.22LR Velocitor enough for raccoon and possum?

[benchracer]

My dad is having some problems with the local raccoon and possum population at his place in the country and has asked me to help him out the next time I come to visit.  We are planning to ambush them at night at a distance of 50 yards or less.  I don't care about pelt or meat damage, but don't want wounded pests running around the place at night or making it to any of the outbuildings to hole up and die, thus DRT performance is highly desireable.  I also wish to minimize noise and limit the possibility of damage to anything on the farm from overpenetration or ricochets.

Would a .22LR loaded with CCI Velocitors be up to the task of cleanly and quickly taking raccoon and possum?

Using that setup, would I need to limit myself to head shots?

If the .22LR is not up to the task, I also have a 22-250 that I could download with BlueDot and 50gr VMAX's @ 2200fps.  Can load hotter if situation calls for it, just want to keep the noise down.

I have never shot a raccoon or a possum, so I don't know what to expect or what shot presentation to look for to increase the probability of a DRT result.

I would appreciate some advice on how to approach this.

[Bigeasy]

The .22 Velocitor is probably one of the most effective .22lr loads you can find for small game.  I use it in several of my rifles when I want to anchor small game, and am not worried about meat damage.  Possum are easy to kill with any decent hit.  Coon are tougher, but a chest or head shot will do the trick.  Neither should travel far when hit, though a 22-250 will do a lot more damage at the expense of noise, as you said.  I have killed a lot of coon with lesser .22 rounds back when we used to run em with dogs, so they will work.  Shot placement, as always, is important.  Using a strong spotlight will illuminate their eyes, so I would probably go for head shots.  A red filter over the lens will be less likely to spook them.  Setting a few traps is always an alternative if noise is a consideration.  Neither coon or possum will chew or twist their leg off like a muskrat will, and are easy to catch with a little bait in an area they are frequenting.

Larry

[jlwilliams]

  Should be fine.

  Personaly, I've had the best results (in 22lr) with plain old 40 grain solid points at 'standard' velocity.  They seem to kill better than high or hyper velocity stuff and I've noticed no real advantage to any of the more elaborate bullet configurations.  At least in 22 lr, the added whiz-bang doesn't translate to better results.

  Like Bigeasy said, shot placement is what kills.  A good 22 at the distances you're talking will kill possum and racoon.

[montveil]

If you want a passive approach use a trap with cheap old sticky buns for bait.
I have caught many coons ans possum with this combo. Yes, the sticky buns will work about as good as anything and cats are not attracted to it.
The 22lr hp should do the job

[hillbill]

if noise IS NOT a concern, i have the best luck with sum 2 3/4 in 12 ga no 2's that i load.they work well on armodillas too!

[securitysix]

I've shot a few raccoons and more possums than I can count (literally, lost count 16 years ago). 

On the possums, I've mostly used a single-shot .410 with #4 or #6 shot or a .22 LR with whatever ammo I have handy, usually 40 grain solids (mostly Winchester Super-X standard velocity lately, lot of Federal Lightnings in the past).  In fact, I can't recall that I've ever shot a possum with an HP.  I have used some Aguila 60 grain SSS subsonic loads from short (sub 10-yard) ranges with excellent effect.  And once I used an M1 Carbine with S&B ball ammo (one shot, through both shoulders, DRT).  My dad shot one with a .380 ACP one time.  Solid body shot that killed it instantly.

On raccoons, I used a 12 gauge with 00 buck once (first thing handy with ammo already in it).  Mostly I've used .22 LR standard velocity, solid bullet Super-X.  My longest shot on both coons and possums has been about 20 yards, give or take a few inches.  With the .22, they've all been head shots. 

I've been tempted to try my .22 K-Hornet just to see how it does.  I have high expectations for it...

But yeah, a .22 will do the job just fine as long as you do yours.

[bulletstuffer]

I talked with a guy this morning and he was using a live trap with Tuna for baiting racoons.  A 22 works great on them and isn't to loud.  A few days ago had another friend that killed 7 of them.  He used a 12 guage as noise was not a factor:D

Good luck,

Bulletstuffer

[DannoBoone]

Both these critters get into my emu feed, outside dog food, and outside cat food. There are times they get more of it
than the animals I am feeding. At such times, I go sit in the hay mow with a light on my Tac 20. The .204 bullets are
so frangible, there is no worry about exiting the animal and glancing around the country. It is much more safe than a
.22LR solid. Have also used a .22-250 with 36gr Varmint Grenades. They are just as safe as Hornady .204 32gr V-max's.
But the noise from the 250 is close to twice as loud as the Tac 20.

I have squirrel hunted with CCI Stingers (ya BETTER make a head or strictly lung shot) and imagine they would work
great on coons with broadside lung shots or head shots when they are facing you. Stingers are nasty little bullets, and
I have heard that deer poachers have used them, so a 50yd(-) coon with a well placed shot would be a very dead
coon.

[ironglow]

Almost any .22LR will work, and contrary to what many think, subsonic hollowpoints will punch them out just as effectively as the HV rounds. Velociters are nice, but why pay the extra money for a job a regular round such as a Fed, CCI, Rem or Win hollowpoint will knock out just as well.
   Again, as with any other case...shiot placement is the name of the game. A standard round nose will work fine for headshots, while a hollowpoint is the RX for body shots.

[Catfish]

DO NOT TRY TO HEAD SHOOT OPPOSMS. The brain of the oppusm is about of the size of the last joint of your little fingure and encased in heavy one. Any good 22 HP in the chest will work.

[ironglow]

  Doggone possums..sometimes it hard telling when they are dead !