Pellet/BB Rifle for small varmints??

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smullen

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Is there a decent pellet rifle thats on the market for taking care of Rabbits, squirles, rats, etc...

The wife and are are going to plant another garden this year and i want to be ready for the invaders... Last year they pillaged the heck out of our garden..

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, Its not a firearm really, IMHO...

Anyway, if there is a better place, feel free to move it...
 
Here is a lot of reading on the subject:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=339006&highlight=spring+piston

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=328775&highlight=spring+piston

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=258048&highlight=spring+piston

I prefer spring-piston air-guns in .22 caliber for rabbit/squirrel size varmints.
The .177's also work well with head shots.

Spring-piston guns are much quieter then pump-up pneumatics.

I might add that Magnum power is not necessary, or even desirable for pest control.

True, they shoot flatter, but at the expense of being much louder, heavier, bigger over-all, and very hard to cock.
They can flat wear you out over a long practice session if they require 40+ pounds of cocking effort.

rcmodel
 
Gamo makes an (relatively) inexpensive .17 cal rifle that is accurate and powerful enough for squirrel, rats and bunnys. I know of one being used against barn pigeons to good affect.
 
Thanks guys, I'll do some more reading...

I'd love to be able to sit relaxing on my backporch/deck sipping a few cold ones and be able to knock over any varmints that attempt to raid the Garden this year...

I think I've even got WAF... (Wife approval factor).... She thinks I've already got enough guns...

She think I've got enough guns,
 
You don't want a "BB gun" if you're going to kill small game.

Stick with the more powerful .17 and .22 pellet firing air rifles. The Europeans have been hunting with them for hundreds of years and have some amazing air rifles.
 
I have killed hundreds of critters as a kid and still do at times as an adult using a Sheridan 5mm pump pellet gun I bought in the early 60's. It shoots a 14.5 grain pellet which had much better penetration than the 17's or the flat nosed 22's when we did comparisons as kids. Ground squirrels, cottontails, crows, an occasional cat, hordes of sparrows and starlings and I am sure other's if I could remember have fallen from that old gun over the years.

I think if searching for a new small game pellet gun in todays market I would probably choose a 22 caliber and search for a semi-pointed pellet of a few grains for retained terminal energy.
 
Here in the UK air rifles with ME of 10-12 ft lbs are commonly used for rabbits and other small vermin in both .22 and .177.
 
anyone have an air rifle to reccomend for crows?...
Click to expand...
I have a Daisy Powerline 953 that I use for sparrows and the occasional bird feeder raiding squirrel. It's pretty accurate, and very quiet(especially when compared to my Benjamin .22 pump), all it takes is one pump from the lever and it's ready to fire(it uses a rotary clip). I put a cheapie Leapers 4x on it(I payed $35, and it seems to hold zero) and I feel comfortable I can make a humane kill on any bird out to about 25 yards.

For furry critters I like my Benjamin pump, but it isn't much quieter than a .22 short(if at all), and pumping it isn't the easiest thing to do. It a suburban environment, I'd go with a .22 spring piston break barrel, but remember, these aren't bb guns we're dealing with. They can, and have, caused serious injury and death. Observe the 4 rules the same as you would with a firearm.
 
gah its moot, its not legal to shoot ANY living animal in norway with something not powered by gun powder :(

damn stupid government
 
did someone say airguns??

Be careful with the airguns; if you turn to "the dark side" (PCP's i.e. Pre-charged Pneaumatics) you may find your powder burners gathering dust in the closet. They are TOO much fun!

Plus the misses will GO OFF on you if she see's the receipt; they are expensive to set up. Then again, no need for casings/powder/primer ever again, and with the pump air is free. Tell her "honey, think of the money I'll save on ammo" LOL!

For an all-around, powerful PCP airgun I would have to recommend the Sumatra 2500 Carbine in .22 or .25 based on all I have heard from people that have them. LOTS of power out of the box that is adjustable so you can turn it way down for backyard work, and a lever action repeater to boot.

I have a small-bore airgun (was .22 now .25) showing up any day now from the tuner. It will kill anything a .22longrifle will. Mine is tuned up to give about 80-90fpe with a 36 grain pellet, and I'm guesing 100+fpe with a 50+grainer.

Then there's my SamYang 909 in .45 caliber I use for everything even wild hogs (going for brainshots on the big ones) and medium sized game like this exotic ram taken with a 250grainer with a .32 meplat. I'm going to try 230grain hollowpoints next time I go after hogs and exotics (this May).
MyFirstRam-2.gif
 
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