Air rifle for shtf

[Backon4]

So with the recent ammo shortage I decided to pick me up an air rifle for small game. I snatched up a gamo silent cat at a good price and have been stocking up on pellets. I decided to go with the .177 for the higher velocity. So far so good. I sighted the scope at 25 yards and can easily hit a nickle at 40. As soon as the weather warms up enough for furry critters to start moving more about I will test it out for lethality.  By the time that gets here I will have plenty of pellets and they are readily available and cheap. If it works like I hope this may turn out to be my new rodent elimination weapon of choice.

[tennessee01tacoma]

Welcome to the club, I bought a silent cat after Christmas and I love it. I have taken a couple squirrels with mine so far it works great for small game. In the next couple of weeks I think I'll throw a camo job on mine.

[Backon4]

I'm really digging this thing so far. I couldn't believe the accuracy.

[tennessee01tacoma]

What pellets are you using?

[Guest RobThatsMe]

Deja vu reading this Thread.

 

Congrats on your air gun purchase!

 

I just bought the Crossman Venum Nito Dusk last week.

It came with a nice variable scope too!  3-9x32 CenterPoint Scope.

 

Still breaking it in, shooting a a paint can at 25 yds. 

I wont get serious about zero'ing in the scope until I get over 100 rounds through it.

My main reason for getting this was for varment control around the house.

Nice to only pay about $6.00 for 500 rounds!  I am shooting the Crossman Premier Hollow Point rounds for now.

I'll experiment with others soon.

[Backon4]

I have just been shooting the flat point daisy pellets from walmart but bought some hollow point and pointed pellets too. 

[Fourtyfive]

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/60160-suppressed-rifle-450-ammo-895-per-250/

[Guest USMC 2013]

What is the FPS on that Gamo?  Is it a pump?

 

Joe

[Backon4]

supposed to 1250 with the right ammo. It's a single pump break action.

[Spots]

I picked up a Gamo varmiter (I Think) the other day. Its a spring setup, 1000 fps with lead, 1200 fps with bpa. Works great for varmit control so far. Not something Id lug around bugging out, but good for bugging in

[Murgatroy]

Ignoring the price, the Crosman Rogue in .357 could possibly be the greatest factory air rifle.

 

If I were to go with a new air rifle, it would be a PCP rifle.

[DaveS]

So with the recent ammo shortage I decided to pick me up an air rifle for small game. I snatched up a gamo silent cat at a good price and have been stocking up on pellets. I decided to go with the .177 for the higher velocity. So far so good. I sighted the scope at 25 yards and can easily hit a nickle at 40. As soon as the weather warms up enough for furry critters to start moving more about I will test it out for lethality.  By the time that gets here I will have plenty of pellets and they are readily available and cheap. If it works like I hope this may turn out to be my new rodent elimination weapon of choice.

Congrats on your airgun purchase! I'm in the market for one myself. Just remember though, no matter how warm the weather gets, the shooting of some critters is governed by law as to season and weapon. "Practicing" for SHTF situations still calls for LAWS to be followed. Small game season ends the 28th of February. You should have a few warm days by then. Report back and let us know how that .177 worked out!

 

Happy Hunting!

 

Dave S

[wvglockguy]

Just ordered the Silent Cat from Anazon, can't wait for it to get here and try it out. A friend just bought the Gamo ?Big Cat? and it's pretty sweet too, only bad thing is its LOUD! Sounds about like a .22 going off.

[Backon4]

yeah It is a little loud. Fun and cheap to shoot though

[tennessee01tacoma]

Shoot lead instead of the supersonic alloy, then all you hear is the spring unload. I'm shooting the gamo bone collector pellets the are for hunting and stay subsonic and penetrate like nobody's business.

[gjohnsoniv]

Ignoring the price, the Crosman Rogue in .357 could possibly be the greatest factory air rifle.

 

If I were to go with a new air rifle, it would be a PCP rifle.

 

 

Ignoring the price, the Crosman Rogue in .357 could possibly be the greatest factory air rifle.

 

If I were to go with a new air rifle, it would be a PCP rifle.

That thing is ridiculous, and so is the price. Yet I really, really, really want one if for nothing more than "yeah, I have a .357 air rifle." 

[Fire/hunting guy]

It looks like Gamo makes a few different kinds. What made you decide on the silent cat?

[Backon4]

I picked up the silent cat from my brother for a steal. He shot is a couple times and decided he wanted something 22.

[wvglockguy]

I found a good deal on one as well. Plus after shooting a friends that was pretty loud I'm hoping the Silent cat will be as promised ... Quieter

[tennessee01tacoma]

I found a good deal on one as well. Plus after shooting a friends that was pretty loud I'm hoping the Silent cat will be as promised ... Quieter

The noise from an air rifle is the projectile breaking the speed of sound, so for quieter shooting stay away from the PBA, or any "alloy" supersonic pellets plus I've found they don't penetrate very good because they are so light and soft. If you go with the actual lead pellets then all you will hear is the spring unload no noise from the muzzle or projectiles.

[Oh Shoot]

The noise from an air rifle is the projectile breaking the speed of sound, so for quieter shooting stay away from the PBA, or any "alloy" supersonic pellets plus I've found they don't penetrate very good because they are so light and soft. If you go with the actual lead pellets then all you will hear is the spring unload no noise from the muzzle or projectiles.

 

Depends on the rifle ... the 1250-1500 fps (rated with PBA) ones will generally still go supersonic with the normal 7.5 gr and lighter lead pellets. The heavy ~10.5 gr lead pellets might make the diff, depending on rifle.

 

- OS

[tennessee01tacoma]

Depends on the rifle ... the 1250-1500 fps (rated with PBA) ones will generally still go supersonic with the normal 7.5 gr and lighter lead pellets. The heavy ~10.5 gr lead pellets might make the diff, depending on rifle.

- OS

Oops, didn't make myself clear, I have a silent cat and I have had only 1 lead pellet go supersonic out of the 150 or so lead pellets that I've shot through mine. Sure the guns that shoot 1250+ fps with supersonic alloys, you probably can't get those below supersonic. But specifically the silent cat you can shoot cheap daisy lead, or the gamo redfire, or the gamo bone collector and keep it subsonic. Edited February 25, 2013 by tennessee01tacoma

[RAJTENN]

At the present you can still buy plenty of ammo for not much money...let us hope that the Feds don't outlaw air, springs or CO2.  By the way, after 6 months the squirrels in my yard are no more!

[Moped]

Went to a local pawn shop here in Knoxville and picked up a Benjamin NP Titan for $65 in .22!  This is one hard hitting rifle!!!  Definitely going to be the Bugging In Meat catcher!!!

[HKBlue]

Check out the RMS Model 34 at Pyramidair.com it uses .177 pellets and it great for rabbit and similar small game hunting. It was featured on American Airgunner.