Hunting and gathering are exactly the actions that helped a person become sentient and survive in a not too friendly world. Today, collecting has reached a new level of its development and has become known as collecting, and its objects are no longer roots and fruits, but artistic and other values. Hunting has also accompanied humanity at all times of its existence and has moved from the category of necessity to a hobby.
Today, in order to satisfy their instincts given by nature for survival, people do not need to plan spears and draw a bowstring. Even firearms, which have helped game hunters for so long, are gradually becoming obsolete, as they have been replaced by pneumatic weapons for hunting.
Pneumatic operation principle
If in the old days hunting was a way for the poor to survive, and for the rich -entertainment, today it is a way to satisfy the most ancient instinct. Since the advent of the first firearms, gun makers have been making guns for hunting animals.
As the demand for kills grew, so did the rifles, until their production was put on the assembly line. By this time, hunting rifles had been improved, made cheaper, and they became available to many game lovers.
When the first weapon for hunting (pneumatic) appeared, its manufacturers did not discover anything new, but applied the principles known in ancient times. The prototype of modern pneumatics was blowpipes, which were used by the natives of South America to catch animals.
The modern pneumatic gun is based on 2 types of wind tubes:
- in the first direction of flight and the speed of the projectile was determined by the strength of the lungs of the hunter;
- in the second, two tubes were used, threaded one into the other, and the dart was sent into flight by a powerful blow of the trapper on the outer, closed at the end of the tube.
In the first case, a more accurate shot was obtained, but to make it, the shooter had to get as close as possible to the prey. In the second, it was possible to shoot from a long distance, but the accuracy of the hit was much lower.
The same principle is embedded in modern hunting weapons - pneumatic guns. It has just been improved.
Advantages of pneumatics
The first pneumatic guns appeared in the 17th century and immediately showed an advantagebefore gunshot:
- firstly, they could be used in any weather, while powder guns stopped firing even with slight dampness;
- secondly, it was possible to fire a number of shots from it one after another;
- Thirdly, the hit rate of the pneumatics turned out to be higher, and there were no accompanying loud sounds and puffs of smoke.
Today you can hear the opinion that the most powerful pneumatic weapon for hunting is more expensive than a weak firearm. Actually, it is not. It is this type of gun that has become popular with many hunters due to a number of significant advantages:
- Pneumatic hunting weapons are recognized as environmentally friendly. The British were the first to introduce its use on a regular basis. Their scientists found that, for example, the high level of mutations and mortality of birds in one of the reservoirs is associated with the influence of lead compounds, which settled in large quantities on its bottom after many decades of shooting game here.
- The cost of a shot from such a weapon is cheaper than from a firearm.
- The procedure for obtaining a license is simplified, and for some types of pneumatics it is not required at all.
The lack of noise and low weight of the pneumatic hunting weapon with a high level of hit makes it more attractive in the eyes of many trappers.
Types of pneumatic weapons
Modern arms factoriesproduce pneumatics, both for self-defense and for sports and hunting. All of them may differ in size, caliber and weight, but work according to one of four principles:
- Spring-piston is reliable and low cost. In this type of pneumatics, the hermetic container, with the gas mixture in it, is directly connected to the barrel. When the weapon is cocked, its spring is compressed, and when the trigger is pulled, it is released and hits the piston, resulting in a shot.
- At the heart of compression pneumatics is the pre-injection of compressed gas into a special hermetically sealed rifle compartment. To make a shot, it is necessary to turn the lever, which will move the piston connected to the container with compressed gas. It is considered to be the best pneumatic weapon for hunting, as it has high accuracy and bullet speed, and has no recoil. Such a rifle can have a single or multiple shot, which allows not only to fire several shots from one shot, but also to control their power.
- Liquefied gas weapons use carbon dioxide in liquid and gaseous states. This is a fairly powerful and accurate type of pneumatics, the only drawback of which is the impossibility of using it at temperatures from 0 degrees and below.
- Weapons with air cartridges are the most powerful and expensive. Its accuracy and bullet speed are the highest. In such a gun, compressed air is located in a special container, which is filled with an air compressor before going hunting. Depending on thewhatever caliber is used, 50 to 200 shots can be fired. Most manufacturers make the compressed gas tank an integral part of the gun, but there are examples where it is attached to the barrel with a special hose.
All types of weapons are used for hunting, except those powered by liquefied CO2. To get the maximum result when shooting, you should know in advance which caliber to choose for a gun.
Caliber of pneumatic bullets
When a hunter asks about the quality of a weapon, he is interested in how much power the bullet develops at the time of the shot. It is affected by energy, which is measured in joules, and the caliber of airguns for hunting.
There are several types of ammunition for hunting:
- The most popular is the caliber 4.5 mm. A standard bullet has a weight of 0.48 g, and the energy can develop up to 40 J. The most effective hit for a weapon of this caliber is 55-60 m. It is most suitable for hunting game weighing up to 1.5 kg.
- Pneumatic weapon for hunting - caliber 5.5 mm - designed for standard bullets weighing 0.88 g. The energy that such a projectile develops is 75 J, and the distance to the target reaches 70 m. Great for hunting game weighing up to 4 kg (hare, pheasant and others).
- Pneumatic weapon for hunting - caliber 6.35 mm - generates energy up to 110 J at a distance of up to 70 meters. Recommended for hunting wolves and foxes.
- For lovers of big game, 9 mm weapons are suitable. It develops energyup to 300 J and capable of hitting a target weighing up to 80 kg.
Weapons companies produce pneumatics of all the listed calibers, but in terms of hunting rifles, those equipped with air cartridges are the most popular.
Pros' Choice
The highest demand, despite the high price, among big game hunters is for an air gun called the Dragon Career Slayer from a South Korean manufacturer.
This is the most powerful weapon of this type with a barrel diameter of 12.7 mm. Initially, it was intended for special forces and was even used in the South Korean army. The energy with which a bullet flies out of this rifle is 400 J, which is the highest power rating in the world. Other weapon parameters:
- weight 3.99 kilograms;
- bullet speed at departure 220 m/s;
- the length of the gun is 1.49 meters;
- uses 16g to 20g bullets;
- only one shot in chamber.
This rifle is designed for shooting large game, and professional American hunters use it to hunt buffalo. The gun has a high accuracy of hitting, and its tank of compressed gas is enough for 4 shots.
Second place
The next most popular "graduate" of the South Korean company is the Sam Yang Big Bore 909S rifle, which has a caliber of 11.5 mm.
With an energy of up to 250 J and a bullet weight of 11 g, its projectile speed is also 220 m/s. The supply of compressed air is enough for 5 shots, and the main purpose isboar hunting, which can be done from a distance of 50 m.
Third place
Among the pneumatic models with a caliber of 5.5 mm, the most powerful and popular is the representative of the products of the American company Air Force Guns. Their Air Force Condor rifle is considered the pinnacle of innovation in pneumatics due to its simple and reliable design, with bullet speeds adjustable from 70 to 390 m/s.
It is no less popular because its caliber and power can be changed by purchasing the appropriate tuning kits. The pads available on this rifle allow you to maintain excellent centering when collecting any components, and the air supply is enough for 200 shots. This gun can fire bullets as well as sleeping pills and darts.
Basic model purchased can accept barrels from 4.5mm to 11.5mm in diameter. This convertible rifle is great for both small game and animals weighing up to 4kg.
Domestic pneumatics
Among the guns of domestic production, the products of the Izhevsk Arms Plant are in demand. Although their air rifles are not known for reliability and power, they have quite decent performance:
- weapon weight 3 kg;
- power 25 J;
- projectile velocity at departure 220 m/s;
- 1 shell in store.
Domestic pneumatics are suitable for beginners who only learn the basics of hunting.
Rare Caliber
Pneumatic weapons for hunting, caliber 9 mm, are rare, because with all the advantages in the form of power and high stopping power, it has drawbacks. The weight of such a rifle is considered inconvenient, and if we add to this poor accuracy and an extremely limited number of shots, it is clear why they are not in demand.
Pneumatic Features
No matter how manufacturers praise their product, you can only know the quality of an air rifle in action. The only downside to this type of weapon is that it wears out quickly if not properly cared for. At the same time, all indicators declared by the company are reduced, and some parts require not just cleaning or lubrication, but a complete replacement.
