Taking rabbits with a shotgun - acceptable range?

bigred

Hi Lads
I'm just wondering from your experience what sort of range you can take a bunny cleanly with a 12ga. I'd rather it fall dead straight away as opposed to hopping around the place before giving up the ghost (that's why I've always used the .22 till now). I presume 3" #4's or 5's will do the trick on a full choke??
Cheers
Bigred

whitser

i always used 6 with 34gr. most rabbits i ever shot were flushed by dogs so they were rarely got far. but if your sniping after them i'd say 40 yards would be your max.

pullandbang

bigred wrote: »

Hi Lads
I'd rather it fall dead straight away as opposed to hopping around the place before giving up the ghost

Problem with it falling stone dead with one shot is you're probably too close and the meat will be peppered. You do need to let them out to 40 yds, then knock them. Ok they might kick on the ground but your dog should retrieve quickly for you to despatch. A quick chop on the back of the neck (ofetn called a rabbit punch) does the trick.

pestshooter7

Yea 3,4s are a bit of over kill!
espically with a full choke!
Usually sixes (30-32g) would be most peoples choice and keep them beyond 25yrds with full choke or the rabbit will be in two halves! Effective range about 45 yards, once you point the gun in the right direction any load will kill em! Honest!

Grizzly 45

Always found 7.5 clay loads from a cylinder bore pump was dynamite on them from 10 to 20 meters appx.

bigred

Thanks for the info. I wont be eating them (the local vixen might!), just trying to get rid of the buggers. They ate nearly half an acre of the old man's maize as it sprouted in just one field last year. Been thinking about it this evening, and may go the opposite way altogether and get a .17 and take them out from a good distance.

meathstevie

If they're being such a problem for your old man get someone in with ferrets. You can still do whatever you like with them once they're in the net. Personally I wouldn't leave them lying there as fox, magpie and crow food.

revan23

full choke and No. 4 shot for me and keep a bit of distance, i dont really find it overkill tbh, especially if they are not going in the pot. most shots the rabbit will be dead either straight away or by the time you walk over. that said, the rifle is still going to beat a shotgun for instant death

bunny shooter

pullandbang wrote: »

Actually it's no harm leaving them out for the vermin as long as they are laced with the right stuff......;)

What is the right stuff, considering you can't use alpha on meat anymore ?

pullandbang

bunny shooter wrote: »

What is the right stuff, considering you can't use alpha on meat anymore ?

Ooops! Didn't know you couldn't use alfa any more. Goes to show how much I know about it.............

riflehunter77

bigred wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I wont be eating them (the local vixen might!), just trying to get rid of the buggers. They ate nearly half an acre of the old man's maize as it sprouted in just one field last year. Been thinking about it this evening, and may go the opposite way altogether and get a .17 and take them out from a good distance.

Six or sevens out to about 40 yards should drop them in their tracks..
17 HMR great little round, you can take them out from 20 yards to 200 yards depending on shot placement. If you are going for the 17HMR get one that is threaded for a suppersor..there is a fair old crack out of it as i found out recently...:D:D Great round for rabbits in my opinion

bigred

riflehunter77 wrote: »

Six or sevens out to about 40 yards should drop them in their tracks..
17 HMR great little round, you can take them out from 20 yards to 200 yards depending on shot placement. If you are going for the 17HMR get one that is threaded for a suppersor..there is a fair old crack out of it as i found out recently...:D:D Great round for rabbits in my opinion

Thanks for the info. Most of the hmr stuff on the net is US varmint shooters. No real reference to our bunnies. What sort of consistency are you getting at about 150yds?? - I'd be planning on trying to get rabbits, and vermin birds on the ground between about 100-150yds. I was all set on .17 until I saw .223 can get .5MOA vs ~1MOA for .17. Also, does the wind make a huge difference? I'd definitely be getting a mod regardless (Health & Safety is very important ).

riflehunter77

bigred wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Most of the hmr stuff on the net is US varmint shooters. No real reference to our bunnies. What sort of consistency are you getting at about 150yds?? - I'd be planning on trying to get rabbits, and vermin birds on the ground between about 100-150yds. I was all set on .17 until I saw .223 can get .5MOA vs ~1MOA for .17. Also, does the wind make a huge difference? I'd definitely be getting a mod regardless (Health & Safety is very important ).

At about 120 to 150 yards I am droping them in one shot, tend to be heart and lung shot..To many variables with head shots at 150 yards.. Iv only being using the 17HMR since before xmass had a .22lr for many a year..got to say I am very pleased with it,it is very accurate.I have mine zeroed in at 100 yards but I know with the right conditions i can take a bunny from 20 to 200 yard.. Wind is a factor with any round but because the .17 is such a small round it can make a difference.Iv always made a piont to practice in both calm and windy conditions, in our climate you just never know what way the wind will go. On a calm day you should have no chage at all, but with a 5mph to 10 mph cross wind at 100+ yards you may have to adjust between 1.5 to 3 inches..
Hope this is being of some help to you.
Here is pic of mine..

lusoshooter

bigred wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I wont be eating them (the local vixen might!), just trying to get rid of the buggers. They ate nearly half an acre of the old man's maize as it sprouted in just one field last year. Been thinking about it this evening, and may go the opposite way altogether and get a .17 and take them out from a good distance.

I'm new to Ireland,and I'm trying to find some places to hunt,like i used to hunt mostly rabbits in my home country, would be a good place to train a new group of dogs and hep you solve your problem:)