I've been shooting air rifles for 40+ years. When I first started, this question was eagerly discussed in the magazines on a continuous basis. After all these years, during which I have shot rifles in .177, .20, .22, and .25, I have come to a simple conclusion. As long as you are shooting at an appropriate target, within your skill level, it doesn't matter a DAMN what size pellet you are using.
I prefer the .22 as well it retains more energy at longer ranges due to the heavier wider pellet my top air rifles are the Gamo coyote and hatsan flash both in .22
I've been hunting with Air Rifles for about 53 years the 177 is king I've dispatched More game and much more kills .faster. Better penatrion Accuratce more available. My next choice would have been 20 cal years ago they were more available not so now
.177 is going to have a higher ballistics coefficient meaning it will retain velocity for longer. The speed of sound is around 1200fps so as long as you stay below that, both will be accurate past 50 yards. IMO, the .177 is going to be better for long range bird hunting.
Interesting point to note is that energy transfer from the air to the pellet (inside the barrel) is more efficient in .22 than it is in .177. This means for PCPs you always get more shots per fill in .22. For spring rifles, if you choose .22 you get more muzzle energy.
I definitely like the "smack" of the 22 better. Price difference is very minimal in most cases. My all time favorite airgun is my old Daisy 822 multi pump. Wood stock and metal reciever. It'd be hard to choose a favorite cal..maybe a 22 but my Hatsan 155 .25 cal is powerful and I like it alot.👍
Interesting perspective! The pellet cost between .177 and .22 is very minimal. I too can't really put my finger on the best caliber. Each one has it's own use.
I only ever had two air guns one was a super cheap .22 and after awhile it started failing so I bought a new gun which was a .177 it's amazing I know it wasn't the pellet size before I get called stupid I just made a bad desision to buy a cheap gun
177 hollow point at 1,000 fps, 18.3 fpe, best for small to medium game. Expands to 22 size, dumps energy quickly, causes massive shock/damage. Flat trajectory. Accurate. Subsonic. EASY to cock and cheaper ammo. I know. I had 22 air guns. My Beeman 10616 is rated 1,200 fps max, has 28 lb cocking force, was $129 with scope on sale. Hard to equal, much less beat.
Also, .22 at slower speeds does not expand. Think about it. E=MC squared. Higher velocity = higher mass. Up to 35 yards, give me superdomes 8.3 gr at 1,000 fps hollowpoint any day. 18.3 fpe should be enough for most pests, and less chance off pass through because of pellet expansion. Some .22 magnums may expand at 1,000 fps, but do you want to cock that monster all day hunting? And the recoil? Accuracy? Had .22. Now use 177 cal. But .22 will work. If you can hit the target.
I shoot a .177 for squirrel and rabbit. Never got into .22. Just go to 17HMR or 22lr for bigger targets. That’s more because I use open sights rather than optics.
I have both I shoot both I really like both I have to use the heavier pellets on both .177 and 22 if I want to keep it quiet or both of them will sound like a rimfire 22 .177 is better for penetration but like you said the 22 really makes the target hop however at 1650 fps (1450) really a 177 9.4 grain pellet will make things hop pretty good
.20 cal is my personal favorite. Unfortunately, when Bob Beeman left the business, so did his great marketing skills on the excellent caliber as did the variety of pellets available decline. Way back in the day when most kids had their .177 pumpers, "Santa" decided to drop off a Sheridan model C and a few 500ct boxes of 5mm pellets in my living room. Even the kids who had .22cal Benjamin 312s and 342s had to try out this airgun and needless to say they where dropping hints to their parents that they needed one also. At that time, Sheridan was the only manufacturer of the pellets. They weighed around 16gr shaped like a trashcan and had alot of antimony added, so the pellets where hard and had excellent penetration. They would often zip right through most small game, so 4-5 pumps was plenty for squirrels and rabbits and for larger game like woodchucks, oppossums, raccoons 7-8 pumps worked great. Then Bob Beeman started to push 5mm in his guns and that really opened the door the R1, R10, Crow Magnum, pretty much most of his imports had the 5mm option and a wide variety of ammo to cover light weight pellets that shot like a .177 or heavy pellets that shot and hit similiar to a .22. His guns obviously where not cheap, but the quality was excellent (I still have many from the 80s/90s and all are in great shooting condition still. And the far majority of them are in .20cal. I may be biased somewhat towards the 5mm since I have so many guns chambered in that caliber and that is what I shot growing up and still do. But even today I say the 20cal is the most versatile caliber.
Thank you for sharing that! I've only ever heard of .20 Cal and I would love to try shooting it someday! That was some interesting history on mr.Beeman, thank you!
@@HunterTom JSB just recently added another .20 in 15.89gr. Very accurate in my .20s has an excellent BC, sectional density, does better in crosswinds and hits hard with excellent penetration. I prefer using it on all normal airgun game (which to me, raccoon sized is about the largest game) then my .22cals shooting 15.89gr in the same gun. (Same gun obviously different cal) I currently do not have any PCP airguns, but if they came out with one in .20cal and was in my price range that would be the one I would get. There is a generation or two that didn't grow up when the .20 was at its prime (which was mainly before PCPs became prevelant) if they knew what they are missing, they might be pushing harder for its resurgence....
@@HunterTom Yes they do. But the variety is diminishing. However, as I mentiohed above JSB recently added a 2nd type of pellet (the 15.89gr) which shoots extremely well. I get mine from Pyramyd air. But airgun depot has them also. www.pyramydair.com/a/Ammo/Airgun_pellets/384/calibers_0_2
I've got a Gamo in .22 and after a lot of pellet testing I found the RWS pellet was accurate, and as long as you did your job with shot placement, it proved fatal on head shot rabbits out to 30 yards.
Without doubt there is more energy in .22 vs .177 regular pellets. However, how much is this true when we compare something like JSB Monster, Beast or Hades to a regular .22? I would dare to say not much, because those .177 pellets are heavy and hollow point (Hades) and dump more energy at the impact expansion. Perhaps that is the solution between the punch of the .22 and the accuracy of .177. What are your thoughts?
My gamo magnum .177 will pop 5.1gr out at 1550fps, 7.3gr out at 1350fps, 8gr out at 1035 fps, 10.6gr. Out at 980fps, and 13.49gr slugs out at 750fps. I always pick my gamo .177 mag for hunting over my wildcat .22 or my shockwave .22 . ill use either of the .22 i have before i will my f4 .177 though. My .22 will not go through near as much at 45 yards as my gamo magnum will.
Good for unrestricted power, for people like me who need to licence anything over 12ftlb a .177 with a heavy pellet is a great small game hunter, but i still use .22's regularly but at those low powers of around 11.5ft lb, its VERY minimal and both will kill the same as eachother with good shot placement. A .22 will knock it out and leave a pellet in its skull, a .177 will pass right through its head and drop it before it even knows what happened. Both have the same end result.
You can achieve longer kill shots with .22, and the .177 will start dropping sooner than the .22. also .22 is more resistant to wind currents. Just my experience with them after several years of hunting with both calibers. Sawyer from WNC.
If there are laws, restricting the energy output, 4,5mm is probably the best option, if you're allowed to own uncastreted airrifles, 0.22 has the same shot count per air cylinder for a 4,5 with 30 joule and a .22 with 40 joule. Then the difference in drop isn't as bad anymore, the heavier pellet is less wind sensitive and will sustain more energy.So that is my preferred caliber (i can't have anything above 6mm or a silencer on it, but i am allowed to own a full powered weihrauch in 5,5mm). Pellet price doesn't matter to me, because even if i shoot a lot with premium pellets, it will be hard, to spent more than 100 bucks per month on them.
@@HunterTom the Beeman silver Kodiak x2 rifle has 2 barrels .177 and .22 its an excellent rifle for the money I own it and its always reliable and can shoot rattlesnakes and squirrels with both pellets and it works great 👍
In the UK this is more of an issue as we are restricted to a max 12 ft lb unless we have a FAC. In the US though, don't you guys tune your rifles to shoot around 960fps regardless of caliber? So actually the bigger the slug the larger the ft lbs so speed of pellet has nothing to do between .177 and .22, it's all down to the ft lbs.
I can't speak for the US but I know they don't have a limit on power for airguns. Here in Canada, you need an FAC after an airgun shoots over 500fps (around 4.2fpe).
@@HunterTom Oh right, in the UK we have a max foot pounds (fpe) rather than max fps. You're right that .177 on average would be 4.6fpe with an 8.44 grain pellet, but a .22 pellet at 16 grain (average .22 pellet weight) would be 8.9fpe at 500fps, which would be okay for small vermin control, but I wouldn't try shooting anything living with a .177 at 4.6fpe. I'm thinking you guys are using .177 for back yard plinking and target work, and .22 for close range small vermin control?
For legal hunting reasons we are not allowed to hunt with an airgun that shoots bellow 500fps. We can pretty much only target practice with .177 and .22 but we can still shoot rats and vermin if we want.
.22 is quieter and hits harder for short range it is the clear winner...For long shots at paper the .177 wins...(hunters wait for the closer shot to kill not wound)
We also need to aknowledge how queit the pellets are like 177 is going to be louder because it travels faster but 22 is more quieter so hunting with a 22 is good with a pcp air rifle but 25 cal I don't know that answer yet
And what model I want a break barrel and I have about a $300 budget I don't want to break in case it's not really my cup of tea because I have a lot of real firearms and a lot of real 22LR said have some crazy setups for target shooting I just want something I can go shoot anywhere without getting locked up
If you’re in the US and don’t have power restrictions like we do in the UK… ignoring the cost. As an air gun pellet becomes unstable at supersonic speeds I would have thought the best caliber is the largest round that can get as close to approx 1100 feet per second?
.177 is super accurate under 40 yards for sure! I would only ever hunt fox, coyote and even raccoon with a pcp too! I don't think break barrels are strong enough yet.
Stupid question. I have never shot a .22 pellet gun. I live in town and need to short squirrels and rabbits. Will .22 go through a wooden fence if I miss? I have not shot a pellet gun (.177) since I was a kid.
I have a gamo maximum gen 2 1300 fps I shoot gamo blue flams which gives the gun a 30% increase in accuracy and power so that puts it a little over 1600 fps I shoot around 112 yards
I just purchased the gamo wildcat whisper. It travels over 1300 fps. I'm sorry but at long-range a sniper rifle is better than bazooka if you know what you're doing
I own mostly standard firearms but I do own a .177 caliber air rifle (a small cheap crappy one). I would say though if I were to hunt I would probably use the .22 for brute force but in some cases like just an all around air rifle that still has the option of hunting I would use the .177. Not only is it flatter shooting over a larger distance but if you want to not break the bank you could, in some cases, switch over to .177 caliber bb's for plinking or fun shooting. It is a bit more versatile. But with anything it comes down to what you want to use it for and shot placement and even the type of air rifle you get and not just the caliber. I really want to switch over to try air rifle hunting so I will soon be in the market for a good nitro piston air rifle for rabbits, squirrels and such.
Yeah! I would maybe look into getting a cheap pcp before getting a nitro piston. I bought a benjamin nitro piston 2 a couple years ago and I regret it. I couldn't get the accuracy I was looking for so I decided to spend 100 bucks more and get a starter pcp. Up to you
Don't shoot steel BB's out of a rifled barrel, it will ruin the barrel....BB's are for smooth bore, which can also shoot pellets but not as accurately....
Yes, but as someone who grew up hunting with both, a well placed 177 will kill anything a .22 will, and often pass right through, even at my countries sub 12 ft lb restriction i used to take wood pigeon at 70-80 yards with chest shots quite often, one shot as well dropping them right out of a tree and flapping 3 or 4 times on the ground before going completely still. I love both, both have their advantages, but this whole .22 is far better for hunting mindset is simply untrue, a head or heart shot with with either will do the same job at the same distances, .22 just gives slightly more room for error, but with the .177 having a much flatter trajectory, the .22 also adds more chance of error so in my experience its preferrable to get a lazer accurate impact from a .177 on game than a slightly off .22. But i wouldn't be without either since both are great. .20 is also an amazingly under rated calibre but unfortunately much harder to find pellets for and very few air rifles available in that calibre, it truly is the best of both worlds so it's really sad that is the case, hopefully that changes soon because i for one would love more .20 calibre rifles.
177 is faster and penetration is better but 22 has more knock down power with same power plant and drops more but head shots with either should be affective
dude 177 cal for the win man... i nailed a coyote commin out of my barn at 30 yards 22 fpe dropped in its tracks. i dont really mess with 177 or 22 cals. if its not 7 or 800 FPE i dont mess with it. but shooting a bob cat or coyote with that is over kill big time! i use 800 fpe for grizzlies. black bear.
Yer killin’ me here, kid. I’ve read through all the comments and the debate rages on. There are some very good observations. I enjoyed reading the comment about .20 caliber, and Mr. Crosman. As you said, very interesting. I’m still trying to decide which caliber to purchase. I’m inclined to post this comment and then press the “add to cart“ button for the .177 which is the caliber I’ve always had. I was just curious about .22 but I’m not going to be doing any hunting. I don’t think. But if I do, I’ll just shoot really good. But the .22 pellets are easier to grab out of the tin? Crap! Like I said… You’re killing me here, kid. 😂
Informative vid, so thanks for this. I wish you used fewer of those jump-cut type edits, though. Maybe that's a stylistic choice. The thing is, for older audience members like me, it can be a little off-putting. I was worried I was having a stroke or something until I figured out it was how you edited the video. Again, thanks for the info. I've given you an upvote, FWIW.
@@HunterTom I appreciate that you condensed the video so much. Saves me time and gets me the info I want. Great video dude. Also, 10 stars for grade A response 😂
Oh Boy think you all need to look at the modern tech and where airguns have got to now where .22 develops 75fpe and the bigger .30 and 9mm are in the 150-200fpe or greater. The .177 is now really only a back yard plinker unless your in are in a country with fpe limits like the UK
Hunter Tom accuracy if working at the best velocity for pellets (850-920) becomes very consistent with all calibers, the BC however rules the accuracy at longer range and the bigger calibers have higher BC so less effected with wind and velocity loss. If they can get slugs to work for 177 then yep it will make carrying the energy better and easier to achieve the stabilisation velocities. Also in this modern age of high quality low cost dialup scopes and range finders the hold over requirements are negated. Yes for a spring gun my preference is 177 but for a pcp correctly scoped (especially adjustable or high power) the other calibers now win. EBR is now consistently won by .30
I would probably spend a little more money and get a beeman or even an air arms. Gami line isn’t really known for great quality. However, it could do the trick if you’re very restricted in budget
If buying a Black Ops Break barrel sniper air rifle should i get the .177 or the .22 ? looking to shoot and hunt small game , for my son thats 15 years old . Thanks
I would go with .22 however, you might want to consider getting another air rifle than the Black Ops model. I've heard bad reviews on them. Check the Crosman phantom or crosman shockwave. They'd be better budget friendly rifles
Black Ops and TPR 1200 are both good guns, With the power Black Ops puts out, get the 22, you'll want one later, I have a 177 not even fired yet. Check out Dr. Russ on Black Ops, he swears by them in 22 cal. you may want to check out the Crosman Magfire extreme break barrel at 34 pounds cocking with a twelve round magazine, and sure looks nice, I got one of each as well. Gamo Swarm Mag kicks ass, but like Black Ops, 44 pounds to cock. The Gamo Fusion is nice, shoots nice and easier to cock.
I like .177 it carries a lot more speed the .22 it’s slower so it carries a lot of energy because the pellet is bigger... if you’re shooting at smaller distances then a .22 is better because it carries more energy but if you’re farther away a .177 is better because of the speed it has and it will go through and probably mess up things inside then go out or go straight in and out but all don’t go through
Speed isnt eveththing, a heavier .22 has more mass and therefore momentum meaning it will hold on to far more energy at distance than the .177. I hunt long range with .177 but i wont use anything lighter than 10gn pellets.
I shoot .177 my air gun shoots around 1600 FPS and coyote squirrel bird fox anything like that it smacks them and anywhere between 0 and 110 yards easy kill
@@ESSA20 Yeah so according to some reviews, that gun shoots around 10.3 foot pounds. With a properly placed shot it would work fine within 30 meters. Hope I was able to help! cheers
You are insinuating .177 doesn't have a powerful punch, however if i had you stand out there at 100 yards i am pretty sure you wouldn't let me take a head shot at you. I think you can see your idea is mute.
My .177 with 1000 fps can take anything at 25 yards with a headshot....even larger Game...just see Pigman video...he kills a Pig with .177 I have a Gamo Shadow 1000...nice loyal friend...
Why why why would you say say that ....lol and hunter tom replies with a qustion mark lmfao ,,,,we are old brother , he doesnt know who Max Headroom is ha ha ha
Im a begginer when it comes to airguns , I had old school .22 that my grandpa gave me but it broke. Now I cant decide whitch caliber I want my gamo fusion mach 1 to be :/ ( Im definately buying that type of rifle , just cant decide whitch variation is better , 1.77 or.22) .Any tips?
Get a beeman RS2 then you get both berrels and 1 gun , if you dont like the .177 swap out the berrel and abracadabra , you got the same gun in .22 . just my opinion , thats the first air gun i bought because i wasnt sure what cal i wanted , i use my .22 more but i do have the option to shoot .177 and thats not costing me anything , no second gun and i can bring the berrel with me out hunting if i choose to ...
@@moneoo88 .22- .25 if you can afford one- while the .22 is ok for hunting, it doesn't have the knockdown power of the .25- the .25 is good from small birds al l the way up to hogs, even deer- (although for larger game, the .30 or .357 woudl be preferable- but those use a lot of air- and you really need to have a compressor to fill them with- you get only like 15 shots or less too- they are almost strictly for hunting)
I've been shooting air rifles for 40+ years. When I first started, this question was eagerly discussed in the magazines on a continuous basis. After all these years, during which I have shot rifles in .177, .20, .22, and .25, I have come to a simple conclusion. As long as you are shooting at an appropriate target, within your skill level, it doesn't matter a DAMN what size pellet you are using.
?
.177 is like the 5.56 of bullets and .22 is the 7.62x39
Yup😂
Ew, commie
@@HunterTom pubg guys be like😂
Thanx for this beautyfull explenation
I prefer the .22 as well it retains more energy at longer ranges due to the heavier wider pellet my top air rifles are the Gamo coyote and hatsan flash both in .22
Same, you've got two awesome pcp's!
I've been hunting with Air Rifles for about 53 years the 177 is king I've dispatched More game and much more kills .faster. Better penatrion
Accuratce more available. My next choice would have been 20 cal years ago they were more available not so now
Is the .177 air rifle good for hunting animals as big as like rabbits 🐇
.177 is going to have a higher ballistics coefficient meaning it will retain velocity for longer. The speed of sound is around 1200fps so as long as you stay below that, both will be accurate past 50 yards. IMO, the .177 is going to be better for long range bird hunting.
Interesting point to note is that energy transfer from the air to the pellet (inside the barrel) is more efficient in .22 than it is in .177. This means for PCPs you always get more shots per fill in .22. For spring rifles, if you choose .22 you get more muzzle energy.
I prefer .177 just feels like it goes faster and is better at going through stuff i guess
Meat Hammer same
Yeah I like .177 too!
I like .22 it is more wind resistant and has way more penetration.
Will a .177 go thru a flatscreen tv?
@@williamhansen8910 yup just got a hatson airtact with 1000 FPS
I definitely like the "smack" of the 22 better. Price difference is very minimal in most cases. My all time favorite airgun is my old Daisy 822 multi pump. Wood stock and metal reciever. It'd be hard to choose a favorite cal..maybe a 22 but my Hatsan 155 .25 cal is powerful and I like it alot.👍
Interesting perspective! The pellet cost between .177 and .22 is very minimal. I too can't really put my finger on the best caliber. Each one has it's own use.
Been shooting for 43 yrs and decided very early on the .177 was more universal in effect and easier to shoot accurately.
For sure!
.22 best hunter - .177 best target 🎯 All depends on your usage- bottom line.
Yep! That's right
I hunt just fine with my .177 crosman destroyer pellets
Mas on You are right- it’s all in the placement. The .177 can pretty much fill both duties. I just meant generally speaking.
What has more range
@@lilchunk1697 Both good. .22 less effected by wind. .177 flatter trajectory, but less striking power at distance. Like I wrote- usage.
It’s all about accuracy, that’s why I chose .177
I like shooting heavy .177 pellets because it has the penetration of a .177 as well as the power of a .22 out to longer ranges
Nice! I agree, once you find a good pellet you're set
How much velocity you have??
@@tobias9660 I'd use a wrist rocket slingshot if they limit to 450-500fps
Or light .22???
I personally like .177 ... It's very fast, and has a pretty flat flight path
My Stoeger Bullshark is .177 and it shoots 10.03 grain JSB Knockouts at 1000 fps. The pop these little slugs make on pests is impressive.
Yea i also use the same slugs at around 950+ fps on my pcp. At 70 meters i can hear the impact like a little explosion.
I only ever had two air guns one was a super cheap .22 and after awhile it started failing so I bought a new gun which was a .177 it's amazing I know it wasn't the pellet size before I get called stupid I just made a bad desision to buy a cheap gun
.20 is great, though I wish companies would offer a wider selection of pellets
Yeah it’s getting harder and harder to find those
177 hollow point at 1,000 fps, 18.3 fpe, best for small to medium game. Expands to 22 size, dumps energy quickly, causes massive shock/damage. Flat trajectory. Accurate. Subsonic. EASY to cock and cheaper ammo. I know. I had 22 air guns. My Beeman 10616 is rated 1,200 fps max, has 28 lb cocking force, was $129 with scope on sale. Hard to equal, much less beat.
Also has a silencer, very quiet. Great for hunting. Follow up shots no problem.
Also, .22 at slower speeds does not expand. Think about it. E=MC squared. Higher velocity = higher mass. Up to 35 yards, give me superdomes 8.3 gr at 1,000 fps hollowpoint any day. 18.3 fpe should be enough for most pests, and less chance off pass through because of pellet expansion. Some .22 magnums may expand at 1,000 fps, but do you want to cock that monster all day hunting? And the recoil? Accuracy? Had .22. Now use 177 cal. But .22 will work. If you can hit the target.
I shoot a .177 for squirrel and rabbit. Never got into .22. Just go to 17HMR or 22lr for bigger targets. That’s more because I use open sights rather than optics.
Nice!
I have both I shoot both I really like both I have to use the heavier pellets on both .177 and 22 if I want to keep it quiet or both of them will sound like a rimfire 22 .177 is better for penetration but like you said the 22 really makes the target hop however at 1650 fps (1450) really a 177 9.4 grain pellet will make things hop pretty good
.20 cal is my personal favorite. Unfortunately, when Bob Beeman left the business, so did his great marketing skills on the excellent caliber as did the variety of pellets available decline. Way back in the day when most kids had their .177 pumpers, "Santa" decided to drop off a Sheridan model C and a few 500ct boxes of 5mm pellets in my living room. Even the kids who had .22cal Benjamin 312s and 342s had to try out this airgun and needless to say they where dropping hints to their parents that they needed one also. At that time, Sheridan was the only manufacturer of the pellets. They weighed around 16gr shaped like a trashcan and had alot of antimony added, so the pellets where hard and had excellent penetration. They would often zip right through most small game, so 4-5 pumps was plenty for squirrels and rabbits and for larger game like woodchucks, oppossums, raccoons 7-8 pumps worked great. Then Bob Beeman started to push 5mm in his guns and that really opened the door the R1, R10, Crow Magnum, pretty much most of his imports had the 5mm option and a wide variety of ammo to cover light weight pellets that shot like a .177 or heavy pellets that shot and hit similiar to a .22. His guns obviously where not cheap, but the quality was excellent (I still have many from the 80s/90s and all are in great shooting condition still. And the far majority of them are in .20cal. I may be biased somewhat towards the 5mm since I have so many guns chambered in that caliber and that is what I shot growing up and still do. But even today I say the 20cal is the most versatile caliber.
Thank you for sharing that! I've only ever heard of .20 Cal and I would love to try shooting it someday! That was some interesting history on mr.Beeman, thank you!
@@HunterTom JSB just recently added another .20 in 15.89gr. Very accurate in my .20s has an excellent BC, sectional density, does better in crosswinds and hits hard with excellent penetration. I prefer using it on all normal airgun game (which to me, raccoon sized is about the largest game) then my .22cals shooting 15.89gr in the same gun. (Same gun obviously different cal) I currently do not have any PCP airguns, but if they came out with one in .20cal and was in my price range that would be the one I would get. There is a generation or two that didn't grow up when the .20 was at its prime (which was mainly before PCPs became prevelant) if they knew what they are missing, they might be pushing harder for its resurgence....
@@michaelwthalman They still manufacture .20 pellets?
@@HunterTom Yes they do. But the variety is diminishing. However, as I mentiohed above JSB recently added a 2nd type of pellet (the 15.89gr) which shoots extremely well. I get mine from Pyramyd air. But airgun depot has them also. www.pyramydair.com/a/Ammo/Airgun_pellets/384/calibers_0_2
I've got a Gamo in .22 and after a lot of pellet testing I found the RWS pellet was accurate, and as long as you did your job with shot placement, it proved fatal on head shot rabbits out to 30 yards.
Without doubt there is more energy in .22 vs .177 regular pellets. However, how much is this true when we compare something like JSB Monster, Beast or Hades to a regular .22? I would dare to say not much, because those .177 pellets are heavy and hollow point (Hades) and dump more energy at the impact expansion. Perhaps that is the solution between the punch of the .22 and the accuracy of .177.
What are your thoughts?
My gamo magnum .177 will pop 5.1gr out at 1550fps, 7.3gr out at 1350fps, 8gr out at 1035 fps, 10.6gr. Out at 980fps, and 13.49gr slugs out at 750fps. I always pick my gamo .177 mag for hunting over my wildcat .22 or my shockwave .22 . ill use either of the .22 i have before i will my f4 .177 though. My .22 will not go through near as much at 45 yards as my gamo magnum will.
.22. Break barrel and .25 PCP -right now what I have.
Looking to start investing in .30 pellets/slugs very very soon.
Nice! Good idea!
Good for unrestricted power, for people like me who need to licence anything over 12ftlb a .177 with a heavy pellet is a great small game hunter, but i still use .22's regularly but at those low powers of around 11.5ft lb, its VERY minimal and both will kill the same as eachother with good shot placement. A .22 will knock it out and leave a pellet in its skull, a .177 will pass right through its head and drop it before it even knows what happened. Both have the same end result.
What about for sub 12ft/lb hunting
Will .22 be better for killing rabbit and fox than .177
You can achieve longer kill shots with .22, and the .177 will start dropping sooner than the .22. also .22 is more resistant to wind currents. Just my experience with them after several years of hunting with both calibers.
Sawyer from WNC.
If there are laws, restricting the energy output, 4,5mm is probably the best option, if you're allowed to own uncastreted airrifles, 0.22 has the same shot count per air cylinder for a 4,5 with 30 joule and a .22 with 40 joule. Then the difference in drop isn't as bad anymore, the heavier pellet is less wind sensitive and will sustain more energy.So that is my preferred caliber (i can't have anything above 6mm or a silencer on it, but i am allowed to own a full powered weihrauch in 5,5mm). Pellet price doesn't matter to me, because even if i shoot a lot with premium pellets, it will be hard, to spent more than 100 bucks per month on them.
I feel like .177 to .22 is 5.56 to 7.62
was pretty sold on getting a .22 but this video really changed my mind. I reckon i’ll buy a gun that can shoot both just to have options 😂
😂 maybe get a gun that shoots .177,.22 and .25 cal like the hatsan hyrda
@@HunterTom A little too pricey for me, do you know of any other guns that come with multiple barrels ?
@@HunterTom the Beeman silver Kodiak x2 rifle has 2 barrels .177 and .22 its an excellent rifle for the money I own it and its always reliable and can shoot rattlesnakes and squirrels with both pellets and it works great 👍
@@Gojukid I just got this rifle . So excited to see how .22 shoots .
In the UK this is more of an issue as we are restricted to a max 12 ft lb unless we have a FAC. In the US though, don't you guys tune your rifles to shoot around 960fps regardless of caliber? So actually the bigger the slug the larger the ft lbs so speed of pellet has nothing to do between .177 and .22, it's all down to the ft lbs.
I can't speak for the US but I know they don't have a limit on power for airguns. Here in Canada, you need an FAC after an airgun shoots over 500fps (around 4.2fpe).
@@HunterTom Oh right, in the UK we have a max foot pounds (fpe) rather than max fps. You're right that .177 on average would be 4.6fpe with an 8.44 grain pellet, but a .22 pellet at 16 grain (average .22 pellet weight) would be 8.9fpe at 500fps, which would be okay for small vermin control, but I wouldn't try shooting anything living with a .177 at 4.6fpe.
I'm thinking you guys are using .177 for back yard plinking and target work, and .22 for close range small vermin control?
For legal hunting reasons we are not allowed to hunt with an airgun that shoots bellow 500fps. We can pretty much only target practice with .177 and .22 but we can still shoot rats and vermin if we want.
Here in the US you can ramp it up. I’ve shot pellets out of a real 22 using nail powder charges. Wildly inaccurate but VERY fast.
@@HunterTom you need to check out the bear x desire xl pistol crossbow for 100 bucks
.22 is quieter and hits harder for short range it is the clear winner...For long shots at paper the .177 wins...(hunters wait for the closer shot to kill not wound)
We also need to aknowledge how queit the pellets are like 177 is going to be louder because it travels faster but 22 is more quieter so hunting with a 22 is good with a pcp air rifle but 25 cal I don't know that answer yet
.177 flatter shooting, more accurate and cheaper to shoot
Common sense says 22 should be quieter since it travels slower. Am I assuming correct?
And what model I want a break barrel and I have about a $300 budget I don't want to break in case it's not really my cup of tea because I have a lot of real firearms and a lot of real 22LR said have some crazy setups for target shooting I just want something I can go shoot anywhere without getting locked up
Which country are you in? Us, Canada or UK?
If you’re in the US and don’t have power restrictions like we do in the UK… ignoring the cost. As an air gun pellet becomes unstable at supersonic speeds I would have thought the best caliber is the largest round that can get as close to approx 1100 feet per second?
.177 is deadly, accuracy < 40 yards yards is awesome. Fox , coyotes and raccoon with a pcp.
.177 is super accurate under 40 yards for sure! I would only ever hunt fox, coyote and even raccoon with a pcp too! I don't think break barrels are strong enough yet.
Hunting fox,coyote with .177.....at what fps are you guys talking😁
Sukhrupu Resuh Hunting in la la land. A 22lr is barely ethical for a coyote, never mind getting close enough.
True
@@sukhrupuresuh8371 Really, how many Joule had your airgun?
I hunt gopher with a .177 and it works fine for me
Nice!
Stupid question. I have never shot a .22 pellet gun. I live in town and need to short squirrels and rabbits. Will .22 go through a wooden fence if I miss? I have not shot a pellet gun (.177) since I was a kid.
I have a gamo maximum gen 2 1300 fps I shoot gamo blue flams which gives the gun a 30% increase in accuracy and power so that puts it a little over 1600 fps I shoot around 112 yards
I only have 22s and plenty of them. But I'm in Illinois. So I may get a magnum 177 and shoot heavy pellets
Nice!
I ordered a 22 Hatsan and I know their velocity numbers were off so I will play dumb till I get it.Not mentioning the store.
I cant hardy see or pickup a 177 pellet anymore.
My Crosman 2200 Magnum has killed a ton of rabbits and squirrels.
I like the 22 cause it hits the targets harder. Love my Gamo
I prefer the .22 for hunting seems to do a lot more damage the .177 is good for plinking though.
Yep! Agreed
Target shooters almost always use .177 flatter tragetory, and cheaper ammo.
i have a 177 crosman break barrel and i shoot a small 25mm plastic ball off a coke bottle at 31 meters now that is accurate enough for me
Nice!
he's a legend in his own head
Yessir
That was a douche comment. Did you hear that and you were just dying to use it?
I just purchased the gamo wildcat whisper. It travels over 1300 fps. I'm sorry but at long-range a sniper rifle is better than bazooka if you know what you're doing
True. It's all about accuracy
If a hair traveling at 1,300 FPS it’s still not as powerful as a nail traveling at 700 FPS. .22 wins all day!
@@tommylane8878but .177 is not a hair... the difference is more like a dime and penny 👌🏾 either way good gun and good ammo... something is dying🤷🏾
You should own both!
It's really simple! If you are in a country with joules restrictions smaller is better. With no restrictions bigger is better.
I own mostly standard firearms but I do own a .177 caliber air rifle (a small cheap crappy one). I would say though if I were to hunt I would probably use the .22 for brute force but in some cases like just an all around air rifle that still has the option of hunting I would use the .177. Not only is it flatter shooting over a larger distance but if you want to not break the bank you could, in some cases, switch over to .177 caliber bb's for plinking or fun shooting. It is a bit more versatile. But with anything it comes down to what you want to use it for and shot placement and even the type of air rifle you get and not just the caliber. I really want to switch over to try air rifle hunting so I will soon be in the market for a good nitro piston air rifle for rabbits, squirrels and such.
Yeah! I would maybe look into getting a cheap pcp before getting a nitro piston. I bought a benjamin nitro piston 2 a couple years ago and I regret it. I couldn't get the accuracy I was looking for so I decided to spend 100 bucks more and get a starter pcp. Up to you
Don't shoot steel BB's out of a rifled barrel, it will ruin the barrel....BB's are for smooth bore, which can also shoot pellets but not as accurately....
Yes, but as someone who grew up hunting with both, a well placed 177 will kill anything a .22 will, and often pass right through, even at my countries sub 12 ft lb restriction i used to take wood pigeon at 70-80 yards with chest shots quite often, one shot as well dropping them right out of a tree and flapping 3 or 4 times on the ground before going completely still. I love both, both have their advantages, but this whole .22 is far better for hunting mindset is simply untrue, a head or heart shot with with either will do the same job at the same distances, .22 just gives slightly more room for error, but with the .177 having a much flatter trajectory, the .22 also adds more chance of error so in my experience its preferrable to get a lazer accurate impact from a .177 on game than a slightly off .22. But i wouldn't be without either since both are great. .20 is also an amazingly under rated calibre but unfortunately much harder to find pellets for and very few air rifles available in that calibre, it truly is the best of both worlds so it's really sad that is the case, hopefully that changes soon because i for one would love more .20 calibre rifles.
So the .22 is stronger than the .177 right
Depends but on average yes
Does hunter Tom recommend a 10 shot or a single shot break barrel for longevity? Im guessing the break barrel with out the 10 mag will last longer??
got to love 50 cal am i right
yessirrr!!
I like the .22 better. I miss my .22 air gun that I had when I was a kid.
They are certainly fun!
177 is faster and penetration is better but 22 has more knock down power with same power plant and drops more but head shots with either should be affective
dude 177 cal for the win man...
i nailed a coyote commin out of my barn
at 30 yards 22 fpe dropped in its tracks.
i dont really mess with 177 or 22 cals.
if its not 7 or 800 FPE i dont mess with it.
but shooting a bob cat or coyote with that is over kill big time!
i use 800 fpe for grizzlies.
black bear.
Yer killin’ me here, kid. I’ve read through all the comments and the debate rages on. There are some very good observations. I enjoyed reading the comment about .20 caliber, and Mr. Crosman. As you said, very interesting. I’m still trying to decide which caliber to purchase. I’m inclined to post this comment and then press the “add to cart“ button for the .177 which is the caliber I’ve always had. I was just curious about .22 but I’m not going to be doing any hunting. I don’t think. But if I do, I’ll just shoot really good. But the .22 pellets are easier to grab out of the tin? Crap! Like I said… You’re killing me here, kid. 😂
Yea definitely big win for 177. Because it's like a co2 special but yea 22. More hunting. But I'd rather hunt with actual 22lr instead more cheaper
I use .177 and 22 but .177 i better than 22 by speed and penetration
Nice
ive only shot 177 and i want a caliber that can take a dove down at maybe 50 yards cause i shoot in a field and there are powerlines i shoot dove
I figured out how to have both , just buy a beeman RS2 done now i have choice if the store is out of .22 i buy .177 swap the berrel and game on ....
Lol. You'll need to re-sight your rifle every time you swap the barrels out. Still could be a feasible option for some!
@@HunterTom for shur but faster then running out to buy another gun and cheeper ...
True!!
Hope you guys enjoyed the video! What is your favorite airgun caliber?
Hunter Tom nurf
@@erynkp ..
.25
RepentB4tooLate i knew someone was gonna type .25 That caliber suck just use the actual 22 lr
@@elianzapata8108 I like .25. it's a fun caliber
.177 is generally a supersonic round whereas the .22 is generally subsonic. A squirrel cannot possibly hear a .177 before impact.
Which is better for longer distance say 50 - 100 yards?
I would say .22 but others might say 177
@@HunterTom Thanks. I would think 22 b/c of higher FPE, but my 177 does pretty good at 80 yards, but does have a good amount of pellet drop.
There both as good as each other in there own way👌👌fact👌👌
Yup!
Informative vid, so thanks for this. I wish you used fewer of those jump-cut type edits, though. Maybe that's a stylistic choice. The thing is, for older audience members like me, it can be a little off-putting. I was worried I was having a stroke or something until I figured out it was how you edited the video. Again, thanks for the info. I've given you an upvote, FWIW.
Thanks for the feedback man! It’s well appreciated
What did you edit this video with, an epileptic?
Yes sir! The best one I could find!
@@HunterTom I appreciate that you condensed the video so much. Saves me time and gets me the info I want. Great video dude. Also, 10 stars for grade A response 😂
I like them all I shoot 177 to 45 cal
Nice! Do you own a 45 cal airgun?
@@HunterTom Hatsan Hercules bully
@@pesthunteroutdoors woah! That gun looks awesome! I saw it at shot show 2018!
Oh Boy think you all need to look at the modern tech and where airguns have got to now where .22 develops 75fpe and the bigger .30 and 9mm are in the 150-200fpe or greater. The .177 is now really only a back yard plinker unless your in are in a country with fpe limits like the UK
.177 unfortunately may not be able to get much stronger but, it can became more accurate! Especially at longer ranges(if companies developed new tech)
Hunter Tom accuracy if working at the best velocity for pellets (850-920) becomes very consistent with all calibers, the BC however rules the accuracy at longer range and the bigger calibers have higher BC so less effected with wind and velocity loss. If they can get slugs to work for 177 then yep it will make carrying the energy better and easier to achieve the stabilisation velocities. Also in this modern age of high quality low cost dialup scopes and range finders the hold over requirements are negated. Yes for a spring gun my preference is 177 but for a pcp correctly scoped (especially adjustable or high power) the other calibers now win. EBR is now consistently won by .30
@@happyhalfwit8862 Yep that's true!
What do you think of the gami line of 22 for me to get started
I would probably spend a little more money and get a beeman or even an air arms. Gami line isn’t really known for great quality. However, it could do the trick if you’re very restricted in budget
If buying a Black Ops Break barrel sniper air rifle should i get the .177 or the .22 ? looking to shoot and hunt small game , for my son thats 15 years old . Thanks
I would go with .22 however, you might want to consider getting another air rifle than the Black Ops model. I've heard bad reviews on them. Check the Crosman phantom or crosman shockwave. They'd be better budget friendly rifles
Hunter Tom I will looking into those Crosman what you think about a Bear River TPR 1300 suppressed hunting air rifle .177
Could be interesting
Black Ops and TPR 1200 are both good guns, With the power Black Ops puts out, get the 22, you'll want one later, I have a 177 not even fired yet. Check out Dr. Russ on Black Ops, he swears by them in 22 cal. you may want to check out the Crosman Magfire extreme break barrel at 34 pounds cocking with a twelve round magazine, and sure looks nice, I got one of each as well. Gamo Swarm Mag kicks ass, but like Black Ops, 44 pounds to cock. The Gamo Fusion is nice, shoots nice and easier to cock.
I like .177 it carries a lot more speed the .22 it’s slower so it carries a lot of energy because the pellet is bigger... if you’re shooting at smaller distances then a .22 is better because it carries more energy but if you’re farther away a .177 is better because of the speed it has and it will go through and probably mess up things inside then go out or go straight in and out but all don’t go through
Speed isnt eveththing, a heavier .22 has more mass and therefore momentum meaning it will hold on to far more energy at distance than the .177. I hunt long range with .177 but i wont use anything lighter than 10gn pellets.
I shoot .177 my air gun shoots around 1600 FPS and coyote squirrel bird fox anything like that it smacks them and anywhere between 0 and 110 yards easy kill
Cool!
Is .77 okay at a max range of 33 meters for feral pigeon for clean huemanae shots.
Yes it is but you need at least 12fpe of power if not more👍
@@HunterTom looking at getting gamo gx 40 or similier gun from thier line up. Birds are within 30 meters.
@@ESSA20 Yeah so according to some reviews, that gun shoots around 10.3 foot pounds. With a properly placed shot it would work fine within 30 meters. Hope I was able to help! cheers
I’ve not had .22 being I just shoot my real 22 rifle when I want 22 cal.
what weight of .177 pellets do i need to keep just under the sound barrier?
You need heavy pellets because they go slower
Me and my dad had crossmam legacy and 750 to 1000 and we hunt iguanas and panches just one pallet do the job
What has more range
probably more accurate with .22 at longer ranges
Speed means nothing if it doesn’t pack a powerful punch. .22 is waaaay more powerful than.177 so end of discussion!
That’s a good point but, .22 is more expensive than .177 and there are more .177 CO2 guns available on the market
@@HunterTom Yes, but which one is better? That’s the question. Not the availability of one round or another.
@@tommylane8878 You have a good point
You are insinuating .177 doesn't have a powerful punch, however if i had you stand out there at 100 yards i am pretty sure you wouldn't let me take a head shot at you. I think you can see your idea is mute.
Time to switch to metric system.
Lol
correct. 4.5 and 5.5 sound much better.
Hell no 🇺🇸
Is .22 is more quiet ? .177 break st sound barrier?
That's a tough one. I think it comes down to the guns in the end
Yes. .22 is generally quieter, occasionally with the .177 you'll break the sound barrier with any decent rifle. That shouldn't happen with a .22.
I prefer a .22
16 joule .177 vs 16 joule .22 ??
Yes?
@@HunterTom I ment which would you pick.
I like both cals.
Same here
.22 is better than 177...22 best accuracy..and best for hunting..
Can I shoot .22 with a 5.0 mm pellet?
.22 is usually 5.5mm I'm guessing 5.0mm is for .20 cal pellets. You could damage your barrel if you do that
What rifle is he holding in the thumbnail???
Benjamin Trail NP2 XL
Thanks man looks nice.
Great work and video , thanks bro.
Thanks!
22 caliber
Nice
Beacuse they have the energy of a real gun thou.
.177 is best....goes faster penetrates better.
My .177 with 1000 fps can take anything at 25 yards with a headshot....even larger Game...just see Pigman video...he kills a Pig with .177
I have a Gamo Shadow 1000...nice loyal friend...
I have a .177 air rifle legacy 1000 and it goes 1000 fps i love mines
What kind pellet?
@@ittbelitt8409 Gamo Hunter for small game like Rats does the job...
I own two 1.77 my dads has a 22cal Benjamin I prefer to use my dads 22 bc it has more power and accuracy
Cool!
That’s .177 and .22
I find a lot of pellets and bb at yard sales.
Nice! Probably for a good price too eh?
@@HunterTom 25¢ for a Open can like you have. Pounds of BB's $1. I misplace them find them.
Woah! Nice!
If you hit a headshot wether it's a .177/.22 they're dead and aren't moving anywhere 💪
Yee
Dude, why would you make a video with no video.
Hi there ! Anyone knows how much big animal can diana 54 airking .22 can kill quickly and in what distance? Thanks a lot
Thanks Hunter Tom, but slow down and chill just a bit in your presentation. You are good. Nice information. Thank you
Will do! Thank you!
I disagree I like a lot of information one after another it's like a machine gun
I liked the speed you gave the info.
Your speed was fine. Good job
I shoot both but I like.22 better…
Pellet advice from Max Headroom
?
Why why why would you say say that ....lol and hunter tom replies with a qustion mark lmfao ,,,,we are old brother , he doesnt know who Max Headroom is ha ha ha
Im a begginer when it comes to airguns , I had old school .22 that my grandpa gave me but it broke. Now I cant decide whitch caliber I want my gamo fusion mach 1 to be :/ ( Im definately buying that type of rifle , just cant decide whitch variation is better , 1.77 or.22) .Any tips?
Are you hunting or just target practice? If hunting, .22, if target practice, .177
Get a beeman RS2 then you get both berrels and 1 gun , if you dont like the .177 swap out the berrel and abracadabra , you got the same gun in .22 . just my opinion , thats the first air gun i bought because i wasnt sure what cal i wanted , i use my .22 more but i do have the option to shoot .177 and thats not costing me anything , no second gun and i can bring the berrel with me out hunting if i choose to ...
@@HunterTom Which caliber for shooting crows?
@@moneoo88 .22- .25 if you can afford one- while the .22 is ok for hunting, it doesn't have the knockdown power of the .25- the .25 is good from small birds al l the way up to hogs, even deer- (although for larger game, the .30 or .357 woudl be preferable- but those use a lot of air- and you really need to have a compressor to fill them with- you get only like 15 shots or less too- they are almost strictly for hunting)
4.5 and 5.5 its really that simple if ur not an american
I have both calipers, my .177 needs better placement than the .22 to kill prey.
Nice! Yeah it’s usually like that. Bigger pellets are easier to place on target because of their size
@@HunterTom don’t have to be brain shots can be effective in the body.