N/A .25 PCP for iguanas

[3Crows]

I was down in the Key Largo area last summer. It was a diving trip primarliy but while there I visited a friend who was living down there (since moved back upstate). We went shooting iguanas two afternoons. Plus took a few off the porch. The big ones are harder to put down than I had thought, head shots do it but if you put one through the shoulder not so much. I know JSB is releasing some new .22 heavy pellets but otherwise, I would go .25 and the heaviest pellet available which is the JSB 34 or possibly their new, if released, Heavy Hades 36 grains pellet. I would not feel over gunned with a .30! That said, the smackdown a .25 gives vs a .22 pellet is huge IMO.

The rifles I brought were my two favorites, a .22 Urban (26 fpe) and my Marauder Super Light .25 (60 fpe). These two here:



As to the .25 being more dangerous to people and property, well, I have not observed that .25 flies much further than a strong .22. Pellets are just not ballistically efficient. But if you plan slugs, either caliber, could be a problem. We made sure we had a solid back stop to our shooting. Shooting in the direction of people and property with an expectation that a .22 pellet will probably not reach so far, not sure about that.

 

[F6Hawk]

I'm not saying 22 is king. What I am saying is 25 and 30 is more a risk shooting in residential area's. Ill have to bow to your experience as far as downrange concerns. But what i see on video's of iguana hunts looks like boats and houses are in the way when shots are made.

I have a question for a Florida hunter. Why do they catch Pythons by hand instead of just shooting them in the back of the head and throwing them in the back of the truck?

Well, I'd say the risk is pretty equal from a lower-powered rifle. But from a powerhouse like the FX M3, .22 has a longer runout than a .25 or .30, especially if you are shooting thru a 700mm barrel (Mine is .30 & 600mm, and I feel like the runout is even less than my Umarex Gauntlet .25, though I have not chrono'd the .25 yet. I need to!)

Shooting into people's back yards without their permission (I would insist on written) is a felony. I know it is done, but it SHOULDN'T be. I shoot on the other side of the canals, towards public or industrial properties where no one would care.

As for the python thing, I really cannot say. Maybe they don't want to damage the skin?

 

[F6Hawk]

I will say this... my neighbor, who uses a .177 and .22 springer type gun, usually watches them run away, only to die and stink up the woods a few days later.

I learned that if they are on MY side of the canal, I will not take the shot unless I can see their eye or "ear". If they are across the canal, and I cannot get to them anyway, I will take a hear/lung shot with the .30 cal. They won't die right away, but the .30 has enough FPE to cause the wound to be fatal.

When you actually kill with one shot, the iguanas often twist and roll several times. About 1 out of 5 actually just drops where it was shot. They are some of THE toughest animals I have ever hunted.

 

[Airgun561]

I love the idea of an upgraded notos the only thing stopping me from pulling the trigger is the .22 aspect.

Im here in west palm beach if you are close i will come out with you for a day of iguana hunting and let you try all my rigs.i have:
-Avenger tactical .25
-notos .22
-origin .25
-Huben GK1 .25
-gauntlet .25

 

[F6Hawk]

Im here in west palm beach if you are close i will come out with you for a day of iguana hunting and let you try all my rigs.i have:
-Avenger tactical .25
-notos .22
-origin .25
-Huben GK1 .25
-gauntlet .25

Nice of you to offer! I offered him the same thing via PM, but you are closer (I'm in Davie), and have more guns to choose from. I think we have more iguanas down here; once went up to WPB to hunt at a friend's place, and the only thing we saw was large frogs.

 

[Airgun561]

Nice of you to offer! I offered him the same thing via PM, but you are closer (I'm in Davie), and have more guns to choose from. I think we have more iguanas down here; once went up to WPB to hunt at a friend's place, and the only thing we saw was large frogs.

Yeah you are in the hot zone for iguanas.They are everywhere out west along the canals you just have to know where to look.Just north in martin county though there are none.I figured he could get a good idea of what he wanted anyway by actually shooting a few different pcp’s.My notos is so damn accurate at 20yds its ridiculous.Once i set up the GK1 carbine rig though its gonna be hard to beat!

 

[RAMJET66]

Once i set up the GK1 carbine rig though its gonna be hard to beat!

i would like to see pics of your Gk1 as a Carbine ..

 

[Airgun561]

i would like to see pics of your Gk1 as a Carbine ..

Yeah i’ll post up some pics of it in the thread that is discussing the gk1 carbine options next week when i put on the chassis.You can also see it in action on my youtube channel(faraci561),should be a fun little set up!.

 

[ba49]

There is a Brocock Bantam in the classifieds right now! It is 25cal. with moderator and decent scope for $800 bucks. Perfect gun for those lizards!

New to the forum and air guns. I live in the center of south Florida iguana country and went shooting with a friend and was hooked. Looking for suggestions on a .25 PCP and optics specifically for iguanas at 20 yards. I’d like to be under $1000 all in if anyone can provide suggestions. Thanks in advance

 

[Flpanhandler]

There is a Brocock Bantam in the classifieds right now! It is 25cal. with moderator and decent scope for $800 bucks. Perfect gun for those lizards!

Can you explain to me how to find it? I’ve used the search but I get results for all forums and scrolled the classifieds for pages. I found one from January for $600 (wish I saw that one) but it’s sold

 

[Flpanhandler]

In terms of bullpup, if you were done for a .22 I would suggest an akela, it get you 55shots on a fill you can get 35fpe out of it. When I had mine for the 1.5yrs I owned it I shot 15.89gr AA pellets at 940fps and whatever I aimed it would get smacked exactly where I aimed. Obviously at longer distances I had to hold over but I've yet to shoot a more accurate .22 pellet gun. But that's just MY experience. You could definitely go for an avenger bullpup, I can't speak on any experience with them though.

Send me a PM.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

Can you explain to me how to find it? I’ve used the search but I get results for all forums and scrolled the classifieds for pages. I found one from January for $600 (wish I saw that one) but it’s sold

You need to have made at least 10 quality posts and have been a member for 10 days.

 

[ba49]

Sorry, you will have to wait until you get in your 10 days to get to the classifieds. I just wanted to show you they are out there for good prices. There is a good chance it will still be there when you are cleared to go there.

 

[Flpanhandler]

Sorry, you will have to wait until you get in your 10 days to get to the classifieds. I just wanted to show you they are out there for good prices. There is a good chance it will still be there when you are cleared to go there.

I can view all of the classifieds I just can’t initiate a PM. I’ve scoured the classifieds and can’t find one that’s not already sold

 

[Sicumj]

Sounds like if I wanted to hunt them I will need a .25. Have an AEA Backpacker shoots around 50 ftlbs., and have a 30 that shoots 100. I would really like tro hit a big one with the thirty. I shoot NSA's 26.8gr slugs out of the 25 they do well on squirrel. I go to florida once a year in March. I may need to take a day and hire a guide or something. I've done a lot of rat killing at night and the Igwuana hunt sound just as thrilling.

 

[Treks]

Sounds like if I wanted to hunt them I will need a .25. Have an AEA Backpacker shoots around 50 ftlbs., and have a 30 that shoots 100.

While I use .25 for them, you certainly don’t have to. With 50-100 fpe you would be the embodiment of “nothing says success like excess”. Joking aside, just be careful not to put that much energy through their eyes.

 

[Airgun Al]

Are Iguana edible?
What does it taste like?

 

[Treks]

Are Iguana edible?

They are, although you may not want to eat the ones that come out of areas with high pesticide use.

 

[Flpanhandler]

They are tough unless you slow cook them but I wouldn’t eat them

 

[F6Hawk]

Are Iguana edible?
What does it taste like?

Tastes like chicken!

I did a hunt for someone once, we bagged 10 or 11, and they turned the meat into a white gravy over rice. It was very delicious. Iguanas look rough, but the meat is very clean, as they are mostly herbivores, with the occasional small lizard or bird egg thrown in to mix it up. Not as tough as squirrel meat, but just as clean.