Under 500 fps Springer for pest control?

Is a gopher substantially bigger than a red squirrel? I kill tons of red squirrels every summer with my crosman phantom .22 495. Hit them in the head, they are dead. Body shots will knock them out of the tree for further dispatching, or the waiting fido.
 
I've been playing around with some sub 500fps airguns lately. One was a $30 chinese B2 in .177 (460 fps), and another is a slightly modified Crosman 1322 (490fps). Been using them for taking care of barn Starlings. The .177 with wadcutters, the 1322 with destroyers. Personally I wouldn't use a sub 500 .177 for much other than plinking (I know others do, and that's fine, their choice/experience/skill). First outing was with the B2, any other than perfect head shots resulted in a wounded bird that flew away, I'm sure it died, but never retrieved it. In contrast the .22 knocks them dead with body shots every time. Dead before they even hit the ground. I'm actually surprised/impressed with how hard it hits them, they fall like bricks. Basically double the energy of the .177 (not that it's much either way). After about 40 birds I'd have no qualms about using it for a bit of small game hunting.
 
That's why I was hoping there would be a .25 sub 500 fps Springer. A .25 moving ~500 fps would have more then enough power. I have no doubt that a .22 sub 500 fps with proper placement would take out a gopher either.

I use a .177 PCP to take out rock squirrels on my property, which are every bit as big, if not bigger then a gopher. One shot to the dome and it's lights out.
 
It's worth noting that while many sub-500 fps .177 springers are very close to the maximum velocity allowed in order to remain a non-PAL airgun, many .22 caliber springers, especially those that are less expensive models, may not be as close to 500 fps as the law would allow. Such springers use the same spring that propels an 8 grain .177 pellet to nearly 500 fps and can't propel a heavier .22 pellet to the same velocities.
 
grauhanen said:
It's worth noting that while many sub-500 fps .177 springers are very close to the maximum velocity allowed in order to remain a non-PAL airgun, many .22 caliber springers, especially those that are less expensive models, may not be as close to 500 fps as the law would allow. Such springers use the same spring that propels an 8 grain .177 pellet to nearly 500 fps and can't propel a heavier .22 pellet to the same velocities.
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That would certainly be an issue.

Guess I can't blame the airgun manufacturers for not optimizing guns for a small niche market bound by retarded laws.
 
The basic Slavia 630 sold (at least traditionally) by Home Hardware is more than capable of cleanly killing anything up to cottontail sized game, if it is treated like a pellet gun and not a .22. Keep the shots close, head shots for recovery or boiler shots if the gopher is to be pre-buried. Crows will fly 150 yards then plummet -- much like a deer shot with a 30-06. Magpies, pigeons, toast. Rabbits through the head toast. Blackbirds, starlings, toast (Alberta legal). Hardest to kill are gray squirrels because their skin is very tough.
 
Dogfish858 said:
The basic Slavia 630 sold (at least traditionally) by Home Hardware is more than capable of cleanly killing anything up to cottontail sized game, if it is treated like a pellet gun and not a .22. Keep the shots close, head shots for recovery or boiler shots if the gopher is to be pre-buried. Crows will fly 150 yards then plummet -- much like a deer shot with a 30-06. Magpies, pigeons, toast. Rabbits through the head toast. Blackbirds, starlings, toast (Alberta legal). Hardest to kill are gray squirrels because their skin is very tough.
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I still have my Dads model 620 Slavia . also a single shot Slavia 177 pistol .
 
Henry 22lr smooth bore garden gun. all the power of a tiny shotgun and at 30ft or less its critter death incarnate. I have a Ruger Airhawk that i used for 16 years for pigeons on farms. Used to take hours with the single shot with reloads but it did the job and no holes in the roof....Well the henry dropped pigeons so fast thanks to 15rd sction that the job took maybe 30mins. Best gun i didnt know i ever wanted or needed.
 
I wish people would just go get their PAL, and RPAL too. Then you can just go grab a cheap Crosman Shockwave in 22 that will smoke anything squirrelly, I grabbed one in 177, $160 all in, and it prolly 1000fps and shoots cheap stuff well. These nitro pistons have sure broadened the options. I dropped $500+ years back for Diana 34, Mag 350, M48 , 54 etc, now you can just grab a Benjamin Titan and your shooting 22 at 800fps, for 200 bucks.
 
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Please correct me if I'm wrong but as soon as its over 500fps you wouldn't be able to use it in your barn as it now falls under firearm safety laws. No?
 
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