Air Rifles for SHTF

[Jake3501]

Living in the city in a heavily treed area, a good pellet gun may be just the ticket for a little fresh meat ever now and then in SHTF circumstances. I know I could take 6 or 7 dove every evening and average taking 55 squirrels a year in my back yard. Some of you might have to settle for blackbird or crow pie, but don't chunk too many rocks at this notion. I have a good pump up 22 cal. pellet rifle to keep the pecan thiefs thinned out, and a 177 cal to keep the Grackles from messing all over the place. I also keep a good stock of pellets, they are cheap (except for the Predator .22s with the ballistic tips) as in the right situation, I might develop a taste for dove, or squab or skinny state protected Mocking Birds. Just a thought you might keep in mind. Or stay on your steady diet of spam, to each his own.
Now folks, don't go misreading this post as me advocating an air rifle for defensive purposes, it's just to fairly quietly get some meat on the table when you otherwise have none.

[aquaman]

But you'll shoot your eye out! :P

[aquaman]

In all seriousness, I could do well with squirrel meat in my yard.

[Flyer]

Did you know in TX it is not legal to hunt with an air rifle.

I must admit, I've taken more than my fair share of squirrel from a backyard tree though. I used to shoot them and throw them on the grill behind the steaks for my dogs. He really appreciated that! Persoanlly, I don't care for squirrel.

[jlentz]

I have been wanting to ask about air rifles for sometime now. First, are they relatively quiet? Is a pump up as good as a break barrel? Which is the best, and most accurate the .22 or .177? What are the reasonably priced models?

Thanks

[Jake3501]

The .22 has the most knock down power, you can get them to 36 grains, and are better in the wind. I have mostly been favorable to the pump up with Benjamin or Sheridan, and use 5 pumps in my back yard with .22 cal predator pellets and mine will group under a dime at 50 feet and the .22 works good on squirrels, better than my break open 177. Both are pretty accurate, and you can spend as much as you want, with a good bottom end air-rifle around $130 or so. The .22 cal pellet is about double the weight of the 177 and around 700 fps, where as the 177's are 1000 fps and up. If someone is listening for the shot next door they will hear it. It is about the same as the colibri .22 rounds with primer only and no powder. I have shot squirrels over 15 years in my back yard with no neighbor complaints or men in blue knocking on my front door.

[chicharrones]

I love and use airguns for around the house practice.

jlentz, to have a quiet airgun, it's pretty much gotta be non-CO2 and low velocity. A break open .177 rifle with about 500 fps, will be pretty quiet for target practice in the backyard, but may be borderline in power for takin' a critter, unless your pretty close. I'm referring to a small yard like in an urban environment, perhaps 50' x 100' max.

I think pump guns like Jake has are best all around air guns because you can change the velocity with the quantity of pumps. I got an old Crosman that can do that and I have a break open Gamo that I like for the one motion cock and load. I also got a low velocity Predom Lucznik .177 break open pistol that is really quiet at only about 350 fps. The only downside to it is the max range is about 10 yards. Even at that 10 yards it probably won't break the skin on a critter.

You can do some research at http://www.pyramydair.com/ There's another specific sight I can't find right now, if I can find it I'll post it up.

Academy has a decent selection of airguns for the regular guy. Some kid quality, some adult quality. You might part with $80 to well over $100 depending on what you're lookin' for. Serious airgunners spend as much as we would on a firearm.

I ain't that serious. :P

http://www.academy.com/index.php?pag..._guns/air_guns

[chicharrones]

Did you know in TX it is not legal to hunt with an air rifle.

But this is SHTF! The squirrels are ZOMBIES!!

[texastaurusguy]

I had an old Crosman once and I'll tell you, 3 pumps would probably kill a cat with a well placed shot. It was something else. Easily enough for rat or varmint duty.

[45 Forever]

My neighbor in a heavy condensed older neighborhood shot tons of squirrels and no one said a word. Not to mention the crows and blue jays. They do their job on small critters and really don't have the crack of a real gun.

I'd say +1 for a survival gun. It couldn't hurt IMO