Air Rifles. Not just hot air.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

Nice, Grouse. I hadn’t seen a bunny in a while till last night when I was mowing. Time to put on the ghillie suit again and defend what is mine!

Not sure if this is coincidence, but I mainly see rabbits when my lawn is about 3 days past when it should have been mowed. They seem to like the longer grass. Every time I see rabbits, both in and out of range, it’s when the grass is longer. Saturday night was good case in point. I was thinking all day, dang I should have mowed about 2 days ago.

I paced off the range I picked off the last victim at. It was over 40 feet, probably closer to 45. That’s a pretty impressive poke IMO for an el cheapo air rifle.

Now I find myself checking several times for rabbits, both and dawn and dusk. Gotta get em before winter when they start chewing on all the trees and shrubs.

Grouse

I was having libations with my neighbors last night when a garden ravaging rodent appeared. He had his pump 22 handy with no scope and some “low power” rounds. They sound like a cap gun going off. I’m sure it was the same critter I saw earlier in the day in my yard, but he wasted no time fleeing because he never sees his friends return from my yard once they enter it.
I was able to dispatch of the loppy eared critter, but I tell you what, iron sights is tough. I sailed about 5 rounds over his head before I got him. There is a good ridge behind the lot and open field on the other side so no worries about bullets doing harm.
I told him he just needs to get a pellet gun with a good scope on it.

You guys ever clean your barrel on your air rifles? I haven’t yet, but I am afraid if I do it might make it inaccurate because the barrel is nicely fouled now. Thoughts?

CaptainMusky wrote:

You guys ever clean your barrel on your air rifles? I haven’t yet, but I am afraid if I do it might make it inaccurate because the barrel is nicely fouled now. Thoughts?

I’ve never been inclined to clean a air rifle mostly because when you look at a conventional rifle, most of the fouling is burnt powder residue. In fact I think the vast majority of what is on the patches when a barrel is cleaned is powder residue. Most of the time a decline in accuracy is the sign that a rifle needs to be cleaned.

I just can’t see an air rifle getting “dirty”.

Grouse

I have a Beman that is a break barrel model and have used it religiously since about 1990. 5-10 shots standing most every day, though the were about 10 years where it got an enormous workout. It’s a 650fps model, nothing fancy. My main concern was working on marksmanship fundamentals and an air rifle is cheaper to use than a SCATT or a Noptel. Depending on numerous factors, my preference is shooting it at bullseye targets from 25-30yds. The pellet has a long barrel time because of the low velocity…so your trigger manipulation and shot follow-through needs to be exact.

We’ve been doing the fall clean-up stuff in the veggie and flower gardens. I found a dug in nest full of fur and grass after a rabbit fled the premises so I took out the lining and laid a #1 1/2 spring loaded trap in there and laid some of the fluff loosely over the jaws and pan. My critter was caught the next morning. Rabbits though have been an issue this summer…moreso than squirrels. I’ve bagged up quite a few since spring. Possum are being a headache with the seed feeders now and they’re next on the list.

The rabbits must have got the message at my place. I haven’t seen a single rabbit for over a month. I had shots several times a week for the first 3-4 weeks after I declared war and then nothing. Either I got them all, or they held a conference and decided it was in their best interest to leave town.

It was actually pretty good sport while it lasted. I was surprised ever time I knocked one over just how effective a .177 cal pellet can be.

Grouse

Don’t worry Grouse….your targets will hop back to you in time. There’s never an end to the critters, squirrels either. Or crows. Or coon. Or possum. Or feral cats. In fact, you’d better go stock up on pellets.

We live on a couple acres in Savage, the credit river runs through the property. We have TONS of critters and pests that hang out by my wood piles back there. Investing in a .177 Remington Express break barrel was crucial!! The gun is advertised to shoot 1280 FPS, which in my opinion should eliminate the buggers in back..

I am almost out of 177 pellets so it has me thinking. Maybe instead of purchasing more 177’s I switch barrels on my Beman to the 22 caliber pellets? I guess I would have to sight it in again, but that is half the fun.
I have been noticing that the critters are getting a bit tougher and one shot isn’t doing them in right away. I had the boys tracking a blood trail from a squirrel this past weekend.
He was a BIG one!

Another bunny fell victim last night.

I’m been quite happy with the Crosman Vantage NP. It’s quiet, accurate, and very lethal. I’ve mounted the scope that came with it, and so far, that’s actually worked quite well. Just ask Ripley…and my resident squirrel herd.

Attachments:

1. 

   20161231_142537.jpg