Hollowpoints For Farmyard Pests?

[Auroch21 2]

I managed to secure permission to shoot ferals on a couple of farms earlier this week and headed out on Friday to make a start. I was very mindful of solid backstops, which was just as well, as my bisley magnums in .177 were passing straight through on occasion. What are your thoughts on hollowpoints, or should I use a lighter pellet (Superfields also group well in my Ultra)?

Thanks in advance,

David

[Jonjon79 13,358]

Hi David,

 

Those Bisley Magnums do seem to retain a lot of energy which, when hunting live quarry isn't a bad thing.

 

However, under the circumstances you may find that a lighter pellet like Falcon Accuracy Plus or AA Express will deform more and stop quicker, reducing the chances of a pass through.

They'll also have the added advantage of flattening out your trajectories a bit

 

As far as hollow points go - I've tried a few of the usual suspects in a few different rifles. The only one that I could class as reliably accurate was the H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme.

At sub 12 power levels they'll never deform how the manufacturer intended but, the greater surface area created by the shape of the tip certainly delivers a wallop - you can hear the difference when they hit.

 

Good luck

[mark williams 7,550]

Hi David, welcome to the forum .

 

Try RWS Hobby, ( very light flat head) for close work and only heart/ lung when watching your backstop.

A lot of wallop, up close and good accuracy in both .177 and .22. After 30 yds accuracy falls with each extra yard - ( the flat head).

 

If memory serves, I think the .22 pellet was just 11.9 grain ? Anyways I found that rarely a pellet passed through the rats and ferels without losing a lot of kinetic energy first .

 

atb Mark

[Auroch21 2]

Thank you for the replies chaps.

I've bought a tin of each pellet you've suggested and will try them out at the range next week. In the meantime I'll switch back to the Superfields for the last shed I'm visiting today. The ferals seemed far twitchier than I had expected, resulting in shots that certainly weren't 'close'! I suspect when they cotton-on to the grain that was being stored in the sheds and the weather turns they will settle down a bit - I've agreed a follow up visit in a few weeks so will hopefully test your suggestions then. In the meantime I'll revert back to Superfields for the last shed I'm visiting this afternoon.

Thanks again,

David

[charlie caller 3,654]

Also try some H&N Baraccuda hunter extreme the ones with the cross in the top, superbly accurate in my Brocock, pack a hell of a punch, if your rifle likes them I strongly recommend them, you will not be disappointed.

[philpot 4,971]

A while ago I did a load of pellet tests with my HW100, one of the pellets was H&N Baracuda Hunter (not the extreme) and at 25mt, they were very accurate, very small groups. Not the cheapest pellet but I am guessing they will have a fair old thump, I say guessing because I had completely forgotten that I had them....................until now, so I have just put the tin in my bag for the next time out. If I recall, they were the same zero as Bis Mags so shouldn't have to fanny around.

 

Phil

[j j m 6,536]

as has been said rws hobbys are good for this sort of work

[The one 8,467]

We started using target pellets with the flat heads when the farmer wanted the pigeons thinned out and no holes in the asbestos roofs

[Auroch21 2]

Here's hoping the baracudas work well in the Ultra - they sound like they'll be ideal for this type of shooting. I'm hoping some happy farmers will open up the way for other types of permission - my freezer's running low on wood pigeon!

Thanks again for the advice,

David

[charlie caller 3,654]

A while ago I did a load of pellet tests with my HW100, one of the pellets was H&N Baracuda Hunter (not the extreme) and at 25mt, they were very accurate, very small groups. Not the cheapest pellet but I am guessing they will have a fair old thump, I say guessing because I had completely forgotten that I had them....................until now, so I have just put the tin in my bag for the next time out. If I recall, they were the same zero as Bis Mags so shouldn't have to fanny around.

 

Phil

That will be because they ARE the same pellet as Bis magnums, H&N make em for Bisley, give the extreme's a go too, bloody deadly in my .177 Brocock.

[philpot 4,971]

 

A while ago I did a load of pellet tests with my HW100, one of the pellets was H&N Baracuda Hunter (not the extreme) and at 25mt, they were very accurate, very small groups. Not the cheapest pellet but I am guessing they will have a fair old thump, I say guessing because I had completely forgotten that I had them....................until now, so I have just put the tin in my bag for the next time out. If I recall, they were the same zero as Bis Mags so shouldn't have to fanny around.

 

Phil

That will be because they ARE the same pellet as Bis magnums, H&N make em for Bisley, give the extreme's a go too, bloody deadly in my .177 Brocock.

 

Not the same pellet, they have a hollow domed head.

 

Phil