squirrel rifles

[scout4]

I have a Winchester 800X .177 caliber. Its the Turkish model with a walnut stock. I really enjoy this rifle, sure is accurate. I've shot wood pigeons with it and made some good hits on these birds but almost always had to put in another shot to finish the job. My gun shoots five rounds in a nickel size target at 20 yards using crosman premiere wadcutters. I'd like to look into a Winchester 1000X or maybe a Crosman Quest 800 .22 cal. to hunt squirrels. Any of you guys have experience hunting with one of these? I would definitely purchase a Turkish made gun, not the Brazilian I know someone that has a Brazilian 800X, not to impressed with that one, terrible trigger pull, barrel droop, an took over 3,000 rounds to get any good accuracy, and kind of an ugly shaped stock. Anyway, If you have some info I'd appreciate it. Thanks! scout4<><

[doc_kreipke]

Like its Brazilian cousin, the Turkish 1000X has a HEAVY trigger pull and really bad barrel droop. I had to get a Beeman adjustable droop-compensating mount (a 5039) to get a scope to work with the gun.

Once you get used to the trigger, you might get reasonable accuracy, although occasionally, the heavy pull will throw off your aim.

I’ve been reasonably successful versus birdfeeder-marauding squirrels out to about 12 yards, provided I get a square-on chest shot. Body hits below the diaphragm won’t KO them. My 1000X likes Beeman Crow Magnum pellets.

A .22 might do a better job in eliminating squirrels, particularly at ranges over 10 yds. Dunno anything about the Quest .22, though.

[mcwoodduck]

I have a Gamo .177 that I have used on Squirrels and rats in the past.  As long as you stick the pellet in the boiler room it is not a problem they die quickly.  As far as birds.  I found that feathers act as a pellet proof vest on larger birds when trying to get through wings and breast feathers and squirrels are easier to kill than crows.
For hunting I have been using the 9.3 grain RWS target pellets as they were the best to group.  I have tried the new GAMO gold pellets and the added speed I am a little high and to the right.  They work well on Rabbits and zing through crows.  They sell them at Wall Mart and come in a twin pack.
There are also some of the Atlas design with a plastic skirt that add velocity sold in Cabela's see what gives you the best groups and try them on the Pigeons to see how they work.
Since I purchased a CZ 452 with open sights I have been hunting with it more around the house and using CB longs that make less noise than the Gamo.

[Mike Pearson]

My experiences with chest shooting fox squirrels with a .177 air rifle lead me to believe that you really need an EXPANDING hollowpoint pellet (read that Crow Magnum and Predator) from a high velocity gun from a high velocity gun (over 900fps preferable) to get CONSISTENT quick and clean kills. Mind you, fox squirrels get up to 3 pounds and are unbelievably tenacious. Also, I fully realize that sometimes domes and lower powered air rifles can get the job done quickly but from what I've seen, there are almost always mitigating circumstances that allow this to happen. For example, a grey squirrel or a red squirrel are substantially smaller than the larger fox squirrel. Another consideration is that NOT all chest shots are equal. A .177 dome that hits a squirrel in both lungs will take some time (sometimes alot of time) to kill. If it hits one lung or nicks a lung, it can and will take even longer. However, if that same pellet instead hits an artery high in heart or through the top of the heart AND lungs, the effects on the squirrel will be immediate. Same thing with a shot directly through the heart. Small game don't make a "run" when hit through the heart like a deer. The problem is that the heart is a very small target on a squirrel whereas the lungs is a very generously large one. There ARE airguns and pellets that will take even fox squirrels with lung shots. Some can even do so quickly with a one lung shot. A gun/pellet combination that can take squirrels with lung shots (and I mean expiring under 10 seconds and under 10 feet bare minimum) will take ANY heart/heart artery squirrel to be sure but the opposite is not always true. Fox example, I wouldn't want to use a Beeman R-7 with an pellet to chest shoot a grey squirrel, let alone a fox squirrel EVEN THOUGH a heart shot would turn them off immediately. Too much chance of missing the heart---and even if the pellet did get the lungs, I would want more, much more tissue damage to those lungs than what the little rifle could provide. With such a little rifle, brain (not head--brain) shots would be necessary.

[Center Shot]

I have had good luck on squirrels with my Daisey 888. I use R10 pellets and use the ear for a target. I have taken them at 40 yards, after zeroing the rifle for that range.
It is not the most powerful air rifle but is extremely accurate.

[rks1949]

I  use a Beeman R9 with a  Venom spring kit in it. Shoots an honest 1150fps with Crossman Premier pellets .177cal. I also use a Air Arms PCP rifle in.22cal. It will out shoot any of my best .22 powder burners. I try for head shots,out to 40yds. after that it's a body shot to 50-60yds.

[sixgunSal]

I also have an AA .22 pcp that will drop tree rats out to 50 yards or so...but I only shoot at the head - no body shots at all - so all my shots are within the "for sure" 35 yard range.  Tree rats are tuff critters and to put a .177 pellet thru the body and have them run off is a poor way to die.  You need to drop a tr on the spot or wait for the next shot.

jmho