I am a old time PB shooter but new airgun shooter. I've always wanted to ask this question.I see recommendations that a big bore airgun (like .45 or so) can safely take down deer, elk and the like. I don't understand how, or at least ethically.Deer I can understand, but not elk or bigger. From what I read, the FPE energy of a big bore slug is barely better than a pistol round, and about HALF of an intermediate rifle round like the 7.62x39...let alone any normal centerfire rifle bullet.Is there something I'm missing.
It's the same principle as bow hunting.
Centerfire rifles utilize it's light rounds with a lot of speed to get energy dumped into a.game animal. Compare that to the old 45-70 which is super slow comparatively but with twice as heavy of lead. Sure it is slower but there is a lot more momentum when it enters the game animal. Airguns are the same in that respect.
Quote from: airrob on November 03, 2021, 05:06:18 PMI am a old time PB shooter but new airgun shooter. I've always wanted to ask this question.I see recommendations that a big bore airgun (like .45 or so) can safely take down deer, elk and the like. I don't understand how, or at least ethically.Deer I can understand, but not elk or bigger. From what I read, the FPE energy of a big bore slug is barely better than a pistol round, and about HALF of an intermediate rifle round like the 7.62x39...let alone any normal centerfire rifle bullet.Is there something I'm missing.Because you been conditioned by the firearms industry that you need X amount of power when in reality a big caliber bullet even at the slow speeds Airguns shoot creates more then enough damage to take down any big game,....also precision and short distance play a big role.
Big Bore PCPs are certainly more than capable of taking Deer and Hogs, with the proper slugs.... Larger than that, in the Elk and Moose category, only the most powerful should apply, IMO.... Up the level again to Bison or Grizzly Bear, and IMO those are in the domain of the most powerful arrow launching airguns.... All this is just my opinion....Bob
Well to play devil's advocate, spears from cavemen didn't mean it was an ethical hunt. Nobody cared about that back then.
Quote from: rsterne on November 03, 2021, 09:53:41 PMBig Bore PCPs are certainly more than capable of taking Deer and Hogs, with the proper slugs.... Larger than that, in the Elk and Moose category, only the most powerful should apply, IMO.... Up the level again to Bison or Grizzly Bear, and IMO those are in the domain of the most powerful arrow launching airguns.... All this is just my opinion....BobBut words that should be taken seriously. You read about people wanting to use 25 cal pellets to take out XYZ critter that really should have another 20 to 30fpe of energy to do it humanely (stepping up to 257 and slugs or 30). Just because you can mostly get away with a 20fpe kill (at range) doesn't mean it should be recommended to others.