.50 cal air rifles

[Da Backwoodsman]

I know we are all bp fans, but I recently read an article in may/apr-08 backwoodsman on big game air rifles? the picture showed a guy next to a 2000 lb. bison holding a .457 safari air rifle. the article went on to talk about a .308. Now thats saving propellant as air is free but you have to lug around a supersized bike pump to get the required 3000 psi needed about 300 strokes! whats next?

[Mr Woodchuck]

what s next ... hittin em over de head with clubs and catchin lightnun bolts with ya finger tips so ya kin make fire ta eattum... huntin critters like that wiff a big o pellet rifles aunt right.

[Da Backwoodsman]

who you telling, couldnt imagine you'd ever get a second shot! unless you bought 2 of them lol

[RoaringBull]

I guess we could just sneak up on them and yell "BOO" real loud and hope to scare them to death

[Ironwood]

Backwoodsman.... Haven't you ever taken two muzzleloaders to your stand?

[Mr Woodchuck]

The boy kilt a groundhog once wiffa pellet rifle ... to me that wuz pushing it ...
dang thing took 100 yards to bleed out...
   walk softly n carry a big stick

[Da Backwoodsman]

reckon we could wait till they bed down and I will jump on them and hold them while you negotiate their surrender!

[Da Backwoodsman]

no sir ironwood cant say that I have, But When I get to the point I'm doing my big game with an air rifle, Imma get me several and employ ranger to help me haul all the stuff to the blind!

[Ironwood]

Backwoodsman,   

[fd-ems-emt]

You only need one shot !!!!

Sam Yang Industries Big Bore .44 909 Testing

I got the Sam Yang Industries Big Bore .44 909s from Pyramydair about 3 months ago.
First impressions of the gun was quite nice. The fit and finish of the gun was more than on par for the price range. The 909s weighs in at around 7.5 lbs, and balances quite nicely for easy shooting.
Barrel is rifled. Very nice wood and engraving on receiver.

Shooting components:
I bought a used Scuba tank (3000 ftp) for filling, because I heard it goes through a lot of air. I will be  able to fill the rifle to 3000 psi and the gun showed no lockups at that pressure.
I bought Round nose Pellets in the 170 gr. weight to do my testing.
I Micââ,¬â,,¢d a few of the Pellets and found them to be .4565 to .457 in size.
Manual state I can use any .457 Roundball or Lead Bullets and Pellets in the .456 - .457 size.
I barrowed a friends Chronograph to check velocities so I could get some numbers for this testing session.

Shooting comments:
I did all my shooting using a sitting bench and sand bags for support.
After zeroing the rifle at 25 yards,  I  refilled (3000 Ftp) the tank to start with a fill tank and planed to only shoot in 5 shot grouping. The plan was to refilling it after each 5 shoot grouping  so all the groups would be is the same velocities range..


Accuracy is good. At 25 yards, all holes 1 1/2 inch grouping.
At 50 yards out was getting about 2 1/2 inch groups. See pictures belowââ,¬Â¦.

For the penetration test, I used a 2x4 post at 25 and 50 yards.
The 170 gr. Round nose Pellet  pulverize a 2x4 post at both ranges. 

Here are the numbers:
Velocity average was 710 fps ( 5 shots, used the Chronograph for this findings )
Muzzle Energy was a average of 189 fpe ( I used bullet calculator for this findings )

I will be trying some 190 gr. Round nose pellets on my next trip. These should increase the Muzzle Energy..

Being a air rifle, I was surprised the gun is quite loud.
The gun has a fair amount of recoil to it, so you should use good mounts, if you decide to use a scope.
But, being I will be shooting mine under 50 yards, I will not be putting a scope on.

The only bad points to this rifle is that the trigger has a fair amount of creep and the loading port is a bit awkward and will take a little time getting used of.

If your going to put a scope on it, you will need high mounts.
The rear sight sits fairly high and your going to have to plan on taking it off.
I'm not sure that I'd want to take anything pass 50 yards with it.
So using it within that range, the regualer sites should do just fine for game up to the size of deer.

Comments after this shooting session:
I found this rifle to be Powerful and Accurate.
I think it was worth the funds I put into it..
The real test will be this coming Deer seasonââ,¬Â¦

Here is the Rifle and the last targets at 25 and 50 yards..

[Da Backwoodsman]

FD I should have known you would be the one to own a big game air rifle and to shatter mine and bulls fun poking at the seemingly far fetched contraption, Now i done let the boys talk me into a smoothie but I'm sticking my fingers in my ears behind this air rifle...

You are hereby forbidden to mention anyhting else good about them air rifles.

[fd-ems-emt]

I will be using it on a Deer hunt this coming season during the regular gun season.

It has more than enough power to take and game under 50 yards..

[Da Backwoodsman]

FD you're one more post away from standing in the corner!

[Mr Woodchuck]

be a lil worried itd freeze upp in cold weather ... I think FD has a big room full of weird toys... hey  He is my bestist fryend in de whole world...
biggest air rifle on the block too !

[fd-ems-emt]

Only if I get to wear a a pointed hat..

I love to hunt and will use anything that is legal to get out into the field..