Air Rifle Capabilities

[Wimmera]

Hi Folks,

Have been looking at air rifles for small game hunting in an area where a low noise level is the most appropriate. I'm looking at rabbits and hares; will a .17 (1250fps) or .22 calibre air rifle (985fps) reach out to 50 metres, given proper shot placement?

Also, has anyone had any experience with the Walther Dominator? Looks good on paper, and any opinions would be gratefully accepted.

Cheers!

Wimmera

 

[stubbicatt]

I would think with those velocities either will go 50 yards. A 22 long rifle will certainly do it, and it is what, 1150 fps?

Heck, I've shot prairie dogs with a 22 at about 200 yards, so I reckon you will be able to hit your target.

 

[Sav .250]

There is a tutorial on U-Tube about that . Shows a guy shooting squirrels. It does the job! Give it a look-see.

 

[RainDodger]

Yes, a good quality pellet rifle will reach out to 50 yards easily. I keep a small plastic bottle on a stick year round, that sits 44 yards from my door. Whenever I feel the need, I give it a couple of pellet whacks. Relieves the stress.

 

[jogar80]

Either will do the job, although for hunting I'd much rather go with the .22 caliber pellet. Carries more energy despite the lower velocity. Having used both before, my vote goes to the .22, easily.

 

[harvester]

Yes go with 22.

 

[BCRider]

As it happens I just heard a fast pellet rifle shot this past weekend. Lower velocity pellet rifles might well be quiet. But these faster pellet guns generate quite the CRACK! when they go off. It sounded like it wasn't that much more quiet than a lot of .22LR options. For example a CCI SV round from a longer barrel is about the same noise. A .22Short would be MUCH more quiet than these fast air rifles. And a CB cap round would sound like someone spitting at the game.

There's lots of accounts of folks using CB cap rounds in such rifles to keep down squirrel and rat problems and do it so quietly that folks in the house aren't bothered at all. And 50 yards isn't much in the grand scheme of things.

Now on the other hand your username suggests that you're from down in Auz. If so then your laws might well make it MUCH easier to get an air rifle of this sort where even a .22 is seen as "one of those evil guns". If so then you're on the right track with your option of an air rifle. Just don't expect any of them shooting at these sort of velocities to be all that quiet.

 

[jogar80]

I currently use a Gamo break barrel in .22 for pests. Anything from rats to possums and racoons are on the hit list. This rifle lists the velocity as 800fps. When you shoot it with an empty barrel, it does sound quite like a .22lr, but actually shooting a pellet out of it is VERY quiet.... as expected from an air rifle. I'm sure if you stick to rifles in the more common velocities noise will not be a problem, and with the .22 pellet, effectiveness won't be a problem either.

 

[rhinoh]

I wouldn't go with a pellet rifle for quiet. 22 CB's in my Henry lever are quieter than either of my .22 pellet guns- an old Benjamin 392 pump and a returned Benjamin Nitro piston .22. The Nitro was much louder than my Henry and less accurate by far then either it or the Benjamin pump.
Now if you need to shoot in area that forbids powder weapons- go air.

Somewhere in the airgun/non firearms section here I detailed my issues with the Nitro.....

 

[Gtscotty]

Back in December I decided to pick up an air rifle for discrete squirrel suppression around my house. Even though I have all kinds of quiet .22 ammo and a suppressor, it is not legal for me to discharge a firearm in my area... I suspect a lot of folks are under this limitation.

I wound up going with a .22 pellet gun because over and over again, online, folks mentioned how the new supersonic .177 pellet guns were quite loud. The Benjamin Titan Nitro GP I picked up has been great, especially for only being $150. The accuracy with Crossman Premier HP pellets is very good, and the rifle knocks down squirrels pretty well (although still not as well as a .22 LR). The only downsides to the Benjamin are the terrible scope it comes with and the mile-long, gritty trigger pull. The trigger I've learned to live with, even though there are highly rated replacements available online for $35. The scope on the other hand will get replaced as soon as I get around to it. Just my $.02, but It seems like the new gas filled piston guns are probably worth "springing" for over a traditional spring powered rifle.

 

[280shooter]

any spring powered air gun will kill the best high powered rifle scope, always buy a scope made for Air rifles..
I have a Rws , in 177,and i killed ground hogs with it..one shot kills and lots of squirrels, Rabits just jump in the air,,Dead,, Lewis and Clark used Air rifles, when they were on there quest,that's all they had to kill game,,

I would love to buy a quackenbush air rifle.

 

[Epee]

Try Airguns of Az.

 

[mr.trooper]

A .22 caliber projectile at 900+ FPS isn't going to be quiet, propelled by air or otherwise.

High velocity, high power airguns are not quiet. PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) guns are all quite loud by nature - a very high pressure (3000+ PSI) burst of air can be QUITE loud, especially when you add the crack of a super sonic projectile on top of it.

If you want to stay quiet, then you need to stay well under the sound barrier. If you want more power then, you can not increase velocity or you will make more noise. Larger / heavier projectiles are the only practical answer for this.

A 25 or 30 caliber projectile at 700-800 fps will anchor any kind of small game at normal hunting distances, and do it with FAR less noise than any souped up high velocity 22 or 177 airgun.

Beeman and Walther both offer excellent beak barrel 25s, and various custom makers will Taylor you a 00 or 000 buckshot air rifle that fit well into the appropriate velocity ranges.

 

[HankC]

.22 is desirable for rabbit size animals. Not many .22 air rifles will go 900+ fps unless PCP. May need 900+ fps if you want to hunt up to 50 yds; otherwise, significant drop need to be considered. 30 yds is more feasible for air rifles unless PCP.

 

[GCBurner]

A .50 calibre airgun can do a bit more than a .177, .20, or .22.
http://www.pyramydair.com/article/_50_Caliber_Dragon_Slayer_Air_Rifle_December_2007/45

 

[d2wing]

I have a .22 cal air rifle QB 78 sold by Flying Dragon air rifles, the same gun is sold by Archer guns and under a different name at Pyramid. It shoot .22 pellets at 700 fps as tuned and Chrono'd by Mike at Flying Dragon. It is quieter and more accurate than any break barrel I have shot. It uses 2 co2 cartridges. There is a version that uses the larger cartridges or can be adapted to bulk fill. Head shots are no problem at 25 yards. I haven't shot it for accuracy at 50. Quieter and safer than .22CB. Quieter and more effective and much more accurate than the crappy GAMO Bone Collector I wasted money on first.

 

[artyparty01]

air rifle for small game

I own 2 airguns, one is a benjamin marauder in 25 cal, pre charged pneumatic 8 shot repeater. I have taken racoons,possums,countless squirrels, crows out to 70 yards. my other is a big bore in 308, this gun can take deer out to 150 yards. both guns shoot at a pressure of 3000 psi and can filled with a hand pump or hpa tank. for small game tho either a 22 or a 25 will do the job. good luck

 

[mdauben]

I'm looking at rabbits and hares; will a .17 (1250fps) or .22 calibre air rifle (985fps) reach out to 50 metres, given proper shot placement?

I think I'd go with the .22 choice for your use.

The main reason I would make that choice is that at 1250FPS the .177 caliber pellet if starting off faster than the speed of sound. By 50m its going to have dropped to below the speed of sound, and you will loose accuracy in that transition. For most air guns accurate shot placement is key, even for small game, so all other things being equal the .22 should be more accurate.