Pellet gun for city pests

[atlctyslkr]

I got an old pellet gun that my uncle had last weekend. He gave it to me after I complained of a pest problem. It is a Crossman 180 in .22 caliber apparently not made anymore. Uses CO2. I need something that will control pests. Will this cut it? We have some big rats here! We also have a healthy population of possums and raccoons. I never thought in a highly urban area this would be a problem. I want these "wild" animals out of my trash and my small garden. I am forbidden from using a firearm for such purpose. I am sure there is an airgun ordinance but I'll take my chances. I have to find a place first that sells the cartridges and pellets. I had a pellet gun when I was a kid but it was a .177 never seen a .22.

I have tried putting mothballs outside and alot of other stuff. I have a few plants and a couple of nice fruit trees I would like to actually see produce something.

 

[BigFatKen]

the single cock spring air rifles will go 1000 fps and kill squirrels dead. Not racoon tho. consider archery?

 

[Hot brass]

It will take care of all of your pests. Head shots on the larger animals. The RWS mod. 94.

http://www.cougarridgetradingpost.com/rws_air_rifles.htm

Order Crossman Premier .177 pellets IN THE cardboard box!!!!!
Either get the 7.9 gr or the 10.? grain pellets.

Take the rifle out and shoot it 100 times "ATLEAST" to help settle it down.

Watch out pests.


I order from "Pomona Air Guns". Steve is a good guy. Do a search. Good luck.

 

[atlctyslkr]

Just to clarify I used a .38 on a possum once and neighbors called the cops. Cops were cool and said "we're real busy and may not have time to make a report and don't want to come back out here" and left. With all these animal rights people up in arms about people using pellet guns on cats I am left with few options.

 

[joneb]

Your pellet gun may be effective for rats, but possums and coons are hardier vermin the coon more so, these would require .22 short to the head but the .22 CB may work as well and may be more quiet than the air rifle. Chances are the air rifle will be illegal to discharge in city limits. I would recomend live traps and then what will you do Try contacting the City and get there 2 cents.
good luck

 

[IndianaDon]

Pellet Guns, like the RWS that was previously mentioned are great for situations like this where a firearm can’t be used. The only thing with air guns is the trajectory---it’s very steep and if you don’t spend a lot of time rangefinding and getting your scope sighted in for everything from 10-55 yards, it’s tough to be accurate enough for small targets. With open sights you can roughly guess a few ranges and get by (I had pretty good luck doing this with a Sheridan Blue Streak when I was a kid), but plan on spending time sighting in with a very durable scope (spinger airguns are hell on scopes)---something designed to be used for that purpose---if you want all of the accuracy those guns are capable of. It's amazing how many clicks difference there is between, say 10 yds. and 14 yds. with a 1000 ft/sec. pellet gun. If you prepare, these guns will deliver consistent head-shots on rats, etc. P.S.: remember that most modern pellet guns are almost as loud as a .22, so the fewer shots you need to use, the less suspicion you'll arouse from nosy neighbors...

 

[Jericho9mm]

my grandpa is notorious for catching skunks and possums in large traps covered with a tarp and then sealing it off and connecting it to the tailpipe of his old Ford Model A and putting the critter into a deep deep sleep...

 

[Diomed]

my grandpa is notorious for catching skunks and possums in large traps covered with a tarp and then sealing it off and connecting it to the tailpipe of his old Ford Model A and putting the critter into a deep deep sleep...

Skunks? What about before they pass out? Must be a bit ripe around his place...

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Pests?

I use a Sheridan Blue Streak 5mm for that very thing.

 

[porterdog]

Noise

Several months ago I read that the Israeli military 'discovered' that it was very difficult for people in the surrounding areas to localize the spot from which a shot was fired if it was fired from inside of a room with open windows. The implication was that the muzzle was well inside the room when the trigger was pulled.

.22 shorts out of my Marlin levergun might be just the ticket for squirrels and grackles

 

[Biker]

Porterdog...

Hooookay, gotta ask. What the hell is a "grackle"?


Biker

 

[enfield]

It's a large black bird, smaller than a crow but bigger than a robin.

 

[HankB]

Out of a .22 rifle, the Aguila .22 Colibri ammo is remarkably quiet, and with it's 20 grain bullet will still hit harder than many air rifles.

A subsonic .22 Long Rifle load, fired from a rifle with the muzzle 6 or 8 feet inside a half-open curtained window, will not be very loud outside.

My RWS M48 has accounted for pests from rabbits to a couple of armadillos . . . but be advised, larger & tougher vermin (like the armadillos) are not likely to drop in their tracks.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Grackels are a species of bird considered a pest, especially as they congregate in large numbers. http://www.hawkeye.ca/grackles.shtml

Skunks usually can't spray when contained in a hav-a-hart type trap, as they need to be able to "assume the position".

 

[Zero_DgZ]

I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of scraping powder residue off my walls and windows...

The 180 will hurl a decently weighted pellet 600 FPS or so. It'll do for small birds, squirrels, mice, small and medium rats and whatnot, but for 'coons and big rats I'd really be concentrating on shot placement if I were you. Anything other than through the eye will probably be a wound but not a certain kill.

The ballistics are weird, though. With my break barrel .177 air rifle I've dropped rabbits from 80 yards but had squirrels at 15 laugh at me and require another shot to humanely put them down...

 

[BigFatKen]

SSS 60 gr

The Augulia Sub Sonic Sinper is very quiet from inside a room with an open window. Penatration with the long heavy bullet is coyote+ killer but maybe not stopper in tracks. I have had two misfires in six years. Not defence quality. It is done with a short case to fit the long bullet.

 

[stevelyn]

Spice up their favorite grub with a dose of D-Con. It's quiet and effective.

 

[Biker]

Thanks, Zoom and Enfield.

Biker

 

[deadin]

I am absolutely amazed at some of the responses to this question. The attitude seems to be that, regardless of local ordinances and laws, it "OK" to use a projectile weapon (including pellet and BB guns) in an urban setting, as long as you don't get caught.
Making them quiet doesn't make them any safer. The projectile doesn't magically "stop" at the target if you miss, and it's hard to get your intended target to "pose" in front of a proper backstop.
Believe it or not, urban areas haven't enacted these ordinances because they are "anti-gun" or to "take away your freedoms" or even the "noise" factor. It's done because of public safety. (I speak as one who has had to replace a couple of windows because of some idiot shooting at crows with his pellet gun. No, they're not going to blow holes in my house and send me to the hospital, but it still costs me money. )
Traps are probably the best way to go. Unfortunately, some jurisdictions only allow "live" traps (the most expensive kind ) if they are to be used outside. (Wouldn't want Fluffy or Fifi to get hurt. ) I've always been uncomfortable with poison due to little kids in the neighborhood.

BTW, There is no "leash law" concerning cats in my town, but that doesn't make them "fair game" any more than I could shoot the little neighbor brat in the butt with a BB gun to chase him out of my yard.

Dean

 

[Husker1911]

Try some fox or coyote urine. I've known people who swear by it, for eliminating vermin like you're describing.

It's also a great cover scent for whitetail deer hunting. Just remember to drink a 1/2 cup morning and night, starting two weeks before season opener.

 

[Desertdog]

Depending on if you want to kill or discourage the critters will determine your weapons of choice.

One thing you want in town is silence. Also are the critters legal to kill, or will it be "shoot, shovel and shut up?"

Sling shots are extremly inexpensive and marbles make good ammo. For most larger vermin probably won't kill but may make them leery of coming around.

Bow and arrows are quiet and deadly, but you need to be able to hit the target, so go to archery classes.

 

[Gordon Fink]

I am absolutely amazed at some of the responses to this question.… The projectile doesn’t magically “stop” at the target if you miss, and it’s hard to get your intended target to “pose” in front of a proper backstop.

Mind your backstops. You don’t want to punch any holes in your neighbors’ stucco or windows, nor in your own for that matter.

~G. Fink

 

[pcf]

Poisons...rarely do they immediately kill an animal, nothing worse than having rats eat poison and die under your house or in the walls, especially when you can only narrow it down to one wall in your garage.

Poison - $3
Sheet rock, insulation, and paint - $90
2 Dead rats - priceless

Air rifles...A good air rifle (I'm a Beeman and Theoben fan) will work on rats and possums inside 25ft.

For raccons you'll need to bait them. A plastic container of dog food, food in an ice chest with a latch or a trash with a lid can will work. Once they get there mind made up to breaking into things they pay less attention to their surroundings. Definitely want a .22 or .25 caliber and headshots are a must.

Beeman Kodiak and Silver Arrow pellets are two of the best for pest control.

http://www.pomona-airguns.com/

 

[deadin]

Just remember to drink a 1/2 cup morning and night, starting two weeks before season opener.

LMAO!! I just spilled my coffee

I hear the hardest part is the collecting.

Dean

 

[Zundfolge]

Check your local laws. Discharge of a BB or Pellet gun is the same thing as a firearm in the city limits of Colorado Springs as far as local ordinance is concerned.