.177 vs .22 killing power

[Jeff-B]

which has more killing power at 10-20-and 30 yards.......
.177 at actual 900 fps.......
or.....\
.22 at actual 600 fps......
           thanks
      p.s.  using regular crossman pellets

[victorcharlie]

Kenetic energy= 1/2mass X velocity squared.
Momentum= Mass X Velocity

You will need to know the weight of the pellets in each equation to find the result.

[jbtazgrabber]

both will kill a tree rat.....just depends if you want to find them.......hit 4 with 177 had them fall off limb and catch another on the way down and climb away.....killed 1 at about 5 feet away.i got this one.......the better half was using a 22 cal. she was doing a lot better she got 3 with single shots and not running off.......both werecheepie chinise spring rifles.......i just got her a can opener in 22 cal that saya 750 fps......i shot it next to a sheridian 20 cal with 8 pumps and dents in my 55 gal trash can look the same.......the dents are so much bigger and depper than the 177 cal...i dont know if a faster 177 would be better???im going to get another 22 for myself......i got 10 boxes of good 177 ammobut i seen 22 cal kill so much better.....i still like the 177 so i might just get both,a fast 177 and another 750 fps 22 cal.......jb

[Dino C]

There are too many variables to come up with a universal answer. Shot placement and penetration are probably highest on the list. If a .177 shot hits the mark, few will argue about the killing power. The heavier and bigger projectile of the .22 is known anecdotally as a better killer. The Ultimate Airguns book by Pete Wadeson is a good volume on the UK perspective of airgun hunting. There are many pages dedicated to the topic in books like that, but in the end, the .22 is known as a better killer.

[lil_hunter12]

i dont know much about the .22 cal air rifle but i have a cheap chinese springer air rifle in .177 and i have a bsa 4x15 scope on it and can and have killed more game with it than my .22 rimfire rats squirrels all the small game i use 8.2 gr crossman premeir hollow points in my rifle.

[jamaldog87]

the 22. the .177 is good for birds and the .22 for fur. At those ranges the 22 works very well. you can use the 177 but the 22 is very good at kill them at 20-30 yards and you need a very high power gun to get the best out of a 22. A 20 and .177 a my best for long range and 22 for bigger game a short ranges.

[swampthing]

I've had both,  the .22 is the one I kept. .177's work fine for broadside and head shots, but the .22 will penetrate the vitals at most any angle.
I use 21g Beeman Kodiaks @600-700fps, these are domed conicals.  The weight of these pellets allow pass through penetration on frontal shots, and have taken grey squirrel at 65yds. Shot a raccoon out of a tree, and one ground hog through the heart @ 35yds with the same set-up.
 I wouldn't try that with my old .177

[EdMich]

Swamp, your using a PCP gun? That is a whole lot of power to push a heavy pellet like that.

I use a RWS 54 and like the 22 cal. It has done well on squirrels out to 40 yards and pigeons out to 65 yards. 14.3 grain Benjamin/Sheridan diabolo.

I can't compare  177 cal, but I did use the 20 cal Sheridan for years and the 22 seems to do a quicker job.

[Haywire Haywood]

Shot placement and penetration are probably highest on the list.

Yep..  You can kill a deer with a 22LR if you can put it in his eye at 25yds.  Shot placement is everything.  If you are good with your 177, and can reliably put a pellet where it counts then it'll do fine.  A 22 with more energy and penetration makes the kill zone bigger and you don't have to wait for an ideal shot.

The rifle in question and how you get along with it makes a large difference too.  I bought a Beeman HW97 in 20 cal last year to shoot starlings and sparrows out of my Purple Martin colony.  It had plenty of power for the task at hand, but was picky about how it was held (as are most springers).  If I held it just so, I could shoot under 1" groups at 30 yds, but when I was shooting at those birds, sometimes at odd angles, I would get poor hits and they would fly off.  I am selling it and going for a PCP in 22.  PCPs in general don't care how you hold them and are easier to shoot accurately in field situations.

good luck,
Ian