Hunting With Big Bore Airguns: Yes, Airguns Got Serious

June 29, 2026

There was a time when most people heard “airgun” and thought of a kid in the backyard shooting soda cans while trying not to get yelled at by Dad.

That version of airgunning still exists, and honestly, it’s wonderful.

But big bore airguns are a different animal.

A big bore airgun is not your old BB gun. It is not a casual plinker. It is not something you buy because you want to quietly annoy a soup can at $15$ yards. Big bore airguns are powerful hunting tools designed to shoot large projectiles with enough energy for serious game, where legal.

They are also one of the fastest-growing parts of the airgun world, mostly because airgunners are apparently incapable of leaving anything simple.

We started with pellets. Then came PCP rifles. Then slugs. Then airbows. Then somebody said, “What if this air rifle could take a deer?”

And here we are.

What Is a Big Bore Airgun?

A big bore airgun is usually a PCP air rifle in a larger caliber than the common small-bore sizes like $.177$ , $.22$ , and $.25$ .

Big bore airguns often start around $.30$ caliber and go up from there. Common big bore calibers include:

$.30$
$.35$
$.40$
$.45$
$.50$
Even larger specialty calibers

Instead of shooting lightweight pellets, many big bore airguns shoot heavy slugs, bullets, or specialized airgun projectiles.

These rifles use compressed air stored in a high-pressure reservoir. When fired, they release a large volume of air to push a heavy projectile downrange.

This creates much more energy than a standard pellet rifle.

In plain English: big bore airguns hit hard.

Not firearm hard in every case, but much harder than the airguns most people grew up with.

What Can You Hunt With a Big Bore Airgun?

This depends completely on your local laws.

In some places, big bore airguns are legal for deer, hogs, predators, exotic species, and other game. In other places, they may only be legal for certain animals, certain seasons, or not legal at all.

Do not assume.

Hunting regulations change from state to state and sometimes from one county to another. Before hunting with a big bore airgun, check your wildlife agency’s rules.

Not your buddy’s opinion.

Not a comment thread.

Not “I saw a guy do it on YouTube.”

Actual laws.

Game wardens are not known for accepting “but the internet seemed confident” as a defense.

Why Hunt With a Big Bore Airgun?

They Can Be Very Effective

With the right rifle, projectile, distance, and shot placement, big bore airguns can be effective hunting tools.

They deliver heavy projectiles with enough energy for certain game animals where legal.

But this is not magic. Power alone does not make a rifle ethical. Accuracy and shot placement matter more.

A big bore airgun is only as good as the person behind it. Terrible news, I know.

They Are Often Quieter Than Firearms

Big bore airguns are not silent. Some are actually pretty loud.

But many are quieter than centerfire rifles, especially when properly moderated where legal.

That can be helpful on private land, in areas where noise matters, or when hunting animals that spook easily.

Still, “quieter” does not mean “ninja silent.” If you fire a powerful big bore PCP, people nearby may notice. So will your dog. So will your conscience if you forgot your backstop.

They Offer a Different Challenge

Big bore airgun hunting is often a close-range game.

Compared to modern firearms, big bore airguns usually have more limited range and more curved trajectories. You need to understand distance, energy, projectile drop, and your own ability.

That makes hunting with them more like bowhunting in some ways.

You get closer. You pick your shots carefully. You pass on bad angles.

You do not launch a prayer into the next zip code and hope physics is feeling generous.

The Importance of Shot Placement

Shot placement is everything.

Big bore airguns can be powerful, but they do not give you permission to be sloppy. Ethical hunting means making clean, humane kills.

That means you need to know:

Your rifle’s true accuracy
Your projectile’s energy at distance
Your maximum ethical range
The animal’s anatomy
The correct shot angle
What is behind the target

If you are not completely confident in the shot, do not take it.

A passed shot is not failure. It is maturity wearing boots.

Distance Matters

A big bore airgun may be powerful at the muzzle, but projectiles slow down. Energy drops. Trajectory curves. Wind matters.

You need to test your rifle at real distances before hunting.

Do not sight in at $25$ yards, watch one dramatic online hunting video, and decide you are ready for $100$ -yard shots on live game.

That is not confidence. That is how bad stories begin.

Spend time on the range. Learn your drop. Use a rangefinder. Know where your projectile hits at $30$ , $50$ , $75$ , and $100$ yards if your setup is capable of that.

Your ethical range is not the farthest distance the gun can shoot.

Your ethical range is the farthest distance where you can place the shot correctly every time under field conditions.

There is a difference, and the animal deserves that difference.

Big Bore Airguns Need Air

Big bore PCPs use a lot of air.

A small-bore PCP might give you dozens of shots per fill. A big bore may give far fewer. Some powerful rifles only provide a handful of full-power shots before needing a refill.

That means you need filling equipment.

Options include:

High-pressure hand pump
Carbon fiber tank
Electric compressor

Technically, you can fill some big bores with a hand pump.

Technically, you can also dig a swimming pool with a spoon.

A compressor or carbon fiber tank is usually much more practical.

Ammo Is Not Cheap

Big bore airgun projectiles cost more than standard pellets.

You may shoot slugs, cast bullets, or specialty ammo. Testing different weights and designs is part of the process.

Your rifle may love one projectile and hate another. This is normal.

Airguns are picky. Big bores are just picky with a larger appetite.

Final Thoughts

Big bore airguns are serious hunting tools when used legally, ethically, and responsibly.

They are powerful, interesting, and capable — but they are not shortcuts. You still need practice, judgment, proper equipment, and respect for the animal.

If you enjoy close-range hunting and want something different from firearms or bows, big bore airguns are worth exploring.

Just remember: big bore airgun hunting is not backyard plinking with a gym membership.

It is real hunting.

Treat it that way.

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