177 0r 22

[Guest barrel]

hi am going to get a rapid 7 dont no if to get a 177 or 22 can you help

[dougie_s410k 1]

depends on what your using it for mate? if hunting the id go .22 ..... nothing wrong with .177 but .22 hits alot harder and does the damage on a wider scale.... nothing gets up with a .22 head shot placed correctly...although some .177 shots do not kill as instant close range

[YORKIBOY 4]

I own a MK 1 rapid i opted for the .20 cal i use field target trophy pellets and find it very accurate while still having the benefits stopping power . :thumbs-up:

[Guest king ratcatcher]

.22 for hunting, .177 for targets :thumbs-up:

[tote 856]

I've had both over the years and knocked plenty of vermin over with both calibres.

No doubt about it a .177 is more accurate thanks to the flatter trajectory[a girls gun ]

In the end it's down to personal preference,like king ratcatcher says .20 could be an alternative,

flatter than a .22 and more stopping power than a .177.

[mad al 146]

.177 for target and hunting. Ive never had any problems killing with mine at any range and the flatter tragetory is so much easier to shot. Ive had some great longer range shots that i think most people would struggle with using a .22. Joe

 

 

I'd agree with this, I use both and would always be happier with .177 on longer shots. I think a lot of people are put off .177 because you have to be more precise, i.e head shots............Al

[Guest king ratcatcher]

.177 for target and hunting. Ive never had any problems killing with mine at any range and the flatter tragetory is so much easier to shot. Ive had some great longer range shots that i think most people would struggle with using a .22. Joe

 

 

I'd agree with this, I use both and would always be happier with .177 on longer shots. I think a lot of people are put off .177 because you have to be more precise, i.e head shots............Al

 

Even though i use .22, i always go for head shots, i like it becouse it tranfers alot more energy to the target :thumbs-up: feck the longer shots, just get closer to your quarry

[Guest big fish hunter]

hi i would have to say 22 i would of thought that 22 would do more damage and better stopping power than 177

 

got to be head shots all the time :ph34r:

[bullmastiff 615]

All down to preferance, this argument has gone on for as long as the calibres have been available! both have got plus and minus points even for long shots, at 50 yds a .177 pellet will only drop about 2 3/4 inchs where as a .22 pellet will drop almost 6 1/2 inchs!!! but once it gets to that distance the .22 will of lost less velocity, only losing about 150 ft/s but the .177 will of lost over a third of it's velocity.

End of the day air rifles are designed for close range pest control and 50yds is a long way to try and place a little piece of lead in a target about the size of a 50p, lots of practice and a decent rest needed to pull off shots at that range consistanly.

 

You didn't mention if your new to air rifles or not? if so .177 might well suit you better, you don't have to rely on your range finding skills quite so much!!!

[MickC 1,825]

Its gone on forever this saga with 177 v 22.Seen as your getting a Rapid I would get a 22 so if at a later date you fancy getting it FACD it will be a lot easier to do.A 177 is usually the more accurate as it has more velocity and a less loopy trajectory.Also a Rapid has no recoil so it wont make any difference to which calibre you choose, however a 177 spring or gas ram gun is harsher and has more recoil than a 22.Imo i would try a 177 and a 22 and pick the one that you feel you shoot the best with.Ive got a .20 Evolution and a .20 X2R which is a good calibre for legal limit guns ,with more velocity than a 22 and more whack than a 177.

[jasper65 6]

This has been a bundle for years about which Calibre way before .20 hit the stage. I had a fair few springers in the late 70's earley 's from BSA Mercury's, Aisporters and a few Webleys from a Webley Hawk to a Vulcan, when we're talking about the 12ft/lbs limit which is the limit I was useing back then! the waspish .177 did everything for me, I could zero my .177 at 30 - 40 yds and take on a shot a bit further without having to give too much hold over due to its flatter trajectory compared to the .22, the amount of time's I went out with .22 lads and out shot them at distance was incredible, even at targets set out over different distances it was unreal how much drop there was with a .22 much past where it was zero'd, there was times we would float Bottles down the river and I would still be clipping them while the .22 was dropping off a good foot short.

 

Its fair comment the .22's hit harder, but the .177 on many occasions will pass clean through quarry at some decent ranges like a Hyperdermic needle, I never had a problem stopping quarry! a well placed .177 will stop quarry just as well as any .22 with better penetration, when you think of it most 12ft/lb .22's won't produce much over 600fps unless useing light pellet's, the .177 is pretty rapid and banging a Majority of pellets out in the mid 800fps's.

 

As you can probably tell I'm with the .177 lads on this one , but its Horses for courses and what suits you best, this Arguement will still be going on well after any of us have left this planet ....

[proper job 1]

I used to think on .22, but since getting my Air Arms S410 its now .177 for me, use it in the garden or in the field, I have dropped foxes stone dead with it, shoot rabbits at 45 yds, rats and ferals, and it still amazes me how accurate and potent that little piece of lead is. I also have a .22 rimfire, .17 HMR, .243, and a semi-auto but that air rifle has paid for itself and more.

[Guest Rabbiteer]

.177 all the way.

 

 

 

 

 

With such low power rifles even FAC'd we should be aiming for head shots on 99% of our quarry. It doesnt really make much differance what cal you prefer. If it is traveling 610fps or 740fps if it is whizzing through your brain its going to ruin your day. Longest shot 48m.

 

Start with the basics of stance, postitioning, sights and releasing good shots then once you have these nailed move on to which cal you should get.

 

However I would have to say stay away from theoben, there after sails service is awful. All they are interested in is selling another gun. If you have probs with it they will not be in a hurry to fix it and will try to portion the blame on to you. If you still want A Theoben go to BTAS they will carry out the work themselves.

 

And the idea of someone even pointing an Air Rifle (FAC or not ) at a fox is disgraceful and shows a real lack of responsibility. :censored:

[proper job 1]

Rabiteer, everything you said made perfect sense except for the last bit. I kill things every day for a living, using poisons, gas, insectacides, traps, snares, and firearms/air rifles. I use whatever is best for the job. If I have encouraged people to shoot at foxes for the fun of it, then I am in the wrong admittedly, however in certain circumstances in my line of work it is the safest tool for the job and as you said "740 fps whizzing through your brain ruins your day".

[Guest Rabbiteer]

Rabiteer, everything you said made perfect sense except for the last bit. I kill things every day for a living, using poisons, gas, insectacides, traps, snares, and firearms/air rifles. I use whatever is best for the job. If I have encouraged people to shoot at foxes for the fun of it, then I am in the wrong admittedly, however in certain circumstances in my line of work it is the safest tool for the job and as you said "740 fps whizzing through your brain ruins your day".

 

Please forgive my brashness.

 

As you are a pro I am sure you are very good at your job and how you go about conducting it. I still find it hard to imagine taking a fox with an air rifle (exept maybe the top enders 80ft/lb+). But if you say you can, then it must be so.

 

I just cringe at the thought of some git running around the country shooting lead in to the side of foxes thinking that they are going to end up with kills.

 

Good luck to you, and apologies if I came over a bit strong.