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Here's an interesting little story about the use of a pump up air rifle
https://survivalblog.com/2010/08/06/pellet-rifle-hunting-by-dm/
https://survivalblog.com/2010/08/06/pellet-rifle-hunting-by-dm/
Anyone airgun?
- Thread starter randyt
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Modern day air guns are nothing like what I had as a kid.
There is one in .50 caliber that a guy killed a bison with.
One heart shot one dead bison.
I have a Crossman pump sitting behind the front door.
I'm not sure why it's there but it has always been there so that's good enough I guess.
There is one in .50 caliber that a guy killed a bison with.
One heart shot one dead bison.
I have a Crossman pump sitting behind the front door.
I'm not sure why it's there but it has always been there so that's good enough I guess.
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I have a 22 caliber air rifle. I can use the compressor or a hand pump to fill it up. This is not the type of toy I had as a kid. maximum fill (tank) pressure 4,300 PSI. This is my semi-silent small game weapon.
4300 psi?
How do you get that much pressure?
How do you get that much pressure?
There was a time in my survival career where I would have claimed that an airgun was the ultimate survival hunting implement. I went as far as modifying several systems from mpp, pcc, bb etc, molding and swaging pellets from scavenged materials and pellets that I'd dug out if animals and even killing larger animals. I've done alot of airgun hunting- and became pretty knowledgable about airguns... all that being said its been a few years since I've even shot one. I feel that I took that about as far as I could and when I felt that it wasn't cutting it for me I moved onto the next system.
I have a couple. My target air rifle is a customized Daisy Avanti 853 with upgraded sights, additional barrel weights, my own home made LOP buttstock that does height adjustment and swivel angle, and some trigger work including adding an adjustment screw ( https://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/DaisySporterTriggerMod.pdf )
This is what it looked like before before I modified it (generic picture, not mine specifically):
I also have a Daisy 953 rifle (similar mechanism to the 853, but with synthetic stock and does not have the good Lothar Walther barrel of the 853).
Both of the above are single-pump-pneumatics.
I also have a Gamo 1000 Shadow - a break barrel rifle which is more powerful than the above two, but nowhere near as accurate (not even close!) Break barrel springer air rifles can be very difficult to shoot due to their two way jarring recoil. You have to use a special "artillery hold". Even then, it's a challenge to shoot them well. That's why you don't see springers in target shooting competitions.
For air pistols, I have a Diana Chaser (CO2), a Crossman 1377 (multi-pump-pneumatic), and a Beeman P17 (single-pump-pneumatic). All three of these are super accurate. The Diana is the most accurate, followed by the Beeman and finally the Crossman. However, it is difficult to tell the difference in accuracy. The Diana and the Beeman came with excellent triggers out of the box. Unbelievably clean and light with zero slop. Fantastic for inexpensive air guns. The Crossman's trigger needed some work. I did some honing and smoothing of the sear, replaced the spring, and fashioned a home made trigger shoe. After these mods, the Crossman trigger was very good.
All of these air guns are pellet only, no BB's. BB's are lighter and not as accurate as pellets (BB gun barrels are smooth bore, pellet barrels are rifled).
I do have one BB pistol. It's a 1911. For a BB gun it is quite accurate. CO2, all metal, size, weight and mechanisms of a real 1911 (the slide cycles, disassembles like a real 1911, etc.) I plink inside with it, down a hallway that is about 6 yards long. I constructed a backstop for the hallway that is a USPS Priority Mail box (free!) filled with chopped up rubber tire (that filling is sold as rubber mulch in Home Depot).
This is what it looked like before before I modified it (generic picture, not mine specifically):
I also have a Daisy 953 rifle (similar mechanism to the 853, but with synthetic stock and does not have the good Lothar Walther barrel of the 853).
Both of the above are single-pump-pneumatics.
I also have a Gamo 1000 Shadow - a break barrel rifle which is more powerful than the above two, but nowhere near as accurate (not even close!) Break barrel springer air rifles can be very difficult to shoot due to their two way jarring recoil. You have to use a special "artillery hold". Even then, it's a challenge to shoot them well. That's why you don't see springers in target shooting competitions.
For air pistols, I have a Diana Chaser (CO2), a Crossman 1377 (multi-pump-pneumatic), and a Beeman P17 (single-pump-pneumatic). All three of these are super accurate. The Diana is the most accurate, followed by the Beeman and finally the Crossman. However, it is difficult to tell the difference in accuracy. The Diana and the Beeman came with excellent triggers out of the box. Unbelievably clean and light with zero slop. Fantastic for inexpensive air guns. The Crossman's trigger needed some work. I did some honing and smoothing of the sear, replaced the spring, and fashioned a home made trigger shoe. After these mods, the Crossman trigger was very good.
All of these air guns are pellet only, no BB's. BB's are lighter and not as accurate as pellets (BB gun barrels are smooth bore, pellet barrels are rifled).
I do have one BB pistol. It's a 1911. For a BB gun it is quite accurate. CO2, all metal, size, weight and mechanisms of a real 1911 (the slide cycles, disassembles like a real 1911, etc.) I plink inside with it, down a hallway that is about 6 yards long. I constructed a backstop for the hallway that is a USPS Priority Mail box (free!) filled with chopped up rubber tire (that filling is sold as rubber mulch in Home Depot).
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IMHO an airgun is an excellent addition to the home/prepping arsenal. Good for small game or birds. Relatively quiet, Ammo is cheap, and you can carry a bunch. Lots of advantages and no isadvantages I can see.
Not many people know that the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition was due to an air gun?
It repeated 20 shots. The men would take turns pumping up the cylinder. They would take it out when they met potential hostiles and entertain them with a shooting demonstration. It was very convincing, A weapon ahead of its time?
It repeated 20 shots. The men would take turns pumping up the cylinder. They would take it out when they met potential hostiles and entertain them with a shooting demonstration. It was very convincing, A weapon ahead of its time?
We have a book about their trip. Lots of discussion about the air gun in it
Yesterday I posted I have an air rifle that has been behind the door for years and I never shot it.
Well today I shot it.
There was a redwing black bird with a broken wing hopping around the yard.
I used the air rifle to end it's misery.
I figured that was better than letting it suffer till a cat killed it.
Strange coincidence.
Well today I shot it.
There was a redwing black bird with a broken wing hopping around the yard.
I used the air rifle to end it's misery.
I figured that was better than letting it suffer till a cat killed it.
Strange coincidence.
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I use a special air compressor that cost more than the air rifle. The air compressor is designed for high power air guns. The max pressure is actually rated 4,350 psi. I can also use my air rifle hand pump, but I can't begin to pump it to that high a pressure.
Yessir, this Ain't the ol' Crosman 766..
Yep - IMO - Today's 'PCPs' are Well-worth the investment, and Definitely a 'viable Option' for hunting / defense, etc, once all the powder-burners / ammo / reloading-stockpiles, etc, run out...
jd
I got the Crossman Drifter .22 multi-pump. It's quite the work horse for pest control.
I want to get the 14" barrel for it, but as it is, it will take out a mole with one shot.
I have a "Stock Stash" off e-Bay on the stock now to hold tins of pellets, oil, and tools.
I want to get the 14" barrel for it, but as it is, it will take out a mole with one shot.
I have a "Stock Stash" off e-Bay on the stock now to hold tins of pellets, oil, and tools.
Have a Ruger break-barrel .22 pellet rifle. Currently battling squirrels getting in the soffits of the house, think I’ve figured out where and will reinforce that area.
I started with a RWS model 48, ended with a Benjamin Discovery PCP, Many in between, it's been a fun journey.
Used to shoot 5M pistol, and 10M rifle, it's fun, you learn things. I learned I am not all that good
It was cheaper than my lessons at Camp Perry, but they were fun too, till I couldn't see the target
Used to shoot 5M pistol, and 10M rifle, it's fun, you learn things. I learned I am not all that good
It was cheaper than my lessons at Camp Perry, but they were fun too, till I couldn't see the target
At a time I had the use of a 177 cal break barrel rifle with an old cheap Tasco or the like rifle scope on it.. It worked well for things like red squirrels in the barns and ...taking care of business.. with predators I live trapped in the chicken house...
The Australian forum I follow saying many routinely use air rifles for farm, garden pests like cane toads, rabbits, and other things unique to there location..
The Australian forum I follow saying many routinely use air rifles for farm, garden pests like cane toads, rabbits, and other things unique to there location..
That is I think the very first air rifle I ever shot (not firearm). It was in a PE class on riflery at Texas A&M University. I remember them being very nice rifles that were fun to shoot. I remember that class using side-lever Diana (RWS) air rifles, but I can't say if it was the "model 48" (did they make different models of their side-lever back in the 70's?)
It's the only side lever I recall, they had a couple of other break barrels. But, it was long long ago, in a galaxy far far away. Okay, maybe just long long ago.
I’m sure the popularity of air rifles has to do with all the restrictions on firearms in Australia.
The Crosman® Legacy 1000 is our most advanced single-shot, variable pump air rifle bringing the next level of power and performance to the genre. The sleek, black synthetic design dares you to pump it up to 12 times for full power, delivering alloy pellets. This .177 caliber pellet and BB air rifle weigh in at just under five pounds and features an all-weather synthetic stock and forearm, built-in 850 BB reservoir, rifled steel barrel, fiber optic sight. The Legacy 1000 offers a side-loading pellet chamber and a spring-loaded 17-round BB magazine for quick follow-up shots. "Take it Outside" with Crosman.
- 4 x 15 scope
- Cross-bolt safety
- Versatile Ammo options: BB/Pellet
- Airgun type -pump act
- .177 pellet or BB
- Rifled steel barrel
- All weather synthetic stock
More info on that 2100 Model from the Op :
One of the most versatile airguns on the market, the Crosman 2100 Classic multi-pump pneumatic shoots either steel BBs or .177cal pellets. With 200 BB rounds in the gun's reservoir you'll be shooting for hours without having to reload. Just pump and shoot! If you prefer to shoot pellets, the 2100 can do that too (loaded one at a time). Includes a Crosman 4X Precision scope. Don't forget Crosman ammo!
Generic Crosman 2100 Classic Variable Pump 177cal Air Rifle with Scope, 2100X:
One of the most versatile airguns on the market, the Crosman 2100 Classic multi-pump pneumatic shoots either steel BBs or .177cal pellets. With 200 BB rounds in the gun's reservoir you'll be shooting for hours without having to reload. Just pump and shoot! If you prefer to shoot pellets, the 2100 can do that too (loaded one at a time). Includes a Crosman 4X Precision scope. Don't forget Crosman ammo!
Generic Crosman 2100 Classic Variable Pump 177cal Air Rifle with Scope, 2100X:
- Front fiber optic sight
- .177cal BB only
- Power source: pneumatic
- Mechanism: variable pump
- Caliber: 177 caliber
- Ammo type: shoots 177cal only
- BB velocity: 755 fps
- Pellet velocity: 725 fps
- Weight: 4.88 lbs
- Length: 38.8"
- Barrel: rifled
- Stock material: synthetic
- Safety: ambidextrous manual
They also have Slings :
https://www.walmart.com/browse/spor...s/4125_546956_1107532_5299809_5344705_7306378
https://www.walmart.com/browse/spor...s/4125_546956_1107532_5299809_5344705_7306378
I definitely need an air gun for critter control (raccoons in particular) in city limits.
Can anyone post a link for a suitable air rifle at a reasonable price, or suggest a brand and model that would be fine out of the box?
Can anyone post a link for a suitable air rifle at a reasonable price, or suggest a brand and model that would be fine out of the box?
I have several. We use them often. After SHTF, they will be very important for hunting small game and keeping OPSEC.
Raccoons are too big to be humanely killed with the typical .22 or .177 caliber air gun. I'm not sure you could kill one with a typical airgun in any circumstance (humanely or inhumanely).
There are larger caliber airguns that could be used for larger varmints like raccoons. I believe all of these higher caliber ones are PCP guns (precharged pneumatic). So you should expect several hundred dollars for the rifle, and then several hundred more for the required peripherals to charge the thing to the pressure it needs. You are probably not going to find what you need to take out raccoons with air at Walmart or other local sporting goods stores. You'll most likely need a specialty airgun place like Pyramyd Air. There are probably cheaper ways to get rid of raccoons. Maybe not as fun. But cheaper. It is highly likely that airguns are illegal to use in just about any city. The PCP ones are indeed quiet, so you might be able to sneak by if you use one. But the high caliber ones that can humanely take out raccoons are going to be dangerous for humans too. You may not want to be shooting that around in your (city) backyard. I could sneak by shooting a suppressed .22LR firearm in my backyard too. But I wouldn't do that either, because it would be dangerous to others in the area - just like a high caliber air rifle. Quiet does not equal safe.
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I hear ya @Haertig
I’ve thought about the ineffectiveness of a typical air rifle to humanely take out a raccoon. I suppose it would be cruel to make them suffer a slow death, just because it’s in their nature real havoc… and they have it coming any way it can be dished-out.
I also know shooting anything in the air in a populated area is not a good thing. So that leaves trapping and relocating as my best option. But meanwhile… I’m thinking a .410 shotgun. Sure there is city limit codes and restrictions but… if I’m attacked and bitten when breaking up a raccoon vs dog fight - I doubt the authorities would prosecute.
I’m still gonna keep looking into the air rifle option and city ordinances. But trapping is necessary.
I’ve thought about the ineffectiveness of a typical air rifle to humanely take out a raccoon. I suppose it would be cruel to make them suffer a slow death, just because it’s in their nature real havoc… and they have it coming any way it can be dished-out.
I also know shooting anything in the air in a populated area is not a good thing. So that leaves trapping and relocating as my best option. But meanwhile… I’m thinking a .410 shotgun. Sure there is city limit codes and restrictions but… if I’m attacked and bitten when breaking up a raccoon vs dog fight - I doubt the authorities would prosecute.
I’m still gonna keep looking into the air rifle option and city ordinances. But trapping is necessary.
