FAC Hunting

[scooby1]

:look:Hope this is the right place to put this topic.

 

When Hunting with a large cal FAC air rifle would you say it still has to be a head shot at all times or being a larger cal a good body shot should have enough to do the job.

I have had a few comments from hunters but i am still not sure as it is a 50/50 at the moment.

 

[Colster]

I've body shot rabbits at up to 60yards with my .22 Air Arms S400 Xtra (about 30ft/lbs), no issues.

[steve_b_wales]

Head shots are better if you can get them, as there is less chance of the rabbit getting back into cover after being shot.

[mick miller]

Head shot everytime for the reasons above. Even if head shot sometimes you will have to administer the last rights by hand, it's unavoidable. If you body shoot them I would imagine there's a greater margin for error. Plus a head shot rabbit is easier to sell on, and cleaner to gut and prepare.

[Billy.]

Edit;

 

Stupid me didn't see it was about an airgun.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Billy.

[Dekers]

:look:Hope this is the right place to put this topic.

 

When Hunting with a large cal FAC air rifle would you say it still has to be a head shot at all times or being a larger cal a good body shot should have enough to do the job.

I have had a few comments from hunters but i am still not sure as it is a 50/50 at the moment.

 

 

I'm not getting this 50/50 business...what is a large calibre? and what power is it? and what are you pointing at? with what pellets? at what range?

 

There is little or nothing debatable here, it will work or it won't in given circumstances! :unsure:

[scooby1]

I have to admit i have shot many rabbit in the body with a 40ft lb rifle and they do go down like they have been shot in the head but last week i shot a rabbit at about 40 yards and i think it went through the body and it ran of.

So my next hunting trip i will aim head only and if i miss i miss but if i hit it wont run of back to the warren.

[scooby1]

I'm not getting this 50/50 business...what is a large calibre? and what power is it? and what are you pointing at? with what pellets? at what range?

 

There is little or nothing debatable here, it will work or it won't in given circumstances!

Well some people say head and some say body.

Calibre is .25 and power is 40ft lbs and 50ft lbs.

Aim point neck.

pellets H&N Barc.

Range 40 to 60 yards.

 

This is the info

 

Regards

[Dekers]

I'm not getting this 50/50 business...what is a large calibre? and what power is it? and what are you pointing at? with what pellets? at what range?

 

There is little or nothing debatable here, it will work or it won't in given circumstances!

 

 

Well some people say head and some say body.

Calibre is .25 and power is 40ft lbs and 50ft lbs.

Aim point neck.

pellets H&N Barc.

Range 40 to 60 yards.

 

This is the info

 

Regards

 

I assume bunnies!

 

The answer is simple, a .25 at 60 yards with a muzzle energy of 40 or 50ft lb will stop a rabbit easily in the heart.

 

The problem I suggest you face is that heart shots can tend to cause more reflex flight reactions than head shots.

 

You have plenty of power and a .25 makes a big hole.

 

Aim for the head by all means if you like, very few run when shot there whatever, but no need.

 

The problem is not power at all, it is simply cause and effect of shot placement, especially with very small bunnies who often seem to run off with a fist size hole through them!!

[fortune82]

I know this is an airgun thread but thought the following might be of interest!

 

Several years ago a friend and I were out lamping with the .22 rimfire.

 

We came up to a gateway and lamped one rabbit which fell to a head shot, then a second went the same way.

 

We walked to pick the second rabbit and then the first. When we got to within 20 yeards of the forst rabbit it got up and started to walk off at speed.

 

I fired a second .22 subsonic hollow point which hit its chest. a second later it started to run so I shot it in the chest again which stopped it.

 

When I collected it it was still alive requiring me to neck it.

 

When we skinned it later the first bullet had gone in just below the eye and exited out the other side, taking half the face and skull.

 

The second and third shot had gone through the heart and lungs.

 

Just shows no shot is a 100% certainty!!!

[drut]

Personally I found chest shots effective when I had a .25 Career(whole chest area bruised/discoloured on skinning) but no guarantee of rabbit dropping on spot some could run for 20+ yds but when butchered heart/lungs were mushed.How they manage it I don't know but I have taken head tops off younger rabbits with 12ga at short range & they have still kicked back down their holes.These days I mainly use 22lr & find top of neck/base of skull the most effective for dropping on the spot.

[Colster]

These days I mainly use 22lr & find top of neck/base of skull the most effective for dropping on the spot.

 

I'd agree but kits still seem to backflip for a while anyway when they're headshot

[drut]

I'd agree but kits still seem to backflip for a while anyway when they're headshot

 

Agree totally: I honestly don't think that there is a complete answer but was just trying to say that I have found shots to skull base,rather than center more effective for me. As I use my shot rabbits meat I am always trying to assure I can retrieve carcasses but even when I have cleanly decapitated them this has not always been the case

[scooby1]

I thought that it was my bad shooting by not aiming in the right place.

I know my rifle is powerful enough and the land i shoot on does not give me much cover so i have to take long to very long shots.

 

My next post will be what is your longest clean kill shot and with what cal.

[stevethevanman]

I've body shot rabbits at up to 60yards with my .22 Air Arms S400 Xtra (about 30ft/lbs), no issues.

 

I am with "Colster" on this one, I had a 25FtLb Rapid 7, FAC airgun for a couple of years, and used to shoot rabbits at 60yds regularly, in fact that was what range I hunted rabbits most times

 

I ALWAYS found complete pass throughs with FAC .22 AccuPell, even out a little further, to maybe 75yds, It definately kills quickly and I had no runners, those AccuPells, tended to remain solid, and would punch through rabbits easily

 

I think the way is to get a "good" chest hit, not too far back because of the rabbit being sat hunched up, just right on the shoulder and it wont go anywhere

 

Steve