Talk me out of a .177 caliber air rifle

[Bob]

Sooooo close to getting one, because I am going to war with suburban squirrels.

Now - I get that .22 is biiger and badder. That said....

.177
- Is fast like 1100-1300fps
- more accurate overall
- better long range performance
- quieter
- cost of gun/ammo is less

Considering that I am a good shot, and mostly shooting within the HOA, and not planning on it for SD/HD etc....I and a single barrel is simpler/less breakage (I know Dave likes his dual caliber).

I kind of like th .17cal option. If I get serious serious, I have real .22 pistol/rifle, and one can accept a suppressor. So I'm calling .177.

Convince me otherwise.

[David]

I can't really think of a good reason to talk you out of it. As you mentioned, the ammo is inexpensive. A decent rifle in .177 is inexpensive. My brother has used the ole Crossman .177 for years on small critters around his property. I think mine cost around $25 years ago when I bought one. That Kodiak dual caliber was only around $99 IIRC.

.177 won't have the overall penetration of the .22 pellet but it's still sufficient for many applications.

Lots of good .177 options like Gamo that are also inexpensive.

[Bob]

Good thing. I got the Gamo Wildcat Whisper in .177. 1300fps with the right ammo.

[Bob]

In retrospect, growing up, I killed a lot of critters with an old Czech break barrel.

[Bob]

Getting it broke in. Still burning off the lube in the piston....

Accuracy is getting better!

[David]

Critters beware, Bob's coming...

[Bob]

Beware indeed! Getting it broken in, burning the excess lube off, tweaking the scope out....here are today's efforts at around 25 yards. Both out there rounds called flyers. Mostly putting them within a quarter. Here bushy bushy.....

Gamo Tomahawk game rounds



Crossmain Point tips

[David]

Nice groups. You have to expect the occasional flyer, especially in a pellet rifle.

[Bob]

Those were me, not the gun.

Soft chair, bent over, elbow on a stool....not the best position I have ever shot from! Really tweaking out the scope now.

But yeah - those were all minute of Squirrel Skull

[Bob]

Oh yeah...I keep grabbing a tin of ammo everytime I'm at wallyworld. Must have around 1500 rounds now.