Whatcha doin' with those airguns today?

[orygun]

Well, (to address the original question)
:
Today I opened my slider real slow and quiet-like and nailed a Stellar's Jay off my feeder, using my Benjamin 342 that I have owned for 49 years and has killed more critters than all my other guns put together.

Meisterkuglens Rule.

So there.

Besides Starlings, I had no reason to kill any birds until I watched a Scrub Jay take out a little bird at the feeder with one peck. That jay didn't make it off of the feeder and any jay that shows up around here is likely to have the same fate. Stellar Jays are beautiful, but if they think they are safe, they come in abundance.
I guess my break barrel Crosman 795 isn't as inaccurate as I claimed, but most of the time I am using a pump Crosman 1377 pistol for the same job.

Jay tip, wound one and watch him fly off screeching his brains out. No more jays at the feeder for a long time. But, drop one and they still come.

 

[Frank RW]

I'm not going to win any awards with my accuracy, but at least the pellets aren't going through the paper sideways out at 75 yards like last time, and I'm keeping them in the 4" targets.. mostly (most of the outliers were my initial sight-in shots)

Heck @patbob, I'm in Aloha, how come you haven't been by to shoot yet? Only 25Y, so those groups will tighten up easy.

 

[tac]

Robins are a better culinary bet. Ask a Brit.

What have YOU been smoking?

Do you actually know what a British Robin looks like?

Here's a clue to the appearance of this UK-protected species birdie - the North American Robin is a bird about three times its size.



Unlike ALL of the Mediterranean countries, and many of the Northern European countries, where songbirds are netted by the thousand, or just shot out of hand, ALL songbird species in the entire UK and island of Ireland are protected species.

Please amend your book of 'Everything I've ever assumed was true about the inhabitants of the United Kingdom but seem to have gotten wrong' accordingly.

 

[orygun]

That's a pretty little bird.

 

[Idaho44]

Many of the 'predatory' birds have 'colorful' plumage e.g. starlings, jays, oreoles, magpies etc. The prey are often less colorful and their colors are more on the camouflage spectrum. Now tree rats do tend to 'stand out' against most backgrounds. But they do have keen hearing, even when I have 'lubed' the slider to my hide. Note: a 1377 with a low power scope in not tree rat friendly!

Almost forgot, a 23 round airsoft keeps them motivated to exit the back yard. Works for 'cats' wanting to stalk the bird feeder!

 

[orygun]

Never thought about scoping my 1377. That would be cool. Any good recommendations?

 

[tac]

That's a pretty little bird.

They figure powerfully on Christmas cards. they are also VERY cheeky and fond of humans - knowing that they are safe. They will often perch on garden tools, or, if you are lucky, as I have been over the years, on your head or shoulder. They have a sweet little song, too.

 

[Capn Jack]

As a kid in Kaulifornia we used to shoot doves with our Daisy's until we found out there was more meat on a Meadow Lark.
Being the state bird, there were lots of them around.

 

[Capn Jack]

They figure powerfully on Christmas cards. they are also VERY cheeky and fond of humans - knowing that they are safe. They will often perch on garden tools, or, if you are lucky, as I have been over the years, on your head or shoulder. They have a sweet little song, too.

That video surprised me. It looks nothing like an American Robin and is quite small.

 

[Capn Jack]

And today, the new pellet mold arrived, so I decided to try casting a few pellets in hot-melt glue just for fun before I start prepping it for making pellets out of lead.
View attachment 784373
I find it kind of fun that the hot melt glue is clear, so I can see the different skirt depths.

I cast my own bullets for 9mm, .38 spl. and .458 SoCom, but, it's hard for me to imagine casting something that small.

 

[P7M13]

They figure powerfully on Christmas cards. they are also VERY cheeky and fond of humans - knowing that they are safe. They will often perch on garden tools, or, if you are lucky, as I have been over the years, on your head or shoulder. They have a sweet little song, too.

Tac, you've spent a lot of time here and Ontario, so you're very familiar with the robins and their songs. The one you show looks more like a wren or vireo to me, too big to be a red nuthatch.

 

[tac]

Tac, you've spent a lot of time here and Ontario, so you're very familiar with the robins and their songs. The one you show looks more like a wren or vireo to me, too big to be a red nuthatch.

It's not a lot bigger than a wren, as you've noticed, and about the same size as the British Nuthatch/Blue Tit - they really are small birdies! The North American Robin is about the same size a Blackbird here.

 

[Idaho44]

Never thought about scoping my 1377. That would be cool. Any good recommendations?

While you can 'scope' a stock 1377, I choose to replace the barrel and receiver and added a carbine stock. Also upgraded the plastic forearm to wood. The 1377 like any gun can be 'barbied'. Lots of info on the interweb for airguns and then there is the other world of 'airsoft'! A red dot works fine, but I have a 2 and 3/4 redfield with a post optic (old, probably for a shotgun). I did put a Bug Buster on my 1322 and the only caveat to scoping an airgun is using an airgun rated scope (critical for pumpers) and finding a good mounting system. 'Gateway to Airguns' is a good starting point.

 

[MarshalChillN]

Yeah, I found out the hard way that centerfire scopes dont always work on airguns !
The 1377 and 1322 can both be customized beyond belief ! Its possible to even change out/modify the valve to make it shoot harder with less pumps.!
Changing barrels and other mods are pretty easy on this little shooter and they can be made into tack drivers if care is taken.
Pyramid Arms is another good site...

 

[orygun]

They figure powerfully on Christmas cards. they are also VERY cheeky and fond of humans - knowing that they are safe. They will often perch on garden tools, or, if you are lucky, as I have been over the years, on your head or shoulder. They have a sweet little song, too.

Very cool, tac! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Spitpatch]

What have YOU been smoking?

Do you actually know what a British Robin looks like?

Here's a clue to the appearance of this UK-protected species birdie - the North american Robin is a bird about three times its size.

View attachment 784471

Unlike ALL of the Mediterranean countries, and many of the Northern European countries, where songbirds are netted by the thousand, or just shot out of hand, ALL songbird species in the entire UK and island of Ireland are protected species.

Please amend your book of 'Everything I've ever assumed was true about the inhabitants of the United Kingdom but seem to have gotten wrong' accordingly.

An offhand remark dredged from the darkness of my fevered brain regarding some customs of old rather than current. (Four and twenty blackbirds and all that rot.)
You have my apology.

 

[patbob]

Heck @patbob, I'm in Aloha, how come you haven't been by to shoot yet? Only 25Y, so those groups will tighten up easy.

@Frank RW Is that an invite? I've love to. PM me and we'll set something up.

 

[Ringo]

I cast my own bullets for 9mm, .38 spl. and .458 SoCom, but, it's hard for me to imagine casting something that small.

with a handle like Capn Jack, seems like you have a good imagination there Capn

 

[Capn Jack]

I can't imagine me casting those.
I have enough trouble loading the magazine of my .22 cal. GAMO with my fat little fingers.

 

[Frank RW]

@Frank RW Is that an invite? I've love to. PM me and we'll set something up.

Let's touch bases via PM @patbob or if you're on Facebook, here. Others in the 'hood, feel free to inquire!

What I was doing just about an hour ago, 9pm-ish. Might be more fun with company!