Check the regulations where you hunt. One of the states that I hunt does not allow larger than .25 caliber for small game. Some states don’t allow larger than .22.
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Air rifle recommendation
- Thread starter Red Beard
- Start date
Check the regulations where you hunt. One of the states that I hunt does not allow larger than .25 caliber for small game. Some states don’t allow larger than .22.
ive killed a few with my blowgun. You have to sharpen the little dart tips or you’ll get the same results as a dull broad head. At ten yards the dart will blow through a squirrel and the fletch will fall off.
tmattson
Well-Known Member
tmattson
Well-Known Member
Here is what I got a few years back. It is the pistol version, think 12 inch barrel but fully shrouded, very quiet. Came with pistol grip and what you see on it to make it a Carbine. With pistol grip fits in a back pack, my intent was to carry out with me bow hunting, have lot's of squirrel where I bowhunt, never seems to happen though, spends most of the time in the closet. One thing I do not like, no iron sights. Had a scope on it but just a little bulky to carry in with a bow.
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What we al want to know is how accurate it is, and at what speed it shoots a 15+ grain pellet!
And if "spends most of the time in the closet" is @tmattson speak for "packaging it up now to send to Red Beard for testing"?
saddle hunter's will survive
tmattson
Well-Known Member
My kids were big into them for a while, key to best accuracy is shooting a variety of àmmo, they have quite a few types of brands and weight. Need to get the seal fixed on the PCP hand pump (like a bike pump but made for high pressure air PCP). One I listed above goes to 3000 lbs., My best accuracy is in the 2000 - 2800 psi range. I will try to get it filled this weekend and shoot some different pellets through the chrono. Keep in mind mine has a shorter barrel, but last I shot I recall dime size group at 25 yards. My kids (adults now), with their riffle PCP's would shoot off the garden wood fence at 25 yards at 25 yards consistently, all kidding aside.
tmattson
Well-Known Member
Edit: 3000 psi
tmattson
Well-Known Member
Edit: shoot bee's off the fence.
kenn1320
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2015
- Messages
- 2,753
Growing up (early 80's) I had a crossman 766 and my buddy had an rws, both in .177 cal. Wasnt even a close competition. That rws was amazing. Single break action, while I was scaring everything within 100yds cocking mine 10 times per shot. lol
That is a Benjamin Marauder pistol. It’s common nickname is a P-Rod.
That would be my recommendation for [mention]Red Beard [/mention]
I almost got one, but decided to go all in on the Leshiy.
The P-Rod is perfectly capable of killing squirrels at 30 yds.
See below...
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Yeah that thing would be sweet! It's out of my price range though. Need tips from @Nutterbuster on how to setup a gofundme...
Yall take a look in my classifieds and help a brother out.
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- Joined
- May 16, 2018
- Messages
- 1,842
Leshiy 25 a better way to go than the same in 22? I know nothing.
I can't believe I'm considering a four-figured purchase to kill squirrels! That's more than my crossbow and rifle together!
And yet....that weight, quiet, and compactness...seems like the only way to effectively multitask.
Haha. I went .25 because I was thinking about the occasional coyote that comes through while I’m deer hunting. .22 is plenty for squirrels, though.
For me, the $1200 vs $400 was the difference between actually carrying it with me while deer hunting and just the idea that I could carry it.
It’s so light and compact that I can’t justify leaving it in the truck.
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- May 16, 2018
- Messages
- 1,842
Gotcha. Thanks. No yotes on my hit list. I'll go with the 22 then. Thinking same thing on the price differential. I want to harvest some squirrels but only while archery hunting, so weight and packability matter (and sound).
It's some crazy money to spend, but I'm of an age and situation with adultish kids that I can try to justify it. I worked an extra job this year and this might be my "reward" for such. Plus I have a sense I'm going to like it! I see a ton of nice looking squirrels. As long as the edibility works out I should be set. As a comparison, I love hard water "harvesting" yellow perch to eat, and I probably have that kinda money tied up in that protein source procurement operation.
Spending money on squirrel hunting is just as justifiable as ducks or deer or turkeys. As little as 50 years ago it was the number 1 game animal in Alabama.
Make squirrel hunting great again! My time has come!
Make squirrel hunting great again! My time has come!
The decline of small game hunting (whether squirrel, upland birds, whatever) is such a huge deal. Head out, walk around the woods, shoot some stuff, and eat it. Make it as simple or as complicated as you want - but small game hunting is about having good enough access to good enough lands that you can just. go. hunting.
tmattson
Well-Known Member
Do you all just keep the back legs for meat, or all four. And do you use it like stew meat?
Agreed 1,000%. No egos, no cliques, no marketing BS, no elitists, no pressure. Just some rambling around with a loaded gun. I love it.
Really, my little saddle hunting thing was a result of wanting for deer what I had for squirrels. The ability to just GO. Supreme happiness for me is 90,000 acres, a packed lunch, and a gun. Or a full gas tank for the boat and the same. The feeling of complete freedom to go wherever the wind blows me and do whatever the spirit leads me to do.