Still confused after reading the 2019 air gun review

bobcov - October 3, 2020

What is the best choice for best chance of killing or incapacitating an intruder with an air gun? I figure it needs to be able to fire multiple rounds and those rounds should deliver as much energy as possible through a combination of weight or velocity in a weapon small enough to manuever in a small space like a bedroom. I saw something called Drozd Blackbird.  With that high rate of fire, would those pellets do anything?

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For the purpos you intend, you need  a realfirearm, as well as a good amount of training and practice.

 

Alright, so you say there’s no airgun that can kill or incapacitate within the parameters I have set out.  Anybody else feel this can’t be done? For motivation, here’s an excerpt from a journal of emergency medicine:

 

This seems like it might do the job. Any comments?: https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Marauder_Air_Rifle/1774#6467.

 

first of all, I did not say “there is no air gun that can killetc.” but an air gun is not the tool for the job you are contemplating.  What re the advantages you perceive?

I am not surprised tht people have died at the hands of someone with an airgun. But you are talking about an aggressor who very likely will not perish right away and quite possibly will have the capability and the motivation to do bad things to you.  Your aim (so to speak) should be to stop the threat.  For that you ned training and experience with a real weapon

You are considring lethal force.  There will be potentially dire consequences following a lethal force encounter, even if just incapacitated.  Assuming you survive, be well versed in your rights.

 

FYI, PyramidAir has not been handling the surge in demand well. Ordered a rifle, the back order estimate was off by almost two months. When it arrived the stock was broken and the parts (scope etc.) that came with it were not attached and different from what was ordered. Attempting to return it took literally weeks for a response.  When it was finally sent back it then took them another month to issue the refund.  Would not use them again.  

 

Thanks for that heads-up via your personal experience.

 

Couple things about about terminal ballistics. Most people who get shot, do not know they are shot. Unlike what is portrayed in media, people who are shot do not fall down unless a bullet hits the brain or spine. 

Airguns can be lethal but they are not incapacitating. People who have been in gun fights will tell you that in order to stop someone, you shoot until the threat is stopped. That can take an entire magazine. 

People who have been shot in the heart and lungs mutiple times can still kill you. 

If you are serious about home defense, get a real firearm. Even a .22 LR Rifle or Pistol with expanding type ammunition will work.  I would honestly take pepper spray combined with blunt tool or large edged weapon over an air gun.

Unfortunatly, a motivated, drugged up intruder can only be stopped with a lot of bullets aimed at key zones on the body. 

 

Excellent advice Thomas. There’s a reason the standards for most defensive drills involve rounds being in the “A” zone, a roughly 6″x11″ box in the center of the target. Rounds need to be stacked inside of that zone in order to destroy vital organs or take out the CNS, which is the best way to stop an attacker outside of a headshot. There’s new video that just came out the other night of a Chicago female officer being attacked by a very large suspect with a large knife, who took 21 rounds before his body finally gave up. Handgun rounds are not that great at stopping people, so I would not count on air rifle standing much chance at all. 

 

Have you compared the amount of energy delivered by different handgun calibers vs. modern Air rifles that can put out 800+ fpe?  Or are you comfortable just making blanket statements based upon dated assumptions?  There was some research done on what calibre hand gun has the best  ‘stopping power’.  The result: they are All pretty effective, even the .22 especially when you get in 2 or 3 shots.   You are discounting the psychological effects of being shot (especially while unarmed).  It takes more than 50% of people out of the fight, not because they can’t go on, but because they have lost the will to fight.  Like the 1st time you get punched in the face and ur nose starts gushing blood, takes the fight right out of you.

 

And you my friend, have never seen videos of someone who is high out of their mind eating an entire magazine of handgun rounds and still being able to attack. Yes, most normal people will be taken out of the fight by being shot even once, but most normal people also won’t try to break into your house. Adrenaline and drugs can do incredible things to the human body. Yes I know about the .50 cal airguns and such you speak of, and yes, while they make work fine for hunting, I would never want to rely on one in a self defense situation. There are too many factors not in your favor, such as reliability of the weapon, low available round count, and reliability of the air tank. I understand being a prior felon you are limited in your availble options (which could be argued unconstitutional) but understand for those of us not limited by our situations we want the best available means of defense. I would never recommend a .22 for self defense of any kind unless it was your only available option. And no my statements are not based upon “dated assumptions” the more we have studied gunfighting and terminal ballistics the more we understand that multiple rounds to critical areas of the human body is the best way to stop a threat, especially with the more widespread use of drugs that limit pain receptors and put people into an almost “superhuman” state. 

 

Their are now .45 and .50 caliber airguns available that deliver 600+ and 800+ foot pounds of energy (fpe).  Some states now require 300+ fpe for humane deer hunting.   Obviously if it can kill a deer, then… yeah.  As a felon that still wants to have some means of home defense… I keep a couple 24 oz cans of Police (OC-17) Magnum pepper spray handy, knives, a 17 round Huben K1 .25 calibre semi-auto air gun that puts out 100+ fpe,  and a couple loaded .45 calibre new army model cap and ball revolvers that probably deliver around 300+ fpe.  That’s just the beginning, but it’s what I keep close at hand.  Please take it with a grain of salt if anyone tries to tell you that showing up with a black powder revolver or an air rifle isnt better than bringing a knife to a gun fight.