if you had to choose two airguns for hunting; what would they be?

[blueheeler66]

Hi; I've gotten away from airguns (since my late teens; the good 'ole Benjamin pump) and gone to centerfire rifles for quite a while.

I'm kind of getting the airgun bug now. What would you guys recommend for a serious air rifle for small game and another for large game. Super quiet would be nice; accuracy and power a must.

From what I've read; I'm kind of leaning toward something in .25 cal. and .45 cal. I kind of lean toward "buy once, cry once". I've cried a lot. 

 

[Redick]

25 would be the most flexible caliber. If you want raw power 30 on up. As far as which PCP is totally up to how deep are your pockets! I just picked up this beautiful beast in 30 Good luck 

 

[2manyAirGunz]

FX Wildcat .25 cal.

 

[c_m_shooter]

.22 will be cheaper to feed for a smallbore. You may find yourself shooting a LOT more when you don't have to go to a range. If I could only keep 2 of my current rifles it would be the Sam Yang .50 and HW97 .177. That will cover hunting just about anything.

 

[jwrabbit123]

SMALL GAME

.22 CAL EDGUN R5M LONG OR TAIPAN VETERAN STD

LARGER GAME

.30 CALIBER EDGUN R5 SUPER LONG ,



Depending how long ago you stopped alot of changes has came the airgun world , now 1 moa is not anything special anymore and it is not uncommon to kill coyotes 1 shot or hit past 200 yards with pcp using slugs , I found them alot more accurate then my rimfires

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

22 cal fx crown 380mm. I shoot mine a lot at 25 yards turned down to 15fpe. But hunting, offhand headshots are absurdly easy out to 60 yards. Not that it can't shoot further.



Right balance of size, weight, efficiency, power, feel, and.... Balance



Large game, I would choose the evanix rex 357 for size/weight, and they shoot broadheads very well with no mods 

 

[NEAirGunner]

FX Impact in .25 and Hatsan Pile Driver in .45 - Everything covered there.

 

[cea1960]

 Don't underestimate the importance of a sub 12 fpe rifle. I shoot a sub 12 fpe .177 more than any of my other rifles to prevent over penetration and/or damage to surrounding buildings when pesting. 

If you have the space and don't have to worry about pass throughs, and you have the cash, .30 Uragan for larger game and .177 Uragan Compact for pesting birds or squirrels in the yard.

I wish I had 2 different caliber rifles with the same triggers. It would make going from one to the other when pesting at the farm much easier.

 

[Glenroiland]

.22 will be cheaper to feed for a smallbore. You may find yourself shooting a LOT more when you don't have to go to a range. If I could only keep 2 of my current rifles it would be the Sam Yang .50 and HW97 .177. That will cover hunting just about anything.

Good advise. I find myself shooting ALOT more, as you said!!

It might be tough to think of only 2, but I'm 100 percent on board with the hw97. For me, I would find it tough to decide which smaller caliber I'd keep. The HW97 in .22 MIGHT edge out my asp20 in .177. However, my asp is lighter and I think I'd worry less about it in the woods...

 

[redlined_b16a]

A fast shooting .22 since all these new slugs are coming out.

Hot shooting .357.

Life is complete

 

[Bander124]

Ed gun leshiy .22 and Ed gun .30 superlong r5 

 

[sonny]

I think a springer for small game like my HW95 .22, dependable no need for pumps/compressors etc and my Impact .25 w/power plenum for larger animals.

 

[douger]

177 daystate regal is a deadly little hunter or a 22 that's 28 to 30 ftlbs is what id choose

 

[blueheeler66]

Thanks for all the suggestions; please keep them coming; its very much appreciated. 

To answer a previous question, its been a real long time since I've looked at anything in the air rifle arena. Like I have a 1969 Daisy BB gun and a 1980ish Benjamin pump if that tells you anything. The new generation of PCP airguns (I knew they were coming out and didn't keep up with it due to other interests, but there were still problems that had to be worked out) is going to take a bit of research before I purchase one (buy once, cry once). 

I live out in the country, so no limits and shoot whenever I want with no issues. But I like suppressed everything. So a built in moderator is a nice feature.



Maybe it looks like I might eventually end up with three now.

.177 HW95/97 or Marauder for plinking and squirrels 

.25 I have no idea yet; for squirrels, boar coons, coyote

a .308 -.45 for deer and hogs, more likely for just because; probably will go to centerfire for that in reality. I have no idea yet; but that Pile Driver looks interesting, wish it had a magazine though.

 

[DanielL]

I’m going to go with more than a couple.


Gamo Swarm Maxxim in .177 & .22 for closer range posting and hunting. Less power means less over penetration issues.

Adjustable power, reliable efficient bull pup in .25 capable of 50 fpe. Taipan Veteran. ATN Uragan. KalibrGun Cricket. Small to medium game.

.357-.50 big bore for large game. Benjamin Bulldog.

 

[JWilson]

For the small game rifle I recommend the EDgun Lelya or Matador Std in .25. I prefer the Lelya as it is superb off-hand yet can be shot supported when needed.

I don’t own or shoot big bore so I will leave that recommendation for others.

 

[Shoot1st]

I just made that choice not long ago ;0)

1) Weihrauch HW95 with a PG2 tuneup kit in .22 caliber

2) FX Impact MKII in .30 caliber

 

[Emu]

All depends of how deep is your love and how deep is your pocket. 



If you are in a position to spend above 2.5 K, buy a FX Impact MKII 357 Cal once in the market and buy the kit to convert it to a 25 Cal.... And you are done! 

 

[buckyusn]

What about a Seneca Aspen in .25 (or .22) for small game/pesting? Self contained PCP. The Impact MKII in .357 sounded like an excellent suggestion to cover everything else.

 

[Smok3y]

I went with a Leshiy and Impact .30. I sold my Leshiy and already regret it! No sure what I am going to do now.