for the black squirrels

D

dimeN

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
northern ontario
so say if black squirrels happen to start eating out of the garden (alot) and the bastards are starting to move into your attic ... and the old crossman pump 177 isn't cutting the mustard on these suckers (basically bouncing off them ).. what would be a decent .22cal pellet gun to buy for around 200 to 250 ? ... and i have a pal... or am i just buying cheep crap at that price

way back i usta have a pump pellet pistol that was 22cal and that was awesome but i lost it over the years ... I havent bought one in about 20 years and i thought i'd ask .. since there are keener minds on this forum,and i thought i'd ask
 
I've had a hard time actually finding a decent .22 air gun, but .22 shotshells might be a good answer. Ammosupply.com is supposed to be getting some in eventually, but I found some Federal ones at a Canadian Tire not that long ago. Snaring has also worked well for me too, but if they're the fat urban squirrels, you'll need some fairly stout snare wire, and it'll likely catch them around the middle. When I still lived in a city, my fence had a lot of spots where it was chewed all to hell because I didn't get to the squirrel to put it down fast enough because it wasn't catching around the neck.
 
.22 shotshells will do jack all to a squirrel best bet is a cb cap or cb long or a .22 pellet gun around 700fps that said with a heart/lung shot I have taken them with a Crosman 1377 but most of the time they are finished off with a rabbit stick or my dog will get them if she is with me
 
http://www.specialtyshootingsportsoutdoors.com/

Go ^^^ there to Specialty Shooting Sports. They have the best prices, and are great to deal with. I ordered a Benjamin Discovery package from them, as well as a pile of pellets.

In that price range, I would probably go with the Benjamin multi pump (can't find it right now), or a Hammerli spring piston. I had one made under the Walther name, and it was quite a gun. The high power springers are tougher to shoot though.
 
the reason the 22 shotshells do jack squat on squirrels (and anything else for that matter) is that you're using the round for the wrong purpose- chances are you're using it in a RIFLED BORE ie a rifle or pistol and that provides too tight a choke-ie it hits downrange the same as a solid- low power- this was proven in an old guns and ammo article a few years back- when they switched to a SMOOTH bore, the patterns opened up and it did what it was supposed to do- their conclusion?- get a 22 that's shot out or get a smooth barrel and switch if you're really serious- and they found that the encapsulated shot ( the ones where you can see the shot on the end of the round) worked better in a rifled barrel than the standard full brass shot round
they also tried 38.357 and 44 mag and came to much the same conclusion- the "best" squirrel medicine turned out to be a CONTENDER with a 44 shot barrel- now the c/f loads were handloads using a shot dipper and hot glue for an overwad- and they were "testing" against rattlesnakes- something we don't have the option of doing up here
 
Last edited:
t-star said:
the reason the 22 shotshells do jack squat on squirrels (and anything else for that matter) is that you're using the round for the wrong purpose- chances are you're using it in a RIFLED BORE ie a rifle or pistol and that provides too tight a choke-ie it hits downrange the same as a solid- low power- this was proven in an old guns and ammo article a few years back- when they switched to a SMOOTH bore, the patterns opened up and it did what it was supposed to do- their conclusion?- get a 22 that's shot out or get a smooth barrel and switch if you're really serious- and they found that the encapsulated shot ( the ones where you can see the shot on the end of the round) worked better in a rifled barrel than the standard full brass shot round
they also tried 38.357 and 44 mag and came to much the same conclusion- the "best" squirrel medicine turned out to be a CONTENDER with a 44 shot barrel- now the c/f loads were handloads using a shot dipper and hot glue for an overwad- and they were "testing" against rattlesnakes- something we don't have the option of doing up here
Click to expand...

Rifled barrels increase the spread of a pattern, not decrease.

The spin of the barrel causes centrifugal force to push the pellets farther away from center.
 
and you're going to argue with the likes of mike venturino or ross seyfried?- these people were dealing with facts and testing, not theory
 
t-star said:
and you're going to argue with the likes of mike venturino or ross seyfried?- these people were dealing with facts and testing, not theory
Click to expand...

The laws of physics are not a theory.

Its common knowledge that rifled barrels give really bad patterns. Ask anyone who has a Taurus Judge and has used .410 shotshells in it.
 
Trouble with .22 shot is it's like pepper ( # 11?). More than 10 ft. it wouldn't penetrate the hair, never mind kill it.
Though a friend used one in his attic to kill a bat from 2ft. - messy !!

I just use a slingshot to harass the buggers. After a bit, just snapping the elastic would chase 'em away. If things get too serious, I just use CB caps.
 
t-star said:
the reason the 22 shotshells do jack squat on squirrels (and anything else for that matter) is that you're using the round for the wrong purpose- chances are you're using it in a RIFLED BORE ie a rifle or pistol and that provides too tight a choke-ie it hits downrange the same as a solid- low power- this was proven in an old guns and ammo article a few years back- when they switched to a SMOOTH bore, the patterns opened up and it did what it was supposed to do- their conclusion?- get a 22 that's shot out or get a smooth barrel and switch if you're really serious- and they found that the encapsulated shot ( the ones where you can see the shot on the end of the round) worked better in a rifled barrel than the standard full brass shot round
they also tried 38.357 and 44 mag and came to much the same conclusion- the "best" squirrel medicine turned out to be a CONTENDER with a 44 shot barrel- now the c/f loads were handloads using a shot dipper and hot glue for an overwad- and they were "testing" against rattlesnakes- something we don't have the option of doing up here
Click to expand...

if it acted like a solid down range it would do more damage but when put through a rifled bore the small #12 shot just spreads and makes a donut pattern I got a old single shot that has a bad bore im going to have it reamed out and relined with a smooth bore liner then maybe I can use .22 shotshells again
 
Steyr1 said:
Trouble with .22 shot is it's like pepper ( # 11?). More than 10 ft. it wouldn't penetrate the hair, never mind kill it.
Though a friend used one in his attic to kill a bat from 2ft. - messy !!

I just use a slingshot to harass the buggers. After a bit, just snapping the elastic would chase 'em away. If things get too serious, I just use CB caps.
Click to expand...

the small #11 and #12 shot works you just need a lot more then what a .22 has in it 5/16oz kills sparrows and starlings no problem but it does not put holes in the sheet metal roofs of the tractor barns
 
i'm up in the blind river/elliot lake area... i do have a neighbour and he doesn't seem to care at all if i use the pellet guns on them ... but swmbo doesn't want me using any of the big guns on them... otherwise it would be 22-250 for those terrorist varmints

best option is an air gun ... and i'd like to get back into it, but by jeez the market has changed sooooo much since i last bought one that i don't know up from down



Call said:
Are you rural? Can you use anything or is zoning for use of firearms an issue?
Click to expand...
 
dimeN said:
i'm up in the blind river/elliot lake area... i do have a neighbour and he doesn't seem to care at all if i use the pellet guns on them ... but swmbo doesn't want me using any of the big guns on them... otherwise it would be 22-250 for those terrorist varmints

best option is an air gun ... and i'd like to get back into it, but by jeez the market has changed sooooo much since i last bought one that i don't know up from down
Click to expand...

Check out D&L airguns and Air Gun Source as well. One of them has the Benjamin 392 for about your price range. Are you looking for a springer, gas piston, multi-pump, or would a PCP interest you? Google some airgun reviews to see some as well. Consider stretching the budget as well. You may be happier in the long term, depending on what you are after.
 
You'd best talk to the MNR before you shoot a tree rat with anything. Tree Rats are considered game animals and have a hunting season. A tree rat eating your garden and/or building a nest in your attic is not considered a reason to kill 'em. The MNR will tell you to hire a pest removal service. Oh and the nesters will be gone in a month or so. Seal up any small(and it can be astoundingly small) holes in the house and spread blood meal around the garden.
 
sunray said:
You'd best talk to the MNR before you shoot a tree rat with anything. Tree Rats are considered game animals and have a hunting season. A tree rat eating your garden and/or building a nest in your attic is not considered a reason to kill 'em. The MNR will tell you to hire a pest removal service. Oh and the nesters will be gone in a month or so. Seal up any small(and it can be astoundingly small) holes in the house and spread blood meal around the garden.
Click to expand...

From the Ministry of Natural Resources page:

Lethal action is a last resort

•A landowner may humanely kill or trap squirrels that are damaging or about to damage their property. Firearm regulations and bylaws must be followed.
•You may also hire an agent to act on your behalf.

It appears despite the crazy laws, there is still a little common sense in there, and he can take care of the problem. BTW, no need to waste them, squirrels can be quite tasty.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom