Looking for an Air Rifle

In God We Trust

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Is there a shop near Townsend, Pepperel, Ayer, etc that stocks a decent air rifle? I could drive to Nashua also.

I'm looking for something that would be good for picking off the horde of tree rats that are destroying my lawn. I already put down the grub killer, so it's time to escalate the issue.

Also are there any laws against squirrel genocide on your property? Thanks all.

Edit: a guy just told me Dicks in Nashua might sell them?
 
Dick's has a good supply, and they're having a sale on some gun stuff atm. Not sure if they include air rifles. Gamo is up to the task and as far as laws, i would just try to not let anyone see you. Shooting from open windows is pretty effective.
 
Sports Authority in Nashua is clearing them out right now. They had many when I was in there early this week. I bought a very cheap Crosman, not because I needed another air rifle, but because I thought I was getting it for a steal. Turns out the $30 I paid for it was everyday retail at Walmart, but now I have an extra pellet gun.

You might want to check them out, but compare prices before buying. Their pre-markdown prices seem kind of inflated, but you may snag a deal.
 
If you're willing to spend a bit for a PCP, the Benjamin Discovery in .22 is very powerful and accurate. It's single shot, entry level, and works extremely well for rabbits, squirrels, etc.

With a hand pump it's in the $400 range, but the accuracy is excellent (15 shot groups inside a dime at 25yd) and its not finicky like the spring or gas piston guns.

I shot 5 rabbits with mine last season... Much better consistent accuracy than my nitro-piston rifle.
 
Is there a shop near Townsend, Pepperel, Ayer, etc that stocks a decent air rifle? I could drive to Nashua also.

I'm looking for something that would be good for picking off the horde of tree rats that are destroying my lawn. I already put down the grub killer, so it's time to escalate the issue.

Also are there any laws against squirrel genocide on your property? Thanks all.

Edit: a guy just told me Dicks in Nashua might sell them?

Some things to consider.
Town by laws some towns even discharging airsoft can be a issue.
Gray squirrel has a season ....MA I believe it's Columbus day - Jan 02.

What distance are you shooting. I'm not going to debate the power needed accuracy is more important especially in close neighbor hoods. How are your neighbors.
Some pellet guns are load and draw attention. I prefer 22cal air for all pest control in my yard.
Squirrels are a bugger to hit. They never stop moving. So a nice 14-18 grain pellet at 600+ fps delivers not only injury but the shock wave even from a miss hit can knock them lifeless.

Only squirrel hunter I know been hunting reds and Grey's with the maurader pistol with shoulder stock. 22cal. With a 2x7 scope. The original cost is a bit but he's loving it.
http://www.crosman.com/airguns/air-pistols/marauder-pcp-air-pistol-22-cal
Last thing you want is a wounded squirrel running around your neighbors yard.

As for pellet guns the Benjamin 392 is pretty good for the Money and on 8 pumps has taken many pest inside 25 yards.
Plus 3 pumps makes for fun plinking.
The break barrels offered at wal mart,dicks etc etc I feel are not worth the money.

The Benjamin discovery 22 cal is a decent gun for the Money and can be made better with little effort. A little pellet testing will yield the best for any rifle. For my discovery JSB 14.3 match do very well. Off the bipod prone I'm getting nice snug 1/2" groups at 50 yards with a 12x scope.
 
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Cmp had some refurb'd air guns, forget what but there was a thread here. They went thru them new gaskets, make sure everything is good to go ect. Might be worth checking out
 
Cmp had some refurb'd air guns, forget what but there was a thread here. They went thru them new gaskets, make sure everything is good to go ect. Might be worth checking out

The referb are 10m target rifles. 7 grain .177 cal going 480ish fps...not good for pest.
All of the pellet guns offered from cmp are 10m guns and low power.

OP I don't know where they are from you but http://www.newenglandairgun.com/

Cmp target rifle referb. [video]www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=IGk2Kne9oJo[/video] WTF now what .....can't up load video again...

 
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Here's my daughter of 8 years old with the discovery at 50 yards. Getting rid of some old Easter eggs.
 
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Get a 70's Benjamin Sheridan .20 cal multi pump pneumatic. C series made in Racine, Wisconsin. They're a bitch to pump up but they're dead nuts accurate and have plenty of power with 8 pumps to waste any small game up to a raccoon. No funky recoil like on a spring or gas piston gun and thy can be had for well under $200 on GB. Just don't get a newer one, specifically one made after Crosman bought the company out. The triggers blow and the quality control is just not there.
 
Get a 70's Benjamin Sheridan .20 cal multi pump pneumatic. C series made in Racine, Wisconsin. They're a bitch to pump up but they're dead nuts accurate and have plenty of power with 8 pumps to waste any small game up to a raccoon. No funky recoil like on a spring or gas piston gun and thy can be had for well under $200 on GB. Just don't get a newer one, specifically one made after Crosman bought the company out. The triggers blow and the quality control is just not there.

Triggers in general are not very good on most pellet guns....but usually good enough. I'm a fan of the older pellet guns myself.
I'm a crosman 1400 fan.
 
Triggers in general are not very good on most pellet guns....but usually good enough. I'm a fan of the older pellet guns myself.
I'm a crosman 1400 fan.

Agreed. The 1400s were nice. I had one a while back. It's trigger did leave a lot to be desired though. The C series Sheridans are the only affordable (less than $500) pellet rifles I've ever used which have a really nice stock trigger. No take up, no overtravel, no grittyness, and a clean, consistent, low weight break.
 
Agreed. The 1400s were nice. I had one a while back. It's trigger did leave a lot to be desired though. The C series Sheridans are the only affordable (less than $500) pellet rifles I've ever used which have a really nice stock trigger. No take up, no overtravel, no grittyness, and a clean, consistent, low weight break.

They can be worked over a bit to improve them for sure.
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My late 60s 1400 slight mods. Trigger is just smoothed over was worked over years ago for slight power increase. I'm running 600fps on 5 pumps with jsb 15g
Fun little set up....8 pumps gets me close to 700fps but trigger (per design) gets heavier and accuracy suffers.
 
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I got this one for the boy for Xmas.. haven't used it much, but when I was trying to zero the scope, it was putting pellets thru 1/2" OSB at about 30-40 feet. I would think that would take out a squirrel or small bird.

http://www.basspro.com/Marksman-Model-2070-Break-Barrel-Air-Rifle-Combo/product/15020408215919/

Pellet energy is the key .
A 7-8 grain pellet with a muzzle velocity of 800fps or so is 10ftlbs of energy vs 500fps would be 4ftlbs. .177 call looses energy faster than a 22 cal.
Good accuracy and shot placement will do better than power but having the energy there is good.
You don't want a miss hit that hits low and cripples the rear legs of a tree rat that runs away on his front legs into your neighbors yard and drags its self around for a 2 days.....or a screaming rabbit.
I take pest down with a daisy 880 rifled barrel, modified slightly for accuracy English sparrows out to 50 yards. With 10 grain pellets.

If your neighbors are not a worry then pest control is easier.
I have a hawk that will snag my not so perfect hits....he will come by when he hears the pellet gun. Funny he seems to know real quick if I'm clearing pest from the garden or plinking. Once he figures out I'm plinking he leaves.
 
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You may want to look here, a really good selection and price points. As like blackpowder, yes, they can ship to MA.

http://www.pyramydair.com

As for letting it off on your property, look up your towns ordinances. I have a number of replica air guns that match my actuals for impromptu basement/Garage practice.
 
I used this set up to eliminate chipmunks from my yard (they were undermining my patio and retaining wall). It's on consignment at http://newenglandairgun.com/ in Hudson/Berlin, MA near Cabelas. They have an indoor range there where you can test fire it.
 
Two small live/fertilizer traps with a ritz cracker and peanut butter pressed on the trip plate. They can't pass it up. My house used to look like a squirrel condo when I bought it. Now there's none to be seen. And when one done show up, it's in the trap in no time, ready to fertilize those bare spots.

Or you can go this route[rofl]
http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/squirrel-condo/
 
I am not a fan of .177 airguns

I am not a fan of .177 airguns, I just don't think it's an effective and humane hunting caliber, even for something as small as a gray squirrel. To get any reasonable amount of energy you need to go supersonic, which makes for loud shooting.

Get a 70's Benjamin Sheridan .20 cal multi pump pneumatic. C series made in Racine, Wisconsin. They're a bitch to pump up but they're dead nuts accurate and have plenty of power with 8 pumps...
Shhh!! I don't need more competition bidding for these on GB.
 
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I just received a great airgun, purchased from pyramyd air. They have everything you need for pest control. Ships fast and great customer service. They offer a 10 for $10 service in which they test shoot and chronograph ten test shots to make sure the rifle is up to spec and not a dud. Not sure what your budget is but I got the Hatsan 135 vortex for $229. And couldnt be happier. Great quality rifle. Its powerful in .25 and really packs a punch (ive got bigger problems than squirrels). For squirrels .177 or .22 is more than enough with the right gun. I hear great things about Hatsans 125 sniper (almost same size powerplant as the 135 but with synthetic stock and supposadly a tad quieter) also the 95 vortex looks real nice for your needs. The 135 i have seems real quiet to me but it is my first air gun and have nothing to compare it to. Sounds like an nail gun to my ears. I have a little space around my house but a couple neighbors are pretty close and no one has mentioned the target shooting i am doing in the afternoons (30-60 pellets in a row)

One note is if you put a scope on make sure it is air gun rated as the recoil is two ways and will trash a traditional rifle scope.

Just saw your post about not wanting break barrels sorry. Still check out the site they will have what you need.
 
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Hunters rendezvous in Pepperell used to have some nice air rifles. Have not been in there in a long time though.
 
Triggers in general are not very good on most pellet guns....but usually good enough. I'm a fan of the older pellet guns myself.
I'm a crosman 1400 fan.

Ditto for the oldies, I've got a Sheridan Blue Streak from mid seventies and it does the job ! ! ! ! . 20 cal
 
Ditto for the oldies, I've got a Sheridan Blue Streak from mid seventies and it does the job ! ! ! ! . 20 cal

The 20 cal was the "compromise" cal. Flater shooting than the 22 and more energy than a 17...?

Don't get to hung up on velocity. The new guns that brag about velocity use the lightest alloy pellets to get that high number. Air guns will often give 2 velocity ratings one with lead pellets and one with alloys.
 
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