hunting

[rickyp]

What is the minimum speed need for small game hunting?

I have a gamo that shoots about 1000 FPS and I have killed opossum and squirrels easy with it. but birds are not so easy.

what is the slowest speed a 177 caliber can be going to cleanly take small game?

I am thinking about a RWS G-5 magnum air rifle it shoots 700 FPS will this be enough for small game?

[torpedoman]

I killed rabbit and squirrel with a daisy bb gun when i was a kid so the gun should work legality is another question.

[rickyp]

for right now there is nothign in the hunting regs about air rifles or hand guns so  you can use them

[kennisondan]

I am surprised the gamo is not taking down birds cleanly for you... are you using bbs perchance... if you drive too light a projectile it slows down quickly.. I killl all three with a benjamin air pistol in 177 and rifle too ... the 22 caliber or 20 has more BAM than the 177s and some of the 17s are heavier and penetrate better than others..
good luck
dk

[rickyp]

some of the pellets I got from walmart and they shoot OK I got me some of the rockers with the little BB in the point they shot great but don't hit as hard. the big black birds ( a little bigger then robins) take a solid hit I can hear  the pellet hit and see feather fly but they take off and fly away.

[Chris Potts]

I would try the beeman kodaics or maybe the silver arrows.  I have a 22 caliber springer and usually the heavier pellets work better.  I don't think that the higher velocity of lighter pellets is of any advantage.  They don't seem to penetrate the feathers as well.  I would think that this would be more true with the 177 because the pellets are so light to begin with.  With the 22 pigeons rarely fly with a good hit.  Smaller birds don't stand a chance.

Chris

[jamaldog87]

600fps in .177 for birds up to crows and rock doves up to 50 yards.

http://www.beemans.net/field%20use.htm here the link that should give you what you want.

It's were you shoot them atand with pellets you use not so much power, My 766(690 with pellets) used to kill coons with a head shot at 20 yards with crosman pointeds, now i am not saying you should do this but a good head shot will kill most game. one time myself and a friend were shooting starlings with .177 airguns(he had a AirForce Talon SS and i had a 766) well he shot one in the chest with a pointed pellet at 35 yards but it got up and ran away and i drop it with a wadcut. his Talon shoots at 1000+fps  but the body shot with a light gr. pellet (a pointed) did not get the job done.  If you want drop dead power any .22 airgun will do.

[Modoc ED]

What is the minimum speed need for small game hunting?

I have a gamo that shoots about 1000 FPS and I have killed opossum and squirrels easy with it. but birds are not so easy.

what is the slowest speed a 177 caliber can be going to cleanly take small game?

I am thinking about a RWS G-5 magnum air rifle it shoots 700 FPS will this be enough for small game? 

Isn't the G-5 a pistol???

[lil_hunter12]

i know i will probably get laughed at but the premier hollow points are the best killing pellets out there that i can find in a .177 caliber. i have shot a couple coons out while coon hunting with them.

[A177]

Rickyp,

I'm not really a hunter, but if you are having a problem with blackbirds, might I ask if you are hitting them in the wing area?  That I understand is the hardest (read : armor) point on a bird and the birds frame and plumage makes good shots difficult.

lil_hunter,

I won't laugh at you.  Last I checked, the Shadow I have shot the Crosman Premier Hollow Points (500/tin, Wal-Mart) rather well, perhaps even more accurately than I can appreciate on the indoor 30' range in the basement.  I just have a bit of trembling/shaking that makes benchresting "interesting."  Believe me, I'm not exactly a "Rifleman," or boast of spectacular feats.  I was once asked by a young lady at an indoor shooting range how I was able to keep my shots in such a tight group with my hands bobbing and weaving (offhand).  "Luck" was my response.

[woodchukhntr]

I'm using a RWS 36 in .22 cal. now, but before that I had a Crosman .177 springer that whot at 700 fps, or so.  I was able to consistantly kill pigeons in barns with it.  Avoid shooting through the wing when they are sideways to you since it will act as armor.  Aim for the head, or shoot them in the breast when they are facing you.