Originally Posted by
charlie350
Hello as an springer guy from the states i really like my airguns and hunt with them at least 2 times a week. i have now 18 spring piston guns and just Diana-BSA-HW about half in .177 and the other in .22 now i will use the .177 for doves and ground squirrel . but for cotton tails and the big jacks and rock chucks and fox i use ether the Diana 350-48-54 or the R1-HW80 all in .22 and the R1 is the slowest by a good bit pushing the polymags at 740fps. i don't shoot over 35 yards and they all do there job very well. So my question is Who came up with the 12 foot pound limit over there and WHY? it seems a rather big disservice to anybody that hunts and there prey! it's harder for you to hit them and for them to die.if you are going to kill something why would you not do it the fastest and best way possable ? from what i can find it was the gun makers back in the 50s-60s? who did not want the more powerful MSP airguns from the USA taking sales from english makers? or was it something else that happend to set the limit?
As a slight deviation to the main thrust of your post as to how the UK got its 12 FPE limit, I shoot both Sub 12 and FAC air.
I also shoot rim and centre fire.
In my time in shooting, I would say the rifle with the highest count of quarry against it would be the Sub 12 as it is quite, accurate, sweet shooting and will drop the quarry for the most part I want it to.
Strangely, shooting a fox with an air rifle is usually considered taboo and usually results in someone getting flamed.
Personally, if the power and the FPE is there then I would not rule out a punchy air to do the deed if the marksman ship is right but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice of rifle.
There are many who argue in the UK that an HMR is not sufficient for fox let alone an air rifle.
That said, one of the early expeditions to Africa used a Giffard to drop gazelle and impala size animals to feed themselves and there are certainly air rifles that are capable of this.
Go to the continent and they will regularly take on running and moving quarry. Again...a bit taboo in the UK. Not sporting and all that jazz. Head and neck shooting deer V's engine room shooting....
Sometimes its a case of when in Rome........
In a battle of wits I refuse to engage with an unarmed person.
To one shot one kill, you need to seek the S. Kill only comes from Skill