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Pellet rifles for small game?

I'm considering the purchase of an adult pellet rifle, for hunting small game.

Does anyone use a pellet rifle for hunting small game?
If so, what brand of rifle and what type of pellets do you use?
What are your experiences for hunting with this type of weapon?

Thank you, Bowhunter57
 
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Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
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Hopefully Jesse will chime in. I know he bought one and brought it TOO Stroud's. I think he said it was not very expensive. After sighting it in it seemed to shoot pretty dang good. It was fun to plink around.

 

xbowguy

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They are bad-ass for real. I have the Gamo Bone Collector and it drops squirrels like nothing. I believe it shoots 1200 fps. Even took a groundhog at 30 yds with it. I buy the penetrator pellets and the Exact Diablo Match Pellets. They cost a little more but are also more precision made. I also have the Benjamin Trail XL 1500 which is heavier but an unreal gun. Been thinking about selling that one if you thought you wanted a better grade gun.
 

brock ratcliff

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My son is a pellet gun nut, maybe even an expert. I strongly suggest going with a pneumatic gun. Spring guns are ok but they simply do not compare. Especially for hunting. He has a Benjamin Marauder, it's a bit too much to pack through the woods. He is going to kill a deer with it shortly.... He also has a Benjamin Discovery, which quite honestly is the coolest gun he has. It is a 22 cal and will shoot every brand of pellet we have tried accurately. It is far easier to charge and is much lighter and Hunter friendly than the marauder. Give them a serious look. Worth every penny.
 

00buck

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They are bad-ass for real. I have the Gamo Bone Collector and it drops squirrels like nothing. I believe it shoots 1200 fps. Even took a groundhog at 30 yds with it. I buy the penetrator pellets and the Exact Diablo Match Pellets. They cost a little more but are also more precision made. I also have the Benjamin Trail XL 1500 which is heavier but an unreal gun. Been thinking about selling that one if you thought you wanted a better grade gun.
Can you post a pic of it and a link of were to pick up the pellets

 

xbowguy

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20161109_175205 (1).jpg

Had less than 100 pellets through it. Put different scope on it. Little over 300. invested will let it go for 200.
It'll bust through a critters skull like nothing.
 

epe

Senior Member
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Lancaster
If you can afford it, go pcp. You won't regret it. Dad has about 20. I used a maurder this week and killed 4 squirrels and a rabbit..all 30-38 yards. It will put it in the same hole at 35 yards. Quiet enough that it won't scare other game away. I shot squirrels, and the ones with them don't run away. Adjustable trigger, and its has a 8 shot magazine.


 
What's the life span of a break barrel pellet rifle?
My concern is with the accuracy of such a rifle, where the scope is on a fixed section. If the barrel doesn't lock up consistently and tightly, the connection between the scopes line of sight and where the barrel is pointing are not going to match.

Also, it appears that if I choose a fixed barrel pellet rifle, it's either going to be extremely cheap (Crosman 760) or extremely expensive (Benjamin Marauder). I'm about to throw in the towel and stick with my Savage .22. I was close to purchasing the Benjamin Discovery, when I noticed that a hand pump is $140.

My bottom line is that I'm after accuracy 1st and a rifle that's going to last 2nd and 3rd is going to be...What's this going to cost?

Again, thank you, to everyone for their input on these questions.
Bowhunter57
 

bowhunter1023

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I bought an $80 Gammo from Wally World and smoked a squirrel with it not long ago. It's accurate and will definitely kill small game at 20 yards.
 

brock ratcliff

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Accurate is a relative term. If I were wanting to devote any amount of time shooting squirrel with an air gun, I wouldn't consider anything but a Pcp. There is no comparison to be made. Pellets that hit consistently, same hole accuracy... Ain't going to happen with a spring gun. The Discovery is the low end of Pcp rifles, and it is far superior to anything with a spring. The advantage of having your gun charged and ready to shoot vs cocking it once you see a squirrel, huge advantage! Perhaps you didn't know that part about spring guns.... Don't leave them cocked! They will eat scopes too, Pcp rifles will shoot great with the cheapest scopes made and ther is no vibrating when u squeeze the trigger.
I say if you want to play with air guns, get an air gun. Leave the springs behind.
 
I say if you want to play with air guns, get an air gun. Leave the springs behind.

brock ratcliff,
I have to agree with your entire reply, but the part that I quoted above says it all. Stay on the porch, if you're not going to run with the big dogs. After watching several videos and reading even more reviews, I'd have to say that a PCP rifle is the way to go. Now, all I have to do is decide if I want to spend that much money on a pellet rifle. :smiley_chinrub:

Bowhunter57
 

brock ratcliff

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Mason has a marauder and a discovery. Honestly I prefer the Discovery. It is well balanced and accurate. It is one of my favorite guns to shoot and I never felt we didn't get our money's worth with it. Conversely, we've bought high end and low end spring guns, and I have never felt they were worth what we paid. Every screw on them will vibrate loose, they are particular about what brand of pellet will shoot reasonably well out of them.... They are just crap IMO.
 
Rather than spend $500+, I purchased a Benjamin Trail NP2 with a synthetic thumbhole stock. I've got less than $190 in the order from Amazon with Crosman hollow point pellets. I cleaned the bore, checked all the stock screws and installed a Nikon Pro Staff 3x9.

I've been shooting it from a bench in my back yard, at 25 yards and it's holding 1/2" groups with the Crosman and Benjamin 14.3gr. pellets. My next test is to see how it shoots at 40 or 50 yards.
One thing I'm going to have to replace, is the trigger...wow! I have a caulking gun with a better trigger. :smiley_depressive:

Bowhunter57
 

brock ratcliff

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I'm betting that is about the beat you will ever get that gun shooting. And that is why I don't like spring guns. About the time you get them shooting decently, something will vibrate lose. Hopefully you will have better luck with it than I ever had. I hate them. At 25 yds w a pcp, you'd have one hole and they are more pleasurable to shoot - no vibration.