Posted on 03/11/2021 10:49:21 AM PST by eastforker
Interest in airguns is growing. Maybe it’s because of increasingly restrictive gun laws, the ability of air arms to skirt no-discharge ordinances, or because they’re just plain fun.
Perhaps the most exciting segment of the airgun world is the so-called big bores, which fire projectiles larger than .25 caliber. Make no mistake, these guns aren’t backyard plinkers. They’re serious hunting guns built with big game in mind, producing at least 300 foot-pounds of energy to take deer- and hog-sized animals.
Though only somewhere around 15 states allow hunters to take big game with an airgun, many have had open discussions about permitting the practice in the future. And, most states allow the taking of small game and varmints like coyotes with air rifles. Here’s a look at some of the better big bores available today.
(Excerpt) Read more at fieldandstream.com ...
Well, they may be cool, but I fear the more feasible these weapons get, the more the left may win over the less politically-aware people by saying “look, you don’t even need firearms to go hunting anymore!”
The trouble is finding ammo, what good does a gun do if you cant get ammo for it.
I hunt a lot and a friend has a couple of airguns he hunts deer with. One is .38 caliber and one is .45 caliber if I remember right. They're quite effective within 100 yards or so. He charges them with a scuba tank and the charge will last several shots, they have the ability to adjust the charge pressure and thus the velocity with a valve.
What kind of noise levels do these produce? And these are interesting in another way. Lewis and Clark carried one air-rifle on their exploration across the west.
I was quite amazzed at the full auto model, 30 cal with 16 capacity magazine.
Someone on a forum said the bigger bores are not backyard friendly in a neighborhood.
Question, if these use air rather an explosive propellant, how much noise do they make?
Actually airguns might be the ticket with the democrats trying to shut down access to ammo. The ammo is just a bullet and air. The bullet is usually cast lead for them and most serious airgun guys cast their own. Once you have the mold and a lead casting pot all you need is a supply of lead and you have all the ammo you need. Lead's easy to come by with wheel weights from a tire shop.
I remember reading that one of the weapons carried by the Lewis and Clark expedition was an air rifle used to harvest game.
I would say quite loud if you are releasing up to 4500 psi.
The high pressure big bore air rifles are not quiet when fired, so you're not going to keep the neighbors happy in a suburban subdivision.
There are bicycle-type hand pumps that can recharge the onboard air tanks of these rifles, but you'll get quite the workout between strings of shots. Most rifles in this class are recharged from scuba tanks, and you get your tanks refilled by the local Dive Shop.
Depending on model, you get around 10 shots per charge.
“It shoots through schools”
There was a guy on the local radio buy-sell-trade show selling lead cannonballs #20 and #50 for a $ a pound, his other lead supply...600 #s for .75 a pound.
I’ve never used these. But, I’ve used pneumatic trainers (the kinds that are used to train tactical engagement techniques/fire discipline) quite a bit and those are surprisingly loud. As loud as a firearm? No. But, significantly louder than a pneumatic nailer or stapler.
I have an air rifle, .117 cal, that could kill a person with the right shot.
I used to practice shooting it behind my parents house in VT. I could shoot a quarter out of target at 25 yards. More than enough to shoot critters.
Mine isn’t anywhere as large as those. It sounds like a .22 rilfe. I cannot shoot it in my town as I a sure I would get complaints.
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