Need Air Rifle Advice

self | 5/13/12 | RightOnline

[Rebelbase]

Excellent. I was gonna look for that vid if no one had yet posted it.

[RightOnline]

Now THAT looks impressive. Wonder how loud that sucker is, though? IF possible, it’d be great if the air rifle of choice was pretty darned quiet, as well.

[Victor]

"....Unfortunately, I live in a subdivision, not the country....but with a very high wooden privacy fence and the back yard......."

I know someone who lives in a similar setting. He picks off his squirrels from a bedroom window using a .22 rimfire loaded with primer-only ammo.

This ammo is very quiet (because there is no powder charge in the casing), travels at around 500 fps and is squirrel-deadly out to about 25 yards.

I forget the technical name for this ammo (Freeper help here!!) but you can get it anywhere, especially Cheaper than Dirt.

[traderrob6]

Sheridan Blue Streak, excellent choice for the money

[traderrob6]

Sheridan Blue Streak, excellent choice for the money

[Macoozie]

I agree with #7, check your local civil regulations, neighborhood or development rules, local laws and animal control.

In some areas, you cannot . . .purchase, own possess or otherwise cause to be owned or possess ANYTHING that even looks like a “weapon” without the blessings of the state.
This includes paint ball guns, pellet or other air-rifles, black powder configurations or . . . wait . . .
“threatening water weapons”, i.e for those in Rio Linda, squirt guns!

Children’s water pistols have to be brightly colored and not look like anything realistic.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

.177 is very popular, I don’t own a high end model $200+ but can vouch for as my cheapo Crosman has bagged a few opossum’s as well as other dangerous game.

A friend of mine nails an ear of corn to the fence then picks off squirrels while they are snacking.

If you have kids or a wife with a weak constitution make an action plan ahead of time for disposing of the body.

Make a head or upper torso shot. If you shoot their digestive system it stinks pretty bad.

[trebb]

Same choice I made. You only get targets on occasion and a pump is always ready - nothing to leak. I also like heavier rounds that are subsonic. That's why I got a .22 rifle. At that close range (<30 yards), iron sights ia the way to go. I'd save the money that you would spend on the scope and buy a better quality rifle.

Yep - good rifle and iron sights is best for short, varying distances. Popped a cottonmouth in the head at 60' with one a while back. Unless you're hunting at a distance, I prefer iron sights and using my instincts to accommodate distance and wind effects. Plus, I haven't hunted in years and my weapons are more for self-defense these days - hard to justify a scope on a self-defense weapon...

[Cboldt]

Something you might notice when reading reviews is remarks about the triggers. The only gun I have with a better trigger than that Beeman R-7 is on a Feinwerkbau air-powered target pistol.

Beeman now makes a range of product, some cheaper, some better. You won't need the most powerful or fastest pellet, and the more power, the more effort for each shot. But you'll be glad you paid a bit more for a good trigger and good barrel.

[csmusaret]

I love my Gamo with 4x scope. Ten year old grandson shoots a 3 shot group at 35 yards you can cover with a dime. Paid $129 at Bass Pro Shop. Killed a racoon with it. Shoot nothing but ordinary lead pellets, .177 cal. Love it.

[Tijeras_Slim]

It’s not terribly loud. Of course, I shot ground squirrels for years in the suburbs by having a shooting bench in the middle of the room and firing out an open sliding glass door with .22 shorts. The room soaked up most of the sound.

[Deaf Smith]

“reign of terror... annoying... heathens. “

Have you thought about dishing out your own terror and annoyance to the heathens?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fINmQ633tQ4&feature=related

[djf]

Yup.

.177

I have a Crossman pump and that puppy shoots straight as an arrow. And near total silence, just a sort of whooshing sound like the air coming out of a balloon.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

There is a small gunsmith in Boliver, Missouri who will do the job.

Check out Quackenbush air guns. His smallest shoots a .495 (.50 cal) round ball.

[Tijeras_Slim]

The range and pattern using .22 shotshells out of a rifled barrel is disappointing. However if you have a .22 smoothbore, they (especially the crimped type) are deadly. Keeps most of the pattern on a paper plate at 30 feet. Plus, even if pointed up at a 30 degree angle, #12 shot will only travel 100 feet.

[diverteach]

[SgtBob]

I’ve owned a Crosman 766 ‘75 and it is still putting fuzzy tree rats in the frying pan, and out of my tomato patch. While I don’t think it’s manufactured anymore, the model 2100 is a close match, and a hell of a lot cheaper than Benjamin (manufactured by Crosman).

200 BB magazine, or single shot pellet .177 caliber.

As for scopes, I don’t use them, but Tasco makes some inexpensive scope for air rifles.

Hope this helps and saves you some cash.

[Vendome]

just get a Daisy. $50ish bucks at a Walmart near you.

Pump it up 20 times and fire away. Not expensive, extremely accurate and reliable.

[Hardraade]

If you can, pick up a good used Webley Vulcan. Good velocity even in .22, plenty of power. Parts and service still available.

[tomkat]

Daisy Powerline 1000 .177cal w/ 3-9x32 scope + tru-glo iron sights .. 1,000 fps.

Mine's taken out a good sized groundhog @ 50yds, so squirrel's w/o doubt.

~$190 on Daisy's site, ~$150 with a bit of looking around.

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