i don't know much about caliber or rifles but before you go out shooting anything, make sure that you are totally confident of your skills, you don't want to shoot a quarry in the leg when you were aiming for the vitals only to have it scamper off to die slowly and painfully somewhere else. It will haunt you for a while if you do.
.177 or .22?
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Yerp, now I've got a .22 PCP and a .177 underleaver. I like the .22 alot better, even though the HFT geeks 'diss' it alot, but I'm far more comfortable using it anyway. I like springers because I find them more satisfying to use, but nothing beats the .22.
Old hunters seem to like a .22 from what I see and Old HFT nerds like a .177.
Old hunters seem to like a .22 from what I see and Old HFT nerds like a .177.
well in my oppinion it depends on what you're useing it for. the .177 is more accurate and has better accuracy and range while the .22 has more power. or you could try to find one of teh newer intermediate caliber weapons that use .20 cal slugs (though I've yet to see one in any shops near me)
then with all that said and done it depends on what type of ammo you want to use and teh power of the rifle but personaly I have a thing for the .22 cal round because it offers a better chance of a one shot kill where as a .177 may go through the quarry and only wound it (less energy transfur between round and target)
then with all that said and done it depends on what type of ammo you want to use and teh power of the rifle but personaly I have a thing for the .22 cal round because it offers a better chance of a one shot kill where as a .177 may go through the quarry and only wound it (less energy transfur between round and target)
Yep this old chestnut again.
people can talk for hours on end about longer flatter trajectories, higher and lower velocities. It means little as long as the rifle produces 12ft/lbs.
What I would say is pellet choice can make a larger difference than you think. Wadcutters, Semi-wadcutters, hollow points will all transmit energy to the prey at a higher ratio than a standard domed, swaged or FMJ (that's if we start heading into the realms of full bore).
For vermin control in my .177 air arms pro-sport I literally use vermin control pellets, made by Bisley. For target shooting I use field target pellets.
I do own an AA S410 TDR as well which is .22 and my favourite rifle, but you have to be able to shoot to use the pro-sport.
Paganwolf
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Rapid 7 in 22 ive had mine 16 years and its never let me down, at the end of the day if you use a good man enough air rifle that is well zero'd to the pellet you use, good field craft ,get close enough, take careful aim and squeeze of a well placed shot it doesnt matter if its a .177 or a .20 or a .22 cal it will kill what it hits.
It just depends what work for you get a 12ft/lb and your laughing , providing you can shoot straight.
Lodian
Lodian
both the same power obviously.
The best advise I ever heard was .177 for birds (especially pigeon) because they penetrate better
And .22 for rabbits etc because they deliver more of an impact.
Personally I use .22lr (firearm) now but I used to stick with .177, the pellets are cheaper and if you're finding they're going straight through things you can always try flat (match) pellets or hollow points. I used to go for fairly heavy pellets with as flat a nose as possible.
In the air arms (pcp) you'll probably find you get more shots per charge in .177 than you would with .22
The best advise I ever heard was .177 for birds (especially pigeon) because they penetrate better
And .22 for rabbits etc because they deliver more of an impact.
Personally I use .22lr (firearm) now but I used to stick with .177, the pellets are cheaper and if you're finding they're going straight through things you can always try flat (match) pellets or hollow points. I used to go for fairly heavy pellets with as flat a nose as possible.
In the air arms (pcp) you'll probably find you get more shots per charge in .177 than you would with .22
.177 or.22... you might as well ask "Which came first,the chicken or the egg?", If you want a subject less controversial, then try "Labour or Conservative?", it really can get that ugly when folks post this question. I've seen otherwise sensible men use the most ridiculous arguments both for and against both calibres in the past so lets concern ourselves with what's really important.
Based on the fact that you are asking about the purchase of what seems to be your first decent (if not your very first 'proper') air rifle, I'd say that by far and away your top priority should be PRACTICING with it. LOTS. SAFELY.
If you have the chance to go out with someone who is an experienced and responsible hunter with the air rifle then do so. (I added 'responsible' because I've seen far too many experienced fools
) Otherwise, find yourself a safe place to shoot, and practice. Then practice some more. Shoot from various positions and at varying ranges and angles until you can be certain of putting every shot in a circle no bigger than 1 1/2" diameter at whatever range you expect to shoot at. Then practice some more until all shots are in a cicle no bigger than 1". If you can't get close enough to put the shot in a 1" circle on your intended quarry, then you need more practice on your field craft and your marksmanship.
There has been an awful ot written here and elsewhere on the net about effective ranges of air rifles, kill-zones on quarry (the area to aim for, and hit) etc etc so I won't go into that here, but I will say that the best advice I was given when being taught to shoot was this,
"Always remember, no matter if it's a big stag or a ruddy rat, it's just as alive as you are, and if it ain't "Dead for certain" before you squeeze that trigger, then you've got no right on this earth to squeeze that trigger at all."
Shoot safe, and shoot well, whatever the perishing calibre
Based on the fact that you are asking about the purchase of what seems to be your first decent (if not your very first 'proper') air rifle, I'd say that by far and away your top priority should be PRACTICING with it. LOTS. SAFELY.
If you have the chance to go out with someone who is an experienced and responsible hunter with the air rifle then do so. (I added 'responsible' because I've seen far too many experienced fools
) Otherwise, find yourself a safe place to shoot, and practice. Then practice some more. Shoot from various positions and at varying ranges and angles until you can be certain of putting every shot in a circle no bigger than 1 1/2" diameter at whatever range you expect to shoot at. Then practice some more until all shots are in a cicle no bigger than 1". If you can't get close enough to put the shot in a 1" circle on your intended quarry, then you need more practice on your field craft and your marksmanship.There has been an awful ot written here and elsewhere on the net about effective ranges of air rifles, kill-zones on quarry (the area to aim for, and hit) etc etc so I won't go into that here, but I will say that the best advice I was given when being taught to shoot was this,
"Always remember, no matter if it's a big stag or a ruddy rat, it's just as alive as you are, and if it ain't "Dead for certain" before you squeeze that trigger, then you've got no right on this earth to squeeze that trigger at all."
Shoot safe, and shoot well, whatever the perishing calibre
"Always remember, no matter if it's a big stag or a ruddy rat, it's just as alive as you are, and if it ain't "Dead for certain" before you squeeze that trigger, then you've got no right on this earth to squeeze that trigger at all."
Shoot safe, and shoot well, whatever the perishing calibre
very good advice. it may also be useful to get ahold of old army field manuels (I know the US army field manuels are availabe for down load but the site address slips my mind at the moment) which can teach you the finner points of rifle shooting though windage and range calculations would have to be adjusted for due to teh lower power of air rifles but otherwise they are useful. other than that just shoot shoot shoot, and remember that pellets don't go straight but in an arc that raises and falls. so practice at diffrent ranges marking the diffrence in the point struck. other than that I don't have much more to add (with out posting 10 pages of stuff on marksmanship and field craft lol)
Over the years I reckon I've owned about 25 different air rifles. Some of those rifles I've owned in both calibres. I've often found that one calibre will seem to suit a certain model of rifle better than the other. For instance, back when the Webley Vulcan was first around I had one each in .177 & .22. I always seemed to get on better with the .22. I also had a Feinwerkbau Sport in .177, my cousin had on in .22. The .177 seemed the better of those 2.
These days I use both calibres (never bothered with .20, not enough choice in pellets or rifles), but do tend to favour the .177.
My advice would be - try and get to a local airgun club and see if you can try as many different guns as possible, preferably in both calibres, then just get what YOU fancy.
Dave
These days I use both calibres (never bothered with .20, not enough choice in pellets or rifles), but do tend to favour the .177.
My advice would be - try and get to a local airgun club and see if you can try as many different guns as possible, preferably in both calibres, then just get what YOU fancy.
Dave
