air rifles; .177 or .22?
- Thread starter jonnie drake
- Start date
First thing would be, what do you want to use it for?
I'll do my best to outline the differences between them and leave it to you decide which one you want. all comparisons are 'pound for pound', i.e. all things being equal other than calibre.
.177 has a flatter trajectory as it's a smaller, lighter pellet and travels much faster than .22. This makes it more forgiving from a marksmanship point of view as range estimation isn't as critical. This is due to less holdover/ holdunder being required when aiming at different ranges, if you're a few yards out with your range estimation it won't make too much difference. As it travels faster it'll get to it's target quicker too.
A smaller faster projectile will pass through and soft target (animal) easier, when this happens it means it's not delivering all of it's force into the target.
.22 is basically the opposite of the above. .22 rarely passes through an animal giving rise to the phrase "more stopping power", but the truth is either are fine for hunting as if you put the pellet in the right place it'll make the kill. it's true a .22 "hits harder" but you have to be on top of your marksmanship to be as accurate as a .177, especially when shooting spring piston rifles.
.177 pellets are cheaper.
for target shooting most people use .177 for the flatter trajectory and smaller pellet holes (meaning you can fit more individual holes in a target card). For hunting there is much debate!! but as I said either does fine and I hunt with both with success.
hope this helps.
Jim
I'll do my best to outline the differences between them and leave it to you decide which one you want. all comparisons are 'pound for pound', i.e. all things being equal other than calibre.
.177 has a flatter trajectory as it's a smaller, lighter pellet and travels much faster than .22. This makes it more forgiving from a marksmanship point of view as range estimation isn't as critical. This is due to less holdover/ holdunder being required when aiming at different ranges, if you're a few yards out with your range estimation it won't make too much difference. As it travels faster it'll get to it's target quicker too.
A smaller faster projectile will pass through and soft target (animal) easier, when this happens it means it's not delivering all of it's force into the target.
.22 is basically the opposite of the above. .22 rarely passes through an animal giving rise to the phrase "more stopping power", but the truth is either are fine for hunting as if you put the pellet in the right place it'll make the kill. it's true a .22 "hits harder" but you have to be on top of your marksmanship to be as accurate as a .177, especially when shooting spring piston rifles.
.177 pellets are cheaper.
for target shooting most people use .177 for the flatter trajectory and smaller pellet holes (meaning you can fit more individual holes in a target card). For hunting there is much debate!! but as I said either does fine and I hunt with both with success.
hope this helps.
Jim
I now realise my previous reply was kind of pointless as there are 100 other replies!!! for some reason I couldn't see them when I first viewed the thread. ??
This forum does seem to struggle with weird thread layouts....
Jim
This forum does seem to struggle with weird thread layouts....
Jim
Hi all
Here's a couple more rifles that I acquired recently..
Venom tuned and reblued HW35...
Air Arms TX200HC..
HAGWE
John
Here's a couple more rifles that I acquired recently..
Venom tuned and reblued HW35...
Air Arms TX200HC..
HAGWE
John
My 22 pcp goes straight through any animal I shoot. And it's legal. I can make it have the stopping power as described by changing pellet profile.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ok. Honestly the only difference between them both really is the pellet curve on a .22 it's a massively steeper angle where as the .177 is a much lower. I have both and to be honest I prefer my s300 .177 even though my weihrauch hw97k mk1 is tuned to the nuts I can hit targets at 90-100 yards with both but it feels so much easier with the s300. And not because of the recoil because I can put pellet through pellet on my 97 in the ft circuit. Just because of pure pellet drop. If your thinking of hunting I would go down the .177 route.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Anyone who claims a .177 doesn't cut the mustard tbh hasn't got a clue. A .177 will cause just as much devastation through velocity as much as a .22 with momentum and size.
Except its a damn site easier to get that .177 there at longer ranges and I've also noticed the .177 seems to be less effected by windage.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Except its a damn site easier to get that .177 there at longer ranges and I've also noticed the .177 seems to be less effected by windage.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Love them both and couldn't part with either of them. Although I've got my eye on the hw100 this month. Fired one at the gun club and it's just completely awesome!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Keep the range sensible and any of the calibres do the job just as effectively as each other that's my experience any way. That said. I've three .177's and only one .22 now! I shoot far more tin chickens these days than. I do hunt!
