Pellet Gun Hunting – Gun and Ammo Guide

If you’re thinking about hunting with a pellet gun, there are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you do it effectively and humanely. Choosing the right gun, ammo, scope, and using 38 super ammo  best practices are all important factors should not hunt with a pellet gun. This article is intended as a quick guide to hunting with an air gun.

The Game

First and foremost, understand that only small game should be sought when pellet gun hunting. Even the most powerful air guns do not impart enough destructive force to ensure clean kills when hunting larger animals. Stick to small pests (field mice, squirrels, rats). Nothing larger than an average-sized raccoon should be shot with a pellet gun, and then only when the distance is such that accuracy is assured and with the proper caliber gun and ammunition.

Pellet Gun & Ammo Choices

In general, .22 caliber guns and pellets are preferable when hunting small game with a pellet gun. A common misconception is that the smaller caliber guns (.177 and .20) produce higher pellet velocities and are therefore better for hunting. Actually, it’s more about internal damage force than penetration force. In other words, you want to strike the animal with a projectile that will disperse more killing force after impact. That means using the heavier and thicker .22 caliber. The smaller calibers risk passing through the animal without causing sufficient internal damage to kill it cleanly (or at all).

This is not to say you should not use a .177 or .20 caliber pellet gun for hunting. If your target is very close and you can easily take a head shot, any caliber will work as well as another. But this is not often the case when hunting small game. If you do choose to hunt with a smaller caliber, you can improve the odds of a clean kill by choosing heavier hollow point hunting pellets. Hollow points are designed to blossom open and tumble after impact, which creates more devastation inside your prey. They are the best choice for hunting with pellet guns, regardless of th