Shooting Whistlepigs

[GooseGun]

AKA Groundhogs
I plan on giving one some lead poisoning this week, he has been living under my barn all summer. He has not paid any rent and it is time for an eviction.
I just sighted in my deer rifle at 100yds and can place two rounds in the same hole from a rest. Anyone ever shoot a Wood Chuck with a .308 Win.? I know I could use the 22LR but I have a nice elevated position on my deck off the kitchen and would love to see the out come at about 75 yds.
Thoughts?

[Cgrutt]

Sailor Jerry might have some useful info to add about this, LOL. Something about the red mist or something like that. Personally I would avoid the 22LR given an alternative. Sure a good shot will have same end result as larger caliber, but IMO there is much less certainty with 22LR and potential to cause unnecessary harm eviction notice or not. Good luck.

[usmcveteran]

I'm thinking lots of pink mist? That seems pretty close

[Cgrutt]

Yes, that's it. Pink mist.

[GooseGun]

I'm thinking lots of pink mist? That seems pretty close

This is what I was thinking. What if I use and Hornady Whitetail American 150gr interlock, would it just turn him inside out?

[thughes]

This is what I was thinking. What if I use and Hornady Whitetail American 150gr interlock, would it just turn him inside out?

196gn SP 8mm Mauser......nothing left but the crying.

[Pissed Off Patriot]

Whistlepig. That's a new one to me! lol

[camper4lyfe]

I've gutted a 'chuck with my 22-250 before. Made a heck of a mess.

[camper4lyfe]

Whistlepig. That's a new one to me! lol

Woodchucks often whistle to alert others of danger.

[GooseGun]

308 works just fine and it was a lot less gory than I expected. Wife came in the house and said your buddy is back. went out on the kitchen deck and thought I was busted and he put his head down and went back to eating. Took a nice prone position shooting over the clothes line and one shot one kill. Wife was shocked that he just put his head down and went to sleep, she said nice shot he didn't even move, I told her that was what is supposed to happen, if he moved I missed.

Ruger American 1 Wood chuck 0

[masterswimmer]

That pig whistled his last tune.

[Meketrefe]

VG works as designed and advertised. A 5.56 in hard brass can put those not too far behind a 22-250.

[harleyhutch]

Faster is better, In my days of serious woodchuck hunting, nothing better than a 220 Swift, Norma match ammo, 55 gr BTHP @ 4310 FPS. At the time running a Ruger tang saftey red pad, free floated and glass bedded, Harris bi-pod and a Redfield 24x. I could hit woodchucks others couldn't even see with .222's topped with 3-9x glass. Probably the funniest ones was a little over 400 yards, $10 bet for a head shot, held between the eyes, hit him in the nose, took the entire top of it's head off, left just the lower jaw and teeth. One guy was completely grossed out while the the other guy and I thought it was one of the coolest dissections ever. New powders and loads take the 22-250 to those levels without the throat erosion, but with I had kept that gun.
From the range you state, a 22 mag or Hornet in a Contender or Encore is just plain fun without having an errant bullet bouncing around in the barn where you least need it. A .22 loaded with hollow points is good out to 60-75 yards but only head shots, other wise they crawl away where you can't get to them and stink for several weeks. Get one in the back of the head with a .22 Hollow Point and you can pop the eyes out, just don't ask me how I know, I just do.

[Meketrefe]

Faster is better is relative.

The velocity at the muzzle can be an indicator but it can be also misleading. The velocity and trajectory at the target is what has the final saying along with
the entire ballistics including terminal design and speed for the proper activation of the bullet in the given target.

For this purpose a larger case might not be the best alternative but instead a smaller bore. In long bull varmint barrels will also mean more meat on the bone and less heat on that barrel.

The high performance 223 is very capable with a 200fps differential over 22-250 popular loads but in any case, if we want more reach one could keep the same
grain in a smaller bore and this way increase speed and reach substantially by increasing the case capacity to bore volume ratio but with the same case.
The 204 practical offspring of the 223 is a good example. the same 40gr will do better that the same bullet in 22 and a 55gr will become a long range
weed wacker leaving larger 22 cases in the dust.

So like many times, less becomes more in the end.

Berger...

	35 gr FB Varmint	0.179	N/A	N/A	1:14″	20303
	40 gr BT Varmint	0.227	0.116	1.184	1:10″	20304
	55 gr Long Range BT Varmint	0.354	0.182	1.037	1:7″	20306
	22 Caliber (.224 Diameter)
	40 gr FB Varmint	0.151	N/A	N/A	1:15″	22303
	52 gr FB Varmint	0.201	N/A	N/A	1:14″	22309
	55 gr FB Varmint	0.209	N/A	N/A	1:14″	22311
	60 gr FB Varmint	0.271	N/A	N/A	1:12″	22312
	64 gr FB Varmint	0.287	N/A	N/A	1:12″	22316

[Meketrefe]

I forgot. Simple and plentiful. Awesome barrel life too....
hard to argue with this type of ammo available and for those who do not reload.



http://www.hornady.com/store/223-Rem...Superformance/
223 Rem 53 gr V-MAX® Superformance®

• Ballistics
• Scrapbook

Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
MUZZLE	100	200	300	400	500
3465/1413	3106/1135	2775/906	2468/716	2180/559	1913/431

Trajectory (inches)
MUZZLE	100	200	300	400	500
-1.50	1.10	0.00	-5.60	-16.90	-35.60

http://www.hornady.com/store/223-Rem-40-gr-V-MAX/
223 Rem 40 gr V-MAX®

• Ballistics
• Scrapbook

Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
MUZZLE	100	200	300	400	500
3800/1282	3249/937	2762/677	2324/479	1928/330	1578/221

Trajectory (inches)
MUZZLE	100	200	300	400	500
-1.50	0.90	0.00	-5.50	-17.60	-39.10