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Air rifle opinions

MisterHappy

MisterHappy

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Today, at WallyWorld, I saw a Ruger and a Crossman break open air rifle, each for about $100 or so. Having a verminous woodchuck that stays out of range of my current airgun, and being a cheap SOB, I was wondering if these (~1000 fps stated velocity, .177 cal) were worth it? Or, should one pony up the extra and go Gamo?

Thoughts?
 
 
Woodchucks are pretty tough. I'm pretty sure they would shrug off a .177. .22LR would be ok. 17 HMR would be just right imo.

B
 
.22 CB longs - plenty of power for woodchuck sized varmints - around 30 ft/lbs of energy (1.6" drop at 50 yds).

.177 pellet even if it traveled at the claimed 1000 fps - you have may be 8-10 ft/lbs of energy at muzzle.
 
NO chance will I dischrge a non-airgun where I live (unless it's zombies or other humanoid intruders!) it's too built-up.

I understand the benefits of a .22 cal airgun, too....I was just wondering about the ones I saw today, in a kind of idle way

As for chucks being tough....yeah, I know! My War Pomerainian treed one (yes, they climb trees) and it took a good number of BBs to convince him to come down. [laugh]
 
My buddy uses one of the .177 cal Crosman's w/ scope from Walmart and has shot several chipmunks and red squirrels with it. It its pretty decent for the $ IMHO. Gamo isn't high quality stuff either IMHO.

Go for HEAVIEST pellet you can find - makes it "quieter" as well. Lighter pellets are higher velocity, but are louder than .22 short!

Yeah, lots of houses around, you don't want to risk your LTC.
 
The Benjamin Marauder in .22 will indeed do the trick but including a pump (it's a PCP) will cost you about 7 times what the Walmart guns will cost. The gun is extremely powerful, has no recoil and is suppressed. It's so quiet, you'll think it didn't shoot. My son can hit empty .45acp cases at 35 yards with his. Something like the Gamo Whisper would be much closer to what you want to spend. It comes with a scope and is a break barrel. I'd get a .22 caliber and try the Crossman bulk pellets. They seem to be very accurate and aren't expensive. The combination of .22 caliber and something other than pre charged pnumatic (PCP) should keep you below the speed of sound. This should make the gun quieter and more accurate.
 
Not really helpful, but I learned this the other day - apparently Lewis and Clark used an air rifle on their expedition.
 
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I have a Benjamin 392 pump I swear by (.22). Had it for years. Squirrel and rabbit hunt with it, I think it will take a woodchuck with no problems. As a bonus you can hand it down to a grand kid. It's built that well. And it has real wood on it.
 
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I have the Crossman 177. It was my sons first when he was six.

I have never shot at a woodchuck with it but after Halloween we plinked at the carved pumpins and it easily went through one side but not through the back.

I think if you got good shot placement it might drop a chuck.

How about 22 short? We shoot them all the time through his Golden Boy and they are not much louder than the pellet gun
 
snwbrdr435 said:
Gamo big cat

/ thread
Click to expand...

With the gold ammo (forget the name) gives you 1200 fps. Took out a 12lb ground hog at 25 feet over the summer. Paid $140 at Dicks. Careful of your surroundings with that ammo, it gives a pretty loud report.
 
MisterHappy said:
Well....I don't have a crossbow, either....though I've tried for hum with my compound bow! [laugh]

Part of the issue is the backstop, or lack thereof - a pellet skip off hard ground is not a big deal, but a bolt flying off might be trouble.
Click to expand...


a spear gun then (as in for fish) ? May be to tie a string to the bolt? What the heck is your woodchuck doing not sleeping yet? We used to had a woodchuck, I just can't see it going down from an airgun. With bigger guns, I just don't want to see a MetroWest headline: "Man arrested shooting a woodchuck with an AK" [shocked] Well, we don't have a woodchuck no more, we have a coyote.
 
my son uses the Crossman XT Storm, 177. There isn't a safe chipmunk or red squirrel around!
Woodchuck? I'd use a .22lr with subsonic and take a head shot.
 
I have a Ruger Air Magnum I bought for backyard plinking. It shot clear through my backstop which was a few sheets of plywood. The problem is, it's about as loud as a 10/22.
 
MisterHappy said:
Today, at WallyWorld, I saw a Ruger and a Crossman break open air rifle, each for about $100 or so. Having a verminous woodchuck that stays out of range of my current airgun, and being a cheap SOB, I was wondering if these (~1000 fps stated velocity, .177 cal) were worth it? Or, should one pony up the extra and go Gamo?

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I have the Wally world Crosman. I use it successfully on squirrels and rats.
 

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