Hunting air rifle???

Hunting with an air rifle is still illegal where i am in PA. If i were to hunt, i would use a gun that gave me a big hole and a fair amount of energy.
It would be .45 or .50 caliber.

There was a fad here of shooting pigs with break barrel air guns, i know of exactly ONE instance where it was a success...dont do it.

If your set on building an air rifle hunting battery youll want atleast 2 guns. A "light" or "medium" for small game and plinking, and a "heavy" for small medium game, Im not a fan of the idea of taking larger game with an over the counter airgun even tho its done regularly.

Any .22 caliber that delivers 650+fps with 13grn pellets should be capable of taking squirrels at reasonable ranges, but If your looking at shooting stuff larger like big rabbits, I would want a gun that delivered at least 25gr pellets at 650+ so heavy .22 or .25+.
If your going for stuff larger than that your squarely into the medium bore PCP airgun territory.

I would probably recommend a Benjamin Marauder for a medium cost rifle (you need a pump and or airtank set up as well), and a Trail XP for a low cost option....most likely id get either in .25


https://www.pyramydair.com/a/Air_guns/588/ru_1/calibers_0_45/calibers_0_357/calibers_0_5 those are a list of guns, just a general list, that should be capable of taking small medium game with good shot placement at short range. I didnt look thru it completely, but you want to have at least 300fpe at the muzzle and be shooting a heavy solid. Also understand that as with archery, your not likely to get a DRT reaction from a critter hit by anything but the most powerfull of airguns, and even then its pretty rare.

I would probably get an airforce TexanSS
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/AirForce_TexanSS_Big_Bore_Air_Rifle/4317
The cheapest option i think i would choose would be a 909 in .45.

To go along with the high power airgun your going to at least need a pump, but more likely a set of refillable tanks. these would be useable on a lighter pcp as well.

Airguns are fun and cheap to get into, but when your looking at achieving the kind of power and penetration you need to securely take big game your cost increase exponentially.

I did the pcp thing for a while, its alot cheaper now, and were i getting into hunting with airguns seriously id would probably start with pcps.

While I think it would probably work with good shot placement, I don't think it would be ideal.
I've never tried to shoot a 'coon or bobcat, only ever saw them when visiting my uncle on the mainland.
From my understanding they are fairly tough, and in the 15-20lb range, they are at the edge of what I'd expect a low, medium power .25 to be reliability able to kill.
So let's say for something in the 20lb range a 30+ get pellet at 800+ fps, that should give you plenty of penetration for vitals or nervous system shots.

Again tho I would probably be more comfortable with and suggest a .30 Cal for animals that size, if you wanted to be safe a .357.

One way to look at its consider what powder cartridge people consider acceptable, then look and see how close an air rifle comes to duplicating the weight, and velocity.

One of the things that makes airguns both interesting and annoying is they have a fairly small "optimum" operational window, when we're talking about shooting animals.
The .357s maybe the most versitile of any of them, and while I would generally want heavier for stuff like hogs, specially big ones, they are about perfect for shooting game Up to about 75-100lbs if they game is fairly soft.

I Do known guy who uses a .357 bulldog for keeping the pigs out of his garden here, he's lost a few, but not many.

LoonWulf said:

The cheapest option i think i would choose would be a 909 in .45.

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That's the route I would go for a serious hunting air rifle.

OP, remember a couple of things with airgun hunting:

-One, even the most powerful airguns have terminal ballistics on par with a .38 snubby.

-Two, there's substantial uncorking pressure with them; they'll be nearly as loud as an actual firearm.

These folks will do you right: http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/

Same with these folks: https://www.pyramydair.com/

Now, once you get serious you have a choice of the very few pump airguns worth a while, or refilling or getting a pump.
I got this one (.25 cal), works great and I don't have to refill or buy a pump:



http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/precharged-pcp/fx-independence/

If you want to go pre-charged, you pretty much can't go wrong with Air Force:


http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/big-bore-airguns/airforce-airguns-texan/

but you're limited to a scuba tank and filling station unless you get a pump:



http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/pcp-accessories/hill-mk4-air-pump/

http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/pcp-accessories/hill-mk4-air-pump-with-dry-air-system/

Hunting...the question was about what model. I had written that I would go for .45:50 caliber
I have a SamYang 909. .457LRBs chronoed at 705fps. Then 200 grain 458 LSWCs at 603 FPS (ME = 160 ftlbs)
If I do buy another pcp rifle, it will be the .45 version of the Air Force Texan which effectively doubles the energy of the 909.

MachIVshooter said:

That's the route I would go for a serious hunting air rifle.

OP, remember a couple of things with airgun hunting:

-One, even the most powerful airguns have terminal ballistics on par with a .38 snubby.

-Two, there's substantial uncorking pressure with them; they'll be nearly as loud as an actual firearm.

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Not quite true. There are air rifles that put out the energy of a 357 Magnum, around 700fpe give or take.
Some people run their guns on helium and get over 1,000fpe. I have seen Buffalo, and Cape buffalo, taken with air rifles.
A lot of newer guns have barrel shrouds that render them considerably quieter than a firearm. And there are aftermarket moderators (suppressors, silencers) that can be adapted to almost any air rifle, making them much much quieter than a firearm.[/QUOTE]

The best air gun to cover the range of animals that you suggested would be a PCP, not a break barrel. The Sumatra 2500 carbine is a lever action 6 shot repeater, PCP air rifle. It has adjustable power, and shoots many different pellets very accurately. The 25 caliber puts out about 90fpe which is just shy of a .22 caliber lr firearm. And it shoots slugs up to about 60gn as well as pellets. That i s plenty of power for hogs and furbearers. You can dial the power down for smaller critters. I have one and I absolutely love it. It does cost considerably more money to get into PCP airguns, but if you can afford it they are a joy to shoot. They blow away springers and gas piston guns.

www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Seneca_Sumatra_2500_Carbine/463

Gadsden2A said:

Not quite true. There are air rifles that put out the energy of a 357 Magnum, around 700fpe give or take.
Some people run their guns on helium and get over 1,000fpe. I have seen Buffalo, and Cape buffalo, taken with air rifles.

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Where? Highest I've ever seen them rated for first shot is 500 FPE, and that's an **Up to, **Depending on caliber, **Depending on pellet weight. Most of them are 200 or less.

Driving a 200 gr. bullet to 1,500 FPS is gonna require a lot more pressure than any PCP rifle can handle.

Gadsden2A said:

A lot of newer guns have barrel shrouds that render them considerably quieter than a firearm. And there are aftermarket moderators (suppressors, silencers) that can be adapted to almost any air rifle, making them much much quieter than a firearm.

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If they are not integral, they are NFA regulated silencers in the USA. If you're gonna have to pay the tax anyway, might as well put it on a less expensive and more powerful real firearm.

Gadsden2A said:

The best air gun to cover the range of animals that you suggested would be a PCP, not a break barrel. The Sumatra 2500 carbine is a lever action 6 shot repeater, PCP air rifle. It has adjustable power, and shoots many different pellets very accurately. The 25 caliber puts out about 90fpe which is just shy of a .22 caliber lr firearm. And it shoot slugs up to about 60gn as well as pellets. That i s plenty of power for hogs and furbearers.

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The site says 910 FPS max with 35 gr. pellet for .25 cal; that's 65 FPE.

.22 LR runs from 130 FPE with standard velocity up to over 200 FPE with high velocity, and I wouldn't consider it anywhere near adequate for hogs. Just because one is not using gunpowder doesn't mean the penetration requirements are any less.

I like air rifles, and there are some pretty powerful ones compared to the air guns of yore, but they don't even approach the ballistics and capabilities of smokeless powder cartridges.

MachIVshooter said:

Where? Highest I've ever seen them rated for first shot is 500 FPE, and that's an **Up to, **Depending on caliber, **Depending on pellet weight. Most of them are 200 or less.

Driving a 200 gr. bullet to 1,500 FPS is gonna require a lot more pressure than any PCP rifle can handle.



If they are not integral, they are NFA regulated silencers in the USA. If you're gonna have to pay the tax anyway, might as well put it on a less expensive and more powerful real firearm.



The site says 910 FPS max with 35 gr. pellet for .25 cal; that's 65 FPE.

.22 LR runs from 130 FPE with standard velocity up to over 200 FPE with high velocity, and I wouldn't consider it anywhere near adequate for hogs. Just because one is not using gunpowder doesn't mean the penetration requirements are any less.

I like air rifles, and there are some pretty powerful ones compared to the air guns of yore, but they don't even approach the ballistics and capabilities of smokeless powder cartridges.

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Again, not quite true. The 50 caliber Extreme Big Bore air rifle shoots a 350 grain slug at 930 ft per second for 672 foot-pounds of energy. Their .72 caliber air rifle shoots a 435 grain slug at 904 feet per second for 789 foot-pounds of energy.


Suppressors designed for air guns are not NFA regulated. There is case law to back that up. I can dig it up for you if you need it. And there are people who have been selling them online for years.
https://donnyfl.com

130fpe is certainly not the low end for 22LR cartridges. It's more like the average. Yes there are some that go over 200, but there are many that are around 100-130fpe, some even less.
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I know people that hunt hogs with sub 200fpe air rifles and they have killed hundreds of them. Big ones too. What you lack in power, you make up for with shot placement.

As for the Sumatra, it has more power than its stated on the website. Everybody who owns one knows it. It's common knowledge. I just looked up one of my old shot strings that I ran across the chrony. It shoots 43 grain pellets at 977fps for 91fpe, on high power.

Air rifles are great and I like them a lot. That said to get the power to kill a hog effectively and consistently is likely a PCP proposal and will take your part for shot placement. I got out of the PCP game myself as I just didn't care for the tanks and extras that they took. Like a simple springer or nitro piston and keep the game to a size those will handle. Many "strong" air guns are still around the .22 LR or lower power band. Great fun but please understand their limits. Also, trying to go from squirrel to hog is a bit to ask. You will either be blowing squirrels apart or injuring many hogs.

LoonWulf said:

Any .22 caliber that delivers 650+fps with 13grn pellets should be capable of taking squirrels at reasonable ranges, but If your looking at shooting stuff larger like big rabbits, I would want a gun that delivered at least 25gr pellets at 650+ so heavy .22 or .25+.
If your going for stuff larger than that your squarely into the medium bore PCP airgun territory.

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.......... I agree..... My .22 cal. Benjamin Trail Nitro Piston 2 gets limited nothing bigger than squrrels and on those I now limit myself to 20-25 yards max. That's reasonable range for squirrels.... If I ever decide on bigger game and/or longer distances with an air rifle then it's time to start looking at PCP stuff of at least .22 cal; preferably .25 or more.

. The 50 caliber Extreme Big Bore air rifle shoots a 350 grain slug at 930 ft per second for 672 foot-pounds of energy. Their .72 caliber air rifle shoots a 435 grain slug at 904 feet per second for 789 foot-pounds

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Manufacturer, please?

Pete D. said:

Manufacturer, please?

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www.extremebigboreairrifles.com

Something you have to remember with the largest air guns is that youv'e only got 1 good shot, sometimes 2 with the highest pressure, largest reservoir models. After that your getting significant velocity loss for every shot.
Airgun bullets (not pellets) are also light for caliber making their penetration less than a comparable loading in a cartridge rifle. They also do not deliver the velocity for shock induced trauma.
Correct application is much like archery, except the wound channel from a big broad head is larger than that delivered by anything but the largest airgun, and an arrow from even an light compound or modern traditional bow will out penetrate an airgun
I say this not to dissuade anyone who is interested in taking up the sport and challenge of using an airgun to take game, just be aware of the challenge this types of weapons pose.

LoonWulf said:

Something you have to remember with the largest air guns is that youv'e only got 1 good shot, sometimes 2 with the highest pressure, largest reservoir models. After that your getting significant velocity loss for every shot.
Airgun bullets (not pellets) are also light for caliber making their penetration less than a comparable loading in a cartridge rifle. They also do not deliver the velocity for shock induced trauma.
Correct application is much like archery, except the wound channel from a big broad head is larger than that delivered by anything but the largest airgun, and an arrow from even an light compound or modern traditional bow will out penetrate an airgun
I say this not to dissuade anyone who is interested in taking up the sport and challenge of using an airgun to take game, just be aware of the challenge this types of weapons pose.

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What you said about 1-2 shots is true for a lot of big bore airguns but not all of them. The technology is advancing rapidly. The best airguns now have regulators which renders them much more efficient.
The America are arms Slayer in .357 will give you six shots with a 140g slug, at 950fps delivering 275fpe.
americanairarms.com/product/slayer-hi-power-bullpup/

I would not call a 250 grain slug 'light' for a 45 caliber rifle. You're right about the hydrostatic shock. The one thing air rifles lack over firearms is velocity. Penetration comes down to bullet design. I have seen complete pass-thrus on hogs and deer with air rifles.

Compared to a .45cal rifle projectile 250s on the light side, it's about comparable to a standard loading in a handgun. As has been suggested previously, the heavy pcps basically deliver similar performance as a standard cartridge, of similar caliber, from a handgun.
The airrifles are usually more accurate (easier to shoot if nothing else), and often quieter, even when used sans can or shroud.
Plenty of pigs and deer have fallen to 45 acps, and 38s, and again I have little issue with guys going after them with the big airguns.
That .357s 140s at 950 would be as light as I'd considered for general bunting, but again that's personal preference, much like the "smallest deer cartridge" thread in hunting right now. A good shot, willing to wait for the right opportunity, can make things work where others aren't reliably able to do so.

I feel much that way about shooting bigger animals with airguns. Even the biggest .50s and .75s, are light for the game they are offten used on, buffalo etc. But a good, patient shot can make them work well....I'd still be much happier backed up by a cartridge rifle we're I the airgunner.

LoonWulf said:

Compared to a .45cal rifle projectile 250s on the light side, it's about comparable to a standard loading in a handgun. As has been suggested previously, the heavy pcps basically deliver similar performance as a standard cartridge, of similar caliber, from a handgun.
The airrifles are usually more accurate (easier to shoot if nothing else), and often quieter, even when used sans can or shroud.
Plenty of pigs and deer have fallen to 45 acps, and 38s, and again I have little issue with guys going after them with the big airguns.
That .357s 140s at 950 would be as light as I'd considered for general bunting, but again that's personal preference, much like the "smallest deer cartridge" thread in hunting right now. A good shot, willing to wait for the right opportunity, can make things work where others aren't reliably able to do so.

I feel much that way about shooting bigger animals with airguns. Even the biggest .50s and .75s, are light for the game they are offten used on, buffalo etc. But a good, patient shot can make them work well....I'd still be much happier backed up by a cartridge rifle we're I the airgunner.

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Agree. Shot placement is critical for airgun hunters. As is knowing the anatomy of your quarry.