Pellet vs squirrel

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  • dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    Oddly, this post brought me back to my youth going on tree rat safaris in my yard. Never had any problems taking them out with an old cross man 760 pump up BB gun. Very rarely had pellets. BBs were much more available.

    The old Crossman 760's were really good. The one I had would penetrate a shovel blade with 25 pumps. They were supposed to only go to 10 pumps.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Has a Benjamin 20cal pellet rifle when I was a kid, round nose pellets would blow through squirrels within 50 yards or so. Using 22 CBs works a lot better, and suppressor quiet from rifles. Of course 22 subs through a suppressor beats them all.
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,755
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    You need a more powerful 22 pellet rifle.

    I’ve never had one from my custom Macarri R9 w/12x scope NOT completely penetrate even out to ~100 ft..


    .

    They are powerful. I dont own many cheap pellet or BB rifles. I have a large inventory of hunting pellets in all different shapes also. I have killed rats and stray cats with them but a squirrel wont die too easy unless you hit vitals which means penetration. A squirrels hide is tough and a pellet will mash no matter what speed on them. That wont do shit to a squirrel. Only eye , ear and head shots I do on them. I also use non cheapy rifle scopes on mine.
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,755
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    Has a Benjamin 20cal pellet rifle when I was a kid, round nose pellets would blow through squirrels within 50 yards or so. Using 22 CBs works a lot better, and suppressor quiet from rifles. Of course 22 subs through a suppressor beats them all.
    I like the Benjamins. Ii have two older pump carbines in 22 and a 25 Cal. It does more of a wallop than many break open rifles.
     

    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,159
    Mt Airy
    They are powerful. I dont own many cheap pellet or BB rifles. I have a large inventory of hunting pellets in all different shapes also. I have killed rats and stray cats with them but a squirrel wont die too easy unless you hit vitals which means penetration. A squirrels hide is tough and a pellet will mash no matter what speed on them. That wont do shit to a squirrel. Only eye , ear and head shots I do on them. I also use non cheapy rifle scopes on mine.
    Yeah. You're doing something wrong.
     

    onedash

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 24, 2016
    1,026
    Calvert County
    One year I shot over 40 squirrels with a pellet gun. They completely vanished for about a year and I realized nothing is planting acorns. I stopped shooting them. They are back but don't seem as plentiful.
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick

    Where did you find them for sale?
    They look interesting.
    I have a GAMO .177, but haven't had to use it for varmit control yet. I had a Crossman that I used to control chipmunks at my parents house. I loaned it to my brother to control squirrels in his back yard years ago and never got it back. :sad20:
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    Where did you find them for sale?
    They look interesting.
    I have a GAMO .177, but haven't had to use it for varmit control yet. I had a Crossman that I used to control chipmunks at my parents house. I loaned it to my brother to control squirrels in his back yard years ago and never got it back. :sad20:

    That is just a pic I found online. I have something similar, but I bought them a long time ago and don't remember where I got them. Probably at Dicks in Columbia ~14-15 years ago, since that's where I got my first break-barrel pellet gun. I bought about 4 different types of pellets to try them out and still haven't used them all up.
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,755
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    I own half dozen BB and pellet rifles and never had an issue killing a squirrel. Even my ancient crosman 760 pump will kill em. It's 40+ years old..shot placement is the key.. squirrels have a hard head. Never take a headshot with an air gun unless you know for a fact it's powerful enough to penetrate a skull. The heart is really too small to take an ethical shot so like the OP right behind the top of the front shoulder and put that bb or pellet right through both lungs. If you can't get a good shoulder shot don't take the shot if you intend to kill it

    I have killed dozens with my 760 but with BB's and an ear shot or eye. I know how to place a BB or Pellet and all of my rifles are scoped for precision shots. I dont waste my time on the body
     

    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    But I am planning on a Gamo 22 break barrel just in case. It would make me a little more comfortable than my 10/22, I am assuming at least slightly quieter even with suppressed subsonic rounds out of my 10/22 and if a neighbor ever did have an issue, probably would have a lot less of an issue going "oh, its a pellet gun".


    This is the way. You need to practice in the mirror with a straight face "Oh, this is just a bb gun". A .22 pellet gun was also the weapon of choice a few years ago when a raccoon bit me from my trashcan out by the road. There was a 100% chance of being seen and I didnt want attention from a suppressed ruger mkiv or 10/22. "Oh hi nosy neighbor that calls authorities for any and every thing they possibly could, this is just my bb gun from when I was a kid."
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    But I am planning on a Gamo 22 break barrel just in case. It would make me a little more comfortable than my 10/22, I am assuming at least slightly quieter even with suppressed subsonic rounds out of my 10/22 and if a neighbor ever did have an issue, probably would have a lot less of an issue going "oh, its a pellet gun".

    Though my neighbors are generally okay with me hunting, I don't want to push it. I am on 4.4 3/4ths wooded acres.

    Since you prefer to maintain a low profile and are looking for a break barrel, make sure you look for one of the models with a built-in suppressor, like the Gamo Whisper line.

    Also, I believe the gas piston break barrel rifles are supposed to be quieter than the spring piston ones.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,728
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Since you prefer to maintain a low profile and are looking for a break barrel, make sure you look for one of the models with a built-in suppressor, like the Gamo Whisper line.

    Also, I believe the gas piston break barrel rifles are supposed to be quieter than the spring piston ones.


    I don't think they are quieter (except right next to your ear) but the gas piston is more consistent over time. Springs take a set over time so your velocity will go down. My GAMO gas pistons have been going strong over thousands of pellets.
     

    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,159
    Mt Airy
    [/B]

    I don't think they are quieter (except right next to your ear) but the gas piston is more consistent over time. Springs take a set over time so your velocity will go down. My GAMO gas pistons have been going strong over thousands of pellets.

    Yeah mine is as loud as a .22lr with certain ammo.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Since you prefer to maintain a low profile and are looking for a break barrel, make sure you look for one of the models with a built-in suppressor, like the Gamo Whisper line.

    Also, I believe the gas piston break barrel rifles are supposed to be quieter than the spring piston ones.

    Yeah it’s one of their whisper.

    In theory I can still get in trouble in my county for a fooking pellet gun (shit, a nerf gun based on the language!). There are some exemptions for shooting varmints in the ground and for things causing property damage. I am certainly rural enough and far enough from my neighbors I can’t see a county police officer even batting an eye if some A-hole neighbor called them. I think it would take an officer having a real bad day for me to even get a stern warning.

    A 22 on the other hand…

    Anyway, the pellet gun seems a lot safer for the squirrels.
     

    ChannelCat

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    I hate squirrels. They have cost me several hundred dollars in damage to my bird feeders and even to the hoses on my gas grill. That said, be careful, as squirrels are game with seasons; I'm not going to judge.

    Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a property damage permit for squirrels as there are crop damage permits for deer?
     

    dannyp

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 30, 2018
    1,463
    Yeah it’s one of their whisper.

    In theory I can still get in trouble in my county for a fooking pellet gun (shit, a nerf gun based on the language!). There are some exemptions for shooting varmints in the ground and for things causing property damage. I am certainly rural enough and far enough from my neighbors I can’t see a county police officer even batting an eye if some A-hole neighbor called them. I think it would take an officer having a real bad day for me to even get a stern warning.

    A 22 on the other hand…

    Anyway, the pellet gun seems a lot safer for the squirrels.

    this is truly sad , i can't belive someone can't shoot a pellet gun in thier back yard , this state is truly screwed up .
     

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