Help! I need an air rifle

[Smokin Joe]

I'm certainly no lover of rats, but will an air rifle kill them or just injure them. From what little I know about them an injured rat can also be dangerous as it may not be able to run away, so will possibly turn on you if you happen to get close without seeing it on the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can confirm that an air rifle will definately kill a rat.

We have a problem with them getting over from the field at the back of us and raiding the bird table. I must have killed dozens of them.

 

[ComedyPilot]

User, you need one of these bad boys....and a camo bandana!

http://www.webley.co.uk/webley/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=207

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=272953

Rambo is alive and well, and living in Birmingham!

 

[wafflycat]

You require cats. The local cats in the vicinity of Chez Wafflycat keep the rodents under control. So much so, those who have lived in the area longer than I have said that since the felines have been about, sightings of rats have completely gone. Now of course, that dosen't mean there are no rats, but it does mean the numbers are low

 

[Milo]

Can anyone pour any light on that famous pub quote you are only ever 10 meters away from a rat?

 

[Joe24]

Mu cousin has one. He was lent a bigger one to shoot the local squirels with
I dunno what happened to the one he was lent, it was a more powerfu one, not enough to kill the squirels but would take them out the trees.
I spent a lovely few hours shooting war hammer off ledges with it
Dont think they have a problem with squirels now either

 

[Mr Pig]

Yes, an air rifle will kill rats. An air pistol won't and I'm sorry but I don't believe you can kill a mouse with a BB gun that shoots plastic balls, unless you shot them in the head at point blank range. From more than a couple of feet, no chance, you'll just piss it off.

Don't bother with anything fancy, just get a gun that's powerful and good sights. Remember that you'll be popping the little sods at night so you need night sights or a red dot sight.

 

[Lardyboy]

Don't bother with anything fancy, just get a gun that's powerful and good sights. Remember that you'll be popping the little sods at night so you need night sights or a red dot sight.

Or do what I did and mount a mini Maglite on top of the sights, focused at the right distance. Soon as the blighters are in the beam. Phut, thud, dead rat.!

 

[peanut]

You need a terrier not an air rifle.

our terrier Muttley is useless. down the stables its our Dobermann that kills all the rats. Rushes in quick shake to snap the neck and scratch one ratty

If it wasn't for the continual farting I could actually like the wifes dog.Do you want to borrow the dobby ?

I'm a cat person lions, tigers, cougars ....

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Boring serious answer coming up.

You can buy an air rifle with power output of up to 12 ft lbs. without a licence. Do not take any notice of rubbish about "hunting pellets" as pellet placement is all. To kill a rat, you need to hit it in the head, spine or chest. The first two are much the best. Rats are extremely difficult to hit unless you are are good shot.

Don't even think about shooting a living target until you can reliably put every shot into a 2 cm circle at your hunting range. Domed pellets are much more accurate than "hunting" pellets. The maximum killing range for a 12 ft lb air rifle is about 35 metres. You need to make sure that the pellet does not leave your premises and you need a backstop behind the rat to absorb the pellet if you miss. Air gun pellets bounce off wood.

The ideal method is to shot down from an upstairs window and use soft ground as the backstop. Remember that pellets richochet off stones. Beware that if someone sees you and phones the police it will be treated as "gunman shooting in urban area" and you'll have an armed squad round and be treated as a terrorist.

The best way to be discreet is to use a precharged pneumatic rifle with a moderator and to shoot from well back in an upstairs room though a gap in the curtains. This way you will be silent and not seen.

 

[Milo]

The words of true killer.

 

[Zoiders]

I say you take off and nuke the entire site from orbit

Its the only way to be sure

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

The words of true killer.

Bet that than a wounder.

 

[Smokin Joe]

By "Moderator" I take it you mean silencer. How effective are they at deadening the sound, and do they have any adverse effect on power?

 

[Milo]

I would not know with an air gun.
But I believe a silencer works by decreasing the speed of the bullet to less than the speed of sound.
That is in a normal gun though.

 

[Mr Pig]

I believe a silencer works by decreasing the speed of the bullet to less than the speed of sound.

No, how they work is by providing chambers for the air from behind the bullet to escape into so that by the time the bullet leaves the end of the silencer the air pressure, which is what makes the bang, has mostly been dissipated.

It's best to remember that the penalties for braking the air gun laws are pretty stuff. Technically, you need a permit for shooting vermin, even in your own garden. I'd risk it myself but it's better to be sure about the risks. The only people who like air rifles are the people 'with' air rifles and many air gun infringements attract jail time!

I had an air rifle up until a few months ago, I shot a few mice in the back garden with it, but I gave it away. I'd quite like a good air pistol as hitting targets with them is more challenging, which is what I find fun. Killing stuff isn't very nice, even stuff you don't like much.