# 6 Millimetres Of Death



## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

I had such a strange hunting experience today, I thought I should consult you guys.

I'd been using 6mm steel balls all afternoon (double tapered TBS) I'd had a hit with a rabbit at 12-15 feet, it got away un-harmed; another hit with a pidgeon at 15-20 (elevated) it actually flew away. On the way home, I was out of 9mm (which I'd also taken with me, in case the 6mm had no luck) and it looked like the 6's were going to be resigned to fun alone, but there was a resting pidgeon (elevated again) 30-35 feet away; one shot later it was stone dead. A chest shot that killed instantly; it was so instant, that when it hit the branch below, it got caught on a fork and didn't even twitch itself free. I eventually shot it free, but it was just resting on the branch, not even wedged, so the smallest movement would've freed it. Can anyone explain why the first two hits didn't even penetrate?

I had a lovely chilli-pidgeon pasta for dinner. mmm.

Thanks.


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

Lol...Try joerg's experiment, buy a chicken from the mart and try shooting it and you'll know if it's capable of penetrating. Add uncertainty for feathers and fat.


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

whipcrackdeadbunny said:


> I had such a strange hunting experience today, I thought I should consult you guys.
> 
> I'd been using 6mm steel balls all afternoon (double tapered TBS) I'd had a hit with a rabbit at 12-15 feet, it got away un-harmed; another hit with a pidgeon at 15-20 (elevated) it actually flew away. On the way home, I was out of 9mm (which I'd also taken with me, in case the 6mm had no luck) and it looked like the 6's were going to be resigned to fun alone, but there was a resting pidgeon (elevated again) 30-35 feet away; one shot later it was stone dead. A chest shot that killed instantly; it was so instant, that when it hit the branch below, it got caught on a fork and didn't even twitch itself free. I eventually shot it free, but it was just resting on the branch, not even wedged, so the smallest movement would've freed it. Can anyone explain why the first two hits didn't even penetrate?
> 
> ...


What you experienced is ( The BB Gun effect) you can kill most birds with a simple BB Gun but if you miss vitals on pigeon sized birds they will flee as with rabbits.

Like I said before.. Stop using small ammo it always produces erratic results because of the small light weight projectile if you do not exactly hit a vital area the animal will survive. A 6mm BB is small and has little impact behind it but even this in a vital area will kill but why take the chance of injuring an animal with something so light when you can use a heavier ammo and insure a kill?

I only use heavy ammo unless its a smaller prey then I will use something lighter along the 7 or 9 gram variety.. To me 7 or 9 grams is a light ammo yet that would do better for you than a 6 mm BB.

Just my









Nico


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## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

What you experienced is ( The BB Gun effect) you can kill most birds with a simple BB Gun but if you miss vitals on pigeon sized birds they will flee as with rabbits.

Like I said before.. Stop using small ammo it always produces erratic results because of the small light weight projectile if you do not exactly hit a vital area the animal will survive. A 6mm BB is small and has little impact behind it but even this in a vital area will kill but why take the chance of injuring an animal with something so light when you can use a heavier ammo and insure a kill?

I only use heavy ammo unless its a smaller prey then I will use something lighter along the 7 or 9 gram variety.. To me 7 or 9 grams is a light ammo yet that would do better for you than a 6 mm BB.

Just my









Nico
[/quote]
Thanks Nico, it seems I missed that discussion. It makes perfect sense though, as I believe the Rabbit was a leg hit, and the other pidgeon a gut shot. I think I'll stick to 9mm steel but to be honest I haven't weighed them, so I might try that, and even buy bigger ... or I could just get better with 6 I suppose.


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## shot in the foot (Jan 3, 2010)

Pigeons are tough birds, if you hit there crop they dont aways drop, weve had pet pigeons that had hit electric wires while flying and ripped there crops and we have had to stitch them up cos there food just drops out, and i like 12mm to 14mm lead balls for rabbits, and i nearly always take a dog with me to pick any injured game up, jeff


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