.20 calibre

[wickerman]

has the .20 calibre fell from favor ,some years ago was all the rage now I don't seem to here of it the only one I have owned was a Sheridan .....lots of .177 which has come to the front the usual .22 and more .25 about ......is the .20 fading out

[TonyL]

I've never actually owned one. Well, not for long, anyway......I briefly owned a C-series Blue Streak, but it just wasn't the "real thing"!

The .20 does seem to have a fair few fans at sub-12 power levels and many believe it to be the perfect calibre.

Fans will cite the greater efficiency nearing that of the .22 as compared to the .177 and flatter trajectory vs .22 (pellet dependant, of course).

Detractors will point out less forgiving trajectory vs .177, less efficiency than the .22, higher prices and more restricted pellet choice.

Horses for courses.

[Shed tuner]

Sub 12 springer hunting, it's perfect IMHO (lower recoil than .177, nice trajectory out to a realistc 40 yard max in field conditions, and a bigger hole). For anything else, there are probably more suitable choices in either .177 or .22

[Steyr]

Compromise is just that.

It can't do anything .177 or .22 can't especially now that you have av HUGE choice of ultra light to ultra heavies.

Less choice.... when ammo can be harder to source anyway.

In sub 12 target and hunting - .177 rules for a reason.

[angrybear]

The biggest issue is that so few manufacturers now offer .20, Theoben were major supporters, AA have never made one, HW they're special order & take forever to be delivered,
so the majority of shooters will never be able to even try it, to understand how good it really is

For Hunting at sub 12 it is the ultimate calibre, surface area & weight just happen to be spot on for the power level, so it's very efficient with air use,
it has a better BC than either .177/.22, retains a higher % of initial energy at range than either .177/.22, transfers a higher % of that energy to the target than .177/.22.

Lots of people make a big thing about pellet choice, but there are probably a dozen or so, it's just that every barrel seems to be single hole accurate with either FTT or JSB so why do you need anything else ?

Finally of course when you've got 'fingers like pigs tits' the pellets are that little bit easier to load

[Steyr]

The biggest issue is that so few manufacturers now offer .20, Theoben were major supporters, AA have never made one, HW they're special order & take forever to be delivered,
so the majority of shooters will never be able to even try it, to understand how good it really is

For Hunting at sub 12 it is the ultimate calibre, surface area & weight just happen to be spot on for the power level, so it's very efficient with air use,
it has a better BC than either .177/.22, retains a higher % of initial energy at range than either .177/.22, transfers a higher % of that energy to the target than .177/.22.

Lots of people make a big thing about pellet choice, but there are probably a dozen or so, it's just that every barrel seems to be single hole accurate with either FTT or JSB so why do you need anything else ?

Finally of course when you've got 'fingers like pigs tits' the pellets are that little bit easier to load

My rabbit is just as dead with a .177 JSB Exact Express 7.9 grn as any .20. I just try and land it right.

They don't give a sh1t as to whether the .20 is technically "more BC efficient". And BC figures change over range too so BC efficiency can change.

If its so amazing- why have makers not supported it. Ben Taylor said a lot if things but I don't agree with some of it. Indeed, a lot was hype.

Bottom line, in sub 12, the BC of pellets doesn't really have a massive effect on the ranges a sub 12 shoots over. Certainly, never enough for me to loose sleep over it.

I agree you have to find the ammo your barrel likes. But with .177, you have SOOOOOO many more options and sources of supply. This is not so iro of .20. Thats before you get into head size options or die number choices.

I never have and never will use .20 in sub 12. Even if it is "more efficient" it isn't any more accurate and as you only need 4 FPE to deck a coney ....... I will be sticking to .177 and aim properly. It's not as though the BC shines when pushed to a 1000 yards is it.

Most people can't shoot further than 35 yards with a degree of confidence so BC arguments don't really come into affect and show themselves till you start pushing range. Airgunners are not usually pressing range - particularly if you are a hunter

[Bellycrawler]

Something I'd very much like to try but thinking back I've not seen any .20 pellets on the shelves of my local rfd's. The .177's / .22's I have cover all my needs allready. As it's been available for many years & not become more popular that suggests it will fade away or at best, a niche cal'

[PCPShooter]

The best all round sub 12ftlb hunting calibre, especially in a springer

[PCPShooter]

https://www.airrifleshop.co.uk/colle...nt=29338290450

https://nmproducts.ltd.uk/.25-and-.2...ir-gun-pellets

[angrybear]

Compromise is just that.

It can't do anything .177 or .22 can't especially now that you have av HUGE choice of ultra light to ultra heavies.

Less choice.... when ammo can be harder to source anyway.

In sub 12 target and hunting - .177 rules for a reason.

Every calibre is a compromise with the fixed control of sub 12 power

With .177 using a heavy pellet for more "thump" you lose the velocity & therefore lose the flat trajectory
With .22 using an ultra light pellet for better velocity, it doesn't have the mass to retain it's energy so will lose momentum quicker & retains less impact energy.

Each calibre has an optimal range of pellet weight to give it's best for the sub 12 power limit,
and it just so happens that .20 gives the best overall compromise of velocity, weight, momentum & surface area at that power level.

It's simple schoolboy physics, nothing more - nothing less.

[Shed tuner]

springers folks, springers....

a 12 FP springer will recoil a lot more in .177 than in .20, making it much harder to be accurate with, so less accurate. All the PCP shooters won't know this, I understand, and most ppl do hunt with PCPs.

yes, there is a trajectory penalty, but this is only material beyond 40 yards, so simply not relevant when we are talking about hunting with a spring gun.

[gsxrman]

AGAIN!!!!

Ha, calibre debate is only opinion driven.
There are so many variables which each calibre. When we get stuff like "bigger hole", "retains more energy" etc. its all irrelevant to those who actually know.
From .177 to .20 is .5mm diameter and from .177 to .22 is 1mm in diameter so the bigger hole is not really that much bigger.
Power retention at range is not that much greater either when you consider that at sub 12 we are talking about targets or small airgun quarry.
Scale up from a rabbit to a human and the equivalent calibre to .177 or 4.5mm would be 1" or 27mm. So hole size isn't an issue in actual reality.
My 7.9 Premiers go right through the brains of a rabbit at FT ranges no problem so power retention isn't an issue in actual reality.
.177 just makes it easier to hit the target at varying ranges at sub 12 and as shot placement is king, common sense dictates that .177 is the best overall calibre at sub 12.
Of course if you hit the mark with any calibre it will do the job.
People tend to stick to what they know works for them, and if it works for you and your shooting then crack on.

[gsxrman]

springers folks, springers....

a 12 FP springer will recoil a lot more in .177 than in .20, making it much harder to be accurate with, so less accurate. All the PCP shooters won't know this, I understand, and most ppl do hunt with PCPs.

yes, there is a trajectory penalty, but this is only material beyond 40 yards, so simply not relevant when we are talking about hunting with a spring gun.

My MK1 TX was .177, had a very steady predictable recoil, was superbly accurate and grouped tighter than the .22 HC.

[flyingfish]

I love a springer or rammer with a nice recoil
I recently got a .20 Evolution
Recoil (using 11 grain H&N) very much like a .22 (when compared to my. 177 Sirocco)
Trajectory is much closer to the .177
Love it for being different

[wickerman]

so it seems rifle manufacturers apart from Sheridan do not want to produce .20 because .177 and .22 sell so well....and another put off is price and availability of .20 pellets