# What size ammo should i use to hunt crows/magpies/squirrels?



## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Hi all! I have 8mm and 15mm steel, and I use the 8mm for targets, and 15mm for everything else. I am starting to run out of ammo and I'm going to buy some ammo. The question is, what size ammo should I buy? I can get a decent price on 10 and 11mm steel balls, but if I go for bigger ones the price climbs quite a bit. Is 10 or 11mm steel adequate to kill magpies/crows/squirrels? The ammo will be moving at about 250fps. I normally get headshots but some hit the chest.

Also, does anybody on here have a few hundred of steel ammo spare that they are willing to sell? It should be cheaper than buying off ebay. I'm in uk btw.

Thanks,
Regards,

Tristan Jones


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Personally I do not use steel as it does tend to bounce off hard things without loosing much any of its FPS speed; so I use lead myself.

Although I would guess the weight of your choice of ammo would be sufficient to do the jobs you are talking about with good shot placement; with the possible exception of squirrels which I have read can be hard to kill at times.

You can get good lead 20 gram shot from ebay seller Renovate Leather based in the UK for reasonable price; and this would do the job for sure on all you mentioned.

However you may need to band slightly heavier, and practice with those bands for a bit, to get used to them.

Best of luck, whatever you choose to do though.

Cheers Allan


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Hi. My dad doesn't let me have lead balls just in case I lose the balls in the field with the sheep. So my only choice is steel. What weight do you recommend for about 250fps for a clean kill?

Tristan


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

It depends upon what you are planning on shooting, with size not being the issue, but weight.

10 to 12 grams, will do the job on most smaller critters with good accurate shot placement, up to like rabbits.

Although I'd personally go for 15 gram for rabbit, for a bit greater margin of safety.
If your shot is off by even a little bit, the extra weight should ensure a clean kill.

So all this again comes down to hunting and stalking skills, and getting close enough for a confident accurate shot. Given NOTHING is worse than a young hunter, eager for a kill, going for a shot from too far away, likely badly injuring an animal.
Therefore, if in any doubt about your ability, from insufficient practice.
DO NOT SHOOT; as one needs total confidence in their ability, to hunt well.

Cheers Allan


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks mate. I might be a young shooter, but I only shoot when I'm certain of a kill, and I eat most of the stuff I shoot, unless its a crow or magpie haha.

Cheers Tristan


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Allan, do you have any steel balls that you're willing to sell?


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Sorry no, mine are all 12mm chrome steel ball bearings; and kubys from czech republic has made me a copy of a Bill Hays Slingshot with an internal magazine for 12 mm shot, which Mr Hays kindly left a template on the forum for others to make. Also these only weigh 7.6 grams, so need to moving dang fast to do the damage needed.
And seeing as of recent times it appears my Chrono Connect cannot be trusted to give accurate reading. I will not even speculate the FPS I believe my setup is capable of shooting them at; except to say I doubt it would have too much trouble on the critters you have mentioned, of course with good shot placement.
Even though this slingshot will be banded with doubled theraband gold, cut to 22 mm at forks, then to 16 mm at the pouch tie, over 8 inches relaxed length, then drawn to 45 inches at the pouch tie; so a tiny bit over 550%.

Cheers Allan


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Its okay. Thanks btw.

Cheers Tristan


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

tristanjones said:


> Hi. My dad doesn't let me have lead balls just in case I lose the balls in the field with the sheep. So my only choice is steel. What weight do you recommend for about 250fps for a clean kill?
> 
> Tristan


if your dad is concerned about the flock, why not use rocks ? stock up on them as you walk down the roads or buy a bag of pebbles used for landscaping. just find a size your comfortable with for use.


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Because rocks aren't a perfet round shape, they always end up going in a totally different direction.


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## SuperMonkeySlinger (Jan 28, 2013)

tristanjones said:


> Because rocks aren't a perfet round shape, they always end up going in a totally different direction.


 Woah woah Woah!!! Most game that has been killed with a slingshot were by using Rocks, large and small.

Rocks do take some getting used to, though.

SMS


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

The last thing I want is to injure an animal, so I wanna use ammo that flies straight and true.

Cheers Tristan


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

If you are looking for steel balls, I found cheaper sources than Ebay. Here is where I just ordered from:

http://www.bearingscanada.com/servlet/the-Bearing-Balls/Categories

You should check you Yellow Pages, or Google something like "steel balls Great Britain". For example, here is the first one I found ... I am sure there are many more:

http://www.gmsball.co.uk/index1.php?wd=1366&ht=615

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Jaximus (Jun 1, 2013)

Just as an aside, it's doubtful that eating a lead ball will injure or poison a sheep. A sheep would have to orally ingest a significant quantity of lead balls to become ill. Also, sheep are used to not eating rocks and other foreign objects when they graze. They'd probably just bypass the lead balls.

From my experience, crows are tough SOB's. I wouldn't hunt one with anything but lead.


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks Charles! What size would you recommend for my choice of prey when it will be travelling at about 250+ fps?

But my dad is adamant and I will not be having any lead. So I can only get steel.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

tristanjones said:


> Thanks Charles! What size would you recommend for my choice of prey when it will be travelling at about 250+ fps?
> 
> But my dad is adamant and I will not be having any lead. So I can only get steel.


I think 1/2 inch steel is a very good choice ... it has about the same weight as .44 lead. Go for carbon steel if you can, because it will be much cheaper.

The other alternative is to get some 1/2 inch rebar, 1/2 inch threaded rod, or 1/2 inch bolts and just cut off 1/2 inch lengths. I find cylindrical ammo works VERY well for small game ... At normal slingshot velocities and ranges, it flies as straight as round ball, even though it tumbles in flight. Because of its shape, no matter how it hits, it always strikes with an edge, which does a lot of damage. You may be able to get rebar for little or nothing as scrap from a construction site ... ask nicely and tell them what you want it for.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## tristanjones (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks mate! Youve helped me a lot


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