Any Pellet Gunners here?

[TractorNH]

I have a Gamo Whisper in .177 but for anything larger than a chipmunk you'd be better off with a .22 version. The one I have came with some coated pellets that are actually supersonic out of the barrel, 1100fps but with regular pellets and hollow point pellets it is subsonic and quiet. It's a break-barrel so no CO2 or pumping.

 

[TractorNH]

There must be a valid reason everybody is wanting to use a pellet gun over a normal 22 with scope. What is it - your location is not right for the 22 or the noise.

One reason is most states have laws about distance from houses when discharging a firearm. In NH you need to be 300' from a house unless you have written permission from the homeowner...BUT a pellet gun is not a firearm so that rule doesn't apply.

 

[TractorNH]

Law - from the wiki

And because CO2 powered is not a firearm there are other fun things readily available like full auto bb guns...
Umarex Legends MP fully automatic BB gun - YouTube

 

[JohnBuffaloMN]

I've read that any air rifle's projectile gets unstable after 1100fps. I use some of the pointed pellets with my one pump air gun (forget brand, but it's scoped) and it's pretty accurate at 15 yards. Chipmunks and red squirrels are no longer welcome after they chewed the wires off my son's car - totaling it! Most of my other vehicles have had a visitor intent on chewing the wires too.

My dog loves the taste of squirrel and chipmunk so I don't have to shoot too many of them

I live too near other homes to be shooting a .22 LR but the CBee subsonic rounds are also great for varmits - they'll nearly penetrate a 2x4, but not much more. Usually use those for dispatching skunks and coons.

 

[JohnBuffaloMN]

Here's an article on pellet velocity and accuracy: Velocity - Accuracy - Value - Some things to look for in an airgun

 

[TractorNH]

For chipmunks I prefer this type of simple bucket trap. It's much easier than sitting out waiting for them and you can catch multiples with each trap setup. It's very effective. Chipmunk goes up the ramp, sees the motherload of seeds and jumps into the bucket for a feast but ends up treading water until it gets tired and drowns. The seeds then hide the dead ones so the next up the ramp to investigate does the same thing. We've caught as many as 5 in a single setup over two days. I don't leave them in there too long since the flies go after them and they start to stink so every couple days it needs to be redone as long as there are still critters to catch.

Chipmunk Bucket Trap - YouTube

 

[oosik]

I've only had the "munks" hit the wiring in my vehicles once - 28 years ago. They COMPLETELY wiped out the wiring in my brand new 1990 Chrysler - $875 - insurance WOULD NOT cover the cost.

Now - they build nests - ferret away all form of seeds - and poop in places where the heater fan will blow it out of the ducting and right on me - - nice, really nice.

I check each vehicle - I've got two - once a week for, mainly, nests. Nests in the wrong spots will start a fire in the engine compartment.


I don't fool with guns - they see me and a rifle and they are history. Besides I have one that will stand up on the tailgate of the pickup - stick his tongue out at me and go - ya, ya, ya. He knows I can't shoot him there.

I use traps - fairly effective. Normal year I will catch 18 to 24 munks. Problem is - there are twice that many waiting in the wings to take the place of the trapped ones.

I used the spinning can covered with peanut butter in the five gallon plastic bucket filled with water last year. I think the final total was 24 munks and around 42 mice. Started about this time of year and ran it until freeze up. This spring I have not noticed even a slight change in either of the rodent populations - still just as many as ever.

 

[kcflhrc]

There must be a valid reason everybody is wanting to use a pellet gun over a normal 22 with scope. What is it - your location is not right for the 22 or the noise.

I don't want to be shooting a 22 LR into the air at a bird. Valid enough?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Of the subject a bit BUT: One day my neighbor said that he saw on the net that adding a small bit of Vaseline (or other petroleum product) to the hollow tail of a pellet will increase it's velocity due to dieseling of the Vaseline. I tried it and it seems to work. I cant ascribe to it changing the accuracy (or not) but it sure makes them penetrate deeper and shoot further. It also puts a puff of smoke out the barrel when fired.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't own one, but Gamo has a good rep for a quality rifle. Ruger also makes a good break barrel air rifle for around $150. I prefer .22 cal to .177 simple because the pellets are easier to handle. The .177 are just too small to wrestle into the chamber on the pump up guns, not as bad on the break barrel guns. The velocity is higher with the .177, but the muzzle energy is much higher with the.22.

I have a Beeman break barrel that really shoots well but the trigger is a piece of junk (very hard to pull). I also have a Benjamin pump up but rarely use it since it takes so long to load up and fire. If I were looking for another air gun and didn't want to spent over $200, I would look at the Ruger in .22cal. Put on a good air gun scope and it would be deadly.