doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Big Bore Air Rifles

I apologize in advance if this question is too off-topic for this forum but I wasn't sure where else to post it. Does anyone have experience hunting with or shooting big bore (.35+) air rifles? Apparently, air rifles have been around a long time, though the current versions bear little resemblance to their ancestors.

I have been doing some research on these guns for deer hunting in E MA. They certainly seem lethal enough, but currently are not permitted for deer hunting in MA. I am considering pushing for a change and am gathering information to support that.

Thanks in advance, Doverham

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had an air rifle on their expedition in 1804-1806.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI

They are still very much in use today. This video clip should illustrate the potential of today's air rifles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJLGVlQ_33A

SRH

Thanks Stan. I have seen some pics of bison and elk taken with the larger caliber versions. Pretty impressive ballistics for an air gun!

Holy smoke! Who knew such a thing existed? Amazing. That's a definite "add" to my urban arsenal.

In the Napoleonic wars air rifles were used as sniper weapons. It was regarded as "poor form" to use a rifle that was untraceable by smoke so anyone found on the battle field with an air rifle was summarily executed. The big bore rifles currently available will move a lot of lead pretty fast. My 35 cal will put a 158gr bullet through an inch of plywood. I never tried anything tougher. It's MOA at 75 yds. I can't see past that.

Here is a custom maker.

http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/index.htm

Quackenbush was an old time maker of boys rifles that also had some air guns.

Pete

I never seen the point of these high powered air rifles with their bottles, hoses, couplings and the other headaches, over a plain old cartridge rifle. Even the best of these air rifles come nowhere near the power of relatively modest cartridge firearms.

Lewis and Clark carried a Girandoni air rifle.







In many respects, the Quackenbush and other modern versions are no different than some who take an interest in muzzle loading black powder...

original Quackenbush


modern Quackenbush


Pete

bonny,
In some places, they don't qualify as a firearm, and may be used where firearms can't.Gun Digest had some articles about hunting with them where guns aren't allowed-even deer size game.Also they are quiet.
Mike

Lack of firearms is hardly a worry to you americans . I can see the point of air rifles when shooting around farm buildings etc on the likes of rats, pidgeons etc, where even a .22lr would be too much. But i'd never use one on big game personally.

Don't forget Col. Sebastian Moran tried to pick off Sherlock Holmes with an air rifle.

bonney,
desperate times call for desperate measures,just wait until the deer are eating all yout wife's well tended flowers and you can't use firearms in the city.Something quiet is an advantage.
Mike

I'll break out the crossbow in that case.

bonny,
To each, his own.

I don't think a crossbow will put a deer down like this (start at 4:00 and ignore the fist bumping):

I agree der ami. They are just not my thing.

I have 2 big bore air rifles and both have taken big game. A .45 cal. Sam Yang and a 308 Exile by Dennis Quackenbush. Deer and wild hogs are no trouble for these two.
The Sam Yang is a production gun that with very little modification can produce well over 200 foot pounds of energy. I think that is approx. the same power as a 45 ACP. The .308 is a longer/flatter shooting custom gun that is capable of shooting coyotes at 125 yards. I guess they are not everyone's cup-o-tea, but I find them an engineering marvel and , well...just plain cool. As an added bonus, sound suppressors are readily available and completely legal on an airgun. This quiets them down considerably, as most bigbore airguns are very loud (think .38 handgun loud). 3500 psi of air being discharged makes a pretty good bang.

That is 50% the power of the 45ACP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_ACP
Not even close to the 45-70
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45-70

Pete

According the Quackenbush, their LA Outlaw .458 shoots a 430gr bullet at 732fps, which is 509fpe. A lot more than you need to put down a 200lb deer, I think.

Sorry about the bad math. The .45 airgun (Sam Yang 909) produces 237 ft lbs. of energy stock from the factory and 367 ft. lbs. after modifications. That places it just a hair over the military loads for the 45 ACP.. Pretty impressive for a production airgun. I think high dollar custom airguns are achieving almost twice that power.

It's difficult to own a shotgun (or any other firearm) in Mexico, but air guns are OK. I would like to find an air shotgun adequate for dove hunting. There have been a couple made in the past, but they seem inadequate.

Any new ideas?

thanks.

John