Switching from 22 to 177

[Seanw226]

Ok I'm interested to hear from people who switched from 22 to 177 for hunting. Being a staunch 22 man I got fed up with the loopy trajectory of 22 and heard how accurate and how flat the trajectory of 177 is, so I bought a 177. Personally I'm finding it difficult, I don't think the accuracy is any better. 177 pellets also have a loopy trajectory. Ok they go further but when they hit home the power has gone. People have mentioned heavier pellets like bisley mags and logun penetrators, is this the answer to getting more kills? With such a small kill zone, a smaller lighter pellet and add in the wind etc I'm beginning to think the switch was big mistake.

[Rickenbacker]

I empathise with you... although I don't hunt anything anymore (except tin chickens), a well matched .22 rifle & pellet takes some beating.

BisMags in .177 can be a sort-of answer, but for longer ranges their traj' is loopy, they still retain less energy than .22s, and have a habit of blowing all over the place in wind past 45 yards.

Depends on which gun, and your barrel - but I'd be inclined to keep trying with light - medium .177s, or go back to .22...

Just for the .20 zealots - 'they' say .20 JSBs have the best of both... faster than .22 with (slightly) more retained energy. But I don't personally care about that.

[PCPShooter]

I empathise with you... although I don't hunt anything anymore (except tin chickens), a well matched .22 rifle & pellet takes some beating.

BisMags in .177 can be a sort-of answer, but for longer ranges their traj' is loopy, they still retain less energy than .22s, and have a habit of blowing all over the place in wind past 45 yards.

My uk level limit is 35 yards, I'm sure people can shoot further, humanely, with absolute confidence, but all the people I know personally who shoot, choose fac air or rimfire past the 35 yardish range.
In 177, in pcp, I have had good results with barracuda match and jsb heavies especially, though am currently trying h&n hunter extreme, which group just as tight as barra match in my Brocock, but not so in my BSA. I much prefer heavies in a 177 pcp to 22 at 12ftlb, though much prefer 22 on ticket, when the trajectory flattens out. All round, 20 cal ftt give a very similar trajectory to 177 heavies, and only drops more beyond a range I'd shoot at anyway, imo 20 cal the best choice, all round -

[keithy]

Hi I am currently experimenting with .177 after years of using a .22, its definitely easier as far as target cards go but for hunting the first question you need to ask yourself is how far aways is the rabbit/pidgeon as both calibres drop. if you get to know the drop at all normal ranges then the tragectory curve is not such a problem with either calibre. A range finder is a great help

[Seanw226]

Hi I am currently experimenting with .177 after years of using a .22, its definitely easier as far as target cards go but for hunting the first question you need to ask yourself is how far aways is the rabbit/pidgeon as both calibres drop. if you get to know the drop at all normal ranges then the tragectory curve is not such a problem with either calibre. A range finder is a great help

This is exactly what I'm on about, I have a range finder and I can't really go wrong in daylight but when it comes to night shooting using nightvision, which is where I do most of my shooting, it's difficult to range find using the mk1 eyeball. Which is the reason why I thought 177 would be better but it's not the case as my accuracy and kill rate has plummeted overnight.

[timmytree]

This is exactly what I'm on about, I have a range finder and I can't really go wrong in daylight but when it comes to night shooting using nightvision, which is where I do most of my shooting, it's difficult to range find using the mk1 eyeball. Which is the reason why I thought 177 would be better but it's not the case as my accuracy and kill rate has plummeted overnight.

No offence Sean, but if you can do it during the day without problems then maybe it's your night time rangefinding and the MK1 eyeball that are letting you down rather than the .177 calibre.
I changed from .22 to .177 4 years ago and would never go back, shot placement is slightly more critical but with a 35 yard zero I can aim dead on from 15 to 39 yards and be inside a 1 inch killzone.
Neither calibre is better, just different.
Regards
Tim

[HandyAndy]

This is exactly what I'm on about, I have a range finder and I can't really go wrong in daylight but when it comes to night shooting using nightvision, which is where I do most of my shooting, it's difficult to range find using the mk1 eyeball. Which is the reason why I thought 177 would be better but it's not the case as my accuracy and kill rate has plummeted overnight.

Sean. As Tim said above your nighttime shooting is the issue here. The .177 or .22 debate is a separate issue. I do not have a .177 cal airgun for hunting, just a trusty .22 and some FAC others. I have in the past had a .177 and I did use it in the field, only a few of the rabbits shot were retrieved, most went into the bush or cover never to be seen. I know they were all good shots but not good enough to drop bugs instantly on the spot. Of them that were retreived the pellets had drilled through and through causing a very narrow wound channel that was not debilitating enough to do an instant drop on the spot kill. With this in mind I sold it soon after and got a hmr with the money.

Also as mentioned above. Practice. Practice and practice some more. But if your using NV, can you use your NV during the day or is it a tubed NV? If its a digital such as a NE500LR or a NS50 etc then practice in daylight. Set your targets, preferably rabbit life sized ones at your normally encountered ranges and see how you get on.

NV is a separate issue totally when if comes to ranging at night. Ths very flat 2D image you see with NV is sooooooo much more difficult to range accurately on such a small kill zone. On a fox at 50 to 150 yards with a suitable center fire its a different thing completely and much easier to make the shot. Even under lamp light at night you still will find it much more difficult to accurately range with the Mk1 eyeball, this leads me on to the next point. During the daytime get out on your ground and pace out some of the misses from memory. Then go to ambush points, pace out or use a range finder to accurately set the mental picture in your head to recall later when your out with the NV.

Happy hunting and may your bags improve.

[Rickenbacker]

My uk level limit is 35 yards [...]

Fair one, I'm not suggesting the OP would hunt at over 45 yds, I just mention the traits I've found with BisMags

To me, the difference between .177 vs .22 is say, at 50 yds, 2 mildots at 10 mag vs 2 mildots at 6 mag.

Again, I don't shoot wild things at 50 yds either.

[Brian.Samson]

There's a really simple answer to this, but I don't think you're going to like it much

Spend more time practicing and then restrict your hunting range to the distance you're confident at making a clean headshot at.
If you do that, there's plenty of power in any calibre to make a clean kill. If you don't do that, there isn't a calibre or brand of pellet that will solve the problem for you.

[Waylander]

Ok I'm interested to hear from people who switched from 22 to 177 for hunting. Being a staunch 22 man I got fed up with the loopy trajectory of 22 and heard how accurate and how flat the trajectory of 177 is, so I bought a 177. Personally I'm finding it difficult, I don't think the accuracy is any better. 177 pellets also have a loopy trajectory. Ok they go further but when they hit home the power has gone. People have mentioned heavier pellets like bisley mags and logun penetrators, is this the answer to getting more kills? With such a small kill zone, a smaller lighter pellet and add in the wind etc I'm beginning to think the switch was big mistake.

.22 rimfire

Better than any air rifle

Waylander

[GoodWILLHunting]

.22 rimfire

Better than any air rifle

Waylander

It depends on the ground and whats on it/behind it, a rimmy round is too unreliable on ground with stones and rocks, too much opportunity for that irish Rick to take your eye out That would upset your your pipe smoking

[gsxrman]

Ok I'm interested to hear from people who switched from 22 to 177 for hunting. Being a staunch 22 man I got fed up with the loopy trajectory of 22 and heard how accurate and how flat the trajectory of 177 is, so I bought a 177. Personally I'm finding it difficult, I don't think the accuracy is any better. 177 pellets also have a loopy trajectory. Ok they go further but when they hit home the power has gone. People have mentioned heavier pellets like bisley mags and logun penetrators, is this the answer to getting more kills? With such a small kill zone, a smaller lighter pellet and add in the wind etc I'm beginning to think the switch was big mistake.

Ok man... What rifle and pellets you using ?
What range are you zeroed at ?
Do you do much target shooting ?

[Seanw226]

Ok man... What rifle and pellets you using ?
What range are you zeroed at ?
Do you do much target shooting ?

I'm using a daystate air wolf tactical 177, jsb exacts 8.4 grn, zeroed at 35 yds. I don't do target shooting ie belong to a club, I practice in the field when zeroeing with paper targets.

[gsxrman]

I'm using a daystate air wolf tactical 177, jsb exacts 8.4 grn, zeroed at 35 yds. I don't do target shooting ie belong to a club, I practice in the field when zeroeing with paper targets.

Good kit ...... you should only have 1/4" rise at 25yds and 1/4" drop at 40 ....
From 12 to 40 yards you should be able to aim straight at a rabbits head without hold over/under
Does it group tight enough man , we started off in a field too man before we took up targets properly
We used extra strong mints as targets , good size to aim at ,and the explode which somehow makes ya grin, more fun than just paper
I would stick at it man , bit more practice , has it been chronoed as there is a thread on here about that rifle which has a problem
Good luck
Steve

[airtech]

Ok I'm interested to hear from people who switched from 22 to 177 for hunting. Being a staunch 22 man I got fed up with the loopy trajectory of 22 and heard how accurate and how flat the trajectory of 177 is, so I bought a 177. Personally I'm finding it difficult, I don't think the accuracy is any better. 177 pellets also have a loopy trajectory. Ok they go further but when they hit home the power has gone. People have mentioned heavier pellets like bisley mags and logun penetrators, is this the answer to getting more kills? With such a small kill zone, a smaller lighter pellet and add in the wind etc I'm beginning to think the switch was big mistake.

why dont you go for .20 then