Hunting With Air Rifles

zombie0hour · October 10, 2008, 11:29 PM

These new air rifles that have been coming out are simply amazing. What game have you taken with an Air Rifle before?

Swampghost · October 10, 2008, 11:50 PM

No more amazing than the old ones. My 5 mm Sheridan Bluestreak has taken some pretty good sized racoons and it's 40 yrs. old. Rabbits and squirrels are no problem just keep the shots short and go for the head.

Mavrik · October 11, 2008, 07:05 PM

I took a skunk with my grandfather's Benjamin Franklin .22 multi pump pellet gun (I have no idea how old that gun is). It was walking around during the day and we decided to dispose of it as we were worried it might be Rabid. One shot to the back of the head from about 10yrds, he rolled over and twitched twice. I used the pellet gun because my grandfather owned 10 acres of land that was within city limits and I was trying to keep the noise down. Good gun, I inherited it a few years.

Mav

Greybeard · October 11, 2008, 09:40 PM

Gotta be careful what ya hunt with 'em. In Tejas at least, air guns are not legal "means" for game animals (of any size).

publius · October 12, 2008, 12:51 AM

I'll second that praise for the Sheridan ,Swampghost. I got mine when I was probably 12 yrs. old, could barely pump the damn thing. for the past several years it has been in my closet awaiting new seals. I keep saying I'm going to send it to Mac1 for the steroid package, just never get around to it.

**JohnKSa** · October 12, 2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

In Tejas at least, air guns are not legal "means" for game animals (of any size).

Yep, it's ironic that in TX you can't legally take a squirrel (a game animal) with an airgun regardless of caliber or power level but you can legally hunt a feral hog or a mountain lion with an airgun because those animals are classified as nongame animals.

I've not had the opportunity to hunt large game with an air rifle but I have, on a couple of occasions, eaten smoked pork from feral hogs that an acquaintance of mine took with an air rifle.

darkgael · October 12, 2008, 06:25 AM

If you are interested, here's a link to a thread about hunting with air rifles. It's a short thread. The third post down is worth a look. Some nice shooting.
http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/...=480705#480705

Pete

hogdogs · October 12, 2008, 12:47 PM

I think it is illegal to hunt ANY animals in florida with ANY air rifle. So I cannot go out small game hunting *openly* with my gamo.
Brent

**Shane Tuttle** · October 12, 2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

These new air rifles that have been coming out are simply amazing. What game have you taken with an Air Rifle before?

I can attest to that, thanks to Hogdogs & company. I checked out the different brands and features out there and settled on a Gamo Viper. This gun is amazing.

I haven't taken "game" per se. I'd call it "varminting". I whittled down our local rabbit and ground squirrel population to ease the destruction they're doing.

hogdogs · October 12, 2008, 03:23 PM

To answer what have I taken...
Squirrels, dillars, rabbits, birds, and have dispatched several caged hogs for slaughter with my Gamo Shadow 1,000 using Crosman Premier Hollow points from wally world. I have taken game at 60 yards but feel that is max range for clean kills.
Brent

BUTCHER45 · December 20, 2008, 10:14 PM

Using my .454 air rifle I have taken: a small wild boar, a corsican ram, nutria, cotton tail/jack rabbits, and I'm using it to hunt bobcats and coyotes hard come the new year.

www.hardcorebigbore.com

JonnyReb · December 21, 2008, 06:25 PM

Yup airgunning is returning to its roots. .45 and .50 cal airguns are available for all and without any restrictions other than possibly age. They shoot up to 350 gr. "pellets" and can take down almost anything in north america. Lewis and clark had guns with similar power 200? years ago and they worked just fine. Glad to see them available.

My 2 RWS spring .22's are powerful enough but i sure would like one of those big ones someday...

Interesting to note but i just read that airgunning for anything big game other than exotics is illegal in every state but MO.

Inspector3711 · December 21, 2008, 11:38 PM

I've got a Gamo Hunter 440 that's been devestating on squirrels and rats... So far I haven't tried it on anything else.

sc928porsche · December 22, 2008, 12:45 AM

I used to hunt squirrels, crows, and rabbits with my .22 cal pump benjiman pellet rifle. That was when I was about 8 or 9. I still have it tucked away amongst all the other rifles I have. About once a year I take it out and clean and oil it (Leather cups on the pump plunger).

Swampghost · December 22, 2008, 01:03 AM

publius, I have a guy outside of Orlando that rebuilds for $45.00 plus shipping.

444 · December 23, 2008, 11:48 PM

I shot a jackrabbit that was sitting in my yard with my Beeman P1 pistol.

It was facing away from me at about 10 yards and I shot it in the back of the head.

For those of you unfamiliar with jackrabbits, I consider that to be a pretty big and tough animal to kill with an airgun.

I have shot hundreds or possibly thousands of smaller animals over the years with airguns. The jack is by far the biggest.

JonnyReb · December 24, 2008, 12:15 AM

But since many birds and mammals are not classified as game animals but instead as pests...

I saw a link one time under airgun news or a similar publication. These two guys got permission from a farmer to rid his barn of pests. The guys used fairly low velocity match rifles and pellets that would not hurt the building.(i guess) They shot dozens of english sparrows, starlings, pigeons, some rats.. Had a blast and helped the farmer. Sounds like fun.

DoctorXring · December 24, 2008, 12:39 AM

.

Air rifle hunting is great. I hunt with an AirArms S410 Carbine in
.22 caliber. Muzzle speed around 925 fps with an 18 grain pellet.
This rifle will shoot inside of a nickle at 50 yards. I hit this gobbler
right between the wing roots as it was turned a way from me.
Dead right there.

dxr

JonnyReb · December 24, 2008, 12:50 AM

Awesome!!

Not saying this is ethical or that i'd try it but here's gamo's own wildman taking a wild pig with an airgun,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVX0y2Pcj_s

hunter33 · December 24, 2008, 03:32 AM

Everything from sparrows to some huge nutria. Rabbits and smaller are dead under 60 yards. I can put 3 shots touching at 39 yards.

Brad Clodfelter · December 24, 2008, 03:59 AM

I shot plum through the head of a big groundhog at 15yds. I've killed a few squirrels as well. I shoot blackbirds once in awhile when they get pretty thick.

onthejon55 · December 24, 2008, 05:12 AM

I have a friend who is rele into pellet guns and loves shooting pests so he found this dairy farm down the road that has a pigeon problem. we climbed into the loft of a barn thus blocking the only escape and sat there and shot 17 pigeons in about 5 minutes. The reason it took so long was that we were both laughing so hard from seeing all the dead pigeons we cudnt shoot strait!

freakintoguns · December 24, 2008, 05:51 AM

big b re air rifles?????? wha????? how??

BUTCHER45 · December 24, 2008, 06:42 AM

www.hardcorebigbore.com

JonnyReb · December 24, 2008, 10:52 AM

Great site Darkgael! http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/...=480705#480705

October 10, 2008, 11:29 PM	#1
zombie0hour Member Join Date: September 16, 2008 Posts: 46	Hunting With Air Rifles These new air rifles that have been coming out are simply amazing. What game have you taken with an Air Rifle before?

October 12, 2008, 06:25 AM	#7
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	more If you are interested, here's a link to a thread about hunting with air rifles. It's a short thread. The third post down is worth a look. Some nice shooting. http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/...=480705#480705 Pete

December 21, 2008, 06:25 PM	#12
JonnyReb Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2008 Location: Central N.C. Posts: 157	Yup airgunning is returning to its roots. .45 and .50 cal airguns are available for all and without any restrictions other than possibly age. They shoot up to 350 gr. "pellets" and can take down almost anything in north america. Lewis and clark had guns with similar power 200? years ago and they worked just fine. Glad to see them available. My 2 RWS spring .22's are powerful enough but i sure would like one of those big ones someday... Interesting to note but i just read that airgunning for anything big game other than exotics is illegal in every state but MO. Last edited by JonnyReb; December 21, 2008 at 06:30 PM.

December 24, 2008, 12:39 AM	#18
DoctorXring Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2002 Location: The Republic of Texas Posts: 392	. Air rifle hunting is great. I hunt with an AirArms S410 Carbine in .22 caliber. Muzzle speed around 925 fps with an 18 grain pellet. This rifle will shoot inside of a nickle at 50 yards. I hit this gobbler right between the wing roots as it was turned a way from me. Dead right there. dxr Last edited by DoctorXring; December 24, 2008 at 12:50 AM.

October 10, 2008, 11:50 PM	#2
Swampghost Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: Florida, east coast Posts: 2,106	No more amazing than the old ones. My 5 mm Sheridan Bluestreak has taken some pretty good sized racoons and it's 40 yrs. old. Rabbits and squirrels are no problem just keep the shots short and go for the head.

October 11, 2008, 07:05 PM	#3
Mavrik Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 89	I took a skunk with my grandfather's Benjamin Franklin .22 multi pump pellet gun (I have no idea how old that gun is). It was walking around during the day and we decided to dispose of it as we were worried it might be Rabid. One shot to the back of the head from about 10yrds, he rolled over and twitched twice. I used the pellet gun because my grandfather owned 10 acres of land that was within city limits and I was trying to keep the noise down. Good gun, I inherited it a few years. Mav

October 11, 2008, 09:40 PM	#4
Greybeard Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2002 Location: Denton County Texas Posts: 686	Gotta be careful what ya hunt with 'em. In Tejas at least, air guns are not legal "means" for game animals (of any size).

October 12, 2008, 12:51 AM	#5
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,505	I'll second that praise for the Sheridan ,Swampghost. I got mine when I was probably 12 yrs. old, could barely pump the damn thing. for the past several years it has been in my closet awaiting new seals. I keep saying I'm going to send it to Mac1 for the steroid package, just never get around to it.

October 12, 2008, 12:47 PM	#8
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	I think it is illegal to hunt ANY animals in florida with ANY air rifle. So I cannot go out small game hunting openly with my gamo. Brent

October 12, 2008, 03:23 PM	#10
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	To answer what have I taken... Squirrels, dillars, rabbits, birds, and have dispatched several caged hogs for slaughter with my Gamo Shadow 1,000 using Crosman Premier Hollow points from wally world. I have taken game at 60 yards but feel that is max range for clean kills. Brent

December 20, 2008, 10:14 PM	#11
BUTCHER45 Member Join Date: June 30, 2008 Posts: 46	Using my .454 air rifle I have taken: a small wild boar, a corsican ram, nutria, cotton tail/jack rabbits, and I'm using it to hunt bobcats and coyotes hard come the new year. www.hardcorebigbore.com

December 21, 2008, 11:38 PM	#13
Inspector3711 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 1,553	I've got a Gamo Hunter 440 that's been devestating on squirrels and rats... So far I haven't tried it on anything else.

December 22, 2008, 12:45 AM	#14
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	I used to hunt squirrels, crows, and rabbits with my .22 cal pump benjiman pellet rifle. That was when I was about 8 or 9. I still have it tucked away amongst all the other rifles I have. About once a year I take it out and clean and oil it (Leather cups on the pump plunger).

December 22, 2008, 01:03 AM	#15
Swampghost Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: Florida, east coast Posts: 2,106	publius, I have a guy outside of Orlando that rebuilds for $45.00 plus shipping.

December 23, 2008, 11:48 PM	#16
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	I shot a jackrabbit that was sitting in my yard with my Beeman P1 pistol. It was facing away from me at about 10 yards and I shot it in the back of the head. For those of you unfamiliar with jackrabbits, I consider that to be a pretty big and tough animal to kill with an airgun. I have shot hundreds or possibly thousands of smaller animals over the years with airguns. The jack is by far the biggest.

December 24, 2008, 12:15 AM	#17
JonnyReb Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2008 Location: Central N.C. Posts: 157	But since many birds and mammals are not classified as game animals but instead as pests... I saw a link one time under airgun news or a similar publication. These two guys got permission from a farmer to rid his barn of pests. The guys used fairly low velocity match rifles and pellets that would not hurt the building.(i guess) They shot dozens of english sparrows, starlings, pigeons, some rats.. Had a blast and helped the farmer. Sounds like fun.

December 24, 2008, 12:50 AM	#19
JonnyReb Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2008 Location: Central N.C. Posts: 157	Awesome!! Not saying this is ethical or that i'd try it but here's gamo's own wildman taking a wild pig with an airgun,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVX0y2Pcj_s

December 24, 2008, 03:32 AM	#20
hunter33 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 289	Everything from sparrows to some huge nutria. Rabbits and smaller are dead under 60 yards. I can put 3 shots touching at 39 yards.

December 24, 2008, 03:59 AM	#21
Brad Clodfelter Registration in progress Join Date: January 26, 2007 Posts: 925	I shot plum through the head of a big groundhog at 15yds. I've killed a few squirrels as well. I shoot blackbirds once in awhile when they get pretty thick.

December 24, 2008, 05:12 AM	#22
onthejon55 Junior member Join Date: October 23, 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 411	I have a friend who is rele into pellet guns and loves shooting pests so he found this dairy farm down the road that has a pigeon problem. we climbed into the loft of a barn thus blocking the only escape and sat there and shot 17 pigeons in about 5 minutes. The reason it took so long was that we were both laughing so hard from seeing all the dead pigeons we cudnt shoot strait!

December 24, 2008, 05:51 AM	#23
freakintoguns Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Posts: 496	big b re air rifles?????? wha????? how??

December 24, 2008, 06:42 AM	#24
BUTCHER45 Member Join Date: June 30, 2008 Posts: 46	www.hardcorebigbore.com

December 24, 2008, 10:52 AM	#25
JonnyReb Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2008 Location: Central N.C. Posts: 157	Great site Darkgael! http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/...=480705#480705