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rimfire vs fac air rifle


simon6ppc
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This is an interesting question and I think it depends on what you get first - I have both on my cert and bought a .22 rimfire first - therefore didnt need the fac air , extra cost and not much extra benefit. However now, knowing and with hindsight, I might have started with an Fac air and not bought a rimfire. The rimfire is quite dangerous with ricochets and I now shoot only subs. On balance I would have gone for an HMR or a .17 hornet for vermin and fox. Its a more expensive round but I think, much safer..

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most of my rabbit shooting is done now with a 22 fac air rifle,due to safety .just wondering which do you guys use most out of the two.as to me an fac air gun that shoots bang on can match a subsonic bullet.

 

The answer here will depend on personal preference/availability.

 

The real answer in an ideal world where all tools are available, will depend on selecting the right tool for each individual job.

 

Most FAC Air is in the order of, or less than, 30ft lb. Most .22lr subs are in the order of 100ft lb.

 

They are NOT the same, so it isn't a matter of what you prefer, it is a matter of what is best for any specific job!

 

I have FAC Air and 2 x .22lr, and 12ft lb Air and HMR and WMR, etc etc. I use the most appropriate tool for the job, the one I prefer is the one that does the specific job best.

 

:good:

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Well there is a big difference between a .22 sub and a .22 fac air. I use both and the FAC air only comes out for specific tasks. At 30ft lb a .22 bis mag will easy wound a rabbit at 50yds were a .22 sub will finish the job with equal placement- ok smack in the brain and dead is dead with either. Consider wind though, shooting the other day using FAC air and .22 sub side by side at 50yds. Shooting at a 1" circle the LR put all the shots inside and to exact piont of aim, yet the airgun put 1/2 its group to one side (point of aim with windage held across upwind) and the other half on the far side. The only way around this is to totally time you shooting between gusts which is darn difficult in the field and near impossible at night.

 

Mentioning 70yds there is a country mile between the two, its beyond sensible range with my FAC rapid- ok it has the power but even without wind its groups are not exactly stunning, the LR will put in better at 100!

 

Case in point i am considering selling mine to a freind and retaining the use of it on my FAC as he has lots of use for it and for me its a special tool for special circumstances- the two aint apples and apples

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The truth of the matter is that FAC air only beats 22 rimfire on the basis of safety with less power and less chance of ricochets, but even they will still ricochet readily if the ground is dry or stony.

 

You can hit a rabbit pretty much anywhere with a rimfire and it will stop it dead but FAC air still needs good shot placement, so apart from the safety aspect the 22 rim wins everytime.

 

I went with the safety angle myself and use FAC air but you definitely have to work harder to make it worthwhile.

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i had a12fpe.177 wich i used for years and loved. then i got my fac and got a .22lr which i loved for its extra range and power over the air rifle. a few months ago i got a 17hmr and for me and my land is the most gun i need. but since then i have been thinking that i would be batter with fac air/ hmr combo. fac air for a short range/ stalking/ cheep to plink and hmr for longer range static shooting

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As a counter point though for us country dwelers if you approach the average farmer for permission and say air rifle his thoughts are likely to be 'what are you going to do supress it whilst coleague moves in with stick and hits it round the head' we know they will do the job but farmers like big noisy shotguns and rimfires as a generalisation.

 

Also on the note of safety if you shoot properly theres no difference between a 50. and a .177 (the 50 may be considered slightly excessive on rats and may destroy the shed that the grain is in as much as the rat) there should be no need to improve safety becuase you should be completely safe it has nothing to do with the weaapon.

 

REMEMBER guns dont kill people, people do. :good:

if thats a surprise to you start thinking about gun safety :exclamation:

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As a counter point though for us country dwelers if you approach the average farmer for permission and say air rifle his thoughts are likely to be 'what are you going to do supress it whilst coleague moves in with stick and hits it round the head' we know they will do the job but farmers like big noisy shotguns and rimfires as a generalisation.

 

Also on the note of safety if you shoot properly theres no difference between a 50. and a .177 (the 50 may be considered slightly excessive on rats and may destroy the shed that the grain is in as much as the rat) there should be no need to improve safety becuase you should be completely safe it has nothing to do with the weaapon.

 

REMEMBER guns dont kill people, people do. :good:

if thats a surprise to you start thinking about gun safety :exclamation:

 

yep, many landowners see airguns as a joke or the gun of choice for poachers, beginers or urban thugs. The FAC air realy can do things an LR cannot safely and accuratly though that only includes things like squizzers from trees and the likes.

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yep, many landowners see airguns as a joke or the gun of choice for poachers, beginers or urban thugs. The FAC air realy can do things an LR cannot safely and accuratly though that only includes things like squizzers from trees and the likes.

 

Yeah a 50 on a tree would probably count as deforsetation. Its quiter but as I said all guns should be equally safe and used for suitable things. If youve got an fac and space you may as well go for live fire as it will probably be cheaper and more effective.

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The answer here will depend on personal preference/availability.

 

The real answer in an ideal world where all tools are available, will depend on selecting the right tool for each individual job.

 

Most FAC Air is in the order of, or less than, 30ft lb. Most .22lr subs are in the order of 100ft lb.

 

They are NOT the same, so it isn't a matter of what you prefer, it is a matter of what is best for any specific job!

 

I have FAC Air and 2 x .22lr, and 12ft lb Air and HMR and WMR, etc etc. I use the most appropriate tool for the job, the one I prefer is the one that does the specific job best.

 

:good:

I'd have to agree with that.
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Yeah a 50 on a tree would probably count as deforsetation. Its quiter but as I said all guns should be equally safe and used for suitable things. If youve got an fac and space you may as well go for live fire as it will probably be cheaper and more effective.

I think you will find youself fairly liable shooting into trees with subs. With one past death thus created a trespasser picnicing hit in the eye into the brain and a kid not long back hit in the scull from some distance away

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yep, many landowners see airguns as a joke or the gun of choice for poachers, beginers or urban thugs. The FAC air realy can do things an LR cannot safely and accuratly though that only includes things like squizzers from trees and the likes.

 

What a ridiculous comment ....I know of no land owners that would class an Airgun as a joke and I have perms off 6 farmers who are more than happy for us to use airguns as well as shotguns. Where do you get this information!?

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As a counter point though for us country dwelers if you approach the average farmer for permission and say air rifle his thoughts are likely to be 'what are you going to do supress it whilst coleague moves in with stick and hits it round the head' we know they will do the job but farmers like big noisy shotguns and rimfires as a generalisation.

 

Also on the note of safety if you shoot properly theres no difference between a 50. and a .177 (the 50 may be considered slightly excessive on rats and may destroy the shed that the grain is in as much as the rat) there should be no need to improve safety becuase you should be completely safe it has nothing to do with the weaapon.

 

REMEMBER guns dont kill people, people do. :good:

if thats a surprise to you start thinking about gun safety :exclamation:

i do think about safety thats why i use a fac air when i could use my rimfire .
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What a ridiculous comment ....I know of no land owners that would class an Airgun as a joke and I have perms off 6 farmers who are more than happy for us to use airguns as well as shotguns. Where do you get this information!?

i work on a farm and i know if 2 people came asking for permission one using air gun and one with rimmy or shot gun the latter would get my bosses vote every time

 

colin

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What a ridiculous comment ....I know of no land owners that would class an Airgun as a joke and I have perms off 6 farmers who are more than happy for us to use airguns as well as shotguns. Where do you get this information!?

ye your right pal, when my mates who are farmers see me kill magpies etc at 60 yards even more they know air guns are not toys.on the ground or with a safe backstop that is... Edited by simon6ppc
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ye your right pal, when my mates who are farmers see me kill magpies etc at 60 yards even more they know air guns are not toys.

 

Yes but often without proof farmers dont respect them and I have said country dwelers not essex which makes a bit of a difference without getting personal!

 

You should only shoot against a safe backstop so I dont really know what your talking about with pellets missing the tree and entering eyes. This is my exact point any gun can be dangerous if the owner is dangerous.

 

An fac is cheaper and unless your worried about noise more effective!

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I cut my rifle shooting teeth on air rifles in the early- mid 1970s, but I gave most of my air rifles away and these days only use powder rifles although there is an elderly 177 Airsporter in the cabinet.. Since VHD wiped my rabbits out some years ago my main targets these days are winged vermin and a few foxes.

 

FAC air weapons do have their place especially pre charged which are far more accurate I found than 22LR over 50 yards. Its just that once you have used powder rifles there is no real way back. Using air rifles and needing to get in to 20 -25 yards teaches you how to stalk and use the wind which in itself is a worthy goal for a future in maybe deer stalking etc.

 

A

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Fac air has its place firmly in my armoury,my x3 fac air which has air guns powered from 26fpe ,48fpe, and 60fpe all have a specific use,

the 26fpe .20 rapid being my most used fac airgun ideal for roosting pigeons knocks over tree rats like skittles,the other fac air is used

on shoots where i cannot use rimfires because of land layout,plus i enjoy using airguns.

atb brian

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I have a 22lr and an .22 fac falcon and use them both regularly. In my eyes it depends on your permissions, some of mine are small holdings with 1-5 acre fields with plenty of trees so the fac 22 is nice to be able to pick off a Magpie, pigeon, crow or squizzer while out bunnie bashing. Where as I also have permissions with 10-20 acre fields and upwards where I use the 22lr/hmr/wmr!

 

Fac air has its place firmly in my armoury,my x3 fac air which has air guns powered from 26fpe ,48fpe, and 60fpe all have a specific use,

the 26fpe .20 rapid being my most used fac airgun ideal for roosting pigeons knocks over tree rats like skittles,the other fac air is used

on shoots where i cannot use rimfires because of land layout,plus i enjoy using airguns.

atb brian

 

My falcon prairie is 31fpe and I more than happy with that fr long range plinking. I have looked at the higher powered fac air rifles for lamping but having to take your bottle with you to refill would be a pain I think.

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Using air rifles and needing to get in to 20 -25 yards teaches you how to stalk and use the wind which in itself is a worthy goal for a future in maybe deer stalking etc.

 

A

 

I agree completely with you on this point, using an airgun on live prey requires much more patience and skill than other disciplines IMHO.

Poor shot placement can cause undue suffering even with a .22 rimfire, on my last outing the chap I was hunting with shot a rabbit at about 50m which was left alive and crippled by his shot, so I raised my FAC .25 Lonestar and finished the job for him.

 

Airguns are so much safer particularly when hunting prey that lives in trees (In New Zealand we have huge numbers of tree dwelling possums that are causing massive destruction to the native habitat) and the only rifle I choose to use on a block under 40 acres would be an airgun, as when using a powderburner you have to consider so much more than what is visible as the range of even a ricochet is immense when compared to an AG...

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What a ridiculous comment ....I know of no land owners that would class an Airgun as a joke and I have perms off 6 farmers who are more than happy for us to use airguns as well as shotguns. Where do you get this information!?

 

Perhaps the people you know are happy with them, but clearly not all.

 

If two people approached you, both with experience/references/availability etc all being equal, the difference being one had an air-gun and had to dress up in cammo and crawl along to get within 30 yards of a rabbit, probably can't shoot straight, and has a higher chance of wounding it, and one had a real gun who could just turn up and take them out from at least twice as far away and have a better chance of a clean kill and have many more pests controlled, who would you choose?

 

Also, having a FAC is a way of showing that your likely to be trustworthy, and not have a criminal background. Someone with just an air-gun doesn't have that, is there a reason why they can't get one? That can be a major concern on farms with valuable equipment, it's good to have an idea of someone's trustworthiness.

Other things can come into effect, but having someone with real tools that do the job properly over something that is so limited and less humane is generally a no-brainer.

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