First off, I’m not proud of my shooting here. However, this was a use-case under circumstances for which the GK1 was purchased - close quarter hunting. When I consulted with other members about what my use for this gun would be, my reply was “for hunting shots too close to comfortably take a rifle shot.” I’ve had coyotes, beaver, armadillos, snakes, and other animals come very close to me with rifles and carbines. I was always uncomfortable taking close-quarter shots within 6 yards.
After testing JSB Kings and JSB King Heavy pellets, I leaned towards the King Heavy diabolo pellets. On this day there were showers that cut my testing short, so everything was gathered and put under cover when it started to rain. In my moving around the property I spotted a rabbit feeding in some grass just outside of a rabbit run. I went to my GK1 aired it up from around 16 mpa to about 25 mpa and loaded a mag of King Heavies. I then crept around behind the young rabbit to within approximately 5 yards. I took a knee, rested my elbow on the other knee, and placed my front sight on the back of its head. When I squeezed the trigger the rabbit slowly moved forward. I’m still not used to being unable to see a magnified image after taking a shot, so I didn’t know exactly where the shot hit (I later discovered that the first shot was to theflank hindquarter/hip area). I did quickly realize that it was not a brain shot so I squeezed again, but I think I missed as it entered a rabbit run. I then scurried to the run and took about 4 more shots. The next shot put the rabbit down, but it was still breathing and I didn’t hear that skull “thwack.” I didn’t enjoy this part, but it was laid out and no longer moving forward. At this point I didn’t know my distance and I’m in briars so I don’t want to chance jumping the rabbit and loosing shot visibility. So I shot until it stopped moving. This is a benefit of a semi-auto, but not my style of “hunting.” I went through this once before with my K1 when I shot a squirrel I thought was dead, but it climbed back up a tree full of foliage and I had to shoot him back down as quickly as possible. I share these things to help others learn and to not paint a picture of a man that kills everything he shoots at with one or two shots. This is hunting. Anyhow below are a few pictures.
Rabbit and the GK1
Here’s the rabbit trail. It fell within the red circle.
The rabbit after placing it in a clear part of the run for a photo.
Close up of the hindquarter wound (1st shot). It was hard to tell which bone was shattered because this was a young rabbit. It may have been the capitis (head) of the femur, the joint on the pelvic bone, or a combination of both. I just know there was what appears to have been a broken pelvis and a significant amount of bone fragments that looked like crumbs within the flesh after skinning it.
What I have concluded is that I must refrain from shooting at another animals until I am better acquainted with this pistol. This experience does indicate promise as far as my intended use. I think with more work it will be useful for close quarter shots in hunting scenarios. I’d like to get comfortable with the iron sights before mounting an optic. I’m open to advice and criticism here with the goal of improving my proficiency shooting this air pistol.
My chronograph readings got an average of around 791-796 fps producing just under 48 FPE as it was set for these shots.
After testing JSB Kings and JSB King Heavy pellets, I leaned towards the King Heavy diabolo pellets. On this day there were showers that cut my testing short, so everything was gathered and put under cover when it started to rain. In my moving around the property I spotted a rabbit feeding in some grass just outside of a rabbit run. I went to my GK1 aired it up from around 16 mpa to about 25 mpa and loaded a mag of King Heavies. I then crept around behind the young rabbit to within approximately 5 yards. I took a knee, rested my elbow on the other knee, and placed my front sight on the back of its head. When I squeezed the trigger the rabbit slowly moved forward. I’m still not used to being unable to see a magnified image after taking a shot, so I didn’t know exactly where the shot hit (I later discovered that the first shot was to the
Rabbit and the GK1
Here’s the rabbit trail. It fell within the red circle.
The rabbit after placing it in a clear part of the run for a photo.
Close up of the hindquarter wound (1st shot). It was hard to tell which bone was shattered because this was a young rabbit. It may have been the capitis (head) of the femur, the joint on the pelvic bone, or a combination of both. I just know there was what appears to have been a broken pelvis and a significant amount of bone fragments that looked like crumbs within the flesh after skinning it.
What I have concluded is that I must refrain from shooting at another animals until I am better acquainted with this pistol. This experience does indicate promise as far as my intended use. I think with more work it will be useful for close quarter shots in hunting scenarios. I’d like to get comfortable with the iron sights before mounting an optic. I’m open to advice and criticism here with the goal of improving my proficiency shooting this air pistol.
My chronograph readings got an average of around 791-796 fps producing just under 48 FPE as it was set for these shots.
Last edited:
