They cost around a jillion dollars, but they truly are phenominal.
Posted on 05/13/2012 6:32:58 AM PDT by RightOnline
Good day, fellow FReepers. I've come to the single best source of information/recommendations online....especially for advice on anything gun-related.
Short version: I'm going to purchase an air rifle (aka "pellet gun"). Darned squirrels here have simply gotten out of hand, and it's time to take 'em out. Heaven knows I've tried everything else; little vandals simply don't take a hint.
I've done a fair amount of research and, so far, I seem to have settled upon the Benjamin Marauder. Pricey, but reviews of this gun are stellar.
Here are my questions, since I've never owned an air rifle:
1. What caliber would you recommend for picking off squirrels? I've been leaning toward their .25 cal, but is that overkill for squirrel dispatching? Should I opt for the .22 instead?
2. They sell (a VERY pricey) hand pump for this gun....but what's the best way to fill one of these beasties with compressed air? Keeping a scuba tank around, by the way, won't happen....so any recommendations besides that.
3. Scopes: "Leapers" brand scopes seem to be popular with air rifle aficionados. What say you?
Also note that I don't necessarily plan on using this for "hunting" or target shooting; it will be intended almost solely for ridding my yard and immediate environs of marauding squirrelage.
Thank you in advance for your advice and recommendations!
RWS Model 34. .177 @ 1,000 fps velocity. It’ll get the job done.
I looked at some RWS air rifles online today (based on others’ recommendations here)......damned impressive. I hadn’t heard of them before today.
Even if I don’t ‘get’ the caption, every time I look at this picture it just cracks me up. :)
As you may see in an earlier reply of mine, I definitely took your good advice and checked local laws/regs.....and you were dead-on right. My city bans such things UNLESS you go get a 90-day permit (seems silly to me; either allow it or don’t, but.....).
Thank you; appreciate it.
LMAO.....that’s just too damned funny. I realized after a bit that I’d seen this before; still cracked me up big time. :) Too bad I don’t quite have a yard that would be conducive to something like that (the top of the back fence is probably 20’ above my head when I walk out onto my back deck).
“Get a large tub or plastic storage bin, fill it with water, and drop the Havahart in...”
I was doing that too. Then my daughter found out what was happenening to the trapped squirrels.
At that point I began translocating them.
New law in Virginia (2011)...
Summary
“Pneumatic gun regulations. Prohibits a locality from adopting an ordinance that prohibits the shooting of pneumatic guns on private property, with permission of the owner of the property, if reasonable care is taken to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the property. The bill also invalidates any existing local ordinances that conflict with the provisions of the act.”
From the 2011 session - SB 757 Pneumatic guns; regulations, exceptions.
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+sum+SB757
New state airgun law worries Fairfax(VA)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2730511/post
Yes, indeeed, we must still check the local ordinances, as the new law contains this...
"A. A locality may prohibit, by ordinance, the shooting of pneumatic guns in any areas of the locality that are in the opinion of the governing body so heavily populated as to make such conduct dangerous to the inhabitants thereof..."
Little update for y’all on the Great Squirrel Hunting Expedition.
First, let me sincerely thank ALL of you for some GREAT suggestions, ideas, food for thought, heads-ups (is there such a phrase? there is now), etc. Y’all are the best.
So the lady and I go to Wally World over the weekend and get a wrist rocket (Daisy brand....don’t waste your money), some ‘ammo’, plus a little tub of airsoft pellets. For the last few days we’ve been launching airsoft pellets at the little bast.....er, beasties. We even occasionally hit ‘em. It makes them jump up, take off like a shot.......and they’re back 15 minutes later.
So the super-humane approach did not work. At all.
Add to that, one of the tubing pieces on the slingshot ripped after only a few days’ use. Wally World exchanged it no problem today, but let’s just say that device is now relegated to “emergency backup”.
So.....we go to Dicks Sporting Goods this evening. Based on all of your recommendations, my own research....and, not to mention what they actually HAD in stock on the shelves....I wanted the Daisy air rifle, almost got the Crossman equivalent....but wound up getting a Remington AirMaster 77 kit. Fires 755 fps (either .177 BB’s OR pellets). Pump; easy. No air to leak (cartridges, etc.), plus I don’t have to put 25 pumps into it before firing if I’m not out to actually kill the furry heathens (but by God I CAN if I opt to).
Gonna try this thing with the BB’s first, about 9-10 pumps worth...put some hurt on ‘em to see if that makes them call U-Haul and find a new neighborhood. Or neighbor. I don’t care which.
If that doesn’t work....out come the pellets and a lot more pumps. It’ll be time for hardball.
AND....thanks to the very sage advice of several of you, we’ll comply with local city regs and go get the requisite 90-day license from the local PD to use the thing in our yard legally. We will be VERY careful and won’t go launching rounds downrange into neighbors’ yards, etc. The object is to damage squirrels, not neighbor kids or surrounding windows.
Thanks again to you all, and I’ll let ya know how this things works out. :)
My old Crossman's manual said to never exceed 6 pumps. Two pumps was good for a sting, more than that and it depended on the target and pellet as to the damage. More than 6 would damage the gun's seals.
Set up some targets, cans, paper, cardboard, etc. and experiment to sight it in and get used to what kind of power you have/number of pumps.
Just make certain of your backstop and watch out for ricochets with those BBs.
You don't want to put out your eye.
Sales dude at Dicks says 25 pumps max. That would put one hell of a lot of muscle behind a .177 cal round, so doubt I’ll ever use that.
We also bought a practice target setup with ‘catcher’ to....well, practice, zero in the sights, etc....and yes, ALWAYS with safety glasses!
We’re both gun owners and fanatics about safety; we’ll apply the same to this thing.
You can whack the little punks with 10 pumps easy.
BTW, if you use the wrist rocket you need the .30 steel shot. Will absolutely ruin their little bods...
I could be mistaken, but I think Crossman makes this gun and Remington puts their name on it. Makes me want one!
I have a sort of "shot gun" upstairs with the way the doors all line up. I got bored one night and set up an all weather/day or night mini-range for my old pellet gun.
Fwiw, 1" Southern pine makes a decent backstop for pellets. Soft enough to catch them or at least stop them.
Marking for later. I too am looking for some advice on an air rifle.
They cost around a jillion dollars, but they truly are phenominal.
...proof before post...proof before post...
Good Luck and happy hunting.. I have one of those pumps and believe me 9-10 pumps with a bb will kill them, albeit slowly. As far as them going somewhere else because your shooting at them... lol
By the way.........now that I’ve opened the puppy up, read the manual, etc.....you’re absolutely correct; made by Crosman, Remington “label”. Also, you were correct on the max # of pumps (10).
Anyhoo.....I’ll let ya know the results. :)
My cheapo Crossman BB/Pellet pump at 10 pumps has proved fatal with one shot to the head every time. If you want to miss use a BB, otherwise a pellet is far more accurate especially if your barrel is rifled.
A thigh or body shot will gimp’em up pretty good. If you have a neighbor with a good sized dog, you’ll be giving him a great doggy treat (slow squirrel). That’s a WIN WIN in my book.
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