What caliber do you think is the most versatile?

[Nomadic Pirate]

Nomad is right I miss the point on this one... I thought it was about the most versatile caliber. Not a theoretical “do all”. Caliber, and are you really going to drive down the .30 to sub 14 ft lbs?

I would in my Leshiy.

However, "Most Versatile caliber" would assume one thing and one thing only: the ability to handle the most situations.

A .30 or .35 wins, hands down.  Imagine the Nasty-Nine or Dirty-Thirty, a Leshiy tuned for ~ 40 FPE lobbing pellets at 520 FPS and utterly annihilating said squirrel's skulls.  Zero meat wasted.  Then grabbing a Texan, Rex, or similar  in .35 (or .30 for that matter) and popping big-game with arrows.  Clean heart-lung shots, no matter the size of the game, it drops and dies.  Interject slugs for coup de grace.

You guys talking about switching to powderburners or "for my needs" situations are simply being biased, which is okay, but truly misses the real point of the "most Versatile Airgun Caliber.  The answer is the one that has the capacity to hunt, plink, or be used for targets.  The simple fact both .30 and .35 are excelling at long range target competitions, clearly have a known advantage by offering slugs, bolts, and pellets, and perhaps most importantly can be tuned way down or way up (from springer-power levels up to "elk hunting") simply proves the .30 and .35 are ultimately the most versatile.  Meaning having the most versatility, meaning able to be used in the most situations be it paper, pests, or filling the freezer.


Some food for thought: my Leshiy has some of the cheapest barrel  swapping from from .177 up through .20, .22, .25, .30, and .35.  One of the most-subscribed pesting channels on YouTube has a gentleman who regularly used .30 and .35 pellets for backyard pesting by merging the Huma sub-12-FPE and high-output Huma regulators to achieve an efficient "low power" backyard friendly tune in .30 and .35.  Pellets moving ~ 40 to 45 FPE.  Given my propensity to buy airguns based on simply being the most versatile tool for the job, I think you can all understand why I still consider a choice like mine offering literally the most versatility especially since the .30 and .35 barrels extend capabilities into the Big-Bore arena.  Will I shoot bolts once I get my .30 or .35 barrels?  No idea.  But there's no doubt in my mind the .30 and .35 are simply the most versatile calibers since pellets, slugs, and bolts can be shot whether tuned way down or way up.

Bingo !!!

that is precisely the point,....I wish I could be that articulate LOL

The counterpoint to me sounds like;

" Well, I realize that your 4x4 truck can be used on the road, you can go on mud, sand, steep inclines, snow, extremely uneven terrains, and you can haul tons of trash to the dump,

but my sedan even if can only drive on the blacktop and take one bag at a time is more versatile because uses less gas " that's the logic I hear

also

"it's not logic or practical for the vast majority to buy a truck "

which is absolutely true, you buy what your needs require you to buy, but still the truck drives on blacktop and much more regardless if you only need a sedan for your needs.

[Motorhead]

WOW ... 140 posts later 

[PikeP]

*Slowly scans the room for eyes, proceeds to remove spoon from pot* This stew is starting to taste bitter

I mean, technically the question was 'What caliber do you think is the most versatile' which makes it subjective to each person who answers, no wrong answers in this thread except those who wanna debate... You guys are getting all hot and bothered over nothing more than a difference in personal opinion while viewing the question through a different lens. Ultimately, any answer provided in this thread isn't going to budge life's needle much in any way. 

 

[Hotled]

According to Texas law , the 30 caliber or anything that shoot 215 fpe.

[avator]

*Slowly scans the room for eyes, proceeds to remove spoon from pot* This stew is starting to taste bitter

I mean, technically the question was 'What caliber do you think is the most versatile' which makes it subjective to each person who answers, no wrong answers in this thread except those who wanna debate... You guys are getting all hot and bothered over nothing more than a difference in personal opinion while viewing the question through a different lens. Ultimately, any answer provided in this thread isn't going to budge life's needle much in any way. 

Other than the 'hot and bothered' part, I'm totally in agreement. This is exactly how I interpreted the original post.
I answered accordingly.... twice.

[Luis Leon]

Versatility... this all with the same gun (not advocating one gun) just an example... .22 caliber 32 FPE PCP.  All with the same 18 grain JSBs. Sparrows at the feeder at 15 yards, power level 2. Woodchuck behind the barn at 50 yards, power level 6. Plinking, power level 4, inside the barn, power level 1. No reworking of HS, regulator, etc. Just shoot, that’s versatile. Grab and go versatile... but if your going to have multiple .30 or larger PCPs, shooting from 12 FPE up to the limit. I stand corrected. This has been a good thread... I enjoy being enlightened by others... but still am touting the .22

And while I respect the enumerated versatility of the .30. I just can’t see plinking or target shooting hundreds of rounds per day or week. That is cost prohibitive for me and counterintuitive to why many go to airguns in the first place. Less expensive shooting (to a point), and use in smaller environments. And if I were going on a once in lifetime elk hunt. I would definitely bring a powder burner.

[UnderPressure]

And while I respect the enumerated versatility of the .30. I just can’t see plinking or target shooting hundreds of rounds per day or week. That is cost prohibitive for me (snip)

JSB 18.13 grain is not that cheap.

Going by Airgun Depot's prices it is $19 for 500 or $57 for 2000:

https://www.airgundepot.com/jsb-546287.html

Ballistic products gives you 1360 #1 buckshot (.300 cal) for $39 ----> https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-1-8-lb_jar-300/productinfo/SBK01/ (works out to be the same price per round as buying 2000 JSB pellets for $57)

Now granted, some of the Ballistic products buckshot maybe be out of spec.....but even with that you are not very far ahead by buying JSB 4 tins at a time.

P.S. Remington #1 buckshot is 2/3 the price per shot  of the Ballistic Products #1 buckshot, but I haven't seen any reviews of it yet (Still even if only 2 out 3 balls were good you would be at the same price per shot as buying 2000 JSB pellets):

https://www.precisionreloading.com/cart.php#!l=RM&i=S23774

[Nomadic Pirate]

And while I respect the enumerated versatility of the .30. I just can’t see plinking or target shooting hundreds of rounds per day or week. That is cost prohibitive for me (snip)

JSB 18.13 grain is not that cheap.

Going by Airgun Depot's prices it is $19 for 500 or $57 for 2000:

https://www.airgundepot.com/jsb-546287.html

Ballistic products gives you 1360 #1 buckshot (.300 cal) for $39 ----> https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-1-8-lb_jar-300/productinfo/SBK01/ (works out to be the same price per round as buying 2000 JSB pellets for $57)

Now granted, some of the Ballistic products buckshot maybe be out of spec.....but even with that you are not very far ahead by buying JSB 4 tins at a time.

P.S. Remington #1 buckshot is 2/3 the price per shot  of the Ballistic Products #1 buckshot, but I haven't seen any reviews of it yet:

https://www.precisionreloading.com/cart.php#!l=RM&i=S23774

I think I'm gonna order some of them roundballs since the .360 worked really well on the .357s

[UnderPressure]

And while I respect the enumerated versatility of the .30. I just can’t see plinking or target shooting hundreds of rounds per day or week. That is cost prohibitive for me (snip)

JSB 18.13 grain is not that cheap.

Going by Airgun Depot's prices it is $19 for 500 or $57 for 2000:

https://www.airgundepot.com/jsb-546287.html

Ballistic products gives you 1360 #1 buckshot (.300 cal) for $39 ----> https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-1-8-lb_jar-300/productinfo/SBK01/ (works out to be the same price per round as buying 2000 JSB pellets for $57)

Now granted, some of the Ballistic products buckshot maybe be out of spec.....but even with that you are not very far ahead by buying JSB 4 tins at a time.

P.S. Remington #1 buckshot is 2/3 the price per shot  of the Ballistic Products #1 buckshot, but I haven't seen any reviews of it yet:

https://www.precisionreloading.com/cart.php#!l=RM&i=S23774

I think I'm gonna order some of them roundballs since the .360 worked really well on the .357s

Slug your barrel before you place an order.

Reason is that some .30 cal air gun barrels are spec'd several thousands larger than the standardized groove diameter of .300" and some are are not.

For example, Lother Walther .30 Airgun barrel is spec'd at .306" (https://www.lothar-walther.com/gun-barrel-blanks/airgun-barrels/standard-profile/89/airgun-blank-no-choke-twist-16.30-air-od.67-l-28.03-precision-rifle-steel-tube) while TJ's .30 is the correct .300".

[Nomadic Pirate]

Gonna buy both .300 and .310

[HYspd]

.50

[UnderPressure]

How can .17 and .22 be more versatile ( going by the definition of versatile ) in a general sense ( Target or hunting ) .......then .30 or .357 ?

Other then being cheaper ( which isn't a criteria in versatility ) they might have one advantage but then fall way behind in the broad spectrum of applications ( like long range target shooting for example )

I understand " PERSONAL " preference or applications, but in a general sense, cover the spectrum on all applications .17 and .22 (maybe a very, very High power .22 with a ton of up and down adjustments can sneak in there  but not your standard .22 ) cannot touch .30 or .357

Would these targets still be useful after even one hit by a .40 projectile?

NO

I think a relatively large caliber round ball could work for 20 FPE (or even 12 FPE with perhaps a smaller caliber roundball) but you would have to use backspin or else the trajectory would be like a rainbow.

P.S. Not sure how accurate a round ball with enough backspin would be but I do like the idea of "low speed lead round ball with enough backspin" being simple to use if the trajectory could be flat for 55 yards (see yellow line in chart below as a example of what is possible with even a light for caliber roundball using enough back spin).

http://mackila.com/airsoft/atp/03-a-01.htm

[darkcharisma]

round balls? who would shoot round balls? back spin? thats more like airsoft stuff, cant back spin a lead ball i dont think

[Nomadic Pirate]

round balls? who would shoot round balls? back spin? thats more like airsoft stuff, cant back spin a lead ball i dont think

I agree, this backspin thing is not something valuable for airguns, it's an airsorf thing.

But Roundballs have been shot out of airguns for a long time and very effectively too.

[UnderPressure]

.50

.50 has the largest variety of ammo available:

1. Arrows (although I think this may be the .495 rather than the more common .510)
2. Slugs
3. Shotshells (I think the Air Venturi ones are .495)
4. Round balls
5. Sabots (.510, with slug or round ball)
6. Veterinarian Darts (Using either .510 smooth bore or .510 rifled)

[Nomadic Pirate]

My next 2 guns are gonna be Rex carbine and REX pistol in .50 cal

coming in as a pair

[subscriber]

"Most versatile" is wide open to interpretation.  The answer depends on what targets/vermin/game you want to address.

Since only hints at what versatile means were offered in the OP; I declare the .22 cal "most versatile". 

Of course, if all you are shooting is deer sized game and up, then the .22 has to be off the list.  Else, the very wide range of pellets and slugs available in .22 should count for something. 

For home brewed projectiles, the .25 or larger may be more versatile.

[subscriber]

Backspin will make the trajectory flat over some useful range, but it won't make any given shot accurate.  Nor the next one.

How would one impart backspin to a lead ball?  By means of a sharp "speedbump" at the muzzle perhaps.  The end of the barrel would need to be raised or bent up slightly, to offset the downwards reaction from running into the speedbump.  The round ball will suffer considerable damage from running into the speedbump.

The problem here is that a plastic sphere is very strong for the change in momentum induces force required to induce backspin.  Lead is heavy and soft, so the change in momentum to impart that spin will take so much force that the lead is deformed significantly.

Perhaps a curved smoothbore tube, that is formed as part of a down-pointing spiral could be used.  It would roll a lead sphere more gently and use friction against the upper wall to roll the ball.  You might have better results with a steel ball....

[subscriber]

OH, wow!  I'd figure that could happen if muzzle report was too loud, but I wonder if they can hear the pellet cutting the air?

Boris the rat, was covered in this thread:  https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=155178.msg155718137#msg155718137

Video now seems to be set to private, but posts following the linked one above may offer a clue.

[subscriber]

I wanted to find the rat dodging the 300 FPS .30 pellet video.  So,  after running into the black rectangle on the above linked video, with no other info displayed on that page, I used the "way back machine" web archive to find this: 

The Airgun Review Channel has made all its videos private.  Probably after receiving too many complaints about being nasty to vermin...

Archive of rat dodger video link: 
https://web.archive.org/web/20130904050218/www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiJy1An_wf8

Video listing page:  https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDefinitiveAirgunReview/videos