Hunting With Air Rifles

No more amazing than the old ones. My 5 mm Sheridan Bluestreak has taken some pretty good sized racoons and it's 40 yrs. old. Rabbits and squirrels are no problem just keep the shots short and go for the head.
 
I took a skunk with my grandfather's Benjamin Franklin .22 multi pump pellet gun (I have no idea how old that gun is). It was walking around during the day and we decided to dispose of it as we were worried it might be Rabid. One shot to the back of the head from about 10yrds, he rolled over and twitched twice. I used the pellet gun because my grandfather owned 10 acres of land that was within city limits and I was trying to keep the noise down. Good gun, I inherited it a few years.

Mav
 
Gotta be careful what ya hunt with 'em. In Tejas at least, air guns are not legal "means" for game animals (of any size).
 
I'll second that praise for the Sheridan ,Swampghost. I got mine when I was probably 12 yrs. old, could barely pump the damn thing. for the past several years it has been in my closet awaiting new seals. I keep saying I'm going to send it to Mac1 for the steroid package, just never get around to it.
 
In Tejas at least, air guns are not legal "means" for game animals (of any size).
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Yep, it's ironic that in TX you can't legally take a squirrel (a game animal) with an airgun regardless of caliber or power level but you can legally hunt a feral hog or a mountain lion with an airgun because those animals are classified as nongame animals.

I've not had the opportunity to hunt large game with an air rifle but I have, on a couple of occasions, eaten smoked pork from feral hogs that an acquaintance of mine took with an air rifle.
 
I think it is illegal to hunt ANY animals in florida with ANY air rifle. So I cannot go out small game hunting *openly* with my gamo.
Brent
 
These new air rifles that have been coming out are simply amazing. What game have you taken with an Air Rifle before?
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I can attest to that, thanks to Hogdogs & company. I checked out the different brands and features out there and settled on a Gamo Viper. This gun is amazing.

I haven't taken "game" per se. I'd call it "varminting". I whittled down our local rabbit and ground squirrel population to ease the destruction they're doing.
 
To answer what have I taken...
Squirrels, dillars, rabbits, birds, and have dispatched several caged hogs for slaughter with my Gamo Shadow 1,000 using Crosman Premier Hollow points from wally world. I have taken game at 60 yards but feel that is max range for clean kills.
Brent
 
Yup airgunning is returning to its roots. .45 and .50 cal airguns are available for all and without any restrictions other than possibly age. They shoot up to 350 gr. "pellets" and can take down almost anything in north america. Lewis and clark had guns with similar power 200? years ago and they worked just fine. Glad to see them available.

My 2 RWS spring .22's are powerful enough but i sure would like one of those big ones someday...

Interesting to note but i just read that airgunning for anything big game other than exotics is illegal in every state but MO.
 
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I used to hunt squirrels, crows, and rabbits with my .22 cal pump benjiman pellet rifle. That was when I was about 8 or 9. I still have it tucked away amongst all the other rifles I have. About once a year I take it out and clean and oil it (Leather cups on the pump plunger).
 
I shot a jackrabbit that was sitting in my yard with my Beeman P1 pistol.

It was facing away from me at about 10 yards and I shot it in the back of the head.

For those of you unfamiliar with jackrabbits, I consider that to be a pretty big and tough animal to kill with an airgun.

I have shot hundreds or possibly thousands of smaller animals over the years with airguns. The jack is by far the biggest.
 
But since many birds and mammals are not classified as game animals but instead as pests...

I saw a link one time under airgun news or a similar publication. These two guys got permission from a farmer to rid his barn of pests. The guys used fairly low velocity match rifles and pellets that would not hurt the building.(i guess) They shot dozens of english sparrows, starlings, pigeons, some rats.. Had a blast and helped the farmer. Sounds like fun.
 
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Air rifle hunting is great. I hunt with an AirArms S410 Carbine in
.22 caliber. Muzzle speed around 925 fps with an 18 grain pellet.
This rifle will shoot inside of a nickle at 50 yards. I hit this gobbler
right between the wing roots as it was turned a way from me.
Dead right there.

dxr


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Everything from sparrows to some huge nutria. Rabbits and smaller are dead under 60 yards. I can put 3 shots touching at 39 yards.
 
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