .35 for use on the ferocious grasshopper. The faster you take them out the safer you will be and the better you will sleep knowing that you put them down quick and did not make them suffer.

The .35 will werq well on the dangerous and slimy creeping slugs as well.

Think about how tough small animals can be in being able to take all that FPE not to mention a large to them projectile passing through them and they still can run until they run out of air or blood to the brain. I know if I would be hit through the chest with a bullet the size of a soda can I wouldn’t be running anywhere. 

@kingsqueak
I appreciate it because some time ago I 'did the math' concerning .177 pellets hitting flies and drew a comparison to what object would be the equivalent hitting a human.

Can't remember exactly but something like... a Ford F350 hitting a 200lb guy at 400 mph.

Click to expand...

Haha ok so some more bad diner physics

35 FPE hitting a 4.4 oz chipmunk

This works out to about 25,455 FPE hitting a 200lb man

I skipped too many physics homework assignments to figure out the FPE of an F350 at speed LOL.

Click to expand...

Pretty sure you are ahead of me on this. Good thread and the only time anyone cared about the crazy numbers.

Keep On!!!

I've done the same sort of math comparing a squirrel to a deer. Making a .22 diameter hole in a squirrel worked out to something like a 1 inch diameter hole in a deer. I used that logic to argue that we do not really need expansion of our projectiles. They make a big enough hole. That is also consistent with my experience. A domed pellet from my little Prod because a very effective squirrel killer once I got it tuned to where it will shoot through them. I've only shot a couple with my much more powerful 25. They did not move far either but it is hard to improve on the experience with the 22 where they moved 3 feet or less after contact.

The only logical argument I see for expansion is to limit the velocity of the projectile when it exits the animal. I remain a bit concerned that some people using slugs do not really understand their expansion/penetration, however.

Just a random thought. "What would the projectile diameter/caliber be as equivalent from a chipmunk to a human?"

With a .22 as an example.

Let's take a chipmunk at 5" for the body size.

Let's take 19" as the size of a male torso.

That would work out to a .836 projectile equivalent relative to the body size, main mass.

Of course this is just a bad napkin exercise based on linear length measurements, actually I think if you used the frontal area or volume it would be even larger.

Just pointing out that a .22 is a pretty crazy round for small game.

Just being bored, let's see what badly estimated frontal area looks like

Let's call a chipmunk 5" x 2" being generous, 10 sq inches

Let's call avg male torso 19"h x 12"w and call that 228 sq inches

Using sq inches of area a .22 works out to 5.02!

Click to expand...

Not sure that this proposal is valid.

A wild turkey easily can be taken with a .177 with a head shot.

Raccoon might get away with a .357 shot in a leg not touching bone.

The name of the game is shot placement and enough energy to get to the vitals.

36.2 nsa at 990 FPS 25 yard shot he got hit hard !