Semi Pigeon Killing

SeamusMac

SeamusMac

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
48   0   0
Location
Nova Scotia
Hey Fellas,

I’m not an airgun shooter so I’m looking to tap into your collective wisdom.

My friend’s farm is plagued by pigeons but he doesn’t have a PAL. He wants a semi-auto pigeon killer that he can leave in the barn for an occasional culling.

What’s his best option for $200 or less? Crossman 1077? Needs the power to take pigeons out with a body shot from about 30’.

Thanks Fellas!
 
Sorry I'm not going to be much help with air gun suggestions. I'd tell him to spend that money on his PAL course instead.

Just my .02
 
Body shots at 30 feet are going to be unreliable with a 495fps pellet gun in my experience. Used to shoot crows with a 22cal Crossman pellet gun and more often than not they just flew away.

I'll second the "get a PAL" sentiment - or you can go over one weekend and give him a hand - I'm assuming you've got a pal considering you're on CGN?
 
Hey Fellas,

Too close to dwellings to use a firearm, it’s a small farm and all the buildings are clustered by the road with neighbours on either side. He’s interested in getting his PAL but he has two small kids and a new farm so it’s not in the cards right now.

Are any of the sub $200 semi airguns capable of headshot accuracy at 30’ if the shooter does his part? I’ve taken him shooting with me before and he had no problems hittin beer caps at 25’ with my 22.
 
Last edited:
Leaving any firearm in the barn, where it will be subjected to weather (humidity, hot, cold, etc.), it's not going to matter to much as it will most likely rust up in a short period of time...

Why a semi-auto??? He will either need to purchase CO2 or pump up an air canister. As air pressure reduces, pellets will have a lighter impact and pellet accuracy will suffer, birds will be injured and not killed. If he wants a semi-auto to "spray-n-pray", thus wounding several animals and causing them undue suffering... I have issue! They may be a pain in the A$$ but they are still a living creature. Pigeons are very skittish, he's likely only ever going to hit 1 and they will all fly off. How accurate of a shot is your friend? he should be able to hit a 6" target at 30 feet with pretty much anything... with a sub 500fps pellet gun, he should really be trying to hit a 1.5cm target at 30feet or less. Head shots kill and body shots tend to make the bird suffer... my personal opinion.

No experience with the Crossman 1077. I have played with a friends Diana 240 and have no doubt that it will sort out a pigeon within 30 feet with proper shot placement.
 
LF, I mentioned storage issues to him and he’ll be keeping it in the “barn office” as he calls it, which is heated so it should fair we’ll.

As for why he wants a semi, I asked him about this too and he wants to be able to make quick follow-up shots if necessary. I suppose he has an equal chance of botching a shot regardless of what he’s using so the ability to take another shot right away has its merits as far as ethical culling goes. He’s a good shot and I have no doubts he can make regular headshots but again, when he does fudge one he’ll want to make a quick follow-up shot to save the animal suffering.

KDX, doesn’t have the time to get his PAL now and he’s too close to dwellings to discharge a firearm regardless so an air gun is the only legal option.
 
Fair point on follow up shot reasoning.

I still think he'd be better off with a single shot for consistent air/spring pressure and accuracy. I fully admit that's a personal opinion.

Again, with sub 500fps, shot placement is absolutely critical. As a kid/youth, I shot a crazy amount of prairie dogs, grouse, weasels, pigeons, squirrels, etc. all with a .177 break barrel that belonged to my father and it went through my 2 older brothers before I got it. I still have that rifle but it now needs a rebuild to be operational again... I did see a post on the internet a few years back where a guy had the same rifle and it registered at +/-460fps. A head shot within 30' and whatever I was aiming never moved again. Was mine hitting 460fps at the time? not sure and given the amount of use before I got it, I tend to think it didn't. I get where people are posting "go with a PAL required firearm" and if not for the dwellings and road, I would agree. However, 495fps is plenty provided he can head shot his target and is within the distance you are mentioning.
 
One thing is tempture really affects the performance of co2 gun so if its cold velocity suffers. Also it is not good on the seals to keep it charged all the time. Im a very active air gun shooter my susgestion is a break barrel in .22 cal for more thump. I have also found that flat nose pellets do a good job on small game
 
Under 500 FPS he should be looking at a 22 Cal airgun. At least you'll get double the energy. 1077 is under powered, It might shoot 400 fps, and would require a second kill shot. I've shot a pigeon from the rafters in the barn with a 390 fps 177 at 10ft, and had to throw the gun down to my step father to shoot it again.

But I got a 22 C02 pistol and it's not backyard friendly.
 
I have this vague recollection of my uncle telling me that they used 22 shot shells to kill the pigeons in grain elevators. No one wants holes in the tin walls or roof.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
I have this vague recollection of my uncle telling me that they used 22 shot shells to kill the pigeons in grain elevators. No one wants holes in the tin walls or roof.
Click to expand...

Tried them. Unreliable and inhumane. Pigeon flies comes back. Half the ones you shot are alive and well, the other half are now dead on the ground. .22 pellet gun (not co2) single shot; heaviest pointed pellets you can get, head shot.

Or .22 single shot rifle with the old BB-Caps.
112013-M.jpg

These are still available in a few places. Best pigeon candy ever!
 
If they are in a building go in at midnight with a green flashlight ,ladder, a pellet gun and clean house.Buy or borrow a RWS 34 PAL rated.I got 32 one night in my ex-brother inlaw's shed where they keep the combines.Forget the Chinese and Turkish junk guns.Includes most Spanish as well..22 shotshells work fine at 15ft with headshots just if there are neighbors they may not like the noise.
 
Already mentioned get his PAL first.

Anything that is descent and NEW will cost more that $200.

Forget about any type of semi. Go with something simple.

Without getting too far into it... Having a .22 pellet @ 495fps isn't the same as .177 pellet @ 495...

(.177@460fps with a 7.9gr =3.71fpe .22@460fps with a 14.3gr.=6.72fpe)

Spend a little more. (buy once-cry once)

Tell him to get a Break Barrel .22 from CTC.

Benjamin .22 Air Rifle

dyoBx5S.jpg
 
I've shot a bunch of barn pigeons with air guns, and have one with me every time I visit farms belonging to friends. I'm there to shoot groundhogs primarily, but I honestly think most farmers (here in S. Ontario) hate pigeons as much or more. lol

Pigeons are not tough birds and die easily if you do your part. I've shot lots with 22LR (CCI Quiet-22 or CB Long) in barn/basements where there are stone walls and heavy-duty floor beams above. In the barns (over hay) is where I usually shoot them. Like most people here, I have a PAL...but I use a non-PAL-rated 22 cal., Diana 24 spring piston air rifle for this. ZERO risk of punching through a tin roof. I actually don't shoot springers that well anymore, but do a little practice every spring to warm-up again. I use wad-cutter pellets to do the most damage at that lower velocity, and aim for the head if I can see it..the base of the neck if it's obscured. If the pigeon is skittish, I don't risk head shots. Ultimately, I need them dead/gone, but a center/high chest shot is effective too. Side/back shots~you have the structure of the wing/spine to get around so I don't take those with the Diana. A perfectly-placed shot=the pigeons don't even open their wings...they tip over and fall.

If budget allowed...or if I really loved shooting pigeons...I'd move up to a Diana 34 in 22 and just take any centre-mass shot and know the pellet is passing clear through. I'd still probably use wadcutters, they just bust things up.

The semi is a bad idea for a pile of reasons, not the least of which is how poorly CO2 performs in cold weather. I'd never leave a gun I cared about in a cold barn (or any outdoor space where temperature/humidity swings can be extreme) either, but that's me.

So basically, my vote for simple-to-use/powerful/quiet/dependable would be a .22, springer. Personally, I'd get a decent one...and am old-school. (preferring German) I have no experience with modern, .22 springers or any of the gas-strut/Nitro Piston things. PCP is too expensive/fussy for my tastes...and maybe too loud for in the barn.

Last note for your friend~forget the "quick follow-up" thing. Even VERY dumb pigeons will figure out you're after them...and will learn that once the first bird drops, they should hide...or get out of town. The more often you go after them, the quicker they do one of these...once you start shooting. My experience is that it's not a "one-time" pigeon clearing session...it's repeated/frequent visits to clear a few each time.

Anyhow, just my experience. :)
 
Get a PAL, courses aren’t usually that expensive. . No to CO2, been there done that,seals usually go and the cylinders are expensive. A break barrel over 495(PAL needed)
 
Look for snypercat on youtube, and practice on targets placed where the pigeons will be (higher/lower than you and various distances).
 
We've shot a lot of pigeons with a stock 2240.I have mine modded to 495fps with a velocity adjuster and a 10" barrel+ shoulder stock. It's also my grouse swatting truck gun.4X Banner scoped.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom