Air gunning for Deer

[sipsey]

I just discovered that my state (Bama) has inserted a new reg. this year that will finally allow me to hunt deer with my .357 air gun! Woohoooo!

[Normous]

Good to hear! Good Luck!

[sipsey]

If I can harness a little luck I can add it to my list. Recurve, compound, cross, buckshot, birdshot, slug, center fire, and then air or rather nitrogen.

[DaveShooter]

You lucky dog you-lol I use to have a .50-cal Dragon Slayer sold it as Ohio won't allow big bore air for deer

[DaveShooter]

I just discovered that my state (Bama) has inserted a new reg. this year that will finally allow me to hunt deer with my .357 air gun! Woohoooo!

What model gun is you .357?

[awshucks]

Congrats! Lewis and Clark had a .36 or .40 cal air rifle w/ them on their famous excursion in the 1800's called a "Giradoni"...........google it.....

[sipsey]

It's a Benjamin. I received it as a gift from my daughter & son in law. I wrote an article on the history of large caliber air guns and let them proof read it for me. They ordered one and stuck it under my Christmas tree.

[sipsey]

Congrats! Lewis and Clark had a .36 or .40 cal air rifle w/ them on their famous excursion in the 1800's called a "Giradoni"...........google it.....

Awshucks, it was a .46 cal. that could fire 21 round balls in less than one min. It could penetrate a 1" board at 100 yards. Dr. Beeman owns the rifle Lewis & Clark carried on their trip and allowed me to use photos. of several of the guns in his collection.

[wabi]

What kind of energy does the .357 hit with?
I use a .22 PCP (Benjamin Discovery) for small game, but it takes careful shot placement for clean kills.

[sipsey]

Wabi,
Shot placement is the key for sure. I shoot .95, 125, and 145 gr. and it will shoot up to a 170 gr.- I will be shooting the 145 gr. at a deer at about 850fps. Probably keep my shot under 80 yds. or so.

[flightattendant100]

Wabi,
Shot placement is the key for sure. I shoot .95, 125, and 145 gr. and it will shoot up to a 170 gr.- I will be shooting the 145 gr. at a deer at about 850fps. Probably keep my shot under 80 yds. or so.

Thats about 38 spl. type numbers.Would work on our deer here in Texas.

[sipsey]

Hey Wabi,
You may know about a Texan that makes some high-end air guns. He has a waiting list and if I was in the market for one my name would be on his list. Here are some specs. for the .45 he builds:

The Ranger .45 shoots .452 caliber bullets and .454 round balls. Our barrels are firearm barrels, so using .45 Long Colt reload lead, is an inexpensive bullet to shoot and will not damage the rifle.

28" Barrel Ranger.45 performance listed, is based on brand new rifles where the barrel is not broken in. Barrel break in takes 200-500 shots and bullet speeds will increase.
143 grain round ball @3000 psi on low power 1000+ fps
200 grain hardcast reload @3000 psi on low power 900+ fps
225 grain hardcast reload @3000 psi on low power 875+ fps
405 grain hollowpoint @4500 psi on high power 830+ fps

For each inch of barrel, the bullet speeds will change 12-15 fps, shooting same pressure, same bullet.

Update 1/28/11
34" barrel shot on High Power
540 grain hollow point @ 4600psi--- 824.5 fps ~ 815 fpe
480 grain hollow point @ 4500psi--- 866 fps ~ 799.5 fpe
430 grain hollow point @ 4500psi--- 896 fps ~ 766 fpe
405 grain hollow point @ 4500psi--- 911 fps ~ 746 fpe


Update 11/8/11

36" barrel shot on low power:
143 grain round ball @3000 --- 1111 fps ~ 392 fpe
225 grain @3000 psi--- 959 fps ~ 460 fe

[DaveShooter]

Another Big Bore Airgun builder is Dennis Quackenbush from the state of Mo.

[sipsey]

Dennis seems like a nice guy. He comes from a family of inventors. I talked to him when I researched my article and he graciously proofread it for me before it was published. His guns are highly sought after and the last I heard his waiting list was temporarily closed. A fellow used one of his guns to kill a 2,000 lb. buffalo.



And a nice bear:

[Species8472]

I built this air gun a few years ago:



Trigger is currently removed for service.

Specs:

Barrel: 2 inch type "L" copper tube - 110 inches long
Chamber: 22 feet of 2 inch type "L" copper tube
Pressure: 200 psi
Trigger: Pneumatic/Electric (secondary solenoid installed on pilot volume)
Valve: Pneumatic Diaphragm
Ammo: +/- 3 ounce potato slugs
Muzzle velocity: +/- 800 feet per second
Energy: +/- 1400 lb-ft

This will put a potato thru 2 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood screwed together at 40 yards, or if launched at a 40 degree angle has a range of about 800 yards.

It can be shoulder fired (triangular storage volume acts as a tripod), and at 40 yards I can keep 10 inch groups. Only problem is it is not that portable, needs power to fire, and I'm not sure what a potato would do to a deer .