air rifle calibre

tikka 3006

Well-Known Member
hello all just wondering what calibre would ye reccomend for an air rifle. i will mainly be using it for inside barns and around farm yards and buildings with the odd rabbit thrown for good measure. the rifle i was looking at buying is the bsa r10 mk2. does anybody on here have any experience of these if so how would they be rated
 
The R10 is a great gun, you won`t go wrong with one.
As for calibre, have you much experience of any calibres already, I ask cause it can be a personal thing as much as anything else.

With sub 12ft/lb rifles, the main difference is trajectory. After a lifetime shooting 22, I`ve moved over to 177 and I love it, very flat, and you can be quite clinical with shot placement which makes it a deadly tool, Rabbits drop stone with a 177 through the brain.

I have a 22, but that is in the process of being converted to section 1, to make it shoot more like the 177! is my preference showing here !!:D

ATB
 
I would go with .22 if your thinking of taking the odd rabbit it has a bit more knock down power, .177 would be fine for pigeons in farm buildings though
 
You might have opened a can of worms here - most air-gunners have a favourite calibre and can get quite partisan about it!
I should declare at this point that my rifles are .22 cal. (I tend to use a laser rf if in doubt about ranges and use mil-dot or similar scope which make hold over a doddle).
Rake aboot is quite correct in stating that the .177 has a much flatter trajectory and as such range estimation doesn't need to be quite as spot on as with a .22.
Both calibres will kill a Rabbit or whatever legal quarry you choose to shoot with a well placed head shot.
I have heard (although not had much experience with .177) that .177 might be prone to pellets over penetrating and causing damage to buildings (ie if shooting ferals on roof beams etc).
 
calibre

i have used only the 22 calibre in an air rifle. but in rimfire i have used 22lr/22wmr and 17hmr i am currently on a 22wmr but waiting for the 17 hornett to arrive. it deems that the 177 is the calibre for the job. cheers for the advice so far thank you
 
I would go with .22 if your thinking of taking the odd rabbit it has a bit more knock down power, .177 would be fine for pigeons in farm buildings though

I have to disagree here, I drop them hard with the 177 to the head. If the pellet stays in it transfers the same amount of energy to the animal, no matter what the calibre. The power at distance is pretty similar for 177 and 22.

Only difference is perhaps a habit of passing straight through if a chest shot is taken, but I`ve found this rare, and it ends in dead bunny anyway.

I do agree that lots of folk have there own preference though, and experience shows what you favourite is.

ATB
 
.177 every time! .22 is ok if you are close range ie. no more than 25-30m. .177 will be accurate and penetrate much further out than that where a 22 cannot. Most professional pest controllers, and proficient air rifle hunters favour the .177 and for good reason!;)
MS
 
.177 if I'm using a 12lb rifle with barracuda match pellets kills anything on the spot no problem, if I'm using a fac powered 40ftlb gun which I do as well then it's got to be .22 but I did use a .20 fac gun which I liked as well but pellet choice is limited, as for which rifle then there is only one and that is a theoben rapid series gun, BSA had a lot of problems with the mk1 r10 but not so many with the mk2 but I would still go for a rapid easily modified reliable good after sales etc etc.........
 
Last edited:
id avoid the R10 loads of problems with them! weihrauch hw100 or aa s410 or daystate huntsman much better guns
 
My 'main' air rifle is .177 (Air Arms s410), and stops rabbits, rats, pigeons, etc...but I've also got a .22 BSA Ultra that's handy for snotting rats - and I've just bought a 30 ft lbs Daystate Huntsman in .22.....

Legal limit? Go for a .177, shoot stuff in the head. It won't get up.
 
id avoid the R10 loads of problems with them! weihrauch hw100 or aa s410 or daystate huntsman much better guns

That gets my vote! The HW100 has a 14 shot mag and the reloading is sooooo slick and smooth compared to the AA S410.:thumb: Not used a Daystate though.
MS
 
Do tell. I`ve heard nowt but good stuff about the BSA pcp rifles.

Go to google a type in BSA r10 problems and thou shall see I bet it's got more threads about problems related than any other pcp well known they had major problems for quite a while
 
I`ve a Daystsate air ranger and it`s some kit !! bloody superb rifle,, the 22 is a falcon raptor fn19,, thats going fac tomorrow,

Never shot the HW but heard great things, except the weight issue.

ATB
 
I used to have a .22 air gun then tried a 12flbs .177 Theoben MFR and use 10.6 gr Bisley Magnum pellets, very accurate and consistent. Won't be going back to .22.
 
i used to use .22 then went over to the dark side and got a .177 would never go back deadly and accurate on bunnys and pigeons
 
.20 Is a favourite of mine, then you can go heavier of lighter with the pellets, well I suppose you can with 177 also...The big Issue here isnt calibre as shooting In barns you need something low powered, you wont be thanked for perforating the corrugated roof...;)
 
Back
Top