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Air rifles

5K views 33 replies 20 participants last post by  Shooterer 
#1 ·
Generally I use a regular .22 rifle for small game hunting. I want to buy an air rifle to pop some gremlins (squirrels) in my back yard as not to alarm the neighbors. I live on an acre of land, but have close neighbors, so the .22 rifle is out of the question... anyway enough of that.

My question is this.... I was at the store today and I was in a delima. What would one need in the way of FPS and caliber to shoot a squirrel or rabbit and kill it in one shot.

I was looking at a .177 at 1000-1200fps. I know that would kill the squirrel no prob, but how about a rabbit or even a possum? Would I need to move it up to a .22 with a higher FPS? What do you think would be the needed FPS and caliber to kill at least the squirrels and rabbits... and then a possum?
 
#2 ·
1000 fps is more than enough for all that. Just use the pellets made (shaped) for hunting. Also a scope helps. I'd say about 20-25 yards would be the max range for both squirrel and possum. It doesn't take much to cleanly take a possum, they have very thin skin like a rabbit. I've taken many many armadillos, rabbits, squirrels, and snakes with my wally world Daisy. Good thing is you can sight in air rifles in the house, a couple phone books and you're good to go.

Even those pump up deals work very well with hunting pellets, the ones that can get around the 750-800 fps but you have a limit your effective range a bit. Those 1000fps air rifles are kind of loud too.
 
#4 ·
I bought a few years ago a ''Eurolux" in .177 - made tho I think in China!

Advertized at 1,000 fps and when I chrono'd it was 950fps but - that was using some ''heavy weight'' pellets. It feels good to use but is slow to load - fiddly even. I use a cheapo red dot on it which so far has proved very adequate.

I forget the brand without checking but my thinking is, based on years of experiment . that the slightly heavier .177 will do as well or better than any .22 I have tried.

The velocity and slight range advantage I notice is also aided by a slightly flatter trajectory. get a good solid hit and it will get the job done. It's true tho, these higher velocity spring rifles are rather loud .. hard to get over that but at least a lot quieter than the .22LR.


 
#6 ·
I ended up getting a Crossman Quest .177. I took it into the garage and opened up the back door and shot out to the treeline a few times (nothing behind my house, just to the sides). It shoots a single shot at 1000fps and was able to shoot thru a large pumpkin, apple, break a beer bottle, go thru a tin can, and penetrate a phonebook. So needless to say I am very impressed with it, and have no concern now with it taking a squirrel :image035: and ending my possum problem :mad:

Now I just have to wait for one... man I'm craving some squirrel pot pie :biggrin2: Its funny they're all over the place, but when you want one... nothing to be seen

To be honest... it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be... and my neighbors are far enough away that I doubt they will hear anything from that. Yes it does have a "crack" to it, but nothing too bad. We live on one acre plots... so on and so forth. So we're close, just not that close.
 
#9 ·
I was used to a wimpy ol' 400fps pellet handgun that could barley knock over a can, let alone kill small game. So I guess I did fall into the "its just an pellet gun" thing :frown: Thats probably why I never thought it would be powerful enough. The air rifle I got today really packs a punch :gah: and I'm very pleased with it. I can't wait to go out and get a few squirrels now :image035:
 
#11 ·
Even a cheap 400 fps pellet pistol will work on squirrels. I took many when I was a kid with a crosman Colt Python look alike.
 
#17 ·
My trusty ol' Benjamin Model 347 .177 air rifle took all manner of small game and varmints when I was a kid. It was advertised to deliver 750 FPS with the Benjamin .177 pellet, pumped to the 12-stroke limit. I chronographed it a few years back and, using a supply of Benjamin pellets, it gave a 10 shot average of 752 FPS with a lower extreme spread than anything I'd ever chronographed; 10 FPS.
 
#19 ·
#22 ·
I have some aqular (sorry about spelling) subsonic 22 rounds that are far more quite than any pellet rifle I have heard. Sound out of a 22 rifle was firing pin only.

That said, if I had cash to blow - would consider an airforce talon. 950 fps in 22, and can be purchased with integral suppressor. While it is still a possible baf issue, since it is integral it would be easier to claim it could not be attached to a rifle. I am not sure if they make a suppressed 20 cal - but that would be even safer since there are no 20 cal firearms that I am aware of.
 
#23 ·
My Beeman R9 .177 has taken out dozens of rats, birds, and flower bed destroying cotton tail rabbits. I've had it for years and am still impressed by not only it's power, but it's accuracy as well. The Rekord trigger it comes with is as fine a trigger you will find in any rifle.
 
#26 ·
If you want quiet, but still want the lethal....why stop using the .22? Just get a suppressor and a box of cci CBLong .22's and you're good to go. I'd be willing to bet my gemtech on a .22 is just as quiet if not more so than an airgun and the round has more mass which equals more kill power for those small critters. There's no CO2 Cartridges to change, no handle to pump. Rack, aim, click safety, squeeze trigger=deed done.

Don't get me wrong. Airguns are fun, but why bother hunting with a .177 airgun when you've already got a good .22 that WILL do the job better.:bier:
 
#30 ·
Well, yes it's going to depend on your local state law. Fed is a non-issue. It's a simple form to fill out and an extra $200 (that's the part that puckers my hindquarters). I'm not so much worried about dealing with the feds anymore per say...Heck I've already purchased firearms from dealers, had background checks, fingerprints for clearances, and hold a CHL so basically I'm already on just about every list known to man:rolleyes:.I went the trust route and I had my suppressor ok'd and in hand in about 2 weeks:image035:. Granted that was in VA.
 
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