RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

You are thinking of crappy American airguns (crosman, daisy, and so on). Good hunting airguns don't need to be pumped. They are bulk filled off of 3000 psi SCUBA air. People use 'em to hunt elk and otherbig game. My friend just got back from safari in South Africa with his. Check it out: http://www.geocities.com/echochap/airgun_hunter.html He dropped so much big game with his DAQ out there. Anyways, as far asa DAQ Banditoutperfoming a .22 mag, here is a little ballistic calculation for you:

A .22LR fires a 40 grain slug at about 1000 fps creating 88 fpe of energy

A .22 magnum fires a 40 grain slug at 1500 fps for 199 fpe of energy.

A DAQ Bandit .50 caliber air rifle fires a 182 grain slug at 850 fps for 300 fpe of energy.

Not to mention the fact that the airgun is TOTALLY RECOIL FREE, can be modified for much more power, and can be fired almost anywhere legally. Add a bipod, and a 5-18x50 scope, and you can't miss.

So, Still wanna argue? Trust me. There are airguns that outperform a .22 mag. They may set you back $1000 bucks, but they're still out there. Hell, If you want to blow an extra 500 beans on top of that, you can get a rig that shoots 400-500 foot pounds. Peace out.

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

A lot of .22 LR shoots much faster than 1000 fps, in the 1200-1300 range. .22 magnums easily shoot 2000 fps. far cry from 1500

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

Around my house, I use my .117 spring piston pellet gun. Its plenty powerful enough to drop a rabbit at the ranges I can get close to them at. Yeah a .22 may be able to drop them from farther ranges, but I guarantee if you shot a .22 at the ranges I get the rabbits at, they would take off before you could blink an eye. With a pellet gun, they just sit there like "wtf was that?"

But for squirrel I use either a .22LR or a 20ga 6 shot.

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

I do not do a lot of small game hunting, but when I do I just use my duck gun, 12 ga. browning bps

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

Yeah, and a lot of PCP (precharged pneumatic) airguns shoot supersonic speeds too. Even in .308.People justtune them back to below 1100 fps to prevent sonic cracks and pellet wobble caused by breaking the sound barrier. Either way, they both have theiradvantages. The airgun is quiet, light, recoil-free, safer, more accurate (why do you think the Olympic shooting teams use them for 10 meter comp? .10" ctc groupings at 20 yards, that's why), better for suburban use, and cheaper to shoot. The powder burner is faster, bigger, and comes in semi auto (semi-auto air rifles worth hunting with are very expensive). Personally, there is no where to shoot a powder burner here in Socal legally (except a few designated shooting areas that entail 50 guys in a line blasting with shotguns and 9 mm's), so I use air.

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

What about a 20 gauge for squirrels? And what kind of shot would you use?

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

sifuskyler: i used a crossman pellet gun for years shootin' pigeons outta my barn ! it didn't put holes in the roof like a 22 or larger

but

when i attempted to apply the same idea to squirels, the pellet was blown off course and i went hungry. . .although, this was a stock gun straight from the wal mart box.

but don't let em get to ya. . .i've got a friend who lives in colubus, ohio and city ordinance won't allow anything larger than a pellet gun to control rodent and varmint population.

keep shootin' wat u got. . .i agree. . .killin something with tiny pill is a true feat of skill

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

sifuskyler: ur rig is sweet. . .i would keep shootin'


personally, where i live, i can geta 200+yard shot a rabbit or a squirell. so, i use a .204 ruger. my rifle is a savage model 12 FV. with a 3-9x40 leopold vari x II scope.

http://www.savagearms.com/12fvsingleshot.htm

i can shoot a tree rat from 200 yds away and yea there is a boom, but the hornady vmax 32 or 40 grain bullet travels with a muzzle velocity of 4200 fps and a 1200+ foot pounds at 200 yds. basically, the tree rat doesn't even know he's dead, one minutes he's holding his nuts, the next minute they're laying on teh ground !!!

the same goes for rabbits, even though there is a boom, i shoot a single shot rifle and can get three shots PDQ !! so if there's more than one bunny in the bunch, i'll get three before the last one realizes his friend is missing its head !!!!!! 200+ yds

but. . . .to shoot factory ammo costs 75 cents a shot vs. ur F R E E A I R

cant beat an air rifle ! ! !

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

i will use my 410 3 inch #6 or 7shot during the early season and then go with my 10/22 during the later part of the season.

RE: what kind of gun do you use for small game
 

I use an old 22 ive had since I was about 5-6 it was my first real gun its an old Remington Model 510 Target Master, bolt action, single sho,t iron sights, and its not even tapped for a scope. Does the trick just fine.