The Air Rifle Gun Blog

i want a cheap but good small game hunting air gun

>>I want a cheap but good small game hunting air gun<<

What is cheap to you? It would be nice if you had given a price range that you wanted to stay within.

The Winchester 1000x - $90
Beeman SS1000-AW - $110
Crosman Phantom - $110

IMO the best value air rifle is the RWS 34 Panther, you can buy one for $159.
http://www.gunbroker.com
This is my favorite site to hunt for great deals.

For anyone who thinks it's not possible to hunt with the .177 I provide the following articles/photos/video as proof, that when used correctly the .177 is very capable.

Jim Chapman - Hunting with his favorite small game air rifle, the Beeman C1 .177
http://www.americanairgunhunter.com/webc1.html
He takes a rabbit at 44yds with a head shot. His C1 has a MV velocity of 840-850fps, which traslates to 574fps and 6.07fpe at 44yds

One Shot - One Kill - Gamo Hunter Extreme .177 - 180lb Hog
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=55316
Watch the video

You do need an accurate air rifle, one capable of hitting a 1 to 1 1/2in target(head).

IMO - and MO is backed up by ballistics, the articles and photos I provided, and 46 years of hunting rabbit with a .177 the past 30 with the same rifle(850fps). the minimum for taking small game such as rabbit & squirrel is around 6fpe at impact, with proper shot placement and hunting pellets.

Compare the .177 to .22

.177
1000fps - 8.3gr=18.43fpe

.22
800fps - 14.5gr=20.61fpe

Many makes and model air rifles come in both .177 & .22 "usually" if they do, & "if" the .177 has a MV of 1000fps the .22 will have a MV of 800fps. So I'm comparing apples to apples in my example.

The .177 and .22 are actually pretty equal, there are some advantages to the .177 and some to the .22. If most of your hunting will be under 35yds I would go with the .177 at longer ranges go with the .22.

If your idea of cheap is $320 I would go with the RWS 350 in .22 >This is an awesome air rifle, you would never need to buy another<
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/rws-35-magnum-air-rifle.shtml
$320 on gunbroker

Good sites to checkout airguns
http://www.pyramydair.com
http://www.airgundepot.com
http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com
http://www.beeman.com

Air gun hunters forum
http://www.network54.com/forum/278708
Research - Rabbit & Squirrel hunting and see if these guys don't back up what I have to say.