Which is the most accurate Airgun calibre .177 or .22?

Which is the most accurate .177 calibre or .22 calibre? To an Air-gunner this is a very important question. There are many claims on both sides of the fence. This question appears in all the Air Gun Magazines, on all the Air Gun Websites, in all the Articles on Air-Gunning and it goes on and on and on! I honestly wish people would be a bit more sensible when they think about which is more accurate or which is the better calibre.

To technically evaluate which is the more accurate then the you would have to apply scientific principles. What principles? Well velocities from both barrels would have to be the same (The velocities are restricted in the UK to produce 12 foot pounds of energy). Wind conditions would have to be exactly the same (which they never are), so you would need to conduct this experiment in a wind tunnel or controlled atmosphere. The guns would have to be fired from a fixed point (which would exclude a bench rest). Rifling turns per inch exactly the same. Weight of pellets exactly the same (which they can’t be if the calibre’s are different). In other words every variable condition would have to be exactly the same (which is impossible). Once you have done all this what have you achieved – nothing! What has the experiment achieved – nothing! It doesn’t make sense does it?

You see the reason is you cannot compare two things that are different and expect to come up with an identifiable, measurable difference according the specific criteria. You cannot compare Apples and Oranges and expect every point to be comparable, they are different. Yes they have similarities but they are not essentially the same. So you see you cannot compare .177 and .22 and ask which is more accurate and that wrong question is the reason that this debate goes on and on forever. Will you please stop asking the WRONG question?

So how do we make some sense of it all? Well I think we first have to revise the QUESTION because as I have all ready stated it is the wrong question. What we should be asking is; what is it that you want to achieve? Alongside a second question; how good are you, or how good can you become in learning and practicing and controlling all the variables that exist in placing that pellet where you want it to go?

Every pellet, (any calibre) and any bullet from any gun follows a trajectory. In the UK because of the energy restrictions the .177 air-gun has a higher velocity (therefore a flatter trajectory) than the .22 calibre. The .22 is heavier therefore has more residual energy (punch) at a given distance. The hitting of your chosen target is dependant upon how well you know and can control your rifle and your trajectory (bullet drop compensation), compensate for wind variation and hold steady when you release the pellet.

So you see there are no right and wrongs. I use .177 as it is my preference. I hunt rabbit. The .177 carries a residual 7 foot pounds at about 60 yards. It takes 3.5 foot pounds to kill a rabbit (in the kill zone).

So let’s stop this constant arguing over which caliber is better. They’re both great and it is a privilege to be able to shoot.

Clarky is a keen Air-gunner and Hunter with his own brand of humour. Why not visit his Blog - WABBIT WARS for more tips on hunting?