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What range for rabbits with a .22?

Fieldcraft, not the rifle you use, is the most important thing when it comes to rabbit control.

By Edward Cook

Tuesday, 20 November 2007

How close do I need to be to kill a rabbit with a .22 air rifle?

Rabbits
EDWARD COOK says:
If you are an accurate shot and able to consistently hit a rabbit in the head, then a standard air rifle delivering up to 12ft/lbs is more than capable of killing cleanly at 40-50 yards.

You can stretch this distance if the rifle is rated above the 12ft/lb limit, but it will then have to be held on a firearm certificate.

My old Weihrauch Mk77 has killed thousands of rabbits over the years, and it still kills well enough now. One of the beauties of hunting rabbits with a little air rifle is that it teaches you an amazing amount of fieldcraft, including the absolute need to get in close to your quarry before attempting a shot.

Regardless of which air rifle you use my advice would be to spend as much money as you can on buying a decent telescopic sight because then you will end up with a top notch set up for killing rabbits.

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Comments

patrick

Sun, 15th May 2011 15:19:55

the stalk of the quarry (rabbits) is a valuable life skill, learned only with experience, is brilliant sport and excercise, i shoot a weihrauch 99s with a 3-9x50 scope on it i had it threaded and silenced, the accuracy is paramount second to none and just as good as a weihrauch 95, it is an awesome hunting weapon i will not need another air rifle for many years to come it is the ultimate rabbit stopper in my , and i like graham won't consider using a PCP as i previously owned one, i find them far too consumable with all the seals on the gun and need to be refilled, if someone purchases this gun they will not be disappointed, but as always with the shoot the skill is in the stalk.

Graham Denton

Sat, 26th Feb 2011 14:59:49

There is nothing more sporting for rabbits, than Stalking them, it teaches excellent fieldcraft and skill in moving in close. I use four 12Ft Lbs Twangers(Springers) and they are well capable of killing rabbits in the head, neck, heart and lung, without having to go and put them out of their suffering. I use a Weihrauch 99S, Air Arms TX-200 Standard, Air Arms TX-200 H.C, and an Air Arms Pro-Sport, I wouldn't shoot with a PCP.

DAN

Wed, 24th Mar 2010 16:11:56

hello i hav been shooting rabbits for a few years now , of my experience , u get wat u pay 4 like you've all said they come at different /lbs ,manufactors,etc . i used 2 hav a webley stingray which retails at about Â£150 Â£180 that was 12/lbs which is the legal limit in the uk . altough in its own right a very good air rifle i found that longer shots ie 40-50 yrds was mere impossible a nearly always needed a second shot . so would only shoot betweenn 25-35 yrds for a effective head shot kill . last year i brought myself a weinrauch hw97 k this retails between Â£350 Â£450 dependings on the model. i found that not only could i effectivly hit a kill at 40-60 yards but found myself enjoyin it a pushing the limits , and its still suprising me now! i beleive its all about quailty and unfortunatly money ! but a gun is for life so would recommend buying the best u can afford or mayb wait a save till u can get that special gun.Because it does make a big difference! as for feild craft if u cant get that right without spookin the quarry u might as well b using a spud gun ! thanks

Michiel

Wed, 9th Dec 2009 10:16:13

Hello, i will buy an air rifle for hunting rabbits, but i don't know wich one, i will spend 300 to 500 EURO on de air rifle. i've seen the BSA lightning XL the Benjamin Super Streak. Can you please send me a message at what range the BSA lightning xl is good for ? or another air rifle ? Thank You So So So Much !! Michiel_van_heupen@hotmail.com

Tjeerd Rinsma

Fri, 16th Oct 2009 11:22:14

Dear Sir, Here an e-mail form Holland. In a few weeks we have a meeting with people form the Goverment to talk about rabbit pestcontrol. I think the use of and airgun in .22 with a power between 22 and 30 ftpound is very effective to schoot rabbits. What I need is websiyts or rapports form England where we can read that good airguns (like Daystate or Weihrauf) are very effective for pest controle. Mine question to you is can you help me on that information so we can show the people form the goverment how things are working in the UK. It would be a great help ! or maybe you know an other person who can help me. Greeting form Holland Tjeerd Rinsma

Lloyd

Tue, 28th Jul 2009 20:05:50

i use a BSA scorpion and BSA Lightning XL, i prefer to get as close as possible, it so fun just to stalk up to them, even if they get away its a good laugh

anthony ball

Wed, 10th Jun 2009 01:39:08

I have a air arms s410 .22 I would not shoot over 40 yards for a good head shot

Kevin Jonston

Sun, 19th Apr 2009 18:04:37

Provided the weapon/ pellet combination will have 6ftlbs of energy at your chosen range and you are an accurate shot most decent rifles on the market should do the job with only the cheaper weapons being the exception not because of power but due to the accuracy. I personally have shot rabbits with head shots at 60 yards with my HW97K and Lightning XL both in .22 all one shot kills resulting in instant death to the quarry

John

Fri, 16th May 2008 15:15:51

Forgot to add that i generally hit them at 20-40 yards depending on how close i can get to them,i prefer to hide rather then stalk them, its a lot easier physically. I awlays aim for a head shot nothing else (if u hit it its dead outright), id rather miss a rabbit altogether then get a chest shot and watch it scream about until i got a hold of it and finished it. If i cant get a head shot i wont shoot. I have killed them outright at 45-50 yds, a lot depends on your gun and scope (and a bit of luck) ultimatley.

John

Fri, 16th May 2008 15:11:07

There is no substitue for good fieldcraft tho as Mark mentions. Gettign the right spot to sit in or stalking rabbits is half the battle, the more you go the better youll get. Its not unusual for me to get half a dozen tho per trip

John

Fri, 16th May 2008 15:08:25

I own a Theoben Fenman 22 air rifle, its a gas ram 12 pounder. Its fitted with a 3-10x44 nite scope. I did have an old scope on it and have found my kill rate has increased dramatically sicne buying the new scope. Therefore i would say that its a must to get a decent scope. Tho i do agree, tht fittign a good scope to a "gat" gun isnt goin to do the trick. I can def recommend my Theoben tho

Mark White

Sun, 10th Feb 2008 16:19:04

I can not believe that you can say any rifle with a good scope on will let you shot rabbits at 50 yards, yes there are rifles that you can do this with but most just about hold a group at 35 yards of 2 inches but the cheaper ones on the market don't group well enough at 12ft/lb and would not shot anything at 20 yards. As most cheap rifles are either 10ft/lb but over 8ft/lb which is ok up 30 yards if it a good make. The caliber is also important to as a 177 would not have enough energy left to cause enough trauma at 50 yards unless shoot in the head, were as if it was a pigeon a 22 would be no good unless shoot in the head as there feather would more then likely deflect the shot at 35 yards. As for the scope I have neither paid more then 50 pounds. I can not see the point of going out shooting things when you have a 50% chances of missing or wounding with out the human and weather factor on top. and the gun in the pic looks like a gammo which you should never shoot at quarry over 40yards as it is not a full power rifle 12ft/lb yes field craft is important to but so is the gun and a semi good scope will do.