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Videos Episode 25 – Introduction to airgun calibers: Part 1

Episode 25 – Introduction to airgun calibers: Part 1


How do you know which caliber is best for what you want to do? If you hunt, do you want .177 or .22? What about .25 caliber? Is .20 caliber an optimal selection? What about target shooting? Or just plain plinking? If you have more questions than answers, then sit back and listen as we tell you some basic differences between the calibers and why you’ll want to pick one over another.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

7 thoughts on “Episode 25 – Introduction to airgun calibers: Part 1”

  1. Love the new format with the training session and study hall rooms! I’ve been telling my boys that you never stop learning no matter how old you get and Prof. Tony. as we call him, has proved that with all the information he provides in all his tutorials. Tony keeps it simple and to the point and the notes really reiterate the subject he is explaining.. Even I, who was very much against my boys owning guns at such young ages, have been impressed. We all sit down now and watch Prof. Tony’s videos together and I’ve learned right along with my boys. Oh, and Tony looks very handsome in his new company shirt!
    Keep up the good work you do with these very professional videos.
    Regards,
    Cathy
    P.S. There appears to be a problem with your Spell Check.

  2. Cathy,
    Thanks for the feedback. We don’t get a lot of it and every bit helps us shape these videos for the future.
    Thank you also for sharing your change of mind on guns for your boys. As a parent you control the future of the world and we are very pleased that you have decided to educate your boys on gun safety.
    I wrote a special six-part blog for moms who have young boys learning to shoot.:
    /blog/2010/10/single-mom-teaches-children-to-shoot-part-6/
    I hope you find something in there that’s helpful. And thanks, again, for the feedback.
    Tom Gaylord

  3. Greetings Tom …
    I have been meaning to write for some time and say how much I enjoy your Airgun Academy series. It is truly unique. I am trying to image a motorcycle dealer or tennis pro shop who would go to the expense, work, and careful consideration of material to come up with these wonderful programs. They actually are excellent for what they seem to be intended to do. I say this with the experience of having been a trainer in industry myself, and, for a while, employed by a motorcycle manufacturer. The process of attracting and holding the attention of an “entheusiast customer” is a whole different way of going about one’s business. The Airgun Academy, and its overall tone, is spot on, in my opinion.
    I firmly believe that the things we fear are the things that we don’t understand. Understanding erases fear, and Cathy’s comments are testimony to that fact. For me personally, and taking into consideration that I obtained the Marksmanship merit badge in the BSA with a pellet rifle, and qualified Expert with both a M-1 and a .45 in the service, I still spent most of my adult life dead set against “shooting”. Recently I discovered the challenge and skill development presented to pellet rifle serious target shooters. The FIRST thing I did was to sit down, and, over the course of three evenings, I watched all 26 episodes of the Arigun Academy. I found myself taking notes! What a wonderful basic education I got in very little time. I want to thank you for that, it was very valuable to me. And, as a payoff for you, I have already become your customer. I visit your web site now no less than once per week.
    I can’t help but think that, if you keep developing this series, that you might consider collecting all of these episodes and put them on a single DVD and offer it for sale at a minimal price. I am sure that many parents, like Cathy, would be willing to sit down with their children and make some “together time” and study those videos, especially if there were some kind of lesson plan prepared for them to follow. Perhaps the Airgun Academy could become even more than just a virtual place, and become a real voice in preservation of a great sport and preparing more and more people to participate in it. If you ever think that there is any merit to this idea, I would like to be considered for taking part in it.
    Keep up the good work. You investment in this series is great, I know, but the benefit will far exceed the cost for sure.
    Thanks for your concern.
    John M
    Southern Indiana

    • John M.,
      Wow! Thanks for your wonderful feedback. I’m sure Tom will comment when he returns from the range.
      Pyramyd AIR has created a CD with the first 10 episodes. You can find it here:
      /product/pyramyd-air-airgun-academy-dvd-instructional-airgun-videos-episodes-1?a=3480
      Regards,
      Edith

    • John M.,
      What a pleasure it is to read that this series is actually helping someone! We know the subject matter is dirt-simple, but often the fundamental things get overlooked in a rush to do the big thing, and in so doing, we lose the best portion of the experience. So we will keep right on producing these videos for folks like you and Cathy.
      Tom Gaylord

  4. HI Tom …
    I got the idea that this series really was meant for people like Cathy and me. It is directed right square at our skill level.
    There is one other comment from Mike, I think, who surely has a much higher level of knowledge with the result that he was disappointed. To me that indicates two things … the labeling may be a little off and it might stress more of a Beginner or Introduction program, but, there already is an indication that you will find an audience when you finish with the basics and tackle the more advanced stuff. Can you tell that I think this is an absolutely wonderful idea and it seems to be working.
    One area where I am lacking information now is with the notion of competition. I could use an Introduction to Competition 101. How to score targets, classes, equipment, sanction bodies and then where to go to find some near the place where you live. That would be the next step for me.
    So, thanks again. I look forward to the next installment of the Airgun Academy like I used to look forward to Boy’s Life!
    John

    • John M.,
      I have done several blogs on getting started in competition. Read these reports:
      /blog/2008/08/10-meter-pistol-shooting-part-7.html (7 parts)
      /blog/2008/03/10-meter-rifles-part-4-used-10-meter.html (4 parts)
      /blog/2006/08/teach-person-to-shoot-part-5.html (5 parts)
      These are but a few of the intro to competition shooting I have covered. To get videos of this I would either have to be the host or I’d have to get another 10-meter competitor, because this is too specific to handle with a general talent. IU wouldn’t mind doing a series on 10-meter pistol competition but the logistics would have to be sorted out.
      Tom

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