Hi lads/lasses 

I have a question about H&N Baracuda hunter pellets I just purchased a new 95 Weihrach and was asked the other day to shoot some feral pigeons.

Now I shoot rifle/shotgun I just couldn’t get a clean kill with these pellets I was hitting the pigeons from only 15/20 yards any ideas why I couldn’t get a clean kill I was hitting them in the neck and chest.

Based purely on my limited experience the only time I’ve ever shot a pigeon with an air rifle and not had some sort of commotion (flapping/ and attempt to fly) was putting .22 pellet in between the wing from the back into the chest cavity. It dropped stone dead off the branch with not even the thought of a flap.
All other chest shots from the front/ head shots have all resulted in flapping or a couple of wing beats of flight only to then drop to the floor.  I’d say they’re clean kills and just nerves taking over but happy to be corrected. 

as above

you just learnt the best tool to shoot pigeons with is a mag fed pcp which you shouldn’t shoot anything with until you can hit a 5p piece at the same range 9 times out of 10 

Clangerman.

I can shoot rabbits out to 200 yards with my 17 hornet constantly so please don’t tell me how to shoot.

Spr 1985 I think you are dead ( excuse the pune ) might be right after about couple of minutes they stop flapping 

I am used to seeing them drop dead when using shotgun.

2 hours ago, snow white said:

Hi lads/lasses 

I have a question about H&N Baracuda hunter pellets I just purchased a new 95 Weihrach and was asked the other day to shoot some feral pigeons.

Now I shoot rifle/shotgun I just couldn’t get a clean kill with these pellets I was hitting the pigeons from only 15/20 yards any ideas why I couldn’t get a clean kill I was hitting them in the neck and chest.

.22 or .177 mate? 

They are quite a heavy pellet in .22 and my Rapid didn't like them.

Were these angled shots?

I have shot a lot if ferals with a .177. We rarely got clean kills if the pellets placement was off a bit. Often the pigeon would fly the length of the cow shed and drop or even fly off and into a wall but all would be dead in retrieval.

I didn't do much thinking about it as I moved to a .22 after that but I did wonder at the tine was the pellet being pushed too fast to deform if it didn't hit bone? That would leave a smaller wound channel and less energy dumped on impact.

When we hit the birds in the correct place they died as they were meant to.

I have found that the only certain way of stopping a pigeon with a 12ftlb air rifle is a head shot, although one in the spine also stops the flapping.

I'm sure are shocked if they look at the autonomy of a pigeon.

So where are you aiming at what angle?

Birds are back to front compared with mammals, the lungs are at the back, thin neck, but hitting it will cause the flapping and bleeding out.

I'm sure lots of pellets hit with a shotgun causing multiple wounds, but the Airgun pellet just needs going in the right place.

Thanks lads I will try a light pellet thank you very much.

1 hour ago, snow white said:

Clangerman.

I can shoot rabbits out to 200 yards with my 17 hornet constantly so please don’t tell me how to shoot.

I’m not telling you how to shoot your complaining about dropping pige with an air rifle so you won’t achieve it with lighter pellets but will when you can hit 5p 

Get some sample packs and have a play around and see what your gun prefers

42 minutes ago, clangerman said:

I’m not telling you how to shoot your complaining about dropping pige with an air rifle so you won’t achieve it with lighter pellets but will when you can hit 5p 

Be more helpful saying where you aim?

Guessing head shots being outside. 

1 hour ago, snow white said:

Thanks lads I will try a light pellet thank you very much.

We're they .22 then?

2 hours ago, snow white said:

Thanks lads I will try a light pellet thank you very much.

Stick with H&N FTT.

I use them both in .22 and .25

In the latter especially, you normally get a solid  "thwock" impact sound from a chest shot and bird just drops to the floor.

On 08/01/2025 at 13:32, snow white said:

Hi lads/lasses 

I have a question about H&N Baracuda hunter pellets I just purchased a new 95 Weihrach and was asked the other day to shoot some feral pigeons.

Now I shoot rifle/shotgun I just couldn’t get a clean kill with these pellets I was hitting the pigeons from only 15/20 yards any ideas why I couldn’t get a clean kill I was hitting them in the neck and chest.

I use H&N Baracuda in .177 (9.57gr) and find them very effective through my HW110 up to 45 yards. Shoot nice and flat. I've had solid kills at 40 yards but not at 15 yards. Sometimes I think the pellet over penetrates. As others have said, you only have to be off a little bit and you won't get a "clean" kill. 

Also like H&N FTT.

The angle your shooting at a pigeon makes a big difference .when shooting a pige on the ground I aim just above the sternum which from the same level as the bird is surprisingly low on the chest area  .

But shoot a feral on a perch above you and a h/l shot is difficult  as the sternum bone protects the h/l zone .go too high and you could hit the neck(which kills )  but its very thin on a feral .

The best shot placement on a bird above you is just below the head  where the neck meets the head (practice your elevated shots for accuracy ).but remember .a birds primary  organ is its heart .not its brain so it will flap around with a head shot . But still be dead .

As said before the most reliable and easiest shot is to the rear of the bird (lungs )  between the shoulders , this is possible from below but only if  a shallower angle presents .

Texas heart shot can also work .though you will need a pellet that penetrates well for this .a heavy .177 or a good .22 .

Cheers .

Edited January 10Jan 10 by Ultrastu

Thanks everyone for your input I will definitely try again next week 

In my PCP 12 ft/lbs (regulated to 11.50 ft/lbs) BSA Scorpion T10 I use .177 Bisley Magnum. 

On 08/01/2025 at 17:42, Mice! said:

I'm sure are shocked if they look at the autonomy of a pigeon.

So where are you aiming at what angle?

Birds are back to front compared with mammals, the lungs are at the back, thin neck, but hitting it will cause the flapping and bleeding out.

I'm sure lots of pellets hit with a shotgun causing multiple wounds, but the Airgun pellet just needs going in the right place.

That's a good picture because it shows a pigeon heart is much lower down that you would think

Shooting for the chest as if it were a human target will only put a pellet in the crop

Also worth noting the location of the brain when going for a head shot.