What is the required fps to kill a rabbit or squirrel humanely?

It depends on the caliber. Since you didn't say what caliber, I'm going to hit the two most common ones, .17 and .22, in several weight projectiles.





Dr. Beeman asserts that rabbit takes 5 ft-lbs of impact energy. To deliver that a .17 caliber gun shooting an 8 grain pellet would need 530 fps of impact velocity to give 5 ft-lbs of impact enery. The same .17 caliber gun shooting a 5.1 grain BB would need 665 fps of impact velocity to give 5 ft-lbs of impact velocity. A .22 caliber gun shooting a 14 grain pellet would need 401 fps of impact velocity to give 5 ft-lbs of impact energy. The same .22 gun shooting a 32 grain pellet (yes they do make those) would need 265 fps to give 5 ft-lbs of impact energy.





Dr. Beeman asserts that squirrel takes 3 ft-lbs of impact energy. To deliver that a .17 caliber gun shooting an 8 grain pellet would need 411 fps of impact velocity to give 3 ft-lbs of impact energy. Shooting a 5.1 grain BB the same .17 caliber gun would need 515 fps of impact velocity to give 3 ft-lbs of impact energy.. Shooting a .22 caliber 14 grain pellet you'd need 311 fps of impact velocity to give the required 3 ft-lbs. With a .22 caliber 32 grain pellet you're down to 205 fps to give 3 ft-lbs of impact energy.What is the required fps to kill a rabbit or squirrel humanely?
Okie Road is dead wrong about the bb thing. at 10 yards it will make a 3/4 inch hole and tear everything with it. Inside 15 -20 yards it is a humane killer. For squirrel i would recommend 500-600 fps inside 20 yds but outside of that get something up in the 800's. For Rabbits don't hunt with a bb gun use a pellet gun with at least 700 fps and good ammo.What is the required fps to kill a rabbit or squirrel humanely?
I've killed plenty with a 500 fps .177 cal. pellet gun. Stick to head and neck shots only with any pellet gun. Don't use BBs to hunt any game. They tend to penetrate, not expand, and simply wound game.