Recomend a Squirrel rifle

[Chill Wills]

Advice needed please.
Tho I have been around the gunpowder world my whole life, I know zip about pellet-springer-air rifles.

I currently live in a area that has houses on 3-7 acre lots and the odd horse here and there. The fox squirrels are eating our house.
Two years ago a shooting friend loaned me his Air Arms TX2000 177cal and it has done a fine job of keeping the little beavers at bay.

Typical shots are 20-25 yards into the trees from the porches. I put the rifle on the chronograph when I first got it and with the Beeman FTS pellet I get about 820 FPS. This set-up mostly kills with one shot. The rifle is choosy about what it will group with and the after trying a few different pellets the FTS was a winner! The really great part is the accuracy. At 15 yards all holes touch, at 25y the rifle will keep the shots on your fingernail. Good enough for my squirrels.

So here is the question; I needed to return the rifle 3 weeks ago so I am without a pellet rifle.

The SQUIRRELS are back! I am sure I saw a squirrel give me the finger yesterday! Brazen they are!

An Air Arms TX-2000 is $650 & $750 with walnut. - no sights. And as such, I would still need rings and scope! Ouch! Wife is rolling her eyes! She thinks a $150 BB rifle should do the job. ....I know.
Maybe there is something in between with enough accuracy and power. What would you recommend?

[Beagle333]

A Sheridan Blue Streak in .20 cal will drop squirrels all day long. I've had one for at least 30 years. And I mounted a cheapo 4x scope on mine using the aftermarket scope mounts.

[Went2kck]

Go to Pyramid air look in their for one you like, then go to bass pro or Cabelas. They have a pretty good selection on them. I have a Ruger elite in 177, a springer and a Crossman in 22 with a gas piston. either one will kill the tree rats and are about 150 bucks. I use the Crossman hollow points as they seam to be the most accurate in them. In most cities it is the same offence to shoot an air rifle as it is a 45 or 30-06. discharge of a firearm. Good luck with the tree rats.

[drinks]

Yes, a Sheridan 5mm/.20 caliber air rifle will do the job nicely.
I cannot shoot squirrel with anything that is not a firearm, as the game laws require a firearm for all game animals.
No, rabbits/ hares , coons, possums and even feral swine are legal as all of them are not game animals, under Texas law.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I would probably go with a gas piston .22 as it's said they can be left cocked and ready for shots of opportunity. I've heard guys here say good things about the Crosman Nitro Venom. I have one and can't get it to shoot better than palm size groups at 25yds. with any scope combination or pellets. I just got a Hatsan .22 M-95 Vortex Nitro piston from Midway on sale for $150.00. Not quite as accurate as my RWS-34, but more powerful and plenty accurate enough for squirrels with Crosman .22 hp's from wally-world. It comes with a scope, but barely useable for my eyes. I've been shooting it open sights at 25yds. and it keeps regular sub 2" groups. No doubt with a decent scope it'll do much better.

Like drinks, I also live in a state where air guns are not legal for game, but it's silent and my back yard...

[ebner glocken]

I don't own any of their springers but if they're anything like the PCPs they should do the trick. In staying in your budget here's where I would look:

http://www.airgunproshop.com/product...n-refurbished/

Enjoy your pest control.

Ebner

[gloob]

I like my Venom, and springers can definitely do the trick. But with a springer, you are in for a journey. The gun often has to be broken in with 500-1000 pellets, right off the bat. The scope might or might not break on you, and that's just the breaks with a springer. You have to learn how to shoot it to get good groups, and it's not real easy. The rifle might have lockup issues that affect accuracy. And like other airguns, you still have to find the right pellet.

With all that going on, it will be a minor miracle if you can routinely take squirrels at 25 yards, right out of the box. If that's not a journey that sounds like fun, then I would consider a Silver Streak. I had one, and it hits hard. I could probably kill a squirrel at longer distances with a Silver Streak over my Venom, even, and I've had a few years to sort my rifle and my shooting. What it gives up in power, it makes up for in practical field accuracy.

As a pure vermin sniper, a Silver Streak is a good bargain and a good tool. You can find a pellet that groups and have it sighted in at 25 yards in an hour or two, ready for your first squirrel. It just isn't much fun for me to shoot in volume, personally, because it's kinda hard to pump and it's much louder than a 700 fps gas piston.

[mulespurs]

Just my experience.

My son sent me a.177 Ruger Air Hawk at about $100.00 from Walmart.
Cottontails at 40 yds are not an issue at all.
Longest one was 60 big steps.
Crossman premeir hp pellets work good.
Look up "the artillery hold" it helps a lot it seems.
I shoot beer cans at 40 yds for practice.
Squirrels seem harder and tougher than cottontails.
25-30 yds no wind should be no problem.

[Chill Wills]

Thank all and your answers are great. I lack the backround with these rifles. I had the Air Arms springer for two years and shot two bushel baskets of squirrels, again the rifle as a loan. Too bad he needed it back! For what ever reason the issues as described by Gloob "But with a springer, you are in for a journey. The gun often has to be broken in with 500-1000 pellets, right off the bat. The scope might or might not break on you, and that's just the breaks with a springer. You have to learn how to shoot it to get good groups, and it's not real easy." were not an issue for me and this rifle.
The Air Arms TX-2000 was a joy to shoot, great all holes touching accuracy at 15 yards and I did not know how good I had it until he needed it back and I started looking around for a replacement.
I have had Pyramid on the phone a few times, once when I first got the loaner rifle to learn how to clean and oil it. I did a PM with a Air Arms kit before I even tried using it for hunting. I did this because the rifle had sat unused for years and years and the first shots were crazy and I knew this was not right. A quick call to Pyramid got me lined out on how accurate it should be and how to correct the problem.

If you did not notice, I really would like to get an other Air arms rifle. Hummmmm, maybe we should let the squirrels eat the house for a while longer and hold out for the expensive rifle

[gloob]

Just remember when u borrow a rifle, and presumably pellets too, the gun is probably already broken in, sighted in, and shooting a good pellet. When one thing if off and you have a lot of potential sources of the problem, it might takes some time and effort to sort out.

[jcwit]

There is a season & bag limit on squirrels in your state. Do you plan on pouching them?

[Lead Fred]

My Silver Streak takes down cats, tree rats should be easy.
I use the red ballistic tips 20 cal

[luvtn]

There is a bag limit in Tn for both rabbit and squirrel. The state won't pay for damages to your property-sooo shoot them critters! I don't consider it poaching. It is protection of property.
Luvtn

[jcwit]

That's like robbing a bank and claiming it's an income!

So you get to chose the laws you wish to abide by and those you don't.


A major problem we now face here in the U.S.

[Chill Wills]

There is a season & bag limit on squirrels in your state. Do you plan on pouching them?

I am not sure if you are addressing me or not but killing fox squirrels is not illegal in Colorado.

[gloob]

That's like robbing a bank and claiming it's an income!

Haha, that's good.

I agree, the law is the law. I would call animal control and try live traps and relocation first, just to know I tried. (If you have local laws as such).

Well, over here in Phoenix, I had a friend recently give up his chicken coop. Apparently, it's harder to build a coyote-proof chicken coop than it is to build a nuclear bomb. And with the local laws, raising chickens = feeding coyotes. I agree with his sentiment. I don't know if there's a legal difference between a squirrel and a coyote, but it sure seems different to me, first and foremost because the yotes aren't living on/in your property. And I wouldn't commit a crime to have stupid pets and fresh eggs.

[dilly]

There is a season & bag limit on squirrels in your state. Do you plan on pouching them?

If you are talking to the Texan, he is using the Castle Doctrine to protect his home and property from the squirrels and their deadly chewing and entering. Perfectly legal, right?

[hoosierlogger]

I have a gamo bull whisper.177. If you buy it junk the scope and buy a good one. I went through 4 junk gamo scopes before I finally had enough and bought one. Like said before, 500 + pellets to break in. Mine likes the crossman premier 10.5 grain pellets. This will be the third year I have owned it. Perhaps this will be the year I get to use it to hunt the bushy tails!!!

[gloob]

If you are talking to the Texan, he is using the Castle Doctrine to protect his home and property. Perfectly legal, right?

I don't know any laws regarding squirrels. I was just responding to jcwit, in general. I have never seen a squirrel as long as I have lived in AZ.

[AnnieOakley]

If you look on the Colorado Division of Wildlife's website you will find that it is okay to control some species of wildlife if it is causing damage on your property without a license.

1.) WHAT CAN I DO IF WILDLIFE IS CAUSING DAMAGE ON MY PROPERTY?
Statute 33
If wildlife is causing damage to crops, real or personal property, or livestock
-
a person (or any employee or agent of the
landowner) may hunt, trap, or take the following wildlife on lands owned or leased by the person without securing a
license to do so:
• Black-billed magpies, common crows, starlings,
English or house sparrows, common
pigeons, coyotes, bobcats, red
foxes, raccoons, jackrabbits, badgers, marmots, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, Richardson's ground squirrels, rock
squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrel, porcupines, crayfish, tiger salamanders, muskrats, beavers, exotic wildlife,
and common snapping turtles.
• Additional species include: tree squirrels, cottontail rabbits, marmots, porcupines, bats, mice (except Preble's meadow jumping mouse), opossums, skunks, voles, rats, and ground squirrels.
• Any person may kill rattlesnakes when necessary to protect life or property.
• The pelts or hides of any mammal taken under these provisions may be transferred, possessed, traded, bartered, or sold by any person who holds an appropriate small
game or furbearer license. (For information on the possession and/or
disposal of pelts and hides of animals NOT listed above, including bear and lion, please contact CPW for permission.)