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Thread: 7.62 FPE .... Bunny success with some very calculated and precision shots.

  1. #1
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    7.62 FPE .... Bunny success with some very calculated and precision shots.

    Well, I have had a lot of snow here this year and the rabbits are really having a tough time to find enough food. Everything is buried here under 20" of snow or more. My fruit trees are suffering as well as the garden plants my wife has planted. These buggers are chewing the bark off of all the trees and simply mowing down anything they can chew.

    My TX200 is so nice I hate to drag it around in the nasty very cold weather here now. This hunting is all spot and stalk, not my typical method of hunting from the hide. I looked things over and decided that with these bunnies holding so tight in the brush believing they cannot be seen as you walk by them. I might try an alternative to my TX200.

    I happen to own a Pneumatic multi-pump pistol made by an American Company called Sheridan. I bought this in 1977, it's a classic by today's standards. During all those years I have changed a couple things on this gun. I honed the trigger to perfection and added a wide ribbed trigger shoe for a better trigger pull. Then I had the back of the receiver milled to accept a Millet Click adjustable target sight. This was fantastic. No more drift adjustment and mini-set screw to hold it on zero.

    It's a .20 caliber, I am using 14.3 Crossman premiers which chrony at 490-492 fps with 9 pumps. This generates the 7.62fpe mentioned in the title. Head-shots to 15- 20 meters are not all that difficult and have never failed to decide matters upon impact. On occasion in the brush, I'll miss and the bunny will duck down and flatten out but not run. This makes the wish for a barrel cocking springer huge! Instead, I must pump back up and load with my frozen finger tips to handle the tiny pellets. Surprisingly more often then not the rabbits sit frozen still, thinking they are invisible.

    The extreme cold here which is below zero F, seems to keep these bunnies locked down when they hide, allowing much closer than normal approach. The snow brightens up the landscape and allows you to see the dark colored rabbits in the white background much easier as well. In any case, the background is laid out here for you to understand my conditions. I have found that using this elderly pneumatic pellet pistol is quite effective on bunnies within the ranges that are responsible. I have not calculated the FPE at 20 yards or meters, but whatever that number is, shows 100% successful disruption of the controls in a bunnies noggin.

    I shot 4 yesterday, none moved more than an initial launch to the sky, and 7 today for which none moved more than a meter of spinning or instantaneous kicking for 2 seconds. I had the bulldog puppy with me on these walks too. He is never more than a meter from me when I walk, he never barks.... not ever? I'm not sure he can. When we walk up to fetch the rabbits he is amused and curious but not as interested as a terrier. A Terrier would try to shred the rabbit corpse's to tiny bits. Oh well, the Bulldog keeps me company and he is only 6 months old. Maybe in time, he will figure out what we are doing. My walks are generally short with him in these low temperatures too. I'm afraid that short hair will cause him to freeze solid if we are out too long.
    Last edited by JJHACK; 23-01-2017 at 05:50 PM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJHACK View Post
    Well, I have had a lot of snow here this year and the rabbits are really having a tough time to find enough food. Everything is buried here under 20" of snow or more. My fruit trees are suffering as well as the garden plants my wife has planted. These buggers are chewing the bark off of all the trees and simply mowing down anything they can chew.

    My TX200 is so nice I hate to drag it around in the nasty very cold weather here now. This hunting is all spot and stalk, not my typical method of hunting from the hide. I looked things over and decided that with these bunnies holding so tight in the brush believing they cannot be seen as you walk by them. I might try an alternative to my TX200.

    I happen to own a Pneumatic multi-pump pistol made by an American Company called Sheridan. I bought this in 1977, it's a classic by today's standards. During all those years I have changed a couple things on this gun. I honed the trigger to perfection and added a wide ribbed trigger shoe for a better trigger pull. Then I had the back of the receiver milled to accept a Millet Click adjustable target sight. This was fantastic. No more drift adjustment and mini-set screw to hold it on zero.

    It's a .20 caliber, I am using 14.3 Crossman premiers which chrony at 490-492 fps with 9 pumps. This generates the 7.62fpe mentioned in the title. Head-shots to 15- 20 meters are not all that difficult and have never failed to decide matters upon impact. On occasion in the brush, I'll miss and the bunny will duck down and flatten out but not run. This makes the wish for a barrel cocking springer huge! Instead, I must pump back up and load with my frozen finger tips to handle the tiny pellets. Surprisingly more often then not the rabbits sit frozen still, thinking they are invisible.

    The extreme cold here which is below zero F, seems to keep these bunnies locked down when they hide, allowing much closer than normal approach. The snow brightens up the landscape and allows you to see the dark colored rabbits in the white background much easier as well. In any case, the background is laid out here for you to understand my conditions. I have found that using this elderly pneumatic pellet pistol is quite effective on bunnies within the ranges that are responsible. I have not calculated the FPE at 20 yards or meters, but whatever that number is, shows 100% successful disruption of the controls in a bunnies noggin.

    I shot 4 yesterday, none moved more than an initial launch to the sky, and 7 today for which none moved more than a meter of spinning or instantaneous kicking for 2 seconds. I had the bulldog puppy with me on these walks too. He is never more than a meter from me when I walk, he never barks.... not ever? I'm not sure he can. When we walk up to fetch the rabbits he is amused and curious but not as interested as a terrier. A Terrier would try to shred the rabbit corpse's to tiny bits. Oh well, the Bulldog keeps me company and he is only 6 months old. Maybe in time, he will figure out what we are doing. My walks are generally short with him in these low temperatures too. I'm afraid that short hair will cause him to freeze solid if we are out too long.
    I had to read the title twice, I thought at first you were shooting rabbitts with 7.62mm CF, thought not much rabbit left to pick up

  3. #3
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    That's hilarious, What a coincidence to the enegry level! I just noticed that when I read it myself, your post is quite insightful to notice that as well!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by MartynB View Post
    I had to read the title twice, I thought at first you were shooting rabbitts with 7.62mm CF, thought not much rabbit left to pick up
    Don't worry mate I read it that way to I was think wow they must have big bunny's over there as for the pistol that must be pushing about 15flb or more wow

  5. #5
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    A nice read mate, thanks.
    It's good to know you're having success with that power too. Just goes to show that we in UK needn't be striving for 11.999999 fpe.

    Chris

  6. #6
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    As always, JJ, a thoroughly excellent read.

    And vindication of what many of us have said for years....that, at short to medium range, you really don't need a gun that's nudging the UK limit for power of our rifles. Precise shot placement is what does the business.

    The first few rabbits I shot as a youngster were with a BSA Meteor: power unknown. Anywhere between 7.5 and 9 at a guess. And many on here use the HW30 (Beeman R7 in the US?), which are usually approximately 7 in .177 and 8-ish in .22.
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJHACK View Post
    Well, I have had a lot of snow here this year and the rabbits are really having a tough time to find enough food. Everything is buried here under 20" of snow or more. My fruit trees are suffering as well as the garden plants my wife has planted. These buggers are chewing the bark off of all the trees and simply mowing down anything they can chew.

    My TX200 is so nice I hate to drag it around in the nasty very cold weather here now. This hunting is all spot and stalk, not my typical method of hunting from the hide. I looked things over and decided that with these bunnies holding so tight in the brush believing they cannot be seen as you walk by them. I might try an alternative to my TX200.

    I happen to own a Pneumatic multi-pump pistol made by an American Company called Sheridan. I bought this in 1977, it's a classic by today's standards. During all those years I have changed a couple things on this gun. I honed the trigger to perfection and added a wide ribbed trigger shoe for a better trigger pull. Then I had the back of the receiver milled to accept a Millet Click adjustable target sight. This was fantastic. No more drift adjustment and mini-set screw to hold it on zero.

    It's a .20 caliber, I am using 14.3 Crossman premiers which chrony at 490-492 fps with 9 pumps. This generates the 7.62fpe mentioned in the title. Head-shots to 15- 20 meters are not all that difficult and have never failed to decide matters upon impact. On occasion in the brush, I'll miss and the bunny will duck down and flatten out but not run. This makes the wish for a barrel cocking springer huge! Instead, I must pump back up and load with my frozen finger tips to handle the tiny pellets. Surprisingly more often then not the rabbits sit frozen still, thinking they are invisible.

    The extreme cold here which is below zero F, seems to keep these bunnies locked down when they hide, allowing much closer than normal approach. The snow brightens up the landscape and allows you to see the dark colored rabbits in the white background much easier as well. In any case, the background is laid out here for you to understand my conditions. I have found that using this elderly pneumatic pellet pistol is quite effective on bunnies within the ranges that are responsible. I have not calculated the FPE at 20 yards or meters, but whatever that number is, shows 100% successful disruption of the controls in a bunnies noggin.

    I shot 4 yesterday, none moved more than an initial launch to the sky, and 7 today for which none moved more than a meter of spinning or instantaneous kicking for 2 seconds. I had the bulldog puppy with me on these walks too. He is never more than a meter from me when I walk, he never barks.... not ever? I'm not sure he can. When we walk up to fetch the rabbits he is amused and curious but not as interested as a terrier. A Terrier would try to shred the rabbit corpse's to tiny bits. Oh well, the Bulldog keeps me company and he is only 6 months old. Maybe in time, he will figure out what we are doing. My walks are generally short with him in these low temperatures too. I'm afraid that short hair will cause him to freeze solid if we are out too long.
    Would love to see some pics of the gun (I assume HB22) if you have any?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by oling View Post
    (I assume HB22)
    Or HB20
    Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.

  9. #9
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    Yes it is HB-20 Not sure if it's made anylonger? My pump forearm has been replaced once or twice now, maybe 3 times? That walnut pump lever takes a beating pumping like a madman to get a second shot when needed! I've been planning to try out some of those ultra light weight plastic tipped pellets. Since the distance for use is only 20 yards or less, I wonder if they might maintain enough accuracy to work. 500fps is pretty fast with .20 caliber projectiles from a pistol!

    There is a rubber disk under the pump lever to cushion the blow of the wood against the pump tube. Once that rubber wears out or is lost the wood takes the beating. Eventually splitting. I found a small chunk of rubber and used some kind of space age bonding agent to adhear it to the metal lever. It's never come out again. Not very custom or special just used logic and what was handy to make it work.

    Still laughing about that 7.62FPE co-incidence!

  10. #10
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    Just a quick thought, if ever your space age glue fails you wouldn't it be easier to glue a rubber buffer on to the pump handle?
    Rich.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster View Post
    A nice read mate, thanks.
    It's good to know you're having success with that power too. Just goes to show that we in UK needn't be striving for 11.999999 fpe.

    Chris
    Exactly....you can have power right upto the limit but if you don't have accuracy what use is the power,a 10-10.5 ftlb springer that is accurate is more than capable of doing bunnies at 40yds with head shots.
    I guess that leaves the question....why do we strive for 11ftlbs+ in the uk?....with a pcp its fine but with a lot of springers (unless done by very clued up people) it often results in a more harsh firing cycle and poorer accuracy. Although I do believe there are some springers that are more suited to tuning than others and cope/improve with a fettle there just as many that perform worse when pushed above 10 ftlbs.
    (I'm off now to get the armour on and prep the shelter for the incoming! )
    Smile!...today is the day you worried about yesterday. :-)

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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZAKDINGEL View Post
    Don't worry mate I read it that way to I was think wow they must have big bunny's over there as for the pistol that must be pushing about 15flb or more wow
    7.62FPE = ftlb energy, not 762FPS

    Of course over here that would be illegal as our air pistol limit is 6FPE (ftlb) & most are well below that, I have to say that I wouldn't even consider shooting live prey with a UK spec pistol.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Budd View Post
    Or HB20
    DOH!

  14. #14
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    I understand that it's often frowned upon in the UK airgun scene (for obvious reasons) but I have often marvelled at the resourcefulness of some on the US forums taking game with 4-5 FPE with very careful shot placement with the likes of a HB22 or more commonly 2240/1322 or such like. Of course, I am an advocate of use the best tool you have available to you (which is usually a rifle) but for some, there simply isn't the option when they don't have the funds for a rifle and they don't have the necessary permits for CF/RF or it isn't practical/legal where they shoot.

    I have also often frowned upon the convention that 40 yards is widely accepted with a rifle yet 5 yards is not with a pistol when there is next to no travel time, wind or pellet drop to account for and a competent pistol shot should quite easily be able to group inside a 5p piece at 5 yards.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by oling View Post
    I understand that it's often frowned upon in the UK airgun scene (for obvious reasons) but I have often marvelled at the resourcefulness of some on the US forums taking game with 4-5 FPE with very careful shot placement with the likes of a HB22 or more commonly 2240/1322 or such like. Of course, I am an advocate of use the best tool you have available to you (which is usually a rifle) but for some, there simply isn't the option when they don't have the funds for a rifle and they don't have the necessary permits for CF/RF or it isn't practical/legal where they shoot.

    I have also often frowned upon the convention that 40 yards is widely accepted with a rifle yet 5 yards is not with a pistol when there is next to no travel time, wind or pellet drop to account for and a competent pistol shot should quite easily be able to group inside a 5p piece at 5 yards.
    TBH, a pistol is probably more accurate at 5 yards than a rifle is - most rifles are set up for 20+ yards & not many would know what hold-over/under to give that close

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