jonno Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 I have just been told that a couple of my chickens have died due to lead poisoning. There is only one small area in the garden where I dispatch squirrels and it has a solid wall as a backstop. The chickens love to scratch around by the wall (which I have now temporarily fenced off) so my guess is they have eaten some of the pellets. I have been looking for lead-free alternatives and have seen Prometheus pellets which have received some bad press. My question is - would they be OK for dispatching squirrels from a maximum range of 10 yards from a full power .22 springer (Weihrauch)? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 i'd try the H&N Barracuda Green lead free pellets - they're probably a better bet (uttings sell them amongst others). Not sure if they do them in .22 though. There's also the Gamo Raptor and RWS Hypermax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 At that range I would have thought almost anything would kill a squirrel. Have you thought of using different pellet designs - points/hollow points so that the pellet stays in the squirrel? We have had a plague in the last couple of weeks and both RWS domes and points at 15-20 yards stay in the beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albion Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 H&N Greens are a good bet. You need to clean your rifling thoroughly for lead free pellets to be accurate. The lead residue left by ordinary pellets is incompatible with zinc pellets. A lot of bad reviews are probably from people who have not cleaned their barrels. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 I looked at H&N Greens but they don't seem to make them in .22 Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 I have never had a lead pellet go straight through any squirrel I have killed and I'm talking about 20 - 80 a year for well over twenty years. If you use lead pellets such as JSB Exacts or AA Fields and hit the squirrel in the chest or head then the pellet will end up staying inside the squirrel. It won't penetrate straight through like a non-lead pellet might. And lead pellets are far more accurate without the barrel sweeping necessity. To be honest, in your sitauation you might be better off trapping the squiggles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 To be honest, in your sitauation you might be better off trapping the squiggles I've put out a rabbit trap and a mink trap side by side in the past. I've only caught 3 and all in the larger rabbit trap, none in the smaller mink trap. The only problem is I must have caught at least six pheasants in the rabbit trap over the same time period (or it's really stupid and it's the same one six times!) and they tend to hurt themselves in a matter of moments - so I don't use it now. I also tended to go soft when I've caught the squirrels and have 'relocated' them a few miles away - and I'm not sure if that is legal...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Promethean? http://www.paxguns.co.uk/prometheus/product.htm can wear rifling out faster than lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 no it's the Dynamic he's talking about i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 "Relocating" grey squirrels is illegal. Trapped squirrels must be dispatched (humanely). Shooting is regarded as a humane method of dispatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 I have just been told that a couple of my chickens have died due to lead poisoning. Have lab test confirmed lead poisoning as their cause of death? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 no it's the Dynamic he's talking about i think I'm open to all suggestions - just looking for recommendations from people that have used something lead free in a similar sort of gun at 10 yards. Your suggestions of Gamo Raptor and RWS Hypermax sound good - have you used them? Jonno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Have lab test confirmed lead poisoning as their cause of death? The vet said he was 99% certain from the symptoms and recommended not to bother - blindness, very weak, wasting and watery green diarrhea. He could be wrong but 'Err indoors will give me a hard time if I don't change to lead free. Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtdigger Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 logun penetrator are lead free and ive had squirrels at all sorts of ranges with them , they are 16 grain so carry alot of energy to the target Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 logun penetrator are lead free and ive had squirrels at all sorts of ranges with them , they are 16 grain so carry alot of energy to the target Logun Penetrators are advertised as being lead pellets. There are several issues here; If you hit the squirrel with a lead pellet it will stay in the squirrel. The hens won't eat the pellet. You may have a load of lead pellets laid about from previous shooting sessions that need clearing up. Trapping is your best option. Squirrels are agile and clever, pheasants aren't. I'm sure that you can organise a trap to exclude pheasants and catch the squirrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 You may have a load of lead pellets laid about from previous shooting sessions that need clearing up. Trapping is your best option. Squirrels are agile and clever, pheasants aren't. I'm sure that you can organise a trap to exclude pheasants and catch the squirrels. 'Great minds' as they say! I have just spent the morning clearing up - no lead left there now I have also built an off-ground platform for the trap. The plan is to bait it up in two stages until they get used to it and then just bait the trap at the top. A cunning plan! Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Hate to disagree about pellets staying in a squirrel-shot one in the back garden just over a month back and with an Air Arms S200 the pellet went straight thru the chest cavity and hit the fence panel behind-no more than 15 yard shot though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 No disagreement. Just a different experience. Of all the squirrels I killed - i.e. picked up, none have had an exit wound and that's with 12 ft/lb .177 rifles nd pellets such as Superdomes, AA Fields and JSB Exacts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 if you stick a fenn trap inside a large enough piece of pipe (or box section) on top of the fence/on a branch with some grain in it. it will do the job nicely and you won't trap anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Hate to disagree about pellets staying in a squirrel-shot one in the back garden just over a month back and with an Air Arms S200 the pellet went straight thru the chest cavity and hit the fence panel behind-no more than 15 yard shot though. In my expeience, it depends on the range at which they are shot. I've not experienced the shot going clear through a squirrel at 20+ yards to date. I have this happen on rabbits and I'm reluctant to shoot a bunny at less than 25 yards with my .177 HW100 with a cranial shot. Squirrels, in my experience are a lot tougher than rabbits - they go with a heck of a 'crack' with a head shot don't they? :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 I agree that a head shot is more likely to stop the slug exiting-the last squirrel i shot had spent most of its life eating my Hazelnuts and every time i managed to grab the gun he did a dissapearing act (much to my sons amusement as he informed me once that whilst i was scanning the tree via the scope the squirrel was sitting on the fence next to me).When i finally managed to get a bead on him he was digging under the kids trampoline? and when i took aim i was shaking like a novice (leaning on a wall as well)-i snatched the shot while the bulk of him was in the crosshairs and thought that i,d missed as he ran off-however, sanity and temper were restored when he collapsed about 10 yards down the garden with a neat hole clean thru him.Revenge was sweet-like my flipping nuts i,ll bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 (edited) Hahahaha! Fab story Bruno - really made me chuckle Keep 'em coming Did you read in ST recently? A group of grey squirrel huggers have been releasing greys they've nursed back to health - NE are saying there is no record of a license to release them (by law they have to be humanely destroyed). The group is being investigated. I want to know where they are releasing the greys - give me a chance to undo their bad work! Duncan Edited January 11, 2011 by The Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtdigger Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Logun Penetrators are advertised as being lead pellets. There are several issues here; If you hit the squirrel with a lead pellet it will stay in the squirrel. The hens won't eat the pellet. You may have a load of lead pellets laid about from previous shooting sessions that need clearing up. Trapping is your best option. Squirrels are agile and clever, pheasants aren't. I'm sure that you can organise a trap to exclude pheasants and catch the squirrels. on the packs i have it says no lead pellets penetrates deeper guaranteed thats on all 10 packs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 haha, i think that means the only pellets that penetrate deeper are made from substances other than lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 The Duncan-if you find the place count me in-i,ll drive you bring the snacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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