Whats the difference between a .177 and a .22 caliber pellet gun

The .22 is clearly the winner for me .

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Some claim, .22 for fur and .177 for feathers but out of good guns, with good pellets both work fine.
For plinking cans the .22's are more fun as they tend to kick the can harder while the .177's can just zip through.
 
Generally agree, however, when shooting rats in my barn I dont want to put a hole in my roof or wall.

Even the quiet 22's will put make a hole (especially if I miss, but thats impossible, haha ) A pellet gun around 500-600 fps (either caliber) will take out the pest not wreck your building.
 
I've played with cci quiets only because I've read claims about them being quieter than an air rifle. I have a .22 Springer 900 fps. In my experience, this simply is not true... my air rifle is significantly quieter than cci quiets.
 
I've played with cci quiets only because I've read claims about them being quieter than an air rifle. I have a .22 Springer 900 fps. In my experience, this simply is not true... my air rifle is significantly quieter than cci quiets.

Depends on the length of barrel. I had a Cooley 82 with a 28 inch barrel. Super quiet.
 
0.043 of a difference

this is the correct answer

0.46

Because a 22LR is actually 0.223.

are you sure about this?
I just measured 3 brands of 22 pellets and the average is .215
which, in the cast boolits way, means the bore is about 0.204"

Unless they are premium match pellets used by serious competitors, both .177 and .22 (and no doubt .25 and larger) pellets vary in head size to some extent within the same tin. They are not all exactly the same size. (The premium pellets are invariably in .177 because that is what is used by serious competitors in matches.) Airgun barrels themselves can also vary in bore size to some degree. As a result, many quality pellet manufacturers make pellets, both in .177 and .22, in different head sizes. The more generic kind of pellets found at CT or Princess Auto, for example, usually are available in only one size, be it .177 or .22, with no specific head size indicated on the tin or package.

As a result, the answers quoted above that offered to the OP, perhaps partly in jest, may or may not be correct. For example, the pellet maker H&N makes its popular Field Target Trophy line of .22 pellets available in 5.53, 5.54, 5.55mm head sizes. JSB makes its Diablo Exact Jumbo .22 pellets in 5.50, 5.51, 5.52mm head sizes. The smaller .177 pellets are also made in different head sizes. For example they are available in 4.50, 4.51, 4.52, and 4.53mm head sizes.
 
Generally speaking and with similar velocities a .177 will shoot flatter than a .22 and a .22 will hit harder with a bigger drop than a .177.

If you have a powerful rifle it doesn't much matter what you choose.
 
(The premium pellets are invariably in .177 because that is what is used by serious competitors in matches.)

I and many other match shooters use .22 for field target . Extreme bench rest is generally .22 and up . Pellet quality is important to all competition . Weighing and washing are also not to be ignored .

Generally speaking and with similar velocities a .177 will shoot flatter than a .22 and a .22 will hit harder with a bigger drop than a .177.

If you have a powerful rifle it doesn't much matter what you choose.

See the charts from Chairgun above and .22 at the same velocity drops less than the .177
 
22 cal is notably better for on game performance. I have 177. 20. And 22 cal air rifles.
Over the years i just use a 22 rimfire instead so the air guns collect dust

Game??
Game???
Again Game...?
You eat what you kill with your pellet gun?
Please post pix...;)
(squirrels and rabbits and crows perhaps...?)
 
I and many other match shooters use .22 for field target . Extreme bench rest is generally .22 and up . Pellet quality is important to all competition . Weighing and washing are also not to be ignored .



See the charts from Chairgun above and .22 at the same velocity drops less than the .177


Sort of... if both start at the same velocity then the .22 will be superior but in general a .177 rifle will be hotter than a .22 and therefore shoot flatter. If you use a .22 in field target competition you are giving an advantage to your competition- not sure many top end shooters are using anything but a .177. Especially in the 12FPE classes- the smaller pellet is superior. If you re-calcualte the graphs based on the same starting energy the difference will be significant.
 
Sort of... if both start at the same velocity then the .22 will be superior but in general a .177 rifle will be hotter than a .22 and therefore shoot flatter. If you use a .22 in field target competition you are giving an advantage to your competition- not sure many top end shooters are using anything but a .177. Especially in the 12FPE classes- the smaller pellet is superior. If you re-calcualte the graphs based on the same starting energy the difference will be significant.

The .22 has more energy at 50 yards than the .177 started with .The .22 would have to have a starting velocity less than 380 fps . Hardly a fair comparison . I am not sure what you are saying can you explain further ? The only disadvantage in Field Target is when 3/8 kill zones are used on the close targets . Then there is only 1/16th of error possible .
 
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The .22 has more energy at 50 yards than the .177 started with .The .22 would have to have a starting velocity less than 380 fps . Hardly a fair comparison . I am not sure what you are saying can you explain further ? The only disadvantage in Field Target is when 3/8 kill zones are used on the close targets . Then there is only 1/16th of error possible .

.177 is the winner here. No contest.
 
I and many other match shooters use .22 for field target . Extreme bench rest is generally .22 and up . Pellet quality is important to all competition . Weighing and washing are also not to be ignored .

I should have been more clear about premium pellets used by serious shooters. I was referring to ISSF 10 meter competitions, where .177 is used exclusively. For that reason there is a greater variety of match quality .177 pellets available in a range of head sizes. Most FT shooters, as you no doubt are aware, use .177 rifles (and pistols in pistol FT) because the smaller pellet has more leeway to pass through the smallest target holes which can be 15mm. Of course FT shooters do not usually use the flat "wadcutter" style of pellets favoured by 10 meter shooters, generally preferring round nose pellets which can retain accuracy at longer distances.

Extreme benchrest shooters who score highest use .25 and .30 PCP's for the 75 and 100 yard targets usually shot. FX rifles have been among the high scoring air rifles.

As you note, pellet quality is obviously important in all competition as it is with PB ammunition. And of course weighing and washing pellets is important because as with head size -- which was the main point I was trying to make above and which you understand as a avid airgunner -- pellets may not have the same weight even though they are from the same tin. Some shooters, again as you no doubt are aware but other readers may not be, go to the extra trouble to lubricate their pellets to ostensibly give themselves an even greater advantage of consistency.
 
... and if you are choosing an air rifle because you want less power and noise of a 22 rim fire, generally a .177 air rifle will be less power and less noise than a .22 air rifle.
 
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