The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Can't decide on a .22 round for woodchuck

MZ84 · June 19, 2011, 01:24 PM

My old man and I spent many years picking off woodchucks in our hayfields with a .22.

Groundhogs are tough. You're going to need to go for head shots, or you'll just end up wounding the critter, even with Stingers or other higher-power .22 rounds.

So pick whatever your gun shoots most accurately. Expansion and velocity don't matter a whole lot when you're destroying brain tissue.

On the other hand, it's my experience that no amount of expansion or knockdown power from a .22 round is going to make much of a difference if you hit a groundhog anywhere else.

June 19, 2011, 01:24 PM	#9
MZ84 Member Join Date: May 30, 2010 Location: NY, NY Posts: 46	Pick whatever shoots best My old man and I spent many years picking off woodchucks in our hayfields with a .22. Groundhogs are tough. You're going to need to go for head shots, or you'll just end up wounding the critter, even with Stingers or other higher-power .22 rounds. So pick whatever your gun shoots most accurately. Expansion and velocity don't matter a whole lot when you're destroying brain tissue. On the other hand, it's my experience that no amount of expansion or knockdown power from a .22 round is going to make much of a difference if you hit a groundhog anywhere else.