Why I bought a pellet gun.

Points well taken, but here in the land of stinkin you probably need a state tag for $1,000, a cook county permit for $500, then there's the $100 periwinkle hazardous stuff tax and then you need to throw in the $150 stinky critter disposal tax. Why do I live here?
Really like the cross bow idea, a skunk a bob would be easier to dispose of.
 
Originally posted by me in 2011

skunk crawled into pipe, making for a handy container for final disposition of the skunk.

shooter got into a prone firing position with muzzle a couple of feet from the opening of the pipe,

shooter fired into pipe, aiming at skunk's backside,

bullet, shockwave and gases entered the PVC pipe,

bullet strikes skunk in the biological weapon center causing bullet damage, releasing skunk fluids,

nearly simultaneous actions of pressure in the pipe and the skunk partially obstructing the pipe caused the PVC pipe to explode into pieces of assorted sizes and shapes.

to the shooters suprize, pieces of skunk coated debris rained down on him, leaving him smelly and disappointed in the fact that he no longer had a vessel suited to carry off the skunk remains.

then explained to the wife why he smells of skunk, while pleading to be let in the house.
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If a pellet gun can bring down a pig
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Did you watch that video? It never shows the pig dead and that appeared to be a near perfectly placed shot.
A reality of hunting is sometimes it takes a second shot, a braining, or a slit throat to finish the animal. Sometimes it takes waiting in a tree stand until a deer stops moving. I'm not claiming I have taken 100 animals and they all dropped on the spot, as I remember having read claimed here in posts. What I will say is, I try to avoid putting myself in such situations by not using equipment that requires I perform my part perfectly in order to get a borderline clean kill. I try to use equipment that will result in an acceptable kill even if I do a marginal job.

I shot the squirrel in the head at less than ten feet on the second try with a GAMO .177. The squirrel clearly had a mark right between its eyes, so the pellet hit even if at an angle(this hit was not indicative of the accuracy of the rifle). After being unconscious for approximately one minute, a period during which I thought it was dead, it came back to life. Why in the world would I mess with a GAMO pellet gun when I have a .22lr that would have nearly blown the squirrels head off with similar placement or simply a bucket of water(live trapped).
 
I shoot air guns about as much as I shoot regular firearms. That particular Gamo is not a great option even in its price range, however, it's not a terrible gun. That being said, it's a spring piston gun. Yes it uses a so-called "gas spring," but it still requires special techniques to shoot it well, just like all other "springers."

Holding a springer airgun like a regular firearm will likely cause it shoot all over the place. You need to Google the "artillery hold."

Another thing to keep in mind is that most airgun hunters using relatively low power guns like the Game Bone Crusher go for head shots. Airgun hunters in the UK cannot use gun that produce more than 12 foot lbs of energy without a special license, so they demand very high accuracy from their airguns.

While nicer airguns do cost just as much as firearms, they serve completely different purpose. If you have the right kind of airgun, you can easily shoot it safely indoors with just a little space. I can train with my airgun whenever I want in my basement. It's improved my offhand shooting a lot.

Also, an airgun can be a much more self-contained system than a firearm. No brass cases, no primers, no gun powder. Pellets are really cheap, and you can cast your own. They make airguns up to 50 caliber.

I'd recommend a multi-pump pneumatic or a PCP gun. I have a Benjamin Discovery which comes with a hand pump. It's powerful enough for birds and small game within 40 yards, and it groups under 1" at 50 yards.

AND you only have to clean them once every 1000 rounds or so.
 
However, not long after I got it, I bought a 1970's Sheridan Blue Streak .20 caliber pump up gun, and it is my favorite air rifle now.
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It's what I use as well, got it when I was 14. Guess that makes it 44 now. Still works famously on chippies. Damn things.
 
When I was a kid, I wanted a Benjamin pump pellet gun like crazy. I never had the money and over the years other interests won out. So as an old man while reminiscing about it one day, I broke down and ordered one from Midway. I've now had it going on 3 years.

I don't think they're US made any more but it seems to be a very good shooter. I put a scope on it but I'm thinking of taking it off and putting a peep on it instead. The scope mount for these is a bit odd but it works and I've been getting good groups with it at 15 yards. Maybe one day I'll take it to the range and try it at longer distances.

Anyway I've taken several squirrels, a few bluejays and a crow or 2 with it in the back yard. I think it's close to being as good as my expectations for one all these years...

Tony
 
You may want to check your town/city laws. Where I live, if you shoot a bottle rocket, arrow, pellet gun, sling-shot, you may as well shoot the skunks with a .338 Lapua. Because it's going to be a $1,087.00 fine, or 30 days in jail. That's for discharging the projectile as well as molesting the wildlife.

That would make it $2,200.00 and or 60 days. Very costly skunk problem.
 
Use heavy, flat pellets, the pointed ones are for faux snipers and you are a different sort because you will get as close as you can and then 5 steps closer and aim for the eye. It's a close, dirty business and don't let them catch you at it.
 
Good gravy almighty, I am glad I don't live somewhere where it's illegal to shoot a pellet gun in your yard (or a bow, crossbow, etc.). The city council tried to ban archery within city limits but when a decorated Paralympic archer showed up at the meeting and informed then it would make it illegal for him to practice they changed their minds. It's generally a horribly moronic bunch of people that decide they want to make rules for the rest of us.

In Phoenix there's actually a city park with a free unsupervised archery range adjacent to an elementary school. Doubt a cop would pass you by if he saw you shoot a pigeon or fruit rat, though.
 
Absolutely. Best thing about a free back yard is being able to turn a pack of kids loose in it air armed under loose supervision. Gets them accustomed to walking around packin'.
 
5thShock said:
Absolutely. Best thing about a free back yard is being able to turn a pack of kids loose in it air armed under loose supervision. Gets them accustomed to walking around packin'.
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We held pellet rifle matches when I was a child in the back yard of my grandfather's house which was only about 40'x60' surrounded by concrete block walls. 3 different disciplines, standing rifle, standing pistol and rested rifle. Also there was the pigeon patrol, lol. Would have been terribly bored if we would have not been allowed to do that.
 
Skunks/pellet gun. No thanks. Traps/skunks. Nooooooo thanks. My father, and grandfather used a mix of chemicals (:confused:) in their gardens that seemed to keep away deer, rabbits, squirrels, and skunks. This was in Indiana, and Ohio. It smelled like bug spray when it was beeing sprayed. We ate the veggies from those gardens. Both of them had a degree in agriculture, so I guess it was safe.
 
Use heavy, flat pellets, the pointed ones are for faux snipers
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Pointed pellets generally give better penetration, and can often be more accurate in a particular gun.

Wildlife won't always let you get close enough to shoot it "in the eye"
 
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