What would you prefer between a .25 and a .30 cal

[FearnLoading]

Lets assume for a moment that the only choices that one had was to pick either a .25 or a 30 cal. The general use of the gun would be small to medium game hunting (up to a hog) and target shooting at 150-250 yards. Which caliber would you pick? 

My own preference is towards the .25 cal for the following reasons. 

1. Lesser bullet drop enabling larger distance shots. 
2. More stability while flying as compared to the .30. Most 30 cal Airguns top off at 100 fpe. I think this is done for a reason because the 30 cals aren't stable at higher power. I could be wrong here but that's my guess. 
3. Descent enough dropping power even at 150-200 yards. 
4. IMO the wind also impacts the 30 much more than it does to the .25. Bigger bullet, greater wind impact. This is of course for longer distances. Within 100 yards the 30 would be less impacted but beyond 100 the 25 would be more stable is what I feel. 

So what would your pick be and why ? 

 

[linsfreak]

calliber.22 unless major hunting big animals. Really accurate and many animals to kill.

 

[FearnLoading]

"linsfreak"calliber.22 unless major hunting big animals. Really accurate and many animals to kill.

The .22 for a hog sized animal would be a bit too little I feel. I have shot the cricket .22 and at 150 yards it groups well but not as good as a .25 would. Longer distances I am assuming the groups would be much larger. That said the 22 cal has been one of the most reliable calibers for a long time. 

 

[Dave]

I just purchased my first high end gun, which was a Bobcat .30
I would personally go with the .30 and here is why. Assuming use of pellets over cast bullets.

1.Larger heavier pellets with higher BC gives higher energy at longer ranges.
2. The 25.4 grain vs 44.75 grain at same velocity 893 fps per chairgun the lower weight .25 cal pellet drifts 44" in a 5 mph 90 degree wind and the .30 only drifts 36" this is at 250 yards.
3. The .30 is a larger hole in the animal to aid in rapid blood loss.
4. If using pellets over cast bullets you don't want to be in transonic or supersonic range do to instability of any caliber of pellet.
5. I can't think of any .25 cal non-cast bullet guns capable of around 100 fpe and being stable with good long range accuracy. Look at review Ted did on the 80 fpe Daystate air ranger.

Anyway that is why I personally would choose .30 over .25 but if hogs are my intended target I might lean toward the .357 like the new Rapid air weapon in this post.

http://airgunnation.dev/topic/rapid-air-weapons-357-mini-novice-review-pictures/

Hope this helps.

 

[30cal]

Here is my first post here asking this same basic qsuestion. Some good info on the ballistic's between the two caliber's: http://airgunnation.dev/topic/raw-hm-1000x-25-or-30-for-100-yards-and-beyond/

 

[linsfreak]

No fern I agree, was just saying small game.

 

[blackdiesel]

If I was limited to one I would just get a 25 cal Sumatra. With the power set to the highest setting it can match the power of most 30 cal guns. Or you can turn down the power and shoot medium size pellets without overpowering them.

 

[Michael]

From what I hear... the .25 JSB 33g heavies have a really good ballistic coefficient. Now if you could find an airgun to pump those out about 950 fps...

 

[iride]

I shoot a 22 and a 25 crickets 99 % of the time, 80 % of my game is sparrows, Both do the job great, One kills and the other explodes.
Now I am also at war with the big pest the Euro dove, Its a very tough bird, Lots of fly offs with a good heart and lung shot with the 22 shooting at 940 FPS.
Yes I find the birds in the ally, over the fence, Now with the 25, The bird drops even if my shot is a little sloppy, The 25 is also shooting at 930 940 FPS ..
I shoot the JSB Exact Diabolo 22 in 18 .13 grain and the 25 in 25.39 grain,
In my Crickets I have never shot any thing but JSB pellets,,,,
I may experiment down the road a little , But perfection is hard to improve on.
All my shots are in the 38 to 48 yard range, I will take the rare grackle out at 110 yards , But that's shoots over my fence.
The 30 seems cool and if Cricket made a 30 I might just bite, But my game is not really big enough for that amount of lead....
Mike 

 

[30cal]

Michael I plan to try that very thing with my hm1000x .25 soon. It should easily do that.

 

[Michael]

"30cal"Michael I plan to try that very thing with my hm1000x .25 soon. It should easily do that.

Looking forward to the review. I believe the difference in weight will cause the pellet to fly about 100 FPS less than the 25.3 grain pellets. Can you increase the velocity of your HM1000x that much?

 

[FearnLoading]

"Michael"From what I hear... the .25 JSB 33g heavies have a really good ballistic coefficient. Now if you could find an airgun to pump those out about 950 fps...

I've been waiting to get my hands on those. Am sure the cricket can be tuned to pump these out at least in the 920 fps range. The 25.4 grains gives about 940-945 fps without any tuning. So am assuming I should be able to get the heavies to shoot at a higher fps. Time will tell  

 

[ezerhoden14]

FX Impact, then you can have both!

 

[FearnLoading]

"iride"I shoot a 22 and a 25 crickets 99 % of the time, 80 % of my game is sparrows, Both do the job great, One kills and the other explodes.
Now I am also at war with the big pest the Euro dove, Its a very tough bird, Lots of fly offs with a good heart and lung shot with the 22 shooting at 940 FPS.
Yes I find the birds in the ally, over the fence, Now with the 25, The bird drops even if my shot is a little sloppy, The 25 is also shooting at 930 940 FPS ..
I shoot the JSB Exact Diabolo 22 in 18 .13 grain and the 25 in 25.39 grain,
In my Crickets I have never shot any thing but JSB pellets,,,,
I may experiment down the road a little , But perfection is hard to improve on.
All my shots are in the 38 to 48 yard range, I will take the rare grackle out at 110 yards , But that's shoots over my fence.
The 30 seems cool and if Cricket made a 30 I might just bite, But my game is not really big enough for that amount of lead....
Mike

I love the crickets too. They are incredibly accurate guns. I would like to stretch these out to 200 yards plus. Just haven't been able to find a range that long yet. A good test would be to use a 25 cricket and a day state 30 cal and run them head to head at 100 yards or more. Now that's a test I would love to see the results of. My money will be on the cricket 25 at longer ranges. 


 

[TonyT]

"Michael"From what I hear... the .25 JSB 33g heavies have a really good ballistic coefficient. Now if you could find an airgun to pump those out about 950 fps...

Michael,
my Cricket 25 cal shoots the JSB 25.4 gr. pellets at 975 fps with excellent accuracy - ca 1.5 to max 2 in. groups at 100 yards.

 

[blackdiesel]

"Michael"From what I hear... the .25 JSB 33g heavies have a really good ballistic coefficient. Now if you could find an airgun to pump those out about 950 fps...

I have to turn the power down a few notches on my Sumatra to keep them from shooting too hot. Even the 43gr Eun Jin shoots at 920 fps on the highest setting

 

[ajshoots]

I have been kicking around the idea of a .30 versus a .25 as well. I have a couple of modded .25's that either one is capable of 80+fpe. Based on what I have read as to .30 pellet BC's, there are .25 pellets that have as good to possibly better BC's. I know for a fact that even though BC does start to drop off past certain fps, I can push both my .25's well past 900fps and still have amazing hunting accuracy and what would be deemed pretty good bench accuracy. From the few I have spoken to including someone who builds .30 guns, the .30 has to stay below 900fps to remain accurate. I don't know that a .30 is going to give me much to any advantage over a high power .25 for my needs?

 

[blackdiesel]

From the few I have spoken to including someone who builds .30 guns, the .30 has to stay below 900fps to remain accurate.

Baxter shoots his 30 cal at 930 fps and gets 1" or under groups at 100 yards. I saw a video of a guy shooting a modified Wolverine over 1000 fps with the 50gr JSBs and getting 1" groups at about 100 yards (90 meters).

 

[ajshoots]

I am aware that a few guys have modified guns that are getting good results. It just isn't a representation of the majority. Just like the .25 in its early stages, no one believed it could be better than the .22. Well, it proved it was and so will the .30 prove itself with further gun and pellet development. I am just waiting till that time.

 

[Gundog]

I just made this decision for me it was shot count and price of ammo. I plan to target shoot way more than hunt. If I were going to hunt larger game deer and hogs and that was my primary purpose I would get a .357 or larger. Eventually I would like to get a big bore hunter.

Mike