Rats. .177 Or .22

[0395kenyon 24]

My R10 MK2 loves rats, especially with .22 Bisley Mags. The energy transfere is ...BOOM!... My theory is, if you want to kill something you dont throw a pebble at it, you reach for a rock. Works for me.

[Dirt1427 2]

Any caliber that hits the right spot will kill a rat

[ghillies 209]

I know the .177 v .22 debate has been done to death in general. but was wondering what peoples favourite cal was in regards to shooting rats??. I used to use .22 for all my hunting, but have changed over to 177 in last 18 months. I found this cal more than ample to do the job on rats as long as a good clean head shot is taken. I had a recent trip out on the rats, I checked zero before dark on my hw 100kt and everything was fine. I put on the ns 50. shot the first rat of the night and it was a runner. I wasnt happy and put it down as my own fault. bit of buck fever. I took the second shot and I knew something wasnt quite right. the second rat tried to exit in the same direction as the first but stopped after a few yards. and I shot again and it was despatched. as I went for a look I noticed that both shots where quite a bit off my intended ain point. I re zeroed the rifle and continued my night taking 40 or so clean shot rats. my question really is would a .22 rifle have taken the rats down cleanly big the bigger cal?? I also found the runner at the bottom of a pile of bales straight after looking at the second rat, and it was despatched.

 

basically a .22 does a lovely loud head shot in the general facinity of dead center, a .177 does a quiter head shot with slifgly less room for varience.

 

how ever, i'm coming from .177 for donkies years and trying a .22 on bod shots, cringe..neh i'll stick with the .177, especialy on bod shots.

 

(a btw, did you relise the rat heart is not actualy where most people think it is? its lower on the spine as a measuring tool).

 

next comes the corker...as that rat gets a masive slapper of a really good bod shot it runs off screeming? the fecker actualy jumped the pellet and stamped hard on the floor and fooooled yu.. beleive or disbeleive but wait till you find out lol.

in .177 with a 10.3 grain pellet your looking at 38-40 yards before stuff starts ducking and the like....so a rat at 7 yard playing matrix style with a .22 seams to go dead instantly with a .177....thats my final offer lol.

Edited May 15, 2014 by ghillies

[WhiteRabbit 112]

Never tried my .25 on rats but i wouldn't go any less than a .22 IMHO

[WhiteRabbit 112]

*.20 but pushing it.

[Dirt1427 2]

I've shot loads of rats with .177 with no probs. so what would u use a .177 for

[Daz 7 563]

I've shot loads of rats with .177 with no probs. so what would u use a .177 for

.177 Girlie cal is superb for Target Tarting and Plinking

[WhiteRabbit 112]

I wouldn't? Hahaha

[n1vlo 3]

well is there any prefered .177 pellet to use

[vanman1 411]

Stable/farm yard ranges (upto 35yrd) 177 flat head pellet stone dead every time, but i do shoot for the head,which imo is the way to go.

[ghillies 209]

has anybody noticed every 5'th man has his or her way of doing it, with a different call, diferent set up diferent pellet etc... hint hint... its time in to get used to what ever kit you have and 'perfect' your own way.

 

just a thought like.

[mark williams 7,549]

Shot a Magpie today with the hardest hitting calibre by a country mile !!!

 

18 YDS and good fieldcraft calibre does not matter at all, shot to the head means dead.

 

atb.

[paulk73 151]

ive shot loads of rats with the .177. I think im just trying to justify the fact that I fluffed 2 shots on the bounce, because the zero had crept off.

[Dirt1427 2]

Over the last 2 weeks ratting I've nailed nearly 70 rats upto now with .177 with no problems at all I don't understand the " ill use ONLY .22 on rats but I'll use .177 for rabbits" bull tripe there is half a mil diameter round a .22 pellet difference? U really think it makes a difference?

[WhiteRabbit 112]

For me, I'm just a man of the .22, something about it just sits so well with everything I do and with the kinetic energy from .22's and pellets I use, i know it's going to kill rather than penetrate straight through anything. I like to make sure a job is done thoroughly.

The same with the .25 but depends on what and where I hunt for each calibre.

 

Why not a .177? Because I don't think I need one.

 

White