Your take on .20 caliber Air Rifles?

[steve-in-kville]

Anyone have a professional opinion on the .20? Should I just skip it and go straight to the .22 cal? This would be used for birds and small pests. Thanks.

steve

[Spelling Nazi]

It's too small for my fat fingers! Perhaps if I owned a magazine fed rifle I could use the smaller calibres but until that day I will stick with .22.

[Ed W]

Hi Steve,

Whilst there are a small number of afficionados for the .20 here, generally, it doesn't seem to be a popular calibre on the bbs - do a search!

However, I had an Mk3 Eliminator set up by Ben Taylor and running at 890fps with lubed Premiers. I rated this as a great hunting/vermin combination to 75 yards (up to 100 for inanimate targets).

When I sold it last year it went to the US.

HTW, Regards, Ed

[Guesty]

I have two .20 rifles, a Theoben Rapid Mk2 (Beeman Super 12 Mk2), and a Theoben Olympus, and am very happy with both. At the 12ft/lb power limit, the benefit of the flatter trajectory of .20 outweighs the greater 'hitting' power of .22 IMHO.
However, with the unlimited power you have available to you, I would imagine that .22 would be a better choice -especially if you buy a PCP. Generally, the larger the calibre, the greater the power and number of shots you will get for a given rifle. You will also have a greater choice of rifles and pellets in .22.

Guesty.

[Johnny - Sweden]

Not so easy to find suitable ammunitation of your gun turns out to be pelletfuzzy but it is indeed a "technical" very good calibre with very good long range.

I have also been thinking about getting one.

[paul c.]

Hello Steve,

I have a Rapid in.20. Its very accurate and offers a nice trajectory. As Johnny mentioned, there's not a lot of quality pellets to choose from. It that regard, .22 maybe better.

Premiers shoot great for me but when I turn up to full power, its puts them out at over 1000fps and over powers them.

There is talk of JSB comming out with a .20 pellet which should be great news. A 16gr or maybe 18gr pellet would works wonders in FAC rifles. I think their 16gr .22 is a wonderful hunting pellet.

I happen to like the .20 . I do not think of it as a compromise. It is what it is, another choice of calibre. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_smile.gif" alt="Smile" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:-->

Paul

[I. J.]

I have a'LazyGlide <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:-->' HW80 in .20 and was lucky to find that with the restricted choice of pellets available (in comparison to .22 and .177) that it shoots Bisley Superfield very well. Bit of a gamble that paid off in my case.
Can't say how more effective it is over .22/.177 when used in pest control as I do not hunt.
<img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_cool.gif" alt="Cool" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:-->

[Kev.]

I have a .20 now and have owned a .20 Rapid, if you are willing to do a bit of work, you will be surprised how many .20 pellets are available, and how many guns.

[steve-in-kville]

Thanks for the replies...

I have an interest in a larger caliber and had my heart set on the .22, but had seen a limited amount of guns chambered in .20. I did a quick search of the board and didn't see much info, hence the question.

Thanks again and have a nice weekend!

steve

[stillair1]

In an idle moment over xmas, I emailed Josef Schulz of JSB to ask what the score was on .20 pellets particularly ones usable at high power.
His reply was that they were going to start making .20's this year 2004. Pellet weight etc unknown at this time.
Lets hope things pan out. One styled on the .22 diabolo with differing head sizes would be nice. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:-->

Neil

[barrel]

Opinions and choice certainly have moved on in 11 years. I just love .20 and would recommend it to anyone.

Kindest regards

Barrel

[Bob6500]

Love my twenty cal rapid.time it was out of the cabinet again.took a wee break from my air rifle shooting.will never sell them. Have 177 and 22 also.all fac

[the67al]

Having recently converted my .177 rapid to .20 I can honestly say it is the best thing I have done regarding air rifles, awesome.

[1952paul0]

selling both my .20s, I will buy another when the right one comes along

[tinbum]

Holy thread revival Batman!


If you haven't fully come to terms with your sexuality then .20 gives you a halfway house before going the full .177