Question: What would this be gun be good to hunt for?

[handermanntr]

I am looking at a new rifle, and i am wondering what everyone thinks it could be used for. This is a PCP hunting air rifle, i am interested in because of the reduced noise, so everything wont leave for weeks every time i take a shot.
Caliber: .50
Velocity: 660fps
Bullet Weight: 225gr (Hollow-point, round nose, or ball)

I saw video's online of people shooting through bricks at 80 yards and records of people getting deer, so i feel confident for deer.

Let me know what you think

[LordTio3]

Do you mean to say that you think all of the GAME will leave the area after your shot?


~LT

[handermanntr]

Yes, but i am more interested in what the power capabilities are of this rifle.

[lamarw]

What are your State Hunting Laws on the use of an air rifles for hunting large game?

I would be concerned about an air rifle having sufficient power at a distance (even at a hundred yard) to cleanly kill a deer. (cruelty)

A few things you do not want to do is violate hunting laws.

Injure or maim an animal. (cruelty)

Wound and animal and have to track it long distances before it succubms to its wound. (cruelty)

There is a difference in muzzle velocity and velocity at point of impact at a hundred of so yards.

[handermanntr]

I am wondering simply if you all think it would be enough to take down a deer on the spot, and if not what level of hunting could it be used for, i will check out the laws for air rifles, but i am just wanting to know about your opinion on the power.
Here is the gun
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Dragon...Air_Rifle/2500
Again, i know people have taken deer on the spot with it, i am just wondering
if they got a lucky head shot, or if it is enough.

[edward5759]

I know they have taken some African game with them.
In the U.S. most states it's limited to non-game species.

Edward

[hardworker]

I can't imagine a big, light-for-caliber, and slow moving bullet is going to have any sort of range. I guess if you hit the deer in the right spot and were close enough to it it would kill it though

[C0untZer0]

I think this is probably an example of a technology being taken past the point of dimishing marginal returns, but it's only $600.00

I think it's a pretty interesting idea.

How much do the rounds cost?

It might be fun to use it against hogs...

[Mike Irwin]

It looks like that thing has about the same power as the .455 Webley cartridge, which was something less than what our .45 ACP churned up.

Personally I wouldn't shoot anything larger than a rabbit with it.

[handermanntr]

The slug rounds are 50 for $17, the balls are 100 for $13(183 grain).
here is an online video that i liked, i think i might just get one to use for
target practice in order to save money, but idk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENsdA4Gel44

And here is one of a slightly less powerful one that is cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-hJYrR_-gw

[bullethole1]

yeah,shoot it in the head or the neck,it will take it down...i dont know about a monster buck though,maybe it would maybe or not

[bullethole1]

Also I would like to mention that if tracking a deer after they got wounded is animal cruelty ,I would think that there would be ALOT of hunters in jail or on probation and went to court! Good Luck and Have fun you can do it, I seen people with smaller caliber airguns shoot deer in the head or neck and kill them. Last time I seen was a guy on a video,shooting a doe,It wasnt a big one but he took it down.

[ripnbst]

Only 650 fps? For game animals at distance? I will pass on that. I like hunting, not tracking. There's a reason they are two different words.

[lamarw]

I did not state Bullethole1 that tracking a hit animal was against the law. I questioned whether using an air gun was legal in the poster's State. I think most States do not allow air guns for deer.

I do believe most hunters would like as clean a kill as possible; although it does not always happen to perfection. None of us want game or wildlife to suffer.

But Yes, I do believe using an inappropriate weapon resulting in needless suffering to game is cruelty.

The guy in the video needs to join a track or football team. I have never seen anyone cover 30 yards as quickly as he did on the video. He appears he was only ten yards away from the target at the most. It is possible he shortened the video after shooting and moving to the target.

[Kreyzhorse]

I saw video's online of people shooting through bricks at 80 yards and records of people getting deer, so i feel confident for deer.

I doubt it's legal for deer. Even if it was, I doubt it has enough energy at distance to humanely shoot a deer.

Keep in mind that you aren't always goign to make a good shot. In those cases, you want as much energy as possible to put down your prey and allow yourself the ability to put the deer down quickly.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Big bore airguns are used for hunting all over the world. I don't know about that particular gun but there's plenty of info out there.

http://www.bigboreairguns.com/

[Skans]

Yes, big bore airguns are used in other countries for hunting. However, this is the first I've heard of a .50 caliber airgun. The fps seems a little low. I believe there are some 9mm air guns that are better for hunting dear sized animals. You really have to look at the kinetic energy as determined at whatever distance you will be shooting.

I'm not sure that I understand the comments about cruelty using PCP air rifles for hunting. Certainly, no more inhumane than a bow that shoots an arrow at 250 - 300 fps.

[JimPage]

SKANS

An aside in this thread: an arrow kills by hemorrage while a bullet kills by energy. Your comparing apples to oranges.

[hogdogs]

If someone has no idea about the effectiveness of these guns... Please don't act like they are not capable...

These type of guns have killed grizzly bears on down including hundreds of thousands of Deer and Feral hogs!

To the OP... I suggest you research the appropriate forums for these weapons. All you will hear on TFL is from folks with absolutely no clue about them.

as for this particular rifle, I do not know. I am yet to justify making the jump to them from my Gamo .177 cal. or from my powder fired arms.

Brent

[buck460XVR]

What are your State Hunting Laws on the use of an air rifles for hunting large game?

^...this, and this.

Personally I wouldn't shoot anything larger than a rabbit with it.

[Hawg]

I think it's a lousy idea and probably not legal in most states. It wont take a deer down on the spot unless you make a brain or spinal cord shot, both very small targets. The ball wont pass thru and you will have to do some serious tracking. Your remark about a shot scaring game away for weeks is rubbish. I've taken deer with more than one in the field and after the shot the others run to the woods but some come back to see what happened.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by JimPage

An aside in this thread: an arrow kills by hemorrage while a bullet kills by energy. Your comparing apples to oranges.

I love that argument.

If I shoot a deer through the lungs with an arrow and it runs 150 yards before collapsing and I shoot one through the lungs with a 7mm-08 and it runs 150 yards before collapsing, did it die for two different reasons? No it did not.

Bullets cause nerve shock that can cause an animal to fall immediately on impact. "Falling" is not "killing".

Bullets and arrows kill by disrupting blood flow to the brain.

Blood loss is blood loss.

[Old Grump]

What you would have is a 8 pound single shot accurate to 30 yards rifle with around 250 ft lbs of oomph at the target.

You can do better with a black powder gun but if you are content with target shooting and blowing up bricks and cans of tomato juice with an air rifle go for it.

Just me but I wish I had gone with 22 instead of 17 caliber when I bought my Gamo but it is still good enough for squirrel and rabbits under 25 yards and feral cats at 50' or less so I am an air gun fan but I think PCP has more developing to do yet.

[hogdogs]

Just me but I wish I had gone with 22 instead of 17 caliber when I bought my Gamo but it is still good enough for squirrel and rabbits under 25 yards and feral cats at 50' or less so I am an air gun fan but I think PCP has more developing to do yet.

Your 1,000fps .177 Gamo is quite adequate for squirrel killin' far beyond the 25 yards you mention... My personal best is 63-65 yards laterally with the bugger in the top of a VERY TALL tree (at least 75' tall).

My personal best on rabbits and feral cats is 50+ yards... Your ability to make these shots or lack of confidence in the weapon does not limit the actual ability of the weapon.

Brent

[Skans]

An aside in this thread: an arrow kills by hemorrage while a bullet kills by energy. Your comparing apples to oranges.

The Kinetic energy of a 300 grain arrow at 300 FPS is somewhere around 60 ft. lbs. Although that is certainly not exclusively what takes down a large animal, the shock factor is not insignificant either.

The kinetic energy of delivered by a .50 caliber Quackenbush airgun is about 300 foot lbs. This is quite adequate for hunting sizable game at obviously shorter distances than with a traditional rifle.