Difference in caliber

[Comet]

Hey folks.

I saw a nice looking/feeling air rifle at Bass Pro Shops: Gamo Hunter Sport. Ever heard of it?

But my question is, it comes in two models, .22 caliber and .177 caliber. What is the difference between these? I know .22 bullets/pellets are bigger, but what's the difference in use?

Thanks,
-Comet

[KwackWacker]

The .22 caliber air rifles carry a little more energy but they are slower than the .177 caliber. Basically the .177 shoots flatter because of the extra speed. Unless you plan on taking 75 to 100 yard shots it doesn't mean much. I have a Gamo .177 caliber and I can tell you from experience that a .177 will blow all the way through a racoon's head.

[Comet]

So you are saying I should just take a .177 caliber because it's just as good as .22 and goes farther?

The gun should be useful for defense as well as target shooting and pest control (roach huntin' at the house in Florida, yee-haw!) .

-Comet

[Bowhunters]

If all you intend to do is tin can plinking and maybe minor pest control then the .17 is just fine but it doesn't have the killing energy for the larger pests that the .22 does.

By defense if you mean to protect you from a big mean rat in the garbage heap then yes the .22 is fine for Rats, pigeons, etc. but you don't want to use it for home defensive purposes.

If you shot someone with a pellet rifle and they had a real gun they would just get pizzed off and kill you, you would need the luck of winning a lottery and also get to point blank range that hits them perfectly in just the right spot to injure or kill a person.

If you don't make that lottery shot they would just maybe laugh and shoot you or get pizzed and shoot you but the end result is they shot you. LOL