# No more ammo shortages if you use air guns! You can Kill large animals too.



## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

I recommend the Hatsan 125 sniper in .25 caliber! Kills hogs no problem. Get the nitro piston installed in it for cold weather use! depending on the pellets you use you will be hitting your game with 25-30 foot pounds of energy. I killed a 230lb hog with one shot. 

There are a lot more powerful airguns out there but they require a charge of air in the tank. They are called PCP air rifles and will take down buffalo. The Ranger .45 is a nice one for really big game! But for simplicity of use I love the accuracy and power of the Hatsan 125 sniper with a nitro piston!

Not to mention you do not need to register a air gun as of yet!


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## Rigged for Quiet

Well, it's certainly a lot cheaper than the big boy air rifles that run +1200 to much higher. Being a single shot, you better be spot on with your first shot with a Javelina though, lol.

Suppressed air rifles have always fascinated me. Especially since casting rounds is easy enough if you have the mold.


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## roy

I like pellet guns and hunt small game with mine but recommending that pellet gun for hogs is like recommending a .22 for elephants, a 22 grain pellet at 800 fps.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

roy said:


> I like pellet guns and hunt small game with mine but recommending that pellet gun for hogs is like recommending a .22 for elephants, a 22 grain pellet at 800 fps.


Not true! Your Odds of putting an elephant down with a .22 are way less than putting a hog down with a high power air gun if killing an elephant with a .22 is even possible with one shot. (even with a high power rifle it is hard to knock down an elephant) It does not seem like you have ever owned a high power air gun or shot hogs properly! It takes proper shot placement for a humane kill. I shot 3 coyote last year killed them instantly. I will admit there is a small learning curve with an air rifle but its well worth it if that is all you have to shoot because you don't want to use up your fire arm ammo!


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## csi-tech

When I was a kid I owned a Crossman 760 pump air rifle. It's what I cut my teeth on. When there was an ammo shortage because I couldn't get a yard to cut I used grape nuts. Those little dudes would put a respectable ding on a roof turban I can tell you.


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## roy

What do you consider an FWB124? I have a few thousand rounds through it. I have killed many hogs and coyotes with conventional firearms both pistols and rifles I'm not sure if I shot the "properly". That gun shoots a 25 grain pellet at 750 fps, feeble even by .22 lr standards which shoots a 33 grrain bullet at about 1300 fps.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

You will have to crony the actual velocity and then do the math or use a ballistics calculator to get the foot pounds of energy for the projectile you are using! I would not hit a hog with less than 25 fpe or else you may cause it to suffer. The air gun you mentioned was an awesome air gun in its day but even then it was shooting a .177 (7.4 grain) at 800 fps. That calculates to around 10.5 foot pounds of energy which is not enough to kill anything larger than a small **** humanly. Also that particular air gun is a spring gun and the spring has lost a lot of its power by this point in its life. Another very important thing to remember is Accuracy! Some of the most powerful air guns are not accurate unless you have tested many pellets to find the brand and weight that shoots the most accurate in your gun. If it wont make at least a 1" group at 50 yards it will not be a good hunting rifle! Another thing to remember is a lot of air gun companies over state the actual velocities of their products. But the killing force is not how fast the projectile leaves the gun but how many foot pounds of energy it hits the game with. Also keep in mind if a pellet is traveling faster than the speed of sound it makes a loud crack and often tumbles through the air making it inaccurate. You really dont want to exceed 1100 fps to prevent the loud crack and tumbling.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com




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## grinder37

I have a Gamo Bone Collector Bull Whisper .22 that fires at 975fps using PBA pellets (which I don't use,too expensive) and an older BAM B-21 in .22 at around 800fps,IIRC,that I know will make a hog do a backflip as i've taken hogs and other smaller game with them many times over the years.I also still have my Crossman pneumatic .177 pellet rifle and my Daisey Red Ryder from when I was a kid,both still in great working order.

I love them for several reasons actually.The biggest being that even though I live in a very rural area,I am still in a corporation limit.So no discharging of firearms at my property.Been backyard plinking before the shortage and even more so since,saving my "real" ammo.I also use them to rough sight in new scopes for other rifles,when I get it in close to perfect,i'll put it on the intended gun and fine tune the scope from there,again,saving ammo,yet still practicing while having fun.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

I just got my son the Crosman bug out kit! It has a .22 cal pump master / back packer in it. It is really freaking accurate! I was shooting quarters at 30 feet right out of the box. I have seen people mod these pump masters to around 600 fps and at 14.3 grain that is 11.5 fpe which will kill small game with proper shot placement.


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## rickkyw1720pf

www.BigBugOutTrucks.com said:


> You will have to crony the actual velocity and then do the math or use a ballistics calculator to get the foot pounds of energy for the projectile you are using! I would not hit a hog with less than 25 fpe or else you may cause it to suffer. The air gun you mentioned was an awesome air gun in its day but even then it was shooting a .177 (7.4 grain) at 800 fps. That calculates to around 10.5 foot pounds of energy which is not enough to kill anything larger than a small **** humanly. Also that particular air gun is a spring gun and the spring has lost a lot of its power by this point in its life. Another very important thing to remember is Accuracy! Some of the most powerful air guns are not accurate unless you have tested many pellets to find the brand and weight that shoots the most accurate in your gun. If it wont make at least a 1" group at 50 yards it will not be a good hunting rifle! Another thing to remember is a lot of air gun companies over state the actual velocities of their products. But the killing force is not how fast the projectile leaves the gun but how many foot pounds of energy it hits the game with. Also keep in mind if a pellet is traveling faster than the speed of sound it makes a loud crack and often tumbles through the air making it inaccurate. You really dont want to exceed 1100 fps to prevent the loud crack and tumbling.


The math is: weight in grains x velocity x velocity divided by 450400 = foot pounds of energy.
So pellet gun 7.4gr x 800fps x 800fps / 450400 = 10.5 ft pounds

A 22 LR stinger 33gr x 1300 x1300 / 450400 = 123 ft pounds

5.56x45 55gr. 
55 x 3200 x 3200 / 450400 = 1250.4 ft/lbs
A good formula to know when comparing ballistics.


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## grinder37

My 13yr old has the 760 .177 pumpmaster rifle and it's not bad for a $35 pellet rifle.We put a cheap 4x32 scope on it and even though it's not a major player,it's pretty decent for a target plinker,he really likes it.

I originally started him off with the red ryder,but my God,what a cheap freaking knock off vs the old original that I have.Matter off fact,he doesn't even use it at all,he prefers mine,easier to cock,and my 35 yr old spring is still stronger than his new POS,which of coarse adds to the distance and accuracy for iron sight plinkin.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

My sons is the crosman backpacker which is the 1322 with a 12" barrel and the detachable stock. Its nice because you can order the pistol grips for it also. Below is a pic of the kit. Great starter bag for a 10 year old. Though the included components are lame it is a start for him, and because it is so accurate i figured it would serve him well. I have bought him a red rider and it was so inaccurate its not worth shooting. I then bought him a daisy pistol and again the accuracy sucks. But boy for a every day shooter for a kid to learn on I must say the 1322 pump master pellet guns are a hit! The mods that can be done to that gun are also something fun for the kids to look forward to! You can even get a barrel up to 24" long for it.


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## rickkyw1720pf

One thing to remember also is that an air rifle is not as reliable as a 22. A lot more to go wrong mechanically, and the seals do not last forever.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

Yes but when your out of ammo its better then throwing sticks at rabbits! The seals are typically just o rings that you can pickup anywhere. Now that I think about it I break the springs in my pistols more often than my air rifles! ( I have killed small game with a throw stick and also my tomahawk ) Ill see If I can get a video of me killing a rabbit tonight with my hawk.


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## Montana Rancher

I use a Beeman RS2 in .177 almost daily on the ranch. About 1000 fps and deadly accurate .

Imlikenthe Monte Carlo stock and it weights about the same as a big game rifle hitch which is good cheap practice.

Amazon.com: Beeman RS2 Air Rifle Combo: Sports & Outdoors

Not a bad price, I'll have to check for my ammo source, if I order 3 they send 4, brain is farting me atm


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

Well I just got back in from trying to nab a rabbit with my hawk but my dog was with me and he's a pup so he just chased them around before I could get close enough to pop one with the tomahawk! Found out My camera also sucks at night! If I would have taken the pellet gun I would have had at least 5 rabbits. Im going to let the rabbits settle and go back out in a few hours without the dog!


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## Moonshinedave

I've always believed in having a wide range of weapons, from high tech to a board with a nail in it. The air gun fits right into that thought process. I could see a time where someone wants to bag game or whatever not want the noise of discharging a firearm. And who knows if things get really sour, in the distant future, there may be a time when there is no ammo. A working spring action air gun with homemade ammo might put a person top of the food chain. There are a lot of good ones out there, so I have yet to make a purchase, I still have my Crossman 750 pumpmaster (or whatever it is) good for killing a squirrel or rabbit at close range, but one day will buy a better one.


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## roy

I love my pellet gun. I shoot it more than anything I have. I can shoot in my back yard. You can put a thousand rounds in your pocket. It has dispatched many feral cats, possums, etc. But it is like hunting with a icepick. Shot placement is critical. I actually lobotimized a cat. Shot it square between the eye, exit wound on the back of the head. The cat lived!


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

roy said:


> I love my pellet gun. I shoot it more than anything I have. I can shoot in my back yard. You can put a thousand rounds in your pocket. It has dispatched many feral cats, possums, etc. But it is like hunting with a icepick. Shot placement is critical. I actually lobotimized a cat. Shot it square between the eye, exit wound on the back of the head. The cat lived!


Ouch! poor cat I hope you gave it a humane follow up shot! I only hunt with a .22 caliber or higher with air guns. I just ordered a Benjamin Marauder in .25 caliber. It has a built in suppressor and is very quiet. I did not realize that there were so many mods for that gun. Its only draw back is that it is a PCP but sense I will be using it for hunting only im fine with pumping it up with a hand pump to top off the tank after taking 20 or so shots. I think I will have to pump it 100 times to top the tank back up to 3000 psi from 2000 psi. I also did not know that you could modify it from the 40 foot pounds of energy to 70 foot pounds of energy for around $100. I chose the .25 caliber because the barrel is not made by crosman and is much more accurate its made by green mountain!


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## Verteidiger

You might want to check your hunting regs in North Carolina. Just a suggestion.

I think you have a .24 caliber minimum for hunting certain game.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

I only hunt with .25 these days simply because it carries more energy further down range but growing up as a kid I never really considered my .177 a hunter though it was plenty capable. I used my .22 beeman for hunting and the .177 for target. The .177 goes right through your game and the knock down energy does not get transferred as effectively as it should for a cleaner more humane kill. I do know lots of folks that hunt with 223 and thats less than .24 isn't it? (Ill call in the morning and find out) Thanks for the heads up!


Verteidiger said:


> You might want to check your hunting regs in North Carolina. Just a suggestion.
> 
> I think you have a .24 caliber minimum for hunting certain game.


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## Moonshinedave

roy said:


> I love my pellet gun. I shoot it more than anything I have. I can shoot in my back yard. You can put a thousand rounds in your pocket. It has dispatched many feral cats, possums, etc. But it is like hunting with a icepick. Shot placement is critical. I actually lobotimized a cat. Shot it square between the eye, exit wound on the back of the head. The cat lived!


I never really understood the reason for killing for the sake of watching something die. Was those feral cats, possums, etc causing you any harm? I have no problems with hunters, hunting for food, or even dispatching an animal that is causing a person damage, but just killing to be killing, that's pretty sad, and if your intent is to shoot something to see the damage your weapon will do, then shame on you.


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## roy

I used to kill stuff just to watch it explode. For that I am ashamed. The feral cats had it coming. The cat I lobotomized was whippin' up on my cats. Another decided it wanted to sleep on top of my Lotus. The possums were raiding my garden and eating the cat food plus they insisted on crappin' in my garage.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

On tonight's airgun menu I will be drilling my .25 caliber pellets to fit the tips with primers.


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## Verteidiger

www.BigBugOutTrucks.com said:


> On tonight's airgun menu I will be drilling my .25 caliber pellets to fit the tips with primers.


I had a good buddy in Texas who did this with his cousin when the cousin came over to visit.

They were bored and started playing around with this idea.

They made up five pellets and went outside to shoot them.

They were pretty hard up for entertainment.

On the third pellet, the primer sent a chunk of the pellet straight back and hit the cousin right in the eye, blinding him in that eye.

So much for that idea....


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

Verteidiger said:


> I had a good buddy in Texas who did this with his cousin when the cousin came over to visit.
> 
> They were bored and started playing around with this idea.
> 
> They made up five pellets and went outside to shot them.
> 
> They were pretty hard up for entertainment.
> 
> On the third pellet, the primer sent the pellet straight back and hit the cousin right in the eye, blinding him in that eye.
> 
> So much for that idea....


It most likely wasn't the primer, it was probably the anvil in the primer. Im using 58 grain pellets and the anvil is pointing towards the target like a slap round! your cousin was probably using a low power small caliber air rifle. I bet he uses safety glasses now! If im hitting the target with 50 fpe that energy is behind the primer cap and the primer will not produce enough energy to force its way back through the pellet. The Primers im using will only produce about 15 fpe if chambered. I will be hitting soft targets anyway! Ill make a video when the new air rifle gets here to show the results.


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## Verteidiger

Umm...it was his cousin, not mine. And he wears safety glasses now, even with a glass eye.

Have fun with your experimentation. Sounds like more action than a pocket full of weasels.

I think I'll just be happy with my (real) guns and the ammo I bought when I was actually prepping, so no shortages would affect me....


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## sbasacco

wasnt it the great Ralphie that once was told......."youll shoot your eye out"...although the video isnt clear on whether he was was using modded pellets or not!!...lol....

I am not making fun of your cousin, that was just a bad decision made and he has paid for it and now knows better, modding anything outside of their regular limits can have consequences...even a pellet gun pellet!!


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

I have more ammo than most! I post these discussions to help others, thank you for your input. As with anything in life there are certain risk if risk are not taken by those brave individual who experiment you would not have a firearm, we would not have planes, and you would be walking to work!



Verteidiger said:


> Umm...it was his cousin, not mine. And he wears safety glasses now, even with a glass eye.
> 
> Have fun with your experimentation. Sounds like more action than a pocket full of weasels.
> 
> I think I'll just be happy with my (real) guns and the ammo I bought when I was actually prepping, so no shortages would affect me....


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

Im still waiting for my air gun???????? What is taking so long? Did you guys order all the pellet guns and create an air gun shortage?


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## PalmettoTree

www.BigBugOutTrucks.com said:


>


This was an impressive presentation. I especially liked the statistics.

I have never owned an air rifle. I have been considering one for a deck plinking. There is about 80 feet at a 35 degree drop to the creek. There is a lot of activity down there at night. I just equipped my AK for that. But the grandchildren will like learning to shoot from the deck when we cannot go to the range.

It has been a great discussion. Very informative. The wild hogs I've been around a single shot anything seems like a bad idea.


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## rickkyw1720pf

When ever someone wants to talk about hunting with an air rifle I think back to my childhood when my brother had a Crosman Pellet gun and I had a single shot 22 it was a Ithaca 22 lever action single shot. I will never forget running through the woods chasing a squirrel and I reloaded in a couple of seconds and he was running through the woods while pumping his air rifle up, I was laughing so hard I was lucking to hit the thing.


Air rifles have been around along time but you very rarely see them last long enough to be handed down. Yes you can change the o-rings and seals but the pistons ware the cylinder walls and when that happen a O-ring will not seal them. They would be useful around the house for rodents and training but in no way would I think of them as a good bug out gun.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

PalmettoTree said:


> This was an impressive presentation. I especially liked the statistics.
> 
> I have never owned an air rifle. I have been considering one for a deck plinking. There is about 80 feet at a 35 degree drop to the creek. There is a lot of activity down there at night. I just equipped my AK for that. But the grandchildren will like learning to shoot from the deck when we cannot go to the range.
> 
> It has been a great discussion. Very informative. The wild hogs I've been around a single shot anything seems like a bad idea.


If a wild hog is charging you this gun will not work as a defensive weapon! These guns are great at teaching you patients! waiting for the proper shot to the brain takes a bit of skill. $16.50 for a 350 count tin of .25 pellets is very appealing though. I cant see a pellet gun ever replacing a rim fire rifle and that was never the point of my posting but as a cheaper alternative to continue target practicing with the added benefit of being capable of killing larger game than any other spring/nitro piston air rifle on the market makes this air rifle a great back up for shtf because you can make your ammo with simple tools when ammo runs out. ( dang that was a run on sentence and a half )
The Hatsan 125 is also quiet so you wont run off the rest of the game and you can just keep dropping them one right after the other.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

rickkyw1720pf said:


> When ever someone wants to talk about hunting with an air rifle I think back to my childhood when my brother had a Crosman Pellet gun and I had a single shot 22 it was a Ithaca 22 lever action single shot. I will never forget running through the woods chasing a squirrel and I reloaded in a couple of seconds and he was running through the woods while pumping his air rifle up, I was laughing so hard I was lucking to hit the thing.
> 
> Air rifles have been around along time but you very rarely see them last long enough to be handed down. Yes you can change the o-rings and seals but the pistons ware the cylinder walls and when that happen a O-ring will not seal them. They would be useful around the house for rodents and training but in no way would I think of them as a good bug out gun.


Thats a funny story! I was never really into those pumpers either. I think it takes me about 5 seconds to reload the Hatsan 125 when I have the pellets in my pellet pouch.


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