Will a break barrel air rifle be kill a rabbit?

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Will a break barrel air rifle be kill a rabbit?
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matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 3:34 pm Post subject: Will a break barrel air rifle be kill a rabbit?

I have a junior break barrel air rifle with scope and i can hit a 2p sized target 4 or 5 times out of 5 shots from a good 25 yards. Ive been considering going hunting on a neighbouring farm who consider them pests and the farmer is quite happy for me to hunt on his land. Would a Junior break barrel air rifle be strong enough to kill a rabbit? and if it was still alive would another shot be the best way to finish it off?

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 3:41 pm Post subject:

It's possible has long as you place the shot accurately I'm not familiar with that rifle what is its muzzle energy?. If in doubt don't shoot. If you don't get an outright kill then use priest or similar to administer last rights. If you find that you are not getting consistent one shot one kill then use a more powerful air rifle or obtain a firearms certificate and use .22LR with hollow points or even a .17 HMR. The latter is somewhat overly powerful if you want the meat.

If you intend on using an air rifle get one as close to the 12 foot pound limit as you can. You can get more powerful air rifles but you'll need a firearms certificate.

matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 3:45 pm Post subject:
Im not sure of the muzzle energy but its make is "Gamo" a spanish make. But thanks for the help

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:01 pm Post subject:
Gamo make a range of sizes & powers some are ok for hunting & some are not. Whats the exact model & calibre? Richard

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:05 pm Post subject:
If its the one I just found on google I would say no. Only 5ft lbs power. https://www.alansairrifles.co.uk/gamo.htm Not powerful enough for anything but plinking IMO.

matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:11 pm Post subject:

Im not to sure of the answers but i went on their webstie and got this, its has.....

Velocity: 1000 feet per second (fps) with PBA, 850 fps with Lead
-Single Shot
-Break Barrel: Single Cocking System
-Automatic Cocking Safety system
-Barrel: Rifled Steel, Fluted Polymer bull barrel
-Cocking Effort: 30 lbs
-Trigger: Second Stage adjustable
-Manual Safety
-Accuracy: TBA

And another website also said 177 cal

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:43 pm Post subject:

Their Gamo Varmint claims 1000fps per second with lead a little higher than your spec. A test review of this particular rifle gave 12.76 ft-lbs at the muzzle with a pellet velocity of 745fps for 10.6 grain pellets ,which gave the best groupings.

Your rifle is a claimed 850fps so all being equal you will get less energy in the pellet at the muzzle.

To be honest I'd say your rifle isn't really man enough to kill rabbits outright with one shot. Shooting with it is likely to cause the rabbit pain and suffering unless you can place the shot accurately. I'm not a big fan of using non firearm air rifles for vermin control on creatures as large as rabbits. Rats yes, rabbits no.

Have you considered a shotgun? A .410 for instance? It would be easier to gain a certificate than a firearm.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:45 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

Wouldn't that require a FAC as it's over 12 ft-lbs?

matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:49 pm Post subject:
Well i would use a shotgun but the i want the meat i dont want to kill the animal for no purpose and i dont want it to suffer

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:51 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

vegplot wrote:

Wouldn't that require a FAC as it's over 12 ft-lbs?

Yes, if that was the case. the review was US based so one you presume any imported rifles would be downgraded a little.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 4:54 pm Post subject:

matt mavin wrote:

Well i would use a shotgun but the i want the meat i dont want to kill the animal for no purpose and i dont want it to suffer

A shotgun wouldn't do too much meat damage if the range is correct. You can and do get pellets in the meat but unless it's at close range it will be fine. A .410 is quite good for rabbits.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 5:00 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

A test review of this particular rifle gave 12.76 ft-lbs at the muzzle with a pellet velocity of 745fps for 10.6 grain pellets ,which gave the best groupings.

Your rifle is a claimed 850fps so all being equal you will get less energy in the pellet at the muzzle.

I would say that that is more power not less using the same weight of pellet (assuming the claims are accurate). Energy is speed x speed x weight div 450240 = ftlb

so 850x850x10.6/540240= 17ftlb (I also made the test review power as 13ftlb not 12.76)

Thats said they also make some that are very low in power so you need to know the exact model BEFORE shooting a living thing with it.

This is interesting

Quote:

A velocity of 671 f.p.s. for any projectile gives the same energy number in foot-pounds as the weight of the projectile in grains. For example, an 8-grain pellet traveling 671 f.p.s. generates 8 foot-pounds. A 20-grain projectile going 671 f.p.s. generates 20 foot-pounds and a million-grain (142.86 lbs.) projectile going 671 f.p.s. generates a million foot-pounds. A 3,000-lb. automobile going 671 f.p.s. generates 21 million foot-pounds, which is why we should be glad not too many cars ever go that fast.

Richard

matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 5:04 pm Post subject:
Good idea but id prefer to use a air rifel and avoid the hassel if it where to make the animal suffer i would definetly not use it. but would a clean shot to the head kill the rabit ? i also have a air pistol incease it where to run away injured as i would not want it too suffer at all . To be honest ive only ever shot at targets and metal rabits.

matt mavin

Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 23

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 5:06 pm Post subject: Thats said they also make some that are very low in power so
I agree i will find out the exact model and make sure it is able to kill the animal with no pain or suffering

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 08 5:11 pm Post subject:

matt mavin wrote:

would a clean shot to the head kill the rabit ?

Not necessarily. Depends where on the head.
Even with a pheasant (far smaller head), a clean head shot will not always kill outright. And at that point, as Vegplot says, a priest is what you need.

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