woodchucks @ 100 yds

[montveil]

I have a couple of woodchucks at 100 yds that I really can't approach with my 22 lr.
I have an Optima 50 and want to dispatch these garden pests.
I was looking at the Power belt balliatic chart and found that a 223 gr bullet with  2 X 50 grain pellets will have  +0.9 inches at 50 & 75 yds with a 100 yd zero.
Any suggestions on powder loads as I really don't think I need 932 ft pounds to dispatch a chuck.
Would 1 X 50 grain pellet be too low a charge?
Will I encounter too much drop?

Suggestions please

[manofthe45]

One pellet will get it there as for what your drop will be that can easily be sighted in for 100 but only range time will tell you where you will be at at 50 and 75 yds.

I would offer two options that in my mind would be better than 1 pellet.

1.  Over power the chuck.  Dead is dead and if two pellets and that PB round is your setup for deer you wont have to resight in also you will get excellent practice for big game.  If you can consistantly smack a chuck at 100 yds the buck of a lifetime will be a slamdunk

2.  Get a powder measure and some loose powder and try around 65 to 75 grains.  This would be my top chioce as few ML I have shot favored the limited nature of pellets.  A two or three inch group at 100 yds with two or three pellets can usually be cut in half with the flexibilty of loose powder.

Careful start using the ML for chucks and you will soon want a 32 or 36 cal for small game/varmints.

Black smoke is a disease for which I hope they never find a cure.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

I have a couple of woodchucks at 100 yds that I really can't approach with my 22 lr.
I have an Optima 50 and want to dispatch these garden pests.
I was looking at the Power belt balliatic chart and found that a 223 gr bullet with  2 X 50 grain pellets will have  +0.9 inches at 50 & 75 yds with a 100 yd zero.
Any suggestions on powder loads as I really don't think I need 932 ft pounds to dispatch a chuck.
Would 1 X 50 grain pellet be too low a charge?
Will I encounter too much drop?

Suggestions please

Dont even bother with pellets, you'd be spending so much $$ on them.

 Buy some loose powder, Load up with 70-80 grains powder and you'd easily get over 80 shots on a pound of powder.
Really a shame you dont have a .45  You could have used the 175 grain powerbelt for those pests and really do some long range shooting with low powder charges.

[30-06man]

Just use your deer load if you have the cash for the $2 to $3 shot cost.

[sabotloader]

montveil

Do not know if this will help you or not, but I do hunt ground squirrels in the spring with a Hornady 10mm200grain XTP and a blue 40/50cal sabot.  The bullet is very inexpensive and it is fun to shoot.  I am shooting 110 grains pf T7-2f, easily shooting squirrels from 25 and beyond 100 yards with this load.  Not much left of the animal after contact with the XTP though.

[30-06man]

Now that I think of it you could use T/c Cheap Shots if you wanted.

[Varmint Hunter]

This is a dumb answer but why not just borrow somone's 22mag or similar rifle and get it done the easy way. It takes a fairly accurate ML hit groundhogs at 100yds. If you're definitely going to use the ML than I'd use whatever load produces the smallest groups regardless of power.

[manofthe45]

show of hands how many know that varmint size groups are doable if you  are willing to forgo pellets and spend the range time?

[30-06man]

It is very possible for him to hunt varmits with this ML. He just needs to spend time at the range working up loads like you said