Varmit airguns for City shooting. Need recommendations

[IN_Sheepdog]

My brother in law has a real issue with squirrels and more importantly possums on his property... There are obviously ordinances which do not allow discharge of firearms within the city limits. (Valparaiso)

Questions:

Is an Airgun considered a firearm as it regards a discharge within the city limits? (checking on this now)

What recommendations are there for a varmint control rifle? Is a pistol adequate?

What would be the best caliber .177 or .22 ? Is there a noise difference in sound for the neighbors?

What is PBA vs Lead? (PBA always seems to have a higher speed in fps)

Is a variable power (pump type) airgun preferable to a spring or other type that is always at full power? Is a pump type have the same speed capability? (I could see a use for other pests that you dont necessary want to kill, but rather, just get them off the property... example, one-two pumps to pop a deer in the a$$ when they are eating the wife's flower beds... our deer in the area are almost domesticated and fear nothing...)

Any suggestions or comments of those with airgun experience would be appreciated...

(my brother in law, did not think my comment about taking the possum with a 7.62 round was appropriate.... YES I was Kidding !!!!...)

Thanks in advance to all who comment...

 

[Rookie]

I have a .22caliber Benjamin that has killed many a groundhog. My dad and I used it quite a bit in Columbus Ohio. That's about all the input I've got.

 

[singlestacksig]

check your local laws..
lots of places ban air guns also as firearms..

they also may limit critter control to live traps..

 

[Mosinguy]

Many airguns are very quiet. If Valparaiso has an ordnance against firing one within city limits it isn't likely someone will notice (or care). Just gotta find a place to put the dead animals. My

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I had a colony of feral cats for a while that knocked down the squirrel population, but they've left. I popped a couple of possums I'd trapped in the attic when I did some roof repair; used the M4 for that I have a Gato .22 breakbarrel with a suppressor on it that nobody would notice, but it's not variable. That should demise anything I'm likely to have here.

 

[voodoo304]

Don't overlook the .22 Colibri. It's a .22 LR that has no gunpowder, just fires off the primer. VERY quiet, possibly quieter than an air rifle. I use them all the time inside city limits and no one knows.

 

[Tinner666]

I alos use a 22. I don't have any round here to say what they're called, but I think they're CB caps. Quiet too.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Daisy 880 will kill rats instantly with a torso or head shot, they'd probably do the same to a squirrel. Possums are a bit bigger, head shot would probably do it, though.

It pumps really easy as well. Its a bit more expensive than a lot of air rifles, but if they still make them like they used to, its a once in a lifetime purchase.

 

[femurphy77]

Gamo and daisy both have air rifles with supressors bulit in. While I can't speak for the gamo, my daisy is very quiet.

 

[IN_Sheepdog]

Do the "suppressors" really make that much difference with an air rifle?

it seems that there is a general favoring of the .22 over the .177. yes?

Problem is primarily possums, not squirrels or any other woodland creatures...
Glad its not me... I HATE Possums!!! might have to do that possum gansta execution style with a 5.56!

 

[XDLover]

My buddy loves his Benjamin Sheridan air guns. He has nailed a few wild animals on his property in the city.

 

[Water63]

I would go for a springer. They can be ready to go faster than a pump type. As far as the 22 vs 177 it really doesn't matter both will work fine. What I have noticed using the bpa is on the squirrels that we have shot they just go through where the lead will kinda flatten out. Honestly for the extra expense they are not worth it to me. We just use a good flat point pellet Beeman, RWS or Gamo they work great on squirrels out to about 20 - 30 yrds. We are shooting Gamo rifles that are spitting the 177's out at around 1000 fps. The other thing about the BPA pellets is you will hear the crack as it goes supersonic in town that could be a factor.
Most of the springers out there are good guns find one he likes and go for it.

 

[jmdavis984]

I would recommend a .22 spring rifle (NOT pistol, they won't cut it). .22 caries more energy to the target. DO NOT use the PBA ammunition, it does not generate enough back-pressure and can damage your rifle. It has also NEVER been shown to be accurate in any gun that I know of past about 10 yards. Also, do not use wadcutter ("flat-nose") pellets out past about 20 yards. They are not stable. Use a quality round-nose pellet, like the RWS Super-Dome, or the Crosman Premier Hollowpoint (both available from Walmart online).

I can't speak for Valpo, but in Noblesville there is an ordinance that states "No devices launching dangerous projectiles" or some-such wording. It basically outlaws bb-guns, paintball, airsoft, pellet guns, bow/arrow, crossbow, etc. Check your local laws before making a big mistake.

As far as noise goes, even in a rifle a .22 Colibri will make more noise than a spring rifle. And you definitely want to go with spring if noise is a concern. They make a lot of noise to the shooters ears, but the noise is mostly transmitted through the bones to your ear, and not actual "hearable" sound. The supressors on guns like the Gamo Whisper and Stoeger X20S do make a difference, but not nearly as much as putting a can on a firearm. That said, spring guns will always be quieter than pump or CO2 guns of the same power. The noise is created by air "whooshing" and there is way less air used in a spring gun.

For researching and finding out more about airguns, I always use PyramydAir.com. They are the largest retailer of airguns in the USA. They are not only sellers, but enthusiasts who will tell you what you need to know and help you make a good purchasing decision

 

[CitiusFortius]

they also may limit critter control to live traps..

Of everything that was asked, I noticed this oddly didn't make the list. Can you kill animals yourself?

Check on that before anything else.

 

[jmdavis984]

Of everything that was asked, I noticed this oddly didn't make the list. Can you kill animals yourself?

Check on that before anything else.

That too. I know around here you can't kill rabbits, they have to be trapped humanely and released in a safe area (the little wankers know it too, they are EVERYWHERE). I don't know if that applies to coons and possums as well, but I assume it does.

 

[downzero]

+1 on Colibri rounds. They're so quiet already that my silencer doesn't even make them any quieter.

 

[IN_Sheepdog]

Lots of good info gang. Thx for your help.