SharpsDressedMan
member
You Know What I'M Going To Say..........
[/URL][/IMG]
Need your opinion of best air rifle for pigeon control
- Thread starter Nom de Forum
- Start date
- Status
exospex
Member
I just ordered two Crosman 1377's from Pyramid Air, along with the carbine stocks for them as Christmas gifts for two of my sons. I would think that would be an ideal tool for your task. Compact, accurate, and variable power. I've had one since I was a kid. I can't tell you how many squirrels, and chipmunks it's killed over the years. I even whacked a woodchuck with one shot to the neck after it tore up my buddies dog. That really impressed me.
You need to state a budget.
A quality springer
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Weihrauch_HW50S_Breakbarrel_Rifle/2152
As silent as possible you're into shrouded PCPs with a mod.
Everything starts with your budget
A quality springer
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Weihrauch_HW50S_Breakbarrel_Rifle/2152
As silent as possible you're into shrouded PCPs with a mod.
Everything starts with your budget
RetiredUSNChief
Member
Nearly anything could meet this requirement, including the lever-cocking BB guns. Some differences in accuracy may be apparent between the same rifle as reported from owner to owner, but I personally had no problems with my old Daisy lever-cocked BB gun when I was younger. I used to practice using playing cards by aiming for the various suit impressions on the cards.
Birds were no problem for me.
Nom de Forum
Member
lykoris,
Quietness is crucial so I think I will go with your suggestion as the price is not prohibitive. Any specific suggestions?
Quietness is crucial so I think I will go with your suggestion as the price is not prohibitive. Any specific suggestions?
If money is no object then a Benjamin Marauder pistol or an Airforce Talon SS would both be some very quiet guns. Probably about 7-800 dollars once you buy the gun, the scope and rings, and the pump.
I think the Talon SS is better, but more expensive. More adjustable, and more easily adjustable, so at closer ranges you can have it be very, very quiet, and easily adjust it for longer range shooting. Also if you ever decide you want to get into some other shooting, you can get other barrels, although that would make it decidedly more noisy, unless you got an aftermarket shroud.
I think the Talon SS is better, but more expensive. More adjustable, and more easily adjustable, so at closer ranges you can have it be very, very quiet, and easily adjust it for longer range shooting. Also if you ever decide you want to get into some other shooting, you can get other barrels, although that would make it decidedly more noisy, unless you got an aftermarket shroud.
heavydluxe
Member
How quiet do you need to be? Most springers (including the Weihrauch listed just above) will work. But magnum springers aren't exactly quiet guns. The nature of the action and cocking aren't stealthy.
If you really need to keep it quiet, a Pre-Charged Pnuematic (PCP) is probably the best. Basically a tank of air is pumped to pressure before going out to shoot, and a valve is activated by the trigger to release a high-pressure puff of air to propel the pellet.
If you're looking for a 'nice' gun, Air Arms makes some excellent guns near the price point of the Weihrauch. Benjamin's Maurauder is another good gun, and their Discovery, too, at a lower price point.
That said, I'm still in the camp that any good air rifle in the $150 and up range - including break-barrel magnum springers - would work for you application. I think the harder part of stealth is going to be your maneuvering and not the report of the gun.
If you really need to keep it quiet, a Pre-Charged Pnuematic (PCP) is probably the best. Basically a tank of air is pumped to pressure before going out to shoot, and a valve is activated by the trigger to release a high-pressure puff of air to propel the pellet.
If you're looking for a 'nice' gun, Air Arms makes some excellent guns near the price point of the Weihrauch. Benjamin's Maurauder is another good gun, and their Discovery, too, at a lower price point.
That said, I'm still in the camp that any good air rifle in the $150 and up range - including break-barrel magnum springers - would work for you application. I think the harder part of stealth is going to be your maneuvering and not the report of the gun.
Jefferson Herb
Member
pigons
It may start out at 30 ft,but they get smart.If hunting at night,they bolt when lit up.If day,you'll be out to 30yds plus in no time.
I went to a Bengi Discovery,[want maurader] and these can be used w/co2
till it's cold weather,then air is best.one other thing to consider,is roof,ie metal, wood;pcp's will go thru metal and plywood roofs.But thats what the companion pistol is for....
It may start out at 30 ft,but they get smart.If hunting at night,they bolt when lit up.If day,you'll be out to 30yds plus in no time.
I went to a Bengi Discovery,[want maurader] and these can be used w/co2
till it's cold weather,then air is best.one other thing to consider,is roof,ie metal, wood;pcp's will go thru metal and plywood roofs.But thats what the companion pistol is for....
if you are going for quietness then a springer would not be the best choice.
I would recommend an RWS/Hammerli 850 with a can attached.
fast forward to 6.20 on this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WewqRtIGhI
It is CO2 but you can trick it out and convert to HPA or order it direct from the 850 store.
I have one and enjoy shooting it almost as much as my airwolf/rapid s and air ranger. Great value for money and will stack pellets all day long.
Be sure you pick a .22
I would recommend an RWS/Hammerli 850 with a can attached.
fast forward to 6.20 on this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WewqRtIGhI
It is CO2 but you can trick it out and convert to HPA or order it direct from the 850 store.
I have one and enjoy shooting it almost as much as my airwolf/rapid s and air ranger. Great value for money and will stack pellets all day long.
Be sure you pick a .22
Nom de Forum
Member
Thanks to everyone for all the responses. I will be choosing one of the PCP.
Nom de Forum
Member
As much a bad neighbor problem as a pigeon problem. She is the type who feeds the birds at the park even though there are signs everywhere prohibiting it due to water contamination from too much excrement. She already harassed another neighbor who used something loud and cheap he bought from Big 5. I don't have a problem with spending money on a quality rifle. I owned a FWB300 Universal twenty-five years ago. Bought it in Germany because it was so hard to shoot firearms where I was living. I got it cheap and resold it in the states for more than I paid for it. I am also curious about the PCP technology.
The 850 is a solid rifle and will easily deal with pigeons well beyond your range. If you want to get back into air gunning then go straight to a PCP but if it is only to rid your back garden of pigeons it is overkill.
If you do go pcp think about charging it
If you do go pcp think about charging it
Nom de Forum, I understand that. I have neighbors that think it is their duty to feed every stray and feral cat that wanders into the neighborhood. I have scratches all over my vehicles, torn seats and stuff on my motorcycles. I have cat excrement all over my yard, along with the diseases that brings. I have cat urine all over everything. One day a cat got into the engine compartment of one of my vehicles and got caught in the belt when we started it. Tore up the cat, and the belt.
And yet, when I trap and take them down to the shelter, the sheriffs department gets called on me. (fortunately, we got a deputy who wasn't too stupid to understand the problem, and the neighbor was told that I was fully within my rights.) And when she sees a cat in there, I've had issues with her trespassing to let the cats out of the trap.
And yet, when I trap and take them down to the shelter, the sheriffs department gets called on me. (fortunately, we got a deputy who wasn't too stupid to understand the problem, and the neighbor was told that I was fully within my rights.) And when she sees a cat in there, I've had issues with her trespassing to let the cats out of the trap.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
The subject of such matters as feeding wild and feral animals is a serious one, and many people do not understand it. Not the least of which are kind-hearted people who are against animal torture and such. (You can read this as "animal rights activists", but please keep in mind that not all who are labeled as such are really dyed-in-blue animal rights activists. They're simply people who think kindly of animals and do not wish to see them harmed.) Your neighbor would seem to be one of these ignorant people.
Feeding an animal implies responsibility towards the animal for everything that may occur as a result. Feed the animal and you provide them with the means to breed more animals, you change their diet, you change their feeding/prowling habits, and more.
Often the end result is and adverse impact on a variety of levels. Increased population, increased destructive behavior, adverse impact on the environment, danger to people/livestock, etc.
In the example of a cousin of mine who had a neighbor that fed all the stray dogs around his rural property. Soon that token little bowl of dog food expanded because more dogs started showing up, dramatic increase in breeding, and before you know it this guy was spending a significant amount of money buying dog food in 50 pound bags weekly, just to keep up. The dogs caused problems with not only the neighboring people, but their own pets and livestock.
Soon they became a threat...which resulted in dozens of dogs having to be put down, both by the people living in the area and the authorities.
A laudable act of kindness with no understanding of the consequences caused this tragedy. Perhaps this guy would have been better off either taking in one or two strays as pets to the exclusion of the others, or making it a hobby of his to capture/release the stray dogs as part of a neutering/vaccination program of his own. (A cousin of my wife's does this with cats around her house. She cares for them, but every cat ultimately makes a trip to the vet for neutering.)
danez71
Member
LOL.... I'm not meaning to go off topic but the above 2 posts reminded me of my mom.
Difference is that my mom will feed and then trap the stray cats.
When she traps them, she takes them down to her vet and gets them fixed so the DONT breed and then lets them go again.
One time... it was her neighbors cat.
LOL....moms... you gotta love'em
Difference is that my mom will feed and then trap the stray cats.
When she traps them, she takes them down to her vet and gets them fixed so the DONT breed and then lets them go again.
One time... it was her neighbors cat.
LOL....moms... you gotta love'em
Another vote for rws 34, watch for when the neighbors not home, then mow 'em down.
On the subject of springer accuracy, they can be very accurate if you use the iron sights, not so much with a scope. There is a reason why most, if not all, the various springer makes and models have the rear sight so far forward (forward of the barrel break). Any scope mounted rearward of the rear sight is just not gonna be accurate (at least by air rifle standards) no matter how expensive the scope, because each time the barrell breaks to cock, it doesn't lock back up to the scopes 'zero'.
The .22 cal packs a wallop and the pigeon is not a small bird. Yes a .177 will kill a pigeon, but a .22 pellet will put them down with authority.
On the subject of springer accuracy, they can be very accurate if you use the iron sights, not so much with a scope. There is a reason why most, if not all, the various springer makes and models have the rear sight so far forward (forward of the barrel break). Any scope mounted rearward of the rear sight is just not gonna be accurate (at least by air rifle standards) no matter how expensive the scope, because each time the barrell breaks to cock, it doesn't lock back up to the scopes 'zero'.
The .22 cal packs a wallop and the pigeon is not a small bird. Yes a .177 will kill a pigeon, but a .22 pellet will put them down with authority.
Last edited:
Most springers are machined well enough that scopes can be much more accurate than most people could ever be with iron sights.
ridurall
Member
For 18 of my 20 years in the Air Force I worked in the Entomology shop (Pest Control) in Civil Engineering. We had a lot of trouble with pigeons in the hangers. Something about their crap is very hard on the aluminum in air craft. The Air Force would supply us with cheap Crossman pump up pellet rifles but I chose to purchase my own Diana 52 side stroke .177 Caliber pellet rifle with a high end pellet rifle scope that I picked up in the 1980s. With that Diana model 52 I've lost count of how many I killed in the top of those hangers. Many of the shots were 110' straight up and hitting them in the chest would drop them off the beams like a stone. The bunny huggers didn't like it but they never offered to help clean up the pigeon crap. The adjustable trigger and 1100 feet per second produced a very accurate rifle to do my work with. I started with an RWS model 48 where I cocked the barrel and with worked well but the 52 with no barrel hinge worked much more accurately.
Mike1234567
member
Maybe you should turn in a suggestion form that all rafters should be covered so the birds have no place to perch. Might put a few hundred thousand or even millions in your pocket.
A Benjamin Marauder would be great for what your describing. My parents had a squirrel problem so my dad got one in .22, not a problem since. It has an integral baffling system, it make a HUGE difference, and it has a ten round magazine type type thing so you shot it as fast as you can work the bolt. You have to pump it up with an air pump but you get about 30 shots if you pump it to about 3,000 psi.
Nom de Forum
Member
I am sure it is hard on the aircraft. It can be even more detrimental to the aircrews and maintainer's. Histoplasmosis is just one of the diseases pigeon crap is a vector of along with about 50 other infections. Our City actually put out door flyers after a "Pigeon Lady" at the park died. My mother-in-law is blind in one eye from histoplasmosis.
- Status
