Thread: Air rifle recommendations - Targeting rabbits

Finally found a place to shoot rabbits on close to home, but it is surrounded by lifestyle blocks and horses so a .22 rimfire is not really an option. Mostly going to be wandering or sitting close to boundary shelterbelts, outcrops, etc and picking my shots. Just happy to be given the opportunity to shoot rabbits again (my childhood happy place!).

I am thinking that a decent air rifle may be the way to go. Anyone have any suggestions for a good set up and/or views on pellet size I should be looking at for knocking over rabbits. What sort of distance for a humane kill can be achieved with them?

I haven't shot an air rifle in about 35 years, so happy to be schooled up on the subject.

i just sold mine, ruger airhawk (the metal version not the mk2 plastic one)
it dropped rabbits well.
you will need 177 that shoots over 1000fps or 22 travelling 650 plus

For air rifles equivalent ranges are 1/10 of using a centerfire. Eg a 20m shot is comparable to a 200m shot with a 308.
With spring guns you need to head shoot so its whatever distance you can put shots into a 1-2cm circle. PCP are more powerful so rabbit chest shots are said to be ok; there easier to shoot accurately too. If rabbits arexon flat ground I found i could get a lot closer crawling on finger tips and toes straight towards them. Wear a textured camo coloured hat.

Power is good but accuracy is king.
For a spring gun you really need a target grade weapon which cost about $1000 new. Recognised brands are Air Arms Tx200 and Weihrauch. In principle an underlever should be more stable but the high end break barrels seem to work well too. Someone else can advise on PCP brands.

The scope needs to be airgun rated and have close focus (parallax) down to 10m. Recognised brands are Leapers / ATG, Hawke, i think Nikko Stirling. For hunting you will be holding over rather than dialling (my experience). Low light capability is worthwhile. A range finder is handy; obviously it doesnt need to be high grade.

I’d at least consider a low velocity, fragmenting 22LR round instead of buying a cheap airgun. Having said that, I’ve given up shooting on lifestyle blocks. Not worth the hassle with all the uptight Aucklanders moving in to the area.

I shoot predominantly lifestyle blocks for Rabbits and Hares. Have a Diana .25cal PCP, 22LR shooting CCI segmented subs, and a .17 Hornet shooting 20gr V-max. All kill rabbits very well - just the distance they can do it changes.
Both the PCP and suppressed .22lr are essentially silent form the neighbors perspective. The .17 Hornet has a decent supersonic crack, so not ideal around horses.
The CCI segmented subs will still pass through a rabbit, but it will be 3 light un-aerodynamic petals flying through the air, that don't go very far. Totally unlike normal CCI subs.
The .25cal PCP passes through rabbits too, but have never had an issue with ricochets.
Of the 3, the .17 Hornet @ 3600fps has the best record for not having a bullet pass through anything. Seems to grenade as soon as it touches anything, dumping all of it's energy into the target.

As noted above, the cheaper hunting springers will be very hard to shoot and take a lot of technique to shoot repeatably and can be very picky around hold etc.
The higher end ones as noted above are far less sensitive.
Also checkout the Gas Spring ones as they are less sensitive than steel spring guns.
I have a 22 multi pump Steroid Benjamin 392, Can run at 4-6 pumps for quiet possum shooting at short range and 14 pumps for bunnies and possums. 24-30 flb subject to pellet weight.
I normally stop at 10 pumps as the effort for the last few is great and noise goes up as well. Will punch through a bunny side on at 25 mtr.
PCP's are great but a lot of extra gear is required plus an FAL.

Check out this blog for air gun reviews and honest feed back.
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/

If you are in Auckland go visit youngs airguns.
Young's Airgun Centre
Proper air guns that work plus quality pellets and good advice.
Z

+1 for a gas piston over a springer. Much quieter and much less moving mass which is easier on scopes.

I have a 177 weihrauch spring gun. I forget the model exactly. I have had it since I was 15 and it has accounted for hundreds of rabbits hares and event a few turkeys. Chest shots on rabbits are fine but head shit everything else. I agree that accuracy is much more important than power. Event though mine is a break barrel spring gun it still cloverleafs at 25m.
I highly recommend the accupell round nose pellets