Which calibre do you use for hunting

[Kes]

From the H&N website.

Zero range is 22 yards and sight height is 1.5" for both calibres.

[IMG][/IMG]
.177" cal. H&N FTT at 12 ft.lbs.


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.22" cal. H&N FTT at 20 ft.lbs.

The trajectories look fairly similar to me for the usual airgun ranges.

Except that for FAC hunting and the ranges involved, the zero range is unlikely to be 22 yards. That range proves the similarity of the two trajectories, sure, but I took Muskett's question to be asking what will give the flattest trajectory at FAC ranges. Most FAC airguns in .22 calibre are set (at factory level anyway) closer to the 30 ft lb mark than 20. Unless the rifle in question has only a small reservoir.

[brian747]

This is not a calibre debate...I’m just interested to see which calibre you use for hunting

TBH, I hunt with all calibres from .177 , .20, .25, .303
and all types of guns, my most used airgun is my daystate huntsman in .20
I enjoy them all .
atb brian

[21grains]

Started w/.177 Years ago in FAC but switched to the Mighty .22 because of Pass through's and Runner's Shooting Gray Squirrel's using .177 w/light or heavy Pellets don't mater, .177 not up for the Job of Killing Gray's Cleanly w/Body Shots.....Franky

[223AI]

.22 at 32 ft-lb

[Simply Simon]

Both, and here's the rationale.

You see all this pellet testing in the magazines with 6 inches of clean putty / gel telling us that .177 leaves as big a channel as .22 but I'm yet to find a pigeon with a 6 inch deep head or a furless, bald rabbit.

What would you rather - Be shot through the head with a golf ball or a cricket ball? Answer: neither because either way you would be stone dead.

So back to the point - for 12 ft lb and for fixed, known, short ranges such as barn, feeder, rat shooting .177 provides no advantage over .22 as I zero at 25 yards so I use .22 and I find the .22 has a slight advantage in pinning quarry down (particularly pigeons).

For variable, estimated, medium ranges such as field work, woods, stalking and particularly night shooting the flatter .177 provides a significant advantage in accurate shooting and with a 35 yards zero mirrors the .22 aim points between primary and secondary zeros.

In my tool box I have a claw hammer and a lump hammer. I use either for different jobs. Same is true of my rifles and calibre. The more important point is accurate shot placement which has more to do with shooter skill, range estimation and trigger quality these days than calibre. The calibre only helps in these areas.