.177 pellets for hunting?

slimjim · Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 3:37 pm Post subject: Re: .177 pellets for hunting?

Well, there is a squirel that keeps running on my roof. Got the pellet gun out and tagged him sitting on the peak of the roof one of those red fire pellets. He went airborne and over on the other other side out of sight. I couldn't find him. Maybe head shots like Aloys does.

Elvis · Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: .177 pellets for hunting?

I bought a box of winchester pointed pellets..old school but with a point not rounded. they go nicely and DONT tumble/keyhole..still only about a 2"group at 25yards but I put that down to low magnification scope and operator error. Ive tried body shots on bunnies and so far reckon 3 have gone away into bushes to die there seems to be no impact when they are hit so they may just pencil through...maybe thats why the flat nosed target rounds used to work so well..flat metplate thing going on???

Aloysius · Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 3:20 am Post subject: Re: .177 pellets for hunting?

SJ, did you hear the impact?
You can shoot at long distances far better than me, so you know that when you shoot up or down, your POI will be higher than expected. Now when you use an airgun all these influences are much bigger. So it's possible you just shot over the squirel (or maybe it just wasn't its time yet and fe. a small dent in the pellet made it miss the target)

And last Thursday there was a lot of wind and I couldn't get my shots where I wanted them to be (I rather blame the wind than my poor shooting Smile

) resulting in a big increase of lost rabbits. Only got 11 in the bag. So for a rabbit is not only the head you have to hit, but the head behind the eye under the ear. (The neck or the spine will also be ok, with a flatnose you can also try the chest. But with a FN you have to stay closer than 25 yards to hit what you're aiming at).

And 1 last advice: there 's a big difference between a springer and a PCP. A springer is much more sensitive for how you hold it. So when you normally shoot offhanded and for your squirel you wanted to increase your 'luck' and used a support, you just might miss because your hold was much more steady!

But 1 big advantage with airrifles: you can run your science tests in your backyard and don't have to go to the range everytime Smile

(and because you normally don't have to worry when you're using an airrifle in yur backyard, it's much more rewarding and I have to admit that I use my airrifles more than any other thing in my safe.) And for you: I'm just wondering when you're going to make your step-up to a PCP in .22, because that's where you're going to be in the near future Smile

slimjim · Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:37 am Post subject: Re: .177 pellets for hunting?

Aloys, here I pull the trigger for the first time and you are already pushing me to get a bigger one. Oh, I hit the squirrel alright. He did a flip into the air! I was worried he would be dead on the other side of the roof where it would be difficult to get him. This may be good for he should tell all his friends to stay away from my house!

Aloysius · Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 8:50 am Post subject: Re: .177 pellets for hunting?

Just warming you up a little. Whenever you have the chance to try a few shots with a .22 PCP, just do it and we'll talk again.
I see a lot of guys starting with a springer, moving up to a PCP and then return occasionally to a springer because a PCP makes things too easy.