I’ve been thinking lately that the Lair needs a pellet rifle. Borrowed one a couple of years ago from Ian when I was trying to train myself to shoot left-handed and it was a fine thing to have around, but unfortunately it broke under repeated use. And I was bereft for a while.
Now suddenly I’m up to my geriatric ass in ground squirrels – I am indeed hunting #5 as we speak – and again the thought occurs that for that reason among others I could maybe use a pellet gun around here. .22LR is really a bit overpowered for close-range execution, and even for sniping since the squirrels tend to prefer hanging around things I’d really rather not blast holes through.
Anyway, I’m thinking maybe I should save my pennies for an inexpensive but non-toy item along these lines. Thoughts?
Save yourself mucho dinero and limit your inventory of another launch platform by using .22 CB caps, subsonic short/long/lr such as Aguila. There are even .22 primer only (no powder) for extremely up-close-and-personal work. Use ’em all the time to great effect. Were I close, I’d donate all you need. UPS may be possible.
Steve in MN
I don’t see “rifled barrel” anywhere in that description, and you’ll want that. Try a Benjamin Sheridan.
Joel, I think you’d be happy with an airgun, whether or not you also choose to do rimfire specialty things. (I certainly get in a whole lot more trigger time now than I ever did.) I’ve been studying the subject now for a few years, which seems to have helped me avoid most of the “gear problem” of someone cracking into a new space without the benefit of long experience. IOW, I believe it’s true that if you order “the right” airgun for your needs, you won’t have to go through a bunch of things that are well-marketed and “almost right” but never get there–or worse, give up and conclude that they’re all junk. (In my own case, I have studied much and bought little, and have been very happy with the result.)
Were I in your position, knowing what I know now, I do think a basic breakbarrel is indeed your best bet if you’re gonna buy new. (If you consider used, there are a lot of Benjamin 397s and 392s around, and they are solid and simple. There are lots of stories of revitalizing old Benjis via the simple expedient of re-oiling the seals.)
The big caveat when shopping is that airgun marketing has long been drunk on velocity claims that can get pretty absurd–and this disproportionately affects the lower end of the price spectrum. Put less politely and with stereotypes, there are thousands of pimply ADD types who want Moar! FPS! Now! at absolute minimum cost, and the manufacturers are well set up to give them what they want. And so it is common to find blazing fast! breakbarrels with horrible triggers, which jolt like hell on firing, pattern rather than group, and which require Herculean strength to cock. But hey, they’re fast*, and affordable, and they sell by the bucketful.
You don’t need a 20-foot-pound .177 for squirrels, either, especially close in. (Airguns for hunting are discussed as 12-foot-pound rifles and 20-foot-pound rifles in the same way as centerfire rifles are discussed as “deer rifle” and “elk rifle”, respectively.) A rifle like the Optimus will certainly get the job done, but no better than an 8-foot-pound rifle; I suspect you’re not going down to this power level to be able to scramble him with body shots. 🙂
There’s also the question of traditional metal spring vs. gas piston. The big advantage of the gas piston gun is that it can be left cocked for long periods of time, whereas that will give a metal spring a set that reduces its power over time. It’s newer and data is still rolling in, but it seems to be working well enough and they’re starting to show up on the lower end of the price spectrum too. In Crosman’s stable, the Vantage is essentially the same thing as the Optimus is but with a gas spring to the Optimus’ traditional metal one.
Basically, were I in your position, I’d shop triggers and ergonomics (watch out for cocking effort), and ideally a power level between 8 and 15 foot pounds. (I love my Air Venturi Bronco, which is a little light on ideal power, but it’s such a delight to shoot that I know exactly where it’s going, and have dispatched squirrel with it with little fuss.) If you get something in that space and like it, you’ll probably quickly figure out where you’d want to go next.
As for ordering, I’ve been very happy with Pyramyd Air; they have very much been the sort of people I’ll take business back to. Prices seem good, service has been great, and the learning resources range from pretty good to outstanding.
Hope this helps a little. This is a very cool space to be in, if you’re prepared to ignore the right advice and you don’t try to make an airgun into a firearm. 🙂
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* But not as fast as they say. for a “1200fps!” springer, you’ll be lucky to see 1000fps with the sort of lead pellet you’ll actually use. They actually make “lead-free” pellets nowdays, for the specific purpose of showing off and boosting numbers.
The squirrel orgy in my attic MUST stop. As such, after finding 22 hard to replenish after using it chasing down the little buggers, I too came to the same thoughts.
As it happens, the same night I went looking for the 22 and thought I should look for alternatives, I found a Gamo Catmodel something or other at the local WallyWorld. 100 bucks, but the guy assured me, that if I didn’t use the cheapo pellets, it would do the job.
A bit of monkeying around mounting and zeroing the scope. A bit of pellet experimentation (I bought one of each type they sold.) A few margaritas. I was in business.
The squirrel genocide of Central Wisconsin is in full effect.
All without spending on 22, and without upsetting the other critters around here who are often sensitive to loud noises (including my dogs, goats, guinea hens, etc.)
After using the Gamo, bought on a whim, without any research (wow – that was impressive, K.W. – seriously nice work!) I LOVE it.
Squirrel populations are in decline.
Other animals are calm.
Wife is happy.
Trigger time has increased.
Neighbors don’t mind it at all (and one actually asked to borrow it – which I allowed, but would not have done so with an actual firearm.)
I realize that my finances allow me a bit more gambling room than yours might Joel – but whatever level of research you do, and whatever you choose, I think you will most likely wind up quite pleased.
I have little experience, except that I own and used to shoot quite frequently, a Benjamin Sheridan. It’s a pump, rather than a break barrel. Difference is that with the pump, you get more PSI with each pump, so you can moderate your power level to suit. I think it’s a fine air rifle, and within its range, it will shoot accurately.
If I were buying an air rifle today, I’d be looking seriously at Gamo.
Other than that, what Kevin said.
A few things. Spring piston guns are really hard on scopes and rings. Something to do with forward recoil. Most cheap rifle scopes, and many expensive rifle scopes, will not hold zero or will break in short order. Rings will also move on you, even decent steel ones on the typical .22 style grooved receiver. If your eyes, like mine, are a bit iffy with the stock irons, you are going to spend more on the mounts and optics than the rifle. Ruger air hawk combo comes with a scope mounted and an adjustable trigger. Not top of the line power, but mine groups really nice after taking the scope and mounts off and cleaning and lock-tite blue. Advertised as 1000fps, but no ammo spec. Will drop a ground squirrel dead at about 50 feet pretty decidedly. Not the Killdozer, but beats a pointed stick.
I haven’t played with it much, but a buddy of mine uses the one that comes with a scope.for his squirrel issue, and it seems to do well. Haven’t heard of any scope issues, but I also haven’t asked.
As far as the Vantage, it does come in 22, which might be nice with slightly larger varmints. I’ll leave it to those actually experienced with them to figure this one out though.
I’ll second the .22 caliber. There was a time I owned a couple of boa constrictors. Where I lived at the time there were a million squirrels it seemed and they were the right size for the boas. The .177 pellets just didn’t produce clean kills. I switched to a .22 caliber and consistently got clean one shot kills. Not sure just what the difference in energy was but I saw the results consistently.
Kel’s point about glass is a good one. Many of the higher-quality “power” springers sport what is actually called a scope stop–it’s essentially a dedicated abutment that you mount the scope right up against. (The springers are hard on glass not because of the physics of pushing that tiny little pill around, but because the piston itself carries some pretty hefty mass that does get your attention at firing. Strange as it may seem, yes, spring-piston airguns do have recoil.)
Interestingly, the breakbarrel springer is one case in which traditional open sights may be the most theoretically accurate arrangement possible–simply because both front and rear sights are attached to the same piece of metal. On my Air Venturi Bronco, I got the Williams receiver sight…great sight radius, precision adjustments, and easily as accurate as I am, but still: the front sight swings down and back up for every shot… The same problem can exist with a scope, which similarly mounts on the receiver and not on the barrel. There are even special scope mounts that can correct a “barrel droop” problem if you find that you have one.
As for .177 vs. .22, I think either would serve you fine for squirrels, the same way that both a .243 and .308 will serve for deer. People may talk over campfires, but in the end if you hit him square with either, the story’s pretty much over. If it generates the requisite power (Robert Beeman suggests that just 3 foot-pounds of impact energy is adequate for a squirrel), just use a “domed” or hollowpoint pellet and you should be fine.
.177s will be cheaper, and there will be more ammo choices available. .22s will (indeed) be a bit more authoritative. Another consideration is that it’s easier to fumble a .177 than a .22, when loading. I actually quite like the “pellet pen” that acts as an external magazine and seating ram, especially when it gets cold up here.
Finally, if you are considering glass, and are willing to spend about $150 (I know that’s a potentially serious step up in price for you), I would seriously consider the Stoeger X20 as one of the best values available. That gun seems to be a (literally) quiet performer, especially in .22, and comes with a compact fixed 4x glass (that’s apparently not just a throwaway) already installed. Opinion seems a bit divided on the trigger, but it sounds like at worst it works, and is amenable to a little attention.
I’ll second the motion on the Benjamins; I’ve got a 30+ year old Blue Streak in 5MM (they’re still available, but only in .177 and .22) and the variable pump feature is pretty handy. A few pumps for small and close in, 8-12 for bigger and/or farther out. As for accuracy, years ago we used to play the primer game with it – clamp a 2X6 in the bench vise, shoot it a few times to get circular depressions, insert large rifle primers (.210″) in the depressions and try to hit the primer from the far corner of a 24X24 garage, which turns out to be a bit shy of 10 meters, standard air rifle competition distance. The rifle was, and is, more accurate than we can shoot it. (Primers are too valuable now to use them like that).
Mine has taken squirrels from 20 feet to about 90 feet, just pump it a few times less, or more. 10-12 pumps has a noise signature about like a .22 short.
The Bue Streaks are a bit spendy ($170 at Amazon) but don’t fear used ones – rebuild kits are available for about $15 or so. The factory iron sights are good, and scope mounting requires the Sheridan mount and FYI, do not use a powder firearm scope on an air rifle – regular scopes are designed to take recoil in a rearward direction, air rifles of spring piston design have internal recoil – more of a “shock” than “recoil” – in the forward direction which will eventually disassemble the internals on a regular firearm scope.
I’d suggest .22 rather than .177, especially in a variable pump rifle. It gives you more options.
If you’re interested in rifle practice, disregard the variable pump and get a decent break-open. Easier to use and usually more accurate, depending on brand/model. If all you want is squirrel control, either CB caps or .22 shorts is the cheapest way out, assuming you have an accurate .22 rifle.
I agree with the others above – a .22 bore Benjamin should take care of your squirrel problems inside 20 yards with little damage to the background. I’ve used the same in .177 for years on field mice who invade our ranch cabin (occasionally occupied, not full time residents) and it does the job on small stuff.
Springers are cool, but unless its gas strutted, steel springs can take a set if left cocked for long periods of time. Varmints are targets of opportunity – you need to shoot them now so a pump to me sounds like a better solution. Good luck.
It’s too bad that 510 FPS is likely not enough velocity to do the job, I’ve got a used Daisy m853 I got from CMP for $100. https://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/air-rifles/sporter-air-rifles/ With a good enough shot pulling the trigger it is capable of hitting the buggers in the eye at 30 feet. The included peep sights on it work better than most open sights I’ve used.
I’ve got a moderate power springer similar to the one you linked with the three dot fibre sights and I think my biggest accuracy issue with it is lining up the sights.
@kevin
Heres a question for you. I have an older but in great condition Crossman 2200 Magnum (this is the old generation circa 1996 probably)
What would be a good upgrade from that? My understanding is that most of the break action guns stated velocity is as optimistic as a politicians promise, the Crossman Venture Nitro states 900 with lead pellets, but the reviews state that most people are in the 750 range over a chrono. That would put me up about 150fps. Would that be worth anything, or am I just getting all gear lusty over something that wouldnt really get me a benefit?
The fps is pretty low, but a Wrist Rocket can pack a pretty solid punch. They’re quiet too. Just a thought.
abnormalist: I don’t know if I’m really authoritative enough to answer that question, but I can certainly direct you to someone who is. The first thing I do when I want an answer to an airgun question is to Google it against the name “Tom Gaylord”; in this case it turns out he’s reviewed the 2200 before. You may well learn something about your gun by reading his multi-post reviews, and his commentariat can be just as rich as the posts themselves, for information.
A quick glance suggests that the 2200 is a (by today’s standards) a multi-pump pneumatic of moderate power–and so one thing I could say is that you likely have a rather large number of viable options, depending on what you mean when you say “upgrade”. That’s probably a topic for another time; I’m happy to share things that I know (and please understand, I am no expert yet, just an enthusiastic student), but I also don’t want to squat in Joel’s place either. 🙂
Joel, you can remove this if it’s too far afield topic-wise, but it seems that at least some of your commentariat might find the following useful:
First: For anyone interested in things-airgun, the best single recommendation I could make is to start reading Tom Gaylord’s blog at Pyramyd Air. This guy has been around a long time, knows both his general and industry history, and he’s an excellent analyst and writer-of-techy-things*. I’ve read it daily for about three years now, and I don’t know how he finds the time to put that much into it, even if it’s his full-time job. The topics range all over airgunnery (pellets, larger-bore cast bullets, BBs, Airsoft; vintage, modern and concept; and all powerplants), and the information density can be high enough to get intimidating, especially with a very deep and lively commentariat that often generates more than 100 comments (substantive ones) per post. What’s interesting for me is that the things I value most are often completely different from what Tom does, but the information itself is still so valuable to me that I keep coming back, every day. (For one example: Tom is interested in accuracy the way a benchrester is, whereas I am very much a Jeff Cooper-phile who always balances “enough” accuracy with “enough” speed, for field work.)
Second: Since it does seem like a few folks here are interested in airgunnery, I would welcome input over at Rifleman Savant, on a concept that I just wrote up: the idea of a precision pellet repeater, done up as a “scout rifle”, for personal training and educating noobs. I can’t seem to get the idea out of my head, and think there may be something significant there. Which means it’s time to start shooting arrows at it. 🙂
And now–promise–I’ll stop yakking here unless Joel himself has a question. (I figure he already knows I’m a chatty sort.)
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* Which is not quite the same thing as a “technical writer”.
Dangit. That place over at Rifleman Savant is here. (Shakes head with the d’oh.)
I have a Benjamin in .20 that has done did a few squirrels, a plethora of large rats and a crow or twenty.
I DO NOT recommend the .20. I would rather a .22 or .177, with emphasis in the .22 for smack ot shorter ranges and .177 for cheap to shoot.
The .20 is fine for dropping rodents; the dammed pellets are too hard to find and too expensive when you do.
The only bummer on the Benji is since my surgery they last 4 or five pumps are a strain.
They are not truly cheap rifles, either.
The 392 is a nice rifle but they are $169 at amazon.
Another vote here for a cheap old .22rf and CB caps. The frangiwhatzit bullets don’t go buzzing off into the distance.
I have one air rifle that I like pretty well, an RWS Diana Model 34 (one of the old standards I guess) in .177, with a Hawke Sport HD 4×32 AO scope. I consider the scope mandatory for old eyes; I got very inconsistent results with the irons (especially for hunting, where you do not have a black-on-white target).
My not-very-informed impressions: It’s big and clunky, kinda hard to cock, if cocked you have to shoot a pellet (not a big deal in my opinion), it moves a lot when shooting which I think helps me train on the follow-through aspect. Despite all the things I sorta don’t like, it is something to look in a small box and see SO many pellets, and to take one of those tiny things and whack a squirrel with it.
If you use the .22LR instead of an air gun, I don’t see the point of the CBs where you live. They (especially the primer-only version) are very inaccurate and they dirty your chamber fast in my experience. You don’t need the low noise out there.
If I were starting again I might look into the rig this guy uses. You should see how he kills pigeons and English sparrows for the farmers. His offhand shooting leave me slack-jawed…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImlC9-6fbB0
Save the ammo!
http://billllsidlemind.blogspot.com/2010/05/squirrel-trap.html