Varminting

[wolfdog]

Not a cast bullet but lead none the less. .22 cal, 15.89grn round nose, pure lead, 900 fps. One less English Sparrow. Gun is an unmodded Mrod with Hawke Vantage 6-24x44. Shot was 30 yards.
309341

[Rapier]

Close enough when it comes to a 22 rimfire.

Another use for sparrows, throw them in the freezer in a bag, and float them frozen on a pond with a shark hook on para cord, to catch snapping turtles out of your fish pond.Snappers are also bad on baby ducks.

Used to shoot sparrows in the chicken yard, as my job at the farm. They eat a lot of chicken feed.

[Larry Gibson]

“THEY COME AT NIGHT….MOSTLY”

by Larry M. Gibson

That line struck me as odd considering it was noon. I had been watching the bait on the tree the last three mornings and nights. Mostly when there would be just enough light to see through the riflescope in the morning, then again at evening until there wasn’t enough light to see at night. I would give it a full 45 minutes at position in the hide overlooking the bait. I knew they were there. I had seen them, early one morning, and besides the bait kept getting eaten, at night….mostly.

The two I’d just seen were young and very skittish. No matter. They were there, that was enough. The unfortunate circumstance was my rifle was down for repair. The parts had been ordered and were on the way. When they arrived, the rifle would be repaired and, with the bluff nose bullet, rezeroed. Penetration is a must. The exact distance from the hide to the bait platform was known. Point of impact would match point of aim with certainty. However, this frustrating time of waiting left me with ample time to ponder the situation.

I had done this before, 24 times to be exact. Thus, there should be no surprises. Yet thoughts of the many leopard stories from classic books of Africa mingled with thoughts of those times. The sleek silent predator which suddenly appears at the bait. The long tense waits in the hide. Thoughts screaming through your brain so loud you’re sure it will hear. Has it come? Does it know? Can it smell me? Hell, can it sense me? Capstick’s aptly descriptive words written in “DEATH IN THE LONG GRASS” were ringing so true. Then, of course, there was the classic line of the little girl in the movie ALIENS; “They come at night … mostly”.

There should have been no surprises. But dammit, it’s noon! And it’s 80 degrees on a hot, humid, lazy summer day. I’m not even hunting. I just happen to glance at the tree. The movement catches my attention. IT is going up the tree and this one is not young. This one is huge, a trophy. The largest I’ve seen. Definitely the one you write home to Mama about! But I’m 5 yards from the hide and the rifle while fixed and zeroed isn’t loaded, how stupid. All I can do is watch and not move. IT reaches the bait, glances around, so quickly the fangs snatch up a piece of bait! Then with all the described silent smoothness of the great predators IT is down the tree and into the dense undergrowth.

I move quickly to the hide, picking up the rifle and with a quick practiced movement it is loaded. Climbing into the hide a solid shooting position is taken. Good rest with natural point of aim centered on the bait. Extra ammo’s at hand. Riflescope set at 9X. Focus perfect. Safety’s off. Easy on the trigger … remember it’s two-stage. Everything’s set. Well, except for one …. BREATHE stupid!!! Settle down.

Then the thoughts come with the questions you can’t answer. Will IT return? Was that IT’s first trip to the bait or the last? How hungry was IT? Does IT know?. Why now? Just doesn’t make sense. Seems like when you’ve got the answer to the question, they change the question. Try to stop thinking. Can’t. Where… is … IT?

There! Movement in the undergrowth. Yes, that’s IT and how wary IT is. IT does know. I’m still aimed at the bait. Can’t chance moving the rifle for a shot there, IT will see, must wait. Swiftly IT moves to the base of the tree, hesitates slightly, then with little effort bounds up the backside to the bait. Oh, so cautious, IT slinks around between the bait and the feeder then stops on the platform. Crouching low IT stares right at me, no IT stares through me! I see the fangs, the twitch of the whiskers and those eyes. Yes, those cold black eyes. They seem to mesmerize me. Magnified at 9X I know … IT knows!

But, too late, the crosshairs have settled quartering the right eye. The first stage is out of the trigger and, at a crisp two pounds of pull, so goes the second. The bluff nose strikes precisely at point of aim. IT is slammed down onto the platform, muscles quivering tensely, tail standing straight up in the air. Quick reload for the insurance shot. Wounded in that undergrowth, things could prove difficult to sort out. I settle back for the insurance shot, if necessary, it isn’t. IT sags, deflating like the last gasp of a fast leaking party balloon. The tail slowly falls to hang limp over the platform.

I turn, still standing in the bathtub and uncock the RWS M54 air rifle. My wife, from the bedroom, says; “Well, did you get it?” I answer rather nonchalantly; “Of course!” Closing the bathroom window, which makes for a rather convenient hide, I look once more down upon the squirrel feeder nailed to the tree 17 yards away. The large Norwegian Wharf Rat lying there is probably the biggest of the 25 killed yet.

As I approach the feeder to confirm the kill (i.e. throwing said rat over the back fence) I see the 14.3 gr .22 cal Crossman Premier pellet at 600 fps hit the right eye precisely. Didn’t even cut fur. I lift it off the feeder, using gloves, and hold IT up for my wife to see who has safely stayed upstairs in the house. She yells out the window; “Jeez, that sure is a big sucker!” I agree. IT measured 14 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail, "between the pegs" as the Brits would say. I then unceremoniously confirm the kill throwing the lifeless body over the back fence into the dense blackberry bushes. There are larger rats for sure, but none in my hunting “concession” … so far.

Yes, “THEY COME AT NIGHT….MOSTLY” but then …. but then perhaps not!

309352

309353

[versa-06]

That's truly "Goin to a Rat Killin". Good Shot

[wmitty]

Thoroughly enjoyed the description of dispatching IT!

[wolfdog]

Close enough when it comes to a 22 rimfire.

Another use for sparrows, throw them in the freezer in a bag, and float them frozen on a pond with a shark hook on para cord, to catch snapping turtles out of your fish pond.Snappers are also bad on baby ducks.

Used to shoot sparrows in the chicken yard, as my job at the farm. They eat a lot of chicken feed.

Actually, this is an air rifle. Fully shrouded so very quiet as well.

[GregLaROCHE]

My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

[georgerkahn]

My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
geo

[dale2242]

Jeez Larry, I had chills thinks about the fangs and all.
I`m sure glad you dispatched it at a safe distance and the security of your hide. :)
BTW, great story.
Along the line of Patrick McManus.
One more reason that you need to write a book.
A series of short stories like this would make a great book.

[Screwbolts]

Congratulations to both the Great Hunters!!!

[farmerjim]

Great hunting stories.
Made my day.

[sparky45]

Delicious reading Larry, made me feel like I was the one in the "Hide". Thanks.

[dverna]

Larry had a Safari on a shoestring.

[BLAHUT]

Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
geo

We had a number of bald eagles turn up very sick, someone traced the poison back to the land fill, where it seems the vetenary offices were dumping the dogs and cats the put down. Shure glad they treat the animals so well ???

[jaysouth]

My rat shooting story:

Recovering from some light wounds and a bad case of Malaria, I was stuck on light duty back at the division base camp. Pulling guard duty on the green line one night, I heard a lot of activity to my front. We got illumination rounds but could not see anything. After daylight, I say that all of the noise was coming from a area where garbage was dumped over the wire not far from my position. A week or so later, I was down at the same spot with a flashlight and could see hordes of rats crawling over the garbage. A plan began to form. We placed some sandbags on the ground so we could back a 3/4 ton truck up on the bags to direct the headlights down into the dump. After we got the truck in place, we would drink a beer and wait for the rats to resume their feeding. About a dozen of us would get on line and wait for the driver to turn on his lights. We would all start blasting with M-16s at the rats. Within a minute the rats got scarce. We would turn off the lights and drink another beer. By this time you could hear wounded rats screaming as they were being fed on by other rats. then the lights came back on, and we started blasting away again. About then, a jeep came screaming down the road with the officer of the guard. He started yelling, but calmed down when he saw what was going on. When we turned the lights on again, he was shooting an M-60 on a pintle mount on the jeep, at the rats. A bit of overkill, but a fun time was had by all. As time evolved, we found a riot gun with buckshot and an M-79 grenade launcher with fleshette and buckshot rounds. But word got out to the brass that we were having too good a time and we had to cease our "rat safari". During the month or so we were having fun, I bet that we killed several thousand rats and several dozen "two step" kraits.

[GregLaROCHE]

Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
geo

Modern poisons work different than traditional ones. I’ve used it for years and we a lot of pets and farm animals. Never had a problem with it.

[versa-06]

jaysouth; Good Story! -06

[rickt300]

My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

Rat poison kills a lot more than just rats, won't use it myself ease notwithstanding.

[WRideout]

When I lived in Knoxville TN, we had rats move into our neighborhood after some woods had been cleared nearby. My stupid dog allowed them to take up residence around her house; eating her food and drinking her water. One morning I saw the rats moving around so I retrieved my air rifle, still in my pajamas, and took up a position behind the backyard fence. I made a one shot kill from 15 yards.

Later, while I was at National Guard drill in Chattanooga, I bragged about my skill with the air rifle, and claimed five redneck points for it. One of the other soldiers said it was minus points because of the air rifle. He said "You have to use a weapon that is loud enough to awake the neighbors and arouse suspicion." I slunk off, tail between my legs.

Wayne

[wolfdog]

When I lived in Knoxville TN, we had rats move into our neighborhood after some woods had been cleared nearby. My stupid dog allowed them to take up residence around her house; eating her food and drinking her water. One morning I saw the rats moving around so I retrieved my air rifle, still in my pajamas, and took up a position behind the backyard fence. I made a one shot kill from 15 yards.

Later, while I was at National Guard drill in Chattanooga, I bragged about my skill with the air rifle, and claimed five redneck points for it. One of the other soldiers said it was minus points because of the air rifle. He said "You have to use a weapon that is loud enough to awake the neighbors and arouse suspicion." I slunk off, tail between my legs.

Wayne

There is a group on youtube taking out monkeys and various game in Oz at well over 100 yards with airguns, and a guy that goes by edgun doing the same in the US with various invasive bird species. There are specific guns out now in mass production for game up to deer size and a few specialty ones that can go to Africa and fill tags on some of the larger species.

[gumbo333]

Larry Gibsons “IT” can be anything terrifying when hunting with an air rifle. Big fat grasshoppers might chew a man’s leg off if it was only slightly wounded. .177 can squish a monster hopper with a resounding ‘splat’ . Still fun for an old fart.

[OS OK]

Looks like a lot of fun...and a good service to a local farmer or rancher, they all have rats.


https://youtu.be/Igv19pKJqmo?t=22

[versa-06]

OS OK; Great Video

[Texas by God]

How deep were the dead rats on the floor?
Let the hogs in for cleanup ?[emoji848]
That guy gets on with his rat killin’! Bravo!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Winger Ed.]

I always wondered what happened to the cast of that movie "Willard".

[dverna]

Ratting looks like fun....except for the cleanup.

[koger]

Back in the summer I was getting ready to shoot some steel plates in my field, 100-150 yds, with a Ped. Sharps, 1874 45/70 with some 550 gr postells I had loaded. The gun was zeroed with the buckhorn sights and as I sat down at the bench, a big ole fat groundhhog waddled out from under my barn and and up the bank heading for some clover out in the field. I just loaded my rifle and waited. He would pop up and down looking to make sure nothing snuck up on him. I whistled real loud and he stood up stretching as tall as he could. I had the sight on his chest and touched the set trigger off. At the boom the bullet caught him thru the shoulders, and jerked him off the ground, doing about three whirly bird rotations before he landed, splat. Might have been over gunned but it sure was fun to watch. I guess this qualifies as varmint hunting.

[Larry Gibson]

gumbo333

"can be anything terrifying when hunting with an air rifle."

Most certainly......


YOU ONLY GET ONE
By Larry M. Gibson
(Tongue in cheek!)


The “bush” is dense, the grass is high, and the fading light creates those strange apparitions that keep your heart pounding in your throat. At every glance you think “there” but more often it is only your imagination and you swallow hard. At least as much as your parched tongue will allow. Your lips are dry; dare you take your hand from the rifle to put lip balm on? You advance slowly, carefully selecting each step, you must allow for the maximum distance available between you and from wherever the charge may come. Rifle at the ready, moving ever so slowly, steady now, you know it’s there, somewhere. But where, searching the shadows, you can’t afford to miss anything. When the charge comes it will be quick, perhaps preceded by a low guttural grunt. You must be fast, yet you can’t fire too quickly. You must stand firm and take the charge, it is imperative the first shot be good. You only get one!

Robert Ruark wrote; “Use Enough Gun”. He was right. Better to use too much gun, than not enough. No such thing as “overkill” when things are close and need to be “sorted out”!

Tourists, now there’s the problem. They come hunting with rifles of insufficient caliber or the projectile is of poor design or construction. Tourists! They don’t understand the need. They don’t understand the concept. Mostly they just don’t have a clue. Seems they think all critters are the same. They’re not. Take buffalo for example.

The water buffalo has been fairly well domesticated. While he will get angry, blow snot and stomp around the rice paddy he, for the most part, poses little problem and little sport. Be rather like shooting fish a barrel. Now the Cape Buffalo, on the other hand, is considered by many as the most dangerous of the “Big Five”. He has a tenacity for life and in general a bad temperamental pattern of behavior. This had been the demise of many a careless or imprudent hunter, poacher, or entirely innocent native. If surprised a charge is most certain. If wounded? Now that’s when things can get real nasty. If a charge isn’t instantly provoked when wounded, he will disappear into the densest of bush to lie in ambush. His ability to pick the best spot for him, which of course is the worst for you, is legendary. When you enter the bush after him, as you must, the charge will be quick and at short range so you must be resolute. One of you will die. You must make your first shot count. You only get one!

So, to the problem. Tourists, they come hunting with their .17 caliber rifles. They may bring a rifle of sufficient caliber, a .20 or .22, but they use a pellet of insufficient construction. The requirement for penetration is an absolute must. Pointed or, preferably, the round nose or “bluff nose” with plenty of lead showing is the proper choice. Anything else, hollow point or wadcutters, may be successful sometimes, but most often they will leave the quarry wounded. Many will crawl off into the dense bush to lie in ambush. Does the tourist do his duty and go in the bush after it? Hell no, he just mumbles something about “having flinched” or some such rot and moves on! The quarry most often dies lying there in wait. But sometimes, it does not.

Herein lies the crux of the matter. The wounded quarry will lick or bite its festering wound. The pain will sear into its brain a growing hatred. It will remember and it will not forget. It will cross over from the ordinary and become the rogue, a chisel tooth. Bad tempered, with a lingering desire for revenge, the rogue will charge unprovoked.

Tourists who live and hunt back east or even now the city dwellers from here are only familiar with the domesticated park inhabiting squirrels. Cute little critters hopping around collecting chestnuts or walnuts and even eating right out of your hand. How nice! You know the ones, they’re hand fed and provided with “houses” nailed in the upper parts of a trees by sensitivity trained park rangers.

Worse yet, these squirrels are coddled by the proverbial do-gooder-who-cares-for-anything-that-moves rabid animal lover. They consider Friends of Animals and Green Peace to be soft, left wing, pinko, commie, do nothing organizations. Their most fervent wish is hunters would shoot more of each other in season or out. It is these protected squirrels that can be shot quite easily even with the .17s. They have been “neutered” of their wild instincts. Rather like, as mentioned, shooting fish in a barrel. A water buffalo if you will.

However, out west, there is another species of squirrel. One that is leaner, meaner and must survive on its own. One that lives in the ground and seeks no sensitivity provided comforts. One that is still wild, not neutered of its instincts. In many places unprotected, still considered a varmint. One that has survived unlimited hunting, poisoning, trapping and every effort of eradication devised by man short of nuclear weaponry! The Cape Buffalo type! Now there’s a quarry of worth, one of respect.

But, as with such as Buff, you must be careful for there are the rogues.

It is these rogues, left by the irresponsible tourist hunters, that are the bain of the unsuspecting. There are recorded instances of hikers Vibram soles being gnawed upon. Of Gatorade bottles found empty – with the cap still on! I have seen dirt-bikers go ass-over-teakettle when roaring down trails out through the sage “bush”. As they dust themselves off, recovering what’s left of their mangled Yamigucci’s, or whatever. They mumble something about a “rut” coming out of nowhere. There was no “rut”. Further investigation reveals two small-elongated puncture marks in the sidewall of the front tire! The mark of old chisel tooth, a rogue attack! As the biker hobbles back down the trail pushing the Yamagucci I turn and peer into the high sage “bush”, I know what must be done. It must be sorted out!

Going into the high sage bush after old chisel tooth’s attack is most nerve wracking. It can take years off, what may soon be a very short life.....yours. Yet you must do your duty, enter the dense high sage bush and sort the problem out. When the charge comes, and it will come, you must stand your ground and as John Pondoro Taylor says; “take the charge”. Climbing up the nearest sage bush will only get you ass bit. No, you must stand firm no matter the urgent need to run, take the charge and use the frontal brain shot. This is the only reliable shot to stop the charge. I have had many tumble dead at my feet. But be careful, OLE chisel tooth, the rogue, will come at you in a flat run. He will be stretched out with his chisels extended. You must place the “bluff nose” pellet right above the boss of the chisel. It must be online with and centered between the eyes. To high and you will shoot over the top of its head, as with a charging lion. Hit too low and the pellet will be deflected by the boss, same as with a Cape Buffalo. This may “turn” the charge of chisel tooth, but don’t bet the farm on it. Even at best, by turning the charge, you will still have to sort things out – again! Placed well, the frontal brain shot with a “bluff nose” pellet will penetrate to the brain and OLE chisel tooth will roll in a cloud of dust at your feet. Best make the one shot count. You only get one!

If you hunt the bush and have chosen a rifle of sufficient caliber, and are using the “bluff nose” pellet, then with good shooting you may not find yourself in the thick of it. You will not have your heart in your throat, the sweat trickling off your eyebrow, a coppery dry taste in your mouth and that fervent wish for the open veldt with the Sun to your back and the wind in your face. But if you come upon a tourist who has made a “mess of it” with his .17 cal, at least you will be properly armed.

So, if you are a hunter of conscience, of ethics and of stout heart you will not forsake your solemn duty. You will enter the bush and with proper weaponry “sort things out”. When the charge comes, and it will, stand firm, take the charge, and use the frontal brain shot. Make the shot count. You only get one!

[gumbo333]

Mr Gibson, well written. Maybe you should write a book. A nasty wounded grasshopper may chew your leg off but they dint gore you. Now a saber toothed skunk out here in the Great Plains does require ‘enough gun’ , preferably something that is accurate at distance. Lots of distance.

[dale2242]

Another great one, Larry.
It brings back memories of my youth, hunting the notoriously dangerous digger squirrel of southern Oregon.
I barely survived a poorly aimed shot when the chisels gnawed a hole in my nearly new Levis before dying at my feet.
I thought mom was going to kill me when she saw the damage.:D

[WRideout]

When I worked at Vandenberg AFB on the Left Coast, old chisel tooth climbed under the hood of my car and chewed voraciously on the ignition wires of my car. I barely made it home!

Wayne

[pertnear]

Great story Larry! It was a bit intense but I managed to make it through to the end! Thanks & keep the stories coming.

Great story too jaysouth! I can picture all those soldiers going about their "rat-killing". LOL

[TCLouis]

My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

If you had to explain with those details, THEN you missed the whole point in the method!

[Winger Ed.]

rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

Where's the fun in that?

[Gobeyond]

I like watching the exterminators on YouTube. Sometimes in other countries. Their air rifles are so pin point accurate at close range…. But small targets. I like seeing vermin dispatched…. filthy critters. Have you seen a rat shot between a cows legs?
Scary fun. I watch long time. Rats are about the only thing I rejoice when killed…. the more the better. All an infestation is good for -the rifle rs pellet.

[Tripplebeards]

This would be a good reason to start playing with my night vision scope I bought years ago and never used. I always wanted to put it on my piston air rifle but never got aground to it.

[gloob]

Re Larry's story, I've dispatched nearly all my rats at night. The one time I got an adult during the day, it was huge. I'm sure it was a different species. Black glassy bug eyes and long skinny jaws. At least 2-3x as massive as the more cuter-looking tree rats that sometimes get too comfortable on my property.

I get most of mine freehand, from 12-20 yards. 177 springer or 177 pumper, shooting in the mid 400 fps puts the lights out without risk of a ricochet embedding in any of the neighbor's stucco.

[elmacgyver0]

This would be a good reason to start playing with my night vision scope I bought years ago and never used. I always wanted to put it on my piston air rifle but never got aground to it.

I have an ATN X-Sight 4K and would definitely NOT put it on a piston air rifle.
I thought about it but ended up calling either Air Gun Depot or Pyramid Arms, can't remember which.
They told me it might last a little while but would eventually be destroyed by the recoil.
That is why I entered the world of PCP.
Don't take my word for it, please call one of these dealers and have a discussion with them.
I would hate to hear you ruined your nice night vision scope.
There are some nice PCPs out there for a reasonable price that can be charged with a hand pump, which works fine if you are not doing a bunch of volume shooting.
Compressors can be had too, for not a lot of money, although I do not know the longevity of them.

[missionary5155]

Growing up we never went to football games. We went "rat bashing" at the small town of Riverside, Michigan. Owners son, Doug, was part of the "bashing crew". But our main tool was caliber .22 and 12 gauge with #6 shot for the opening of the show when the lights on the old pick up came on.
Three of us standing firing over the roof 1st with the scatterguns. You could see the shot mow through.
But we leaned one Friday night, never get in the rat's path of escape. Got real "western" for a few minutes.

[Tripplebeards]

Thanks for the heads up I won’t put it on. I was afraid of the same thing common sense just told me it would get wrecked. Mine is a is a Photon.

[missionary5155]

When we bought our piston .25 feller told me only use a scope made for air rifles.

[wolfdog]

100% CO2 and PCP guns are fine with any scope you choose (generally rimfire scopes or dedicated air rifle scopes are best due to the ability to focus at very short range on high magnification. Piston guns like spring and gas ram recoil differently and will trash non-airgun specific scopes.

[Tripplebeards]

I put a tasco varmint 2.5-10 with mil dots on my nitro piston 22 cal Walther talon. I've put over 3,000 pellets through it and it is still working great and never lost its POA. Best $24.99 shipped on a close out I ever spent! Bought a couple at that price before they were all gone. I can clearly focus at 15' or closer on 10x. Had it on my 35 rem previously and worked great. Have one on a 452 cz ultralux and one set aside. Probably will go on my save 24F.

[wolfdog]

I put a tasco varmint 2.5-10 with mil dots on my nitro piston 22 cal Walther talon. I've put over 3,000 pellets through it and it is still working great and never lost its POA. Best $24.99 shipped on a close out I ever spent! Bought a couple at that price before they were all gone. I can clearly focus at 15' or closer on 10x. Had it on my 35 rem previously and worked great. Have one on a 452 cz ultralux and one set aside. Probably will go on my save 24F.

I think both Tasco and Bushnell for a while were rating some of their lower end scopes for air rifles. Not 100% sure which and I wouldn't want to try it with a higher end scope without being sure. That said, the high end air rifle scopes are getting very nice.