BSA Supersport .177 or .22 What is best for hunting ?

[No-more-rabbits 2]

I like the fact the the .177 supersport has better accuracy and range. but does it deliver the damage like a .22 ?

 

Does the higher velocity of the pellet cause the same damage as a .22 ? will a .177 supersport take down a rabbit at about 50 yds ?

 

And also, is it legal to shoot ducks if you are going to eat them ?

[venomviper 129]

hi ya buddy

have a look at some of my posts i use the 177 most of the time and 22 now and then duck have a shooting season and

bsa supersport hummm if tunes and polished then yes but they are shooting around the 11flbs mark so i wouldnt go over the 35mtrs to be honest and yes matey the 177 has less of a drop than the 22 and if used right they will caurse the same damage buddy

 

shay

[mooney1 120]

hiya buddy,

only allowed to shoot the duck when in season mate.Just same as pheasant and partridge

all the best mooney

[No-more-rabbits 2]

Thanks guys

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

you dont shoot to the power range of your rifle, you shoot to the accuracy range of yourself. Don't litsen to anyone who says its fine for everyone to shoot to 50 yrds with an air rifle as the shooters range is decided by what range the shooter can confidently put all pellets in an area the size of a 1 pound coin. i should think with a spring gun like a supersport you should be able to get decent groups to about 35yrds tops. as for .177 v .22 if your only after rabbits then .177 would suit you as if you estimate the range of a rabbit wrong with a .177 it is much more forgiving than a .22 in terms of trajectory. any pellet will kill a rabbit if put just behind the eye through the brain so "stopping power" should not be needed.

[SEAN3513 7]

SHOT PLACEMENT OVER CALIBRE EVERY TIME !!!!

[Buster321c 1,010]

SHOT PLACEMENT OVER CALIBRE EVERY TIME !!!!

[zini 1,939]

Hi No More Rabbits,

 

A BSA Supersport shooting 50 yards in either calibre grouping inside a 1inch kill zone and killing rabbits humanely

 

Id have to say that the rifle has enough remaining velocity at 50 yards to do the job but I think that the shooter would need to be a very special shot

 

I personally wouldn’t try shooting anything with a Supersport beyond 35 metres at the very tops, I would probably stay at 25 - 30 metres.

 

It you want to shoot at them ranges and you are good enough to do it on something live I think you really need to buy a HW, Air Arms or a good Webley springer mate.

 

Why don’t you just get closer to the rabbits with your SuperSport and kill them at 30 yards mate?

 

On the calibre thing, please don’t be fooled by reading stories from armchair hunters. Both calibres will kill bunnies very humanely as many have already said above.

 

The lads on this site are right and what they say is the truth.

 

It’s all about the skill of the shooter and where he / she places the shot.

 

Either a .177, .20, .22 or .25 calibre will kill a rabbit if you hit it in the brain.

 

The damage issue is only bragged about by people who shoot bunnies in the side etc and wound them letting them die in pain

 

Si

[JackReid 35]

I am just trying to fix my mates supersport at the moment mate, always make sure those front stock screws are nice and tight for accuracy, but as the others have said, I say its a 30 meter max gun as it fires with a real twang, fine for pest control within that range though. Just remember wild firing into an animal will get you nowhere fast other than a guilty feeling! That said my mate has killed a fair few rabbits and crows etc with his just practice, I would say go .22 as the flatter trajectory isnt going to be a huge difference between 0-30.

 

All the best

 

Jack

[Phantom 631]

Can't argue with whats been said above.

 

Apart from what Si said about the damage issue

 

I study the damage done to the bunny by my .22 in most cases, especially if its a less than perfect shot (and lets face it they do happen to us all from time to time).

 

If you were to shoot a bunny and the wind knocked off your shot to say towards the bunnies nose (Big gust of wind like round here at the moment) using a .177 then that pellet has the velocity to go through the nasal cavity and out the other side, this means that the pellet will retain X-amount of its kinetic energy leaving the potential for the rabbit to run bleeding into a hole where you can't get it and it would eventually drown with blood filling its lungs.

 

Now the same shot with a .22 has a couple of advantages in this situation. The pellet is larger and heavier, with a slower velocity.

So on impact it is going to cause more damage to the bone and flesh leaving a larger wound channel so more blood lost quickly. But the real advantage in this situation is that with it being slower; its unlikely that the pellet would exit the other side of the head, therefore all the kinetic energy will be transfered into the head of the animal and this would dissipate into the nervous system of the animal causing tremendous shock to the system (particularly the CNS of the brain) and kill the animal outright or (depending on placement) stun the animal giving you enough time to reach it and finish the job by hand.

 

However the above is just a comparison of a less than ideal shot.

 

An ideal shot would place the pellet in or through the brain itself where enough damage will be done by any calibre and kill the animal outright.

 

So as said:

 

SHOT PLACEMENT OVER CALIBRE EVERY TIME !!!!

 

Phantom

[zini 1,939]

Tony i think that you are going a little cenile mate

 

I never said anything in regards to what you commented on buddy.

 

Read it again i said:

 

Either a .177, .20, .22 or .25 calibre will kill a rabbit if you hit it in the brain.

 

The damage issue is only bragged about by people who shoot bunnies in the side etc and wound them letting them die in pain .

 

I have seen both .177 and .22 hit rabbits in the ribs and side ect and i have seen them die on some occassions and be wounded to die later on others.

 

A shot in the brain always works mate.

 

Thats what i meant

 

Si

[Phantom 631]

Just winding you up a little Si (well trying)

 

Nah,

 

Seriously, a person from another section of the forum, was giving me grief awhile back talking about how I "brag about the damage caused by my pellets" so it was actually a little dig at that inbread banjo playing muck eating redneck

 

He knows who he is

 

Phantom

[zini 1,939]

Oh i see mate now, Im a littel slow today.

 

Ive had a few pints in the mess

 

Si

[Edgar 1]

The supersport is a good 30 yard gun and although either caliber will do I would go with .22 simply because it will be easier to shoot well than the .177 which will probably have more recoil.

[Spanishfly 0]

Always found my Supersport .22 knocked the bunnies down very reliably - never tried the .177 though.