Squirrels are digging my garden up!

[1SOW]

My old Daisy pump-up .177 pellet rifle died a couple of years back but had "122" (squirrels) written on the stock over a few years.  They've come back with a vengence, so I picked up a Gammo break barrel this time.  It came with a cheap scope and a better" looking" set of FO irons that can't co-witness.  It also had a sorta-kinda silencer for the noisy springer. Max pellet speed is rated at 1250 FPS with the trick pellets 

I went ahead and mounted the 3 power scope and "tried" to zero it at about 15-16 yards.  I finally got it to within an inch for three shots from a steady rest.   I came back a few hours later and it was off 3".  It wasn't me.  It was shot with a good rest at a 1" circle (squirrel head size).  I tweaked it a skosh and got back to 1" groups again. 

If it's off again next timeout,  I'll remove the scope (does "look" pretty good through the 3 power, and I have to thread shots through large oak and other trees). I'll try the irons that has a good looking fully adjustable rear and 1mm front FO., and hope it'll start to group some better. PS the scope instructions are to "bore sight?" and then tweak for 50 to 100 YARDS.    My longest squirrel shots with be less than 25 yards if they are chased to the top of some trees.

I shoot into a steel pellet trap I welded up some years back.  At first the scope shot 5" high and about the same right,  so it missed my trap.  The trap is mounted on a square 1/2" plywood  backer.  I really had to crank the scope adjustments a LOOONG way to bring the hits in closer.  The verticle adjust got hard to turn before hits were on target . Adjusting left was fairly easy. 
Those first pellets zinged right through that ply and disappeared into an old oak tree trunk.   I think I'll get some heavier HP pellets to try for consistency and stopping power.

Any suggestions about shooting break barrels is appreciated.  My experiences with pellet guns is limited to pre charged pump ups ( only 2).



 

   

[Chef Jeff]

I don't know about pellet guns, but i had a serious chipmunk problem this year. A Mossberg .22 with a cheap Field and Stream scope took care of it. I live in the country, so firearms are ok to shoot in the yard. My kid beat me 12-7. Rodents suck, each destructive in their own way. Had to take care of rabbits a couple of years ago for my gardens survival, so I feel for you.

[M1A4ME]

I've "heard", on the internet, that air rifles are hard on most scopes.  They claim (and maybe 100% correctly, I don't know) that the scopes are not set up for the type of recoil/rifle movement they get on an air rifle.

You may have to look for an air rifle specific scope if the one you have doesn't hold up.

[dave33]

I've "heard", on the internet, that air rifles are hard on most scopes.  They claim (and maybe 100% correctly, I don't know) that the scopes are not set up for the type of recoil/rifle movement they get on an air rifle.

You may have to look for an air rifle specific scope if the one you have doesn't hold up.

This is true.  If your scope is not designed for use with an air rifle it will probably not survive long.  I have found 22 shorts out of a bolt action rifle to be better for rodent dispatch than an air rifle anyway, almost as quiet, and more accurate.

[1SOW]

I've "heard", on the internet, that air rifles are hard on most scopes.  They claim (and maybe 100% correctly, I don't know) that the scopes are not set up for the type of recoil/rifle movement they get on an air rifle.

You may have to look for an air rifle specific scope if the one you have doesn't hold up.

I've read the same.  I " hoped" Gammo would install a cheap but durable scope.  Maybe not,  jury's still out.
I'll go to irons for simple back yard pest control.

My pear tree gets stripped of 100s of pears by squirrels. They take a bite and drop it then get another. 
 

I live on a small lot in in the city.  I Can't use .22 rimfire.  This pellet gun is also too much gun but quiet.  The old Daisy 901 was only rated at 900 fps.  It did the job 122 times with irons,  but pumping 9x per shot was a PITA.
 

[M1A4ME]

I had squirrels eating my peaches a couple years ago.  Walked out of the garage to talk to the neighbor and noticed several peach pits lying on the ground under the maple tree.  About 8 feet up was a nice little fork in a limb and what do you know, there was a partially eaten peach right there in the fork (we must have scared the squirrel farther up the tree out of sight.  No peaches the last couple of years, so no issues there.

The come in the back yard (little buggers even watch the dogs to see when they're sleeping and go into the dog pen) and get the black walnuts, but we don't use them anyway.  We find the hulls on the deck rails, on the swing frame, just about anywhere a squirrel likes to sit and have a good field of view while working those nut kernals/pieces out of that tough shell.

We only had two figs this year (man, those little brown turkey figs were sweet and easy to eat).  I'll be watching next year.  I'm thinking maybe I need to get me a .22 rim fire suppressor, or two, prior to that.

Good luck with that scope.

Does anyone have experience with "cheap" red dots on air rifles?  Just curious.  Up close, they might be okay.

[1SOW]

Second day with the Gammo:  Bagged 3 squirrels and one mouse.  Three were clean kills,  but one squirrel needed a mercy shot on the ground.  The scope is doing okay so far.  It shoots a skosh high and right,  but I don't want to change the settings.
  Next year,  weather obliging,  we'll get pears to eat....again.
Got to mark my stock with a "3".

[1SOW]

Pump up pellet Rifles have little recoil,  but springer tilt bbl pellet Rifles have a fairly .sharp recoil from the spring travel. It also makes holding the rifle steady longer after the trigger breaks to be accurate.  They are also a  little harder on optics.   If they market the red dot for pistol slide mounting,  it should be good.  If it's only reccomended  for 22 rifles,  I don't know.

[Roger Vick]

I have a few decades experience shooting airguns. I've shot every airgun you can think of and a bunch you never heard of. First off springers can be very accurate if you have the right one and spend years developing the proper hold it takes to shoot one. They are very hold sensitive so using a rest is out if the question for consistency. The only springer I would recommend to a new airgunner is something like a Beeman R7 with a airgun rated scope. To get the kind of accuracy/precision necessary to kill squirrels humanely with a airgun high powered springers are simply to hard to handle.

I would strongly recommend going to the Yellow Forum and ask the airgun folks there, they are very helpful. Link below
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537

[1SOW]

Thanks Roger,
Got two more squirrels today with clean hits and the cheap Gammo I got can do the job if I can adapt.  I also got much better hits on my target trap today.  After day two, 5 written on the stock. No I'm not getting cocky.  I know it's not a AR.  and I likely won't shoot it enough to get good.  It looks like I can get "effective" if I stay with it.

15 Oct:  1 more = 6

[DenStinett]

Hey 1
Try the Artillery Hold
It really does work   

[Roger Vick]

Thanks Roger,
Got two more squirrels today with clean hits and the cheap Gammo I got can do the job if I can adapt.  I also got much better hits on my target trap today.  After day two, 5 written on the stock. No I'm not getting cocky.  I know it's not a AR.  and I likely won't shoot it enough to get good.  It looks like I can get "effective" if I stay with it.

15 Oct:  1 more = 6

Nothing wrong with a Gamo, they can shoot well in the right hands. Hold it lightly the same way every time and you will soon master the springer recoil. Good luck pellets are cheap I would suggest trying JSB pellets they work best in every airgun I've ever shot.

[1SOW]

Roger,  I appreciate your patience with a newbie to springers.  I tried the lighter hold method off me knee while sitting in patio chair..
I had to readjust the iron sights I 've switched to.  The 3x scope gave a great "view". But would be off target the second or third day.  The irons hold zero .  they also make me really careful with the light hold and awful trigger pull weight.

I did get #7 this morning and saw another but no safe shot.  This is  fun,  but not easy...yet.  Practice practice practice.  Going to look for your pellet suggestion. These HPs do serious damage,  but serious hits will too.

Got #8  today,  but still seeing more.

[Roger Vick]

Roger,  I appreciate your patience with a newbie to springers.  I tried the lighter hold method off me knee while sitting in patio chair..
I had to readjust the iron sights I 've switched to.  The 3x scope gave a great "view". But would be off target the second or third day.  The irons hold zero .  they also make me really careful with the light hold and awful trigger pull weight.

I did get #7 this morning and saw another but no safe shot.  This is  fun,  but not easy...yet.  Practice practice practice.  Going to look for your pellet suggestion. These HPs do serious damage,  but serious hits will too.

Glad to help, springers do much better with heavy pellets. A light pellet will damage the spring in a spring gun. All the hype you see about 1200 FPS and above by the good folks selling airguns is marketing to the uninformed, it simply doesn't work.  Airguns in general are very accurate below 900 fps, that's how the diablo shaped pellet was designed. You go over the speed of sound and accuracy suffers greatly. A heavy round nose pellets works great for squirrels HPs really don't work like real bullets little expansion but if they shoot good use them.

Pellets I would recommend for hunting
JSB Diabolo Exact Heavy .177 Cal, 10.34 Grains, Domed
Beeman Kodiak Extra Heavy .177 Cal, 10.65 Grains, Domed
H&N Baracuda Match .177 Cal, 10.65 Grains, Round Nose
Crosman Premier Ultra Magnum .177 Cal, 10.5 Grains, Round Nose

Pellets

[1SOW]

Late follow-up.

After a few hundred practice rds with the 10.24gr RN pellets,  I've gained consistency with most shots:  13  to 18 yards within an inch.  These pellets DID improve my accuracy (19 Squirrels so far).  I also got the pellet pen, cleaning kit and bought more of the 10.34 pellets.

I tried hard with the artillery hold.  With the sights set for that hold it was accurate and consistent from a rest,  but swinging the rifle to track squirrels made that method impractical for me....too slow.

When I get time,  I do plan to try the scope again.  This time mounted more firmly and using blue LocTite when it's zero'd.
The irons are good for target shooting,  but in limbs of trees/brush some magnification helps get on target faster.

I ended up with a compromise of sorts: a cupped weak hand hold with the thumb and finger tips lightly holding in front of the trigger guard.  I had to adjust the sights just for this hold,  but it works well enough for quicker accurate shots.

The rifle is fine, the shooter is catching up.

Thanks for the help.