Here are some pictures of my Ripley XL9 This is a top of the range Air Rifle, highly accurate and extremely reliable. I had a safety fitted during manufacture and I have never regretted it. In my opinion ALL rifles should have a safety. It should be mandatory. The bolt action is Left Handed.

Specification: Rifle

• Calibre .177 at 12ft lbs (Under)
• Left Hand action and Sporter Stock
• Carbine
• Black Anodized Matt Finish
• Sling Studs Fitted
• Forward "Safety Trigger"

There are TWO moderators with the kit
 

1) A full size 8.5"

2) A 5.75" Cutdown

Both moderators are made by Ripley and very effective

 

The Stock is a polished Beech Sporter stock with rollover cheek piece (Lefty of course)

 

Specification: Scope

Nigthforce NXS  3.5-15x56 Parallax set at 25yds NP-R2 Recticle. There is a detachable 3" screw on sunshade (not shown in the pics)
 

 

                                     

                                    

This is an article I wrote back in April-07 Let me know what you think? I'd like a bit of feedback-get a bit of dialogue going if you know what I mean?

Which Is The Most Accurate .177 Calibre Or .22 Calibre?

Which is the most accurate .177 calibre or .22 calibre? As an Air-gunner this question is a very important one. There are many claims on both sides of the fence.

This question appears in all the Magazines is on all the Websites in all the Articles on air-gunning and it goes on and on and on! I honestly wish people would be a bit more sensible when they think about the question which is more accurate or which is the better calibre.

For a technical evaluation to the question you would have to apply scientific principles.

What principles? Well velocities from both barrels would have to be the same, (The velocities are restricted in the UK to produce 12 foot pounds of energy). Wind conditions would have to be exactly the same, (which they never are) so you would need to conduct this experiment in a wind tunnel or controlled atmosphere.

The guns would have to be fired from a fixed point, perhaps a rigid vice certainly not a bench rest. Rifling turns per inch would need to be exactly the same and the specific diameter of the barrels perfectly matching.

The weight of the pellets would need to be exactly the same (which isn't possible comparing .177 and .22 and its here that it starts to get silly. In other words every variable condition would have to be exactly the same which is impossible because they are different calibres. It doesn't make sense does it?

You see the reason is you cannot compare two things that are different and expect to come up with an identifiable, measurable, quantifiable difference according specific criteria.

You cannot compare Apples and Oranges and expect every point to be comparable, they are different. Yes they have similarities but they are not essentially the same.

So you see you cannot compare .177 and .22 and ask which is more accurate and asking that wrong question is the reason that this debate goes on and on forever.

Will you please stop asking the WRONG question?

So how do we make some sense of it all? Well I think we first have to revise the QUESTION. What we should be asking is; what is it that you want to achieve? Alongside a second question; how good are you, or how good can you become in learning and practicing and controlling all the variables that exist in placing that pellet where you want it to go?

Do you want the punch or the velocity because thats the choice in the UK.

Every pellet, (any calibre) and any bullet from any gun follows a trajectory. In the UK because of the energy restrictions the .177 air-gun has a higher velocity (therefore a flatter trajectory) than the .22 calibre. The .22 is heavier therefore has more residual energy (punch) at a given distance.

The hitting of your chosen target is dependent upon how well you know and can control your rifle and your bullet trajectory (bullet drop compensation chart), compensate for wind variation and hold steady when you release the pellet.

So you see there are no right and wrongs. I use .177 as it is my preference. I hunt rabbit. The .177 carries a residual 7 foot pounds at about 60 yards. It takes 3.5 foot pounds to kill a rabbit (in the kill zone at 60 yards).

So let us stop this constant arguing over which calibre is better.

Decide what you want to achieve, with what equipment and then deal with the particular restrictions and peculiarities of your chosen calbre.

I think you will find they are both great calibres and it is a privilege to be able to shoot either one.

Now then! What I want to begin with is to show you a 'pair of beauties'. I am just going to pop them up on the blog and let you all 'drool' over them. Then in a couple of days I will give you some background, specifications etc. But for now cast your eyes on them, feast on them...............

Hi Every-one I am back from Safari. I have been away for quite a while but I am now back home after many adventures on the road. I have a lot of really interesting Stories to relate and a number of articles I have written that hopefully will you with your shooting and hunting. I have never professed to 'know it all' but I have learned some things along the way and am willing to pass on my knowledge and experience to any-one who wants to listen. So I will close this and begin a new phase. It would be nice to get a few comments along the way and a bit of feedback. So get to it fellas and of course lasses. Now what particular questions you have, I wonder. Let me know and we can discuss them - Bye for now.

Out on a Hunt: The place where I live and hunt is beautiful. The countryside is both hilly and wooded. There is a great variety of “Topography” that’s a fancy way of saying landscape. There are open areas, wooded areas, bushy and hilly spots. There are lots of dry stone walls so there are many places to stalk or ambush our sworn enemy the WABBIT! I just have to show you a couple of pics of the track up to the hunt. Hope you like them! Bye For Now!

Here is a bit of background on the creature. All though a wabbit can live for several years (I’ve heard up to about 6 years) the average life span seems to be about 2 years. An adult rabbit was originally called a “Coney” the name “Wabbit” was reserved for a baby or a young one. The wabbit was first introduced to this country about the eleventh century. Some say they came from France others from Spain. They were introduced to be farmed as a commercial proposition, eventually they spread and went wild. They prefer to live under hedgerows, trees and dry stone walls. They like to burrow in sandy ground and feed locally. The burrows weaken the ground and so the walls fall down, trees and hedges are destroyed; cows (and horses) break legs down the holes and they like to feed especially in your garden. By the middle of the 1900’s they had reached crisis proportions in this country so someone had the bright idea of introducing them to a flea transmitting virus called Myxoma. The resulting disease Myxomatosis was a blight on our society. Now don’t get me wrong I’m all for killing wabbit but this is a despicable way to kill. A clean shot to the wabbit kill zone will cause it to roll over-dead. Myxomatosis takes about 10-14 days to kill (very slowly) and if you’ve seen a wabbit walking round in circles not knowing where it is going, blinded, sick, being fed upon alive by the environment, flies literally eating it alive, rooks and crows after its eyes a free meal for the fox its not a pretty sight. Whoever was responsible for this should be given a dose themselves-any way that's a bit of history!

Hi Folks! This is the mighty weapon that strikes fear in the heart of every evil wabbit! A hand made Ripley Carbine XL9 9 shot repeater .177 calibre (If I have to use a .22 I might as well use a bow and arrow). Scope; Nightforce 3-15x56 with illuminated recticle. This equipment is the chosen kit of the SWF (Special Wabbit Forces in the UK and Ireland) noted for its quality, reliability and and just downright point and shoot policy. The sling is on Q.D. Quick Release Swivels positioned to take a Harris Bipod for those extra long range shots. This kit takes can take a wabbit at 60yds (I'd only do it off the Pod at that range). My next buletin will feature the hang-outs and the lair of the wabbit beasts. Be sure to call in and follow the chronicles.

Wabbit Wars Chapter One

Well folks this is the beginning of what has been a lifelong adventure. They are everywhere, they are vicious, conniving and ready to attack at the slightest provocation. They must be eradicated in order for us to survive as a race. They threaten our very existence! They must be exterminated. They are breeding like mad, this can only lead to disaster. It has been my life's work to hunt them down and SHOOT THEM DEAD!!! Follow this site as we together can wage our skillful war against the threat to humanity. In my next post I will show you the weapon of choice that has served me well, in fact it has never let me down. Watch this space as we battle with the mighty WABBIT!!!