NewbieShot Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Hey, I'm relatively new to using air rifles and was wondering which is the best pellet size? I heard .22's give more killing capacity but .177's travel faster?? Any help would be much appreaciated thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewj Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 neither is better than the other in all fairness if i was hunting just rabbits id go for .22 i have had bunnies at 35 yards plus clean kill with .177 if your really want to get technical get a .20 as that is bigger than .177 (benefit of 22) but has a flatter trajectory and apparently deeper penetration (the .177 benefit) hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 It's an old debate with no real answer, it's just personal preference. I grew up with .22 with the idea that .177 was a bit 'wimpy' but I was converted to .177 by the flatter trajectory (which is a bit more forgiving if you get the range wrong) and the realisation that it will kill cleanly at all air rifle ranges as, although the pellets are lighter, they travel faster. Basically, it won't matter what you use as long as you practice lots and get to know your points of impact at different ranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 It's an old debate with no real answer, it's just personal preference. I grew up with .22 with the idea that .177 was a bit 'wimpy' but I was converted to .177 by the flatter trajectory (which is a bit more forgiving if you get the range wrong) and the realisation that it will kill cleanly at all air rifle ranges as, although the pellets are lighter, they travel faster. Basically, it won't matter what you use as long as you practice lots and get to know your points of impact at different ranges. Perfectly put U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie g Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 177 for me in 12ftlb 22 in fac form Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.I.A Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I've used both to great effect so I'd be happy with either. Although I prefer pcps in 177 and springers in 22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I was .22 until I tried the .177,now all I use in non FAC is .177! My motto is .177 in non FAC and .22 in FAC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) neither is better than the other in all fairness if i was hunting just rabbits id go for .22 i have had bunnies at 35 yards plus clean kill with .177 if your really want to get technical get a .20 as that is bigger than .177 (benefit of 22) but has a flatter trajectory and apparently deeper penetration (the .177 benefit)hope this helps Or put another way, the .20 doesn't hit as hard as a .22 and doesn't fly as fast as a .177! Edited January 24, 2012 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Must surely be the most asked question in air guns, .177 or .22? If anyone ever comes up with the definitive answer let me know! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 At the end of the day it's up to individual preference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Albert Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 This question has opened the biggest can of worms for a long time. Yes .177 is flatter tragectory but .22 has greater stopping power. It's swings and roundabouts really. Personally I prefer .22 for bunnies as I like the stopping power but it all depends on ranges. More important is field craft. If you can't get close enough then it don't matter what cal you are using, they will all bve tucked up in their burrows before you get any where close. It has got to be a clean kill as we owe it to our quarry to ensure a clean kill. Nowt worse than wounding a bunny and to see it slink away into brambles where you can't get it. Whichever you use make sure you practise a lot until you can hit a mint at 35 yds. Then go for bunnies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbieShot Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Brilliant, thanks guys, really helpful :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eccles Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 I was .22 until I tried the .177,now all I use in non FAC is .177! My motto is .177 in non FAC and .22 in FAC! The same here .22 in fac awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Now I don't want to cause a row but I do think it is misleading to suggest a 22 has more stopping power. It has no more really! Of all the shot game that I have found other air gun pellets in the majority are 22, only a few have revealed a previous with 177! Usually all of them healed up and fine. I use to use 22 extensively years ago, the turning point for me was when I shot a young rabbit and had to procede to chase it around to catch it. On cleaning I found the pellet had passed straight through the heart. How this rabbit carried on I would never of thought it possible (back then). Anyway I switched to 177 and just went for the heads from then on, 177 makes that a little easier. U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Now I don't want to cause a row but I do think it is misleading to suggest a 22 has more stopping power. It has no more really! Of all the shot game that I have found other air gun pellets in the majority are 22, only a few have revealed a previous with 177! Usually all of them healed up and fine. I use to use 22 extensively years ago, the turning point for me was when I shot a young rabbit and had to procede to chase it around to catch it. On cleaning I found the pellet had passed straight through the heart. How this rabbit carried on I would never of thought it possible (back then). Anyway I switched to 177 and just went for the heads from then on, 177 makes that a little easier. U. To be fair, .22 does carry a little more energy at range whereas .177 will loose more on it's journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 To be fair, .22 does carry a little more energy at range whereas .177 will loose more on it's journey. Thanks but,,,,, energy is usually valued in ft/lbs today and unfortunatly it has no bearing in the killing abilities of pellets or even bullets! It is simply a mathmatical equation and to rely on it in the field is flawed! At this stage I am not sure of your statment, however I do know 177 usually prints tighter groups, fly's flatter and penertrates a little deeper. No mathmatical equation needed just 33 years of trying U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbieShot Posted January 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks but,,,,, energy is usually valued in ft/lbs today and unfortunatly it has no bearing in the killing abilities of pellets or even bullets! It is simply a mathmatical equation and to rely on it in the field is flawed! At this stage I am not sure of your statment, however I do know 177 usually prints tighter groups, fly's flatter and penertrates a little deeper. No mathmatical equation needed just 33 years of trying U. Im not one for equations! Basically I heard .22 will deliver more impact force due to it's larger size, therefore increasing it's killing ability? But a .177 travels faster and hits harder but caus of it's smaller size can pass through the animal and not deliver all it's power? just wondering what's the preferred option for you hunters? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Im not one for equations! Basically I heard .22 will deliver more impact force due to it's larger size, therefore increasing it's killing ability? But a .177 travels faster and hits harder but caus of it's smaller size can pass through the animal and not deliver all it's power? just wondering what's the preferred option for you hunters? :) Thats an interesting theory, however when given thought it soon is apparent it is not that simple. The first thing to remember is nothing is really killed by impact force. It is killed via bleeding, it can be internally causing a major organ failure or it can be via the animal draining out. An impact force is only part of the mechanism we are using in tnis case to achieve bleeding. Now lets look at the 22, folks believe that because of it's weight and size it offers more of a force on the target and as you say a 177 can pass through. Put differently, by default the 177 by passing through has created two bleeding out holes. Large game shooters always prefere a bullet that gives to holes! Most 22 pellets stay in the quarry so that actually means the pellet has slowed down to zero fps in a couple of inch to say four inch. As that is the case some of those disturbed tissues have been able to move around the passing pellet and avoid being ruptured and any ruptured vessels that do occure have only the one hole to drain out of! Short of mashing brain and or the nervous system of which once again the 177 is more than capable of too! Once again I say both work. I only go for heads and necks nowadays anyway. I can sometimes(!)reliably do that to 40+yds with a good 177. With a 22 I don't like doing the same beyond 30yds (12ft/lb). Best wishes. Underdog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewj Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 this was also done to death and reincarnation on the agf and some wizz wrote **** loads of formulas and cam up with the answer than on average in hunting situation 177 is just as good if theres little or no winds ,higher you have 1.5% better chance of due to power and the amount of blow or what ever you want to call it cant remember the exact ins and outs of tho so this will have to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Half the problem is pellet choice, a .177 pcp firing a heavy magnum type pellet will have more stopping power at 40 metres than a .22 flat head pellet, it will also be more accurate. I have both calibres in PCP, I tend to use .22 more in winter and .177 in summer, it means I have taken more rabbits with .177 than .22 and more birds with .22 than .177 (which is totally opposite to the old saying .177 for feather and .22 for fur). Basically try both, find which you like best and stick with it! Makes no difference hit the right place with either and the prey will die. Pellet choice is more important. A domed pellet is the best for hunting! Stay away from cheap pellets (like Spitfires), spending a bit more on a decent pellet pays dividends in the long run. I use Crosman Premier Ultra Magnums in both calibres, they work very well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 In my experience .22 delivers more damage than .177. Momentum counts. However, at puny 12ft/lb levels killing is done by hitting exactly the right spot and .177 is a fair bit easier to shoot in the field. You are more likely to hit that right spot with .177 and in my opinion that makes the .177 the better hunting calibre. I'm not saying that .177 is more accurate than .22, just that it is easier to use and therefore more likely to hit the very small killzone needed with such a low powered weapon. I don't use .22 for hunting now, but for plinking it is the best - watch those targets fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 In my experience .22 delivers more damage than .177. Momentum counts. However, at puny 12ft/lb levels killing is done by hitting exactly the right spot and .177 is a fair bit easier to shoot in the field. You are more likely to hit that right spot with .177 and in my opinion that makes the .177 the better hunting calibre. I'm not saying that .177 is more accurate than .22, just that it is easier to use and therefore more likely to hit the very small killzone needed with such a low powered weapon. I don't use .22 for hunting now, but for plinking it is the best - watch those targets fly Now why couldn't I of put it like that My hunting these days seems to be changing, I am enjoying hunting in close these days more than ever. It is a buzz when I get less than 15yards on rabbits or what ever and I am seriously interested in getting a nice open sighted 22 just for the sport of it. Dunno which one though U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbieShot Posted January 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thats an interesting theory, however when given thought it soon is apparent it is not that simple. The first thing to remember is nothing is really killed by impact force. It is killed via bleeding, it can be internally causing a major organ failure or it can be via the animal draining out. An impact force is only part of the mechanism we are using in tnis case to achieve bleeding. Now lets look at the 22, folks believe that because of it's weight and size it offers more of a force on the target and as you say a 177 can pass through. Put differently, by default the 177 by passing through has created two bleeding out holes. Large game shooters always prefere a bullet that gives to holes! Most 22 pellets stay in the quarry so that actually means the pellet has slowed down to zero fps in a couple of inch to say four inch. As that is the case some of those disturbed tissues have been able to move around the passing pellet and avoid being ruptured and any ruptured vessels that do occure have only the one hole to drain out of! Short of mashing brain and or the nervous system of which once again the 177 is more than capable of too! Once again I say both work. I only go for heads and necks nowadays anyway. I can sometimes(!)reliably do that to 40+yds with a good 177. With a 22 I don't like doing the same beyond 30yds (12ft/lb). Best wishes. Underdog. Brilliant mate, LOADS of help!!!!!! I think I'll change to the .177 for a while caus with any sub-12ft.lbs. I think head shots will be necessary and it seems this will give me better accuracy over the longer distances compared to the .22 Thanks again guys and now doubt I'll be posting more queries soon! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I only use .22, mainly cos I drop .177's when my hands are cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks but,,,,, energy is usually valued in ft/lbs today and unfortunatly it has no bearing in the killing abilities of pellets or even bullets! It is simply a mathmatical equation and to rely on it in the field is flawed! At this stage I am not sure of your statment, however I do know 177 usually prints tighter groups, fly's flatter and penertrates a little deeper. No mathmatical equation needed just 33 years of trying U. To suggest ft lb has no bearing on killing ability is VERY flawed! Perhaps you would like to stand in front of my .308 at 2,800ft lb and tell me that! The only reason a .177 may produce tighter groups is because it is .177, so a 1 hole group is .177", the best a .22 can do is .22". That's why the .177 is commonly used for target, it's easier to get inside the rings, it isn't more accurate. The .22 holds its energy better and will commonly deliver that energy better, as it is likely to stay in the quarry more often than a .177, the difference can be marginal, and is based on size AND weight, eg. that's why a .25 is an excellent ratting gun and a .177 would not be most peoples first choice! Yes, a .177 will commonly fly faster and flatter and penetrate further, that's why it is generally suggested it is easier to shoot! But a .22 punches a Bigger hole and will commonly deliver all its energy! The .177/.22 debate will go on forever, there are pluses and minuses to each! Based on 12ft lb air rifles! ATB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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