# hunting with air rifles!!? what do you think



## buckedup (Dec 29, 2007)

this next season i am deciding to hunt all my small game with my break action air rifle.does anyone here practice this way of hunting? and what does everyone think of the whole idea.


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## 77 240 SRV (Sep 14, 2007)

I don't see any problems with hunting with an air rifle. The people at Gamo have done a fantastic job of making these true hunting rifles. I would think at short to medium range shots on tree rats and rabits these rifles definiatly get the job done.


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## fisherman5567 (Jan 3, 2007)

I think it would be awesome, ive seen on tv where they were shooting coyotes with air rifles. they definately have the power for small game and some medium sized game. just gotta have a good shot.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I used to pop squirrels all the time with my air rifle. Only got one rabbit with one. It did a back flip and let out the rabbit death squeal with the head shot. Too much fat on them to kill them with a body shot. 
Make sure you have a powerful one and head shots are the best.
This was many years ago growing up.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

With modern air rifles you can take small game at good distances. We have a German made spring loaded air rifle (weighs about 11 lbs) with a Weaver scope that shoots .22 pellets and is deadly accurate. My family used to own a golf course until recently and we used to "thin" the squirrels out with this rifle each fall - 30 yard head shots are made easily.

Rabbits are the weakest creature on earth - smack one with the back of your hand and it will die. Just take good head shots and you will be fine.


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## Skarfer (Jan 27, 2006)

HAHA..........Lewzer - that reminds me of the time when I plugged a rabbit in our backyard as a kid - head shot too, and it let out that death SCREAM and started floppin all over the back yard making that noise........

i was scared to death my neighbors would hear it! I had to hurry up and jump down off the deck and go break it's neck......

My aunt made the BEST stew out of that rabbit!!!!


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## fisherman5567 (Jan 3, 2007)

Skarfer said:


> HAHA..........Lewzer - that reminds me of the time when I plugged a rabbit in our backyard as a kid - head shot too, and it let out that death SCREAM and started floppin all over the back yard making that noise........
> 
> i was scared to death my neighbors would hear it! I had to hurry up and jump down off the deck and go break it's neck......
> 
> My aunt made the BEST stew out of that rabbit!!!!


You guys are creul and inhumane!!! I LOVE IT!!! Aint nothin like a fresh rabbit! Natures fast food


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

That rabbit death scream is one of the most eeerie sounds I've ever heard.
My dad used to have a coyote call that did the rabbit death scream. I used to walk around the house blowing that thing to irritate my 5 sisters!


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## Kdog (May 2, 2007)

I hunt with airguns ALL the time.My go to gun is a Theoben Rapid .25 PCP air rifle.This baby will shoot a 40 grn pellet over 900 fps and but 10 shots in a nickel sized group.Heres a few pics of her.I slso shoot .177 Pistols for the backyard,squirrel and chipmunk work.Airguns are a blast to shoot and you can do it in the backyard without hauling all your gear to the range.


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## MATTY DOG (Apr 7, 2005)

how much does a gun like that cost?


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## Kdog (May 2, 2007)

Just the gun $1500,,,,,i have a Bushnell 4200 6x24 ao scope on it so thats another $500,,,and also just got a custom stoc so theres another $400 until it,,,,,lol.Heres how she looks now.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

Now that is an outfit!


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## Skarfer (Jan 27, 2006)

WOW! That's a sweet air gun! I couldn't see putting that much money into an air gun - but then again, I've never seen anything quite like yours before!!! NICE!!

How is it powered? CO2 cylinder??? Pump??? I'm totally ignorant on how those high powered jobs work......I'm used to my little daisey - "pump-once-to-shoot-your-neighbors-dog-in-the-butt-for-crapping-in-your-yard" job.......

haha........I'm KIDDING! Don't get all your panties in a wad - I don't shoot my neighbors dog in the butt....................much..............hahha..........


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## Kdog (May 2, 2007)

Skarfer,
This is a Pre Charged Pneumatic(PCP) air rifle.You fill the cylinder under the barrel up with compressed air,3100 psi.,,and its good for about 40 full power shots before there is a poi change at about 40 yds.You can either fill the gun with a Foot pump which resembles a bike pump or fill it off of a Scuba tank.I fill my from a scuba tank.

Most of you high dollar powerful airguns are PCP's like this one.They range from a low end of about $400 to a high end of around $2000.If you live in a neighborhood and like to shoot airguns are a great way to enjoy the shooting sports while remaining quiet.This gun is very quiet.I like airgunning because its kinda like bowhunting,,,you have to get close and most of the pest/game i hunt can be taken with airrifles.

Believe it or not ive hunted game as big as wild boar with it.I will enclose a picture of a wild boar a bud shot while hunting in Oklahoma last year.It was shot with the same rifle as mine but in .22 not .25 like mine is.I will include a few links from airgun site you mite want to check out if your curious about airguns and there effectiveness on small and rather large game.Believe it or not there makeing large boar airguns now that can be used on deer sized game and larger.Another friend of mine killed a buffalo with a 45 cal airgun last year.

Anyways if you have any other questiuons just hollar i'll try to answer them.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/
http://airgunadvice.net/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/414006/









a friend of mine and his 150 lob wild boar shot with a .22 Theoben Rapid


shooting pigeons,,,these ones are about 50 yds away









yea there accurate









tree rats are dont have a chance









If this bobcat was in season i would taken him out without thinking twice about it,,,this was while i was in Oklahoma on a hog hunt.


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## buckedup (Dec 29, 2007)

wow quite alot of input.well i got my air rifle from my fiance so you can already guess,its not a top knotch gun but it did have good reviews.the crossman storm 1000 is a .177 cal and has a 1000fps capability,it doesnt have the tightest pattern but iam pretty confident i can make a clean shot at 30yrds. if i was going to by another what would u say would be a good choice and in what caliber.oh and have u heard any reviews on gamos new alloy pellets? 

thanx for your help


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Man. If I'da had one of those rigs back when we used to play pellet gun tag, things sure woulda been different.


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## Kdog (May 2, 2007)

Buckedup,

What you have in the Crossman Storm is a entry level spring gun.If i was to pick a high quality springer that you cant go wrong with it would be a Beeman R9.German made very high quality with a target level Rekord trigger.These guns have been made for years and pretty much set the standard of a high quality spring air rifle.

In spring guns i believe .177 is best because of there limited accuracy and limited range.By that i mean most spring guns are very hold sensitive and have a tendency to change POI.Its just the nature of the beast with springers.I sold my springer because of this..I personally would keep my shots with springers at about a max of 40 yds.

My rifle is a PCP(pre charged pneumatic)with these type of air rifles they are alot more accurate than springers .the down side to them is you fill the tank on the gun then are limited to whoever number of shots until the gun runs out of air.Same principal as paint ball guns.My Theoben Rapid has a very large 500cc air tank and is good for 40 shots at full power so thats alot of shots.Most PCP's dont have air tanks that big though,,,,,id say the norm would be about 20 shots before refilling.PCP's are also alot pricer than the other type air rifles.

There is also Multi-pump Pneumatics such as your Benjamin/Sheridan rifles which arent bad guns for the money.Down side to these is that your always pumping the gun up.Upside is that its another self contained air source.Crossman and Marksman also make these type pumpup rifles.

Thirdly there is CO2 airguns.These are very fun to shoot but there performance lags once you get in colder temps(below 70*)These are also cheap and most CO2 rifles you get moderate performance about 600-700fps but you get multi shots depending on your CO2 source.In these type guns id suggest a Chinese made QB78,,,,Hamerili 850(German Made) or a Crossman 2260.

So all together there is 4 different type of airguns,,,Springers,PCP's,Multi-pump pneumatic and CO2.All are fun to shoot,,The great thing about springers is that you have a self contained powersource.Down side is that they tend to be hold sensitive and rather heavy.But a R9 would be an excellent choice.If you were to hunt with it id go with a .22 cal for sure,,,,mite limit your range some but will definately have more THUMP.
Hope this helped,
Kdog


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

Anybody interested in a GREAT air rifle article get this month's issue of Fur-Fish-Game. A very informative read and entertaining too. The author has traveled the world hunting with air rifles - even went to Africa twice and killed large game. Has taken boar, sheep, ram, whitetails (Kentucky) everything you can think of. He has stock rifles he has modified a bit and custom rifles in .25, .308, .45, and even a .50 caliber!!! Discuses how some additional states are in process of opening hunting to these large caliber air rifles too. 

Of course on the back of the last page is a convenient US air rifle dealer advertisement with offerings in every caliber from .177 to .50; prices are from $400 - $1,000+.


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## deerhunter (Apr 9, 2004)

where can you buy the guns in the cleveland area


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## mach1cj (Apr 11, 2004)

Hetfieldinn said:


> Man. If I'da had one of those rigs back when we used to play pellet gun tag, things sure woulda been different.


LOL, your on a roll, Het, keep it up!! talk about shootin' your eye out.


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## Kdog (May 2, 2007)

Deerhunter,
One of the biggest online airgun dealers is right in Cleveland,,, Pyramydair.com
They have a huge selection of airrifles.
Kdog


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## triton175 (Feb 21, 2006)

Hetfieldinn said:


> Man. If I'da had one of those rigs back when we used to play pellet gun tag, things sure woulda been different.


Man, I thought we were the only ones stupid enough to play pellet gun tag when we were kids. We didn't wear helmets to ride our bikes either.

Nice rig Kdog


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

i love to hunt with my pellet gunh gosh canmt tell you how many dove i would shoot and eat out of my trees and thoose tree rats have no chance i use a benjemain 22 call pump the new air guns they are making shoot deer and elk its insaine they have pellet guns that shoot 50 cal pellets i think it is a great huntting tool and it has great grouping if you buy a nice one


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