Pigeon Kill Shots

[Drummer70]

Great stuff Stu and WU. 
 

Those points will be tried next time we’re allowed out. Got a good mental picture now of where to hit thanks to the photos above. 

[Mice!]

13 hours ago, JKD said:

BTW,,,, I shoot .177 in sub 12, and regularly take woodies out at up to 70 metres,,,, but only in very low or no wind conditions,,,, All with neck shots 👍

I don't normally question what people say about shooting ranges but neck shots at 70m? You must be an amazing shot.

[JKD]

45 minutes ago, Mice! said:

I don't normally question what people say about shooting ranges but neck shots at 70m? You must be an amazing shot.

Not an amazing shot at all. This is from just one place,,,, very steadily rested on a low wooden gate with me kneeling and pushed up tight on a wall [so a very solid shooting position], aiming into an ancient cherry tree with open spread branches, but only when there is little or no wind. Also this is only using my HW100 which is consistently accurate,,,, something which is tested regularly. Must say that most of my pigeon shooting is done much closer and 95% as they rest up in trees, and I will pass on any shots that I don't think will drop them. IE, I don't take pot-shots 😉 Thanks for asking 🙂

[Mice!]

You didn't say which pellet? I still think that's a very good shot with a sub 12.

[spurs 14]

Hi , in middle of having a blitz on the pigeons round the stables and paddocks hence having to use air rifle , hw 100 kit .177 sub 12 lb , have found that normally try to hit in the upper chest ranges up to 30/35 yards , shot away you hear that satisfying thud but they will take off and fly then normally drop dead after 50/60 yards 

 sounds like you’re hitting them but keep eye on them I’d say they are on the wing then dropping , not many have I hit and they drop on the spot ,mostly if you are under them they drop straight off 

[JKD]

15 minutes ago, Mice! said:

You didn't say which pellet? I still think that's a very good shot with a sub 12.

JSB Exact .177

I'm not bragging, just pointing out that in the right circumstances, and aiming at the correct part of the quarry, they will drop stone dead, wings folded, no flapping. Might only take a couple of shots on average, from that position, 2 or 3 times a month,,,, conditions allowing 👍

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, JKD said:

JSB Exact .177

I'm not bragging, just pointing out that in the right circumstances, and aiming at the correct part of the quarry, they will drop stone dead, wings folded, no flapping. Might only take a couple of shots on average, from that position, 2 or 3 times a month,,,, conditions allowing 👍

I was hoping for a pellet I haven't tried yet, but my .177 has been fully settled in yet, certainly beyond my abilities  

[bishopp1]

My most successful aim points seem to be from behind smack between the shoulders. If from below straight up the ringading.  Side shots low neck but towards the back. 22 fac.  I have noticed jsb hades seem extra effective if very slightly less accurate. 

[enfieldspares]

In my sub 12 ft/lbs BSA Scorpion T-10 the most accurate pellet is the .177 Bisley Magnum. 

[JKD]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

I was hoping for a pellet I haven't tried yet, but my .177 has been fully settled in yet, certainly beyond my abilities  

Sorry to disappoint by using a pretty bog standard pellet. I initially did the multi pellet type testing,,,, JSB Exact was a standout from the off, so bought loads of the same batch 😉

I also do different range zero/aim-point testing before any shooting, usually at half walnut shells, end-on, placed on top of the posts of a boundary stock fence,,,, 2yd spacings. The boundary fence divides two of my permissions, before anyone mentions pellets leaving the boundary issue 👍

Hopefully all this helps the OP and he comes back soon with positive results,,,, once it's feasible to do so 🙂

[Drummer70]

21 hours ago, JKD said:

Lots of overthinking going on here, and some good advice too.

A pigeon's huge and tuff breast bone will stop most [frontal and side-on] shots from getting through to the vitals. All your diagrams are only showing the soft tissue and organs,,,, you need to look at the skeletal images.

Also, most of the time, head/neck/between the shoulder blades [rear shot only] are best. My preference is the neck shot, as it is an obvious target whatever the orientation of the pigeon, and as has been mentioned, drops them instantly.

[edit to add.... Front on neck shots need to be more accurate, as you need to miss the crop, which, if full of food, will stop or deflect a pellet.]

In the tuck of the wing, as in your first image, is a good aim point if you are shooting upwards,,,, angles of 45° and above.

You still might get 'fliers', this happens to everyone.

BTW,,,, I shoot .177 in sub 12, and regularly take woodies out at up to 70 metres,,,, but only in very low or no wind conditions,,,, All with neck shots 👍

At 70 metres with a .177 what sort of power drop off do you get?

[Ultrastu]

5.3 fpe  

[Drummer70]

11 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

5.3 fpe  

Yeah, I chair gunned it at about 5ish! 😁

[GingerCat]

Really not a neck shot fan on pigeons. Or any bird for that matter ,too small a vital area and lots of skin. 

[JKD]

1 hour ago, Drummer70 said:

At 70 metres with a .177 what sort of power drop off do you get?

Don't know, never been into testing as extensively as some. Just find the right pellet for the gun, test, test and test some more,,,, on paper ! If the pellet is accurate, keep using the same pellet. Just get to know the aim-points and POI on my scopes reticle.

Hope that helps 😉

[Drummer70]

1 hour ago, JKD said:

Don't know, never been into testing as extensively as some. Just find the right pellet for the gun, test, test and test some more,,,, on paper ! If the pellet is accurate, keep using the same pellet. Just get to know the aim-points and POI on my scopes reticle.

Hope that helps 😉

Well 5fpe is enough power to kill - of course all the advice helps 👍

[Longbower]

Yep , yellow dot as far as I am concerned. My friend shot one with a .22 lr subsonic at 30 yards , and it went straight through the breast meat . It flew off , only to expire on the wing after 150 yds into the field.

I like to use 'flat top' pellets , if I am shooting pigeons up to 30 yards.  After that they lose accuracy.

[redial]

On 05/04/2020 at 19:31, clangerman said:

sub 12 it’s a head shot or no shot on anything i shoot even rats nothing deserves to be wounded 

Well said.