After years of using springers, I decided to get a pcp rifle. I settled on the huntsman regal xl. I wanted a 22 but the guy at airguns of arizona said I should go with a 25. I need it for backyard pest control in northen Michigan including groundhogs, porcupines, squirrels, chipmunks etc.

I shot a porcupine with my 177 springer recently right behind the front shoulder at 15 yards and it acted like it wasnt even hit.

Any thoughts on 22 vs 25 in that rifle?


Thanks

I have no experience with .25 cal. I much prefer .20 cal to .22 cal. Haven't looked, but would guess .25 cal pellets harder to find and cost more.

I have RWS 48's in .177 and 25. Not sure what kills better but the 25 makes a greater sound when it hits. Sounds satisfying.

To be honest, I view .22 air rifles as betwixt and between. For paper and plinking, I'd rather have a .177 and for hunting, I'd rather have a .25. That said, I'm fortunate enough to live in Texas so I have a suppressed .22 RF for pest control. My three springers and my Beeman P1 are all .177.

I have the Huntsman XL in .22. It has 30fpe at the muzzle and will make head shots on critters out to 75 yards all day(50 yard zero). I also have 4 other Daystates in.22. If want to thump something larger I use my Daystate Wolverine in .303. I am a moderator on the Daystate Owners Club forum website( based in the U.K.) and am very familiar with the various models. I have simply never seen a good argument for the .25 for small game hunting. Head shots are the order of the day and the .22 does the job nicely.

I'm sure that you know far more about hunting with air rifles than I do, JD, but isn't the trend in non-FAC (British) air rifle hunting drifting toward the .25 and larger calibers?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Most non FAC shooters use .177 because of the flatter trajectory. A .25 pellet at less than 12ft/lbs has the trajectory of a mortar beyond 25-30 yards. There has been a slight increase in interest in .25 for FAC qualified shooters because the usual 50 or so ft/lbs flattens things out. Daystate is certainly selling more of its FAC rifles in .25 than in years past. I don't have any idea about .25 sales of Air Arms or BSA.
Daystates electronic and mechanical bull pups are pretty popular in .25 at about 60 or so ft/lbs.
Most British hunters, especially those non FAC holders, are real sticklers about headshots only and .177 kills rabbits easily without having to worry about pellet drop so much.