Help a newbie.

[Benn McIntyre 48]

Hi guys, im new here.

 

I have shot air rifles a fair few times borrowing my friends. Im now looking at getting my own.

 

I have decided on a Brocock Super 6 Contour

 

http://www.surplusstore.co.uk/air-weapons/air-rifles/pre-charged/22-brocock-super-6-contour.html

 

However. I can not decide on which calibre to get it. .177 or .22 HELP ME.

 

I plan on shooting mainly rabbits with the odd crow and a rat or two.

 

I have been reading up, and from what i can tell .22 packs abit more of a punch but .177 is more accurate. Now obviously i want to shoot to kill not mame. So in theory the .22 would help me the best, but if i cant hit it because of the parabolic curve then its like throwing shit at a wall and hoping to kill something.

 

Opinions, experience and general help PLEASE.

 

Cheers,

Benn

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Yes and no. the .177 is an easier calibre to aim, for the simple reason the pellet flies flatter! A .177 will also kill a rabbit, squirrel, pigeon, pheasant, rat, very efficiently! The .177 will use more air however so you get more shots from a .22!

 

The .22 is harder to aim (loopy trajectory), however if you know the power your gun makes with the pellet you use, there are computer and phone applications that will help you understand the trajectory (Strelok, Chaigun and Hawke BRC). Most people recommend .22 as it has more stopping power. However the .177 brigade has a fair few members and some people have both (like what I have got)!

[secretagentmole 1,701]

What you must understand is the trajectory. When you set a scope zero, you are aiming in an arc to a point. For .22 it is usual to zero to 25 metres and for .177 30 metres (this is for sub 12 ft lb). Now this will give you something known as a point blank zero range. This range is the distance over which you can aim at a point and hit within 27mm of where you are aiming! using a heavier pellet will shorten this range slightly as is shown with the first two of the curves.

 

This is a rifle using an 8.5 grain pellet.

 

This a rifle using a 10.5 grain pellet.

 

Both rifles are roughly the same power, notice how the heavier pellet reduces the PBZ range?

 

This is the PBZ range for a .22! Note how much shorter the range is?

[porkycrook 466]

Benn first thing welcome to the best site for shooting and country sports that i know of. You are making the right noises regarding the caliber choices, you are correct that the 177 has a flatter parabolic curve. Either caliber will indeed kill both rabbits and crows, the caliber choice is yours you will find as many people that will be for or against.

 

Secretagentmole knows more about the subject than me and has put it perfectly..

[zini 1,939]

Main point is that a .177 is not more accurate than a .22 caliber. They are both as accurate as each other mate.

 

When a pellet goes through a pellet hole without making it any bigger you cant get any more accurate. Both calibres do this.

 

Its easier to gain accuracy with a .177 due to its flatter trajectory.

[Craig Fosse 286]

I thought I would throw my ten pence in mate because it might be valid, I started off with little knowledge of air guns when I brought mine a year or so ago, I got a .22 springer smk xs19, great little hunter, but as I joined a local gun club and got more and more into the hunting scene I took the hit and went Pcp, I was persuaded more so against my own judgement to go for .177 and I wouldn't look back, However had I got my s200 in .22 I probably would be just as happy, it's completely personal preference as you get to know the weapon you are firing, remember you can opt for a .177 and add an extra weighted pellet if your rifle likes them, like the barracuda hunters from h and n and get the same stopping power of a .22 or near enough. The thing that I like with .177 is the trajectory and knowing I'm more comfortable at ranges, this is the only main difference which has been explained over and over again. I suppose one factor is how far a range you expect to shoot from as this is when the .177 and .22 come apart however if its just farm yard stuff then the trajectory doesn't come as much into play.