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When it comes to airgun hunting for small game one must remember that high powered air rifles can be the way to go. But high power dose not mean high velocity per say the only reason you want an air gun with high velocity is so you can use a heaver pellet and this will give you higher foot pounds of energy and slow the pellet down.
Foot pounds of energy (fpe)
Is the energy of the airgun pellet at the point of impact hitting the target. Air rifles with high velocities by using light weight pellets are not accurate they don't receive the rifling in in the barrel very well. Light pellets are basically to light for high velocity the pellet will wobble becoming unstable and hit the target sideways. And when used in spring piston airguns there is no back pressure on the piston. This is all most like dry firing the air rifle the piston flies down the compression tube and slams into the end of the tube. (Like driving a car into a brick wall) Also the higher velocity of the piston created by ultra light pellets, heats up the piston seal and will burn it out.
Most airguns for sale today are .177, .22 and .25 calibers lets start with .177 the weight of the pellet should be at least 7.9 - 8.4 grains for an air rifle claiming to shoot 1000 or 1200 fps with PBA pellets. For instance the Gamo Big Cat is in reality reaching 850 fps with standard weight pellets and this is fine. Gamo air rifles have the accuracy and enough power to take out squirrels as far out as 50 yards. Most hunters keep their shots within 30 to 40 yards or under. Because this is an easier shot and of course the shorter the distance the higher fpe making it a more humane shot for the pest.
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Here is a Gamo Delta now the Recon Air rifle Taking out three rabbits under 15 yards by Jim Chapman thinning the rabbit population for his friend and again driving home his much chanted mantra, it’s all about the accuracy!
After completing his pest control outing he handed the rifle down to his nephew. For a kid just getting started this would be a perfect rifle it is manageable and scaled to a smaller shooter.
Jim Chapman Of www.americanairgunhunter.com |
If an Air Rifle is shooting a 8.4 grain JSB pellet at 850 fps = 13.50 of fpe at the muzzle is good for birds or ground squirrels size pest. Larger game like ground hogs or wood chucks need over 15 fpe. A .22 caliber 14 grain pellet traveling at 850 fps will bring you 22.46 fpe. The .25 caliber 31 grain pellet traveling at 850 fps = 49.74 fpe. Remember this is muzzle energy! keep this in mind when taking a 50 yard shot the fpe will drop.
As you can see shooting 850 fps can add up to a high powered air rifle without bring up the velocity. What you really want to do is think about the hunting or pest control you are going to do. As a rule of thumb for airgun hunting is .177 for feather and .22 for fur, this is because high fpe is not need for most birds but you need the flat trajectory you can get with .177 caliber and still have enough fpe to do the job. One draw back of .177 is what they call over penetration this where pellet is so small and going so fast the pellet goes right though creating little damage leaving the the pest you are hunting to suffer and that is not the desired out come.
A good friend of mine can drop a starling out of a tree at 70 yards with a RWS 52 in 177 I have seen him do it more then once. Plus birds as you know will fly a way if you get to close. If back yard pest control is what you are looking for .177 is a great caliber with good shot placement birds, squirrels and chipmunks are easily removed.
When it comes to .22 caliber for hunting there are advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages are in the wind being a heaver pellet the .22 almost twice the weight 14.3 grain in comparison to 7.9 grain .177 is less effected by the wind. The use of pointed pellets because they were developed for 850 fps and under for penetration. Foot pounds of energy is higher as explained above and below. Most medium powered Spring rifles are shooting .22 cal around 770 fps this will give you 18.89 fpe with a 14.3 grain pellet at the muzzle. A high powered air rifle in spring piston (magnum) will shoot velocity from 850-950 fps generating up to 28 fpe.
It takes at least 3 fpe at the point of impact to dispatch a squirrel, pigeon and rat size pest according to Robert Beeman's chart. A .177 pellet moving at 830 fps / 12 fpe at muzzle but out at 50 yards slows down to 430 fps / 3 fpe no margin for era. Shooting a .22 pellet at 805 fps / 19 fpe at muzzle and you will find when the pellet reaches 50 yards the momentum of the heaver pellet your velocity is still higher at 463 fps and bring you 5 fpe at the point of impact. Disadvantages are your trajectory has a larger arch to it because of the weight. Your spring piston hunting rifle is going to be longer, heaver and much harder cock.
With a pellet weighing roughly 8 grains, that translates to about 415 feet per second at the point of impact. In a .22 caliber airgun, an average weight pellet only has to be going about 300 fps to achieve the same level of energy needed to accomplish the deed.
Hunting with a .25 Caliber spring piston is mostly for short distance and only with high powered rifles. Most spring piston .25 caliber rifles are shooting 600 fps up to a rare 800 fps by some Beeman Kodiaks. Shooters that want to hunt with .25 go for a Precharged Pneumatic because they are capable of high velocities meaning heaver pellets more fpe
Air gun hunting just like target, shot placement is everything a body shot most of the time will not do the trick you must hit a spot the size of a quarter some times a dime in the back head below the skull or side head below the ear. One other shot would be behind the front shoulder this is important for humane dispatch of the animal for hunting or best control. We will bring you more information soon
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