what calibre for ratting and why?

[half n' half 8]

right,i've used .177,.22 and .25 for rat shooting so which calibre do you all use and why?

what advantages do you think your prefered calibre have?

[beddylurcher 70]

i take my bsa mercary ratting its 22 and 6 ftlbs drops them in there seat. but iv got a 177 s410 and i can head shoot them and they run off.

[festa 206]

depends if im indoors or not if im indoors i like my s200 its .177 but only pushing 8.4ftp which from a safety point of view is better for indoor use (well i think so ) lol outdoors its either my hw100 or bsa s10 both in .22 ..having said that ive not tried my falcon fn19 on them yet but ive got no worries about the falcon its a cracking little gun

 

atb gary

[Coach 0]

depends if im indoors or not if im indoors i like my s200 its .177 but only pushing 8.4ftp which from a safety point of view is better for indoor use (well i think so ) lol outdoors its either my hw100 or bsa s10 both in .22 ..having said that ive not tried my falcon fn19 on them yet but ive got no worries about the falcon its a cracking little gun

 

atb gary

Hi Mate, the preferred calibre for indoor rat shooting was always .25, but i have used hollow point and wad cutters in .177 with quite good results. i use an fn19 rifle running at 11.8 ftlbs (.177), dome heads can cause a lot of damage to property as these at short range can and will go straight through the target,never use pointed pellets you might as well use a 410 shotgun. Hope this helps

[pianoman 3,584]

For a large outdoor Sugarbeet store that get's an unhealthy amount of rat-infestation on one of my permissions, I have 2 FAC tuned Weihrauch HW80 .22 rifles, either one of which, at 18-19 ft/lbs power, can really thwack a rat dead through the head at decent 25-metre ranges or closer. That's the range from a cover of nice, thick hedgerow to the store and a bated area I set up. The pellet does not over-penetrate, even at this level of power and the animal is instantly killed with a hit anywhere squarely in the head.

 

I have an FAC tuned Air Arms TX200HC .177. That rifle puts a round straight through a rat at the same range at very high velocity, but, unless it's a perfect brain shot, it does not kill the animal outright. Thus, it is not, in my honest opinion, suitable for humane rat culling.

 

Lastly, I have a sub 12ft/lb TX200 .22 calibre standard rifle. This is possibly, the perfect rat stopper for the right power and accuracy in all situations outdoor or indoor. Hits hard with the bigger round, doesn't over-penetrate but lodges the pellet within the animal and kills humanely with its energy properly transferred and with superb accuracy. And it's the quietest, especially indoors.

 

Even a rat deserves a mercifully humane death and .22 is the best round for the job in my experience.

 

Simon

[zini 1,939]

Interesting topic lads,

 

I’m sure it will get a lot of replies with varied answers.

 

I normally use .22 as this is my favoured calibre.

 

I find that even at 24 metres the pellet goes straight through a rats head but it usually dies either instantly or within 1 to 2 seconds, (pulsating nerve action) which is sometimes sadly enough for the rat to move some distance out of sight

 

The reason I say this as I’ve seen it happen myself and I have endless clips myself of my 11 ft/lb - ish rifles, I.E my own going straight through rabbits heads at 30 metres (32 yards) and woodies heads at the same range, also squirrels.

 

A rats head is smaller and narrower so I know it happens there too.

 

I’ve seen lads shoot rats with .177 calibre and they seem to have no real issues, yes the pellet still goes straight through as did my .22 at 11.5-isht ft/lbs and yes the rat sometimes moves a bit (nerves again), but sometimes they also drop like a sack of sh*t.

 

I think a .25 would be really good for rats, but yet again I even think a .25 pellet would exit straight through a rat’s brain at 10 to 15 metres unless its very low powered and in this case you will need to seriously think about parabolic trajectory (being very curved) and where to aim to make the brain shot (swings and round about really).

 

I do see the advantages in low powered rifles though as Gary stated especially in some shooting places and situations, like buildings with plastic roofs etc and you are minimising on ricco and damage to the building etc.

 

Going back to the original question though, a rats brain is very small in size and if any calibre, .177, .20, .22 or .25 hit it correctly in the brain like we strive for the rat is going to drop no matter what.

 

The movement again is just nerves.

 

The other issues I’ve just mentioned, I.E low power and calibre are just ways to improve your outcome and limit damage.

 

If anyone has ever seen a rat shot in the brain with any calibre and it run off then please send me the link to it I would be very interested to see it.

 

ATB

 

Si

Edited November 14, 2010 by zini

[pianoman 3,584]

Good in- depth post Si which has got me thinking.

I've shot a heck of a lot with both .22 and .177 calibres as they peer out, head-on from their holes. This means the round hits them facially and travels deep into the body. That's as fatal as it gets.

 

The other situations. Shooting them at side-on profiles. FAC .22 head shot makes quite a mess that, quite frankly, I don't exactly spend a lot of time examining! It's instantly dead and didn't suffer and that's all there needs to be. Sub-12ft/lb .22 is just as lethal in the same place. .177 is just as lethal in the same place. Nothing wrong with any calibre there.

 

It's when/if the rat moves signicantly at the point of shot-release (and they can and do) and a bodyshot occurs. FAC .22 is still a lethally fast killer through the neck or upperbody into vital organs. Sub-12ft/lb .22 can be in the right spot but I've seen a few in this situation gasping desperately for air on their sides or limp away with crippled forelimbs. .177cal seems to cut very deep, but unless it hits and severs the vitals, I've seen quite unpleasent choking and crippling, and a second shot is needed fast.

 

In all instances and with all calibres, I'm certain any decent marksman would agree, the stomach or abdominal area is a bloody big NO-NO! That's just inflicting nothing but a slow, terrible death.

 

It's just my experience of shooting both calibres that .22 is the better round as its larger frontal mass and energy covers a wider area of catastrophic damage to the animal. .25cal. therefore must be very effective in delivering a mercifully quick, humane death anywhere to the head/neck area. I've never shot with it, but the assumption I make of it, is a considered one.

 

ATB

 

Simon

Edited November 14, 2010 by pianoman

[Millet 4,497]

I have shot rats with both .22 and .177 to good effect and had good results in both calibres, .177 is my prefered choice for shooting whatever quarry and aslong has you hit the rat in the neck/head it will be brown bread,they are pretty tough critters and i have seen them run on 20yrds before they drop stone dead even with a well placed shot,obviously with head shots this does not happen but they still can jump about a little till the nerves switch of,but sometimes a head shot is not possible,so in my opinion from my experiences either calibre is more than capable of stopping a rat if shot accurately.

[ArchieHood 3,692]

I've only ever shot .22 so cant really comment,I have a few tins of Accupell Flatheads which I find always stops them in their tracks.Its finding the buggers that I find difficult.Maybe a cold spell will bring them in.