Pellet recommendations

[FreeWillie]

I have an old Benjamin pump pellet rifle that I use to hunt small game. Great Rifle. I had about a bazilion Crosman pellets That i bought years ago. Now I'm running low and need to restock. I'm sure pellet technology has pressed on. Anyone have recommendations? I mostly hunt squirrel and rabbit (not squirrel and moose... Natasha does that)

ETA: I've heard some good things about GAMO Magnums' and Polymag Predators. Damn they are pricey

 

[LoginName]

.177 or .22?

I have a .177 Gamo Whisper that I use for squirrel eradication.

I've had pretty good luck with 8.80gr Beeman Crow Magnums.

In my experience they have shown a decent combination of accuracy and stopping power (out of roughly the 7-8 different pellet brands/weights I've tried).

 

[FreeWillie]

.22 I mostly take into the woods and squirrel hunt with it. Occasionally I take a rabbit. Little Cacciatore at the end of the day

Are the .177 air rifles really better than the .22's?

 

[Lip]

Gamo non lead. So far here in sunny and scenic Lynn I'm up to a seasonal high of 89 dead rats this year. With my gamo whisper. The next one will have the nitrogen piston instead.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Are the .177 air rifles really better than the .22's?

No, not really.

The larger the caliber, the heavier the maximum weight pellet you can use, and the larger the game you can take. For reliable kills on rabbit and squirrel, no reason to get fancy, just find a pellet that is accurate in your gun. I usually go by the reviews on Pyramyd Air.

 

[FreeWillie]

No, not really.

The larger the caliber, the heavier the maximum weight pellet you can use, and the larger the game you can take. For reliable kills on rabbit and squirrel, no reason to get fancy, just find a pellet that is accurate in your gun. I usually go by the reviews on Pyramyd Air.

Grazie

 

[yanici]

As you probably know, airguns like particular pellets best. If you were getting good accuracy with the Crosmans, stick with them. This is a link to Straighshooter's pellet selection page. Click on "Crosman Premiers" and take a look. I always found JSB Exact pellets to be very good.
http://straightshooters.com/navagationpages/allpelletschart.html

Good company to buy from if you want to order some more.

EDIT: If you really want to get the most out of your gun you need to decide which pellet it likes. SS also sells a pellet sampler that has 25 each of various pellets. Find the most accurate one for your gun before you buy something that will work but leave you wondering. Linky here:
http://straightshooters.com/straightshooters/sssampler.html

 

[Lip]

I gotta get heavier pellets. The pbr ones pushed by gamo, still divot the bricks after ripping through the norway rats I shoot at.

 

[colt_fan]

I'm using Beeman Kodiaks @ 21.14 grains and am killing tree rats at 30-40 yards. Only problem is when I use Polymags I need to hold off 6".

 

[yanici]

Head shots are quick and easy with a good scoped rifle. I only used .177 and never had one get up after being hit. Shot placement is king. Got a good sized groundhog with an 8.4 grain .177 JSB Exact pellet. Got him right behind the ear at 30 yards. He went down and didn't even twitch.

 

[Lip]

Head shots are quick and easy with a good scoped rifle. I only used .177 and never had one get up after being hit. Shot placement is king. Got a good sized groundhog with an 8.4 grain .177 JSB Exact pellet. Got him right behind the ear at 30 yards. He went down and didn't even twitch.

Yes that's true but at night, on a scurrying rat it's often more like trap than a good focused shot.

 

[Kevin_NH]

FWIW, I've bought from both Straight Shooters and Pyramyd Air, and have no complaints about either company. SS seems a little more flexible on special orders, but PA has good coupons, 4th tin free, and ships more quickly.

I gotta get heavier pellets. The pbr ones pushed by gamo, still divot the bricks after ripping through the norway rats I shoot at.

The Gamo PBA pellets are known for over-penetration.

I recommend giving "Beeman (H&N) Crow Magnum" a try. My favorite lead pellet, accurate in most rifles, and the only pellet I've tried that reliably expands in a soft target.

 

[Coyote33]

I've killed more things with .177 pellets and BB's than with the .22 pellets, and accuracy isn't an issue. I don't think it is lacking in fps either. I just think the bigger pellet at these speeds has a tougher time penetrating.

Also, the nice thing about BB's is you just shake another one in, without the single shot reloads of pellets. There is something to be said for that ease of loading. I had an old spring loaded BB gun which no squirrel or chipmunk would escape.

I like these guys:
http://www.compasseco.com/

Oh, and here are their pellets: http://www.compasseco.com/airammo-pellet-pellets-c-5_67.html

(I think I have some RWS ones.)

 

[Spanz]

Recently bought a Benjamin trail np, BT9M22WNP. I am very pleasd with it. Single cock break action barrel. Powerful, repeatable accuracy, good range, and pretty quiet. .22 cal.

It came with a center point 3-9 x 40A0 scope that is a piece of junk, though. Had to remachine the mounts before it would shoot on the reticle.

Buy the gun, but get a different scope!

Unfortunately, my eye sight is no longer good enough to hit squirels without a scope.

 

[FreeWillie]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the input. Squirrels are in trouble this fall

 

[ARV]

I gotta get heavier pellets. The pbr ones pushed by gamo, still divot the bricks after ripping through the norway rats I shoot at.

I have some of the crossman pointed pellets. Out of one of those cheap .177 chinese air guns (the $20 ones that look kind of like an SKS) the pellets went through a tin can, 6 layers of carpet, 2 layers of cardboard, 4 layers of denim, a sheet, then divoted the cinder block & fused to the wall. I wouldnt hesitate to use it on small game

 

[Lip]

I have some of the crossman pointed pellets. Out of one of those cheap .177 chinese air guns (the $20 ones that look kind of like an SKS) the pellets went through a tin can, 6 layers of carpet, 2 layers of cardboard, 4 layers of denim, a sheet, then divoted the cinder block & fused to the wall. I wouldnt hesitate to use it on small game

I just want to kill the rat, not take out the neighbors.

 

[FreeWillie]

I have some of the crossman pointed pellets. Out of one of those cheap .177 chinese air guns (the $20 ones that look kind of like an SKS) the pellets went through a tin can, 6 layers of carpet, 2 layers of cardboard, 4 layers of denim, a sheet, then divoted the cinder block & fused to the wall. I wouldnt hesitate to use it on small game

HOLY CRAP! That's not bad. Maybe I can use them for turkey hunting!

 

[Slowdive]

I like the RWS Meisterkugeln for target (probably damn fine hunting round too). I've had really good luck with Polymag .22 pellets too.

 

[ARV]

HOLY CRAP! That's not bad. Maybe I can use them for turkey hunting!

Its fun until my arm is too tired to cock the thing any more. I wanted to scope it, but the drunk guy on the assembly line cut the mounting grooves on the receiver just a little too far off, and the scope cant go far enough right to compensate. However, the irons are fine for those pesky cans.

ETA: theres something nice about an airgun that smokes after every shot

 

[Lip]

I dunno bagged 3 more rats tonight. Gotta get the gamo shotgun next.

 

[ARV]

I dunno bagged 3 more rats tonight. Gotta get the gamo shotgun next.

I read an OLD article about the crossman 760, and they were using that as a shotgun. The magnet can hold something like 5-6 BB's. Pump 10 times. IIRC they were using it for sparrows.

 

[edin508]

I read an OLD article about the crossman 760, and they were using that as a shotgun. The magnet can hold something like 5-6 BB's. Pump 10 times. IIRC they were using it for sparrows.

I gotta try that.

 

[Climbnsink]

never hit anything doing that with a 760. sure tried lots.

I read an OLD article about the crossman 760, and they were using that as a shotgun. The magnet can hold something like 5-6 BB's. Pump 10 times. IIRC they were using it for sparrows.

 

[gerrycaruso]

The Predators,are expensive but good. I've had good luck with Benjamin Discovery and Crossman Premier.