. 177 what can it do?

[qball]

At 10fpe 177 hades have put many big fox squirrels to sleep even with vital shots, some of them were over 2lbs!

At 14 FPE multiple skunks went to sleep with aid of 13.4 grain pellet, vital shots and full pass through. Haven’t had anything larger yet, found coons stealing my fig on camera but they have been sneaky!

 

[JimD]

I am still early in the exploration of the 177 myself. I recently purchased a P35 in 177 and am still learning what projectiles it likes. But penetration in wet magazines is greater than my Prod which is tuned to 18 fpe. The P35 is about 19 fpe. I've shot a couple squirrels with it, one head shot one in the shoulder. The head shot dropped immediately, the shoulder fell from the tree but was failing it's legs as it fell. My dog got it when it got to the ground so I am not sure but I think it would have run. I am confident the shot went through the vitals so it would not have lasted long. H&N Baracuda Power at about 900 fps.

I've also hit birds too low on the abdomen with a 25 - not on purpose of course. They flew off. I'm sure they died but I do my best not to do this. You have to hit the front of the body or head/neck to expect the animal to die quickly. Head/neck are the best immobilizers. Worst body shots in the front are in my experience the ones straight into the chest that do not hit legs. I've had a couple squirrels run 12-15 feet after those with a 25. Shoulder shots dropped with my P35-25.

 

[brawler1588]

My backyard incognito setup is a .177 shooting baracuda hunter extremes at about 10fpe and my shots are usually 30 yards and under. I have taken squirrels, rats, mice, and sparrows so far.

 

[Trucker3573]

All comes down to shot placement but if the main use is for critters I would ask why 177 when 22 is so much more versatile?

 

[outsideasy]

About to try the 177 caliber for the first time, besides when I was a kid with the bb guns. What's the biggest animal I can take out? All things considered of course

If you get a powerful .177 like an AF Condor or something equal in power you can shoot heavier slugs with a very flat trajectory and humainly take a surprising number of critters. I use a 177 Talon (Condor much more powerful) for my barn shooter and can’t miss any critter 10 to 40 yards because of its flat trajectory. I think it is a great caliber and has its place and purpose. I say you will love it immediately !

 

[kingsqueak]

I have both .177 and .22 and got the .177 most recently just for fun and to have a setup for HFT at some point.

The .177 is flatter and most of my shots are <50yd. My main quarry are chipmunks and squirrels. The .177 gets the job done with good placement but body shots often need a followup. The .22 is noticeably more powerful on target. Both setups are just moderate power with 10.4gr in .177 and 18.1 gr in .22.

With a coon or possum I’d be more comfortable with the .22 but with careful shot placement.

I like having both for the fun of it and .177 can do a lot of work if you are up to the placement of your shots.

 

[airgunmike56]

I agree, just take a look at the blokes in the UK shooting there under powered 177 guns, I look up to them guys and the kind of shooting there doing, I have watched enough of there pest shooting to know the UK pellet shooters have some skill.
Mike

 

[rigbymauser]

With the introduction of the 20grain slugs, the .177cal are moving into .22cal territory.

 

[Peashooter]

16gr Beasts will put the smack down too and work just fine inside 50 yards, actually i like to see a 16 grain pellet with a hollow point.

 

[SimpleGuy]

 

[Hearkens]

The .177 is wildly versatile. In the right gun with 10.3 JSB pellets it can be used for starlings and pigeons out to 100 yards. ( fx Royale)
With jsb knockout slugs at 800 fps in the AGT it’s capable of taking starlings out to 176 yards.
Shot count over 200

 

[L.Leon]

The .177 is wildly versatile. In the right gun with 10.3 JSB pellets it can be used for starlings and pigeons out to 100 yards. ( fx Royale)
With jsb knockout slugs at 800 fps in the AGT it’s capable of taking starlings out to 176 yards.
Shot count over 200

Are you consistently killing them at 100 to 176 yards? Or, are these outliers? Is there no wind where you shoot? “Can be used” and “capable of taking”? Sure, if you lob a .177 pellet and it connects at 176 yards you might get a kill. Are you saying it’s a repeatable thing. Like two or three in a row? In field conditions? I would bet not… it’s unfortunate that some fall for this extreme range shooting with airguns on living creatures. Not saying “you” haven’t done it. Making others believe it’s no problem is the problem.

 

[Glenroiland]

It's all about shot placement. I've taken may large raccoons with .177

 

[L.Leon]

It's all about shot placement. I've taken may large raccoons with .177

At what distances? Too many details left out… It’s about “shot placement”? That’s true irregardless of caliber. So? Are you recommending the .177 for raccoons? Would a new shooter be able to kill them like you did?

 

[Glenroiland]

At what distances? Too many details left out… It’s about “shot placement”? That’s true irregardless of caliber. So? Are you recommending the .177 for raccoons? Would a new shooter be able to kill them like you did?

A new shooter is only capable of what their ability allows. I would insist that you can only ethically shoot at distances that you can reliably hit the kill zone size for the target species at a FPE that is capable of completing the task at that distance.

To be ethical one must know their gun and their abilities. I wouldn't hesitate, for me, to eradicate a large racoon within 50 yards with my gun chambered in .177

In fact, I would not recommend .177 for racoon dispatching for most. I'm using a gun generating over 22FPE at the muzzle and I restrict almost all of my hunting to sub 50 yard distances.

 

[Hearkens]

Are you consistently killing them at 100 to 176 yards? Or, are these outliers? Is there no wind where you shoot? “Can be used” and “capable of taking”? Sure, if you lob a .177 pellet and it connects at 176 yards you might get a kill. Are you saying it’s a repeatable thing. Like two or three in a row? In field conditions? I would bet not… it’s unfortunate that some fall for this extreme range shooting with airguns on living creatures. Not saying “you” haven’t done it. Making others believe it’s no problem is the problem.

The Royale .177 is definitely repeatable on starlings at 100 yards. In that case I’m talking about a zero wind condition indoors in a barn that’s 460 yards long. Long shots are necessary as the statarlings tend to keep 80+ yards away at a minimum.
The slug shots out to 176 are are on a high power lines at known distances and always in the wind. I miss often due to conditions and user error… but if the light is such that I can see the slug path, and if the wind is fairly consistent… I can definitely repeat the shot… have taken quite a few at that distance.

 

[nmdk1]

Biggest? Probably a well placed shot on racoon or fox

 

[Nomadic Pirate 66]

Biggest? Probably a well placed shot on racoon or fox

Or wild hog ......

 

[beerthief]

at my place we had a Fox epidemic of Mange ,I disatched 4 in one day with a .177 Gauntlet first gen all clean kills 30 to 50 yards , two the next morning @ 40 yards . Really felt sorry for the fox , they could hardly stand and looked like a lot of hair loss and festers on the skin , Yuck !
AM i recommending that everyone do that , no, unless you can .

 

[nmdk1]

Or wild hog ......

I love .457 for hog