# Rifle recommendation for dispatching goats/lambs?



## gavin (Jun 25, 2010)

I am looking for recommendations on a firearm for dispatching goats and lambs. The Ruger 10/22 has been recommended to me. I have been hiring a local mobile butcher to take out my animals ready for processing. A recently had an injured lamb that needed to be put down which forced me to process my first one. It went really well and with a bit more experience I think I could be very good at it. I donât have a ton of experience with guns so Iâve signed up to do a hunters safety course.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I can't be of any assistance.
We, and our kill guy, always slit throats and broke necks.

But kudos for seeking out training in safe firearm handling! :banana:


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## gavin (Jun 25, 2010)

I agree cutting the jugular is the preferred method and that is the method I used on the one Iâve done. My sheep/lambs are hard to catch. I feel that a quick shot to the head will save the animal and me some stress from getting them caught and under control. My goal is to put the animal down in the most humane, quickest way possible. Iâve watched my kill guy do it with a knife, but he does it all the time and Iâd like to spare my animals any unnecessary pain from my lack of experience.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Slitting the throat is not the fastest nor the most humane, because it is not instant and time until death varies a lot by skill. 
We use a 22 rifle on our mini sheep at 7-9mo and adult PB pigs. Not sure if that would work on horned sheep or larger breeds of sheep, though.


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## Delvan (Jun 19, 2015)

Realistically, a .22lr pistol would probably work out better for you. Placing it on the back of the skull / vertebrae would be best for a "dispatch method" of use. I've even seen people use .22lr for much larger animals as a dispatch. A rifle would be fairly difficult to use, as opposed to a pistol. Some recommendations would be ones like the Ruger SR22, Walther P22, and the Smith & Wesson M&P 22.


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

I've used a 22 pistol to put down very sick and injured Holsteins before so I'd assume a goat would be no problem. It's a matter of placement, a shot to the back of the head where the neck and skull meet always worked for me.


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## mustangglp (Jul 7, 2015)

A 10/22 is fine choice for a rifle I wouldn't recommend a pistol as you will need to be able to put every shot within a target the size of a walnut from what ever distance you shoot from be it 20 inches or 20 feet. Also be sure of your back stop as a 22lr can go mile and a half.


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## Delvan (Jun 19, 2015)

If your using a .22lr as a dispatch, you don't want to use it from a distance. Put the pistol right up against the base of the skull (I usually recommend pointing downwards with you standing off to the side) and pull the trigger. There is no aiming needed, and your backstop is the ground. As long as your sure of your feet and noone is standing under the animal's head when you fire, it should be fine. Besides, at that point, the .22lr round has gone through several layers of bone / brain matter, I doubt it has much more penetration power if it leaves the head. There is no need to stand a ways away from the animal during dispatch.


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## mustangglp (Jul 7, 2015)

Mine are not pets they would be in a small pin and with some feed one could get with in five or ten feet at that range I can stack rounds in the same hole all day long. Putting it against the forehead would not be posble with my sheep without tying it up! Another consideration for me is the report is twice as loud on a pistol it's legal for me to shoot livestock but I do have neighbors so I like to keep a low key. And no there not much danger of the bullet exiting did shoot a steer with a 22 mag once and it did exit the back of the neck
Gary


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I use a 10/22 for all my pigs. We instantly dropped a 1800lb bull last year with a 10/22 from about 25 yards.... 

You want to stun the animal.. a .22 will do that if placed right. Then bleed out by slitting the throat.

Depending on the animal, you can either place it against the head, or use if from a distance... I use mine one handed up close quite often for dispatching and have well placed shots.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

A .22 pistol would be easy to handle when dispatching a sheep. But that is about the end of its usefulness. I recommend a Ruger 10/22. When you need to get rid of some red squirrels or any other little pest, they can be quite accurate. Might deter coyotes, too. It isn't a .223, but rugged and easy to use.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

the 10/22 is a quality firearm , made by a reputable manufacturer with excellent customer service


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