Air rifle is suitable not only for shooting at bottles or scare away the crows. It can be a good companion of the hunter, helping to produce and ducks and doves, and big game. The main thing – to choose the right hunting weapon. A small overview about which characteristics are key.
The capacity depends on the targeted goal
Flying rifle bullet has a weight and speed which are converted into impact energy. Ideally, if the bullet pierces the carcass of the beast and then stays inside. If it goes through, then it means that the power is too great.
Adopted by the following calculation: one kilogram of production requires 10 joules of power. In Russia, allowed to use rifles for hunting up to 25 joules.
It can be noted that the gun of the pneumatic type with a capacity of:
- Less than 3 joules – it’s just a misunderstanding;
- From 3 to 7.5 joules – can only serve as a toy;
- From 7,5 to 16 Joule – is, sold free;
- From 16 to 25 joules – used for hunting, it needs permission.
Some manufacturers use a small trick: a weapon with a power of 16 joules they weaken to 7.5 joules, but put in the Pentagon the letter “F”. Understanding person easy to restore the original settings (16 joules), and permissions when you purchase one do not require. So if you want a handyman can buy a low-powered rifle, and then increase its capacity to the required. But not every rifle for this good, and not everyone can handle it.
Caliber – from “baby” to “grandfather”
- “Child” ” called calibre 4.5 mm – it is suitable for hunting, weighing from 0,2 to 1,5 kg. in other words, the rifle can and a duck, and thrush to shoot if hit in the body. When shot in the head can strike prey bigger from 1.5 to 5 kg Is, for example, hare, pheasant or grouse. You can shoot from a distance up to 60 m.
- “Papal” is considered among hunters caliber 5.5 mm – it is suitable for firing, body of hare, pheasant and smaller birds (the weight of the game – from 0.5 to 4 kg, the distance up to 30 m). Shooting in the head can kill a Fox, beaver or Groundhog (distance 70 m).
- “Old-fashioned” calibre quite pull to engage the body as ducks and doves, rabbits and foxes. Powerful rifle 6.35 mm in combination with a well-aimed shot to the head will affect not only beaver with a Groundhog, and deer.
- Powerful caliber 9 mm, even the name is not special – it is possible to hunt almost any animal (especially using heavy lethal bullets). Deer, Fox, hare, grouse, pheasant, and even wild boar will be blown away. Only the pigeons don’t shoot of this caliber holes large left. However, this rifle is quite heavy (it weighs up to 4 kg) and she has a big recoil and a stock of bullets just 15 pieces. Bullets themselves are rarely found on sale, so for hunting often take homemade.
Select system type pneumatic for hunting
Spring-piston type (SPT)
A bullet moves a piston with a spring, which when caliber 4,5 mm bullet gives acceleration of 300 metres per second. This caliber rifle of this type is mainly limited to and as such a speed for more heavy weapons is clearly insufficient. Replacing the spring, you can increase the capacity, but faster than 320 m / sec, the bullet will not fly.
A rifle with such a system, the hunters are called “paddle”, it is quite bulky and large, suitable only for small game and grouse will hardly help to produce. And wait between shots for at least 5 seconds.
And after every 7 thousands of rounds the spring must be changed – some models even earlier. But these models are the cheapest, and they are comfortable with their autonomy (they do not need to pump). You can walk through the woods, hunting for pleasure.
With preliminary pumping (PCP)
This type of rifles is the best for hunting. Has a reservoir of compressed under high pressure air. One blower (pump) of the tank is enough for a series of shots from 20 to 100. The mechanism may be singly or multiply charged (with the drum 6 to 14 bullets) and the ramjet (with a pressure of 200 bar) and gear (pressure of 300 bar). This type of rifles produced all known calibers, from “kids” to the nines, so it can hunt any animal and bird. Their main disadvantage – the high cost.
Multi-compressor type
Under the barrel of a tank into which is pumped the air, and then the shot. The velocity of the bullet when it is small (up to 250 meters per second). Therefore, there is limited caliber 4,5 mm. the Second shot has to do 30 seconds later, not earlier (because of time to fix). This rifle is only suitable for not very big game, but it is Autonomous, compact and quiet.
CO2 Pneumatics
These rifles are referred to as more carbon dioxide (or gas). Here the energy for the acceleration pool provides the balloon with carbon dioxide under pressure of from 50 to 70 bar. Of such weapons can make a series of shots, and automatically.
However, when hunting with a rifle can be difficult – the reason for this dependence of CO2 from low temperatures.
The game certainly will not want to wait until you warm the canister. Yes, and the speed of a bullet is not very high – about 250 feet per second. Therefore, in “pure” form such a weapon is not very good for hunting.
However, such rifles are much cheaper than PSP, so some hunters are solved for their reconstruction. They pumped CO2 instead of ordinary air, and in some cases just changing the cylinder air reservoir. There are other options for improvements, but you need to have special knowledge.
Hunting rifle Hatsan
One of the largest arms producers is a Turkish company Hatsan Arms Company. Her air rifle is distinguished by high quality and excellent performance combined with a not very high price.
Pneumatics are used in spring-piston type, but the developers have managed to achieve high-speed movement of the bullet – 380 meters per second. These data refer to the popular rifle Hatsan 125 model 2006. Since then, the number of sales is gaining momentum.
Experienced hunters claim that this rifle class “Magnum” can “get” the bird with the 75, and sometimes even 150 m, a Comfortable butt stock, adjustable sight and a place under the optical sight, low weight and high knockdown bullets guarantee a successful hunt. Here are its features:
- Rifle caliber – 4.5 mm;
- The speed of a bullet (initial) – 380 meters per second;
- The length of the rifle – 1,255 m;
- Weight – 3.6 kg;
- Barrel length – 0,51 m;
- Fuse type – automatic trigger.