223 softpoints breakup and don't overpenetrate, don't endanger people, pets and livestock, don't richochet, etc, as the heavy bullets do. Other than that, it depends upon what you want to test-do. If all you want to do is get rid of them, trappping them, pouring lye and a bit of water down their holes, gut shooting them with a .22lr works just fine, as do gasoline soaked rags set afire, stuffed down the den holes, and dirt filled in. So does calcium carbide poured down them, mixed with water, dirt filled in. It makes poison gas (acetylene) and either drives them out of holes you didn't see, or kills them in their dens. The lye gets on their bellies and feet, with contact with water, it burns, they lick it off and die. So shooting them with high powered stuff is being nice, really.