Weapon Choices for Varmints

OKRattler said:
If I'm worried about ricochets I'm grabbing a .17HMR, for your application I'd probably get a Bear Creek Arsenal upper chambered for it. I can't recall a time that I've ever heard a .17 grain V-Max ricochet.

I don't think there's a varmint you'll run across that's running anywhere after a shot to the head with one of those.
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Crazy story, I did predator control in my wetlands. I would take out American Snapping turtle to stop them eating my baby ducklings in the spring. My wetlands is 60 feet below my house with a small wooded area in between. I shot a big turtle through the head with my HMR .17 I could not reach the turtle so I drove around to my pole barn next to my house to get a pitch fork. When I got there I noticed my gutter was dripping and a small hole in my gutter. Got the ladder and that .17 HMR bullet was laying in the bottom of my gutter. I went back and got the turtle out and there was a hole in both sides of his head. The bullet traveled 25 yards went through that turtles head. Deflected went 60’ up a hill and another 25 yards through a wooded area and hit my gutter. I could not believe it, I thought The Kennedy magic bullet was strange but this blew my mind! So never say never!!🤔
 
viper said:
Crazy story, I did predator control in my wetlands. I would take out American Snapping turtle to stop them eating my baby ducklings in the spring. My wetlands is 60 feet below my house with a small wooded area in between. I shot a big turtle through the head with my HMR .17 I could not reach the turtle so I drove around to my pole barn next to my house to get a pitch fork. When I got there I noticed my gutter was dripping and a small hole in my gutter. Got the ladder and that .17 HMR bullet was laying in the bottom of my gutter. I went back and got the turtle out and there was a hole in both sides of his head. The bullet traveled 25 yards went through that turtles head. Deflected went 60’ up a hill and another 25 yards through a wooded area and hit my gutter. I could not believe it, I thought The Kennedy magic bullet was strange but this blew my mind! So never say never!!🤔
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I used to shoot a lot of 45 ACP at an aluminum beer keg. It is all tore up. I have a metal garage that is behind where I stand, Damned if there is not a .45 hole in it! How I don't know but a straight hole not a keyhole. I'm the only one shooting and never shoot towards the house of course. If a ricochet would have hit me it would be pretty bad, plus I would feel really stupid!!!
 
No ricochets:
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K
 
bowhunter57 said:
@Klenchblaize
Details.... what am I looking at here? :unsure:
PCP? Caliber? Brand? Model? Cost?
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* Rifle: Daystate PCP Air Wolf MCT
* Calibre: .22 FAC* Rated 35ft/lbs. (*Note: I'm based in England UK where firearms ownership is overly controlled. You can own an air-rifle without a Firearms Certificate but it must have a power rating below 12ft/lb)
* Cost: Rifle Discontinued - 2026 Catalogue: Product Range - Daystate
* Scope: Vintage Zeiss 3-9 Variable 1" Tube
* Mounts & Rings: S&K One-Piece Rings and modified Bases to allow enough height for 10-shot pellet magazine
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Klenchblaize said:
* Rifle: Daystate PCP Air Wolf MCT
* Calibre: .22 FAC* Rated 35ft/lbs. (*Note: I'm based in England UK where firearms ownership is overly controlled. You can own an air-rifle without a Firearms Certificate but it must have a power rating below 12ft/lb)
* Cost: Rifle Discontinued - 2026 Catalogue: Product Range - Daystate
* Scope: Vintage Zeiss 3-9 Variable 1" Tube
* Mounts & Rings: S&K One-Piece Rings and modified Bases to allow enough height for 10-shot pellet magazine
View attachment 25518
K
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Gorgeous rifle! I have an old huntsman put away somewhere. My only daystate in my 80 plus airgun collection
 
Klenchblaize said:
No ricochets:
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K
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When i did a lot of shooting with my 22cal pcp i had bad ricochets unless i shot NSA slugs that were super soft and deformed enough to stop. Otherwise nothing “blew up”, just went through and kept going of whatever it hit. I never really noticed it until hunting a dead quiet timber with frozen ground for squirrels, could hear the slug hit a tree then the ground, or a tree then another tree.. or a squirrel head then the ground way to the side.

Only time it didnt was if i shot them head on and the slug would go in the head and get stuck in neck or front shoulder. Pellets were really bad, hard jsb would go everywhere like a pinball machine.
 
BBK said:
When i did a lot of shooting with my 22cal pcp i had bad ricochets unless i shot NSA slugs that were super soft and deformed enough to stop. Otherwise nothing “blew up”, just went through and kept going of whatever it hit. I never really noticed it until hunting a dead quiet timber with frozen ground for squirrels, could hear the slug hit a tree then the ground, or a tree then another tree.. or a squirrel head then the ground way to the side.

Only time it didnt was if i shot them head on and the slug would go in the head and get stuck in neck or front shoulder. Pellets were really bad, hard jsb would go everywhere like a pinball machine.
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Pellets ricochet all over the woods when everything is frozen!
 
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