Looking for Anti-Squirrel Air Rifle...

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PaladinX13

New member
I'm looking for something around the $100 range (at most) for pecking off those pesky rodents. I have a cheap ($30) Chinese under barrel, single cocking, spring powered .177 rifle that is inaccurate, somewhat slow to load (often spook before I get a chance to get out on the deck), and is LOUD... spooking the critters for days afterwards (which means they just stay holed up in my attic longer).

I'm looking for something accurate, quiet, and fairly cheap (I've heard high quality air rifles can run between $300 to a grand). Any suggestions on the rifle/scope/caliber/brand? Any tips on how to hunt these seasoned greys? Oh yeah, I live in a heavily wooded suburb of NJ so risking firearm discharge (like .22 rim) probably isn't a good idea.
 
Paladin - Sheridan makes some good pellet rifles that fire 5mm (.20 cal) pellets. However, it's a multi-pump rifle - 1-6 pumps dependant upon the velocity you want. It might be too noisy and slow for what you're looking for.

As an alternative, you might think about using BB caps or CB caps in your .22. They're relatively quiet and should have the power you want at reasonable range.

Cliff
 
Greetings,

I used to use a Daisy CO2 rifle, a 35-shot .177 pellet repeater. Now I use the CB shells in my Ruger MkII.

Your mileage may vary.
 
Rats, rabbits and squirrels are about the same size and makeup. If I notched the stock of my Sheridan Blue Streak for every rat it's taken in the last 30+ years I figure it would be a pistol grip :) Working in a nasty neighborhood kept a constant supply of targets. :( It is kind of loud, but it's a different kind of loud than the crack of even the low powered .22's. It doesn't sound like a gun going off. For rats, I would take a razor blade and carve a sharp point on the end of a 5mm pellet. 4 pumps in the Sheridan with that pellet would give an instant kill with a head shot at 20 yards. 4 pumps with that "custom" pellet would penetrate 3/4 in of pine. For comparison, a standard 5mm unmodified pellet needed 8 pumps to achieve the same penetration. Standard pellet shapes are designed for a nice clean round hole in paper. A Williams "peep" sight will go a long way to keeping those shots where you want them also. ;)
 
Cheap BB gun from Wal-Mart (Crosman, Daisy) worked for me. 3-4 pumps would send a .177 cal. BB through a license plate. A pellet gun works great also. When you're not shooting those bushy-tailed tree rats, it's fun to shoot unopened coke cans and other various food products :).
 
I'd suggest a Crossman 760 pump air pellet rifle.

Damned things, on 10 pumps, will send a pellet at something like 700 fps.

Plenty for squirrels out to about 30 yards if you head shoot them.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
I almost got an airrifle like you mentioned. I wanted the Beeman R9. I was going to get it after I went on summer vacation, but while I was gone the commie mommmie march happened so when I got back I stocked up on real guns instead. I use a Daisy Powerline air rifle for my squirrel problem. It will also shoot pellets. It does not dispatch as quickly as I would like but I do the best I can.
 
Oh, one more thing, I load mine in the house to prevent spooking. Only problem is my dogs know whats going on and spook them by jumping on the door sometimes. I shoot then my girls are let out to get them. It helps keep the wounded ones from getting away and my girls enjoy hunting "for the pack"!
 
Sheridan 5mm (.20 cal), without a doubt! :D

You can tailor the velocity to the job at hand. You can't do that with a CO2 or break-cocking type gun. 2 pumps are good for a sting on a pest, and 4 will kill most birds, while 6 is a kill shot on small game. I've used more than six but accuracy drops off dramatically after eight pumps, not to mention that it makes life hard for the valving in the gun. Personal cronographs didn't exist back then. I'd be curious to try it just to see what kind of velocity each pump gives. Gee, now I've gotta get a Sheridan of my own just to test this out, like I needed an excuse to buy another gun! ;)

Take it from one who has dispatched many a critter with my dad's Sheridan, mostly Starlings. I even got three with one shot once when they were lined up just right! Now that's penetration.

We also used it to 'discourage' the bushytails from taking over our backyard birdfeeder. I didn't aim to kill, just scare the sh!t out of them. I'd shoot through the bushy tail as it hung down. I even collected a couple of tails when I managed to hit the tail bone.

The Sheridan is a very well made, accurate gun, with full rifling. The barrel is attatched to the pump cylinder right out to the muzzle so it can't be bent like the cheaper Daisys or Crossmans (I've had my share of experiences with the cheapies as well.) It is the kind of airgun you can pass down to your kids and then on again to your grandkids. The .20 cal packs almost twice the punch as a 'normal' .177 or BB sized pellet, and has better velocity and energy retention at longer ranges. The .22 cal pellet guns really lack in the velocity department as a general rule. The trajectory of a .22 cal pellet is really a rainbow! Dad only used the pointed cylindrical-shaped pellets, although there is also a diablo (hourglass flatnose) shaped one as well.

Unless you start getting into the high end European guns, you really can't beat it! Oh, yes, the muzzle 'blast' of a Sheridan can be a little on the loud side compared to a weak .177, but you have to trade off something for knockdown power! Dad even made a crude silencer for his once... :rolleyes:

BTW, .22 rimfire CBs in a rifle are quieter than almost any higher powered airgun! I once exterminated a skunk that was busy digging a burrow under our patio from a second floor window using a CB. The wife was watching TV right next to the patio door and never even knew I took the shot. Drilled the little stinker right through the top of the head so quick it didn't have time to even think about spraying.
 
Wow, thanks for the responses guys... the variety of answers means I have to make a few follow up questions, though:

1. CB caps/shells? I've never heard of these, what are they?

2. CO2 is probably the quietest, right? Quiet enough that follow-up shots are possible or is it still a one-shot-one-kill deal regardless of the power plant?

3. Just out of curiosity, I recall that certain temps improve CO2 performance... now if I remember my physics, if the gas is hot then there'd be more pressure... however, logic tells me if the CO2 was chilled first it might expand more under normal temps... does anyone remember how it goes?

4. Iron sights or scope? What range should I be trying to take these greys at and how do I get to that range... from my deck to the tree line is about 8 yards but they usually spook long before that (the cheeky ones stand up and chitter at me THEN run :mad :).

5. Silencer for an airgun, eh? I gotta know about that! Can you elaborate? For research reasons, of course. ;)

Open season on greys begins October 2nd! :D
 
Personally, I would counsel against the CB rounds. You can do this job with an air rifle. And, if you ever have to discuss this with LEO's, you don't want to be in a position of discharging a firearm within city limits (assuming that law applies in your area).

I paid $110 for a Benjamin Sheridan Model 392 .22 air rifle, and put a BSA 2-7 power scope (w/ adj objective) on it for another $60. See www.crosman.com (although the site appears to be down right now). I also needed a mount adaptor - $10, as I recall. This rifle takes 8 pumps, and it is a single shot. Pretty quiet, and it certainly does the trick on rabbits. Very, very accurate.

I agree that an air rifle is the ticket. I'd suggest a scope. You're going for head shots on squirrels, and want a clean kill. Seems like a scope is a good idea to me. With mine, I'm getting consistent, clean head shots at 10 to 25 yards. IMHO, nearly impossible with those iron sights.

One other point ... over-penetration. Last evening I noted that I sent 2 pellets through my targets and into the dog run. The dogs were in the house, so everyone was OK. However, if you're firing at an elevated angle, you many want to experiment with using fewer pumps so you avoid this problem, and the potential danger to others. For that matter, you may want to forgo the pointed, field pellets, and use target pellets (like wadcutters) instead. It will be a matter of experimentation. You'll be amazed at all the pellet designs available.

One last point ... sounds silly, but I think this makes you a better shooter. The trigger on my air rifle is not great, but I've gotten very good at finding that surprise break when the crosshairs are right on target. Rather challenging, in some ways.

Have fun, and good luck with those squirrels. Regards from AZ
 
I personally use a Daisy 880 .177 Air Rifle.
Had it since I was about 10 and am 35 now. Taken many rodents and small varmints with it. It is multi pump so you can tailor the power level to the job and it has a 100 BB capacity for quick follow-ups should the pellet not do the job. With proper maintenance will last long time. I still regularly target shoot in the back yard and inside the house with it using a quality trap.
 
Each night when I walk the dog I probably encounter 2-4 skunks. Each encounter is a pain in the @ss, dealing with the dog, and not getting sprayed. I once had to leave the local highschool track when running because the skunks kept charging me when I came around the turns. And of course there is never a rock to be found in any of these situations, at the track I ended up hurling an old desk :eek:!

Whats the most concealable type airpistol I can use to effectively discourage these little bastards ? I've been mulling over that or a slingshot.
 
George,

Benjamin/Sheridan Silver/Blue Streaks are all .20 cal. pump rifles. They do make a Co2 gun, called simply, IIRC, "Co2 Rifle." This comes in .177, .20, and .22. Velocity in .22 is approx. 585 fps. :)

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TaxPhd

"Those who live by the sword are probably pretty f***ing good at it."

"Instructions for a successful gunfight: Front Sight, Press Trigger, repeat
as necessary." - B. Braxton
 
Daisy 880 is a pretty powerful airgun for around $40.00 and the crossman 760 is a little weaker but still good for around $ 30.00. Either one of those should drop it w/ one shot and they're not too loud. May want to consider a higher priced gun if you want it for more then just squirrel plinking. Cabelas has some good air rifles. I'd stay away from co2, they're just too weak for squirrels IMO unless the cartridge is new.

edit, mistaken velocity



[This message has been edited by scud (edited September 25, 2000).]
 
TaxPhd - You maybe right about the caliber .20 or .22 I dont remember.
This was some years ago - but I do remember specifically that it was indeed a SILVER STREAK rifle that was CO2 powered.
SHIN TAO may remeber this rifle.
It did soldier service againt Pigeons.
Wonderful rifle.
Highly accurate, very powerful, and cheap - IIRC it was about 120 that I paid for it.
Good Rifle. CO2 Powered Silver Streak. Had a one peice stock that wasnt divided to facilitate a pumping handle. Sharp looking.
Dang good rifle.
Boy do I miss it.
 
George,

Check out http://www.airguns.net/sh397g.jpg

Is that what your rifle was like?

Current name is "Co2 Rifle." Price approx. $120, and as you stated, would make a most excellent squirrel gun.

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TaxPhd

"Those who live by the sword are probably pretty f***ing good at it."

"Instructions for a successful gunfight: Front Sight, Press Trigger, repeat
as necessary." - B. Braxton
 
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