Shooting at a piece of thin sheet metal

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gamerule9 · #1 Post by **gamerule9** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:19 pm

my gun is running at 300fps and this is what happens at varius distances with Beeman .177 Gold Hollowpoint Pellets

is the distortion good or bad when it comes to hunting

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Mulby · #2 Post by **Mulby** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:25 pm

Well that sheet metal is alot harder than any game you might shoot with your airgun. Maybe try shooting into a phone book, I've heard that a wet phone book is more similar to the flesh of small game. It may give you a more accurate deformation at your velocity. HTH,

Mulby

#3 Post by **webstien** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:27 pm

you wont get as much deformation at 300fps on small game thats for sure. I really wouldn't be using a 300fps gun on small game unless its very close quarters.

gamerule9 · #4 Post by **gamerule9** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:33 pm

ok what about the same distortions on a 500fps gun would it be good or bad or shall i see what the hole is when i shoot at a bar of soap?

#5 Post by **webstien** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:35 pm

Yeah a bar of soap is a good indicator of penetration.
Buy some dollar store bulk soap and start testing

Remember, an expanded peice of lead going a short distance in the target but doing a lot of damage is usually better then a piece of lead just ice-picking through the target.

hotsky · #6 Post by **hotsky** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:01 pm

Expansion is a good thing but the you also need velocity so it can also penetrate far enough, since expansion reduces penetration.

for hunting 300fps in .177 is nothing! don't even try it!

RM422 · #7 Post by **RM422** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:06 pm

I beg to differ. Any airgun in .177 300fps+ will take out squirrels with a good shot from 30 yards easy.

Mulby · #8 Post by **Mulby** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:01 pm

At 300fps a 7.9gr pellet creates less than 1.6fpe. After it travels 30yds it is down to 1.1fpe or 250fps. I just have a hard time believing that this would kill something as tough as a squirel, at least humanely, even with a head shot. I'm an advocate for the swift and humane dispatching of all game animals that are shot. I remember a long time ago when I joined the Airguns Canada forum there was an individual that was very outspoken about hunting squiels with his Red Rider BB gun. I remember being a youngster with my Daisy BB gun shooting sparrows from maybe 10-20 yards and realizing at that age that it wasn't killing them fast enough for my taste. So I stopped shooting the sparrows and contiued to shoot frogs and grasshoppers as game,LOL! Till I got my 760 that is! Twice the velocity and I could shoot a lead pellet, pointed to boot! That's when the sparrows met there quick demise from 10-20 yards. From memory that 760 with lots of pumps was powerfull enough to puncture an empty can of WD40, probably about 450fps with a 7.9gr Copperhead. So after about 20 yards that pellet was still going about 400fps, plenty to take out sparrows at 20 yards, quickly. I'm just guessing at the velocity of that 760, but I think it's a reasonable guess.

My bottom line is that I strongly believe that the appropriate arm with sufficient power and velocity should be used when animals are involved. I'm not suggesting you need a cannon to kill a squirel, but I don't think a 5fpe minimum and 25yd maximum range is unreasonable either. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure you can keep shots within 1.5 inches at that max range aswell.

This is just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions! Everyone here has one, and I'm not about to let mine go unheard or unread just for the sake of someone disagreeing with it.

Mulby

RM422 · #9 Post by **RM422** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:12 pm

I have one of those old self cocking 760's and it's doing about 640fps so at 30 yards it's more than enough to take a squirrel out. Yes squirrels are tough but even if a 300fps gun drops down to 250fps at 30 yards there is still enough pep behind it to kill a squirrel with a direct head or heart/lung shot.I'm not saying that a 300fps airgun is a good weapon but if it's the most power you have then use it as long as shots are kept with in 30 yards.

hotsky · #10 Post by **hotsky** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:10 pm

IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m with Mulby on this one; after 30yards a pellet starting at 300fps will be way below 250fps esp. with WD or HP pellet. That's 1ft-lb at most; thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the power of the PPK

definitely not a humane practiceÃ¢â‚¬Â¦

gamerule9 · #11 Post by **gamerule9** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:17 am

i didn't say i had killed anything i will get a new gun just for hunting... i was just wondering if that is for the better or for worse

Joben · #12 Post by **Joben** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:19 am

webstien wrote:
Remember, an expanded peice of lead going a short distance in the target but doing a lot of damage is usually better then a piece of lead just ice-picking through the target.

well within limits.
Actualy making a hole in someting vital with an 'icepick' is better then a messy surface wound.