minimum fps for small game hunting

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

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Mar 22, 2006
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was wondering what the minimum fps on a .177 and a .22 pellet gun would be considered ethical for small game hunting of squirrel and rabbit sized game at shrot range < 20 yards...
 
I don't know, I've ran into some thick skinned tree rats. Sub 20 yards though, I figure 500 for a .22 and around 750 for a .177 would be in the ball park. As with most markmanship, it's shot placement in the end. Hopefully someone else will come along and give a more experienced answer, as I know some here take squirrels on their land with Beeman's and other such pellet rifles. I think the last time I actually killed anything with a pellet gun was when I was a kid, and that was with a single pump rifle that had something like 400 or 450 fps. Worked wonders on dove and quail, squirrels...not so much.


Gautier
 
Like Gautier said it&#8217;s really all about shot placement. Also velocity is greatly dependent on pellet weight, so instead of looking for a minimum velocity, I think you&#8217;re looking more for a minimum energy or ft-lbs (calculated by velocity and mass). If you check around some of the air gun hunting forums some of the guys use guns with as little as 7 ft-lbs (7.9 grain pellet at about 630 fps), and successfully take squirrel out past 20 yards. But most reach for air guns shooting at least 12 ft-lbs for small game (in .22 that is a 14.3 grain pellet at 615 fps or in .177 it&#8217;d be a 7.9 at about 830 fps). As far as the power plant of the air gun, I&#8217;d go with a pneumatic do to the fact that co2 in cooler temperatures losses velocity and powerful spring guns can be difficult to shoot accurately because of &#8220;reverse recoil&#8221;. This one would meet your needs of an accurate/powerful sub 20yard small game air gun (edit:see below).

Hope this helps, if you got any question let me know.

-sh00ter

EDIT (some links):
Energy Calculator: http://www.airguns.net/calculators.php
Air gun hunting forum: http://www.network54.com/Forum/414006/
Link to Recommend Air gun: http://www.pyramydair.com/p/benjamin-392-pump-air-rifle.shtml
 
Squirrels are tough guys. One took a hit from a .20 cal benjamin and lived for 2 minutes and then fell from the tree. Accuracy, is key. Aim small, miss small. After that, comes experience and where to shoot them. I have killed them with a crossman 2100 which is suppose to shoot pellets at 725 fps. I shot them in the head, and I was 10 yards away. But again, they are tough. One ran off after I put 2 in his chest.

With a .22 rimfire, they are dead everytime I shoot them.
 
WILLIAM.M, thanks for that link!


I've been looking at getting a good airgun myself and that article was great.
 
I have a cheapo Crossman from wally world, it is all about shot placement. I got four last squirrels and a chipmunk last spring. I spent $3K squirrel proofing and trapping and they are not welcome near my house. In my woods, no problem. I have a pre-dug hole that that I bury them in - the coyotes clean out the same night. If you are a bad shot you may need to practice, but I get close, less than 10yards. Also, I am using the pointed pellets. I have only had one that needed two shoots. I am getting a better quality pump pistol for xmas.
 
I can't really answer this question in any scientific way...but I can tell you that my dad shoots rabbits in his back yard (don't tell my girlfriend or she will cry for the bunnies) and he is most often using an old, beat up .177 of unknown manufacture that I would guess is doing about 350-450 fps.

I believe he is shooting them in the neck or at the base of the skull. They kick a couple of times and that's it.

He is a pretty dead shot and this is taking place at around 10 m.
 
My .22 Benjamin with almost 700fps seems like a medium powered weapon, good in my hands to 20 yards. 30 yards definately seems like my max. long range.

This is a very small amount of power, which makes a .22 short seem like a very high powered weapon, by comparison.
 
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