First gun for my boy, and rabbit pest management

**CarolinaGuy** · June 22nd, 2008, 02:55 PM

I'm looking to get my boy started with the sport, and had originally wanted a .22. However, I have almost an acre and I'm a plant fanatic, and D'ese wascally wabbits are dwiving me nutz 'wound here.

Without blathering on about what they are doing to my food plot and expensive trees I planted, let's just say I'm pissed.

So I was thinking about getting a rifle that's less than a .22, but strong enough to kill a rabbit at 10 yards or so. IMO, even though my nabes are kinda far away, a .22 is still much for the situation....even though I'd be firing almost straight down from my deck.

A buddy of mine has a small tree farm business, and he can kill deer year round on his property since they wipe out his crop. I'm hoping something like this applies to the homeowner re: rabbits and personal foodplots.

Thoughts? Rec's on a good, powerful enough less-than-.22?

**Dredly** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:02 PM

**DISCLAIMER** I in no way condone or encourage the killing of animals outside the legal seasons and also do not condone using weapons which are not approved for hunting in the state of PA for usage... (pretty good disclaimer huh?)

That being said I would STRONGLY suggest an air rifle (spring loaded). I have a .177 cal and in theory if i shot it at a rabbit I am willing to bet that it would pass cleanly through at 40 yards resulting in death if hit in a vital area, at 60+ yards the rabbits will most likely survive but they will know better. I assume head shots would kill instantly. I would also assume (see a pattern here) that it would kill a tree rat instantly with a vital shot and I also assume it would kill a groundhog with a head shot.

I personally have a Gamo and have no issues shooting it accurately at 30 - 40+ yards. I got mine from Cabelas for around 200 - 250 I think and its got about 500 rounds through it. Shoots good and is great fun.

In addition a pellet is much safer to use in a non-gun friendly area. A .22 round can easily travel 100+ yards and still be lethal, this is definitely not the case with a pellet which won't even go through a piece of 1/4 plywood at 60 yards (it will at 40!)

There are also .22 cal pellets however they are a bit slower and normally more expensive.

In addition there is 0 recoil, very little noise most of the time (occasional loud shot), easy to use, easy to load, affordable and fun to shoot... all in one package. Great for training / practing as well as well as plinking in the back yard.

plus you get pellets for less then .01 a piece

**CarolinaGuy** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:18 PM

A gamo, huh?

Do you know what model number? That sounds perfect.

My nabes are easily 100+ yards away, and since the garden is right upon the house, I would be shooting towards the woods on either side. Any projectile would have to make a 90 degree turn to start the 100+ yard journey to my nabes, and would have to pass through a stand of red maples.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate the answer to my hypothetical question for a friend that lives in another state...FAR far away from PA. Heh.

**JoeWilliams** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:22 PM

As mentioned, an airgun sounds like just the ticket.

If you do want a .22, it may be worth checking into CB Shorts. I honestly don't know if they'd have the ooomph do do the job or not, but they are surely quiet.

**CarolinaGuy** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:26 PM

Actually, I probably will get him a .22 anyway...I'm just worried about shooting it that close to our house and the one in a million type situations for the nabes.

But definitely for getting acquainted with the sport and all...

Besides, sometimes "two guns" is the right answer...heh...

**P-11 shooter** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:38 PM

W have neighbors pretty close, and even though we're in the country and shooting is legal we still like to try to be quiet for respect.

Anyway i'd recomend a .22 with shorts. It's REALLY quiet and will do the job. Yeah, some of those air rifles are pretty slick, but I'd still stickwith a 22.

You can use agilla cobri, and super cobri ammo with no powder which is as quiet as a pelet gun. You can use shorts which is still quiet, then you can use long rifles and shoot 50 yards, or plink. They also make shotshells for snakes and stuff.

I think every house should have a .22 and with proper ammo you can be deadly AND quiet.

**Dredly** · June 22nd, 2008, 04:56 PM

Gamo CFX. It comes with a fixed 4 power scope which is actually a pretty clear scope (regular rifle scopes can't be used on air guns so this is a good thing). Cabelas also offers quite a few refurbished Gamo's for a much more affordable price. They are great guns as well which will fit your needs well

The CFX It also comes with TruGlo open sights which are very clear and easy to use and adjust.

I played around with shooting .22 shorts for a while as well but still didn't like the risks of shooting a .22 round towards someones house. It is much quiter then a standard .22 but still louder then a pellet gun, and in my opinion, much more dangerous

**pacrimescode5904** · June 23rd, 2008, 11:33 AM

Don't want to sound "preachy" but why not get a dog. Letting your kid plink rabbits out of season with your approval is going to let him know that it's alright to take shortcuts with the law.

The sermon being over I'd go with a .410 or better yet a 20 guage shotgun. I still hunt with the 20 guage that was my first gun. Stoeger has a 20 guage side by side for a few hundred bucks. They are loud but brutally effective and they don't have the range of a .22

Good luck with bugs...

**Dredly** · June 23rd, 2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by pacrimescode5904

Don't want to sound "preachy" but why not get a dog. Letting your kid plink rabbits out of season with your approval is going to let him know that it's alright to take shortcuts with the law.

The sermon being over I'd go with a .410 or better yet a 20 guage shotgun. I still hunt with the 20 guage that was my first gun. Stoeger has a 20 guage side by side for a few hundred bucks. They are loud but brutally effective and they don't have the range of a .22

Good luck with bugs...

Dogs chase rabbits, dogs aren't always quicker then rabbits but they will chase them across property lines and into neighbors yards and further. The last thing you want is the neighbor calling the police or animal control because your dog is attacking a cute little bunny that is hiding under the deck.

Shotguns are very very loud and also not overly accurate if using standard buckshot or lighter. The idea is to save his plants, not destroy them with a shotgun blast.

I agree with skipping the law issue... that is a concern I would have as well. It can be spun as pest removal though... but its a risk.

**Tomcat088** · June 23rd, 2008, 12:34 PM

A good pellet gun will kill a rabbit, I prefer the headshot. You don't just have to go with a gamo, but that will get he job done. Any of the airguns that will push 800-1000 fps will kill an animal a good ways out there, for sure at 10 yards. I would also consider what others have said, using a .22 short or some super collibri, etc. Both will do the job, just make sure that the pellet gun is pretty consistent. I like the spring guns, but in my experience, the cheaper ones (under $150) aren't all that consisten, if you want to spend less than that, then go with a pump gun. Some of them will still push the 800 fps envelope and if you do the same amount of pumps every time and full stroke, they can be quite accurate. When you look at spending like $150 on a pellet gun, it kind of just makes you think about getting some .22's that are just the primers or some shorts. Basically, you're firing projectiles that aren't quite as heavy at almost the same speed when you get a high powered pellet gun, so there's not a huge difference. You have to be careful with both.