air rifles; .177 or .22?

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Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
Ditto for that, I've got the HW8OK in .177.
I may be wrong but I feel that the weight gives me better stability, I've tried with lighter guns and it all feels a bit wavey if you know what I mean.

Yep, and when looking through the scope it's like the spin cycle of a washing machine.

My 80 was manageable and great for snap shooting. My HW77 is much heavier but better for "considered" shots when watching a warren.
 

Mortimer657

New Member
Aug 10, 2010
1
0
Portsmouth
The argument over .177,.20,.22 blah blah is a pretty pointless one. Its a moot point. All these calibres are MORE than enough for anything from a rabbit down to a woodie. MORE than enough.

I personally always opt for .177, and though i own a PCP (AirArms S410), i've just purchased a AA TX200 mkIII , again in .177 as i wanted the pure self sufficiency a springer brings with it. The .177, in the right hands will kill just as quickly and as cleanly as any .22 out there. A recent study in Airgun World was conducted where pellets of varying calibres and weights were fired into firm, flesh consistency terracotta wax at 25-35 yards and the resulting channels filled with liquid plaster. Once the plaster had set the resulting cores were taken out for inspection. The .177 , lighter pellets produced much wider channels than the .22 pellets and also these plaster cores weighed upto double that of the cores produced by .22 pellets. This, according to the studies, indicated that the .177 rounds decelerated more on impact and also while travelling through the quarry dumping more energy as a result.

The same can be said of bullets. Heavier bullets designed for an animal such as a cape buffallo would be heavy so as to ensure they would keep driving through the animals heart and lungs even if they strike the bones of these large heavy animals. Rounds designed for killing foxes however are lighter as a fox only has thin bones, a heavy round would pass through taking much of its energy with it, the lighter round carrys less peetration WEIGHT and so deccelarates alot quicker than a comparitive .22 pellet so therefore the .177 is dumping a lot more energy as a result.

Thus far, i've never had a runner while using .177, over 15 years of shooting rabbit, woodies and corvids with it. .177 also suffers less from wind deflection and has better Ballistic Coefficiency/accuracy according to that study.

As this little youtube video shows, the only movement from this .177 shot rabbit is simply it rolling down the slope created by this tree's roots, it is still, however, stone dead thanks to the .177 pellet hitting it in the skull. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbKHxgdD3ow
 

jonnie drake

Settler
Nov 20, 2009
600
1
west yorkshire
hey folks just an update, I got my self a bsa meteor .177 s/h with a lovely stock, fitted out with a nikko stirling 3-9x32 mountmaster and rws superdome pellets (im told these are the best pellets for this rifle) so thanks for all the help. Although I have been eyeing up the bsa ultra pcp .22, if only I had the money!
 

jonnie drake

Settler
Nov 20, 2009
600
1
west yorkshire
I've got my eyes set on a weihrauch springer when my aim is better with this gun. Either a HW99s break barrel or HW77k/97k underlever with a nikko 4-12x50 IR scope! that would be nice :)
 

uncleboob

Full Member
Dec 28, 2012
915
53
Coventry and Warwickshire
Sorry to rehash an old thread, but I'm thinking about getting an air rifle and am going to have an initial look at the gunshop with a pal who knows a lot more than me- probably will go for .22 but what rifle should I hope for for £150- £200? Happy to have 2nd hand

Cheers, joab

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2
 

wingstoo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 12, 2005
2,274
40
South Marches
You should get a good one for £200 second hand, and there are a LOT of good second hand rifles from all stables...Both German and British Names...
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
364
73
SE Wales
Hillbill of this parish has a Webley Vulcan for sale on this forum for £170 - sight with it, and I happen to know the gun's a good 'un........................
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,141
88
W. Yorkshire
Sorry to rehash an old thread, but I'm thinking about getting an air rifle and am going to have an initial look at the gunshop with a pal who knows a lot more than me- probably will go for .22 but what rifle should I hope for for £150- £200? Happy to have 2nd hand

Cheers, joab

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114294 :)
Hillbill of this parish has a Webley Vulcan for sale on this forum for £170 - sight with it, and I happen to know the gun's a good 'un........................
Aye its a nice little rifle. I have too many now though :)
 

uncleboob

Full Member
Dec 28, 2012
915
53
Coventry and Warwickshire
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54694&highlight=rifle+Andy

A thread I posted some time ago.

Some info may be out of date now.

I've a little .22 Webley Exocet, lovely wee gun. Have a look round and see what feels right. Try and stick to British or German makers.

Andy


Thanks for the link Mac and for the info guys- I'm going to try a few out to see how they feel and will hopefully have a better idea what'll suit then...might be in touch mark!

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2
 

johnbaz

Nomad
Mar 1, 2009
322
43
Sheffield, england.
www.flickr.com
Hi all

Regarding the calibre debate, must say I much prefer .177 but i'm not fussy, if a gun comes up that I like i'm not that bothered if it's any of the other calibres :D

I have a few Weihrauch rifles too..

HW35s..

Left HW35k
Right HW35export but simply marked 'EUSTA'

HW35e3.jpg


HW35 Hofmann Premier..

HW35HofmannPremier1_zps836d1a7a.jpg


HW35K from 1979 in .177

HW35Optima4x40wa1.jpg


Another HW35 Export
L68Ml6X.jpg


Another HW35 in .177cal that i've been doing up!

HW35a1_zpsab4d0065.jpg


HW77 from 1983..

riflehw77b.jpg


HW80..

HW80a1.jpg


Another 80 but in a Venom stock (.177cal)..

riflehw85k1.jpg


HW90 Gasram..

RifleWeihrauchHW90.jpg


HW95 in a custom stock..

riflecs1.jpg


I had this HW98 for one day, a very good friend that had done me loads of favours wanted one so I let him have it, .177cal too!!

HW98l.jpg


I do like German guns but I can't shake my preference for old British guns :p

6SX0h7h.jpg


l3WGvOs.jpg


zwXzZcH.jpg


I've acquired a few more Airsporters since I took the above pic, think i'v three or four more now :cool:



Cheers, john :)
 

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
Wow John!

That's a pretty serious collection with some very tasty rifles in there! I remember back in the late 70's I thought the HW35 was sooo heavy, I handled one again a few weeks ago and it actually seems rather dinky now! I suppose that's what comes of shooting an HW80 and a TX200! The only thing you seem to have missing from you line up is a Feinwerkbau Sport.

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Dave
 

johnbaz

Nomad
Mar 1, 2009
322
43
Sheffield, england.
www.flickr.com
Wow John!

That's a pretty serious collection with some very tasty rifles in there! I remember back in the late 70's I thought the HW35 was sooo heavy, I handled one again a few weeks ago and it actually seems rather dinky now! I suppose that's what comes of shooting an HW80 and a TX200! The only thing you seem to have missing from you line up is a Feinwerkbau Sport.

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Dave


Hi Dave

I've a load more guns, very close to 100 in fact but as you say, no FWB Sport :(

There was one that was like new at a local bootsale this year, the bloke wanted £180 (He had loads of airguns!) but I only had around a hundred quid so had to walk away :(

I have a nice TX200 though in .177 cal..



John :)
 

Everything Mac

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 30, 2009
3,112
83
36
Scotland
Hi Dave

I've a load more guns, very close to 100 in fact but as you say, no FWB Sport :(

There was one that was like new at a local bootsale this year, the bloke wanted £180 (He had loads of airguns!) but I only had around a hundred quid so had to walk away :(

I have a nice TX200 though in .177 cal..



John :)

I was going to say that's a fraction of your collection isn't it. Are there pics of the whole lot anywhere. I vaguely remember you've a presence over on airhunbbs, but I'm rarely on there these days.

Do the older guns still shoot well John?
I haven't taken my rifles out in far too long.

Andy
 

johnbaz

Nomad
Mar 1, 2009
322
43
Sheffield, england.
www.flickr.com
I was going to say that's a fraction of your collection isn't it. Are there pics of the whole lot anywhere. I vaguely remember you've a presence over on airhunbbs, but I'm rarely on there these days.

Do the older guns still shoot well John?
I haven't taken my rifles out in far too long.

Andy


Hi Andy

Yes, most of the older guns shoot quite well, The old BSA Standard shoots exceptionally well for a 1936 gun!!

Here's a pic that apparently, not many people can do, a fully etched Webley mk1, Webley mk2 Service rifle and a mk3. there's only two known Mk1s that are still fully etched, I have one of them :cool:

FZCRzbi.jpg



John :)
 

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