With the ever increasing cost of high power air rifles, at what point should a 22lr rifle be considered ?
Air or 22LR ?
- Thread starter Stone02
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High powered air rifles are relatively inexpensive.
And, I suggest that you refine your question.
And, I suggest that you refine your question.
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Pellets will always be cheaper than .22lr ammo for one. But, I don't really shoot airguns because they are better, cheaper, etc. I shoot airguns for the challenge compared to firearms. Any of my .22lr's has every advantage over my airguns. I don't live or hunt where noise matters so no advantage to airguns. Just puts a big smile on my face to take a critter at 100 yards with an airgun!!
We all have our reasons for airgunning.
We all have our reasons for airgunning.
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True and true. Getting a jack rabbit at 80 yards with my mrod puts a bigger smile on my face then getting a jack rabbit at 110 yards with my 22-250
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If you live on a ranch with hundreds of acres or live in an apartment the .22LR is much cheaper but ammo can at times be hard to find. If you live in town and like to shoot the air rifle gives you more opportunity to shoot. Let say you live in a neighborhood and have a back yard you have an airgun shooting range. If you have 30 minutes time you can grab the rifle and shoot. Lets say your wife is getting ready to go out you are done sitting on the couch for 30 minutes waiting you have a shooting opportunity. If you have to pack everything up to go to a range you need to dedicate a half day or more for that. The more you shoot the better you get.
Mike
Mike
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I would never consider cost...even if rim fire rifles were 1/10 the cost of pellet rifle.
I would still pick air rifles... its my hobby and I enjoy it very much... I have left the scene of powder and will stay that way...
I do not hunt with air rifles because of cost.... it is because I enjoy it ...
I would still pick air rifles... its my hobby and I enjoy it very much... I have left the scene of powder and will stay that way...
I do not hunt with air rifles because of cost.... it is because I enjoy it ...
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From a hunters point of view, if noise is of no concern, get a 22LR.
The ammo is "cheap" and easy to get, lots of stopping power and a better trajectory.
The reasons why i like air:
- Low noise.
- I like making my own improvements, i live for the moments when i get to think: Hey, i think i can make this better.
Im not always right, but thats part of the game
- "Long" range shooting is more of a challenge, yeah, thats a good thing.
The ammo is "cheap" and easy to get, lots of stopping power and a better trajectory.
The reasons why i like air:
- Low noise.
- I like making my own improvements, i live for the moments when i get to think: Hey, i think i can make this better.
Im not always right, but thats part of the game
- "Long" range shooting is more of a challenge, yeah, thats a good thing.
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I was at this same dilemma like 6 months ago. I wanted an air rifle for the ability to shoot in my back yard so I was going to get the marauder. After finding out that my nearest fill station was completely across town I was a little disappointed since I couldn't afford a big tank and would need to fill up often. I then began to look at 22lr because I thought that other than being able to shoot in my yard the 22lr did everything else better. I finally ended up buying a CZ 455 varmint in the walnut laminate thumb hole stock and I love it. I bought 710 fps cci and it is really quiet and still has lots of knock down. I shoot out to 100 yards like nothing and just ordered some eley subsonic ammo to reach out even farther with good accuracy.
Every situation is different but in my case the 22lr was the better choice for my budget and needs. I still have my Benjamin trail to shoot in the backyard when I want so I have the best of both worlds I guess. I am saving my money for my dream airgun the daystate wolverine B high lite but that will be a long time. Good luck on your purchase hope my experience helps.
Every situation is different but in my case the 22lr was the better choice for my budget and needs. I still have my Benjamin trail to shoot in the backyard when I want so I have the best of both worlds I guess. I am saving my money for my dream airgun the daystate wolverine B high lite but that will be a long time. Good luck on your purchase hope my experience helps.
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I was at my local range shooting next to a guy with a suppressed .22 rifle. It was quieter than my Marauder. It was quite impressive. Although he needed to fill out a bunch of forms and register with the Feds.
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Couple other items to consider:
Air rifles do not need regular cleaning like firearms.
Air rifles always go bang. In my experience about 1% of rimfire ammo are duds.
Besides the sound and backyard issues, an air rifle fired into a tree could go about 3/4 mile beyond that tree. A 22LR could go 2-1/2 miles or so.
Air rifles do not need regular cleaning like firearms.
Air rifles always go bang. In my experience about 1% of rimfire ammo are duds.
Besides the sound and backyard issues, an air rifle fired into a tree could go about 3/4 mile beyond that tree. A 22LR could go 2-1/2 miles or so.
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Relative to what? My 22 springer was three times the price of a 22LR. With few exceptions, a 22 PCP is three times that again.
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personaly i would say that the 22lr is the one to go for if where you hunt is possible to use powder burners , simple as that
price wise .. comparing airgun to 22lr is somewhat unfair .. my 22lr hw bolt rifle cost me the same as my walther lgu pretty cheap when considering what you get .. my hw100 was double that (and adding the price of a scuba tank , fill kitt and hand pump , it gets quite expencive.)
a 50 box of 22lr match costs me 150 norwegian kroners wich is about 20 usd , you get a 500 tin of pellets for half to equiliant to the 50 rounds of 22lr depending on quality and brand.
... acuracy i would say the airgun win out to 70-80 yards ( comparing a 177 hw100 set to shoot 10,3 grain at 880 fps and a hw 66 jagd match 22lr going subsonic with match ammo)
past 80 meters the 22lr would simply buck wind alot better.
dont realy know what i wanted to say anymore lol , but you get a very nice 22lr for a ok pcp
price wise .. comparing airgun to 22lr is somewhat unfair .. my 22lr hw bolt rifle cost me the same as my walther lgu
pretty cheap when considering what you get .. my hw100 was double that (and adding the price of a scuba tank , fill kitt and hand pump , it gets quite expencive.)a 50 box of 22lr match costs me 150 norwegian kroners wich is about 20 usd , you get a 500 tin of pellets for half to equiliant to the 50 rounds of 22lr depending on quality and brand.
... acuracy i would say the airgun win out to 70-80 yards ( comparing a 177 hw100 set to shoot 10,3 grain at 880 fps and a hw 66 jagd match 22lr going subsonic with match ammo)
past 80 meters the 22lr would simply buck wind alot better.
dont realy know what i wanted to say anymore lol , but you get a very nice 22lr for a ok pcp
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I have a Ruger 10/22 with a integrated silencer it is super quiet and accurate. But, my go to gun for pest control or plinking is my FX .22 Monsoon. It is quiet fun and semi auto.
A couple years ago .22 rimfire was cheap to shoot but no longer, as it is still hard to find .22 rimfire rounds and the cost is around .10 each! To make a rimfire as quiet it will cost more than a good PCP as the silencer and the tax stamp will make price go way up.
Once I switched to PCP airguns, I do not want to go back! Airguns are so much more fun!
A couple years ago .22 rimfire was cheap to shoot but no longer, as it is still hard to find .22 rimfire rounds and the cost is around .10 each! To make a rimfire as quiet it will cost more than a good PCP as the silencer and the tax stamp will make price go way up.
Once I switched to PCP airguns, I do not want to go back! Airguns are so much more fun!
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22LR is good where local or state laws aren't conducive to airgun hunting.
But airguns can be used more safely in a small shooting space (often, not always), and...
don'tcha think a 22LR is a bit much to whack a starling or pigeon???
But airguns can be used more safely in a small shooting space (often, not always), and...
don'tcha think a 22LR is a bit much to whack a starling or pigeon???
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I live out in "rural" Wyoming and got a .25 Mrod to replace my 22lr for whacking the ground squirrels.
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NOPE! Here in MT the wind blows so pellets move around a bunch! But, getting better with my .22 Monsoon so the 22 LR is getting lots of time in the safe. Practice, Practice, Practice! Wont be getting rid of my .22 LR, but the FX Monsoon now has its place by the fridge waiting to take on whatever needs to be gotten rid of on the farm. Oh and knock back some steels set up in the back field.
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If I were permitted by law to hunt with 22lr, I would likely own a nice one. That said, I would still take my airgun out for squirrel and rabbit, because it is such a challenge, and I find airguns to be more fun (in general) than powder burners.
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To me air rifles fill a nich role. For the fly fisherman it's like comparing a 1W fly rod to a 9W fly rod. Both very useful but not for the same type of fishing. I am not in the camp of trying to make an air rifle into a .22lr. It would be a lot cheaper an easier to shoot a .22lr. Using an air rifle to duplicate what a 22lr will do is the most expensive way possible to do it. At the end of the day what did you accomplish?
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Around the house in Suburbia it is the 25 Marauder. Otherwise its a rim fire. Most likely one of my bull bbl Ruger 10/22s which are very accurate. I also have a fond place in my heart for my CZ 452s in 22 and 17m2. The 17 is just nasty accurate. The air gun is great for quietly pesting around the house. The other thing is the air gun helps me keep my shooting skills sharp.
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