.177 for squirrels??

A

awesomeame

Regular
Rating - 100%
28   0   0
Location
Etobicoke, Ontario
Hey all

I've got a Diana model 20 in .177, 495fps. Can this thing dispatch squirrels? I don't want to wound them only, I'm all about clean kills.

What kind of ammo should I use-I've got fieldpoints but if there's something more suited for this???

Thanks

Matt
 
I have some practical experience with this...the 495FPS is "up to"...chances are, it won't be close to that. I had a Gamo Recon that said it was up to 495FPS. I shot a squirrel with that as part of a pest control practice and it was within 20 feet (very close). I used a pointed Crosman pellet. It hit the squirrel right in the head and it jumped a mile in the air and started to squirm but then shook it off and ran off. Later on, I chronied the rifle and it showed about 420FPS. Whatever the case, a direct hit didn't dispatch the squirrel at all - it barely injured it.
 
Get close, I have had clean kills with 1 shot, sometimes takes 2 or 3 shots to put em down for good but 1 shot up close should knock them out of the tree its a lot of chance if one shot will do it. I have always used CO2 guns ranging from 425-495 fps. Killed many of these tree rats from the age of 10-15, need to start doing it again :D
 
I've shot hundreds of squirrels with 495 ft/sec pellet guns, no prob. Dead before they hit the ground. Make sure you have a quality gun (ie-not 420 or whatever) and you should be good to.....30-40 yards.

Edit-Using break action single pump pellet guns, not CO2. They're lower vel. I think.
 
thegazell said:
I have some practical experience with this...the 495FPS is "up to"...chances are, it won't be close to that. I had a Gamo Recon that said it was up to 495FPS. I shot a squirrel with that as part of a pest control practice and it was within 20 feet (very close). I used a pointed Crosman pellet. It hit the squirrel right in the head and it jumped a mile in the air and started to squirm but then shook it off and ran off. Later on, I chronied the rifle and it showed about 420FPS. Whatever the case, a direct hit didn't dispatch the squirrel at all - it barely injured it.
Click to expand...
That's my experience too. Was with a Slavia 630 airgun though.
 
Tried a couple times when I was a kid.. pretty ugly both times. Try CB caps if you can discharge a 22 in your location. As quiet as a air rifle.
 
Unless my Gamo spring loaded pistol was not truly 495fps (as rated), the squirrel I shot at point blank range unfortunately disappeared under the deck. I've shot many pigeons with it as well, with varying success. Kinda marginal in my experience, and not assured a clean kill like a 22 rimfire.
 
awesomeame said:
What kind of ammo are you using? I see I can get saboted steel too, would that be preferable to lead?

Matt
Click to expand...

I've tried those steel sabots. They're faster, but accuracy sucks. I'd assume they wouldn't have the impact of lead either.
I've used flat, round, and pointed tip lead pellets. They all drop squirrels. I like the pointy ones just 'cause they look cool!:)
495 ft/sec guns that I've killed tree-rats with....well, it goes back to being a young guy with a 50$ Czech (not slavia) of some sort, then I had a few Gamo's(the one you used to be able to get at CT, with the tube mag. on top of the air chamber. All you did was break the barrel and a pellet was pushed in), and my Brothers' Slavia 630 (I think that was the model), my Fathers cheap no name (with a trigger pull of about 50 lbs.:))
Even if you don't get a head shot, one in the chest kills them. They might flop a bit, but they're done.

I'd say if 495 isn't killing them, it isn't doing 495.
 
I find that sometimes with a .177 headshots arent the best as sometimes they hit at a bad angle and glance off. ive never had a proble with vitals though I mostly shoot grackles annd such
 
After having mixed results with .177 airguns rated around 495 fps, I bought a Diana 34. This solved the problem entirely, and it reliably kills pigeons and other vermin out to 35-40 yards. I shot a noisy backyard crow at about 45 yards, and the shot hit just right. He fell straight down, deader than a rock. The extra 500 fps really makes the difference. Regards, Eagleye
 
Head shots are not the best as they will glance off the skull with .177's at 495 fps. Shoot right behind the front leg and they will drop. Head shots are best with FAC rated pellet guns. My Quest 1000 in .177 will go clean through 3 vegetable cans at close range. The power is amazing for an air rifle.
 
My experience is mixed. One time with a .177 Beretta copy I bagged a few squirrel with 2 shots no problem. The last one I shot with a .22 rifle around 500fps got away, and quite quickly. Certainly a clean hit, I don't recommend it.
 
Last edited:
Black/Grey Squirrels are very tough animals- the skin is like leather.
In my experience I cannot recommend taking a Squirrel humanely with a non-pal airgun.
I use a scoped .22 rimfire headshots only, and only in season.
 
I have wacked many squarrels with a crossman CO2 22 pellet pistol with laser. Easy 1 shot. The 22 is heavier and therefore does more damage.
 
Diana Mod. 24 - 12 yards

Diana_Power.jpg
 
Have taken many squirrels and smaller vermin with springers. Most were with a Diana model 20, and as others have stated not always the cleanest most efficient affair.
I recently purchased a .177 Weihrauch HW 97 rated at 950 FPS. My grandmother bought a small metal garden-shed to store bagged garbage in before it went to the dump. A pair of Packrats chewed through the plywood floor and needed to be removed. I took my HW 97 up and bang-flopped them both from about 20 meters. Headshot on first one was devastating. Second was behind the shoulders and was a complete pass through, and upon exiting made a ding in the metal wall of the shed that nearly punched through!!! :eek:
Packrats are a damn good size here in northern B.C. and are much tougher than squirrels and the extra FPS just burgered'em.

In my opinion if you have a PAL get a high velocity air rifle for dispatching vermin.

Mad Mikey :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom