Birds in the Barn

[ovrszd]

A .22 is a great deterrent for pigeons.

 

[MossRoad]

A .22 is a great deterrent for pigeons.

This was downtown South Bend. You'd need a 9mm at least.

 

[MoKelly]

This was downtown South Bend. You'd need a 9mm at least.

In St. Louis you need nothing less than a 45. Just read the papers.

MoKelly

 

[the old grind]

IMO CO2 or spring-piston pellet pistol is vastly underrated for ergonomic stalking and effective dispatch at close range w/minimum collateral damage.

 

[ovrszd]

As a kid my brother and I would stand inside the open barn door with a 20 gauge shotgun facing outward. Try to shoot the barn swallows as they tried to enter. I can't positively say, but pretty sure we NEVER hit one. Them little beggars are fast!!!!

 

[MossRoad]

When I worked at the airport back in the 80's, the owner of the FBO was getting tired of birds pooping on airplanes in the hanger. So he brought in his kid's pellet gun and told one of my guys to shoot the birds. Very similar to a barn. Guy starts shooting, but birds soon figure it out. Can't hit them on the fly. So they close the hangar doors and only leave them 1' open. It's vertical doors, so nice long floor to ceiling 1' wide slot 20' high. Guy stands outside and starts shooting at them. Still can't hit them with the pellet gun. This goes on for several days. So owner trades the pellet gun for a .22 with bird shot. Guy stands outside and finally starts hitting them as the come out. Kills a few dozen.

A few days later it rained. There were dozens of holes in the roof of the hangar from the pellet gun.

 

[MoKelly]

This goes on for several days. So owner trades the pellet gun for a .22 with bird shot. Guy stands outside and finally starts hitting them as the come out. Kills a few dozen.

A few days later it rained. There were dozens of holes in the roof of the hangar from the pellet gun.

So, the FBO owner brought a 22 rifle to his hanger at the airport and started shooting? Maybe that was his first mistake.

I guess times have changed.

My gosh.

MoKelly

 

[MossRoad]

So, the FBO owner brought a 22 rifle to his hanger at the airport and started shooting? Maybe that was his first mistake.

I guess times have changed.

My gosh.

MoKelly

Yep. He brought the gun, but had one of his employees shoot it. Heck, we all stood around and watched. Security was there as well. This was in the mid 80's. There were no gates on the fences. Cars could drive right in, drive right across the ramp, up to the hangars, down the taxiways, onto the runways if they wanted to.

Back in the mid 70's I bought a .22 target rifle as I was on a team. My dad took me to a sporting goods store downtown. We picked up the model recommended by my instructor and the salesman asked me if I wanted it wrapped up or did I just want to carry it out? CARRY IT! of course! So there I am, a 14 year old kid, carrying a rifle down the sidewalk in the middle of the day in downtown South Bend. People looked at me and smiled and looked happy, like, "That boy got him a new rifle!" Today, they'd be saying "THAT BOY GOT HIM A RIFLE!" and call the cops.

Times have changed.

 

[the old grind]

.22 RF shot can barely put a hole on a pigeon or cove from 30 paces. Probably wouldn't put a hole in barn siding metal from 20. Pellet gun needs a backstop. I shoot several brands of ammo from a dedicated Savage 93 with smooth bore and only a single-shot loading tray vs any magazine. It's woefully puny, but works for starlings if you get close enough.

 

[MossRoad]

.22 RF shot can barely put a hole on a pigeon or cove from 30 paces. Probably wouldn't put a hole in barn siding metal from 20. Pellet gun needs a backstop. I shoot several brands of ammo from a dedicated Savage 93 with smooth bore and only a single-shot loading tray vs any magazine. It's woefully puny, but works for starlings if you get close enough.

It was starlings he was shooting with the .22 birdshot. He'd hit them and they'd keep flying and then crash about 100-200' away and flop around. Pretty inhumane.

The pellet gun was a .22 Benjamin, I believe. It apparently had no problems putting holes in that old wooden roof.