Universalish caliber - .25 vs. .30 - Hunting / Competition

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Blackpaw

Blackpaw

Member
Apr 23, 2020
3,202
363
Idaho, United States
Hola and happy Sunday....and maybe I am wading into a murky / messy area, but I am looking towards my next air gun caliber. Currently, I have a .177 caliber and for late summer I am thinking getting another pcp chamber in .25 or 30 caliber / 6.5 mm or 7.62 mm. Yes, I know there are multi barrel systems out there, i.e. Hatsan / FX. For now I am looking at initial purchase that can be hunter for medium sized game, i.e. turkeys vs pigs / coyotes, but will also work for small game like rabbits without shredding them.

Any thoughts?


 
I agree, but I am sure I could take a turkey out with a .25 PCP. The new FX Wildcat MKIII looks very interesting along with the new Brocock Sniper XR. Also, next spring I plan to go to my home state of Idaho for the Pansal shooting event that is usually in April, which falls into the turkey season and ground squirrel season (which is the Pansal) event.
 
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I have both calibers. I bought the .25's for squirrels and alike. I the got the Impact in .30 mainly for RMAC and AOA. Now that I have had a chance with both, I think they certainly have their place. That being said, I do like being able to reach out and touch someone with the .30. I get a lot of squirrel shots between 70-130 yards. It is more predictable with the .30 and there is a far better chance they are DOA. I think placement of your shot limits shredding and being able to place it is easier with the .30. Just my 2 cents and ymmv.

Good luck with your decision, bottom line your going to get a brand new toy. Yippie 😁 👏 👊

Eamon
 
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Here’s my experience. The 30 hits harder but has more drop then the 25 unless you can shoot them really fast. (Which the impact will do) That’s why I said big choice is the gun. I don’t shoot larger critters with my air rifles but I find the 25 is easier to hit starlings with because the distance thing is a little more for giving. Inside 50 yards it doesn’t matter but when you are pushing much beyond that I think the 25 is a bit easier to keep on target. That is my experience and it may be just be my idea. A 25 shooting slugs would seem to me to be the ticket but I haven’t as yet got the slug thing figured out 
 
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Having both, my 30 stays home, there is nothing wrong with it, but with the 25, I get so many more ammo options at half the cost! And trust me, I have taken multiple turkeys with it, now that being said, if your not into slugs? And using pellets only? For turkeys, I would take the 30. I shoot em through the middle though, my first 2 last year I shot with Barracuda extremes, they did ok? But a good varmint knocker or NSA is night and day on body shots, they go straight down. The 30 will take most of its energy right out the other side if using a pellet, I guess you could try a poly mag? I never really got into those? If your doing slugs with the 30? I take all that back except the cost/count thing, but I could buy an impact and a half every year for what I spend in ammo. The word universal/ or just versatile, screams 25 for me. My 2 centavos.
 
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I know from powder burners for long range and great terminal ballistics the .25 cal / 6.5 mm is tough to beat, and I am sure the same applies to air arms. Also @jayson, there are a lot more pellet options, thus a reduction in cost. Right now I am not using slugs, my Brocock Compatto is a .177 and I tried the lightest NSA slugs and it didn’t seem to cut the mustard. For the Brocock the NSA slugs are a waste of money, they just don’t go fast enough to make them worthwhile, and much more expensive than a much better performing pellet.

I would be curious is anyone is using slugs in a .25 cal Brocock Bantam or similar. I read that NSA created either slugs in collaboration with Daystate, so it makes sense that the NSA slugs would work in a Brocock. @jayson which .25 cals are you using?
 
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I know from powder burners for long range and great terminal ballistics the .25 cal / 6.5 mm is tough to beat, and I am sure the same applies to air arms. Also @jayson, there are a lot more pellet options, thus a reduction in cost. Right now I am not using slugs, my Brocock Compatto is a .177 and I tried the lightest NSA slugs and it didn’t seem to cut the mustard. For the Brocock the NSA slugs are a waste of money, they just don’t go fast enough to make them worthwhile, and much more expensive than a much better performing pellet.

I would be curious is anyone is using slugs in a .25 cal Brocock Bantam or similar. I read that NSA created either slugs in collaboration with Daystate, so it makes sense that the NSA slugs would work in a Brocock. @jayson which .25 cals are you using?
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@Blackpaw I have a 6.5 mm grendel I use and yeah the terminal ballistics past 400 yards is amazing. I see others with the new brocock xr showing some success with slugs.
 
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Bullet and a lesser extent, cartridge design factors more then caliber for CF. A 6.5 isn’t inherently better simply due to diameter of projectile when compared to larger calibers. For airguns, 25 has great options and reputation as versatile. Look at what’s being used when they post various competitions. You can check equipment lists to see what others are using imo. 
 
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I keep my .22 for smaller game but it will crank to 60 ft lbs with slugs. That being said, I shoot mostly .25 and .30. Both shoot pellets and slugs so there is some overlap in performance in the 80 ft lb range, but above that the .30 will crank to 120 and devastating with slugs giving a versatile tool for predator removal . More expensive to shoot and I don’t plink with it, it’s more a dedicated gun for certain game/predators.
 
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I know from powder burners for long range and great terminal ballistics the .25 cal / 6.5 mm is tough to beat, and I am sure the same applies to air arms. Also @jayson, there are a lot more pellet options, thus a reduction in cost. Right now I am not using slugs, my Brocock Compatto is a .177 and I tried the lightest NSA slugs and it didn’t seem to cut the mustard. For the Brocock the NSA slugs are a waste of money, they just don’t go fast enough to make them worthwhile, and much more expensive than a much better performing pellet.

I would be curious is anyone is using slugs in a .25 cal Brocock Bantam or similar. I read that NSA created either slugs in collaboration with Daystate, so it makes sense that the NSA slugs would work in a Brocock. @jayson which .25 cals are you using?
Click to expand...

Impact,Taipan long, and Crown. On the Brocock, I tried every slug I have in mine, no pay dirt at all, but mine never had even close enough power to push them either, I would not be surprised if it will possibly shoot the hybrids ok? Good luck👍🏻
 
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Hi @jayson, which Brocock are you using? My compatto like I am sure most .177 cals don’t have the umpf to push slugs, but ironically the same weight H&N snipers pushed over 720 FPS on the 18 ft/lbs setting. I am still waiting to see when FX will come out with hybrid slugs in .177 and maybe they have, but I haven’t seen them available at any shop online or otherwise.
 
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