Guest Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Most of you may know this but for some who may not they make large bore air guns that can kill big game. This bison was killed with a .458 cal. air rifle. [Edit: here are .58 cal pellets.] Gee! What kind of propellant does it use? Also, what is the range, fps, and noise level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incorrigible1 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Gee! What kind of propellant does it use? Also, what is the range, fps, and noise level? It's a pre-charged pneumatic. The chamber below the barrel is pumped with an electric or manual (bicycle pump type) compressor. The compressed air in the reservoir chamber will usually provide several shots before requiring recharging. Their performance is beyond what most have any idea what an air gun will provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 They shoot horses, don't they? And then BEAT THEM once they're dead.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Interesting piece of history Consensus has it that the Girandoni air rifle was carried by Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition in 1803 to 1806 This rifle was especially intriguing to the Native Americans they encountered, they called it the "Medicine Gun" http://www.topairgun.com/girandoni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biggie Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) The compressors are small but high pressure over 2,000psi. A lot of people buy small oxygen tanks or even large scuba tanks and get them refilled at stores for around $5-$20 or fill them with their own compressors that cost around $400+, in addition to the $1,000-$2,000 PCP rifles that you plug into them to keep them aired up. There are other air rifles that use small-large Co2 cartridges also. Quite an expensive hobby either way you go but it's neat to be able to adjust the power of your shot by turning a dial or switch on the rifle according to whatever game you encounter at the moment. Most are single shot rifles where you have to reload a pellet each time but there are some multi shot rifles available as well that usually hold around 5-8 pellets. Btw they can get well over 1,000fps depending on the rifle and pellet. The noise can be loud or quiet depending on the rifle and it's barrel. A lot of people use silencers to make them quiet. Edited December 1, 2011 by Biggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MJ151 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Oh yes it is an expensive hobby, from experience one can spend more on a British air rifle than a powder burner. The big bores are generally Quackenbush Models. For more useful (smaller caliber) units I like Theoben in both PCP and break barrel (FAC models). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 For backpacking and extended fishing trips in Colorado and SE Oklahoma with some casual bigfooting on the side, I've been looking at the Kel Tec SU-16 family of folding .223 semi-auto rifles. In the $500 to $600 range, folds to a short length and weighing in at only 5 pounds appeals alot if you're going to carry a rifle instead of a hand gun thru brush and over stream rocks a fair amount. Comments on the intertubes suggest decent ruggedness and reliability. Still not sure how I would sling it (Kel Tec doesn't provide any accessories for that), and .223 wouldn't be my first pick for a black bear/cougar/feral pig stand-off cartridge but that's the trade off for the light weight, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 What about a Wild West Marlin 1895 take-down as an alternative to the Kel-Tec? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudeman Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 (edited) That small caliber gigantor was talking about is probably the .17 hornady. Or known as .17HMR And my weapons are a little .25 auto pocket gun and a Romanian AK-M. Lusting for a S&W Governor, which shoots .45LC .45acp or .410 shotgun shells Edited December 31, 2011 by dudeman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Those .17s sure are small, and do kind of look like darts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudeman Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Plus their more expensive. All they are is a necked down .22mag. rather have the .22. When funds allow going to wally world and picking up a ruger 10/22. $197. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Oh yeah, .17s seem to be all the rage, or were. They'll make squirrels go all explody too. If you're looking to make a pie, they'll make minced meat out of a squirrel right quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biggie Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Ace I have found that most people who kill squirrels do so to eat them so they might not ever go that route but that sure sounds like fun to me since I don't eat them. Reminds me of all the entertaining youtube vids of prairie dogs getting blown to kibbles and bits with .223 and .243 rifles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I've been a destroyer of squirrels before (AR15, .223), but am now building a squirrel specific sniper rifle (CZ452 American with suppressor, sub-sonic .22LR) and will put them on the table, hopefully with no meat loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 What about a Wild West Marlin 1895 take-down as an alternative to the Kel-Tec? Interesting. Didn't realise there was a takedown version of the 1895. I've always been a fan of Marlin lever actions. But since I don't hang out in brown bear country much (any CO grizzly that may be out there are going to be few and far between and probably pretty shy; sort of like another big mammal of interest), 45-70 is a bit more cartridge than I need for a general camp rifle in my neck of the woods. Cost of shooting and carry weight are major considerations for me. A couple pounds shaved off would make a world of difference. And a part of the reason the folding Kel-Tec appeals to me is, well, the concept is pretty cool. Though you have got me thinking of the Marlin 1894 again in .44mag/sp. No savings in weight there, really, but that may be a more useful all-around caliber than .223. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts