Hunting with BB/Pellet Gun

[NCthompson]

I was thinking about getting the Crosman Powermaster 664SB Air Rifle. It can shoot BB's and small pellets. It shoots 690 fps. How good would this gun be for hunting squirrel or crow?

Link of Gun
http://crosman.com/site/listing/1067

[NCthompson]

No I have not, but my neighbor is an instructor. what do you learn in them?

[Flatcoat1]

I think that the "correct" air gun can be used to kill some small game but as mentioned, take a hunter safety course and check local laws. Some air guns do have the ability to take game cleanly if shot correctly. Always remember, any gun can kill so be careful. Flatcoat

[triggerhappyshawn]

unethical......................................... .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..................................................

[lovestohunt]

NC Thompson,

Believe me, I'm glad that you are interested in hunting. What I learned in my hunter's safety is:

1) how to be safe and safely handle firearms
2) how to respect the rights of hunters and the environment
3) how to identify game
4) how to safely load, choose, and fire guns

There is a wealth of information that these classes offer. Besides, eventually when you want to actually buy a legal hunting license, most states require you to have a valid hunters safety card. In Wisconsin, if you were born after 1973, it is illegal to hunt without taking a hunters safety course. Think of it as protection for yourself and everyone else who wants to enjoy hunting like you do. Good luck! If you have more questions, please post them. We want to help young hunters like yourself make good decisions concerning the sport.

[triggerhappyshawn]

o dude im srry i misunderstood you!!!!! i thought you were like 30 or sumtin and u were going to go get a bb gun just to shoot squirrels! srry lol. BUt definetly get ur class done. Its not very hard its more commen sense than anything else. srry. lol

[NCthompson]

haha no im 16.

[CHAVEZ CHAVEZ]

I see noth'n wrong hunt'n with a pellet gun as long as it ain't illeagal for small game .
but i also would not shoot anything bigger than rabbits and squirrels! the air rifles they make today
are more than capeable of put'n down one of these lil critters.
like all the other posts about take'n game shot placement is the key .
as your choice 664 sb 690 fps ! u should consider someth'n faster around the 1000 fps .
177 cal. or 22 cal. stay away from bb's

[Brent]

BB gun for squirrels is both unethical and illegal in Nebraska. Take your safety course and make sure to read the book.

[citori]

If it is legal to do so there is nothing wrong with using a pellet gun for taking small game. In Europe that is a common means of taking small game as ownership of powder propelled firearms is difficult to do. I personally feel that particular model is a bit below the minimum velocity I feel is necessary for adequately taking game. I have done it but only at very close range. A better choice in pneumatic guns would be the Classic 2100. I shoots a .177" pellet closer to the 750 fps minimum velocity for this caliber recommended by serious air gun hunters. A better bet would be the 1000 series of break actions as they reach the 1000 fps mark. At the mimimun speed the gun should be able to take a squirrel with proper shot placement out to 20 yards or so and at the upper end you can reach out another 10 yards. I've taken numerous squirrls, rabbits, and other pests with an old Crossman 1400 air rifle. It pushed a .22 cal pellet at 550 fps which I feel is marginal past 20 yards but would shoot full width on a rabbit at that range. I even used it on my trapline until I got enough money to get a .22 LR pistol. There are numerous pellet choices, the common flat point is probably the best. If reater penetration is needed there is the dome and sharp pointed pellets to chose. I only used these on the largest of pests such as woodchucks. Never use BBs as their light weight and poor shape lead to rapid velocity loss and poor performance. As inexpensive as pellets are, it should be easy to become proficient enough to take small game at cose range with a pellet gun.

[redhawk44357]

a spring action ( single stroke) would be best, .177 cal, with hunting pellets, 1,000fps, or better. scoped, of course. but do the safety thing first, and practice, practice, practice.

[killerkeller625]

IT IS COMPLETELY ETHICAL. im 15 and i shoot a 1000fps pellet gun that i got at walmart for 100$ i hunt squirels and most of the time the pellet goes all the way threw and just gets caught in the skin on the other side, almost always a clean kill. a higher powered pellet gun will work better for you than the one you are looking at, i suggest a gamo

[meathunter1]

Just curious son, have you taken hunter's education yet?


Oh geeze Pops....first, where in the NE regs does it state that air rifles are illegal for small game? Second, lay off the 15yr old kids. A .177 cal pellet at a 1000 fps is very effective on squirrles and rabbits at proper ranges. As Citori stated, keep it in the 20-25 yd range and you'll be fine. Really, son!

[Brent]

First off meat I ain't here to rag on the kid. Just trying to teach him some ethics, ever heard of them? A sense of using the proper force and not cause the critter anymore pain then necessary. I learned hunting with a BB gun when I was younger, that a kill on a squirrel or rabbit with a BB gun is at about 25% unless you shoot it at 20 yards in the head.

...my dad and uncle got on my *** for trying to pull off such a stunt.

I'll look up the stature on the method of taking small game later today.


**i deleted my post, it was kind of harsh**

[citori]

It is evident that many ae confusing BB guns with hunting capable pellet guns. There are no BB guns that I am aware of that will cleanly take small game at any reasonable distance with reliability. The use of pellet rifles has a long and successful history in Europe, particularly England and Germany where they are used on animals up to 10 pounds or so. There have also been articles in mainstream American outdoor rags, some I can recall offhand have appeared in Gun Digest as early as the mid-later 1970s; Jim Carmicheal wrote an article on air rifles back in the early 1980s which the RWS/Diana 45 was highlighted; and today there are whole websites devoted to air guns and their uses. Like with the hunting of any game animal there are recommended minimums, air guns are no different. I've been using air guns on smaller animals such as rabbits and squirrels since the mid 1970s with great success. These are not 100 yard guns but are very capable within their limitations which are 20-30 yards.
I do not know of any state or states that do not allow the use of air guns for small game animals though I will admit to not knowing the rules of every state nor even most of them. Many do not allow them to be used on birds of any sort but I have not seen any restrictions on their use for small furred game (Nebraska included).
As for the pictures on the box representing what the item inside is to be used for, give me a break. The last rifle I bought, a Remington 700, had nothing on the box other than the maker's name and the model information. Would that mean the .223 Remington inside is not capable of killing prairie dogs, woodchucks, coyotes and others of that sort? In fact, I can't recall the last time there was anything other than the above on any gun box I bought, whether it be rifle, pistol, or shotgun. Same for the placing of accessories, that is the store's decision. The last time I was at a sporting goods store and remember looking, the air rifles and shooting bags were on the same shelf; whatever that means I haven't the foggiest.

[markmazuch]

We used to kill squirrel with a freakin red ryder. It took some doin but we got the job done. Had to get in close and shoot it in the neck. We had a break action .177 cal pellet gun too, that was perfect for rabbits and squirrels. I dont know how fast it shot I was pretty young. Talk about being silent. There could be two squirrels up on a tree and you'd shoot one and the other would still be sittin there. Try doing that with a powder driven shell, they scare em all away. Killed a few pheasants with it too. No really!!

[markmazuch]

I was thinking about getting the Crosman Powermaster 664SB Air Rifle. It can shoot BB's and small pellets. It shoots 690 fps. How good would this gun be for hunting squirrel or crow?

Link of Gun
http://crosman.com/site/listing/1067
Id get a break action buddy. They shoot a lot faster. No telling how many critteres my bro's and i killed with ours. We had a .177 cal similar to Beeman Sportsman's SS 1000 Air Rifle Cabela's sells em. Now I know there a little bit more money but its worth it.