.177 Or .22

[ChrisJones 7,975]

.25's are good but better in FAC. Pellet choice is the same issue with the .20

 

I had a BSA Lightning in .25, fun ratting gun but not much for anything else.

[Dr B 186]

Played about with chairgun this morning after reading through this topic and just a quick comparison between call's

First one is set up to be .20 cal airgun not hmr!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zud18kxnl14u52/chairgun001.jpg?dl=0

 

 

Second one is .22

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x3egv6i9i0qwfib/chairgun002.jpg?dl=0

 

Third .177

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpnuxqy9dlm863l/chairgun003.jpg?dl=0

 

 

All adjusted to approx 11.6 ft/lbs, scope set to 8x all othe factors set the same between cals.

This is just a cross ref as it would totally rely on the marksman hitting the spot.

Interestingly theres not much between .2 and .22 in mildot drop but the .177 has a noticed flatter flight and mildot drop.

 

 

Hi John

 

I did a full report in .22 with Chairgun the other day and posted on here in the Gen Disc section as a PDF.

Have a read.

Zero at 28yds,

40yds, x7 mag, for my setup, one mil dot.

At 50, 2 mil dots.

Its not a problem if you understand your set up. You can have the thwack AND accuracy, but you will have to work for it in .22.

I've not experienced too many problems in woodland either because calibre is coupled to field craft - a deadly combination.

 

ATB4

[pianoman 3,587]

.25 is brilliant if you have an FAC and a slot for an air rifle. It is pretty devastating in sub-12 ft/lbs at short to medium ranges. Personally though, I have yet to see a rat limp off after a solid head clout from a .22!

 

I have an FAC HW80 .22 rifle. When a pellet from that hits a rat, rabbit or squirrel you should hear the THWACK it makes!

[Rez 4,961]

.25 is brilliant if you have an FAC and a slot for an air rifle. It is pretty devastating in sub-12 ft/lbs at short to medium ranges. Personally though, I have yet to see a rat limp off after a solid head clout from a .22!

 

I have an FAC HW80 .22 rifle. When a pellet from that hits a rat, rabbit or squirrel you should hear the THWACK it makes!

Have you shot a rat with your at 20 yards?! Ha. Mess.

[pianoman 3,587]

YES REZ!

 

It really lifts them and throws them to one side. Puts a big hole right through the skull.

 

The strangest encounter I ever had with a rat and my HW80 was about 15 years ago but I'll never forget it. I saw this big rat at about 20 yards range that was moving over a sugarbeet pile, It paused and I shot at it. But it had moved as the shot fired. There was an almighty thwack of a hard hit and the rat dissapeared over the side of the beet-mound.

 

I left my rifle behind at the cover for some reason and went over to find it. And there it was, on the other side of the mound, almost seated upright on its bum, against a large sugarbeet. The shot had hit it through the left shoulder and pinned its arm up at a jarred angle. It wasn't dead but mortally wounded and breathing heavilly and slowly. As it sat there, it looked back it me with utter hatred in its eyes. It just sat there looking as defiant as anything. It was almost saying "Come on then. Let's finish it!"

 

I went back for the rifle and reloaded.

 

When he saw I got my rifle to finish him off he started squealing in terror. I'm certain he knew exactly what I was holding in my hands and what was going to happen next.

 

Vermin they certainly are but, my God, they are super intelligent animals. That's why I hate the notion of wounding anything we have to shoot.

 

Simon

[mark williams 7,561]

I watched a .25 sub 12/ft lb air rifle rat shoot on you tube not long ago and any rat missed by a .25 instantly ducked the next time it was shot at.The rat heard the report of the rifle "before" the pellet arrived and learned to duck.

So they introduced a .177 to the scenario and again went for head shots, the results being "good night Vienna".

Talking about a rats will to survive i remember ( as a young kid ) the farmer checking his gin traps in the grain barn - he picked up a trap with a front and rear rats legs in it, the rat had gnawed its own legs off to escape.

Edited April 17, 2015 by mark williams

[pianoman 3,587]

I once saw a youtube vid by a certain shooting sports "Country" channel, of an attempt to shoot rats with a sub-12 ft/lb Daystate Wolverine...in .303. It is painful; to watch the obvious nonesense of this folly.

 

Fast reactionary rat. + Large, hefty, slow-moving slug. = No bloody good. No surprise there, really.

 

If you don't have an FAC I'd say .22 is the best, biggest round you can shoot with confidence and has proved itself as a potent vermin killer many decades before now. The larger calibres are a waste of money without really massive power behind them.

 

Unless you are of 'a sort' that simply wants to see if you can blow a small animal's head apart with a bigger round?

 

.22 for me every time. FAC or not.

[Rez 4,961]

.22 for me every time. FAC or not.

 

[mark williams 7,561]

On small game/ vermin,short, medium or long range, 45 magnum to a .177 pellet - shot in the head "means dead" !

Shot placement is the be all and end all "but" i would agree that there are different jobs for different calibres like the thickets, spindle branches etc, etc.( trajectory).

 

atb

Edited April 17, 2015 by mark williams

[Rez 4,961]

[charlie caller 3,654]

 

.25 is brilliant if you have an FAC and a slot for an air rifle. It is pretty devastating in sub-12 ft/lbs at short to medium ranges. Personally though, I have yet to see a rat limp off after a solid head clout from a .22!

 

I have an FAC HW80 .22 rifle. When a pellet from that hits a rat, rabbit or squirrel you should hear the THWACK it makes!

Have you shot a rat with your at 20 yards?! Ha. Mess.

 

You should see what a .22 hornet doing 800+ ftlbs does the word atomized springs to mind

[Dr B 186]

Like Rex, Simon and others here, its .22 all the way. Rats don't get out of the way in time, and very handy in the woods. If the branches are too dense to properly see the animal, I don't shoot at it - irrespective of calibre.

 

Most of my perms are woodland. On the whole, not a problem. Good field craft, shot placement, and knowing your set up makes differences in calibres almost non-existent.

[jonnie bravo 572]

Not by my experience but from what I hear .22 springers have less harsh recoil as they are more efficient, but .177 has a shorter lock time.

 

Also the faster velocity of.177 makes it a little more stable in flight with the rifling on most standard air rifle barrels, again only from results I've come across not from my own findings.

[mark williams 7,561]

Like Rex, Simon and others here, its .22 all the way. Rats don't get out of the way in time, and very handy in the woods. If the branches are too dense to properly see the animal, I don't shoot at it - irrespective of calibre.

 

Most of my perms are woodland. On the whole, not a problem. Good field craft, shot placement, and knowing your set up makes differences in calibres almost non-existent.

Hi Dr B,all, i agree with most .22 lads (i`ve been one for 45 years ) but now i`m hooked on the .177 cal.in woodland and precise shot placement. Saying if the branches are too dense and not to shoot at all irrespective of calibre - absolutely. Saying that, if i can see the head of a wood pigeon, through spindle branches, in my crosshairs , so can my .177`s flight path within 40 yds. My HW 100 can thread the "eye of a needle" in these ranges, - the only thing that might prevent that is MY marksmanship not the gun`s accuracy and pellet trajectory.

With respect to .22 in the same scenario - trajectory is a major hurdle.

Field craft, "THE" most important part of any air gun hunters knowledge.

 

Just my two pennies worth.

atb.

Edited April 20, 2015 by mark williams

[mark williams 7,561]

Take a look at Vermin Hunters TV (you tube) Static Hunting Squirrels with pcp and spring piston rifles.

Take note of preferred calibre in woodlands and that calibres prowess at hunting through spindle branches and open areas .

In the open areas Si Pittaway and Davey state the range as being around 28 yds on the feeders - also note the easy field craft being used .

 

atb

Edited April 21, 2015 by mark williams