Thread: Air rifles that are suitable for possums and rabbits?

Mintie posted some expert information. I'm an airrifle shooter and have the following extra info.
It's all about shot placement with airrifles. If you are talking rabbit and possum and regular power springers (12-20 fpe) a head shot is the only way to go for a humane kill. Place your pellet between the eye and the base of the ear and your good. 4 fpe at the target on a rabbit will do the business, a possum would likely need a bit more, but i think 8-10 fpe at the target would be enough. 177 or 22, both are OK as long as you hit the right spot. An advantage of 177 version of the same gun is, it usually is flatter shooting because of the higher pellet speed. Flatter shooting means range estimation and correction is less critical and you are more likely to hit the brain.
A scoped airrifle shooting a 240 m/s and zeroed at 28m will keep all your shots within 2cm from between 13-31m, so you can aim center cross hairs and hit the kill zone. Be aware of wind though. At 30m your pellet cab drift by several centimeters.
Also, do some research into the artillery hold. The reproducible, light holding of a springer is key to accurately shooting one.