22 CBs for short range pest problem

[35remington]

Most rifle length barrels I have used get around 700-720 fps with the various CB's and are plenty quiet enough, quieter than most of my more powerful air rifles as well as leaving them in the dust in regards to power. The Colibris are quite a bit less potent; less than one third the muzzle energy.

I sure wouldn't want to tackle a woodchuck with a Colibri either; I would think the CB would be the bare minimum to ensure a killing headshot. They penetrate fairly well. The Colibris, not so much.

Be careful of your backstop with CB's. At any shallow angle they can and will bounce if you're not paying attention.

[wiljen]

No. Actually the dog in question was in the process of gutting his 4-H sheep.

I figured it was something along those lines, just couldn't resist.

[Old Ironsights]

If I need more than a Colibri I jump right up to a 60gr SSS. Still quieter than most, still has a short range but hits much harder.

If that seems too wimpy I drag out the Rossi 92 and shoot a 500fps 180gr soft cast - which makes less noise than the SSS.

[Johnch]

I have used CB's on ground hogs a bunch of times
I have found out the hard way a CB can and will bounce of a groundhogs head and impact where it will do max $$ dammage
Unless you are close and you hit it square

In my case , I cracked the windsheild of my 1959 IH pickup

I lung or gut shoot them
They run back into the hole
After a few days you will smell that it is dead
Then just fill in the hole

John

[RBak]

I have never heard of the Colibri before this! But I certainly do like what I'm hearing, and I plan to look for some.

My own favorite gun / load for squirrel is, in fact, .22 short hollow points....which have become increasingly hard to find here lately.
I am not so sure I would recommend them for a chuck, especially some of the larger groundhogs found in some parts of the country.

For the little short HP, My choice of this round came originally from the recommendation of an old friend who has lived many years in the South Eastern states of Alabama. Mississippi, Georgia, etc, etc,...where they have lots, and lots, of big fat Grey Squirrels, and plenty big tall trees for these fellows to hide it....according to him, short HP has been the choice of ammo since back in the days of the depression in the 1930's...........

IMHO, and somewhat limited experience of about ten years, The .22 short HP will bring the squirrel out of the tree, whereas with the long, and long rifle, the bullet will often go completely through the squirrel and he will run into a hole, or get in the fork of a tree where you have tear him up to get him out.

For a small, young Groundhog weighing 3 or so pounds, I would have no quams about taking him with a .22 Short HP up to 25/30 yards....the larger ones I am not so sure about.
(The biggest Groundhog I have ever shot went just under 20 pounds on a bathroom scale, and there is no way I would shoot him with a Short HP!!....The largest Groundhog I have ever seen was in High Point, North Carolina a few years back, and according to the folks who took him he weight 32 pounds.)


Russ...

[Old Ironsights]

I have never heard of the Colibri before this! But I certainly do like what I'm hearing, and I plan to look for some.
... Russ...

Cabelas. Read my "customer ratings" on the SSS.

http://tinyurl.com/34l675 Super Colibri

http://tinyurl.com/2l9cv3 SSS

[RBak]

Thank you Sir!

That SSS stuff, where it says....." Tests have revealed 24" of penetration into ballistic gelatin at 200 meters."....certainly makes one wonder what elevation might be required with a sub-sonic 60gr pill.

Very interesting thread. Thanks to all for sharing. So much to learn, and so little time may be very appropriate with all the things you fellas pass on.

Russ...

[corvette8n]

I also shoot Colbri's in my cellar, but since I live in a populated area I only use my Gamo pellet rifle on Squirrels.
I am 11 for 12 on grays( I shot one too far back my fault) and 6 for 7
on chipmonks and 3 for 3 on reds. All have been thru and thrus.
I missed one chipmonk completely and shot my garden hose instead(pulled that one, trigger has a lot of creep), but had a thru and thru on the hose, suprised me as it was a heavy hose reinforced with a white mesh around the outside.
I course now I have to figger out how to patch the hose.

[35remington]

The problem with the SSS ammo is stabilization. Many rifles don't shoot them well. The long rifle twist wasn't intended for 60 grains of bullet. The slow velocity don't help either. If your rifle stabilizes them the danger space is the same or greater than a standard or high velocity 40 grain long rifle.

Note that the positive "accuracy" reviews of the SSS were in barrels that had faster than normal twists and as such are a custom proposition. Many on the listed site posted poor accuracy, as have I in my 1-16" guns. They're also not all that quiet.

Only way to know about accuracy is to shoot 'em and find out. They're noisier than the Colibri's or CB's and quite "bouncy" on hard surfaces. Not that the CB's are ricochet proof themselves, which is why I said watch your backstop and angle of impact.

Don't expect the degree of accuracy with the CB's, Colibris or SSS that is attained with the 40 grain long rifle. The SSS goes sideways out of some of my rifles as the keyholes in the targets show.

[wiljen]

I can now confirm that CCI 22CBs are potent enough to take out a groundhog at 20 meters. Thanks for the input guys. 1 head shot = 1 dead whistlepig.

[garandsrus]

The Colibri can eliminate squirrel problems with no-one noticing! It doesn't even scare the other squirrels

John

[Dale53]

Ghugly;
Sounds like the correct response to me...

I would never suggest that anyone break the law. However, ahem-m-m, if one must the trick to escaping notice in a "close" environment is to shoot ONCE. Do not pick up the animal or move it for a half hour or so. Then mosey out in the yard and place him in a garbage bag and put in the trash. You WILL escape notice with this plan. Don't ask me how I know this. PLease...

Dale53

[felix]

Yep, using Dale's method EXACTLY, I take out sneaky, bird stalking, cats with CBs. Gotta' be a head shot, without doubt. A playful kitty, one that comes up to you and lays on your foot, will prevail in my yard. Only one out of twenty like that around here. ... felix

[pumpguy]

We had a fox squirrel attacking the bird feeders. We are so close to our backyard neighbor that even a pellet gun was a risk. I finally saw the little thief yesterday hanging on real tight on a low branch. I loaded up a 22 shotshell in the 39A and headed for the backyard. I got within about 15 feet and aimed for the head. Not the quietest load to say the least, but, very effective.

[HORNET]

There are also a couple of threads around here on "Cat Sneeze Loads" for minimum niose signature. One from the first Lyman cast manual was for .222 with #225438 over 0.4 gr Bullseye. It would, of course, be illegal to tape an empty soda bottle or strong balloon over the muzzle.

[Digital Dan]

I need to dispose of a groundhog that has taken up residence under my deck. Problem is I live within city limits and they frown on shooting things within the city so my first choice (.222) is out due to noise. Will a 22 CB (CCI 22 long) be enough at 15-20 meters to take care of this pest or should I go the trap it route?

YMMV

[cohutt]

If you want a couple boxes of the colibri i'll be happy to send them to you..

I have some i don't really need anymore- I am able to use Remington Subsonic HPs now at the same or lower noise level than CBs or Colobri. Greatly extended range and better accuracy.

[Nardoo]

We do not have ground squirrels here but I use my pellet guns or .22 Z longs on the rabbits that live around my house. I shot this one from the front door at about 45 yds as it was nibbling on my wife's roses. They are usually much closer.



Nardoo

[Bret4207]

CCI 22 High Velocity Short Hollow point- The Farmers Friend. They will penetrate well. I shot a trapped coyote at about 50 yards from my 4" Kit Gun. Bullet went well into the brain from the bridge of the nose. The first shot through the upper ear didn't do much though......

Nardoo- Good dog. Had a Boykin Spaniel that would retrieve fur as well as feather.