I noticed that PyramidAir sells a couple of rifles in .45 and .50 caliber with a muzzle velocity of about 700fps. What kind of damage could those do?
What kind of damage could an .25 caliber air rifle do if the lead you are slinging is doing between 1400 and 1650fps?
PyramidAir has one for $400.
Those large-caliber air rifles are made in Korea, where it is difficult to get firearms for hunting. I’m sure they would be lethal at close range. They are powered by compressed air reservoirs filled from a large external tank (like a SCUBA tank). There have also been military airguns on the same principle (pre-charged pneumatic). Lewis & Clark carried one, and the Austrian army used them in the Napoleonic wars.
I looked up a test where the Sam Yang .50 cal. Dragon Claw produced 180-188 ft-lb of muzzle energy. That compares with roughly 320-340 ft-lb for 9mm or .45 cal handguns, and 116-150 ft-lb for .22 long rifle ammo.