What calibre do you hunt with

[Emdiesse]

So I have been reading this thread.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53949

I'm not going to ask which is best, because I'm sure that has been exhausted here, but instead I am interested in knowing, air rifle wise, "what calibre do you hunt with?"

After eating a nice starter consisting of pigeon earlier, and having a friend who has permission to shoot on some land and myself, an uncle who is a farmer who I am sure would be more than happy to take out some of the pigeons, rabbits and rats on the farm I am looking at air rifles again.

I was just going to plain and simply look at a .22 air rifle, since I was told they were best for hunting. However it seems more apparent to me now that the majority of people in that thread used a .177 and wear after a good clean hit which either calibre would manage. I also noticed a comment ".177 for feathers, .22 for fur" so I am just curious as to what you hunt with?

Feel free to elaborate (pellet shape, grain, etc) and show your set up below

Cheers,
Matt

[widu13]

What calibre do you hunt with?

.243, .223, .22LR, 12g, .410b, .22 air.

[santaman2000]

The majority of my hunting is with 12 gauge (deer, small mammals and upland game as well as waterfowl) 30-06 (deer, and larger game) or 22LR (small game) Occassionaly with 20 or 410 gauge, or .357/38 or .223. Sometimes a 45# recurve bow. Never hunted with a pellet gun though.

[Johnnyboy1971]

.177 does all i need it to do.

[Aaron Rushton]

the whole ".177 for feather and .22 for fur" is completely outdated and is no help today. it is from the day when most airguns were spring, had open sights, and around 8ftlbs. Chest shots were the norm for rabbits and pigeons, as with loopy trajectory at low power and open sights, heads were almost impossible targets. .177 tends to penetrate more, which is why it was recommeneded for use on birds which have layers of feather, then whatevers in its crop, and then bone to reach the heart/lung area. .22 hit harder, so was recommended for rabbits which needed to be knocked over with a pellet in there chest so the shooter could run up and grab it, as instant kills were not always likely. a .177 would overpeneterate on rabbits and would often let them run down there holes before expiring.

nowadays, almost all good quality airguns are over 11ftlbs and have more than enough accuracy to take a headshot, which is what is needed on all quarry to increase the likelyhood of a no suffering, quick death. the only time where anything but a head shot is acceptable is in the following scenarios:
1. a pigeon is facing away from you which makes for a very small head target. here, a shot between the shoulders blades will kill as there is much less 'stuff' between the outside of the bird and the vitals. i have done this many times with a .177, all very quick deaths.
2. a rat or a squirrel is facing straight towards you. here, a chest shot will kill, but i would only do this with a .22 as both are tough animals.

i shoot .177 as i like the flatter trajectory i can achieve with it. as a .22 is heavier, its trajectory is more of an arc than the .177. if you have a laser rangefinder, then you can pretty much use either trajectory as you can calcuate exactly how much you have to aim over or under the place you want to hit in order to compensate for the arced trajectory. today, calibre in airguns is just a matter or personal preference. the ideal settup is a short spring gun in .22 for hunting in barns or heavy woods where you won't be taking shots at sqizzers, rats and pigeons no further than 25 yards, and a .177 precharged pneumatic airgun for longer range shooting on pigeons and rabbits where you will be shooting at ranges more around 30-40 yards at max (depending on your skill level). the subject needs a lot of personal research and thinking before you decide.

[Damascus]

243, 223, 22lr, 12g, 410g, 177 and catapult

[Emdiesse]

I like the look of the HW99S and am at a bit of a crossroads as to whether I should go for .177 or .22. I'd sooner be able to make a clean dispatch and although .22 sounds to have the greater *umph* the idea of a .177 is some what more appealing knowing that with a good clean head shot you'd bag yourself a nice tasty dinner. Last thing I would want to do is maim the poor thing and have it running away to hide & expire. Although, I understand with a .177 and the right pellet choice you'd be able to dispatch rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, rats, etc no problem and .177 seems to be the preference of many when I look around the internet.

I guess .177 it will be then.... once I have saved up some cash!

[The Big Lebowski]

When I did hunt... .20

Best of both worlds.

[johnboy]

6.5 x 55, 308 and 22lr for plinking.

[British Red]

I hear good things about 6.5 x 55 - its in that 6mm ballistic "sweet spot" for sure - how do you find it?

[FGYT]

177 all the way with a dome head 8-9grain pellet

air gun is about presision, accuracy, consistncy.

hunting with one which has the above is about range finding, Trajectory knowlege and reading the wind
a 177 PCP gives you the best chance at all this

ATB

Duncan

[Silverback 1]

17 hmr
22 lr
22-250 rem
243 ai
25/06 rem

[HillBill]

Folk use .177 more these days as it takes much less skill to shoot accurately at distance.

I've always been a .22 guy, though i have a had a few.177's.

.22 will always take down quarry better than .177.

I can hit pretty much anything upto 80 yard with a .22 running at 11ft/lbs. Anythings possible, just depends how much you want to put into it, and how accurate you are at range estimation

[Silverback 1]

I hear good things about 6.5 x 55 - its in that 6mm ballistic "sweet spot" for sure - how do you find it?

A friend of mine had a 6.5X55 Sweedish Mauser(Tikka 595) that he shot out and had re-barreled and semi customised into 6.5/284 Norma,he drools about this rifle and it is the 1st one he reaches for when we go hunting,he and many others seem to agree that there is something magical about the calibre,probably due to the very high BC'S of the available 6.5 bullets,accuracy at extreme range also seems to be included in the deal,the big boys who shoot 1,000 yd matches across the pond seem to agree.

[cbr6fs]

Another one that uses .22 for everything here.

Sure .177 has a flatter trajectory, but once you've dialled in your BDC on your .22 it's all pretty much void any ways.
The reason i prefer .22 though is:

a/ It creates slightly more trauma (i have shot through rats, and pigeons with a .177 and they have carried on for a few seconds, not long, but long enough to mean finding them was a nightmare).
With .22 i've only had a few larger rats not go down straight away and stay down.

b/ As i shoot outside at many different quarry, in all weathers i feel that .22 is less affected by the wind, so what you loose in BDC you gain in stability in cross winds.


Horses for courses though and the difference really is small between the 2 calibres.
I prefer .22 but would and have hunted with .177

[spandit]

When I did hunt... .20

Best of both worlds.

Fairly limited to rifle & pellet though, I've found. I agree, it seems an ideal compromise

Can you not get heavier .177 to give a bit more impact?

[johnboy]

I hear good things about 6.5 x 55 - its in that 6mm ballistic "sweet spot" for sure - how do you find it?

It's fine.. It'll handle most things I'm likely to have a cabby at here in NZ. I have two rifles in the calibre an old Swedish issue Mauser M96/38 and a T3 the T3 is more than accurate enough for me over most NZ hunting ranges.. I keep meaning to get some hand loads for the T3 but it just runs fine on most of the factory ammo I have put though it.

It's accurate and the recoil is manageable.. Some of the guys who service rifle shoot use the old long barrelled Mausers to good effect...

[FGYT]

Fairly limited to rifle & pellet though, I've found. I agree, it seems an ideal compromise

Can you not get heavier .177 to give a bit more impact?

i spent years chasing this and even have a custom webley Axsor biult by venom which is very nicebut you actually get little trajectory advantage over 22 ie a 11.4gr 20 cal v 14.3 gr 22cal . And tho it has a higher impact per mm/sqr than 177 or 22 177 is a lot flatter still when using 8.4 gr which has ample impact nergy retained at further than you can accuratly shoot.
If i did it again i would use 177cal no question . only placei may consider anotheris very close indor ratting where a 25 cal may be of some use at low power to minimise damage to the area
cant complane on the 20 cal axor tho one weekend i got 5 rabbits and a squirrel saturday and then came 2nd in a hunter FT comp and 3rd (b class) FT shoot plus won the speed side shoot on sunday
(however i usualy won the hunter FT with my 177 FT rig

custom 20cal Axsor




old FT rig 177 anshutz 2002 by dave wellam


in sniping mode good for 60 yrds plus hunting and 100yrs plus target




ATB

Duncan

[Dougster]

Johnboy, I'm sorely tempted by 6.5 X 55, but the ammo isn't easy to get here. Is it that good? I use a T3 in .243 and soon a T3 lite in .308. I'm looking at starting to home load later this year.

To be honest with mixy having been so bad around here really and having a 12 bore for pigeons, the .22 lr and .22 air rifle never come out

[FGYT]

Johnboy, I'm sorely tempted by 6.5 X 55, but the ammo isn't easy to get here. Is it that good? I use a T3 in .243 and soon a T3 lite in .308. I'm looking at starting to home load later this year.

To be honest with mixy having been so bad around here really and having a 12 bore for pigeons, the .22 lr and .22 air rifle never come out

if your hand loading how about 7mm -08

[spoony]

Everyone with a .177 will say .177 everyone with a .22 will say .22 dont forget the .20. My advice dont get hung up on calibre, they will all do the job if the placement is correct. Learn your field craft, i have shot crows out to 35 yards with a .22 and pigeons with no probs. Buy a rifle get some practice and enjoy.

[Silverback 1]

I'm looking at starting to home load later this year.

It is the way forward,great hobby,it is very satisfying when your rifles shoot 1/2" groups at 100 with ammo that you have made,cheaper than factory as well on the whole and no problem buying obscure calibres as once you have the cases you are in business.

[widu13]

Johnboy, I'm sorely tempted by 6.5 X 55, but the ammo isn't easy to get here.

I come across it in Prvi quite often. A dealer can always order in. 6.5 is seen by many as the ultimate all rounder- in-between .243 and .270 but with more punch than the .243 with much less recoil than the .270. Often grounds that insist on .270 as a minimum will allow 6.5. 6.5 is also a Home Office recommended round for fox as well.

[Aaron Rushton]

I like the look of the HW99S and am at a bit of a crossroads as to whether I should go for .177 or .22. I'd sooner be able to make a clean dispatch and although .22 sounds to have the greater *umph* the idea of a .177 is some what more appealing knowing that with a good clean head shot you'd bag yourself a nice tasty dinner. Last thing I would want to do is maim the poor thing and have it running away to hide & expire. Although, I understand with a .177 and the right pellet choice you'd be able to dispatch rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, rats, etc no problem and .177 seems to be the preference of many when I look around the internet.

I guess .177 it will be then.... once I have saved up some cash!

i'd recommend you get a .22 if your going for a spring gun. srping guns have a maximum range of 30 yards for the skill level of most users, and .22's trajectory is only a little less flat at these ranges, but if an accident happens ( and they do happen occasionally) like your pellet drifitng in the wind, prey moving, or something else sending your pellet off course, then .22 is more likely to be able to disable your quarry enough for you to run up and dispatch it. it's only past 30 yards, i think, where the .177 flatter trajectory becomes more advantageous. in a spring gun, .22 is the better choice imo.

[johnboy]

Johnboy, I'm sorely tempted by 6.5 X 55, but the ammo isn't easy to get here. Is it that good? I use a T3 in .243 and soon a T3 lite in .308. I'm looking at starting to home load later this year

Hi,

TBH if your getting a .308 I'd stick with that. It's a very capable calibre as everyone says a good all rounder. I ended up going down the 6.5x55 route as I got an old M96/38 cheap as a home restoration project... Then the local gun shop had a lightly used T3 in the same calibre that they wanted rid of as it's a bit of an odd ball so I plumped for that. For what I do it's fine. It's happy shooting Norma or Highland over most normal hunting ranges here in the NI ( sub 250m more realistically sub 100m). I'm happy to admit I'm no ballistics expert. 6.5x55 seems to be a good calibre for what I do. If I was shooting Thar or having a chase after wapiti then I might need something else but for goats, pigs, and the odd sika or red it's fine...

[Harvestman]

Oh, yah! I only hunt with the very highest calibre of people. No oiks or yahoos allowed on my estate, what?

Tally ho!









Oh. Have I misunderstood the question?

[HillBill]

Can you not get heavier .177 to give a bit more impact?

Yeah you can, but the pellet weight gives loopier trajectory similar to that of .20, but with much less pellet choice, chances of finding a pellet thats good in your barrel are much slimmer due to the limited number of heavy weight .177's

[spandit]

I've always wondered whether you could fire a 5.56mm FMJ bullet or a .22LR bullet in a .22 airgun

[HillBill]

You can get pellets that are basically .22LR bullet heads. Ok in FAC airguns but useless is legal limit rifles. .556 heads weigh in just over 60 grain IIRC. twice that on the .22lr round = twice as useless in sub 12ft/lbs, the rifling wouldn't really grip a FMJ round from an airgun either.

[mitch66]

Hi, if i wanted a springer id have a .22 less recoil, pcp a .22 also, more shots per fill. but i would try all the guns you can untill you find one you like .177 or .22, dont buy chang wang crap. if you stick with theoben, HW, airarms. daystate (apart from the battery ones, well unless you want to send it back for repairs every 6 months ). you should be fine. buy good roundhead / dome pellets. not bulldog or millbro unless you just want to shoot coke cans with the kids. it dont really matter what cal you go for as long as you can hit what your aiming at. find a nice one, all the best carl