Why is it so hard to explain to powder guys hunting with air can be done on larger game?!

[Vetmx]

You've got it 100% backwards.

But to be fair you did not kno these discussions started due to him questioning my choice..

Oh ok. Still, you’re not obligated to convince him of anything. Neither of you are wrong. But one of you just has a far greater chance of wounding a lot of animals. That why with the hunters that I’m associated with, I keep my airgun exploits close to my chest. We are tiptoeing a line of being underpowered in almost every animal we pursue.

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

Oh ok. Still, you’re not obligated to convince him of anything. Neither of you are wrong. But one of you just has a far greater chance of wounding a lot of animals. That why with the hunters that I’m associated with, I keep my airgun exploits close to my chest. We are tiptoeing a line of being underpowered in almost every animal we pursue.

I can get behind that statement

 

[L.Leon]

I have never owned powder, have never shot a bow. My very first experience with a powder gun was being trained along with many others along side me how to shoot to kill people. I have zero interest in owning a PB, I love the liesure of air guns and when I learned about PCP I was all in because I missed shooting. However I don't get why there is no sense in "hunting with an airgun", isn't that subjective to each individual? Just because he doesn't want to doesn't mean its unethical or not sensible.

I am also not swaying him in such debates but trying to understand his negativity toward a personal choice of mine to want to do so.

As long as you can do it legally, ethically and are capable? Disregard any negativity and carry on…

 

[L.Leon]

Down on the farm I was just observing a coyote at about 150 yards. It did not know I was there and I actually saw it pounce on, and gulp down a small rodent. Though I consider myself a good shooter, I would choose a powder burner for going after Coyotes. I came to PCP to shoot much smaller critters.

 

[Struckat]

This summer I bout my first pcp, MY big power gun all of 30-35 fpe! With a good opportunity, a woodchuck would be my limit, one I have shot it enough to know it.
Till then it’s the HW95 chippy machine!

My powder friends don’t get it, especially I was much more of Pb guy than them.
Oh well, as long as I am having fun, it’s all good.

 

[Chukar60]

The firearm hunting world has been undergoing a trend much like the trend in air guns. More power, flatter trajectories, smaller groups etc.
They have just been trending longer than the air gun world has been.
A great many hunters of today never saw the days when the 30-06 was “all the gun you would ever need for anything that walked the American continent.” They never hunted with a rifle when Minute of Vitals at 400 yards was accurate enough. They never hunted when a 3X9 power scope was considered a long range scope. Now, you need a Disemboweler 3000 Super Mag with a 8X32X56 FFP scope and 220 gr superlok High BC bullets and a tripod just to snuff Bambi.
Given all of that is it any wonder that they would fail to accept that your Red Rider on Steroids was enough gun?

 

[JimNM]

It's just like anything. If you try to explain the advantage of a Japanese motorcycle to a "Harley Guy", more often than not you're just talking to a brick wall.

Once you invest in something (and guns are often a significant investment), people often lock-in and try to rationalize their decisions. Not all people are like this, but it's fairly normal human psychology, like "loss aversion" and other wonky phenomena.

You hit the FX-crowd on the nose! Even suggesting that another gun could be a contestant on the price/value debate get the blood flowing and the nostrils flared.

They spend the money to buy their way into the club and then they defend ground like rabid animals. Hehe.

 

[madeintheuk]

You hit the FX-crowd on the nose! Even suggesting that another gun could be a contestant on the price/value debate get the blood flowing and the nostrils flared.

They spend the money to buy their way into the club and then they defend ground like rabid animals. Hehe.

Why did this become an FX bash? I own 3 FX rifles, but wouldn’t say I joined a fan club. I just like tinkering, and I find them accurate for what I do. I’ve tried many other brands, and seem to come back to FX.

As for powder burner hunters, most of them don’t even realize pcps exists, let alone big bore airguns.

 

[gendoc]

within my distance of POA of deer and hogs, my airguns will take them just as good as
my large bore cf rifles and handguns.
so less than 50yrds, my large bore airguns are used.
we also bow, crossbow and ML hunt too, and of course PB hunt out past 50....

 

[Nomadic Pirate 66]

Well it's because for a loooong time hunters have been indocrinated by the firearm industry that you need X power minimum to even think about shooting YZ critter,

Back in the days on "Adventures in Airguns " there was some very intelligent discussions by great hunters about the lethality of a slow moving bullet going through a critter internals.

People I know freak out when I show them my Wild boars kills ( some real big ones too ) with my BB guns and clearly state they would never even consider going into the jungle with anything less then a 30/30

I have a safe full of Firearms but I never, ever hunt with them because I know if I do my part my BB guns will do the business,....and I have proven that for a decade and a half now, so I just let them believe what they want to believe and if they want to limit themselves so be it

 

[Filnez]

All hunting weapons have their place, situations where they fit in most properly. In the days of firearms before high velocity centerfires, plenty of critters were killed with low velocity black powder guns. Here in North America, the trend towards smaller bore sizes really developed during the 1700's flintlock era in the Eastern woods as people primarily were after small game and whitetail deer. Huge chunks of lead and large powder charges were costs that they did not need. Archers have taken plenty of larger game, for centuries before the firearm was even invented. Air powered weapons that are capable of taking bigger game animals are something that is relatively new in the minds of hunters so many of have not been exposed and will be skeptical of them.

 

[abqjoe]

So I got my buddy into airguns, hes an older guy (56) , he is shooting an akela. I have expressed time and time again I want to coyote pest as I have the opportunity for two coyote permissions (recently acquired an uragan 30 for this job). I also explained id like to take a deer with an air rifle.

99% of hunting here in NE is in the bush and is under 100 yards on these particular animals. Coyote sometimes longer range on the farms they wreak havoc on but Ive talked to more than enough farmers who have taken them the majority of the time under even 80 yards.

He continuously shakes his head and just says "powder guns are used to hunt these animals and make 3000 fpe and shoot way faster obviously for a reason. No air rifle is going to make that energy."


I tried explaining how they are finding that this isn't necessary with air , especially as of late as it becomes more popular and he just isn't having it.

He is a smart guy, I guess the only way for me to prove this is to take an animal ethically and cleanly while recording.

The problem is, nothing knows better than ignorance......

 

[Chukar60]

You hit the FX-crowd on the nose! Even suggesting that another gun could be a contestant on the price/value debate get the blood flowing and the nostrils flared.

They spend the money to buy their way into the club and then they defend ground like rabid animals. Hehe.

Club?! What club? Since I have joined this forum I have seen not one thing about a club.
I have bought and paid good money for 5 FX air guns and have a 6th on it’s way (which I now deeply regret) to my humble little hovel I call home. Not one of those sneaky weasley uppity snobby FX salesman mentioned one damn thing about any club.
Came here under the assumption we were all one big happy family only to find out Y’all have been holding out on me. Basically freezing the new guy out!!!
I would think that 5 FX’s, despite the poor value to cost ratio, should at least get me a junior chipmunk level membership.
Hope you are happy now.

JimNM, thank you for exposing this atrocity. How long would the rest of you skunks let me go on thinking I somehow fit in.
Easy to see who my friend is now.

Rest of you can kiss my FX.

PS. Can I interest anyone in a new in the box 25 cal Crown MKII 600mm? You may as well buy the heavy slug liner as well. Delivery will be about 3 weeks. Seller makes no claims or guarantees about your club membership or qualification to join said club.

 

[BackStop]

"So I got my buddy into airguns, hes an older guy (56) , he is shooting an akela."

Damn! 56 is OLD? (sad, OLD, chuckle)

Club?! What club? Since I have joined this forum I have seen not one thing about a club.
I have bought and paid good money for 5 FX air guns and have a 6th on it’s way (which I now deeply regret) to my humble little hovel I call home. Not one of those sneaky weasley uppity snobby FX salesman mentioned one damn thing about any club.
Came here under the assumption we were all one big happy family only to find out Y’all have been holding out on me. Basically freezing the new guy out!!!
I would think that 5 FX’s, despite the poor value to cost ratio, should at least get me a junior chipmunk level membership.
Hope you are happy now.

JimNM, thank you for exposing this atrocity. How long would the rest of you skunks let me go on thinking I somehow fit in.
Easy to see who my friend is now.

Rest of you can kiss my FX.

PS. Can I interest anyone in a new in the box 25 cal Crown MKII 600mm? You may as well buy the heavy slug liner as well. Delivery will be about 3 weeks. Seller makes no claims or guarantees about your club membership or qualification to join said club.

No... the FX crowd (club) just doesn't like you. (chuckle) (ducking and running...) LOL!

Don't feel bad, they don't like ME either and I don't own ANY FX guns. (grin)

But I DO like the FX(JSB) .177 10.3 domed pellets! (smile)

 

[Vetmx]

They probably don’t like me either and I have owned and still own quite a few. I like their guns, but I don’t lie to myself and just tell it like it is. What I admire about them is you don’t even have to lie in a classified to sell one. You can say you don’t like it. It’s too finicky or you just want a set it and forget it gun. The buyer can search your history and see all your topics with you chasing your tail with it. SOLD!!!

 

[LRShooter6.5]

Most people are old school when it comes to air rifles. They think they’re for small game and pests. I think if you were to show solid data from a ballistic calculator relating the food-pounds of energy it would help your case. Also shooting some ballistic gel or showing a video of large bore air rifles on ballistic gel compared to a rifle.

 

[Vetmx]

You non fanboys might get a kick out of this. Last summer my 80 year old dad, 79 then, stopped by my house to drop off some bags of grass clippings. He walked up an says to me through the screen door, I thought I heard you shooting. I see you’re shooting your chronograph gun. I said yep.

 

[BackStop]

Probably he already has ENOUGH $$$$ invested in his PB guns that he doesn't want or need to invest (go down the rabbit hole) with PCP airguns.

His PBs do what he needs them to do, so why spend more money?

Which, IMHO, is very sane reasoning. (smile)

 

[BackStop]

Oh ok. Still, you’re not obligated to convince him of anything. Neither of you are wrong. But one of you just has a far greater chance of wounding a lot of animals. That why with the hunters that I’m associated with, I keep my airgun exploits close to my chest. We are tiptoeing a line of being underpowered in almost every animal we pursue.

That's why I keep beating that horse about shot placement.

Oh, and it goes for those using PBs just the same! (smile)

 

[ghoststalker]

People looking at air rifles like " bb " guns, has been whats allowed this sport to grow the way it has. Just wait until that changes, and it will. The guberment will step in and change things big time, and not for the better. Be careful what you wish for.