Why did you choose

[knightrider]

Not a caliber debate...just interested to know why you decided to choose either .177 or .22 for general pest control

[angrybear]

Well, I dropped .177 after the number of rabbits cleanly head shot with it that still had a heartbeat when collected.
I did hunt with .22 for a bit but then bought a .20 which is the perfect sub 12 general hunting calibre, backed up with both .22 & .25 sub-12 for close range ratting/barns.

[foby75]

.22 as that was the calibre most people used in my developmental years. My pal got a new BSA Mercury in .177 early 80s and we all had .22 so we all shared experience of the two calibres prevalent at the time. Never had a bias but have tended to buy and use .22 for pest control. If you know the capabilities and and limitations of the pellet and what pushes it, combined with being able to consistently hit the humane kill area, those are the critical considerations. Used a .177 Theoben for rabbit control on a farm a while back and that was exceptional. Have never had the opportunity to learn and try .20 or .25.

[TonyL]

.22 as that was the calibre most people used in my developmental years. My pal got a new BSA Mercury in .177 early 80s and we all had .22 so we all shared experience of the two calibres prevalent at the time. Never had a bias but have tended to buy and use .22 for pest control. If you know the capabilities and and limitations of the pellet and what pushes it, combined with being able to consistently hit the humane kill area, those are the critical considerations. Used a .177 Theoben for rabbit control on a farm a while back and that was exceptional. Have never had the opportunity to learn and try .20 or .25.

I haven't hunted for years now but when I did, I mainly used .22 for the same reasons. These days, if I were to hunt again, I'd be more than happy to use any of the four calibres mentioned and accuracy / shot placement is king. Affordability and choice would probably steer me more towards the two longer established favourites.

[Neil54]

I use both. Mostly .22 at the moment.
I use .25 in barns for pigeons sometimes.

[rapidresponse1]

i use 22 mainly because i was getting fly offs with 177

[gsxrman]

.177 as it is accuracy that kills and not calibre. If you upscale the ".177 to rabbit ratio" to human size then the calibre equivalent is about an "inch". So .177 is more than big enough, does enough damage but is naturally more accurate simply because of its dimensions.
I don't like the explanation "if I'm a bit off the larger calibre still does the job", only my opinion mind but you shouldn't accept being "a bit off" when it comes to live quarry. Paper or metal targets don't suffer.
Accuracy is king, full stop, so the best hunting pellet is the tightest grouping pellet in real world conditions in the most accurate calibre.
Of course, if the mark can be hit every time then calibre is irrelevant from .177 to .30 and beyond but generally at varying ranges and at sub 12 most people will shoot tighter groups with a .177 than the other calibres.

[barrel]

Not a caliber debate...just interested to know why you decided to choose either .177 or .22 for general pest control

Sounds like a caliber debate to me

Kindest regards

Barrel

[madcarlos]

For me its distance shooting , Normally shoot between 50 and 90 yards so .22 not much use for my shooting.

[angrybear]

For me its distance shooting , Normally shoot between 50 and 90 yards so .22 not much use for my shooting.

Well I'd say sub12 air is not much use at those ranges full stop.

[nuggs]

.177 for me .Hunting as it is more forgiven if you have the range slightly out but still in your PBR
I often have to thread a pellet through gaps in branches and twigs and is much easier with the less curved trajectory of the .177 .
But this isn’t a calibre debate , is it !!

[Murphy]

My first ever air rifle was .177 my last air rifle was .177.

[Shed tuner]

Well I'd say sub12 air is not much use at those ranges full stop.

indeed.... only takes a gnat's fart to push your pellet 6" off...

[where's it gone]

Not a caliber debate...just interested to know why you decided to choose either .177 or .22 for general pest control

Probably to do with time, when you started airgun shooting. Years ago, airguns weren't looked upon as ' weapon's of mass destruction ', and was a natural progression from a catapult for the pre teens youngster. Often you would shoot with a mate and if you had a different calibre to his, it could if been down to who had most kills. This alone would influence your choice of your next gun. Also, as time goes by, practice takes a part in tuning to skills. Imagine a coke can as the target. Shoot it with a .177 and more often than not, the pellet would go through the front and back, with a tiny hole in it. Now shoot a coke can with a .22 The rumpled can show what a .22 will do. Isn't that enough persuasion to the upcoming shooter ?
And so your calibre debate starts.

[HW777]

.20 never gets a look in because most people have never tried this cal and the economics of this pellet means it's limited in pellet choice and only H&N hold the key to a better choice of pellets.

JSB for some strange reason are 5.1 mm and a tad to heavy

Yet a 10 grain or there about's .20 pellet which has been made by H&N in the pass really is the dogs