Need recommendations for quiet air fun for taking squirrels You can

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Fair enough. Easy to cross wires, misinterpret, whatever, when forum postings are involved, and no offence meant on my part. I've had several failures to extinguish on first shot myself, with squirrels, and yeah, it's upsetting. Taught me things like being a bit more patient, waiting for them to get out of nervous running around and exploring mode and into the trance-like state of napping or eating a nut. Once they're sitting still and munching it's easy to get a clear hit. But of course chipmunks are a twitchy variety. And if those are becoming a pest problem, you've got a considerable challenge.
 
Freudian slip or typo? Dunno but I had a good chuckle when I read "Need recommendations for quiet air fun for taking squirrels".

On a more serious note, I used to really enjoy hunting squirrel, but as I got older the occasional blown shot that resulted in a second shot kill started making it less and less enjoyable. To the point that now, it takes a LOT to make me take out a critter and I rarely do. But one can only take so much damage before it becomes necessary.
 
I used to live in town. I had a rat, squirrel and starling problem. I bought a RWS 36 and put an air rifle scope on it. Still have after it about 30 years and it's still killing squirrels. I don't live in town anymore so I could use a 22 but the RWS works just as well and I don't have to worry about down range projectiles. A good air rifle with a scope is deadly out to 50 yards.

Here's a few things to consider when buying an air rifle.

22 caliber. It's better for shooting critters.
Scope. More accurate. Should be an air rifle scope because regular scopes won't take the recoil.
>1000 fps.
Parts and service. Talk to someone in the business before you buy. Pyramyd Air is a good place to start.

Otherwise just trap them or use a 22. Just remember that some cities have ordinances against shooting firearms. Air rifles aren't considered firearms under most definitions. If your neighbor turns you in you've got a problem.

My recommendation would be a Diana 34. I have the older model and she's a gem.:thumbup:
 
I used to live in town. I had a rat, squirrel and starling problem. I bought a RWS 36 and put an air rifle scope on it. Still have after it about 30 years and it's still killing squirrels. I don't live in town anymore so I could use a 22 but the RWS works just as well and I don't have to worry about down range projectiles. A good air rifle with a scope is deadly out to 50 yards.

Here's a few things to consider when buying an air rifle.

22 caliber. It's better for shooting critters.
Scope. More accurate. Should be an air rifle scope because regular scopes won't take the recoil.
>1000 fps.
Parts and service. Talk to someone in the business before you buy. Pyramyd Air is a good place to start.

Otherwise just trap them or use a 22. Just remember that some cities have ordinances against shooting firearms. Air rifles aren't considered firearms under most definitions. If your neighbor turns you in you've got a problem.

My recommendation would be a Diana 34. I have the older model and she's a gem.:thumbup:

I would suggest you check with your local city.....in my experience MOST cities make no difference between your 50bmg and the red ryder. Yea stupid I know....and most deputies here if called will do everything they can to not bring you to jail....but that is different from place to place and notice I said MOST. It really depends on a great many factors.

I do agree on a 22 Pellets are very different from a bullet. And a 22 pellet is on a good day going 800-ish FPS AT THE MUZZLE with a 14-ish grain pellet with the BC of a brick. Even a 22 long, not long rifle is flinging a 40 grain bullet at 700-ish fps....that is a LOT more mass and a lot more energy on target.

I killed my first chrono doing testing on pellet speeds at target, Down load a copy of chairgun, from Hawk scopes....if your pellets BS is not in there do some looking on air gun sights they are out there. Point is a pellet slows down quick, and the flight of a pellet really goes to hell if you push them supersonic, worse then a rimfire 22....ever wonder why target....good target 22, like RWS, Lapua Eley...are sub sonic....because pushing them fast will hurt how accurate they are as they slow back down....you don't need it to put holes in paper, you are not causing damage to a living target.

We all know foot pounds when a bullet hits something is all math with weight and speed being what really matters.....with pellets you have light weight and low speed, so not a lot of energy.....you need to practice and hit the spot on the critter that will kill it.

This gets me on my high horse faster then anything else....and it is not directed at the person I quoted....I am just rambling.

Know your rifle, know your target, know what you need to hit to put the animal down clean and ethical manner. Generally we are talking a quarter sized target area....figure out where you can hit that sized target and that is your range with that air rifle.

Now as you move up to larger air rifles, 25,30, your margin of error gets larger....

I really don't hunt anymore, and now that most of my animals are gone I don't really pest anymore, but I can tell you I took a shot on a mouse, not a rat but a field mouse with a 17hmr, and ended up blowing the back half off of him....he was still alive, makes me feel real bad, no animal deserves to die in pain, no matter what you say he did, it is just an animal doing animal things...sure rid yourself of pests, but do it in a way that does not cause suffering.

Sorry for the preaching post.

Man I am tired.
 
I would suggest you check with your local city.....in my experience MOST cities make no difference between your 50bmg and the red ryder. Yea stupid I know....and most deputies here if called will do everything they can to not bring you to jail....but that is different from place to place and notice I said MOST. It really depends on a great many factors.

I do agree on a 22 Pellets are very different from a bullet. And a 22 pellet is on a good day going 800-ish FPS AT THE MUZZLE with a 14-ish grain pellet with the BC of a brick. Even a 22 long, not long rifle is flinging a 40 grain bullet at 700-ish fps....that is a LOT more mass and a lot more energy on target.

One year I used a 20 ga shotgun but some neighbors complained.:D

I killed my first chrono doing testing on pellet speeds at target, Down load a copy of chairgun, from Hawk scopes....if your pellets BS is not in there do some looking on air gun sights they are out there. Point is a pellet slows down quick, and the flight of a pellet really goes to hell if you push them supersonic, worse then a rimfire 22....ever wonder why target....good target 22, like RWS, Lapua Eley...are sub sonic....because pushing them fast will hurt how accurate they are as they slow back down....you don't need it to put holes in paper, you are not causing damage to a living target.

We all know foot pounds when a bullet hits something is all math with weight and speed being what really matters.....with pellets you have light weight and low speed, so not a lot of energy.....you need to practice and hit the spot on the critter that will kill it.

This gets me on my high horse faster then anything else....and it is not directed at the person I quoted....I am just rambling.

Know your rifle, know your target, know what you need to hit to put the animal down clean and ethical manner. Generally we are talking a quarter sized target area....figure out where you can hit that sized target and that is your range with that air rifle.

Now as you move up to larger air rifles, 25,30, your margin of error gets larger....

I really don't hunt anymore, and now that most of my animals are gone I don't really pest anymore, but I can tell you I took a shot on a mouse, not a rat but a field mouse with a 17hmr, and ended up blowing the back half off of him....he was still alive, makes me feel real bad, no animal deserves to die in pain, no matter what you say he did, it is just an animal doing animal things...sure rid yourself of pests, but do it in a way that does not cause suffering.

Sorry for the preaching post.

Man I am tired.

Some good stuff there.

I have a .17 RWS 36 with a scope. I keep it maintained and shoot it a lot. I set up a backstop at the range I most likely would be shooting. I then test my ability and the rifle at that range. 25 yards is good range to sight an air rifle in. My goal is 2 MOA at 25 yards which is 1/2". I can consistently shoot 2 MOA. I feel that's all it takes to humanely kill a squirrel. I've wounded one squirrel but I can't be 100%. Anyone that hunts knows it's always a possibility. I don't shoot rabbits as they aren't a problem for me. I have neighbors within 500' of me so I opt for air rifle. Elevated shots with an air rifle aren't a problem because of energy loss. .22 (40-60) grain subsonic is a whole different story. We get over run with grey squirrels as we live in a heavily wooded area and people feed them. The trees are their highways and it's very hard to control them.

One year I used a 20 ga shotgun and a neighbor complained.:D
 
....in my experience MOST cities make no difference between your 50bmg and the red ryder.
Man I am tired.

I'd say some, maybe many, jurisdictions don't differentiate. But some do. In my state and county air guns are not firearms. As long as I do it safely I can use my air gun for pests. Game laws applicable though. (Archery hunting is also okay, which caused some consternation at times.)

As fpgt72 said, Check first.
 
The benjamin marauder is quiet and dead on accurate and humane.
The wildfire is a budget pcp and though less expensive,not all that quiet.
A $30 crosman 760,shooting pellets is pretty dang lethal and quiet,just keep your shots within 15 yards are so.
I'm a pcp buff. I like the .25 but pellets have to be ordered and the rifle ain't cheap.
But lifes short so enjoy it.
I know the .25 will drop feral hogs at 30 to 40 yards with headshots and are awesome for coyote and fox. Quick kill and one tiny hole in pelt the size of a pencil eraser
 
I live far out in the country most of the time my bb gun just wounds the squirrels that raid my bird feeder in the winter. Usually I shoot them now with a .22lr then we eat them. If I were in your situation I would get a live trap like the havaheart and then either dispatch them for eating or take them a couple of miles away and release. I use the havaheart all summer for chipmunks which I then take down to the forest by a lake about a mile from our place and release.
good luck to you.
 
Maybe not elegant, but friggin awesome! I picture stepping out on the porch in a wifebeater Tshirt, well worn cowboy boots and jeans, cigar tween yer teeth and locking eyes with six+ squirrels for a staredown at the bird feeder. Then whip that baby out, and with a smile (cigar still in teeth), spray the area! Wide eyed squirrels goin ass over tea kettle in all directions, dirt flyin, birdseed flyin, copper steaks of light like tracers everywhere! I dare anyone to say they'd choose not to watch that happen.
I had a full auto bb gun like 30yrs ago but it was a pos. All it was is a hollow plastic container (shaped like an uzi) with an internal tube for a barrel. At the breech end of the barrel was a tube that led down almost to the bottom of the grip. You simply dumped in a zillion BBz, which ended up filling said grip. Up front of the trigger was a spot to accept an R12 freon can. Pulling the trigger opened the valve to the can which simply vented into and pressurized the whole gun. The only escape was that tube, which is buried in BBz. So pull the trigger and you could see and feel the gun inflate in your hand, then start spraying BBz, but of course they got balled up down there so to keep it firing you had to shake the gun at the same time. They came out very slow, I est ~200fps. Then after maybe 50 or so the can would start frosting up and the already low psi takes a dump so you need hot water, or at least a hose to warm it if you want to keep going. This was back when R12 was $1 a can and ozone layer meant zilch to anyone.
The gun in the vid above doesn't share any of those issues, but I bet it's a lot more than the $8 or so I paid for my toy.
 
the blackbird is under 300.
Can be found for 200.
Nothing but pure fun
 
I own a number of nice German/English Air Rifles. All professionally tuned. However, this Walther right out of the box is extremely well built. Just a marvelous Pellet rifle. And about as quiet as you will get for a "Springer". Basically a low thud when shooting. The barrel locks up like a vault.



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One summer about 10 years ago I had a major squirrel problem, my brother loaned me his Have A Heart live trap. Over the summer I trapped and released in the wild 32 unharmed squirrels. Peanut butter did the trick. hdbiker
 
I used to live in town. I had a rat, squirrel and starling problem. I bought a RWS 36 and put an air rifle scope on it. Still have after it about 30 years and it's still killing squirrels. I don't live in town anymore so I could use a 22 but the RWS works just as well and I don't have to worry about down range projectiles. A good air rifle with a scope is deadly out to 50 yards.

Here's a few things to consider when buying an air rifle.

22 caliber. It's better for shooting critters.
Scope. More accurate. Should be an air rifle scope because regular scopes won't take the recoil.
>1000 fps.
Parts and service. Talk to someone in the business before you buy. Pyramyd Air is a good place to start.

Otherwise just trap them or use a 22. Just remember that some cities have ordinances against shooting firearms. Air rifles aren't considered firearms under most definitions. If your neighbor turns you in you've got a problem.

My recommendation would be a Diana 34. I have the older model and she's a gem.:thumbup:



my first 40 plus years ago was a HW50... used it and a sheriden to keep pests at bay at homefor 25 years before I found the net and some deals on some other classics then the new stuff... I prefer the sir rifle for urban/subhurban pesting just as you do. I feel every gun guy owes it to himself to own a quality air rifle... the value in practice/fun and usefulness just are hard to beat!
 
I would love for you to explain to me how to make an improved suppressor for my Mrod using Crosman parts.
It's quiet from the factory, but quieter is always welcome.
As much as I always liked hunting squirrels with a .22LR, I like being able to hunt them without scaring off every other squirrel in the county.





Interesting story about human ethics: There was an insane mouse problem at a remote place I once worked and people were killing them however/whenever they could. I knew a girl that said you guys are cruel and disgusting etc etc bla bla bla.... She didn't understand what it's like to have them everywhere and into everything 24/7, including in bed while you sleep, in your shoes etc. After she was there a week I saw her use a can of hair spray and bic lighter on one. I thought it interesting how drastically peoples ethics change when they have to endure the problem. Obviously she gets it now... So while most of us try not to be cruel, the more of a problem they cause the less we care about ethics. Like when a rat(s) was chewing 120V wires in my house and could've easily burned the place down, do you think I waited for an ethical shot or took the first available? When a squirrel or rat is chewing a cars wiring harness do you think the owner will do what I did, or wait for that clean shot? Even my own mother, who is a hard core animal lover, took out a squirrel that chewed on her cars wiring. She trapped it in the house and let the cat take care of it, which was a very old cat w/ only one tooth left so it was a slow death. She just watched with revenge in her eyes as it took some time to die.
The last rat I killed maybe a month or two ago was under my hood and chewing stuff. It was a clean brain shot but only bc his head was exposed, if it had been his ass I wooda taken the shot w/o question bc it would be days or weeks, if ever that I'd get another chance. I don't like unethical kills either, and do what I can when I can, but I have limits. If I were the OP I'd no doubt take any shot I could. Which is better, a suffering rat or a burned house?

Aguila Colibri: They are very weak but I've never had a head shot fail me. The only time I've seen one stick in the bore like 1KPerDay said is a friend who shot one thru a choked Anchutz barrel, which stuck in the choke of course. This is why the mfg says never to shoot them in a rifle, pistol only. You're supposed to use the "Super" Colibri in rifles but those are too loud, defeats the purpose imo. I've shot >1k plain Colibri w/o fail so I'm pretty happy with them. Most all of mine are launched thru a Marlin 925, which I actually bought for the sole purpose of shooting this ammo thanks to that micro-groove bore, its 22" and bolt feed. It's almost perfect for this ammo. I think the only better thing would be a 24" barrel, or maybe even 26 but at some point it'll be too long and slow the bullet.
If sticking in the bore is an issue, or your bore is slowing them, you can also sand the bore a bit and dry lube it to minimize friction. Also useful if you simply want some xtra fps. Or just dry lube if you don't want to sand it. I use Tungsten Disulfide but Moly works too. And/or you can dry lube the bullets. Sanding the bore sounds crazy but I have excellent luck doing it.

Since my last post a coupla months ago I made an even better suppressor for my Mrod. It is literally silent now, not counting the hammer noise. So fire an Mrod w/ zero air in it and that's what mine sounds like. I mention that for those wanting a super ultra quiet gun, and I can explain how to make said suppressor using oem Crosman parts. It looks factory, just longer. The gun itself is not modded at all so once removed, which only takes a few seconds, it's 100% oem again.
Now I'm working on how to quiet the hammer, which I also want to do to the Marlin. Not that they really need it, I just want to see how quiet I can get the guns overall.
An Mrod is $pendy but they're super cool and versatile. Extremely accurate and power is very adjustable. Excellent gun to practice with when you can't use a firearm, like in the backyard. Mine is in .22 which I prefer, but they make 25 and 177 as well. The 25 is super popular bc like w/ firearms caliber buys you free power, but I just don't have a need. Plus .25 pellets are expensive and not a lot to choose from. If anyone has a misc 177 gun they should try H&N Baracuda pellets (hollow points) which are imo more deadly than an equal powered 22, but ideally they need to be fired at ~900fps. The slower they go the less they open up so at some point the advantage is lost. I mention those specifically bc most all hollow point pellets don't actually work. My favorite fishing adage applies: There are two kinds of fishing lures; the kind that catch fish and the kind that catch fishermen. Most HP or pointed pellets are the latter.
Lastly, there's cats. I don't have squirrels but my cats get more rats than I do.
OP: I was wondering if you've tried anything so far? We like to hear successes and failures. Plus the next guy w/ the same prob wants to know...
 
Squirrels are a problem here and as far as I am concerned, they are all guilty. I replaced my RWS model 45 .177 with a Benjamin Marauder .22 w Vortex diamondback scope. The set-up was not cheap but a huge upgrade. Super quiet and deadly accurate. This rifle has only one purpose.
 
My friend uses Benjamin Marauder as he have the same problem in his farm not with squirrels but with poisonous snakes. Not pretty sure why the snakes love their but the rifle help them get rid around 5 snakes and not his farm is clear from them. He chose silent rifle not to disturb his farm animals that living there.
if he has a farm he has rodents... and if he has rodents he has snakes- poisonous if they live there to... he is NOT clear of them... he just doesnt see them!
 
I borrowed a Have-A-Heart trap and caught nothing. The squirrels kept trying to gnaw their way into my house, chewed holes in my "squirrel proof" bird feeders, in spite of my soft-hearted attempt to relocate them. So, I shot them with my pellet rifle. They no longer gnaw on my house or my bird feeders. My neighbor shoots them too and we are quietly supported by the entire neighborhood. By the way, if you live in an area where you can catch crabs, dead squirrels make great crab trap bait.
 
Folks that sell "Trim" soffits, rake boards etc. love squirrels. Electricians love them. Carpenters love them. They are NOT animals. They are "Chewing Machines with legs".

Caught these guys taking a nap in the warm winter sun in my back yard. Same one's that ate through my Porch door and other areas of my house. What do I hate more? Roof Rats!

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