What caliber?

[ninja]

What caliber should I use? Here is the deal, I like to eat what I shoot whenever possible. I am looking into buying a Disco but don't know what caliber to get it in. anyone got a suggestion. 

MOD EDIT: Conversation moved to Hunting Forum.

 

[30cal]

Well I would get the .22 myself. Depends what you are hunting? The .22 will take larger game or the same game at longer distances. You will get more shots from a .177. Define your needs a bit more.

 

[jmoss80917]

I have a Disco in .22 and have used it for rabbit hunting. I wouldn't feel comfortable rabbit hunting with a .177.
Pigeon, dove, yeah, a .177 would be enough.

 

[ninja]

I want to take any thing from rats to raccoons(I wont eat rats or raccoons). I am good at stalking prey i can get to within 30y of marmots and 10y with ground squirrels. I think I am more partial to the 22.

 

[ahobie17]

22 a better hunting choice

 

[KYAirgunner]

I would go with .22 more ft lbs and better ballistic coefficients.

 

[ninja]

Now the disco does not come in 25. but would a gun that comes in that caliber be better. I don't know how accurate 22. compared to a 25. but I think that you gain power but lose accuracy as you increase the caliber. This will be my first PCP so I would like to know which caliber is best. Thanks.

 

[AZSteve]

It depends on what you want to hunt and how much you want to spend. .25 is not a bad choice. You can stretch your range out further while maintaining more energy. It increases your odds of getting a quick, humane kill on larger animals. If you only hunt small animals like birds and rabbits, then .22 would fit your needs. Another thing to consider is the pellet. H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme pellets expand well and transfer a lot of energy into the target. These group well from my .22 Condor, but not as well out of my FX Bobcat .22 and Royale 500 (they love JSBs). I have found that both my .22 and .25 have comparable accuracy at 50 yds. My .22 Bobcat and .25 Royale 500 are capable of dime size groups at 50 yards. I would advise you to see if you can find a way to test out a couple of different calibers and rifles before you make a decision and invest your money.

 

[kyler2643]

.22 for sure

 

[Robonline]

Simple: The bigger the better.
See Ted's video comparing kills made with .22 VS .25. .25 put them down better if they are going the same speed as the .22.
Red.

 

[30cal]

That "larger calibers are less acurate" idea is an old wives tale. Its not true.

 

[ninja]

OK. Thanks I will try out my friends 22. and 25. to see which on i like better.

 

[Bradyman1]

For a disco or most pcp's I feel that a .22 is a great choice. About the only .177 I would choose would be in a pumper or a low powered springer. Other than that I find that .22 is about the best choice for hunting. 

 

[wyshadow]

I have a disco .22 and mrod .25. to give you a prospective, I hardly shoot my disco. I would suggest getting a gun in .25

 

[AK73]

I have a .177 Disco and it has nearly 100 confirmed squirrel kills so I've been very happy with that caliber's performance. However the .22 has better knockdown power, thus the ability to take out larger animals and better wind resistence but with a loopier trajectory, more expensive ammo cost and farther traveling shots (i.e. be careful where you shoot).

 

[Mentolio]

I agree with most of what has been said already about the .22 caliber, but AK73 hits the nail right on the head regarding .177: flatter trajectory, cheaper ammo, and will do the job if you do your part. Don't forget, you're looking at a PCP, not a springer. You can sling the really heavy .177s and not see much appreciable change in your trajectory (I think I saw 16 grain .177 pellets on the Pyramyd Air website the other day). I've smashed big woodchucks with my .177 Benji Trail by hitting them in the fuse box. I've also watched them stumble away injured as I fumbled to reload because I blew the shot (in .177 AND .22). A Disco is pretty powerful for an entry level PCP, and mine in .22 shoots pretty darned flat with the right pellet (and at reasonable ranges). But a .177 may yield a higher shot count, and could be more accurate at greater distances? Bigger is not automatically better, just scan youtube for some of the European guys hunting vids. They're doing "lights-out" one-shot kills on squirrel and rabbit with 12 foot pound .177 guns! They just use proper shot placement to do it.

 

[trapperman42]

.177 tends to shoot faster but .22 has more connetic energy but I use .177 for every thing dove pigeon rabitt squirrel starling muskrat coon fox coyote

 

[Dan25]

Coons are tough! Even a .22 pellet is very much on the light side. Your shot placement will have to be perfect with anything less than 40 fpe 25 cal.

 

[Dan.C]

i have the .22 version and love it hard hitting and alot of pellet choices