At44 .177 for small game hunting?

[SwampHunter]

I saw they still have one for sale, but only in .177 think it would be good for small game hunting? Looks really fast, think it could push slugs, and if so would they be any good on game?

[Back_Roads]

 I have the AT44 PA and the Tactical pistol in .177, the AT44 does well with the 13.xx gr JSB monsters, and the 15 gr NSA slugs. The pistol joes good with the 105 gr CPD and the 13.xx monsters though at a little less FPS.

[SwampHunter]

I have the AT44 PA and the Tactical pistol in .177, the AT44 does well with the 13.xx gr JSB monsters, and the 15 gr NSA slugs. The pistol joes good with the 105 gr CPD and the 13.xx monsters though at a little less FPS.

Thanks you, what kind of groups are you getting with the at44?

[Ribbonstone]

I'd do it (have done it...continue to do it),  so long as you are planning to hunt normal small game critters (tree squirrels/rabits,or whatever eating critter of about the same weight).

But I'd also get a selection of heavier weight .177 pellets (odd man out,but the speed/energy balance seems to favor the 13-16 grain pellets).

Kind of lost track of how long ago I got a Pneuma...which is the old single shot version of the AT 44 .177.  Only real mechanical difference is the lower reciever and not a repeater (the guts and barrel seem the same to me).

Can't tell you want today's version would give in energy...although HAtsan AT44's are known to be timd.

[Rallyshark]

That will make a great gun for small game hunting!  Nowadays, we have access to pellets up to 16 grains, and slugs up to 21 grains in .177.  The AT44 isn't short on power, so it can handle most any of the options out there.  It can also be modded(with very little cost) to make all the power you could possibly want in .177.  I have a .22 capable of 70fpe and I have a .177 capable of 45fpe.  I shoot the .177 the most for critters, and it is tuned to around 18fpe(which the AT44 can do easily).  .177 is a great pesting caliber, with high shot count and low noise

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

That will make a great gun for small game hunting!  Nowadays, we have access to pellets up to 16 grains, and slugs up to 21 grains in .177.  The AT44 isn't short on power, so it can handle most any of the options out there.  It can also be modded(with very little cost) to make all the power you could possibly want in .177.  I have a .22 capable of 70fpe and I have a .177 capable of 45fpe.  I shoot the .177 the most for critters, and it is tuned to around 18fpe(which the AT44 can do easily).  .177 is a great pesting caliber, with high shot count and low noise

Donny, what pellets do you use for critters?  I've been using the 10 grain Crosman Domed and they do pretty well, but would like to try something a bit heavier that will still give consistent accuracy. 

[Mont]

I have a AT44 .177 with a Lane regulator tuned at 820 FPS.  I'll shoot sub MOA groups all day long at 50 yard with 10gr JSB's.  It has no problem with a ethical dispatch.
To keep it from wasting air, I had to use a 12lbs valve and open the port up to .168. The regulator is set at 105bar.  Before the slowest I could get it was 940 FPS and it wasted air and made a lot of noise.

[SwampHunter]

Thank you all for your help but I ended up going for a Hastan flash .25 myself mostly because I would like to hunt Turkeys and it would be legal to do so with the .25 here. My friend is still thinking about going with this setup because he has the larger calibers. He really wants a .20 but it would be too much agravation to get. When he orders it I will let you guys know how it turns out, thank you again, it really helps out to be able to get advice from all the awesome people on here!

[Ribbonstone]

Depending on what you are shooting, am not real sure heavy pellets/higher energy really makes that much difference on little critters(pest birds/rats/even small squirrels).  Does put more energy out of the off side of the critter, but doesn't really deposit much more inside.

(can dig up an old post testing this.  Basically a chrono. set up ahead of  a small critter sized chunk of test media, and a chronograph on the other side to get the vel. which lets you figure the energy lost in the test media.)

So I normally don't push .177's that hard. unless I have a good reason to need deeper penetration.  I do keep one (and old BAM 50) setup "hot",but mostly it'sbecasue it is what that rifles seems to like best (and occasionaly I'll shoot an opposum or racoonwith it).

IF I have need for a more immediate "splatter"effect (and if your rifle will shoot one of the good hollow points/poly mags) then push them fast enough to open on lite resistance(bird-bombs).

As for your friend's urge for a 5mm...really aren't a lot of 5mm PCP' offered.  Not against the idea, esp. now that the JSB 15.9's are shipping.  Even as a 5mm fan,cannot say it really does anything "better" than a .22 of the same make....but I rather like the  old .20.

[SwampHunter]

I have never owned a .20 personaly but he remembers them as a kid and has never had so he wants to try it, if nothing else it will be a lesson earned! Thank you for your input about it, hopefully he gets the AT44, I would like to shoot a hot .177. I have always been a .22 n up fan myself

[Ribbonstone]

It's mostly because it is a 5mm...and anyone who lusted after a Sheridan "C" as a kid has likely got a (somewhat suppressed) like for the caliber....so mark it up to the old Beeman Hype and the urge for a taste of yester-year in a today's-year style rifle.

(As a kid,the "rich kids" got sheridans, and their parents paid for the rifle and the pellets. Peashants (Like me) had to work for it, and did keep an eye on pellet costs as we had to buy those too.)

With so few options...and none of them really inexpensive....it's just not going to be an option for most folks who research the availibity of rifles AND the selection of pellets (considering every PCP has a favorite...the fewer pelklets, the less chance of that "magic" pellet.)

[Back_Roads]

I have the AT44 PA and the Tactical pistol in .177, the AT44 does well with the 13.xx gr JSB monsters, and the 15 gr NSA slugs. The pistol joes good with the 105 gr CPD and the 13.xx monsters though at a little less FPS.

Thanks you, what kind of groups are you getting with the at44?

 Well I did shoot it at 200 yards by mistake thinking I was @ the 100 yd berm, and I found my group 18 " below my shoot n see, in the webbing of the plastic snow fence, if i squared off the missing holes where there was no fence, I would say 4 " @ 200yds.

[wll2506]

I saw they still have one for sale, but only in .177 think it would be good for small game hunting? Looks really fast, think it could push slugs, and if so would they be any good on game?

I saw this ad for this gun, and its a great price. It is a possibility I get it, but I have more research to do on it. if I could get a good solid bell curve with 177 cal 13.4gr Monsters I may get it. Shooting 825-850fps for 30+shots it would be worth it. !

wll

[Ribbonstone]

Possible...may not get there easy (not by just fiddling around with adjustment screws) but possible with 180cc tube (the short one) and enough fiddling around with striker spring tension/fill pressure/valve exit ports.

I left the old single shot Pneuma at this point (40-41 shots at 16 foot pounds)...which is like 650 foot pounds of energy per fill...so I can see where that could be able to convert to 30-32 shots at 20 foot pounds in the4 same velocity range.

 Boxed in are thr 3% shots....but I normally coult the 4% shots:




PAst experince with regulated PCP's would see something like twice  the shots, but also something like twice the air use...so it's pretty much a Vegas "push bet".

[SwampHunter]

I have the AT44 PA and the Tactical pistol in .177, the AT44 does well with the 13.xx gr JSB monsters, and the 15 gr NSA slugs. The pistol joes good with the 105 gr CPD and the 13.xx monsters though at a little less FPS.

Thanks you, what kind of groups are you getting with the at44?

 Well I did shoot it at 200 yards by mistake thinking I was @ the 100 yd berm, and I found my group 18 " below my shoot n see, in the webbing of the plastic snow fence, if i squared off the missing holes where there was no fence, I would say 4 " @ 200yds.

That's pretty good for 200!!

[SwampHunter]

PAst experince with regulated PCP's would see something like twice  the shots, but also something like twice the air use...so it's pretty much a Vegas "push bet".

I don't always catch on so fast, could you explain what you mean please?

[Ribbonstone]

OK...really don't want to convert this to a regulated vs.non-regulated discussion. 

I like regulated rifles, and find thy do their best in comparsion to tuned non-regulated rifles when you do not try to push them to the same power levels you can get from non regulated rifles.
Vast majority of my posts have been in support of less power/more uniformity...which is what regulation is made to do.

With an eye to my past post's shot count.  Can get 35 really good non-regulated shots (hanging around3%)for about 600psi of air use.  Happens around 2800-2200psi, which is only 500psi out of the 180cc's of volume.

Regulate it to run from 3000-1800 (about a 125BAr regulator output),which would use 1200psi of a 180cc volume.....I'd have to expect 2X the number of good shots (70) at the same energy level to be even in air use. (the "push bet" is a kind of an old term for even).

The AT44 is pretty easy to regulate.  With interchangeable air tubes that also have the whole valve assembly, coiuld easily make one a regulated tube and leave the other tube non-regulated.

Regaurdless of caliber wouldexpect to be able to get a short run of nice hihger power shots from the non-regulated tube over a short pressure range (pretty much what I'd want for hunting).....and a really long string of lower power  regulated shots over a wide pressure range (pretty much what I'd want for playing).

Do find it esp. attractive in .177....which is my choice in playing around calibers, and where lower energy/long shot counts are a big plus.

[SwampHunter]

OK...really don't want to convert this to a regulated vs.non-regulated discussion. 

I like regulated rifles, and find thy do their best in comparsion to tuned non-regulated rifles when you do not try to push them to the same power levels you can get from non regulated rifles.
Vast majority of my posts have been in support of less power/more uniformity...which is what regulation is made to do.

With an eye to my past post's shot count.  Can get 35 really good non-regulated shots (hanging around3%)for about 600psi of air use.  Happens around 2800-2200psi, which is only 500psi out of the 180cc's of volume.

Regulate it to run from 3000-1800 (about a 125BAr regulator output),which would use 1200psi of a 180cc volume.....I'd have to expect 2X the number of good shots (70) at the same energy level to be even in air use. (the "push bet" is a kind of an old term for even).

The AT44 is pretty easy to regulate.  With interchangeable air tubes that also have the whole valve assembly, coiuld easily make one a regulated tube and leave the other tube non-regulated.

Regaurdless of caliber wouldexpect to be able to get a short run of nice hihger power shots from the non-regulated tube over a short pressure range (pretty much what I'd want for hunting).....and a really long string of lower power  regulated shots over a wide pressure range (pretty much what I'd want for playing).

Do find it esp. attractive in .177....which is my choice in playing around calibers, and where lower energy/long shot counts are a big plus.

Thank you for clearing that up, I understand what your meaning now lol. Kinda slow sometimes!

[Ribbonstone]

Dropped a digit on the non-reg numbers...should be 600 rather than 500.

But the idea here is that it's all about energy in vs. energy out.  Regulation uses a wider range of pressure for more shots than non-regulated's  narrow range of pressure. 

[SwampHunter]

Dropped a digit on the non-reg numbers...should be 600 rather than 500.

But the idea here is that it's all about energy in vs. energy out.  Regulation uses a wider range of pressure for more shots than non-regulated's  narrow range of pressure.

I understand the concept but am just about to receive my first chronograph so hopefully I can get my guns to shoot better than they do currently. So trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can about it! I understand I'm kinda derailing my own thread lol but I will start a new one about the flash and hopefully you and the other fine members here can help me fumble my way through the learning process.