Air Rifles for squirrel hunting

[Swamper72]

Got a question for the squirrel hunters…. anyone hunt with air rifles? My son has a Ruger Air Hawk .177 cal that he has not used in years. Thought about getting it out of the closet and hunting some squirrels when the season opens. It needs some TLC (new scope, mounts, and cleaning) but that would be cheaper than buying a new one.

 

[ilbcnu]

Killed 100s of tree rats with my ruger air hawk. Still have the ruger scope that came with it. Once you get it dialed in, it's a tack driver. Moved up to a Benjamin in 22 cal. And couldn't keep it dialed in. Back to the ruger..

 

[Buckhead]

I have a Beeman R9 in .20, a RWS 45 in .177 and a Beeman Kodiak in .25. Over 40+ years, have taken many a squirrel. In my experience, .177 is fine for well placed shots (head/neck), however, expect a lot of crawl offs on body shots. .20 caliber is better, but a .22 or a .25 is the ticket. With a springer, difficult to generate enough velocity/energy. No substitute for heavier pellets. Under 50 yards, my Kodiak rivals a .22 short in terms of effectiveness.

 

[mallardsx2]

My .22 marauder PCP will kill them stone dead out to 50 yards.

 

[NameBarrel]

I have a gamo swarm maxxim both .177 and .22 cal, they both work great. Just keep in mind that anything on public land has to be a .22 cal air rifle or bigger for small game

 

[Qazaq15]

I've never been able to get a break barrel spring gun to shoot worth a dang. If it were me I'd buy a PCP airgun.

 

[bfriendly]

I’ve been checking them out lately. Under $150 can get a fast break barrel with rifled barrels.

 

[C.Killmaster]

I've never been able to get a break barrel spring gun to shoot worth a dang. If it were me I'd buy a PCP airgun.

This has been my experience as well. I can head shoot squirrels consistently with my PCP gun.

 

[Swamper72]

I have a gamo swarm maxxim both .177 and .22 cal, they both work great. Just keep in mind that anything on public land has to be a .22 cal air rifle or bigger for small game

Thanks for reminding me of the .22 cal on public land. That didn’t even cross my mind.

 

[Buckhead]

Although accuracy comparisons between PCPs and springers are generally true, unfair to compare to a $200 Gamo and draw conclusions. Like all airguns, pellet selection makes a difference, as does adjusting to the reverse recoil of a springer. I have seen some impressive groups out of a high end springer

 

[C.Killmaster]

Thanks for reminding me of the .22 cal on public land. That didn’t even cross my mind.

What he said is actually incorrect, there is no minimum caliber for air rifles for small game on either public or private land. There is a .30 caliber minimum for air rifles for deer, bear, and turkeys. A .177 caliber pellet gun is a legal small game weapon everywhere during small game dates.

 

[C.Killmaster]

I have a gamo swarm maxxim both .177 and .22 cal, they both work great. Just keep in mind that anything on public land has to be a .22 cal air rifle or bigger for small game

This isn't correct, see my post above.

 

[NameBarrel]

This isn't correct, see my post above.

You are indeed correct, the .22 cal minimum is for hunting on Ft Stewart only. I had just check the regulations for hunting there and that's where I got mixed up, my mistake

 

[Big7]

Got a question for the squirrel hunters…. anyone hunt with air rifles? My son has a Ruger Air Hawk .177 cal that he has not used in years. Thought about getting it out of the closet and hunting some squirrels when the season opens. It needs some TLC (new scope, mounts, and cleaning) but that would be cheaper than buying a new one.

I got a Ruger borrowed but haven't shot it yet.
Supposed to be a good one for 99$, IDK yet.

Just so you know if you don't already, NEVER oil any spring pellet around the piston. It will ruin it And.. NEVER dry fire it.
That will also ruin it.
Get a pellet gun scope. It will ruin a "regular" scope.
That's all I got. ?

 

[C.Killmaster]

You are indeed correct, the .22 cal minimum is for hunting on Ft Stewart only. I had just check the regulations for hunting there and that's where I got mixed up, my mistake

That's interesting, I wonder if maybe they have it written wrong somewhere. I looked on their website and it seems like the only difference from state law is that muzzleloaders aren't legal small game weapons on Ft. Stewart. Here's a copy any paste from their website:

Small Game Weapons-Any .22-cal or smaller rim-fire rifle or handgun, or air rifle, or any shotgun having a shot-shell size 3.5 inches or smaller in length with # 2 or smaller shot, or any black-powder shotgun loaded with #2 shot or smaller. Archery-long bows, compound bows and crossbows (with scopes), also allowed. Contrary to state law, “black-powder rifles are not considered small game weapons on FS/HAAF."

Not trying to split hairs here at all, but I just want to know if there is some misinformation published somewhere that we can get fixed. The mention of air rifles above is the same as state law and there is no caliber restriction. The mention of .22-cal only applies to firearms, not air rifles.

 

[bfriendly]

I've never been able to get a break barrel spring gun to shoot worth a dang. If it were me I'd buy a PCP airgun.

Were the barrels rifled? I’m not gonna spend a bunch of money on one, but it would seem like a rifled barrel would shoot pellets a lot more accurately than one not. Price difference isn’t crazy either. I’ve always wanted a break barrel type, but y’all skeering me on the accuracy thing.

 

[Qazaq15]

Were the barrels rifled? I’m not gonna spend a bunch of money on one, but it would seem like a rifled barrel would shoot pellets a lot more accurately than one not. Price difference isn’t crazy either. I’ve always wanted a break barrel type, but y’all skeering me on the accuracy thing.

They’re rifled, it’s the way the spring jumps forward on the inside of the gun after the trigger is pulled. The gun jumps a little and throws the aim off. There is supposedly a different technique for holding them and shooting them but I was never able to figure it out. You can go on YouTube and see videos of people demonstrating.

 

[JR924]

Things to consider related to accuracy .

1. For springers and especially break barrels, you need to shoot using the artillery hold and be very consistent of where your hands, cheek ect are. The backward and forward unique recoil of a springer is the reason. I tested this on several of my break barrel springer guns and the artillery hold was way more accurate than the convential gun hold. Outshot my sharp shooter brother using his springer using the artillery hold vs the normal gun hold he was using. Some guns are harder to shoot consistently. The RWS 350 is harder to shoot consistently than my HW 35 or FWB 124 but it is more powerful. PCPs do not require the artillery hold so are easier to shoot accuratly. However in short range, a quality springer held right can shoot just as good as a PCP.

2. Due to the unique recoil, screws on springers, mounts and rings loosen. Must check often and use locktight.

3. On the cheap Chinese guns which is most of your below $200 Crossman, Ruger Winchester, ect range, come with cheap scopes. Often they are the problem and upgrading to a springer rated scope from Leapers, Hawke ect. solves the problem.

4. I avoid the cheap springers. Just not made to the tolerance of the European guns. Not as smooth to shoot and not as accurate although equal or more in power. However the cheap springers have the power and sufficient accuracy (if no cheap scope issues and held right) to be good hunters. Good enough for a kid if they are able to cock it safely. If you can get somebody to tune a cheap springer, it will help with accuracy and smoothness of shot cycle.

5. No problem shooting a squirrel in the head at 30 yards with my low power (750 fps 177) German springers due their excellent accuracy.

 

[Silver Britches]

I used to could easily get my daily limit of skerls with an air rifle back in the day. Had a Crosman .177, and .22 caliber rifle. Didn’t need a scope. I preferred iron sites. I used to have a lot of fun hunting them jokers, and there were plenty of them down in that river swamp. Haven’t shot a squirrel in a long time. Just got away from it.

 

[bfriendly]

Things to consider related to accuracy .

1. For springers and especially break barrels, you need to shoot using the artillery hold and be very consistent of where your hands, cheek ect are. The backward and forward unique recoil of a springer is the reason. I tested this on several of my break barrel springer guns and the artillery hold was way more accurate than the convential gun hold. Outshot my sharp shooter brother using his springer using the artillery hold vs the normal gun hold he was using. Some guns are harder to shoot consistently. The RWS 350 is harder to shoot consistently than my HW 35 or FWB 124 but it is more powerful. PCPs do not require the artillery hold so are easier to shoot accuratly. However in short range, a quality springer held right can shoot just as good as a PCP.

2. Due to the unique recoil, screws on springers, mounts and rings loosen. Must check often and use locktight.

3. On the cheap Chinese guns which is most of your below $200 Crossman, Ruger Winchester, ect range, come with cheap scopes. Often they are the problem and upgrading to a springer rated scope from Leapers, Hawke ect. solves the problem.

4. I avoid the cheap springers. Just not made to the tolerance of the European guns. Not as smooth to shoot and not as accurate although equal or more in power. However the cheap springers have the power and sufficient accuracy (if no cheap scope issues and held right) to be good hunters. Good enough for a kid if they are able to cock it safely. If you can get somebody to tune a cheap springer, it will help with accuracy and smoothness of shot cycle.

5. No problem shooting a squirrel in the head at 30 yards with my low power (750 fps 177) German springers due their excellent accuracy.

Thanks JR! That’s some good info…..now I’m gonna go see what that artillery hold you’re talking about.