What can you take down with a sub 12ft air rifle at close range? Up to 15 yards? There is mixed opinion and morale police everywhere saying should not shoot with a sub 12ft air rifle yet there's others who say you can do it
What can you hunt with a sub 12 ft air rifle at close range?
- Thread starter msc
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I routinely kill squirrels out to 30 yards with my sub-12 HW100 .177. A good hit and it's a clean kill.
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shot placement is KEY. HEAD SHOTS ARE MANDATORY. BODY SHOTS WILL BE DEAD RUN OFFS
I would keep it under 25 yards ,,
. ( me waiting for the sub 12 ,Carlos Hathcocks to chime in). SHOOTING A 12 ft lb pcp you do have the advantage of easier head placement. With no moving action as in spring guns. That being said. Like I stated. 12 ft lb head shots are mandatory…
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The plus is the guns can be quite accurate, good thing that. 12 FPE ain't much. Adequate for up to squirrels with a head shot. Kinda funny that's what the Brits said about Rolls Royce back in the day, rather than stating horsepower, adequate was the term used. Pretty sure GB is stuck with 12 FPE, coincidence???? ya it is. 
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Given that Britain is mostly confined to that limit, and they are taking down all kinds of critters, I'd say the question is moot.
We were stuck at that power level and less before the "more is better" mentality kicked in and gave us the guns we can shoot now.
We were stuck at that power level and less before the "more is better" mentality kicked in and gave us the guns we can shoot now.
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I've heard of USA state regulations creeping in that use that 12 FPE standard. In the vast majority of places we can match the caliber to the critter just like PB. It's understandable the desire to limit energy levels in densely populated places. Always be sure of your backstop, that is easier with lower powered stuff, but still a requirement always.
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That hasn't been my experience. Obviously, a gut shot squirrel is going to run off. But a shot in the heart/lung area has proven consistently fatal. Sometimes the squirrel drops on the spot, sometimes it moves a short distance, rarely more than a few feet. If circumstances permit, I prefer a head shot, but if the position requires it, I don't pass up a heart/lung shot.
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I shoot squirrel with a sub 12 .22 and .177 out to 35yds. I also shoot the crap out of mice and rats at 6-10 yds with a .22 tuned to a whopping 4 fpe
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At 15 yards will a .22 pellet hit harder than the 177. Which will be more effective at that rangeshot placement is KEY. HEAD SHOTS ARE MANDATORY. BODY SHOTS WILL BE DEAD RUN OFFS
I would keep it under 25 yards ,,
SHOOTING A 12 ft lb pcp you do have the advantage of easier head placement. With no moving action as in spring guns. That being said. Like I stated. 12 ft lb head shots are mandatory…
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A 12 ft lb .22 will have more kinetic energy than a 12 ft lb .177. Thus more knock down power.
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A cottontail rabbits here will practically roll over and die on command. They are much less tenacious to life than a squirrel.
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Kinetic energy is measured in fpe, so they are identical at the muzzle. Retained energy at a given distance may vary, but knockdown power relative to either is kind of an oxymoron. And velocity is way too low for hydrostatic shock to play a role. Shoot'em in a vital organ and they will die shortly.
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Here we go.
a 14.3 grain .22 pellet will have more energy Spread than a .177 8.4 any day all day.
I see Very little use for hunting with 12 ft lb and under guns as your run off rate is much higher unless you are “you”. And all the other sub 12 ft lb snipers who never miss .. even at 70 yards.
Hunting with a pcp at 12 ftlbs is plain dumb in my opinion. Especially when recoil has no Effect on the same gun shooting 18 ft lbs t 20. Ft lbs. You increase your kill rate with more energy and have less run offs.
opinions vary. They are like azz hos , every one has one and at times they all stink.
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Many folks have no choice, as they are limited by local regulation. Dumb maybe, but that's the bureaucratic way.Hunting with a pcp at 12 ftlbs is plain dumb in my opinion. Especially when recoil has no Effect on the same gun shooting 18 ft lbs t 20. Ft lbs. You increase your kill rate with more energy and have less run offs.
opinions vary. They are like azz hos , every one has one and at times they all stink.
My yard gun is sub-12, and it gets a lot of opportunities at squirrels. At full power it's about 18 fpe, and my .22s are all 28-30. At 30 yards, I see no difference in their lethality on squirrels. Since some presentations when hunting are longer, I agree, the 12 fpe rifle isn't my choice either. That said, the hunters who use them all the time do quite well with them. They’re probably better shots than me.
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I smile every time this subject comes up.
There are always proponents of the <12 fpe guns and the stunning feats Europeans pull off with regularity.
The reality is that if the they could get their hands on more powerful guns without the hassle of obtaining the required permits they would be shooting what we shoot. They would also look toward larger and more difficult animals to hunt.
There are always proponents of the <12 fpe guns and the stunning feats Europeans pull off with regularity.
The reality is that if the they could get their hands on more powerful guns without the hassle of obtaining the required permits they would be shooting what we shoot. They would also look toward larger and more difficult animals to hunt.
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In the UK people take squirrels, rabbits, rats, pigeons and other birds around crow size which they are permitted to shoot. Some also shoot pheasants and other game birds when the opportunity arrives. All try to make them headshots at 30 yards or less, though for some who consider themselves excellent shots, out to around 50 yards. Many hunters do not want anything above 12FPE as they see that as adequate for their job and anything else would be too restricted in where it could be safely shot. Having people running around with the super powerful airguns is probably the last thing we need here, as the places where they could be safely used are few and far between in our crowded island.
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This is interesting, and it may illustrate a basic difference in the public perception of shooting/hunting in our respective countries. Big game hunting with centerfire rifles is done in England, so it would seem that FAC level air guns could be safely enjoyed. Could it be that the more socialist leaning, big government environment in England results in people believing they need that level of government control, or at least accepting the notion? And, that the more personal-freedom mindset here suggests that that we, not the government should decide how air rifles can be safely enjoyed? Just a thought.
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Please do a search...this question comes up quite often.
Shot placement is key. Know your limits and what your caliber is capable of before ever attempting to shoot at quarry.
Shot placement is key. Know your limits and what your caliber is capable of before ever attempting to shoot at quarry.
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