Big bore Air Rifle vs Pistol Caliber Rifle

[wesfromky]

One of the places I might try to whitetail hunt this year only allows shotgun, muzzle-loader, or pistol caliber rifles/handguns. KY legalized big bore air rifles for deer last year, so that might also be an option.

Anyone have experience with the big bore air rifles? They seem to be reasonably effective at under 100 yards, along with being super quiet and reasonably inexpensive to shoot.

As another, sorta related question, anyone hunt whitetail with a 9mm PCC? Seems like that would have about the same ballistics of the .357 air rifles, maybe even a bit higher with some +p ammo? I know that 9mm is not really recommended for deer, but it seems like the ballistics of 9mm +p out of a 16" barrel would be reasonable for deer.

I was going to get a .44 or .357 rifle, but I would only use it for hunting this property, where I would shoot an air rifle or 9mm PCC much more often.

 

[elkguide]

I wouldn't hunt deer with a 9 or with a .357.
If Ky allows modern muzzleloaders or if you get a rifled slug barrel for a shotgun, why would you want to do anything else?
My 11-87 Remington with a Hastings barrel will shoot 1 MOA all day long. Several of my modern muzzleloaders will group under 3" at 200 yards. (probably better with a better shooter!)

 

[hodgeman]

Any big bore air rifle that will kill a deer is going to 1) be expensive and 2) be finicky as hell. I love air guns- but they are a different sort of critter. Mine is astoundingly accurate and astoundingly frustrating periodically. Even the .357 versions are pretty marginal for deer.

The 9mm is not a deer cartridge in any guise.

In all honesty I'd forget about either for deer hunting.

Any reasonable 12ga slug gun (or slug barrel on your current shotgun), muzzleloader or even a plain jane Marlin 1894 in 44MAG is going to be miles and miles and miles ahead in terms of cost and performance.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Cheapo cva muzzleloader or that ilk will work fine. Don't build a complex solution to a small problem

 

[wesfromky]

A muzzle-loader is the logical choice in a lot of ways, I just have zero interest in them.

I had looked a 9mm before, and consensus on the internet was that it was not adequate. But, I just started looking at the big bore air rifles, and the .357 which seems to be considered adequate for deer and hogs has ballistics that are less than standard 9mm out of a pistol. So, by that measure, 9mm +p out of a PCC would be more than adequate, but the math seems flawed.

I have a Stoeger 3020 that I am going to run some smooth bore slugs through this summer to see how that does. Or maybe find a 10mm upper for my AR. Or maybe just pick up a ruger 77/44 like I have been planning. Just don't think I will shoot it much outside of the 3 week season, where I have been planning on picking up a PCC for USPSA already, and would shoot it quite a bit year round.

The air rifles are intriguing to me though, so will keep looking at them, though it doesn't look like they will make the approved list for the property this year.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Never used an air rifle, but a 9mm as a short range option is perfectly reasonable for deer hunting.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I also have zero interest in a muzzleloader from a traditional/frontiersman/challenging point of view. However, I am interested in the elk and Sambar deer tags I drew that are muzzleloader hunts, so I bought one. A $200 CVA Wolf is a modern in-line that most wouldn’t be able to tell is a muzzleloader.

If you refuse to use one or a shotgun, just get a .44 magnum of some type. Ruger is chambering their No 1 in it this year.

If you’re willing to spend the money and want more versatility, Thompson Center makes .460 and .500 S&W Encore barrels, in addition to rifle and shotgun ones.

 

[Muttly]

The only problem with a Marlin in 44 Mag is the twist keeps you st 240 grain bullets or lighter, for the most part. If you hand load, that could be a bit of a hitch.. If running factory ammo, 240 XTPs should do the trick, or look for Buffalo Bore..
Don't recall the twist in 77/44..can,t help think a No. 1 in 44 Mag would actually be a lot of fun!
If going handgun, pretty wide open, with 44 Mag being likely the path of least resistance.
TC Contender, Smith N frame, or Ruger Super Redhawk being the easiest ( for the most part) to find and throw a scope on. A BFR or Blackhawk in single action also out there, or go wild and get a Freedom Arms!!..
Or a BFR in 500 JRH..
Anyhow, a LOT of options out there, some relatively inexpensive, some that could have you in deep trouble with the domestic commander waaaaay too quick..

 

[Ashy Larry]

I have an 1894 in 44 mag and I love it. There are several good factory 200-250 grain options and I’m not sure you need any more than that. They flat hammer deer and with 240 xtp I’ve never recovered a slug. Don’t overthink it, you probably won’t reload considering how much cheaper a box is than say, .500 or .460.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I also have zero interest in a muzzleloader from a traditional/frontiersman/challenging point of view. However, I am interested in the elk and Sambar deer tags I drew that are muzzleloader hunts, so I bought one. A $200 CVA Wolf is a modern in-line that most wouldn’t be able to tell is a muzzleloader.

If you refuse to use one or a shotgun, just get a .44 magnum of some type. Ruger is chambering their No 1 in it this year.

If you’re willing to spend the money and want more versatility, Thompson Center makes .460 and .500 S&W Encore barrels, in addition to rifle and shotgun ones.

That’s how I was when I was big into elk hunting, I didn’t really care about all that mountain man BS but it was easier to draw muzzle loader tags and it gave me an extra few weeks to hunt each year so I kept one on hand.

 

[howl]

Ah, that's easy. Get a Ruger Redhawk made to use .45 Colt and .45 ACP. Put a Leupold DeltaPoint on it. You get your .45 Colt hunting loads that'll work to distance only limited by your shooting ability. You'll also get the option of using cheaper .45 ACP plinking ammo. If you're not already a practiced revolver user, that savings on learning ammo will be the ticket.

 

[OXN939]

A muzzle-loader is the logical choice in a lot of ways, I just have zero interest in them.

A CVA Wolf from Dick's will solve this problem for less than a nice optic costs. I think I got mine for $200 even. It's essentially a single shot rifle that you handload each time- blackpowder substitutes these days are pretty clean, not very corrosive and easy to use. Much more ethical to shoot a deer with than any kind of 9mm or air rifle load out there, is would really be the selling point for me.

 

[Oldffemt]

What about an AR pistol in your caliber of choice. 300 blk is plenty potent for white tails out to ~200 yds if you’re using supersonic ammo. Mine with 9” barrel will shoot a full 30rnd mag into a 2.5” group at 200yds.

 

[Muttly]

Screw it, go for broke, BFR in 500 JRH!!!

 

[backcountry_hunter]

You my friend have been posed with one of the best problems in the world, to which I have a solution...

If there ever was an excuse to pickup a Big Horn Armory 89 in 500S&W this is it.... you're welcome.

 

[Formidilosus]

One of the places I might try to whitetail hunt this year only allows shotgun, muzzle-loader, or pistol caliber rifles/handguns. KY legalized big bore air rifles for deer last year, so that might also be an option.

Anyone have experience with the big bore air rifles? They seem to be reasonably effective at under 100 yards, along with being super quiet and reasonably inexpensive to shoot.

As another, sorta related question, anyone hunt whitetail with a 9mm PCC? Seems like that would have about the same ballistics of the .357 air rifles, maybe even a bit higher with some +p ammo? I know that 9mm is not really recommended for deer, but it seems like the ballistics of 9mm +p out of a 16" barrel would be reasonable for deer.

I was going to get a .44 or .357 rifle, but I would only use it for hunting this property, where I would shoot an air rifle or 9mm PCC much more often.

I’ve killed quite a few deer with 9mm. 147gr Speer Gold Dot, Remington Golden Saber, Winchester Ranger, etc. Use good bullets that pass the FBI criteria and I would absolutely rather have a 9mm AR PCC than any muzzle loader.

 

[wisco_archer]

I would be another vote for the 44 mag. I have a Ruger 10/44 carbine that was given to me by my great grandfather when I was 12 and it's still my deer rifle when hunting in Wisconsin. Good out to at least 125.

Sent from my SM-G930R6 using Tapatalk

 

[wesfromky]

What about an AR pistol in your caliber of choice. 300 blk is plenty potent for white tails out to ~200 yds if you’re using supersonic ammo. Mine with 9” barrel will shoot a full 30rnd mag into a 2.5” group at 200yds.

It has to be pistol caliber straight walled cartridge, not just a pistol.

 

[TauPhi111]

does it have to be a "pistol caliber" or just straight walled. One state north here in Ohio, we recently made the regs more general and it just has to be straight walled, so lots of people are opting for a 450 Bushmaster. I mean technically, since the 450 Bushmaster could be used in an AR pistol, it is a pistol caliber. There are also a few rifles other than ARs being chambered in 450 Bushmaster (Ruger American comes to mind).

If it has to be a true pistol round, I'd vote for a 10mm carbine of some kind, either an AR, or a mech-tec, or something like that.

 

[wesfromky]

Just to update this thread, I ended up with a cheap CVA single shot .44 for this year, shooting 225 gn barnes vor-tx xpb . It shoots OK, but not great. Managed to kill my first buck (2nd deer) with it the other day at 45 yards. Impressive tissue damage - heart was jelly and I ruined most of a front shoulder. Biggest mistake with going with a cheaper scope, which really hurt on trying to take shots right at the end of legal shooting light. Still have 8 days of gun season left, so going to try to kill a couple more does, but think I will try to get at least a better scope for next year, and may really try for a 10mm AR with a red dot. Seems like getting within 50-70 yards is pretty reasonable where I am hunting, but there are a few opportunities for 150-200 yard shots as well.

If there was factory ammo out there, pretty sure .357 maximum is about the top end of the rounds that are allowed, but I am not a re-loader.