In addition to regular air rifles, all the cool kids are using the for international shooting, including the Olympics. Some of them cost more than $4k.
Posted on 12/04/2025 6:55:35 AM PST by marktwain
In the winter of 2014, an adult female wolf was found dead in northern Minnesota, on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. When the necropsy was performed, the cause of death was determined to be from a single wound from an ordinary pellet gun. Described as “low powered”, the pellet was almost certainly either .177 or .22 caliber. Although this incident occurred in 2014, I only learned of it this year. Ordinary pellet guns have been powerful enough to kill humans and even a black bear.
The wolf was a lone female who had been driven out of the pack on Isle Royale. It had a radio collar as part of the Isle Royale study. Researchers said the wolf had almost been killed twice, in fights with another female wolf, presumably, to keep her out of the pack. During the winter, ice had allowed the wolf to reach the mainland, 18 miles from Isle Royale.
It was suspected that the wolf was shot not far from where it was found on the Indian Reservation. Investigators speculated the shot was intended to drive the wolf away, rather than to kill it. The pellet entered between two ribs and punctured an artery, leading to death. The Isle Royal pack was on the edge of extinction, with only eight members left in 2014. It was reduced to one animal by 2019. The moose population was also down, as it had nearly eliminated aspen on the island, subsisting on the far less nutritious balsam pine.
The wolf probably weighed about 70 lbs. Wolves are not particularly hard to kill. A .22 rimfire in the same area would have easily penetrated wolf ribs if the bullet encountered them, causing serious bleeding in the thoracic cavity. Death usually occurs within minutes.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
It is if it's shot from a pellet rifle. See my home page.
You have. .22 cal pellets shot from pellet rifles and .22 cal rimfire cartridges shot from firearms.
Most punctures of the thoracic cavity are fatal, if not treated to prevent the collapse of a lung or infection.
I had some deer in my garden (someone left the gate open) and grabbed the closest rifle which turned out to be my pellet rifle. I wanted to shoot a deer (feeding on my beet tops) in the hind qtr. At the last second it turned and the pellet hit the deer in the soft groin, and paralyzed the deer. It could not walk on it’s hind legs. Not my intention at all, I just wanted to tap it’s butt, and make it run away. I had to get my .22 Remington with a long rifle shell and put one in it’s head. Did get some very nice backstraps and some other cuts though.
Thank you for the first person account. Valuable information.
Most people don’t know it, but the Lewis and Clark expedition carried very powerful air rifles with them that were fully capable of killing humans and game.
Ah… you beat me to that! I was fascinated when I read that… :-)
https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/crosman-600.1235230/
https://airgunwarriors.com/community/airgun-talk/crosman-m-600/
I have a fine little pellet gun collection.
My favorites are my Crosman 600 pistols.
They are .22 and are quite accurate and hard hitting!
I think your comment struck a nerve.
In many states they are protected.
The responses have, so far, been both polite and informative.
Some comments simply expose the ignorance of the poster.
LOL. sure did. Pellet shooters of America must unite!
” Modern air rifles have come a long way from that Red Ryder BB gun you played with eons ago.”
Lewis and Clark carried one in .51.
We have had for quite a few years now “Coydogs” or “Coywolves” which are part coyote, part wolf and part dog in New Jersey! They look like a cross between a coyote and a wolf, and are larger than a coyote, but smaller than a wolf. The largest one I’ve heard about from a hunter friend of mine was a little over 70 lbs. They are not as timid as a coyote and will kill and eat domestic dogs and feral cats and can jump over fences. Some good things about this and some not so good. We now have fewer feral cats, more songbirds and more cottontail rabbits. On the other hand, do not let a dog out at night to do it’s business by itself, and have a weapon handy.
Where did Lewis & Clark get the CO2 cartridges ?
I didn’t realize they were available in 1804?
(s)
That sort of thing never became "mainstream". Very low powered BB guns (eg "Red Ryder") and careless play with them was very mainstream. We've gone from air rifles being serious weapons (Lewis and Clark) to air guns being toys (the smoothbore RR) to air rifles being serious weapons again (see Cabela's or even Wal*Mart).
In addition to regular air rifles, all the cool kids are using the for international shooting, including the Olympics. Some of them cost more than $4k.
Air guns have been around for over 400 years. Various European armies used quite a few of them.
I have a .22 pellet rifle.
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Same here when I was a kid. It was fun.
> game management
As if it is some kind of farm.
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