Big bore air rifles - anyone hunt with them?

[Newtosavage]

Texas legalized deer hunting with big bore air rifles (I think they have a 210 ft. lb. minimum). That has piqued my interest due to an area I have the opportunity to hunt where noise reduction would be a must. I've looked at suppressed sub-sonic (.300 BO, etc) but it looks like I can buy a decent big bore air rifle for the price of just the can alone, without all the hassle.

Plus I think air rifles are cool and I like the idea of not having to find ammo or go through the process of reloading for another rifle.

Anyone go this route and if so, what rifle did you choose and are you happy with it and the results?

 

[Antares]

I have a friend who shot a bunch of axis deer with a .357 Benjamin Bulldog. He eventually stopped using it because he was pretty disappointed with the terminal performance and subsequent wounding loss.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have shot a friends 35 cal, sounds like a subsonic 22. I don’t see how terminal performance of a pellet would even compare to a supersonic bullet. If you do go that route I would get the strongest, biggest pellet cal.

I have looked at subsonic 308 as well, even have a suppressor. From all the research it’s still a short range weapon. So I have decided that full power loads with a suppressor is the best way to ethically hunt and not be limited.

 

[buggz]

Looks like you should be able to hunt, if you got close enough.

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I also remember reading about Louis & Clark, they used air rifles even back then.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have a friend who shot a bunch of axis deer with a .357 Benjamin Bulldog. He eventually stopped using it because he was pretty disappointed with the terminal performance and subsequent wounding loss.

I'm not sure there are any .357 caliber air rifles that would meet Texas' muzzle energy minimum. Although I'm not that well versed on them all.

 

[Newtosavage]

Looks like you should be able to hunt, if you got close enough.

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Looking to buy the AirForce Texan Big Bore? Not sure if it would fit you or not? Then you NEED to see this review.

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I also remember reading about Louis & Clark, they used air rifles even back then.

Some historians even claim that repeating air rifle Lewis and Clark carried may have saved their lives. It is an interesting story.

By "big bore" I'm talking something in the .45+ cal range. As I said earlier, I don't think anything .357 or less is even legal here.

 

[tallbuchholz]

I shot a small texas whitetail with a suppressed .300 blackout subsonic 220 gr bullet this year from 30 yards. Had to chase her down and shoot her a bunch more times. Hated it. I hope the pellets are better designed than the slow bullets.

 

[buggz]

Some historians even claim that repeating air rifle Lewis and Clark carried may have saved their lives. It is an interesting story.

By "big bore" I'm talking something in the .45+ cal range. As I said earlier, I don't think anything .357 or less is even legal here.

They have a new .50 cal PCP rifle on their website now:

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I would still think you have to get close.

 

[Newtosavage]

I shot a small texas whitetail with a suppressed .300 blackout subsonic 220 gr bullet this year from 30 yards. Had to chase her down and shoot her a bunch more times. Hated it. I hope the pellets are better designed than the slow bullets.

I'm actually looking at head shots inside of 40 yards for this particular application.