Are pellet guns effective for hunting?

Question

I have gone hunting with fire arms but now I have a Crosman Phantom 1000 with a scope in .177 caliber.

So now I can go hunting in the forest in my backyard instead of going out to the hunting ranch. Is .177 caliber pellets effective enough to kill squirrels, raccoons, or other small animals commonly found in a pine forest?

Answer 1

It would be very effective for squirrel and rabbit, but not for raccoon.
For hunting be sure to use a pellet made for the purpose that will have more "knockdown power". RWS and Beeman make some excellent pellets for hunting.
Link below to some .177 cal. hunting pellets.
http://www.airgundepot.com/-177-hunting-pellets.html
Through the years I have taken dozens of squirrel, a few rabbit, and countless chipmunks with my .22 cal. air rifle. The majority were 1 shot kills with no more suffering than a .22 rimfire. One shot to the head and they drop.
People, please check your state regulations before blindly saying that hunting with an airgun is illegal. Any 1000 fps airgun is more than sufficient for legally taking squirrel and rabbit.
From the 2006-2007 Ohio Hunting Regulations:
Hunting Methods
Unless otherwise indicated, game may be taken with longbow, crossbow, or any caliber handgun, rifle, shotgun (10 gauge or smaller), or airgun. Be safe and choose the appropriate method for the species.

Answer 2

Yes, a .177 will do fine for any backyard hunting. Just be sure that whenever you use an airgun for hunting that it will shoot at least a 1000 feet per second. Because you may not want the animal to run off and die somewhere inconvenient, aim for the head for a quick kill shot. Also, do not try to make any hellmary shots because pellets are very small and can be thrown off easily by the wind and/or any brush.

Answer 3

there are many real airguns out there to hunt with check out beeman or RWS these are the finest my R1 shoots at about 1100 fps and can put a high quality pellet in the same hole at 50 feet it has 12 groove rifling and 1 turn in 18 inches with a 19 inch barrel. I have taken rabbits and squirrels at 75 yards easily with this and woodchucks at 50 yards look for some promethius pellets they have a nylon jacket with a steel tip and will increase your velocity by 20 % and they hit hard i can shoot through a pennie with these

remember hunting is about a precise shot

Answer 4

A .117 pellet gun is plenty of power and being that you are using a Crosman break barrel it should be enough power to kill the animals that you have listed. I would also recommend try different pellets. Like firearms pellet guns shoot better certain ammo. Good luck.

Answer 5

I would say for Raccoons you may wont to up grade .
But believe it or not some of the new pellet rifles 45 and 50 caliber are used in some states for deer.
I read an article about the designers of some of these new super pellet rifles taking them on safari in Africa for many of the antelope species to prove it’s worth.

Look at the links attached

Dragon Slayer Single Shot .50" caliber
Velocity of the 225-grain Pelletman bullets ranged between a high of 613 f.p.s. and a low of 581 f.p.s. for five shots on a fresh 3,000 psi fill. The average for a five-shot string was 601 f.p.s., but the average for the first three shots was a healthy 609 f.p.s. That velocity gives an energy of 185.34 foot-pounds of energy.



http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Career_Dragon_Slayer_Air_Rifle_50_cal_p/shin-sung-career-dragon-50.htm


http://www.compasseco.com/index.php?action=item&id=1097


http://www.bb-guns.org/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=173

Answer 6

Only if what you plan to hunt is squirrels, pigeons, and mice. For anything bigger I'd say get a 22 caliber(bullet) rifle.

Answer 7

Only for the smallest of animals....
Rabbits, Squirrels, Chipmunks, House Cats, and Rat Dogs. ((Make sure you check the bag limit in your state on the Rat Dogs, my state has a daily limit of 2 with a possession of 6.))

My brother and I hunted mice and rats with our Daisy 880's using BB's when we were young. Duct tape a mag light to the barrel and it's a lot of fun.

Answer 8

Yes it would be effective for squirrel and rabbit but on racoon you might have to shoot them in the head other wise it will just piss them off

Answer 9

depends on the fps. buty es generally it should. when i was younger i hunted rabbits and squrriels all the time with my crosman, untill i got my first .22. and the crosman killed them no problem. raccon i doubt it though.

Answer 10

FORGET ABOUT IT!!! Go with the 22 long Rifle or 22 Magnum!!! These are better suited for humane reasons and least possibility of wounding the game your hunting!!! Unless you prefer to make the animal suffer and die a slow agonizing death keep using the pellet gun!!!!