Pellet gun recommendations?

[trinityoaks]

I suppose I need to start looking for a pellet pistol for dispatching rabbits. My original intention was to use a .22ga, but I'm not sure we'll have that freedom once we move. Any recommendations? What should I be looking for?

 

[Gone]

I think something along these lines would be suitable.

http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Crosman_35 ... o3576w.htm

Things I would look for:

Pistol rather than rifle form factor, for ease of use close up.
CO2 powered, for more consistent results, and the ability to get a second or third shot off immediately.
.177 calibre, being the smallest available. Smaller calibres have better penetrative power, so I think this would be best.

I've owned two of these air pistols in the past. They had a slightly different appearance, being older models, but I can say it's a sturdy little gun. I'm not an expert on dispatching livestock though, so if anyone else has better ideas, please add them.

 

[MaggieJ]

I agree with MidnightCoder, but would like to add that you need to look at the muzzle velocity (fps or feet per second) of the pellet gun as well. I suggest at least 495 fps and more is better, IMO.

 

[Jack]

Actually with most pellet pistols you should be able to get 600fps easily on a .177
a pellet gun is a pellet gun most places in the US, hell a .22 (not gage, that is a shot gun and MUCH larger)
colbri or short would work out of a gun weather a rugar MK target, or a lil pocket derringer.


You can buy a .22 pellet gun, little more difficult to find ammo, and when you do find the ammo, you want wadcutter or flat point pellts, you don't need accuracy (or even match) just cheap wadcutter or hollow point pellets that will do the job up close.

 

[longtail]

I would go with a rifle, way more power, mines 1400, a gamo. I use a 3x 9 on it. its a heavy bbl and dead accurate to 35 yards. Faster than any .22 Ive owned, and thats many, and as accurate as my Sako finnfire or Anschutz. They run in the neighborhood of $350-$400 and worth it. Pisols just dont cut it for more serious work.

 

[Jack]

to pop a rabbit (unless you are hunting rabbit, and that is different than butchering)
you don't need much, any pellet or BB gun should be able to do, past a red rider, a 760 pump master or CO2 pistol should be fine.

Now that said, if you like to shoot, teach your kid to shoot or you or your spouse would like some back yard practice, cheap, a decent pellet gun cost 100-200 bucks
You can get a Beeman convertible (.177 and .22 pellet) at walmart for about 120, and that is a good buy, with higher power guns you will need a back stop to stop the pellet, a soft pine board or telephone books are good, avoid hard wood or ply as they are more likely to bounce the pellet if it's going slow.

 

[MaggieJ]

Longtail, since most of us who use pellet guns to dispatch our rabbits fire at point blank range into the rabbit's head, a rifle is way more power than is necessary to get the job done. Pellet guns can be used within city limits (a consideration for many) and are very quiet and discreet. I've even used mine indoors in the winter.

 

[Gone]

Agreed. Rifles aren't suited to this. An air pistol held to the back of the head is more than sufficient, it's instant and reliable and humane as long as the gun used has sufficient strength - and any CO2 powered air pistol does.

Trying to use a rifle up close is begging for human injuries, especially if someone is holding the rabbit. Using one at distance is a lot less precise, and therefore a lot more likely to be a less than instant kill.

 

[Truckinguy]

I have a Crosman 2200 magnum .22 calibre rifle which works pretty well. If I bought a gun specifically for dispatching rabbits I would buy a pistol but this gun was left at a house I bought years ago and it works well for me. One advantage is that it is a pump action and doesn't cost me co2 cartriges. However it would be nice to have a repeater as MC suggests to get a second or third shot off in case the first one isn't effective (pretty rare but has happened). I use hollow point pellets as I think they are more effective.

 

[trinityoaks]

Thanks, all! I should mention that I already have a .22 rifle, and obtaining the firearms isn't a problem (this is Texas, after all). I'm concerned about the distance on a rifle from trigger to the end of the barrel being too long to be as accurate as I want at point-blank range (i.e. control). I'm thinking pellet gun instead of .22 so that I can use it inside city limits.

Other methods of dispatching rabbits seem to me to be too "iffy", especially if one doesn't have the upper body strength to get it right the first time.

@longtail: I suspect you misunderstood. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I'm wanting something for dispatching homegrown rabbits at point-blank range, not for wild rabbits around the property.

 

[longtail]

reading the op as killing a tame rabbit for slaughter, I would also say a pistol or revolver is more suited. I read the op as dispatching wild vermin.

 

[Tara B]

I think something along these lines would be suitable.

http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Crosman_35 ... o3576w.htm

Things I would look for:

Pistol rather than rifle form factor, for ease of use close up.
CO2 powered, for more consistent results, and the ability to get a second or third shot off immediately.
.177 calibre, being the smallest available. Smaller calibres have better penetrative power, so I think this would be best.

I've owned two of these air pistols in the past. They had a slightly different appearance, being older models, but I can say it's a sturdy little gun. I'm not an expert on dispatching livestock though, so if anyone else has better ideas, please add them.

I am currently looking at air pistols for dispatching. I have checked out the one above and a few other from a Canadian site. Most of them have an FPS between 380-435. However it was suggested to go 495 or more. Will something that is over 400 still work?

On this site, this was the only $30-80 one i found that has 495FPS:
[url=http://www.sportsmansguide.co...w.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/c ... x?a=565281[/url]

I would like to spend $60...if thats possible, and get something that will kill my rabbits instantly. If anyone knows of a good Canadian site to order from or a gun store in Grey-Bruce or Wellington County in Ontario that would be great!

 

[BoxerMom]

Thanks for posting, trinityoaks! I literally just logged on to make an identical post, now I don't have to!

 

[ladyhen]

Does anyone here use the "broomstick" method?

 

[iamdrglass]

I live in city limits my self. I have used .22 cb longs out of a Ruger Single Six revolver several times. With the muzel placed firmly on the back of the head it has less report than my high powered pellet rifel. Shooting them out of a .22 rifle it is alot quiter than my Beman pellet rifle. With all of that being said I have went to dislocation because the CB Longs are now 8.00 a hundred and pellets are not much cheaper.

Dan

 

[Miss M]

Does anyone here use the "broomstick" method?

Yes, quite a few do, if I'm not mistaken. You'll find a lot of them by doing a forum search for "broomstick" or "broomsticking".

We use a pellet rifle to the back of the head as the rabbit is munching on some greens in a plastic milk crate. It makes a low-key "thump" sound, which is good because we are in the city.

I think it's a .177 (it's a BB gun that shoots pellets as well). We got it for $80 at Wal-Mart. I think this is it: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Remington-Air ... le/5913355

Works very well with pellets for rabbits. The only downside is that it takes time to reload a pellet if you don't get off a clean shot. Thankfully, that's been rare -- only to a couple of those bunnies who made a last-moment move.

 

[BoxerMom]

I'm on the hunt for a pellet pistol for dispatching rabbits. I can't find anything 495+ fps other than the one Tara B posted. I want to know what exactly you are using, for those who use the pellet gun method. I definitely want a pistol, and it needs to be quiet since I live within city limits, and it needs to be powerful enough to kill instantly. I am finding all kinds of pellet guns with my requirements that are 430fps and under, but nothing more powerful.

So what do you have in your arsenal?

 

[Jack]

Um, a crossman 760 at any store (even wally world) will more than pass that number, just about any pellet gun will work, but some better than others.

 

[hoodat]

I definitely don't recommend a firearm. Even a 22 short will go through a rabbits head and come out the other side. Way too much chance for accidents. A pellet will rarely, if ever, go through.It doesn't take that much power to kill a rabbit. As a prey animal Nature seems to have designed them for easy killing.

 

[joey goad]

im going to use thes .22s that fires just on a primer the fps is 500-600. the name of them is aguila super colibri.
thes things have less sound than my bb gun.