Air gun ???????????

[Freightman]

My son is moving to a new area of town actually in a new subdivision and they have neighbors so a firearm is out but they have Jack rabbits the size of a medium size dog. So what kind of power do we need to shoot them? I ask as I have seen those big Jacks run off from a 22 LR.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

I shot a wood chuck, and many skunks back in VT with my .177 @1000 fps, they make faster ones now, and a .22 cal pellet gun will have more lead . . .

If you want to spend some bucks . . . they make much larger cal for deer sized game . . .

[GBertolet]

Get a PCP (pre charged pneumatic) air rifle in 22 or 25 caliber. The better ones can approach 60 ft lbs of energy, which is approx that of a 22 short. The PCP's work best in the larger calibers, as 1000 fps is about max for decent accuracy in airguns. So to up the power within this limitation you go bigger. The most powerful ones are expensive. As much as if not more than a top of the line center fire rifle. Here are some airgun outlets, www.pyramydair.com and www.airgunsofarizona.com

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot lots of jacks with my RWS M54 .22 cal. It pushes 14.3 gr pellets at 800 fps for right at 20 ftlbs. I use quality domed pellets (Mostly Crosman Premiers) for best accuracy, penetration and killing power. My M54 will hold 1" groups at 50 yards but that's a very long shot on a jack. Most are headshots in the 10 - 25 yard range. The M48 and M52 are similar side lever air rifles that only require pellets to go shooting. No tanks to fill etc,. as they are always ready with just one simple cock of the lever. There are also a couple good barrel cockers of "magnum level power. The M350 .22 or .25 magnum is a good one. With air rifles you will get what you pay for. A good one is not a "BB gun" and will cost as much as a low end CF rifle or a quality .22LR.

Also be advised that the higher the velocity and power lever the more they also start to sound like a .22 firearm being shot. A CB Long fired out of my 22" barreled .22LR rifle is much quieter than my M54 .22 cal pellet rifle. The M54 is also much quieter than ta .22 PPC air rifle when they are pushing 1000 fps.

Larry Gibson

[buck1]

If he is new to airguns, I dont recomend a spring powered gun. These take a wile to learn how to shoot. PCP is the best way to go BUT they are co$tly. I would go with the Crossman 2240 or 2250. These guns easy on the checkbook and shoot very well ( dime sized groups at 30 ft). They are co2, the pumpers are good too.
As with any gun, Shot placement is the key. Limit shots to head shots at 20yds and under, for clean kills.
..........Buck

http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/sh...cturer=Crosman

[Ed Barrett]

Can he get by with a suppresed .22 in your state?

[sagacious]

Larry Gibson's experience matches mine.

Those big jackrabbits-- and even small cottontails-- will run off from a body hit with ANY air rifle, the same as you noted will happen with a 22. Head shots are mandatory in this game. For that reason, you are strongly advised to buy target-grade pellets, as the shooting will be within 25yds, and the vital target is small. This is more a precision game than a power game.

I use an RWS Model 52 in .177cal, and I can put that pellet clean through a rabbit's eye (and head) at any reasonable range, so for my application, caliber is of no consequence.

Good luck.

[Greg in Malad]

Freightman,
Here's my 2 cent's worth based on personal experience, in no particular order.
I don't recomend spring-air guns, The reverse recoil makes accuracy difficult to achieve. Any quality .22 cal PCP gun will take rabbits with a head shot, however they are almost as loud as a .22 short. If cost is a factor I would suggest a sheridan .20 cal. They are accurate enough for 25 yd head shots and are low maintenance, a truckload of rabbits fell to mine when I was a kid. Currently I am using a BSA Sportsman HV .22, it's a 10 shot repeater PCP. At 50 yds it will outshoot most of my centerfire rifles and I would not hesitate to use it for rabbits. Precision is the key, not horsepower.

[Greg in Malad]

Sagacious,
I don't think any rabbit would run away with body hit from a Dragon Slayer .50 cal air rifle, a 180 gr bullet @ 700 fps will drop deer.

[3band53]

Well guys great advice, I am the son who is moving, I will check into all possibililties and hopefully make a good choice. I got good at shooting squirrels in the head at about 15 yards out of my pecan tree. Hopefully with a good fence I will be able to keep out the jacks that way and not have to shoot too many.
3band53

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have a Beeman R-1 that I have owned and shot since 1982. I changed barrels going up to .22 and put a lazer spring and seals in it 15 years ago. It holds less than an inch at 50 yards (using crosman domed pellets) and out here on the farm, for the first five years I was here, I can't tell you how many coons and possums dropped in from of that rifle. When it was still sporting a .177 barrel and I was stationed in 29 Palms, CA...I killed a jack at 47 yards with a shot to the shoulder. Now that even suprised me.

[sagacious]

Sagacious,
I don't think any rabbit would run away with body hit from a Dragon Slayer .50 cal air rifle, a 180 gr bullet @ 700 fps will drop deer.

Greg,
Heck yeah, bro, but why stop at .50cal? How about a pneumatic 12ga shooting a 525gr Lyman 'pellet' slug? That'll anchor the little bugger! But then again, that's why they call that rifle the "Dragon Slayer" and not the "Wabbit Slayer."

Let's be realistic. The point is that a rabbit will often get back to his hole or brushpile before a body shot drops him. Head shots are the rule in this game, not to mention being the most ethical way to harvest a rabbit with an air rifle. Doesn't take much to kill a rabbit with a head shot. .177, 20cal or 22 will all do.

Keep on keepin on.

[vonfilm]

I have a Hammerli 850 Airmagnum in .22 caliber. This rifle is made by Umarex. It is an 8 shot bolt action repeater with a rotary magazine. In stock form it will shoot about 650 fps. It takes the 88 gram Crosman Airsource CO2 cartridges. Mine will shoot dime size groups at 25 meters.

From Roald at the 850 Store I got a Airsource to Paint Ball adapter and a 9 Oz. Paintball tank. With this I can get about 500 full power shots before a $2.95 CO2 refill at my local Academy.

http://www.the850store.com/

This rifle can easily be converted to Pre Charged Pneumatic with kits from the 850 Store. They can do the work for you or sell you an already converted rifle. This can raise fps to around 900 in .22 caliber.

I bought a refurbished rifle directly from Umarex for $136.00. They normally retail for around $225.00. This was the best money I have ever spent.

[Greg in Malad]

Sagacious,
You're right about the dragon slayer not being a realistic urban rabbit shooter, they are very loud, but I still want one.

[sagacious]

Greg,
I used to run a trapline. A friend of mine had a 22cal air rifle that he would bring along as we ran the traps-- because it was adequate and fairly quiet. When he spotted a swimming muskrat or nutria, he'd send a 22cal flat-point match pellet at 'em. He was deadly with that rifle, and that 22cal flat point would make a real "WHOP!" when it hit home. Can't imagine what a 50cal wadcutter would sound like. You're right, it would sure be fun, tho!

Regards.

[JIMinPHX]

Get a PCP (pre charged pneumatic) air rifle in 22 or 25 caliber. The better ones can approach 60 ft lbs of energy, which is approx that of a 22 short. The PCP's work best in the larger calibers, as 1000 fps is about max for decent accuracy in airguns. So to up the power within this limitation you go bigger. The most powerful ones are expensive. As much as if not more than a top of the line center fire rifle. Here are some airgun outlets, www.pyramydair.com and www.airgunsofarizona.com

Thanks for posting those links. I stopped by airguns of AZ today. They have a pretty impressive collection of stuff down there in Gilbert. I picked up some 30 grain pellets. I never knew that they made them that heavy. If they work well, I may have to make up a mold.

I tried a pre-charged air gun for the first time down there today. It was impressive. It had lots of punch & didn't jump around like the spring action guns do. If I was in the market for a new air rifle, I'd get one of them for sure.

They were a nice bunch of folks down there too.

[Uncle Grinch]

I used to use an air rifle to cull varmints. Both the spring and pump type have been noisy or distracting to both the critters and/or neighbors.

I found my Norinco JW-15 22 rifle is more efficient and quieter when I use Aguila Super Colibri 20 grain cartridges. They have a limited range, but do kill up to 25 - 30 yards and are quieter than any air rifle when used in a bolt action rifle.

[JIMinPHX]

They have much quieter air guns now. Apparently, since an air gun isn't really a gun under federal law, it is OK for the manufacturers to put sound dampening devices on them with no permit or paperwork required.

[StarMetal]

They have much quieter air guns now. Apparently, since an air gun isn't really a gun under federal law, it is OK for the manufacturers to put sound dampening devices on them with no permit or paperwork required.

Maybe you should read this Jim:

http://www.pyramydair.com/site/articles/silencers/

[AviatorTroy]

^^^ That is pretty much my understanding of the law. No one really knows, but if the BATF thinks they have one one ya, they can find a way to make it happen, regardless. A silencer is pretty much as serious as a full auto weapon, and the "nonchalant" ownership of one is not something to take lightly.