.22 or .25 FAC air rifle?

[Matt234]

Hi
I'm going to purchase a FX fac air rifle do I get .22 or .25 anybody on here using a .25 most probably going to be used for rats rabbits & squirrels I've had experience with the 22 but I've never used the .25 I know they have interchangeable barrels but I'm not going down the road of having two barrels!
Cheers Matt

 

[Squirrelbasher]

Well, I went for .22 because wasn’t bothered about running much higher than 40ft lbs as I have a couple of .22 rimfires. My 700mm barrel .22 impact is set to run from 19ft lb to 41ft lb at the turn of a dial, so that’s ideal for what I need. If it was .25 I’d be running it higher than that, but then you’ve got a heavier pellet carrying more energy so shooting into trees isn’t such an option and I’d be getting back into .22 rimfire territory, which is what I didn’t want. For me, .22 fac air is more versatile for my needs. The impact shoots out to 100 yards and beyond with good accuracy and hitting power anyway.

 

[Gunner223]

Matt ive just bought the Maverick sniper, in .25 cal , using 34g pellets not slugs im getting touching holes at 75 y and hitting power at 75
is amazing, i have a .22 running at 40ft lb and is nowhere as hard hitting as the .25, just bought a slug liner, im going to try slugs just to see what the difference is , but if you haven't handled one , i would before you buy, they are a bit different to a normal rifle.

 

[MarkD123]

Yes, Impact M2 in .25 (700mm barrel).
I have nothing but positive things to say about it tbh.
Running at about 58lbs on power setting 4.

 

[old keeper]

I've got an FXCrown FAC in 22. It does everything I want from an air rifle. if I want to shoot things at 75 yards plus I use my 17HMR or 22Rimmy.

 

[DVS1]

.25 brings a bigger smile

 

[LarryLightFoot]

What zero range are folks setting for FAC .22 & .25 ? 50 yards ?

 

[Gunner223]

75 for me

 

[MarkD123]

What zero range are folks setting for FAC .22 & .25 ? 50 yards ?

50 yards for my .25
‘Flat’ from 20 through to 55 yards.

 

[DVS1]

I zero mine at 35yds but then I do like to twiddle my knobs

 

[Kevgun]

.25 brings a bigger smile

I have a .30 cal FX Bobcat Mk2 90 ft lbs Even bigger smile I do fancy the new Mk3 Impact in 22 though, my mate has just got one with the 700 superior slug liner its one holing at 70 yards. Although I have set my 30 cal up with the ATN4k and ABL unit spent a bit of time getting it all to work correctly, but my best Rabbit to date is 130 yard, not bad for an Air rifle.

 

[Squirrelbasher]

I have a .30 cal FX Bobcat Mk2 90 ft lbs Even bigger smile I do fancy the new Mk3 Impact in 22 though, my mate has just got one with the 700 superior slug liner its one holing at 70 yards. Although I have set my 30 cal up with the ATN4k and ABL unit spent a bit of time getting it all to work correctly, but my best Rabbit to date is 130 yard, not bad for an Air rifle.

I’d like to try a .30 cal air, not sure I’d get enough use out of one to invest, but I’d still like to try one for the grin factor at least

 

[ChrisPCarter]

Considering .22 is so underpowered normally I stuck with it for the FAC air and while it’s great I still take the .22LR out far more. Turning the power down let’s me shoot against others on a more level playing field on targets. The .25 is going to be hard hitting at higher power but it depends what you want it for and what other powder guns you have if any.

 

[Mr. Gain]

IMO it depends a good deal on your ground and quarry. The .25 carries more energy beyond your target as well as to it and that can reduce your options if shooting into a fallout zone instead of a backstop. I shoot on relatively small farms with multiple footpaths and neighbouring houses, so have to think very carefully about where overshoots will end up.
I have .22 and .25 and the .25 gets very little use due to the greater versatility of the .22 and the fact that I am mostly shooting corvids, feral pigeons, squirrels and rats with the air rifle. (The rabbit population in my neck of the woods has yet to recover to shootable levels.)

 

[ChrisPCarter]

IMO it depends a good deal on your ground and quarry. The .25 carries more energy beyond your target as well as to it and that can reduce your options if shooting into a fallout zone instead of a backstop. I shoot on relatively small farms with multiple footpaths and neighbouring houses, so have to think very carefully bout where overshoots will end up.
I have .22 and .25 and the .25 gets very little use due to the greater versatility of the .22 and the fact that I am mostly shooting corvids, feral pigeons, squirrels and rats with the air rifle. (The rabbit population in my neck of the woods has yet to recover to shootable levels.)

Similar to my usage and the rabbits have all but vanished.
They certainly aren’t worth going out to target I’m lucky to find one across a dozen fields.
I only know of one permission where there’s big numbers but I’ve left them alone recently as sooner or later they are going to get disease too.

 

[Rusty Gate]

Less pellet = more shots per fill.
Better range penetration for what you want

 

[Steve123]

I have had .22, .25 and .30 in Fac air. They all have their place. Pellets don't kill very well unless you head shoot or ,its a .30 cal 44g and then its better . I have shot Magpies in the chest at 50 to 60 yards with 25g .25 pellets full in the centre chest , which went right through them and they will fly 100 yards before coming down and hopping about . I switched to slugs and shot a magpie and jackdaw at 75 yards and they were both dead within a yard of where they were shot.
Now that slugs are good and available you will kill just as well with a .22 slug that expands as a .25 but with less air usage .
My FX impact m3 in .22 cal is set to 974fps with 28g slugs and will shoot within an inch at 100 yards. It will also kill as well as the .30 pellets did but fly flatter with half the wind drift. For normal airgun quarry a .22 slug is all you need if you want to dial the power down and use pellets you need to head shoot quarry unless its rats as corvids will hop away or even fly quite some distance.

 

[villaman]

I have .22 FX crown 500 mm barrel using ZAN slugs 21gr around 950 FPS and .25 impact 700 mm barrel using ZAN slugs 33gr 975 FPS.
The crown gets used more than my .22lr , 17 HMR and .25 impact . It can do more than rimfire, more accurate than a rimfire at 100+ yards . Take rabbits out at 130 +yards with head shots with no problem.
.25 is definitely a hard hitting cal and every bit as accurate as .22 . Had this gun running at 90ftlbs but settled at 72 ftlbs using the fantastic ZAN slugs . Probably the best slug on the market

 

[Doric]

Hi
I'm going to purchase a FX fac air rifle do I get .22 or .25 anybody on here using a .25 most probably going to be used for rats rabbits & squirrels I've had experience with the 22 but I've never used the .25 I know they have interchangeable barrels but I'm not going down the road of having two barrels!
Cheers Matt

I have an M3 Impact in 22 cal. The 22 has all the power I will ever need. It has been set high for slug work and is now backed off to 32 ft lbs for use with pellets. These high power air rifles can reach out but if you have been watching the longrange youtube footage and are thinking of popping off bunnies at a hundred yards and more then think again. Yes on a still night but in wind or anything but perfect conditions there are beter tools. I have used the Impact for clearing rabbits more because I enjoy using it and it is cheap to feed rather than practicality. 50 yards is a long shot in a moderate wind and the 22 pellets and slugs has a marginal BC advantage over the 25. Other advantage is the 22 has a flatter trajectory, and you will spend less time topping up the air tank and magazines with the 22 and pellets and slugs are less expensive.
On saying all that if your heart is set on a 25 go for it.

 

[villaman]

Popping of rabbits at 100 +yards these fx high power guns will do it with ease with slugs like H&N , JSB and ZAN, probably the best three slugs on the market in .22 or .25
The weakest link is the shooter . Same with any gun , get to know your set and exactly what you are capable of