N/A Low powered guns

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Dairyboy

Dairyboy

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Jul 23, 2016
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I know the cool thing to do these days are shoot slugs and heavy pellets at 1000fps+ but I haven't been known to just go with the norm. Crazy take but I love shooting low powered PCPs. My newest acquisition was a gently used Uragan Compact .22. Came shooting 817fps with 16gr FX pellets. Nice speed but at that level the gun felt and sounded alittle harsh. But my plan was to back it down anyways for barn use. So I tuned it to 600fps with the same 16gr which put it at 640fps with the CPHPs for a nice 13fpe. It just sips air and is such a pleasure to shoot. The cocking effort is basically non existent and paired with a red dot makes a great 30yd and in gun. I did shoot a pigeon at around 45yds though yesterday with it and still easy to do with the red dot. For close range pesting in a backyard these are perfect power levels unless you deal with larger pests like a raccoon or something. I think if you haven't you should definitely try a low powered gun. You might love it.
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I have a Crosman Challenger pcp in .177. It’s an entry level ten meter rifle but I’m not a competitive shooter. It is so mild and fun to shoot. It’s designed for ten meters but shooting it out to 60 yards is so much fun. If the wind is mild it is no problem to knock off the little air rifle silhouette rams. Squeeze the trigger and then wait for the “tink” sound and watch the ram topple over. The rifle is is putting out about 5.5 fpe.
 
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100 % agree...

Most recent example for me is puttinga 177 barrel on my EVOL Std so I can pull the butt stock and use it for PFT. It's INCREDIBLY mild and pleasant to shoot AND gets so many shots at 12 or 20 ft lb that I lose track.

I MAY have to find a 20 cal barrel for it ...😉

I do shoot a LOT of 100 yd and further with others but the milder shot cycles are just so much more pleasant on the lower powered ag's.

Bob
 
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Yep yep. Just yesterday morning I had out the 1720T pistol for the first time in a while. It's shooting 680-700 with the .177/7.87gr so certainly in the low power realm. It was making enough smiles during the shooting session that I texted some airgun buddies about how much I'd enjoyed it.

Lots to like in low power.....shot count, air usage (or lack thereof), quiet, no recoil, can watch the pellet fly right into the desired impact point. Almost surreal to watch it track into the hole it makes through the scope-not usually possible with high power stuff, both for the speed and the recoil.

If ever faced with the need to do so, I'd keep all the < 20fpe guns and sell off the heavy hitters.
 
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Depends on area...and the type of shooting I'm doing. On the farm popping starlings and it's a windy day...high power heavy ammo is used. Light wind medium power is gonna roll with me that day. Inside barn work or calm day low power it is. My three favorites are made by the same manufacturer so picking one up for a task feel remains about the same. I do tend to favor the medium powered rifle though. It's the one I use the most
 
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Frozenspyder said:
So I have a question for you guys in this thread. Do those of you that shoot lower powered guns think that you've developed better range estimation skills because of it? If so, that could be an additional benefit of shooting lower powered airguns.
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For me I don’t shoot passed 35 yards so it’s zero even at 14 fpe
 
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Glad to see the love. And don't get me wrong, I shoot my Evol just as much and it's a 30fpe .22 even though thats not very powerful these days, when I first started in airguns almost a decade ago that was your more top end in .22. Now it's a medium powered gun. But regularly shoot it out to 100yds on birds and squirrels with a lowly 18gr pellet at 850fps at the muzzle. Always does the job for me
Frozenspyder said:
So I have a question for you guys in this thread. Do those of you that shoot lower powered guns think that you've developed better range estimation skills because of it? If so, that could be an additional benefit of shooting lower powered airguns.
Click to expand...
For me I would say yes but I've been shooting birds and squirrels for years now and I use to a rangefinder alot and now I can eyeball stuff alot better. My 13fpe gun I don't shoot much past 30-35yds. Occasionally I do but not often. With a red dot its different though. If I scoped it I would. Also shooting 30fpe out to 100yds also need to do the same. I've learned alot about trajectory and shooting in the wind doing so.
 
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This is one thread I can comment on with some experience. Living in the uk we are limited (without a firearms license) to keep our guns under 12fpe, this is roughly (depending on pellet weight) 800fps in .177, 600fps in .20, 570fps in .22 and 475fps in .25. Obviously the heavier pellets are more loopy and hold over is more critical but the benefits are more retained energy and better ability to buck the wind.

As already mentioned, shot count is high, cocking effort is minimal, block noise and vibration are tame while muzzle report with a quality moderator is mouse fart quiet. While lower power may have some disadvantages, accuracy is not one of them, shooting flies off my target board at 50 yards in not difficult and consistently hitting golf balls at 100yards is achievable at 100yards (wind permitting)

My preferred calibre for target shooting is .177 but for hunting I go with my .20, this gun has accounted for thousands of rabbits and over 10,000 pigeons. Because of the low noise it is not unusual to shoot 4 or 5 rabbits before the other realise something is wrong. The most pigeons I have shot in an afternoon was 208, all on one fill.

Here is a typical 10 shot group at 25 yards

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bucketboy said:
This is one thread I can comment on with some experience. Living in the uk we are limited (without a firearms license) to keep our guns under 12fpe, this is roughly (depending on pellet weight) 800fps in .177, 600fps in .20, 570fps in .22 and 475fps in .25. Obviously the heavier pellets are more loopy and hold over is more critical but the benefits are more retained energy and better ability to buck the wind.

As already mentioned, shot count is high, cocking effort is minimal, block noise and vibration are tame while muzzle report with a quality moderator is mouse fart quiet. While lower power may have some disadvantages, accuracy is not one of them, shooting flies off my target board at 50 yards in not difficult and consistently hitting golf balls at 100yards is achievable at 100yards (wind permitting)

My preferred calibre for target shooting is .177 but for hunting I go with my .20, this gun has accounted for thousands of rabbits and over 10,000 pigeons. Because of the low noise it is not unusual to shoot 4 or 5 rabbits before the other realise something is wrong. The most pigeons I have shot in an afternoon was 208, all on one fill.

Here is a typical 10 shot group at 25 yards

View attachment 452335
Click to expand...
Is it a difficult process to get a firearms license in the UK?
 
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bucketboy said:
This is one thread I can comment on with some experience. Living in the uk we are limited (without a firearms license) to keep our guns under 12fpe, this is roughly (depending on pellet weight) 800fps in .177, 600fps in .20, 570fps in .22 and 475fps in .25. Obviously the heavier pellets are more loopy and hold over is more critical but the benefits are more retained energy and better ability to buck the wind.

As already mentioned, shot count is high, cocking effort is minimal, block noise and vibration are tame while muzzle report with a quality moderator is mouse fart quiet. While lower power may have some disadvantages, accuracy is not one of them, shooting flies off my target board at 50 yards in not difficult and consistently hitting golf balls at 100yards is achievable at 100yards (wind permitting)

My preferred calibre for target shooting is .177 but for hunting I go with my .20, this gun has accounted for thousands of rabbits and over 10,000 pigeons. Because of the low noise it is not unusual to shoot 4 or 5 rabbits before the other realise something is wrong. The most pigeons I have shot in an afternoon was 208, all on one fill.

Here is a typical 10 shot group at 25 yards

View attachment 452335
Click to expand...
That is superb shooting and quite the “typical” group in your shooting… No wonder you’ve bagged so many pests…👍🙏
 
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Dairyboy said:
I know the cool thing to do these days are shoot slugs and heavy pellets at 1000fps+ but I haven't been known to just go with the norm. Crazy take but I love shooting low powered PCPs. My newest acquisition was a gently used Uragan Compact .22. Came shooting 817fps with 16gr FX pellets. Nice speed but at that level the gun felt and sounded alittle harsh. But my plan was to back it down anyways for barn use. So I tuned it to 600fps with the same 16gr which put it at 640fps with the CPHPs for a nice 13fpe. It just sips air and is such a pleasure to shoot. The cocking effort is basically non existent and paired with a red dot makes a great 30yd and in gun. I did shoot a pigeon at around 45yds though yesterday with it and still easy to do with the red dot. For close range pesting in a backyard these are perfect power levels unless you deal with larger pests like a raccoon or something. I think if you haven't you should definitely try a low powered gun. You might love it.View attachment 452259
View attachment 452260
Click to expand...
I like low power , i think that is the idea for PCP ,consistent FPS for lots of shots fill the gun and shoot for a few hours would be my goal .
 
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YetiusAmericanus said:
Great thread. Having just let go of a very large and loud and fast 25 and currently searching for a small and slow(er) gun, I’m following with great interest. A backyard and basement friendly rifle that can be used for mild pesting May just be the ticket.
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Brocock Ranger , Atomic or Pathfinder . See? That was easy.
 
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