collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Air rifle  (Read 2788 times)

Offline O. hemionus

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 221
Air rifle
« on: April 03, 2018, 08:21:15 PM »
Not sure if this is more fitting for the small game board or the shooting board...I am purchasing a Hatsan Model 95 air rifle for my dad's birthday, mostly to target collared doves and starlings. Trying to decide between the .177 (1000 fps) and the .22 cal (800 fps). Any thoughts on what caliber?

Offline Widgeondeke

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 3337
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • US Army Infantry 91-98
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2018, 08:38:27 PM »
Are those max FPS with the expensive pellets ?
Either way, I'd opt for the faster .177 because those birds are quick.
If he were to target anything larger, the .22 knockdown power would be nice.

I vote .177  :twocents:

Offline Fl0und3rz

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2010
  • Posts: 51553
  • Location: E. WA
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2018, 08:51:28 PM »
I vote .177. It has a flatter trajectory, will work just fine for those types of targets (even larger if you place the shot right), and ammo is cheaper per shot.  Stick with conventional lead pellets, IMO.

Offline emac

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 1692
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2018, 09:17:15 PM »
.177 i shoot the hell out of rock chucks with one and it does one hell of a job

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


Offline W_Ellison2011

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2011
  • Posts: 497
  • Location: Graham, Wa
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2018, 09:46:50 PM »
.177 for birds and rabbits. Got my dad a .177 break pellet rifle a few years back. 1200 fps. Those pointed pellets knock the HECK out of a rabbit when you punch them in the head or chest!

Offline mallard

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 39
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2018, 09:07:53 AM »
Good choice on the Hatsan. I have the 95 QE in .22. I chose the .22 because my game is larger and I don't want to potentially break the sound barrier in urban areas. I think your dad will be happy with the .177 for the reasons others have mentioned.

Offline jaymark6655

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2009
  • Posts: 1879
  • Location: Bedford, IN
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2018, 09:20:55 AM »
.22 it will retain velocity further down range and have higher energy at further distance be able to reach out further, same reason it is better to shoot a heavier projectile out of your rifles.  Everyone gets caught up on screaming high MV of lighter projectiles, but heavier and slightly slower is better.
"That's the reason we pay $25 for a recoil lug made by a professional instead of one for $0.50 made by Micheal J Fox using a dremel!"

"Women should be treated the same as a French Rifle, dropped at the first sign of trouble."

Offline Squidward

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2014
  • Posts: 1580
  • Location: Centralia
    • https://www.facebook.com/ed.brooks.3781
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2018, 11:17:51 AM »
I'd go 177also. I've heard  8) if you put a drop of oil on the back of the pellet you'll pick up some speed.

Offline j_h_nimrod

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 1597
  • Location: Humptulips, WA
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2018, 11:56:26 AM »
.22 it will retain velocity further down range and have higher energy at further distance be able to reach out further, same reason it is better to shoot a heavier projectile out of your rifles.  Everyone gets caught up on screaming high MV of lighter projectiles, but heavier and slightly slower is better.

 :yeah:

I have both calibers at the same speeds listed and the .22 is the one I grab most often. I get significantly less fly aways with the .22 and it certainly carries better with less wind deflection. Make sure to try a selection of different pellets, accuracy changes drastically with different brands and styles.

Try Teds Holdover on YouTube, he has some good videos of varmints biting the dust.

Offline KopperBuck

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 1910
  • Location: GRV
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2018, 12:14:22 PM »
.22 for the reasons mentioned. I kill birds at 50-70 yards. I don't miss because they're too quick. Nice and quiet too.

Definitely try out different types of ammo. I tried 4 different kinds before I was fairly happy. Still pick up some different brands now and then to fine tune.

Offline farmin4u_98948

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 1124
  • Location: Cliffdell
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2018, 09:10:48 PM »
22 for the same reasons.   I have a 177 and wish I had more energy.
Just because you believe something is true doesn't mean that it is true!

Offline Bofire

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 5524
  • Location: Yelm
  • Harley YAR YAR YAR!
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2018, 07:32:48 PM »
I have .177 , 22 and 5mm. all are way cool have all in gas and pump up. for shooting birds rats and stuff the 22 hits twice as hard as the 177, 177 works, the 5mm pump up hits harder than either and is flatter. Unless you are shooting farther than about 35 yards the flatness is meaningless. I sit in my back yard and shoot them all the time. With woodpeckers the 177 will kill em but they will fly off a ways first. the 22 and 5mm knock em flat.
Carl
When the chips are down..... the buffalo is empty!!

I do not shop at Amazon

Offline O. hemionus

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Oct 2013
  • Posts: 221
Re: Air rifle
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2018, 06:35:37 PM »
Thanks for the input, everyone. I ended up going with the .22, for the reasons suggested. It will be used for bigger bodied birds (mainly collared doves) at distances of around 20 yards, so I'm not too worried about pellet drop. I have a .177 myself and have ended up with several fly-aways, despite good shot placement (though I have put quite the hurting on the local invasive eastern gray squirrels - 17 in just over a year without leaving my porch). I'll post up some pictures of the Hatsan 95's work on doves once we get it dialed in!

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal