Airgun for squirrel?
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RoosterBooster3632
New member
Me too
I'm in the same boat as Doyle. As a youngster I killed hundreds of red squirrels using either a Daisy 10 pump BB / .177 cal pellet gun or a single pump break action .177 cal Yugo made pellet gun. My parents owned a resort in NE Wisconsin and they were destructive noisy critters. I also killed some grays but the resort had many red pines that the red squirrels loved. I was easily killing them 50-70 feet up in the pines. I also eliminated a few feral cats that used the sand boxes and beach as a litter box which was a potential health concern.
I'm in the same boat as Doyle. As a youngster I killed hundreds of red squirrels using either a Daisy 10 pump BB / .177 cal pellet gun or a single pump break action .177 cal Yugo made pellet gun. My parents owned a resort in NE Wisconsin and they were destructive noisy critters. I also killed some grays but the resort had many red pines that the red squirrels loved. I was easily killing them 50-70 feet up in the pines. I also eliminated a few feral cats that used the sand boxes and beach as a litter box which was a potential health concern.
camper4lyfe
New member
I use my first gun, a .177 pump Crosman. I took out several squirrels last year as they were getting into our garbage on an all too regular basis as well as eating the kids' pumpkins. A couple hits with that (pumped to the max) and away they went into the garbage they were eating.
The same holds true for several starlings that were making nests in my eves and the neighbor's garage.
The same holds true for several starlings that were making nests in my eves and the neighbor's garage.
sandmansans
New member
Yea they do like to gnaw on some weird stuff. I've had the cable company replace mutiple sections of the line from outside on multiple occasions due to squierrel chewing on them
To answer the OP's question, yes Air rifles will kill squirrels.
The questions after that, 17, 20, 22, 25 caliber, breakbarrel or PCP... those are all questions involving preference and price.
If you have short ranges, I'd recommend something cheap and accurate like a CMP refurbed Daisy 853 and killing the squirrels with head shots. If you have longer ranges I'd recommend a 22 caliber breakbarrel which will kill even with a body shot: http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Trail_NP_XL_Air_Rifle/2052/4170
Hope this is helpful.
Jimro
The questions after that, 17, 20, 22, 25 caliber, breakbarrel or PCP... those are all questions involving preference and price.
If you have short ranges, I'd recommend something cheap and accurate like a CMP refurbed Daisy 853 and killing the squirrels with head shots. If you have longer ranges I'd recommend a 22 caliber breakbarrel which will kill even with a body shot: http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Trail_NP_XL_Air_Rifle/2052/4170
Hope this is helpful.
Jimro
I bought one of the single cock break over 177 rifles due to squirrels in the attic. Sighted it in, and first squirrel resulted in a pass through and shingle repair whee it exited the lower edge of the roof.
I found that 22 rat shot in a pump rifle works far better, actually makes less noise and doesn't mess up the ceiling or rood due to pass throughs. If you go up and wait till you hear them then shine a light on them they stand right up for a nice chest shot. Works great out to about 25 or so feet.
I found that 22 rat shot in a pump rifle works far better, actually makes less noise and doesn't mess up the ceiling or rood due to pass throughs. If you go up and wait till you hear them then shine a light on them they stand right up for a nice chest shot. Works great out to about 25 or so feet.
g.willikers
New member
Yeah, don't under estimate air guns.
It's not only for firearms that ya' need to be sure of the target and what's beyond.
Attic shooting sounds like a good place for a slingshot.
It's not only for firearms that ya' need to be sure of the target and what's beyond.
Attic shooting sounds like a good place for a slingshot.
I have extensive experience with .177 pellet guns. I have used and still use an RWS 34. That air rifle is accurate and relatively quite. After bending the barrel a couple of times, these long thin barrels are easy to bend, I decided to buy a side lever cocker. I bought an RWS Magnum 460 in 177.
This is as loud as my match 22 LR rifles! It is hard to say whether it kills squirrels quicker than the slower RWS 34. That rifle liked RWS Superpoint extra. While that pellet does not expand, it is pointed and it gives good penetration. For any air rifle, you have to test pellets. Some match, brand name pellets, would not group on a silver dollar at 20 yards. My RWS 460 loves Gamo Red Fire pellets.
Accuracy with these pellets is as good as any of the expensive match pellets I tested. These pellets will expand. I examine each pellet that I dig out of a squirrel and these Red Fire pellets consistently expand, the expansion depending on entrance location. Shoulder shots where the pellet hits bone, these pellets expand the most, behind the shoulder and through the ribs, less expansion. On yearlings, the pellet will blow through the rib cage of a squirrel, on older, heavier squirrels, the pellet expands and is usually caught under the skin on the far side.
These pellets lose velocity and I consider a 30 yard shot a long shot, anything 40 yards or further is basically out of range. A heavier, larger caliber pellet might extend this range. After dispatching enough squirrels I am conclusively in the Martin Fackler camp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Fackler : that is blood loss is a guaranteed kill mechanism. Seldom do squirrels die at impact, a good shot ends their existence within 15 seconds. That requires rapid blood loss. I have outstanding success by drawing an imaginary line from the near side to the far side shoulder and aiming at the entrance point on the near side. Any pellet crossing the upper chest cavity is bound to hit a lung, blood vessels, and squirrels that die quickly have their upper chest cavity filled with blood. It is unfortunate when the pellet hits below the lungs, in the stomach and intestines, as these squirrels run off and undoubtedly experience a suffering death. I have not been impressed with head shots, sometimes dead before they fall, sometimes not. A neck shot is extremely lethal as the pellet inevitably cuts blood flow to the brain, or breaks the spine. However, given all the inaccuracy in hold, pellet accuracy, it is my opinion that the best shot placement is upper chest cavity.
This is as loud as my match 22 LR rifles! It is hard to say whether it kills squirrels quicker than the slower RWS 34. That rifle liked RWS Superpoint extra. While that pellet does not expand, it is pointed and it gives good penetration. For any air rifle, you have to test pellets. Some match, brand name pellets, would not group on a silver dollar at 20 yards. My RWS 460 loves Gamo Red Fire pellets.
Accuracy with these pellets is as good as any of the expensive match pellets I tested. These pellets will expand. I examine each pellet that I dig out of a squirrel and these Red Fire pellets consistently expand, the expansion depending on entrance location. Shoulder shots where the pellet hits bone, these pellets expand the most, behind the shoulder and through the ribs, less expansion. On yearlings, the pellet will blow through the rib cage of a squirrel, on older, heavier squirrels, the pellet expands and is usually caught under the skin on the far side.
These pellets lose velocity and I consider a 30 yard shot a long shot, anything 40 yards or further is basically out of range. A heavier, larger caliber pellet might extend this range. After dispatching enough squirrels I am conclusively in the Martin Fackler camp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Fackler : that is blood loss is a guaranteed kill mechanism. Seldom do squirrels die at impact, a good shot ends their existence within 15 seconds. That requires rapid blood loss. I have outstanding success by drawing an imaginary line from the near side to the far side shoulder and aiming at the entrance point on the near side. Any pellet crossing the upper chest cavity is bound to hit a lung, blood vessels, and squirrels that die quickly have their upper chest cavity filled with blood. It is unfortunate when the pellet hits below the lungs, in the stomach and intestines, as these squirrels run off and undoubtedly experience a suffering death. I have not been impressed with head shots, sometimes dead before they fall, sometimes not. A neck shot is extremely lethal as the pellet inevitably cuts blood flow to the brain, or breaks the spine. However, given all the inaccuracy in hold, pellet accuracy, it is my opinion that the best shot placement is upper chest cavity.
Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
I've killed quite a few backyard squirrels with various springers over the years, from RWS and others. Have had a 45, two 34s, a 350, and a 48, all in .177.
BUT, in the last 5 years, I actually use a 16" .22lr rifle, shooting an Aguila Super Colibri round (20 gr @ 500 fps). Why, you ask? It's quieter than either a springer or a PCP gun. Doesn't have quite the range of an airgun- starts dropping fairly fast after 20- 25 yards, but the backyard maple tree that held them was well within that distance. Headshots only, is what I did/ do.
BUT, in the last 5 years, I actually use a 16" .22lr rifle, shooting an Aguila Super Colibri round (20 gr @ 500 fps). Why, you ask? It's quieter than either a springer or a PCP gun. Doesn't have quite the range of an airgun- starts dropping fairly fast after 20- 25 yards, but the backyard maple tree that held them was well within that distance. Headshots only, is what I did/ do.
My uncle just got a .177 break action air rifle for v squirrels and can't hit the broad side of a barn with it apparently, so im going to at least get the scope level and sight it in. Might put a 3-9x redfield on it if the rings are the same.
If he still can't hit with it, it'll probably become my air rifle.
If he still can't hit with it, it'll probably become my air rifle.
g.willikers
New member
Break action spring powered air rifles require a suitable technique for accuracy.
Due to the weird recoil, holding them like a firearm doesn't always pan out.
The so called artillery hold seems to work the best and is the method recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYSU5Lq7oA
Any scope that's used with a springer has to be able to withstand that weird recoil, too.
Many scopes designed for firearms will break.
So, be sure to use one suitable for the spring powered airguns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mnbI9Nfu4c
Due to the weird recoil, holding them like a firearm doesn't always pan out.
The so called artillery hold seems to work the best and is the method recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYSU5Lq7oA
Any scope that's used with a springer has to be able to withstand that weird recoil, too.
Many scopes designed for firearms will break.
So, be sure to use one suitable for the spring powered airguns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mnbI9Nfu4c
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