Need a sub 600f/s squirrel deterrent

[DougGuy]

I have plenty of squirrels and the cheapo pumpmaster 760 is not quite enough power for them. It works if you get a head shot and only then. I'd also not want to spend a bunch of $$ on a solution. What choices would I have?

I have seen some pretty nice pistols on this forum that would work, some are tweaked with aftermarket parts, not opposed to this route just need something accurate and not taking forever to reload.

[Zymurgy50]

A spring piston rifle, and a small rag saturated with 5wt. oil. Cock the rifle, load pellet, and then wipe the base of the pellet/breech with the rag. The combination of the oil and the extreme compression of the air by the spring piston creates a "diesel combustion" behind the pellet, doubling penetration power of the rifle.

A # 10 or 11 percussion cap behind a .177 pellet will also work, but cost and avaliablity can be a problem.

[Blanket]

sheridan blue streak, found an RWS air rifle in a couple of pieces from a diesel fan. He had been bragging on how hard it shot earlier that morning at the range, a drop of 3 in 1 in the skirt

[HollowPoint]

Not to be a smart-A$$ but, you might consider a wrist-rocket shooting ball bearings, marbles or the small pinch-closed fishing sinkers.

Back in my elementary school days, my wrist-rocket accounted for countless ground squirrels, cotton tails and birds. The expensive ones are only about thirteen bucks. You can cast your own ammo or just shoot small rocks out of them. At short range they're every bit as accurate as some of the 600 fps air rifles available once you get the hang of shooting them.

At 600 fps, a BB or a pellet still delivers less kinetic energy to a squirrel out to 25 yards than a well placed 50-60 grain projectile out of a wrist rocket; even at slightly slower velocity.

I have to admit, it's nice to have a cool looking air rifle though.

HollowPoint

[DougGuy]

I started the thread off thinking that our local ordnance that allows 600f/s covered BB and Pellet rifles as well as air soft, but it only applies to air soft, making any metal projectile illegal so might as well go and get a 1,000 - 1200f/s gun and get er done. I looked online and found a couple of Ruger models with a break barrel and rifling, what about those? Other than the weight?

[yoter]

RWS 34 pellet rifle in 22 cal. Excellent trigger pull and accurate. The "budget" air rifles will work if you can get used to heavy and long trigger pulls. Magnum velocity rifles recoil more and can be hold sensitive in that your must maintain a consistent or "artillery" hold on the rifle.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Ruger Airhawks go on closeout for uder $100 quite often.They are .177 and are a pretty close copy of the RWS 34 and have pretty nice triggers.

[tjones]

Try www.gamousa.com .....you can't go wrong. tj

[grizzlyadams]

i will second one of the ruger airhawk models, or better yet. visit flying dragon airrifles and take a look at the b25. it is the same gun as the ruger, and mike goes over them before he sends them out. a 25 in .22 caliber would end your problem in short order, hits much harder than the 177 even though 177 is faster, and it makes it easy to stay quiet as it is subsonic even with light 22 pellets.

[DougGuy]

I checked out MM and Flying Dragon, pretty cool stuff. I found what I think might work the best for me, the XS46U underlever. It's priced right, seems to be quite accurate, and subsonic, 770f/s with .22 caliber pellets. His tuning doesn't seem too expensive either.

http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/XISICO_XS46U.html

Now I need to find somebody that wants to trade one for a nice dobro! :bigsmyl2:

[tacklebury]

I like my Crosman 1322. 460 FPS and good knock down power for varmints. Add the optional stock and it's a mighty fine carbine also. Cost is very reasonable. I had a 1377 when a kid also which was great. The .22 has a bit more knock down for close to house use and less tendency to ricochet. ;)

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Crosman_1322_Air_Pistol_Black/2657

Also 1377

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Crosman_1377C_PC77/198

stock

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Crosman_1399_Custom_Shoulder_Stock_Fits_Many_Crosm an_Pistols/198

[DougGuy]

I checked out MM and Flying Dragon, pretty cool stuff. I found what I think might work the best for me, the XS46U underlever. It's priced right, seems to be quite accurate, and subsonic, 770f/s with .22 caliber pellets. His tuning doesn't seem too expensive either.

http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/XISICO_XS46U.html


Ordered one of these fully tuned from Mike this am, I will have it next week. Also ordered about 8 different kinds of .22 cal pellet samples so I can see what it likes. Probably go to walmart and get some Crossmans to break it in with then start shooting the samples for group and let it tell me which ones to get!

[Bullshop Junior]

You wont be disappointed with that choice. I had a pump up Benjamin 22 air rifle as a kid that I wore out... Twice. Not sure what ever happened to it after I broke the pump lever off, but that gun killed a lot of little critters.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Ordered one of these fully tuned from Mike this am, I will have it next week. Also ordered about 8 different kinds of .22 cal pellet samples so I can see what it likes. Probably go to walmart and get some Crossmans to break it in with then start shooting the samples for group and let it tell me which ones to get!



good choice,keep us posted.The .22 14.3 Crosmans from Walmart shoot good or me in all of my 22 airguns.

[DougGuy]

The .22 14.3 Crosmans from Walmart shoot good or me in all of my 22 airguns.

I'm going to get a tin of those to break it in with. Not sure if I want the HP premier or not. The scope I had been using was a cheapo Walmart Bushnell 4x32, the parallax in it was half the problem with the 760 I have it on so I didn't want to bring any gremlins along for the new gun so I rethought things a bit and came up with a TrueGlo 2x42 red dot sight, and a leapers dovetail to picatinny rail mount that has dual stop pins and barrel droop compensation built into it already.

Dang I have optics coming, ammo coming, new gun coming, now I'm ANTSY! :bigsmyl2:

[Bullshop Junior]

In my experiance the most accurate will be a heavy round nose.

[DougGuy]

Sheesh wth is the reason behind this I wonder?

Wallyworld..

14.3gr Crosman Premier domed = $13.50/500ct tin.

14.3gr Crosman Premier hollow point = $8.15/500ct tin..

[grizzlyadams]

you need not worry about the hollowpoint on the crosman. it is a dimple and they really dont perform any different than the domes. good choice on the underlever. most i have shot are ridiculously accurate. i have the browning version of the same gun and it is a tackdriver.

[John Boy]

Need a sub 600f/s squirrel deterrent
Ever consider a slingshot? :mrgreen:

[DougGuy]

Waiting on the big brown truck to bring my new rifle, had to resort to some busy work to get ready for when it gets here.

I took some ideas from the airgun forum and photos on the web, and I came up with a low budget plan for a pellet trap using shredded rubber mulch. I have about $10 in it so far. Bag of rubber mulch was $3 at Home Depot because it had holes in the bag, the most expensive part was the 2'x2'x3/4" foamular sheet that I put on the front, I chose this for noise suppression when the pellet strikes the target. Hopefully it will hold the rubber in and not be too loud when the pellet hits it.

12"x16"box built from scrap pieces of mdf and plywood with corners and furring strips built from scrap pieces of oak and salt treated 2x2 cut on a diagonal:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_173654Custom2_zps6b695c0d.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_173654Custom2_zps6b695c0d.jpg.html)

Rubber mulch from Home Depot:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175309Custom2_zps34cdc8aa.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175309Custom2_zps34cdc8aa.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175658Custom2_zps9291efdf.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175658Custom2_zps9291efdf.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175707Custom2_zpsb1409aac.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175707Custom2_zpsb1409aac.jpg.html)

Finished box weighs 24.4lbs, aluminum duct tape holds it together. When it get enough holes in the foam board, I can just switch it out and tape a new one in place:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_180832Custom2_zps1d6ce7fe.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_180832Custom2_zps1d6ce7fe.jpg.html)

I made it 2 targets wide so there is less walking involved, more shooting!

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_181655Custom2_zps9518a95f.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_181655Custom2_zps9518a95f.jpg.html)

[RedHawk357Mag]

Pretty sweet pellet trap:)

[HARRYMPOPE]

[QUOTE=DougGuy;2765375]Sheesh wth is the reason behind this I wonder?

Wallyworld..

14.3gr Crosman Premier domed = $13.50/500ct tin.

14.3gr Crosman Premier hollow point = $8.15/500ct tin..[/QwUOTE]


The HP is cheap and shoots well in about any airgun I have shot them in.

[detox]

A 22 cal pellet moving at 600fps will have enough energy to kill any squirrel.

[tacklebury]

Heck yah, I took hundreds with a .177 pellet rifle using plain old flat heads mostly.

[DougGuy]

I took a big male today with a flathead out of my .177 but it was a head shot. The same squirrel I chased around inside my enclosed garden compound a few days ago, shot him twice in the body and didn't hardly phase him. He was mad as h3ll and barking/whoofing at me but it didn't slow him down.

[grizzlyadams]

awesome job on the trap man! did you get your gun from mike yet?
Waiting on the big brown truck to bring my new rifle, had to resort to some busy work to get ready for when it gets here.

I took some ideas from the airgun forum and photos on the web, and I came up with a low budget plan for a pellet trap using shredded rubber mulch. I have about $10 in it so far. Bag of rubber mulch was $3 at Home Depot because it had holes in the bag, the most expensive part was the 2'x2'x3/4" foamular sheet that I put on the front, I chose this for noise suppression when the pellet strikes the target. Hopefully it will hold the rubber in and not be too loud when the pellet hits it.

12"x16"box built from scrap pieces of mdf and plywood with corners and furring strips built from scrap pieces of oak and salt treated 2x2 cut on a diagonal:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_173654Custom2_zps6b695c0d.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_173654Custom2_zps6b695c0d.jpg.html)

Rubber mulch from Home Depot:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175309Custom2_zps34cdc8aa.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175309Custom2_zps34cdc8aa.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175658Custom2_zps9291efdf.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175658Custom2_zps9291efdf.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175707Custom2_zpsb1409aac.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_175707Custom2_zpsb1409aac.jpg.html)

Finished box weighs 24.4lbs, aluminum duct tape holds it together. When it get enough holes in the foam board, I can just switch it out and tape a new one in place:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_180832Custom2_zps1d6ce7fe.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_180832Custom2_zps1d6ce7fe.jpg.html)

I made it 2 targets wide so there is less walking involved, more shooting!

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_181655Custom2_zps9518a95f.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/20140505_181655Custom2_zps9518a95f.jpg.html)

[DougGuy]

Yeah I got the gun Thursday. Had enough time to shoot it for groups to see what pellets it likes. The TruGlo red dot is working, but it has false dots that intersect each other so I have an RMA for it, they seem to be easy enough to work with.

I shot a dozen .22 pellets for group today, so here's a bit of a range report with the new gun..

Distance was 47.5' from the muzzle. Sorry, no chrony.. I took the sights off to clean up the lines of the gun and remove any distraction, as they could be seen through the sight.

As far as what pellets it likes, results are pretty much what others say, the clear winners are well known and by these targets, you can see why. This is not terribly good shooting, but it's not bad either, take it for what it is...

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/XS46U-NoSights_zps60df5119.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/XS46U-NoSights_zps60df5119.jpg.html)

These solid dots are 1.025" in diameter, the red dot is about .750" at this distance, so it's fairly easy to sight to the middle of the dot and this was the point of aim for all strings fired.

L to R, top to bottom:

Beeman Silver Bear 12.65gr HP
H&N Sport CrowMagnum 18.21gr HP
Beeman Silver Arrow 17.13gr pointed
Benjamin Discovery 14.3gr HP
RWS Super H-Point 14.2gr HP

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-1_zps052ff49e.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-1_zps052ff49e.jpg.html)

H&N Sport 13.73gr wadcutter
JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo RS 13.43gr domed ***BEST group fired @.610"***
JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Express 14.35 domed
JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo 15.89 domed
Crosman Premier 14.3gr HP

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-2_zps945f125d.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-2_zps945f125d.jpg.html)

H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66gr domed
Crosman Premier Ultra Magnum 14.3gr domed
Crosman Premier 14.3gr HP

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-3_zpse4825aa7.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/Range5-9-14-3_zpse4825aa7.jpg.html)

[DougGuy]

[QUOTE=DougGuy;2765375]Sheesh wth is the reason behind this I wonder?

Wallyworld..

14.3gr Crosman Premier domed = $13.50/500ct tin.

14.3gr Crosman Premier hollow point = $8.15/500ct tin..[/QwUOTE]


The HP is cheap and shoots well in about any airgun I have shot them in.

I looked today, and they had changed the online price of the domed Ultra Magnum pellets to $8.99/500ct tin. I bet they had a mistake earlier and someone finally caught it.

The range report I just posted says it all. I have a tin of the hollow points here, and a tin of the domed ultra magnums on the way. It does shoot the Ultra Mags better than any of the others I tested.

[grizzlyadams]

nice, and it will tighten up even more as it breaks in, and you get used to it

[DougGuy]

This group fired into the 1 1/4" circle at 47' 6" with Crosman Premier Hollow Points, it is getting better already:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02073_zpsf03cf71a.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02073_zpsf03cf71a.jpg.html)

This group fired at 22' 6" shows POI is 5/8" below line of sight, at this distance I would need 5/8" of holdover for a clean head shot on a squirrel. I took one this morning, same distance, with a torso shot through the shoulders, and the pellet went through the squirrel and about 1/4" into the wood on the other side of him, just about perfect energy level for the back yard. That, and not wanting the crack of a supersonic projectile is why I chose the XS46U with it's 770f/s average velocity.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02074_zps9fb873f0.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02074_zps9fb873f0.jpg.html)

[Docjames]

I used to have a 22 heritage revolver that I added a scope to and shot aguilia sub sonic 22 lr out of, sounds like a staple gun and kills just fine, I bet it is much more expensive now but it was accurate enough to hit a nail on the head at 15 feet or better.

[DougGuy]

Got a new Leaper's UTG 3-12x44 compact scope with SWAT AO and etched glass mildot reticle. It's quite nice. I started with a red dot on this rifle but quickly found out they aren't the best for low light/nighttime pest control where sub MOA accuracy is almost mandatory for a clean head shot. So far this new scope is a super nice piece of gear. I was looking at a Bug Buster and also the wire reticle version of this same scope but I chose the etched glass and very pleased with it. $150 from Pyramydair and free shipping..

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02418_zps5f394d91.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/DSC02418_zps5f394d91.jpg.html)

This morning I took the scope off and cut some of the dovetail off the scope base so I could move it back 1 1/4" closer to my eye. It worked really well, picking up the sight picture is instantaneous now where before I had to hunt around and move my head forward until it looked about right. No more!

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/XS46U3-12x44movedback_zps49543d1c.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/XS46U3-12x44movedback_zps49543d1c.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/3-12x44movedback_zps82ae4553.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Air%20Rifle%20stuff/3-12x44movedback_zps82ae4553.jpg.html)

[mj2evans]

I have used an RWS 34 and 54 in 22 cal to take a lot of pests. Still best served by head or neck shots. Cross Premier is a nice pellet (especially for $) but 20+ grain pellets hit harder. I use Beeman Kodiaks when I really want to smack something. I think all the hollow point and pointed pellets are gimicks, just shoot the heaviest pellet your rifle will shoot well.

[DougGuy]

I moved up to a 16.05gr pointed copper coated pellet, not because it was pointed or copper coated, but because it's heavier than 14.3gr and the gun shoots them quite well.

Still, on a medium to large masked bandit, unless I get a *perfect* fusebox hit the first time, one shot will not stop them. It stuns and slows them enough that I can reload, and keep stunning them until they offer me the correct angle for the kill shot. Some take 3-4 shots to finally do the job.

Thinking seriously about a .25 caliber rifle with 30+ fpe. 18 fpe is not enough for anything less than a perfect shot and most of the time, they may not offer a perfect shot.

Of the three taken in the last two nites hunting, one 7 pound juvenile went down to one perfect head shot, an old 10 pound female took 4 shots total, and a 12 pound male took 3. That tells me that I could stand to benefit from using more gun, which has enough energy to make anywhere on the skull a kill shot instead of just the central X on top of the skull between the eyes and the ears

[RogerDat]

Nice rifle and scope, I have not had my air rifle out in a few years since the grand kids are older. Scope on it was not much use, preferred open sights. Might have to see if a better scope makes it more fun to shoot.

I let the standard schnauzer out and she lays by the corner of the house watching the bird feeder and waiting, waiting, waiting.... and she's off! Then squirrel dies. Only tough part is she likes to bury the buggers, dig them up and trot around the yard with it for a few laps then buries it again. She will give it to us if we catch her with it but trying to find it when buried is a waste of time.

She always seems to hit them with enough power to get the job done.

[DougGuy]

She always seems to hit them with enough power to get the job done.

RogerDat! I hear ya..