Shooting armadillos at night

[ColMike]

I need a setup to shoot armadillos at night. Range is about 30yards max.

caliber is restricted to 22 rim fires probably or. This will be a dedicated setup as I have other options for daytime,

I know this isn't much to go on, but I don't know much. I'm going to a big gun show iBirmingham and will be shopping if I know wha to look for.

Thanks
Mike

[AFJuvat]

If you are limited to rimfires, you can't go wrong with a Ruger 10/22.

A light source with a red lens will allow you to see without scaring the critters away.

[sdmc530]

didn't know you all shot those crazy little critters. The last time I was in Oklahoma they were all over the highway as road kill....they must not be very smart?!

Question, why restricted to a .22?

[Caleb]

Ruger 10-22 with a night vision scope.

Can you use 17hmr? I think this round will penetrate the shell much easier.

PS: What is your budget?

[Riverpigusmc]

I have a green LED flashlight attached to my AR and 870. Cheap off of Amazon. All you need. Mount it on a 10/22 or something

[pitor]

Originally Posted by AFJuvat

If you are limited to rimfires, you can't go wrong with a Ruger 10/22.

A light source with a red lens will allow you to see without scaring the critters away.

This. Check out my setup:

-Ruger 10/22 takedown threaded barrel (for when suppressors are taken off the NFA list )
- Nikon ProStaff Rimfire 150BDC reticle. Amazing.
- Blackhawk! bipod, fully adjustable (height and tilt)
- Volquartsen Hammer kit and my own shim job. Amazing trigger pull, tight trigger box.
- Ruger 10/22 bolt release mod

Pic of my little beast:

[DrHenley]

Last armadillo patrol I used a 10/22 with a low powered scope (1.5-4x) and Federal Champion (bulk box stuff) hollow points. Time before I used Federal Game Shoks. The Game Shoks put them down faster. That of course is a daytime rig, but I have another scope for low light with a huge objective lens (54mm for squirrel hunting at dawn and dusk)

We started hunting them aggressively last year, and we have killed so many that they are starting to get smart and will take off like a scalded dog before you get within 30 yards of them. And they don't stop until they get into a hole. We used to be able to get right up on them and club them to death.

, it's not that they are dumb, it's that they have dull senses, both hearing and sight are weak. And unless startled, they move so slow that it takes them longer to cross the road than other animals, thus allowing a longer time for a vehicle to hit them.

Even though I detest them, I try to make clean kills. A 22 High Velocity Hollow Point anywhere in the body will kill them eventually, but if you hit them near the head, they will go down immediately. Solids, whether hardball 45 or 22 solids, will not put them down immediately unless you hit the spine.

A DRT kill shot will make it go tits up and quivering.

[ColMike]

Originally Posted by sdmc530

didn't know you all shot those crazy little critters. The last time I was in Oklahoma they were all over the highway as road kill....they must not be very smart?!

Question, why restricted to a .22?

I'm in my back yard and trying to keep the noise down

[Lonestar grips.]

I've killed tons of them with nothing more than a mag light and a single six. a 10/22, 2 power scope and a strong light should be a good set up Col.

[sdmc530]

Originally Posted by DrHenley

Last armadillo patrol I used a 10/22 with a low powered scope (1.5-4x) and Federal Champion (bulk box stuff) hollow points. Time before I used Federal Game Shoks. The Game Shoks put them down faster. That of course is a daytime rig, but I have another scope for low light with a huge objective lens (54mm for squirrel hunting at dawn and dusk)

We started hunting them aggressively last year, and we have killed so many that they are starting to get smart and will take off like a scalded dog before you get within 30 yards of them. And they don't stop until they get into a hole. We used to be able to get right up on them and club them to death.

, it's not that they are dumb, it's that they have dull senses, both hearing and sight are weak. And unless startled, they move so slow that it takes them longer to cross the road than other animals, thus allowing a longer time for a vehicle to hit them.

Even though I detest them, I try to make clean kills. A 22 High Velocity Hollow Point anywhere in the body will kill them eventually, but if you hit them near the head, they will go down immediately. Solids, whether hardball 45 or 22 solids, will not put them down immediately unless you hit the spine.

A DRT kill shot will make it go tits up and quivering.

interesting:
just doing some internet reading on them and I didn't know they were also a bad disease carrier. Are they as populated as say raccoons are down there?