Air Rifles

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I'll just about guarantee that those offering these recommendations have never actually tried it.

I'll guarantee you're wrong. I've shot and killed several with my crossbow. I head shot one just to see if I could do it from 30 yards away. Hell! my friend and I get bored waiting for deer in the early season so we pop ground hogs when they walk out to the beans. And my bow is slow by the standards of the one I suggested.

Years ago I shot one that was under a Dodge Intrepid I owned because it wouldn't come out from under the car. Yeah I got a little "Yebel" in me. (that's part Yankee part Rebel. Got labeled that by a good friend down in Florida)

[Jeff Higgins]

Of course.

You are at the extreme end of the enthusiast market. Not many will be willing to spend damn near $3k on such a crossbow with the sole purpose being to dispatch nuisance groundhogs. Same reason I pretty much ruled out that category of air rifle. There are extreme enthusiasts, willing to spend whatever it takes to pursue their interests, and then there are those who just want to take care of a groundhog problem. I'll guarantee that your run of the mill, affordable crossbow is incapable of such performance. That's really what we are after here, not some extreme enthusiast solution.

[cabmandone]

I kill em with a $500 Parker Cyclone that I can't even remember when I bought it. I keep the string and cables "fresh" and I do remember having to buy new limbs for it two years ago when one started cracking while I was in my stand. My good friend I hunt with uses a Barnett. But a 100 yard bow is a fun thing to shoot. I don't own the Ravin, a good friend does and he bought his used.

I don't shoot high dollar bows because it's not the bow that makes the shooter. I still sling a Bowtech General for my compound while my good friend I hunt with has upgraded several times. I still won't target practice shooting at the same spot on the target because I've cut too many fletching doing that.

See, now I'm gonna have to go out and shoot one. I've been seeing a couple at 30 yards. I'll bring my Parker next time I go out and see if I can post a pic. The price of the bow doesn't bother me. It's slinging $30 or more at them (bolt and broadhead) that makes me pause sometimes. But when they can eat the amount of beans they do over a growing season, the math works out. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

[Sooner or later]

Just hire Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton ran over a groundhog on the 13th lap of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, perhaps costing him the race on Sunday, June 15. But his final position was the least of the British race car driver’s concerns

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup, as my dad used to say "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian". Too many think they can buy skill. Kudos to you that you're not one of them.

$30 for a bolt and broadhead? Yikes. At least they are reusable.

[HardDrive]

I have an inexpensive Ruger Impact .22 air rifle I picked up years ago. Its a spring/piston action. Not the most accurate rifle, but I have extinguished plenty of squirrels and rats with it. Has a small built in suppressor that definitely takes edge off the sound.

[Bob Kontak]

From Rick V post #42:

A subsonic 22 AKA cb long is quieter than an air gun if used in a closed breach rifle. They will not cycle an automatic.
The crack you hear from a .22 is the round breaking the sound barrier, if you keep the round subsonic there is no crack.
I have removed several unwanted critters in my neighborhood with this setup.

https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/700757-groundhog-kill-semi-urban-hood-3.html

[LWJ]

My RWS .177 isn't loud in a percussive sort of way. But it is loud enough to have pesky Mrs. Kravitiz behind me call the cops when my son and I were shooting paper plates.

Since it is not enough juice for a big groundhog, probably doesn't matter.

It is fun to shoot however.

[osidak]

a bolt or lever action 22LR with a can on it will much quieter than any air gun and have the added benefit of having quicker follow up shots

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by osidak

a bolt or lever action 22LR with a can on it will much quieter than any air gun and have the added benefit of having quicker follow up shots

That is exactly where I am headed. I spend an hour an the local Amish Archery and Air Gun store (I know): he had every form of archery product but also does muzzle loaders and Air Rifles

I've know him for a long time and he knows his stuff.

He politely asked me to put the cross-bow down Then asked, "Is Jack around to help?"

Honestly is often a dish served cold.

His concern was for larger GH's; an air rifle may not be enough in his mind for an ethical shot at the ranges we discussed.

I am headed over to a friends farm tomorrow that has a bolt action .22 that can use sub-sonic .22LR and has a suppressor.

I have a few old .22LR rifles I will take with me since he seems to think I could have a gunsmith add threading to the rifle barrels for a suppressor. I really do not need another rifle of any kind so I am willing to try.

Thank you all for the input...greatly appreciated.

We'll see.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I place airguns in two very broad categories. My first category are those that can be fired without the need of any support equipment. My second category are those airguns that require support equipment in the form of a secondary air supply or secondary pump.

This is literally the two categories of airguns. You’re claiming this?

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by vash

This is literally the two categories of airguns. You’re claiming this?

Yep! Ya got "springers" and "PCP's" I suppose you could toss co2's into the mix but that would fall under his second category.

___________________________________

On the groundhog front, I didn't see any yesterday. I go out almost daily unless rain makes it harder to get to the farm where I hunt them. The Parker is now riding shotgun with the .22 Mag and 22/250 in the back. Gotta keep my options open.

Pecking order: Parker 30 yards or less, .22 Mag 120 yards or less, 22/250 120-300 yards. I did kill a groundhog at 190 yards with my 22 mag but I'm not gonna rely on the guesswork it required for holdover. I don't want to "educate" the groundhogs by shooting and missing.

[Cajundaddy]

We owned a small ranch in SoCal for 15 years with a variety of barnyard animals. This was in a former walnut grove and at times the ground squirrels and rats would just get out of control. I got a RWS Diana in .177 and it was quite effective with this sized varmint. I probably bagged 50 rats and a couple dozen ground squirrels with that simple German air rifle.

For ground hogs you are going to need more punch. At least .25 cal but maybe .308 for a humane kill. A PCP air gun with 3000 psi scuba tank air source offers a lot of hitting power and some have a muzzle brake that reduces the crack. Run heavy projectiles to keep it well below 1000 ft/sec and it is quieter still. I have been looking at these recently as some in Idaho hunt deer and elk with PCP air guns in .457 or .50 cal. Inside 50 yards an air rifle is very effective.

Something like this might be suitable for groundhog day and not completely frighten your pup.
https://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-armada-air-rifle-combo.html#BTAP25SX

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

We owned a small ranch in SoCal for 15 years with a variety of barnyard animals. This was in a former walnut grove and at times the ground squirrels and rats would just get out of control. I got a RWS Diana in .177 and it was quite effective with this sized varmint. I probably bagged 50 rats and a couple dozen ground squirrels with that simple German air rifle.

For ground hogs you are going to need more punch. At least .25 cal but maybe .308 for a humane kill. A PCP air gun with 3000 psi scuba tank air source offers a lot of hitting power and some have a muzzle brake that reduces the crack. Run heavy projectiles to keep it well below 1000 ft/sec and it is quieter still. I have been looking at these recently as some in Idaho hunt deer and elk with PCP air guns in .457 or .50 cal. Inside 50 yards an air rifle is very effective.

Something like this might be suitable for groundhog day and not completely frighten your pup.
https://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-armada-air-rifle-combo.html#BTAP25SX

I am going to look at the larger caliber air rifle. Excellent, thanks.

I grew up on a small ranch in SoCal and had a Crossman 760 for the small stuff.

Like so many rural kids in those days, I had a .22 at 10/11...I will never forget the day my Mother's Father gave me this (web pic, newer version than mine) when I turned 12. Still have it

[Jeff Higgins]

Gotta love the 39A "Mountie". One of my all time favorites. Still my "go to.22".

I think the big bore air rifle might be a good choice. Be aware that they are all going to be PCP rifles, in need of some way to charge them, so figure that into the cost.

The beauty of them is that they can be suppressed without having to go through all of that NFA tax stamp nonsense. Many of them even come with integral suppressors.

And vash, no, I'm not "claiming" anything. What an odd perspective, especially since it appears to be your only takeaway from a rather far ranging discussion. I hope that these sorts of perplexing questions don't keep you up at night or anything.

[911 Rod]

Now I want to go home and dig out my old pellet guns I had as a kid. A Crossman 760 and a Diana breaker.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Gotta love the 39A "Mountie". One of my all time favorites. Still my "go to.22".

I think the big bore air rifle might be a good choice. Be aware that they are all going to be PCP rifles, in need of some way to charge them, so figure that into the cost.

The beauty of them is that they can be suppressed without having to go through all of that NFA tax stamp nonsense. Many of them even come with integral suppressors.

And vash, no, I'm not "claiming" anything. What an odd perspective, especially since it appears to be your only takeaway from a rather far ranging discussion. I hope that these sorts of perplexing questions don't keep you up at night or anything.

You have to admit, It was very captain obvious. It was not meant to be anything beyond that. But feel free to.

[Jeff Higgins]

Maybe so, for those of us familiar with the choices available in modern air rifles. If this discussion were limited to those of us who are, I wouldn't even have mentioned it. But, since by the very nature of this thread it appeared that Paul may not be all that familiar, I felt it worthwhile to begin with the basics. It just struck me, as I mentioned, as a rather odd perspective (trying to "claim" this distinction) to have adopted, even moreso in that it appears to be the only thing you've taken away from this discussion. Just kind of weird.

To this point, I think many would first categorize air rifles as pneumatic, spring piston, and CO2. Break it down further from there into pump up or precharged pneumatic, metal or gas spring "springers", and cheap toy BB repeater or "adult quality " rifled, pellet firing CO2. I think how we break them out depends on both the context of the discussion and the level of expertise and familiarity of those participating.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

If this discussion were limited to those of us who are, I wouldn't even have mentioned it. But, since by the very nature of this thread it appeared that Paul may not be all that familiar...

Exactly right...I had zero working knowledge of air rifles. I have an old air pistol I was gifted during a Christmas gift exchange here many years ago. Really neat pump action pellet pistol I couldn't hit the side of a mine shaft with if I was standing in it.

And, yes, it is the Indian and not the arrow.

BTW, I was mowing for almost 3 1/2 hours early today so I had time to ponder.

I am having an easier time eliminating a few options based on logistic and daily use requirements. I currently carry an old Ruger Single Six .22 pistol mainly for the very occasional small rabid animal and to make noise for the bigger stuff as we retreat.

I take D out at least five times a week for an hour or two weather depending, often more. While I have a gun rack in the Polaris Ranger, whatever I get is going to handled a lot and jostled.

We lap my farm and two of the neighbors places.

After talking to my son yesterday, bows and cross-bows are off the table, especially some of the higher end ones, unless I increase my life insurance policy and make him the benefactor.

RB.

So are the higher end air rifles until I spend some time with the lower end stuff and get D and me acclimated; frankly, to see how she does.

The guy I was supposed to see this afternoon needed my dump trailer for some hauling and we chatted a few minutes ago: He has a few low and mid range rifles I will play with this weekend...I have a gun range and we'll have fun.

Next up will be modifying what I have, and old Remington and a Savage WMR bolt action...there is a sub-sonic round for each I have ordered just to see how they sound suppressed.

Hopefully, one or the other can be modified to take a can.

I am still worried about the right caliber for some of the larger Ground Hogs...I really appreciate how important that is and thank you all for that council.

More to follow!

[osidak]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

That is exactly where I am headed. I spend an hour an the local Amish Archery and Air Gun store (I know): he had every form of archery product but also does muzzle loaders and Air Rifles

I've know him for a long time and he knows his stuff.

He politely asked me to put the cross-bow down Then asked, "Is Jack around to help?"

Honestly is often a dish served cold.

His concern was for larger GH's; an air rifle may not be enough in his mind for an ethical shot at the ranges we discussed.

I am headed over to a friends farm tomorrow that has a bolt action .22 that can use sub-sonic .22LR and has a suppressor.

I have a few old .22LR rifles I will take with me since he seems to think I could have a gunsmith add threading to the rifle barrels for a suppressor. I really do not need another rifle of any kind so I am willing to try.

Thank you all for the input...greatly appreciated.

We'll see.

Silencer central has barrel threading service, that last time I looked was pretty cheap. As long as you have enough space between the front sight and the crown and the barrel is round they can pretty much do it.

If you want something larger - I have a Henry Model X that I can put a can on - 158gr .38 specials are VERY quiet - easily hearing safe at an indoor range so outdoors your neighbors won't even hear it. Much quieter than a .22 break barrel airgun I have