Need decent air rifle/pistol for squirrel and chipmunk

[spistols]

Have a caged vegetable garden with chicken wire all around. Can't find holes but some how have squirrels and chipmunk getting in.

I live in a strict subdivision within city limits, so popping off a few from a 22 ain't happening.

What is a decent (cheap but effective) air gun to get them from 10-20 feet out?

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

Just about any single-shot break-action .177 or .22 pellet rifle will do the job.
I'd get one that has a factory-mounted sound suppressor. Spring-pistol airguns are pretty loud, and the neighbors might hear it even through closed windows, if they're sitting quietly at home. The air rifles with silencers (not removable, not functional for any real firearm) are quieter and thus better.

Try, for example, the Gamo "Whisper" rifle.

Shoots .177 pellets at around 1000 f.p.s. velocity. Should be good for killing squirrels at any distance you can hit them in their vitals. That's probably going to be around 50 feet. Maybe a bit longer if you experiment with a few different kinds of pellets.

Expect to pay about $120-$175 for the rifle.

P.S. Get one with a scope already mounted. It will make your life easier, trust me.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

Oh, did you say CHEAP, and to shoot the critters from only 10- 20 FEET (not yards?)

Okay, that's a different class of airgun.

I say go for a multi-pump single shot pneumatic. Like the Crosman 760.
They cost about $30 to $40.
http://www.crosman.com/pumpmaster-760-rifle-177

No scope needed. Iron sights are fine for 20 feet.
Use pellets, not BBs. Lead pellets hit harder and are more accurate.
You don't need to pump it the full number of times (10) to get squirrel-killing power. I find that 6 pumps gives you about 80% of the power that all 10 would get you, for about half the work. 3 pumps is good for target practice.

I bought one to give to my 8 year old nephew and kept it for a year, plinking with it in my back yard and having a good time with it before I finally gave it to him (he tossed it in his closet and never used it; the kid's addicted to video games. Real-life shooting doesn't interest him. He does all his shooting on Call of Duty.)

 

[Kahrnut]

^^^Wally World has these air rifles, www.walmart.com

 

[whiskerz]

I don't think a squirrel or a chipmunk is going to be able to handle a rifle like that. maybe a pistol would be a better choice.

 

[Kahrnut]

 

[HERMET]

 

[drewga11]

https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/fs-remington-express-air-rifle.1465853/

 

[libertysteeth]

I like the powerline 880. Easier to pump. Not as nice as they used to be though. I got one when I was 10. It was cast metal now they are plastic. At 20 yards I could shoot the heads off of thumb tacks. The new plastic ones are more like a 1 inch circle and you have to handle them lightly. Bump the barrel too hard and you'll have to zeroe it. I've been playing with a .22 springer. I'm not happy with them at all. The triggers are terrible and it seems like the spring slamming forward disrupts your hold before the pellet leaves the barrel.

 

[shotgunman]

Not to steer you off shooting the little critters but I had the same issues in my garden. I trapped 9 chipmunks before I stopped the problem. I baited the trap with apple peelings.....they love them.

I had to buy small trap but I think it was less that 50.00 bucks but it's not much hassle and a lot less time consuming than waiting for them to get in the clear to blast them. :-)

Here's one from Lowes.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Havahart-2...MIzb2FxPqh1QIVhjqBCh2r7QS2EAQYBCABEgL8R_D_BwE