"Powerful" is a relative term

[AirNGasman]

Most NORMAL folks... and some airgunners too, would consider a 10 foot-pound air pistol pretty danged powerful. For instance, my .177 Crosman 1701P producing 665 FPS with 10.3 grain JSBs or 725 FPS with 8.4s is a pretty flat-shooting air pistol, with excellent plinking and small-game capabilities to relatively long range. 

However, yesterday's shooting session at my two-acre pond with the 1701 and my 20 foot-pound .22 AR6 revolver was a good reminder that "powerful" is a relative term. Shooting cockleburs on the water-surface in very gusty crosswinds gives instant feedback on hits and misses (and by how much); allowing increasing confidence and ranges. The 10 foot-pound 1701P was pretty gratifying to about 50 yards, however the 20 foot-pound AR6 launching 18.1 grain JSBs at 700 FPS was as fun out to 80-100 yards!

Nevertheless, the almost telepathic, target-grade trigger of the 1701T sure was a valuable asset to breaking a precise shot in the GUSTY crosswinds compared to the excellent, but hunting-grade trigger of the AR6. For greater insight, both these pistols are capable of 1" c-t-c five or six-shot groups at 50 yards in STILL conditions.

Any experienced air pistolero would consider the .22 AR6 extremely powerful by any measure. But to put an exclamation-point on the subject of this post... then there's the .50 caliber Quackenbush!

 

[Clancy]

Anything above 6ftlb from a pistol over here would earn you a stay in prison with Bubba for a cellmate. In fact, air gunners are so unpopular here youd probably be delivered to Bubba's cell sedated and wearing a wedding dress.



So indeed, 10 would be considered very powerful over here, 20 would make women faint with the vapours!

 

[bandg]

Many say "faster isn't better" and similar views. Personally, I want maximum velocity in both rifles and pistols up to the point where accuracy may suffer (pellet stability or springer smoothness or whatever reason). As noted above, it seems to make hitting most targets easier due to flatter trajectory, less wind drift, and maybe other more esoteric reasons. Increasing velocity beyond the point of usable accuracy probably isn't going to help anyone but up to that point it probably does. Still, I'm always impressed by what the British shooters manage to do with what the have.

 

[Skillet]

As a young woods-loafer, I saved/bought a new Crosman 1300. Compared to my tired 760, a .177, this new pistol slinging .22s in the upper 300’s felt like a proper hand-cannon to me.

performed yeoman duty on close-up cottontails and as a snake charmer...

To this day I’m perfectly happy with a light shooting air pistol, and own several.

Still have the old 1300

 

[crosman2016]

Anything above 6ftlb from a pistol over here would earn you a stay in prison with Bubba for a cellmate. In fact, air gunners are so unpopular here youd probably be delivered to Bubba's cell sedated and wearing a wedding dress.



So indeed, 10 would be considered very powerful over here, 20 would make women faint with the vapours!

Where are you from?

 

[ray1377]

Anything above 6ftlb from a pistol over here would earn you a stay in prison with Bubba for a cellmate. In fact, air gunners are so unpopular here youd probably be delivered to Bubba's cell sedated and wearing a wedding dress.



So indeed, 10 would be considered very powerful over here, 20 would make women faint with the vapours!

Where are you from?

I was curious about that also. If he is from "across the pond" as they say over there, I have a hard time believing that airgunners are frowned upon judging by most of the youtube video's I watch from some of them there. Also, they are SO lucky cause they get to hunt rabbits and grey squirrels all year round!

Ray

 

[Gunnertrones]

823 fps with jsb 18,13 grns on full power (3) gives about 20 regulated shots pr fill. = 27 ftp. Very happy with that!

 

[Clancy]

I'm from middle England. From within the shooting community airgunners are treated well, but by society at large, newspapers, animal welfare charities etc, were regarded as a rampaging menace who worship Hitler and eat sandwiches made from orphan children. Wilder public opinion ranges from indifferent at best, to quite nasty at worst.

 

[Guest]

OC Sammies are the best. Hitler can take a hike.

 

[ray1377]

I'm from middle England. From within the shooting community airgunners are treated well, but by society at large, newspapers, animal welfare charities etc, were regarded as a rampaging menace who worship Hitler and eat sandwiches made from orphan children. Wilder public opinion ranges from indifferent at best, to quite nasty at worst.

Clancy

Wow, that sounds wild. I guess England is more like the U.S. than I imagined it to be. Seems like y'all have the same anti-hunting, animal loving crowd as we do here in the states.

I guess I just thought that if you were "pesting" certain species year round like grey squirrels and bunnies that you would be seen as doing your community a favor.

Guess not everyone see's it like we do.

Ray