OT - Steve Scott's Outdoor Guide - Pigs with an air rifle?

[Hobie]

Just saw this come on Versus... Boars Nest in OK. Used dogs. Gamo Hunter Extreme .177 performance ballistic alloy at 1600 fps...

[Modoc ED]

Hobie -

I saw the video where the guy killed the pig/hog with the air rifle. He used the new GAMO Raptor pellet which is very light in weight and the guy was elevated above the pig/hog just inches from the top of the animals head. He took the shot straight down and it too a few minutes for the animal to die (not a clean kill). It is interesting that it was later reported that the tape of the shooting was edited to decrease the time between the shot and the death of the animal.

Several people in the air gun community have condemmed that video and the guy that took the shot.

The guy that killed the animal was a professional who worked for GAMO -- not sure if he still does. It just goes against all common sense to hunt and try to kill a pig/hog with a .177 air gun which by the way is the caliber the guy used.

[Hobie]

Ed,

I just reported what I saw. I'm leaving it to others to comment/editorialize. I've no desire to do this now, but the info IS interesting for later, maybe. When I first saw it I was hoping they were going to use a larger caliber air gun. That would be neater.

[Modoc ED]

I wasn't criticising you Hobie -- just stating what I saw and mostly what others have said. Yes, you are right. It is interesting and as a matter of fact there are several air guns available of large caliber that are suitable for killing hogs. Heck, they have even killed buffalos with some of the .50 caliber air guns.

[Old Ironsights]

Maybe we should start manufacturing the Girondi again...

[Hobie]

It is interesting that the Brits take fairly large game (according to our standards) with air guns. I thought they'd be interested. Of course the rifle isn't allowed in their country.

[gamekeeper]

It is interesting that the Brits take fairly large game (according to our standards) with air guns. I thought they'd be interested. Of course the rifle isn't allowed in their country.

Over here if you want an air rifle with more muzzle energy than 12 Ft Lbs you require the same firearm certificate from the police as you need for any other type of firearm.
Quite a few Brits go down this route but I prefer to use my rim fire rifles.
Some land owners will only let you shoot on their land if you use an air rifle, so I suppose those are the reasons some people want them.
My worry is, it only takes one nanny state politician to suggest that air guns are safer and we will have to fight to keep our rim fires.

By the way GK Jr and I have had far better kills with .177 air rifles than with .22 air rifles.
We shot mainly Rabbits and Squirrels with our air rifles but now we use CB longs instead.

[piller]

Isn't it amazing the things people will try. I have one of the Gamo brand air rifles, but it is the lower powered one. Accuracy is good, but it will barely kill sparrows and starlings. That must be a powerful spring in the one used on the hog.

[Hobie]

I have used a Crossman .22 cal 130 pump to kill sparrows at 55 feet but with the pellets of the time (1970 or so) some would bounce off the feathers on the chest. The Silver Jets are pretty good. The .177 Silver Jets in my Webley Tempest have killed squirrels (I try for head shots). Gotta get close!