I’ve done a lot of hunting ducks, pheasant and rabbits in Canada with a shotgun but I’m very new to modern air rifles. I live in Florida now and want to focus solely on invasives. Feral pigs and iguanas will be most common game. I know they are very different in size. I’m very interested in an FX gun. All advice is welcome. Thanks
Sm / med game hunting air rifle
- Thread starter Dmartind
- Start date
Well I recently within the past several months purchased a .357 Impact M3 with all the goodies. Saved tactical top rail, lots of dif suppressors (it likes the ronin with extender best), and many other goodies to make it my own. It’s got an 800mm heavy liner in it and so far the thing is an absolute laser beam especially with FX Hybrids. I would skip the pellet phase which is a rabbit hole I went down and just go to Hybrids. I have not seen a gun they aren’t accurate at all ranges on. In .35 cal they are the same price around $16 for $100 as all the other small calibers. So you’ll get people that call them expensive but in my mind for a match grade .357 slug and $100 of them that’s cheap!
Now those Hybrids aren’t great for everything. They have an extremely hollow core so fantastic for everything up to a raccoon. However anything larger including coyotes you will need a more solid round. This can be done by either going back to pellets, or what I am doing currently is getting the gun serviced at the dealer I got it (The pellet shop, would highly recommend) and they are throwing in the Tungsten hammer while they are in there. Then they are tuning 93grain Nielsen’s which are a heavier round and will penetrate further while still flowering some on impact. Now I have taken some Coyotes with the Hybrids but the ones in Wisconsin here are large and fairly tough. I would imagine hogs you’d have a similar issue. So if you do take my advice on the .357 FX Impact of make sure to get the power slug kit thrown in before it gets sent to you. That way you can shoot all slugs. They just shoot so much flatter in a hunting situation where you can’t get dope without scaring game.
Now I know they came out recently with the M4. I would most likely buy that one i suppose if I were you. The only thing I haven’t seen is anyone using it with a 300 bar air tank. People complained about the M3s front reg but it made having a 700cc 300 bar air tank an easy thing to throw on. That’s what I am currently rocking. So if someone said no more 300 bar air tanks on the M4s I would go M3. Maybe someone else can comment on this? I am curious.
Now those Hybrids aren’t great for everything. They have an extremely hollow core so fantastic for everything up to a raccoon. However anything larger including coyotes you will need a more solid round. This can be done by either going back to pellets, or what I am doing currently is getting the gun serviced at the dealer I got it (The pellet shop, would highly recommend) and they are throwing in the Tungsten hammer while they are in there. Then they are tuning 93grain Nielsen’s which are a heavier round and will penetrate further while still flowering some on impact. Now I have taken some Coyotes with the Hybrids but the ones in Wisconsin here are large and fairly tough. I would imagine hogs you’d have a similar issue. So if you do take my advice on the .357 FX Impact of make sure to get the power slug kit thrown in before it gets sent to you. That way you can shoot all slugs. They just shoot so much flatter in a hunting situation where you can’t get dope without scaring game.
Now I know they came out recently with the M4. I would most likely buy that one i suppose if I were you. The only thing I haven’t seen is anyone using it with a 300 bar air tank. People complained about the M3s front reg but it made having a 700cc 300 bar air tank an easy thing to throw on. That’s what I am currently rocking. So if someone said no more 300 bar air tanks on the M4s I would go M3. Maybe someone else can comment on this? I am curious.
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In my opinion the only realistic way to hunt iguanas and pigs with the same gun is to limit yourself to head shots on the pigs. You could use a 357 or bigger airgun for iguanas I guess but the ammo cost is high and the shot count is low. A lower power 357 is light for body shots on large pigs in my opinion. A high powered 357 is probably fine but then there is the shot count.
I do not favor expanding projectiles for body shots unless you have plenty of power. The expansion limits penetration too much. But for brain shots I don't think it matters much. The skull is hard enough to distort anything made of lead. You could use something like the FX hybrid slug for brain shots on pigs and any shot you want on an iguana. Or you could use a domed pellet or a solid slug.
If you limit yourself to brain shots on the pigs I've seen it done in youtubes repeatedly with 25 grain airguns. That would also be plenty for iguanas. I wouldn't want to be below 50 fpe but most if not all FX airguns can make 50 fpe in 25 caliber I believe. An impact should be capable of 60 fpe or more in 25 caliber. Or you could go up to a 30 caliber. But more power means lower shot count and bigger caliber means more expensive ammo.
I would get a 25 caliber for what you describe but it probably would not be a FX. Something as inexpensive as a SPA P35X would be more interesting and every bit as usable in my opinion. If you want something with better machining a RTI Prophet or many others would offer a sturdier barrel less subject to being bumped out of the sight-in-position and also have similar accuracy and high quality construction. I am not arguing that FX are bad airguns, I just think the very thin barrel "liner" they use is a little inconsistent with a hunting airgun that may have to be carried through the woods bumping into a few things along the way or carried on an ATV or something where the ride is not real smooth. I think other airguns would probably hold their zero better.
I do not favor expanding projectiles for body shots unless you have plenty of power. The expansion limits penetration too much. But for brain shots I don't think it matters much. The skull is hard enough to distort anything made of lead. You could use something like the FX hybrid slug for brain shots on pigs and any shot you want on an iguana. Or you could use a domed pellet or a solid slug.
If you limit yourself to brain shots on the pigs I've seen it done in youtubes repeatedly with 25 grain airguns. That would also be plenty for iguanas. I wouldn't want to be below 50 fpe but most if not all FX airguns can make 50 fpe in 25 caliber I believe. An impact should be capable of 60 fpe or more in 25 caliber. Or you could go up to a 30 caliber. But more power means lower shot count and bigger caliber means more expensive ammo.
I would get a 25 caliber for what you describe but it probably would not be a FX. Something as inexpensive as a SPA P35X would be more interesting and every bit as usable in my opinion. If you want something with better machining a RTI Prophet or many others would offer a sturdier barrel less subject to being bumped out of the sight-in-position and also have similar accuracy and high quality construction. I am not arguing that FX are bad airguns, I just think the very thin barrel "liner" they use is a little inconsistent with a hunting airgun that may have to be carried through the woods bumping into a few things along the way or carried on an ATV or something where the ride is not real smooth. I think other airguns would probably hold their zero better.
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A higher power 25 cal would work on both. Once you get into 30/357, the price goes way up for ammo and even the guns/parts.
Shot placement/skill will dictate if 22 or 25 will work for you. Yes, a high power 22 slugger will puree hog brains.
Shot placement/skill will dictate if 22 or 25 will work for you. Yes, a high power 22 slugger will puree hog brains.
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where in Florida ? lot of shooters there , maybe one is near by ? and also Iggy guided hunts . (you tube) see what they are using .
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So I did a bit more research since yesterday based on the helpful replies. Since pigs and iguanas are so different in size, should I consider a gun that has the capability of changing its caliber? Is that basically as straight forward as changing the barrel liner in an FX impact for example? Roughly what kind of $$ are we talking to change caliber in an FX impact.
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@Dmartind An Edgun Leshiy 2 (L2) may fit the bill. Although the 9mm version seems a bit on the weak side in that caliber, calibers can be swapped and you may want to swap between .30 and .357, or .25 and .357. I have never hunted iguanas, but I've seen videos of people hunting them with .25 and .30 calibers. When hog hunting I'd think you'd want to be within 50 or so yards with this setup as well making brain shots. Let me find some links to include here so this isn't just me talking. Aside from this suggestion I don't know what to tell you. I don't own guns that are made to swap calibers. Whatever you decide, just be sure that you are licensed and abide by laws and regulations set by the state and wildlife agency where you intend to hunt.
Iguana hunting with the L2 in .30
Leshiy 2 Hog Hunt. I thought they used a .357 here, but it's a .30 caliber setup as well.
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These Florida hogs don't get big like Texas hogs. 25 cal is all you'd need. Unless you plan to shoot distance on them, then maybe go up to 30.
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@Dr. Kralenstein I believe that the hog hunt in the video was in W. Virginia. It was a canned hunt to my understanding. Even still, it's a decent demonstration of what the L2 can do in .30 caliber with slugs. The description says it produced 85 PFE with a 47 grain slug from 20 yards. I don't know if that's legal in Florida. It was simply a suggestion in accordance with the OP's criteria. Start watching at around 5:35 mark to see the shot.
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Pyramid Air has caliber conversion kits for FX Impacts. I googled it and found one for $325. Avenge X (not the original design like I have) can also change calibers. Like the gun I think the kit is a lot less expensive. Maybe $150.
I've also seen comments that people don't convert their guns much even if they own the parts to do so. It seems to be just that it takes a few minutes and after they get done they may get an opportunity that would be better served by the "other" caliber. My "solution" was to buy 3 P35s for less than what one Impact costs. A P35X in 25 would probably work for brain shots on a hog but I would probably go up to the SPA M60b in 30 caliber for hogs and get a P35 in 22 or 177 for Iguanas (or a Bullshark). Both guns would still be cheaper than an Impact.
I've also seen comments that people don't convert their guns much even if they own the parts to do so. It seems to be just that it takes a few minutes and after they get done they may get an opportunity that would be better served by the "other" caliber. My "solution" was to buy 3 P35s for less than what one Impact costs. A P35X in 25 would probably work for brain shots on a hog but I would probably go up to the SPA M60b in 30 caliber for hogs and get a P35 in 22 or 177 for Iguanas (or a Bullshark). Both guns would still be cheaper than an Impact.
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Depending on your point of view changing calibers can be a pain in the ass. It's not only the time necessary to change the parts to do the caliber change. You also must tune the gun for the new caliber and then zero your optics. That takes considerably more time than just changing the parts. So if you could afford it I would recommend two guns rather than one change calipers even if they're less expensive guns.
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