This report covers:
- Questions
- The real questions?
- OR
- Accuracy
- Impact speed
- My recommendation
- The Budget???
- Breakbarrel?
- My REAL recommendation
- I wish
Questions
Sometimes I get questions that I don’t understand — not even after I’ve read them many times. I want to answer them, but first I have to understand what was asked. Here is one that came in recently from a reader who calls himself Tagger.
“You said: “we’ve both observed that in spring guns, the faster they shoot the twitchier they are as far as hold sensitivity. That has nothing to do with the sound barrier — it’s just a fact of life for spring guns. Throw in the breakbarrel design that’s also very hold sensitive and you have a real recipe for disaster.”
“What would you recommend for a .22 caliber pneumatic rifle with maximum accuracy and impact speed at $150-$190 USD range? I was looking at the Gamo .22 caliber Swarm Whisper which is a spring piston rifle that they list at 975 FPS. I want higher impact power for rodent hunting so a heavier pellet would drop that down by ~100 FPS or more. It also has IGT (Inert Gas Technology): Pneumatic gas piston that replaces the traditional spring. Would this be a good choice for high impact and accuracy at 75-100 feet?”
“I’m new to pneumatic rifles and I was wondering if you (anybody with experience) could give some advice. Where I live any pneumatic rifle is legal to fire in a residential neighborhood which matters because I have two dogs, and overly courageous ground hogs. This is the second season of spring for our younger dog and she’s purebred breeding Siberian Husky, and the father was the sneaky next door neighbors Treeing Walker Coonhound to the litter was surrendered for adoption. Both breeds are very high prey drive dogs. She’s also a better hunter this year than last and I’m afraid she’ll get close enough to the mother groundhog that the mother will feel she has to fight over flight and my dog(s) may be injured. I love to target practice and ‘plink’, and my daughter does too so we’ll shoot a lot, but for the sakes of the groundhogs, I want to kill them as humanely as possible. Poisoning isn’t humane, and other animals may eat the groundhog and become poisoned too. An insta-kill trap is humane, but too risky for the dogs. Live traps are no good as it is illegal to relocated groundhogs as it just makes them someone else’s problem. They could be drowned, but that’s not humane either, not by a long shot. I grew up on a small farm and a groundhog hole can break the leg of cattle or horses forcing the owner to put down the horse or steer. The best option (and the game warden agreed) was a pneumatic rifle. Higher impact is better than higher speed, but accuracy is very important to me as I plan on pinking with this for some time after the groundhog issue is settled. I’m appreciate any advice.“
The real questions?
When I read this I see the following question(s)
1. He wants a powerful and accurate .22-caliber pneumatic rifle.
2. He wants a spring-piston air rifle (Gamo Swarm Maxxim).
3. He wants it to cost US$150-190.
4. He wants high impact and accuracy at 75 to 100 feet.
5. He wants to shoot it a lot.
Okay — I can recommend something for any one of those five different requests, but it is impossible to fulfill all of them with one airgun.
1. A powerful and accurate pneumatic rifle could be an Air Venturi Avenger or an Avenge-X or a Benjamin Marauder. The Gamo Swarm Maxxim is not a pneumatic; it’s a spring-piston air rifle.
2. A powerful and accurate spring-piston air rifle could be a TX200 Mark III or a Beeman R9. The Gamo Swarm Bone Collector 10X Gen3i might also be in this category but I haven’t tested it enough to know.
3. It should cost $150-190. That is a HUGE limiter! It almost certainly drives you to the used market — especially when it also has to be both powerful and accurate.
4. It needs to have high impact and accuracy at 75 to 100 feet.
5. It should be a “shoot a lot” plinker.
OR
Or, he could just want an air rifle to kill groundhogs (also called woodchucks) — and leave it at that. Leave money out of the discussion because, until you know the possible candidates, any discussion of money is meaningless. Here is what I mean.
I need a reliable automobile, because…
A. I need it to drive to and from the grocery store all year.
Or
B. I’m planning to circumnavigate the globe in it.
Call me naïve but those sound like two different requirements. I can buy a nice used car for the grocery runs for a tiny fraction of what I will pay for an I’m-in-the-middle-of-the-Gobi-desert-and-I-no-speaka-the-language-so-it-can’t-break-down automobile.
Accuracy
To me something that is “highly accurate” can put ten pellets into 3/8-inches at 100 feet. I don’t think you need that for groundhogs. I think putting five shots into a half-inch at 100 feet is more than sufficient, and it also removes one digit from the cost. Instead of $2,500 you are down to $500.
Impact speed
I won’t go into this topic because Tagger went on to say that he realizes that higher impact is better than higher speed. He’s right about that. The buffalo hunters of the 1870s hit their prey with bullets traveling around 600 f.p.s. or so, but the bullets were so heavy that they passed all the way through the buffalo. Yes, higher impact does win out over higher velocity.
My recommendation
Tagger — I recommend you get an Air Venturi Avenge-X in either .22 or .25 caliber. You say you and your daughter like to plink a lot? Buy the $70 .177 conversion kit because .177 pellets are cheaper than either .22 or .25.
The Budget???
Did I blow your $150-190 budget? I know I did. And I didn’t even factor in the necessary air supply that will double your costs. Sorry. But what I did do was address all your other requests. You can both hunt and plink with one of these. On the other hand if the budget is the biggest concert then buy a used Benjamin 392 pneumatic. It doesn’t have the accuracy or the power of the Avenge-X but it will fit into your budget. And it is a pneumatic, so it doesn’t have the holding issues of a spring-piston (or gas strut or gas ram) air rifle.
Or, if you can stretch for ten more dollars, consider a .22-caliber Air Venturi Dragonfly Mk2 that can be bought new for $200. It has a little more power than a 392 and a lot more accuracy, plus it has a better trigger and the pumping effort is a lot lower.
Both these rifles are multi-pump pneumatics, so they both have to be pumped for every shot.
Breakbarrel?
Or, do you really want a breakbarrel spring-piston rifle? I can’t tell from the questions you asked, but if you do I recommend looking for a nice used Beeman R9.
My REAL recommendation
Tagger — it’s either one or the other. Either you want to kill groundhogs or you want to plink. With many airguns those two requirements are pulling your possible answers apart. However, if you do splurge and get the Avenge-X, you can do both things with ease. The only problem is you’ve blown your budget.
Now, Tagger, you have told me that you are new to airguns. I get that and please know that I am in no way criticizing your use of technical airgun terms. It’s just that they mean something specific to me and I can’t get past it until I understand what it is you are asking. A pneumatic gun is a one that holds compressed air until it is released when the gun is fired. A spring-piston gun does not hold compressed air, so it isn’t a pneumatic. It both compresses and releases the air at the instant of firing. This may have been a large part of my misunderstanding in today’s report.
I wish
I get questions like this all the time and I can never answer them the way the person asking wants me to because I have to tell them the truth. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all things fit in one package, but it simply isn’t possible. If it was, old B.B. Pelletier would get out his pom poms and lead the parade.
I’ve had good luck with my .22 Crosman SBD; but kids aren’t going to be shooting it well! Probably recommend a 362, though you’re probably going to need to limit shots to 50′ or less.
BB,
He said “plink” once, but “groundhog” six times.
Hence, I think you’re spot on with your recommendation of the .22 Dragonfly Mk2.
I saw a couple of Sheridan C-models and a couple of Benjamin 392s on eBay that were priced right.
But for that tiny bit more the Dragonfly would certainly do the job with max power.
Then they could dial it down to 5 pumps to plink. 🙂
Your job is not an easy one!
Blessings to you,
dave
I purchased my grandson a Dragonfly MK ll and gave it him when they first became available a couple of years ago. He took to it like a bird to the sky . . . just naturally. He’s now 12 years old and a veteran on the range. The Dragonfly has virtually no recoil, pumps up with ease, and is very accurate. Now the accuracy begins to drop off beyond 50 yds, but what does one expect? The Dragonfly should hit groundhogs with aplomb and is excellent for plinking as well. His Dragonfly has been completely issue free too. Oh ya, its priced right as well. Questions asked and questions answered. Orv.
“as I plan on pinking with this for some time after the groundhog issue is settled.”
This conclusion tells me that he should just go to PA, gas piston, up to $200, best reviews rifles. For example a Hatsan 95 combo QE in 22 cal could be bought for 175 and the change could buy him some good pellets. 150 reviews with 4.5 stars average!
Sometimes I think that our hobby/passion is not rocket science.
BILL: Groundhogs always come back, believe me, I know. Orv.
HD
So much the better for Tagger if he would make a choice according to my thinking.
I recommend a Umarex Origin in .22 or .25,just the rifle not the one bundled with the crappy hand pump. Some flavor of UTG scope then a nice hand pump. I have both and the .25 with Hatsan pellets makes armadillos go night night real quick.
Maybe it’s because I am getting “older” but these days sometimes when reading comments/questions I have Roseanne Roseana Dana flash backs.
SSC
” It’s always something!”
Ed
B.B.
Tell Tagger to “GO Fish”.
Similar scenario, guy wants a car that can do the 1/4 mile in under 10 seconds AND get get 30MPG.
Tell Tagger to get a second job so he can spend more money. Or Go Fish…
-Yogi
Yogi,
Or give him a lollipop? Sorry couldn’t resist that jab. Newbies are newbies and they will innocently ask questions seeking an answer contradicting their requirements.
Siraniko
As a newbie, I resemble that remark, too
:o)
Everyone,
Let’s lighten up on the “newbie” remarks. Every one of us was once in that category. This is supposed to be a place where people can ask their questions.
Now, as for the conflicting requirements — that’s another story!
BB
Agree.
I think everyone’s first airgun should be a pumper (technically, a multipump pneumatic). Easy to learn and versatile for hunting and plinking. The Dragonfly Mark II is a great choice as is the Crosman 362. Local ordinances and state laws should always be reviewed and followed, and neighbors respected.
Amen
Agree.
It appears to me that Tagger is probably confused a little bit by some terminology. This is from his blurb:
“It also has IGT (Inert Gas Technology): Pneumatic gas piston that replaces the traditional spring.”
I think Tagger may be confusing the pneumatic gas piston with a pure pneumatic gun. I would make sure he knows the similarities of the spring piston and gas piston power plants and the differences between them and a pure pneumatic powered gun. Once he understands that the pneumatic gas piston operates and behaves similar to the spring piston, he can make a better decision. Also, if he can wait a (hopefully very short) while for the new Crosman 3622 rifle to become available and tested it might be a good solution for him.
LOL! Poor BB. What a conundrum.
I am of the opinion that this Tagger dude has little to no hunting experience. He also does not understand groundhogs.
He needs to work on his priorities some. He has in mind to breed his dogs and become rich. He has spent a small fortune on his dogs yet is unwilling to spend anything further to protect his investment.
Would I recommend an airgun for this gentleman? I myself would be most hesitant in doing such.
RR-
I was confused about the dog situation. I thought the younger dog was the result of the Husky/Walker pairing. Ditto to what you say about would be dog breeders seeing visions of cash rolling their way.
Experience with shooting versus killing ground groundhogs. Many shooters envision instantaneous death. Even with a 22 rimfire, without a perfect brain/spine shot, they will make it back to their burrow.
Pretty much the case with iguanas – only a head shot guarantees an instant/quick kill.
FM-True enough…do lizards feel pain? If you shot them in the leg, your follow up shot is easy.
From behind I shot one at the leg body junction. In the remaining 20 seconds of its life it made a semicircle. Lots of blood lose though.
FWIW-I understand that a 410 gauge shotgun is the preferred groundhog getter.
Maybe Tagger should move?
-Y
PinO
That is true of the rifles we are talking about. My .243 never had one move with any solid body shot.
On the other hand, if we are talking about protecting a many thousand dollar investment, I, personally, would be a bit less “ethical” in my endeavors.
Would I prefer a brain shot,, sure. Would I require one for the purpose,, no. Any reasonable weight .22 through a rifle capable of pushing it above 700fps would provide a killing lung shot on a groundhog. They would then, very likely, make it back into their burrow where they would some expire, saving him the trouble of retrieval and burial.
I found, when shooting groundhogs in farmer’s fields, that pushing the carcasses into the holes from which they emerged to be a good way of making any other residents in that burrow to relocate. It often took a couple rodents placed in the other entrance/exits but it worked.
When speaking with newbies, it is best to understand that they are not familiar with our vocabulary, nor with our definition of accuracy. On the other hand, we are not sure of their meaning regarding “humane” when talking about dispatching pest animals.
So,, the Dragonfly would certainly qualify for that job. It’s price is close enough to his numbers and his daughter should be able to pump it comfortably. Pretty much fulfilling most of his wish list.
Ed
BB-
I read and reread Tagger’s post. Lots of info, there. I realize he is requesting a recommendation for an aigun and this blog is about airguns….. BUUUUUUTTTTT……
Stepping back a bit and looking at his problem, these answers emerge.
1) Need for a ‘pneumatic’ to be legal. City ordinance merely used that term to preclude use of firearms, not as a subdivision within the world of airguns.
2) Concern for welfare of his dogs. Commendable, but a dog learns quickly how to grab, shake and kill a groundhog. Always reward the dog after a successful kill. With two dogs, even the biggest momma shouldn’t be a problem.
3) Trapping. Live trap with bait. Shoot the groundhog in the trap, dispose of carcass and repeat.
4) Shoot ‘em. All good suggestions, so far, but the number one correct answer is a classic Sheridan Blue or Silver Streak. These ARE pneumatic guns in both definitions. They have Walnut stocks. Just like ‘real’ guns . The time spent pumping for the next shot slows down the shooting session and increases father/daughter time and communication. They come in God’s chosen caliber. More shooters shooting .20 cal helps keep the caliber from slipping into oblivion. That right there is a noble human endeavor.
Live trap with bait works very well. Trapped dozens. They love cantalope.
If you catch something other than dirt pig, (cat, rabbit….) you can let it go.
Dragonfly MK2 is spot on.
“…the number one correct answer is a classic Sheridan Blue or Silver Streak. These ARE pneumatic guns in both definitions. They have Walnut stocks. Just like ‘real’ guns.”
pacoinohio, I can’t fault your logic; been shootin’ my Sheridan for 50 years…still love it! 😉
I thought about a Seneca Aspen, but it looks like PCP pumpers are on the way out.
Had to laugh. I always got unanswerable questions as well. Mostly it was the same one, over and over again, and there is no real answer. Only time can tell.
How long will it take to fix the plane? …
Can’t say till I find out what’s causing the problem.
Can’t say till the parts comes in.
Can’t say, if everything goes well, one hour, if not, five or six hours.
Giving a set time will always get you in trouble.
Bob
You sound like an old airplane fixer. Me too.
Those quick and easy jobs do not always end up being quick and easy.
tt
Twotalon,
I worked in a machine shop and customers had the same question. Some times, when asked “How long will it take?” I would answer “How long is a piece of string?” Some understood, most didn’t.
My customers were not stupid (for the most part) they simply did not have enough knowledge to understand the job at hand (& most didn’t want to). Education is the key!
Bill
Bill,
In my day Hao Long was a village in VietNam. 🙂
BB
twotalon,
Over 40 years. 20+ Navy, 20+ Civilian, and here is the mother of all quick and simple jobs. A C118 (DC-6) 4 prop Passenger / cargo airliner.
Rivets loose on flap skin just behind #3 engine. Drill them out and replace them.
Won’t work, aluminum skin corrosion is too bad to hold the rivets. The entire flap area needs to be re-skinned.
OK, get a forklift, a flatbed semi-truck and a crew together and we will remove it and ship it off to Depot Level Repair.
Depot Repair, corrosion is extremely extensive and too far gone, it spread into flap ribs inside. It’s declared BCM (Beyond Conditional Maintenance) Order a new one.
There are none left … in the world! Remove the aircraft from service. Near the end of its useful life anyway. But wait, they just found a new one buried in a Wherehouse on Wake Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It will be shipped here to CA. It will need repainting. Done.
At last, ready to install, but wait. The structural inboard hinge had an Airframe Change incorporated and it has a larger hinge pin hole … IT WONT FIT ( Ah … Curses! ) All that money time and labor wasted and it’s off to the bone yard anyway.
HOLD EVERYTHING! Bob says he may have a solution. I found a stainless-steel bushing used in the brake system that fits in the oversized hole exactly to fill the void. Problem solved aircraft flying again.
A couple of months later, in a different Squadron, I received the Navy Achievement Medal for that. They probably could have had one made, but nobody else ever thought of that, and more time would be needed. No problem, just a few rivets, months later.
Bob M.
I could hear it now. Who is this guy? I don’t know, Think he’s an E5 in charge of Airframes at the Alameda Detachment. Well, he deserves a medal for that! Get some input.
Bob M,
Got to do a very rare three engine ferry because of those issues! Also got to use the Aliens 2 line. “How many of these have you done Sir? Five! Four simulated…and this one.”
shootski
Shootski,
Memories. Sent to Fallon NV to remove DC-9 main landing gear doors, or what was left of them. The pilots tried to drive into the ground on landing. What a mess on the runway.
Low and slow ferry back to San Diego. No passengers aloud. The wind noise was something else in an empty cargo plane set up. Life certainly was not boring in those days.
Bob M,
We took off from an “airfield” in very rural Canada and headed to NAS Brunswick to get a new engine.
I knew that the book said to find a suitable airfield and declare an Emergency…Navy rules…but the air traffic controller got all exited when i laconically old him i needed to declare an emergency. He asked if i needed vectors to the field, informed me he was clearing all the traffic for me…. I told him STOP! Just inform the Brunswick Tower that we would be landing on three, notify the Crash Crew, and that we had minimum crew on board since this was a Three Engine Ferry flight.
We were met by the Operations Officer, our host squadron’s Commanding Officer (CO) and entourage!
“Who gave you permission for this flight!” was the first question. I said Good Morning, continued with, ”After concluding the options for repair at our point of origin were impossible i chose to discuss the options on a Secure HF phone patch with my CO. He authorized this flight. I need to fly back to my point of origin within 24 hours. Do you have a T-56 ready to have your Maintenance Department hang on my aircraft or if not a low time engine on one of your aircraft Sir?” That got a chuckle out of Ops but the CO just scowled at me. I said, “Please call this number on a secure phone if you have questions, Sir.”
We were back at our point of origin with our fresh T-56 inside of 24 hours.
Not a single smiling wave good-bye at NAS Brunswick! Really sad hospitality.
shootski
Dealing with customers is always a treat.
I worked for a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturer that specialized in quick turn around for prototype quantities (3-12) PCBs and there were three (main) things that we had with the customers…
ONE) The customers often didn’t understand that the PCBs were made in a panel (like muffins) and you couldn’t deliver “just one” a head of time.
TWO) that they couldn’t make changes half-way through the manufacturing process without starting over again from the beginning (at their cost).
And THREE) the customers (with minimal knowledge of the process) would dictate how we should run our processes. Yeah, like telling the Chef how to make the soup then complaining when it doesn’t taste right.
We often had comments about the cost per board of making one panel as apposed to the piece cost out a production run consisting of dozens of panels. The engineering and tooling costs were the same whether you made one or a dozen, just the materials/labor costs differed.
My favorite response to a customer complaining about the high costs of a PCB was to suggest that they request a quote for their design from a sheet metal fabricator for a simple (no circuitry) “aluminum PCB” milled and drilled to the tight tolerances demanded for PCB manufacture, painted both sides and silkscreened with text. I promised that we would make their PCBs for 25% less than that quote.
Several customers did get quotes and quickly realized that we were giving them a bargain. A real PCB is a custom built, multilayer copper and fiberglass composite that required special tooling, complex etching and plating operations that used all kinds of special chemistry and equipment to produce.
Don’t miss that at all.
Done rambling – glad I’m retired and don’t have to deal with high tech stuff unless I want to. 🙂
Cheers!
Hank, I love it! It reminds me of my starting days in engineering and the bizarre requests I’d get. 😉
I’ve read B.B.’s report and all the comments so far, and I agree. ;o)
What would Fish say?
In my opinion, the toughest requirement on Taggers wish list is the ability to humanely kill groundhogs. A full grown groundhog is a tough critter to kill humanely.
I wholeheartedly agree with pacoinohio when he says, “Trapping. Live trap with bait. Shoot the groundhog in the trap, dispose of carcass and repeat.”
This solution to Taggers toughest requirement opens the door to lots of airguns, some even in his budget.
Tagger,
well done !
I am impressed that you asked B.B. Pelletier ! 🙂
____________
Us lot,
oh dear !
Remember, Tagger chose not to ask us. I wonder why? 🙂
B.B., Tagger, and The Readership,
Tuff one Tagger!
Great blog grist Tom!
Readership, great solutions and guidance in your Replies!
BUT…
Too much confusion on terminology on almost everyone’s part, shootski will take on the vital job of letting the gas flow!
“Tools and appliances driven by compressed air are known as pneumatic devices. The word pneumatic comes from the Greek pneuma, meaning “air” or “wind.” Examples of these devices are rock drills, jackhammers, spray painters, and air brakes.”
Britannica
So the tool in question is an airgun. The first airgun was likely a blowgun, next was probably a bellows gun, and finally the Pre Charged Pneumatic airgun…right?
That is almost right. The but comes from the Pre Charged and not accepting the Spring Piston as a Pneumatic airgun which, unfortunately, happens all too frequently.
The work done by airguns is to drive a projectile towards a target using pneumatic force (compressed air pressure) on the base of the projectile contained by a tube for directionality.
That eliminates rubber band guns, direct spring powerplants, catapults, and any other powerplant that does not apply pressurized gas to the base of the projectile.
Remember that air contains amounts of different gases in varying amounts.
ANY contrary opinions?
shootski
*** shootski will take on the vital job of letting the gas flow!***
*** Remember that air contains amounts of different gases in varying amounts.***
Shootski,
Are you referring to Methane? As a old time member of the Blue Flame Club, Methane, being flammable, might be an interesting gas to use in a spring powered air-gun.
Guess the question is: would it still be a pneumatic? 🙂
Cheers!
Vana2,
Hank wrote: “Guess the question is: would it still be a pneumatic? ” If NO ignition source is present then yes it would still be pneumatic.
But to the BFC…i observed an induction ceremony to that esteemed club where a terry cloth robe was used for modesty… unfortunately the cloth’s pill* caught fire readily; severely decreasing the solemnity of the ceremony ;^)
shootski
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_(textile)
LOL!
The question still stands as “dieseling” would be the source of ignition.
Vana2,
True…
That would take SOME TIGHT Sphincter!
I don’t think the Oh-Rings would hold.
shootski
B.B. and Readership,
While i was looking for the Britannica definition of pneumatic i found this:
https://tools.cp.com/en/expert-corner/blog/7-simple-steps-to-ensure-operator-safety
Not 100% airgun correct but close! Most of us use low pressure pneumatics so consider this a TWOFER.
shootski
Those coil Spring Powerplants vibrate a bit! I knew there was another reason to go Gas Spring or PCP! LOL!
BB, you have to be almost a Biblical Textual Scholar to unravel the entwined and confused questions from an earnest inquirer into a field that he knows little about. If it was a simple question of how do I eliminate a ground hog/wood chuck from my property for the least money, it would be a .22 long rifle bolt action single shot rifle. But, of course there are more variables here than the simplest answer…
It would seem that there are two primary values here: a humane one-shot-kill AND an arm that will do this without the noise of the typical firearm at described very long air arm distances. Hmmm….
My late father-in-law was a chemical engineer and he regularly dispatched ‘chucks in the Peoples’ Republic of New Jersey in a tight residential area (wherein his neighbors were very tired of the ‘chuck predation and willing to abide “what it would take”). He had an absolutely silent “solution,” a Mustard Gas generator IN the ‘chuck burrow and a piece of plywood to seal the entrance hole. It involved a small aluminum pot pie tin, an half inch or so of common bleach, and some muriatic acid poured therein followed by a quick covering of the hole with the plywood and then time. Gravity and the weight of the mustard gas did the rest. Humane? Well, not quite, but it was contained in the burrow due to the specific gravity of the Clorine cloud that would do its job and be neutralized by the burrow soil. Because the gas system required the plywood to keep it in the hole, dogs couldn’t get into the thing and the gas would react and dissipate with time. Without some chemist’s skill, however, NOT the thing to do since the agents, themselves, are reactive and when combined, deadly. My F-in-L knew his chemistry and its processes; skills that are not in great supply in society.
Now, it would seem that there are two primary issues about an air arm that are controlling here. First, the inquiring person wanted an arm that would humanely put down the pest (a.k.a., an “one shot kill”) predicated on the person being able to shoot well. Second, the controlling issue is the distance at which the person thinks he has to do the deed of eliminating the pests.
Thus, this breaks down to recommendations regarding terminal energy at distance, accuracy, and cost of the system to bring killing projectiles to the pest animal consistently.
Given the constraints of the person’s questions, he has presented The Pelletier with a Gordian Knot as each of the integers involve quickly destroy the price constraints imposed in the inquiry. I.e., as the terminal energy production rises, as the accuracy becomes more demanding with distance, and the requirement for consistency attends, the price spirals out of controlling limits of the original question. The inquiring person, obviously, does NOT understand this as most of us on the blog do by experience and purchases over time.
For my two-cent’s worth, the only thing that comes to mind for this person might be a Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk, a Crosman Scope, and H&N Predator-like pellets with the brass point insert to aid in penetration. Better, would be an Hatsan .25 Cal Model 135 with JSB Monster Mark IIIs (but I just blew even more ruthlessly through his fiscal constraint). Both of these pieces have severe accuracy problems for a new shooter unfamiliar with the springer requirement of the “artillery hold.”
Maybe the truly helpful suggestion is to recommend that the inquirer look up pest removal services in his local area? People do NOT understand what our air arm community understands in its very sinews, namely that serious air arms are not Daisey Red Riders as found on the shelves of Wally World. Just looking up my “Holy Grail” Beeman P-1/Weirauch 45 prices quicky disabuses me, and most of the readers, here, of the notion that adult air arms are Wally*World economical.
I suspect that the unspoken integer behind the technical question is that of price. The actual price of what the inquiring person wants is, quite frankly, inversely proportional to his desires and expectations. Customer education has a long way to go in this serious of potential customer questions.
Trench warfare against the whistle pigs…. As the designated family sniper vs woodchucks in my youth, that made me smile. Those evil vermin would take a single bite out of every tomato in the garden.
Didn’t they have a backdoor escape tunnel?
Roamin: Yep! I believe that the whistlepigs usually have a second entrance. The gas attack that Gil used on them worked because the Chlorine gass (a.k.a., Mustard Gas) is heavier than air and fills the entire burrow and the “pigs” drown in the acidic nature of the atmosphere.
Gil wore out my first Crosman pumper. I gave it him with a stock of ammo and he flat-out wrung every erg out of it. When I got it back after he came to Ohio and didn’t need it anymore, it was completely toasted. He used it to snipe from his second floor down to his garden with ill effect to the pests.
Fortunately, those whistlepigs were not issued regulation gas masks and other anti-gas equipment.
I’ve suggested using this approach to chuck burrows that are destroying our rail-trail, but the other board members too umbrage at that ideal. Our rules prevent use of weapons on the trail other than hiring professional exterminators who may shoot them out with due caution.
The gas attack would wipe out families of chucks and makes good sense to me.
Oh well… When it, the trail surface gets bad enough, people will have conversion experiences….
Tagger,
Are you still reading the Blog?
shootski
Wow, the PyramydAir Cup is back,
Lets see. Get a pellet gage and scale, a great scope and bipod for my Western Sidewinder shoot a few hundred rounds through it first and join the fun!
All I gotta do is spend 4 days driving 4,500 miles with gas at over $5.00 a gallon and stay at three motels.
Better yet, perhaps I can drive to BB’s home and spend the night heading there and back and ride share with him.
Or, I can stay at home and get a very nice Air Rifle, or two? with the money I save and not have to face Criminal Neglect or Homicide Charges when I get home for abandoning my disabled ex wife.
Need to sleep on it. 😉