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.177 or .22


Timbo
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Both will do the job if the pellet is placed properly.

My personal preference is .22 but i have hunted with .177 in the past ok.

 

If you are going to do HFT or field target at all i would get the .177, because of the flatter trajectory...but the beauty of HFT is you can use .22 and not be "frowned" upon.

 

There may be an "argument" for over penetration in the .177 but as stated, if the pellets placed properly it will do the job. Thats where your skill comes in!!

 

Mike.

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Timbo,

 

It all comes down to where you place the shot, range, quarry etc.

 

Generally it is suggested .177 for feather, .22 for fur.

 

Having said that I have had successful hunting trips for rabbit at 35 m with .177 accupel killing cleanly with a head shot at that range.

 

That said the .177 has not the stopping power of the .22 and I am sad to say I have needed a second shot to finish the job on more occassions than not.

 

If you are novice Hunter I would advocate the .22 for all but pay more attention to your Pellet selection and point of aim on your quarry. It is very difficult I know to stop yourself from squeezing the trigger when the cross hairs are locked on but if I cant get a proper head shot on a bunny or head or heart shot on a bird I wont let it go...

 

If I hunt rabbit or squirrel with a .22 I generally use Bisley Pest Control or Accupell.

 

If Rook, Magpie, Pigeon or Crow is the quarry I will use .22 Powapell

 

Hope this helps

 

FM.

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A lot of people choose the .177 because they believe on average you'll have better accuracy - less drop off as mentioned earlier- and so you need to think about it less. Having said that I have a .22 and have taken many a pigeon out with head shots :D

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I have shot the .177 and .22 and I prefer the .22 because of more knock down power. Also, the .177 does have a flatter trajectory but at a longer distance it loses more of its energy, so having flatter trajectory doesn't help, especially if you are not just plinking, but hunting. What I do is I zero my rifle at a longer distance, say 35 or 40 yards, if you are to go hunting at longer distances. .22 dome pellets are the best for hunting. Practice with the gun to know how much you have to hold over if you are shooting at 50 yards and hold under if shooting at 20 or 25 yards. (that is if you zero at 35 or 40 yards)

 

Remember, usually shooting at a distance shorter than what you zero at, the pellet will fly higher than what you aim at. shooting at a range further than what you zero at, and the pellet will drop below what you are aiming at. This also happens with the .177, just that it doesn't drop as much. but the energy is greater in .22 and that is what I use for hunting.

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"The Book" says that .22 retains its energy better at long ranges, holding on to aproximately 8.6 ft/lbs at 40 m compared to about 7.5 ft/lbs for .177, but this is offset by the smaller amount of holdover that .177 has.

 

You've also got the smaller time lag that .177 has between shot and impact. I've known a long range .22 shot to miss because the rabbit has ducked (the sneaky things!) when the shot went off.

 

My personal preference is for .22 as a shot to the head will take down anything I have shot (feather or fur) so far and abody shot is more effective at longer ranges. Saying that, if you go for head shots only, you won't get the situation where you'll get inbjured quarry running off... it's either a hit (and kill) or a miss.

 

Wookie

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I would put it down to accuracy, if you find it hard to judge the hold over/ under and to judge ranges then go for .177, but if you are ok with that then by all means go for a .22, dont rule out .20 as it is the most efficient calibre for a legal limit gun, youll get roughly 700 odd fps and less of an arched trajectory than a .22, more stopping power than a .177, anyone that uses one will sing its praises.

In an ideal world the best thing to do is go for an FAC and get a gun that will make .22s fly like FAC .177s, my gun blatters Prems out at 920 fps, holdover/under is nearly non existent out to 55 yards and it still holds 20 ftlbs out there, anything hit with a 14.5 grain pellet at 800 fps is going to stay hit and does.

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