.177 caliber or .22 caliber
 

Was in Walmart the other day and they have a pellet rifle that comes with a interchangeable barrel. The .177 is calibrated at 1000 fps. and the .22 is rated at 500 fps.

Which barrel would be the best for squirrel hunting? Would I need the other barrel or would it be a waste?

In lots of places it's illegal to hunt with an air rifle.

Anyway, I'd go with the 177 @ 1000 fps and pointed pellets for penetration. I'd say the 22 if it was a little faster then 500 fps

The ,177 will do an excellent job. Accuracy is more important.

I guess the answer is - how much are you willing to spend. I have a RWS in .22 that I am VERY happy with and I can hunt any small game with it - squirrels, rabbits, crows, etc. - if I stay within about 40 yards or so. I paid about $200 for it with a scope.

If you want to stay around $100, I would stick with .177 and get picky with the ammo choice.

I bought a gun like the one you looked at and I am very happy with the 177 is fast and pellets easier to find however the 22 hits harder and seems to do a better job on jack rabbits and game of that size so i would get it that way you can enjoy the best of both

Sorry, that's suppose to be 800 fps for the .22 barrel. Both barrels come with the rifle and it's up to your own choice of which one you want to use for whatever occasion. The setup only runs around $125.

At 800 fps, I'd use the 22. I used to have an old Crosman 22 that did around 800 fps and it killed MANY things up to the size of rabbits and muskrats.

Id use pointed or domed pellets, not hollowpoints or flat points

I agree. I suggest the Beeman .22 Crow Magnum pellets.

At 800 fps the .22 will have much more knockdown and killing power than the .177
I have both and the .177 is more accurate and flatter shooting so I use it for small stuff. If I want to kill squirrels or rabbits I use the .22 as they seem to not run near as much as if I use the lighter .177 pellets. Remember the heavier the pellet the more penetration you will get in most applications. Pick a hunting pellet with sufficent weight that gives good accuracy.

Also check your state wildlife laws, in my state an air rifle has to be 22 caliber or better to hunt with so the combo would give you a .177 to practice with (cheaper to shoot) and a 22 to hunt with. If you get it let us know how it works for you because I have been looking at the same set up

I grew up with an old Benjamin 22 caliber. Don't know the velocity but I managed to keep the squirrels out of the pecan trees with it. Later I had expensive RWS 177 and it was very fast, but never would kill as well as that old 22, no matter what pellet I used.

Sounds good you all. I think I will see what I can do to sneak one in the house when my wife's eyes are looking the other direction.;) I want to do some early squirrel hunting with air rifles. Our season starts May 15th here in Oklahoma. I like to walk up and down creeks during the hot summer months. In early morning hours squirrels come and hang out nearby the waters edge. You can get within 20 feet sometimes and they don't seem to be afraid of you. Plus the ammo seems a lot cheaper then for a .22 high powered rifle.

Thanks everyone! Your thoughts are much appreciated.

A .177 at 1,000 fps is going to have deeper penetration than a .22 at 800 fps. The smaller the round, the less resistance when the target is hit.

I've got a Marksman .177 and nailed a big cottontail this afternoon at about 25'. Got her right behind the ear and laid her out. Cleaned, cut up, and in the fridge 10 minutes later. We've had that rifle probably close to 20 years and it used to also knock down squirrels with a head shot. Still as accurate as it ever was but 25' is about maximum range for thin-skinned rabbits.

Martin

look here and ask around... before ya buy

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/

I have had QUALITY airguns for 33 years or so and still have the first one I bought and it shoots great. A beeman R series without their rebadge. I like the better airguns for better trigger and accuraccy but the cheap stuff has a place. we have even talked of airguns here quite a bit if ya search.

They are fun... economical too and if ya figure in alot of areas a range can be legally set up at home or in the home it is really nice now that gas costs so much.

..............I don't know why anyone would buy a pellet rifle when you can buy a regular 22 for maybe a little more money and have a rifle capable of killing a much wider choice of game , but too each his own . , fordy:stirpot:

There are places I can shoot my .22 air rifle that I can not (legally) shoot my .22 LR rifle.

Ditto! I have a neighbor that owns the creek just north of our place. He's a good neighbor and we talk and get along real good but he will not let me hunt on his place cause he's afraid one of his high dollar horses or cows might get shot. He just doesn't want to take a chance at all. Maybe if I show him my brand new pellet rifle he might give me the go ahead for a little squirrel hunt.

No guarantee but maybe a few other folks wouldn't mind me hunting on their places with a pellet rifle either.

Mr. Martin and TP are so right about the 177 and I have the Beeman model R-10 . Its a beautiful rifle and will shoot as good if not better than most 22's . It will take squirrel and rabbit with no problem . I like to use the Beeman silver point when hunting as for penetration . Unless it hits bone it will go completely through most of the time . What I like about the Beeman . It has the power with just one pump . Don't be afraid of the .177 it will do the job as Mr. M. said more or less .

I'll go a step further - hunting small game with a pellet gun is a combination of the accuracy of the rifle, the power of the rifle, the caliber of the rifle and pellet, the shape of the pellet, the weight of the pellet, the game you are hunting, and ... the most important ... your ability to put the round on target.

A .177 on the target will always beat a .22 that missed. I have owned both .177 and .22 and now I stick with .22. Yes, past about 30 yards, I was a little more accurate with the .177 but I find, for me, that the .22 pellets I use are more effective at putting things down.

Since I don't have a .177 and a chronograph, I will leave my comments there before this turns into an argument about energy on target. I will say that my BIL gave up on 1100 fps .177 rifles because if it would pass straight through at close range. He shot some squirrels in the backyard and swore he hit them as they ran off. A few days later, he would find a dead squirrel. On one, he could even see the pass-through in the gut. So he is now "convinced" that a .177 isn't up to the task - and yes, I tried to talk to him about pellet shape and energy transference and such with no avail.

I still say that, in my personal experience, it is the PELLET and the shooters ability that have made the most difference - more so then .177, .20, .22, or .25. Cheap pellets tend to have poor quality control and the holes in the paper show it. Spending the money for good pellets will at least get you a round that most consistently follows the same path and thus makes your ability to point the rifle the right direction more into focus. Choosing the RIGHT pellet for the game you are hunting will increase the odds of an instant kill - but the round still has to hit the right spot.

power is a poor substitute for marksmanship and hunting ability. Gut shootin stuff consistently and blaming the gun is just plain stupid.

Accuracy is the absolute answer to shooting any rifle, air or otherwise. That's why they put front and rear sights on them! Since my deer rifle of choice is a .222, the .22s and air rifle are all fired with the same mindset.

Here, I have no choice and can't even legally use a pellet gun. Thus I can't have a dead rabbit being found and turned over to some official for an autopsy. However, I have very understanding and rabbit-hating close neighbors who turn a deaf ear to the pop of the Marksman. In the latest instance, the tough old doe rabbit was in the slow cooker when I bagged an equally tough buck 24 hours later. A quartering shot just below the ears laid it out on the spot at about 25'. I consider those rabbits as another food source from the garden and the air rifle as just another garden tool.

Martin

In a word - yep.