.25 cal shooting 25.4's @ 500-600 fps are so quiet and definitely fun (on windless days)
-Matt
Upvote 0
Looking to stir the pot….
- Thread starter seangabrell
- Start date
.25 cal shooting 25.4's @ 500-600 fps are so quiet and definitely fun (on windless days)
-Matt
If I were limited to 12 fpe I would be very sad. But I would want a 177. The trajectory and the penetration on game would be better. I hadn't shot an animal with a 177 until about the last year and still have only killed 9 squirrels with it. But I've been pleasantly surprised at the effectiveness. Mine is tuned to about 19 fpe which is a little different. But I've hit 8 of the 9 in a reasonable place and they all died quickly. The ninth was hit in the ass and died but not quickly. I should not have taken the shot regardless of caliber. They drop more quickly with my 22 and 25 tuned to over 30 fpe but they only take a few steps after the 177 connects. With less power I would need to be more careful with placement but I think a 177 hole is big enough. Put it in the right place and collect your quarry. My Prod has about the same power as my 177 and is about equally effective on game. But the trajectory is worse. Penetration is a little less too.
My only 20 is an old pump up Sheridan blue streak. I may try it on squirrels some day, it has about 15 fpe, but pumping up for each shot isn't the most fun. I don't see a huge difference between 177 and 22 so an in between caliber doesn't seem necessary to me. But in the powder burner world there are a huge number of unnecessary cartridges. Choice is not a bad thing.
My only 20 is an old pump up Sheridan blue streak. I may try it on squirrels some day, it has about 15 fpe, but pumping up for each shot isn't the most fun. I don't see a huge difference between 177 and 22 so an in between caliber doesn't seem necessary to me. But in the powder burner world there are a huge number of unnecessary cartridges. Choice is not a bad thing.
Upvote 0
That’s exactly what happens 2 seconds before my son says “Yes, yes, you told me to top off the fill pressure”
Upvote 0
Springer:
Target - .177 & .20 calibers
PCP:
Target - .22 & .25 calibers
I don't hunt - so can't answer ...............
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Love them all.
.177 is hard to handle for these old eyes and hands but so sweet out to 50 yards. Love me some 18-20 fpe .177 with heavy pellets.
.20 really should be a more popular caliber. "Flat shooting in pellets" is literally defined by a 15.89 grain .20 caliber JSB steaming along at about 900 fps. Squirrel medicine.
.22 what a work horse, eh? Plenty of choices of ammo. Starts performing around 15 fpe and can push slugs up into subsonic rim fire country.
.25 man! Have you ever seen what a big slow .25 will do to a squirrel. It's like throwing bricks! Get that speed up into the mid 800's and it will reach out and slap the "you are a good squirrel" right out tree rats, rascaloons, etc.
If I could only own one rifle? I'd want it in .20 and an unlimited supply of JSB 15.89s. I'd tune it to shoot them around 900 but I'd want it to be able to generate maybe 950 fps. Last edited:
Upvote 0
There was no such thing as a 20 fpe .177 cal way back when I stopped shooting animals with pellet guns. If there had been I might think differently about the caliber but from my experience with R1's in .177 and .20, the .20 was my preferred caliber for hunting and still would be today when both projectiles come from similar spring gun power plants. This reminds me of the .270 vs. 30-06 debate. They have the same parent case with similar powder charges but the latter can toss a much heavier pill better suited to larger game.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
I was one of those that said poor choice of lead, can’t be any good. Swore I would never buy, had 4 other ca. rifles. Read this forum and anyone that owned a .20 always raved about their .20 cal. rifle. The only ones that put them down never had one. The mystery drove me crazy. Scooped a R9 .20, hooked. Have more than a few now, and they’re all the same story. I have 3 different rounds, had no problem getting them either, and their all deadly.
I’m blown away by their performance. Crow
I’m blown away by their performance. Crow
Upvote 0
My only 25 cal is a pp800 pistol with 9" barrel. Did 500fps out of the box. Valve, hammer, port work got it over 700fps. Still couldnt stand it. It now does over 900fps
Upvote 0
Totally agree. For me it’s about the only caliber I shoot anymore. I don’t shoot slugs, if I did I would probably like .22 more but for pellets I like the versatility of 25-34 gr and can still keep the price down but thump for hunting up. Yes I can get those same gr pellets in .22 but .25 platforms are more often designed to push the heavier lead faster more easily.
Upvote 0
Form necessarily should follow funtion.
the .177 is very back yard friendly or in Europe very <12 fpe friendly
Thus many of our USA choices are or at one time were affected by 12 FPE thing.
As far as other calibers go...
peeps way smarter than me talk about B.C. ballistic coefficient numbers.
Depending on their game folks are always on the look out for the greatest accuracy or greatest SMACK factor for their game.
Guess the golden caliber is the pellet choice that gives you the most accuracy and appropriate power at your chosen distance within a chosen discipline.
Upvote 0
Ammo choices have a lot to offer these days. I like them all. Really depends on what I am shooting and what the weather is like.
Twenty caliber is one of my favorites. I have three twenties now and I keep my eye out for a fourth. Life is too short to only shoot one caliber!
Twenty caliber is one of my favorites. I have three twenties now and I keep my eye out for a fourth. Life is too short to only shoot one caliber!
Upvote 0
My favorite rifle out of my little arsenal is a Ripley XL-9 in .20 Not sure why, but it is...lol
Upvote 0
A lot of it does just come down to barrel volume. Think of it as a fulcrum. The more barrel volume you have, the bigger the lever gets, the more potential force can be applied. Of course you need pressure end flow, too. But it gets harder to apply pressure and flow the smaller the barrel gets.
20 and 22 are pretty ideal sweet spots. The 20 having a distinct leg up in the BC category
Upvote 0
For general shooting (target, plinking, pesting, hunting) I prefer .22 caliber and feel that (with my 5 to 55 fpe airguns) it covers all the bases I'm interested in economically (as far as ammo costs and air usage) and practically. Most of my shooting is sub-50 yards and the .22 is fine for that.
I have a bunch of .177 caliber airguns (springers, SSPs, and PCPs) that I enjoy for target shooting and plinking out to 35 yards. Love my .177 10 meter airguns!
I have one .25 PCP that's used mostly for larger (raccoon sized) pests, really like it but it's too expensive for general shooting.
As far as the .20 goes, I shot my friends .20 caliber Sheridan quite a bit, it's a nice rifle but (at that time) pellets were expensive and had to be special ordered.
The .20 seems to be a good caliber but I'm more than happy to shoot my .22s. The .20 might have a better BC but considering the power available in a modern PCP I don't think a .22 is not really at a disadvantage and I'll stick with it.
Cheers!
I have a bunch of .177 caliber airguns (springers, SSPs, and PCPs) that I enjoy for target shooting and plinking out to 35 yards. Love my .177 10 meter airguns!
I have one .25 PCP that's used mostly for larger (raccoon sized) pests, really like it but it's too expensive for general shooting.
As far as the .20 goes, I shot my friends .20 caliber Sheridan quite a bit, it's a nice rifle but (at that time) pellets were expensive and had to be special ordered.
The .20 seems to be a good caliber but I'm more than happy to shoot my .22s. The .20 might have a better BC but considering the power available in a modern PCP I don't think a .22 is not really at a disadvantage and I'll stick with it.
Cheers!
Upvote 0
I attended and participated in an AAFTA hunter division field target match. I went to learn about airguns and suddenly was participating in the match. It was challenging, peaceful and fun with some of the friendliest people. Hunter division is sub 20fpe. 177 caliber is preferred due to the flatter trajectory. Yes it doesnt cut through the wind as well as 22 but 22 was described as lobbing shots in at times due to the arc.
I've gotten hooked on field target and thats what I will primarily be shooting. I am getting some other calibers and rifles for different things like EFT or 100 yard plinking or bench. I do have a 25 cal barrel for my ghost. I'm also considering a 20 call with how so many rave on it.
This is from my first match:
Last edited:
Upvote 0