Pellet gun just arrived from AMZN with the top of the box ripped off. How best to handle that?

[ilikegunspdx]

IMHO, there is a very big difference between "it's possible" and "reliable and humane" kills. With most in that class you'll injure or maim a whole lot more than you'll kill... cleanly. It's an absolute no go in my book... no matter what the internet warrior guru's claim.

Agree with this. Red Ryder is out completely out in my book. It would require nearly perfect placement in the brain (or spinal cord at neck) at very close range and even then would be iffy Imo.

If your gun has the power to go through both lungs it will drop dead. If you get it in the brain/spinal cord at neck/head (or under the chin shooting upward into the soft pallete) it will drop dead.

14 squirrels in the last 2.5-3 weeks here using my 14ish fpe .22 pellet gun. Only one of those required two shots and that's because only part of his head and neck were showing so I aimed low so it would either hit tree or it's neck/head and not miss high. It hit the tree. Scared him to make an easy second shot as he ran up the tree.

Here is a chart of where to aim just in case you are unfamiliar. It's side view so you have to imagine the trajectories shooting from below to reach brain or vitals. Don't shoot them from the front if they are eating a nut. The nut will steal all your power and go flying and squirrel will run away! For head shots I prefer side shot instead of head on for any animal. Skull is thick on forehead and sloped. The area on side behind eye and around ear hole is thin.

Ignore the red highlighter mark it's a smudge,

 

[eustace_stelio]

Agree with this. Red Ryder is out completely out in my book. It would require nearly perfect placement in the brain (or spinal cord at neck) at very close range and even then would be iffy Imo.

If your gun has the power to go through both lungs it will drop dead. If you get it in the brain/spinal cord at neck/head (or under the chin shooting upward into the soft pallete) it will drop dead.

14 squirrels in the last 2.5-3 weeks here using my 14ish fpe .22 pellet gun. Only one of those required two shots and that's because only part of his head and neck were showing so I aimed low so it would either hit tree or it's neck/head and not miss high. It hit the tree. Scared him to make an easy second shot as he ran up the tree.

Here is a chart of where to aim just in case you are unfamiliar. It's side view so you have to imagine the trajectories shooting from below to reach brain or vitals. Don't shoot them from the front if they are eating a nut. The nut will steal all your power and go flying and squirrel will run away! For head shots I prefer side shot instead of head on for any animal. Skull is thick on forehead and sloped. The area on side behind eye and around ear hole is thin.

Ignore the red highlighter mark it's a smudge,
View attachment 1437835

Why you shooting so many squirrels? Not judging just curious.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Why you shooting so many squirrels? Not judging just curious.

They eat my bamboo shoots if I don't get rid of them this time of year. As in 100% of the shoots. All of the squirrels here are invasive. I would not shoot a native squirrel personally unless I really had to but they have been pretty much totally displaced by the introduced invasive squirrels so the chance of seeing a native one in my area is pretty much zero.

 

[Alexx1401]

Interesting. I looked at Gamo's. Popular, which says a lot. But in reviews, I saw mixed comments about how quiet they actually are.

If the next neighbor is so close the sound of one of these is going to be a problem you are too close to them to be using one.

 

[AirgunAce]

If the next neighbor is so close the sound of one of these is going to be a problem you are too close to them to be using one.

I break out my wireless music speaker and use that to help cover up the pop pop pop. Just don't have it too loud to be a problem in itself.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Some airguns like marauder pistol with tko brake are so quiet people won't hear you even 15 feet away. I've shot with strangers 10-15 feet away on other side of a fence and they don't even look or know. That gun has both a shrouded barrel and TKO suppressor and according to TKO it's the quietest they have tested.

I don't have a video of it but it's quieter than this one below which gives some reference. That video is of a 22lr subsonic bolt action suppressed shot indoors.

Btw, shooting indoors through an open window reduces the sound a lot. So that is another thing that can help.

FullSizeRender.MOV

• ilikegunspdx
• Oct 19, 2022

 

[Certaindeaf]

Thanks. The Umarex CO2 gun just arrived. Clearly overkill for shooting backyard squirrels as quietly as possible. Internet posts suggest that even the Red Ryder lever-action that I owned as a kid would work. The Umarex clocks at 700 fps. Probably need a lot less. We're talking 10 yard shots.

A red ryder is only powerful enough for grasshoppers and the like.

 

[Alexx1401]

I break out my wireless music speaker and use that to help cover up the pop pop pop. Just don't have it too loud to be a problem in itself.

None of the low end models are going to sound anything like gunfire. The only way you are going to have "trouble" is if missed shots are hitting the neighbors. The one or two shots 99% would not have a clue what it was if they were outside and happened to hear it. Now if you are seen standing out in your yard with a rifle? The sound will not be the problem. Many will freak and start calling 911 saying you are outside with a gun. Which will lead to some LEO having to come knock at your door. Some guy doing this was how I found out the air guns were not legal here when I lived in the city. Kids and I had for years been shooting in our backyard. We had a wood fence and no one could see us. The guy who I read about was out in his yard for all to see shooting at Starlings that were in his fruit tree and neighbors of course freaked.
If you are far enough away from the next home to not hit the next home? Is there a window you can shoot from so all can not see you? You will be fine. If some neighbor "suspects" they heard and air gun and calls? Just say you have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[Capn Jack]

A buck was in the yard eating our flowers yesterday and I shot it three times in rapid succession with my C02 Airsoft pistol.

It looked at me as if to say, "What was that noise?"

 

[Alexx1401]

A buck was in the yard eating our flowers yesterday and I shot it three times in rapid succession with my C02 Airsoft pistol.

It looked at me as if to say, "What was that noise?"

I have a couple of those full auto airsoft guns around here somewhere. Place we used to live I used them to run off unwanted. I could fire them into my bare hand so they were harmless. Yet stray dogs and cats would run like they were on fire when shot with them. Have to guess they just freaked out over being hit with stuff they could not see. Worked great. Even used it to run a huge Heron off that would stop to look at Wife's Koi as a meal. Did not want to harm the beautiful bird. Did not want it munching on the fish though and those things worked great.

 

[Capn Jack]

I have a couple of those full auto airsoft guns around here somewhere. Place we used to live I used them to run off unwanted. I could fire them into my bare hand so they were harmless. Yet stray dogs and cats would run like they were on fire when shot with them. Have to guess they just freaked out over being hit with stuff they could not see. Worked great. Even used it to run a huge Heron off that would stop to look at Wife's Koi as a meal. Did not want to harm the beautiful bird. Did not want it munching on the fish though and those things worked great.

I did find that mine was death on large spiders, but it will leave a dent in the hardwood flooring.

 

[RagnarSignal]

I've read horror stories about AMZN selling damaged returned goods as new. This ripped-open box sure makes me wonder. I'm tempted to return it and buy the gun from a legitimate outlet like AirGun Depot. Any thoughts or similar AMZN experiences?

Amazon is poised to destroy America. Amazon made BILLION$ when you were prohibited from leaving your home. Amazon was given a green light (labeled "essential") to destroy your local businesses. Amazon is not 2A friendly. Amazon also makes BILLION$ on the customer data* the company collects & resells. I haven't made a single purchase from Amazon in at least ten years. And, I've been able to beat Amazon prices by going direct to the company selling the product I want. I recommend all of you do your level best to avoid Amazon.

I believe there is one valid use for Amazon... I use Amazon to look up a product, find out how to buy it outside Amazon, and typically buy straight from the source of the product, at a better price than Amazon offers.

*To expand on that... Your local public library is prohibited by law from selling or exchanging your borrowing data in any way, other than with you - the borrower, unless directed to do so under a subpoena. This is to protect the privacy of the borrower. But Amazon owns Audible, which is essentially an huge electronic library. (Amazon also owns Thrift Books, Abe Books, Half Price Books, etc, so you can't even order a book 'outside' Amazon and be free of Amazon data collection!) So when you purchase or 'rent' books from Audible, Amazon knows your interest patterns, credit card info, and all your shipping addresses.

 

[Spitpatch]

I break out my wireless music speaker and use that to help cover up the pop pop pop. Just don't have it too loud to be a problem in itself.

Is "Auditory Camouflage" a thing?

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Is "Auditory Camouflage" a thing?

Board, hammer, and nails = auditory camo. Nails not needed actually.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Amazon is poised to destroy America. Amazon made BILLION$ when you were prohibited from leaving your home. Amazon was given a green light (labeled "essential") to destroy your local businesses. Amazon is not 2A friendly. Amazon also makes BILLION$ on the customer data* the company collects & resells. I haven't made a single purchase from Amazon in at least ten years. And, I've been able to beat Amazon prices by going direct to the company selling the product I want. I recommend all of you do your level best to avoid Amazon.

I believe there is one valid use for Amazon... I use Amazon to look up a product, find out how to buy it outside Amazon, and typically buy straight from the source of the product, at a better price than Amazon offers.

*To expand on that... Your local public library is prohibited by law from selling or exchanging your borrowing data in any way, other than with you - the borrower, unless directed to do so under a subpoena. This is to protect the privacy of the borrower. But Amazon owns Audible, which is essentially an huge electronic library. (Amazon also owns Thrift Books, Abe Books, Half Price Books, etc, so you can't even order a book 'outside' Amazon and be free of Amazon data collection!) So when you purchase or 'rent' books from Audible, Amazon knows your interest patterns, credit card info, and all your shipping addresses.

They're gonna take our buggywhips.. I mean jerbs!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Board, hammer, and nails = auditory camo. Nails not needed actually.

A long time ago my neighbor was bugging me so I took a 12' 2x4 and put one foot on the part that was on the ground and the other about 4' up while bending the rest like a bow and let it smack the outdoor concrete slab. Pretty loud if you know what you're doing.

 

[fishpoem]

IMHO, there is a very big difference between "it's possible" and "reliable and humane" kills. With most in that class you'll injure or maim a whole lot more than you'll kill... cleanly. It's an absolute no go in my book... no matter what the internet warrior guru's claim.

Point taken. No worries. I'm not going back to Red Ryder. It just amuses me that, despite "woke," kids are still firing away like I did back then.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Best camo is a roofing project somewhere in the neighborhood.

 

[fishpoem]

A long time ago my neighbor was bugging me so I took a 12' 2x4 and put one foot on the part that was on the ground and the other about 4' up while bending the rest like a bow and let it smack the outdoor concrete slab. Pretty loud if you know what you're doing.

Clever! And totally hilarious. Reminds me of what an old hunting buddy did. Neighbor had a French poodle that would bark endlessly anytime my friend was working in the yard. Late one night, he climbed over the fence, "neutralized" the mutt with a shovel, and buried it in his own yard. Not a yap heard since, notwithstanding the Lost Dog posters all over the neighborhood.

 

[fishpoem]

Best camo is a roofing project somewhere in the neighborhood.

LOL That's doubly funny because there's one happening in this shingle-roofed neighborhood every other month.