Shotgun jimmy Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Hi folks, Lately I have been tortured with rats living and feeding in my cattle house. They live under the portable cubicle beds and come out to feedand dart back in again. There is a plague of them and they wont eat poisin because there is too much other tasty foo to eat! I have been nailing the odd one with my 36ftlb airwolf and mtc mamba scope. Problem is, they are between 5 and 15 yards and my scope is zerod for 40 yards which I do not want to change as its perfect for everything else. Because it has a 50mm obj lense it sits medium height above the barrel resulting in less than ideal for close up ratting as It leaves close range trajectory like an arch. I want to buy a dedicated close range setup but I need advice! I want a pcp not a break barrel. What scope should I buy? Would I be best with a laser fitted? It will also be used for lamping rats also. Help appreciated. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant8681 Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 personally i would go for a crosman 2250 rat catcher/ buster for close quaters. Cheap and effective! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I shoot a lot of Rats in pig sheds and my set up is a Hatsan AT44 10 shot PCP. Well for very close range you could use open sites. For close range rats i use an Hatsan 1000x in .25 cal 25 grain pellets there devour-stating. 15 yds to 30 yds i use the Hatsan AT44 they come with 2x 10 shot mags and an air gauge. I use a 3x9x50 scope set on 3 or 4 mag and a moonlight night vision monocular fixed to the back of the scope and a infrared lamp this gives me vision out 150 yds and very bright at 20 yds. I have shot thousands of Rats with this set up the best bait i came across was 1/2 a cornish pasty done in the micro wave for 4 min. Place it near the rat holes and the smell brings them out and you just pop them off. Set up cost Hatsan AT44 new £260. Moonlight monocular S/H £70. Infrared lamp new £30. New scope £30. The Hatsan AT 44 comes with 2x 10 shot mags an Air gauge and a very good Silencer as good as HW one almost silent. I have also used my Logun pro 10 shot with a lamp and red filter but they soon get wise to the lamp the I R night vision they are clueless they don`t see it. Happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoben fenman Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I shoot a lot of Rats in pig sheds and my set up is a Hatsan AT44 10 shot PCP. Well for very close range you could use open sites. For close range rats i use an Hatsan 1000x in .25 cal 25 grain pellets there devour-stating. 15 yds to 30 yds i use the Hatsan AT44 they come with 2x 10 shot mags and an air gauge. I use a 3x9x50 scope set on 3 or 4 mag and a moonlight night vision monocular fixed to the back of the scope and a infrared lamp this gives me vision out 150 yds and very bright at 20 yds. I have shot thousands of Rats with this set up the best bait i came across was 1/2 a cornish pasty done in the micro wave for 4 min. Place it near the rat holes and the smell brings them out and you just pop them off. Set up cost Hatsan AT44 new £260. Moonlight monocular S/H £70. Infrared lamp new £30. New scope £30. The Hatsan AT 44 comes with 2x 10 shot mags an Air gauge and a very good Silencer as good as HW one almost silent. I have also used my Logun pro 10 shot with a lamp and red filter but they soon get wise to the lamp the I R night vision they are clueless they don`t see it. Happy. I would do nearly anything for hunting but i draw the line at leaving half a cornish pasty for rats. Ive heard snickers bars work but ive never even seen a rat through my scope before. The good thing about snickers is they cant move them. I thought i had the best bait in the world bits of potato in peanut butter. The smell drew the little &*&*^*(& out but i had put it in a foil cake tin. DOH the little sod came out and must have picked it up and run for the hills because when i turned my lamp on only minutes after turning it off the bait was gone and i had a very sore bum with no compensation! I would say what you need is a single shot bsa ultra or aa s200. That way the scope can be mounted lower meaning you have a longer point blank range (i think). Shame your not trying the springer route i cant think of anything more satisfying than blating rats with springers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panda32 Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I would go for a king rat catcher, nice and small and great at close range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I have had my bait taken before I put 1/2 a pasty down near the Rat holes and walked back the 20 yds to the car tuned round to see the pasty going down a rat hole little ********. I have tried chocolate and peanut butter but not a lot of success. I shoot a lot from the car so i am hidden thats why i like a 10 shot PCP there`s very little movement and almost silent just a bolt action and your cocked and loaded. Trying to cock and load a springer in the pitch black in a car to much movement and noise. If i am in pig sheds i do use a .25 cal springer just for the fun of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant8681 Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I cannot believe someone would waste half a pasty!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfireboy Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I had a pasty in st Ives , made me sick. Generally though, I love pasties. They're too tasty for rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jega Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) Peanut butter or watered down cat food works well as they cant carry it off with them. Edited June 18, 2012 by Jega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Frankly any rifle will do at that range but .22 or .25 will be best. If you can, invest in a nv setup as you'll pick more of them off and more easily. Also rats will start to steer clear of where their mates are dying so I'd get traps and poison ready to really get on top of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Bu Le Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I think its the scope not the gun that is important...I use a Nikko Sterling mount master on two of my guns. Must have adjustable AO nail them down to 10 yards. Not been many lately so hope they are cleaned out (for now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 Ok my ratting / feral set up carries a very low mounted scope with a 20mm objective and a 1.5 - 5 x magnification. The trick is close range focus and minimum barrel bore to scope centre. This prevents high shooting at peak trajectory or low shooting prior to zero. I know you say PCP but i should aviod that route as most are now made with high cheek pieces and mounting rails for use with 50mm objective scopes. My own rig is a HW80 Lazerglide built by Steve Pope @ the old Venom arms company, extra low mounts, 1.5-5 x 20 Wtc scope (so short a focus is posible that on low mag i can clearly see the muzzle in the scope) it carries a modified std stock for the lower eye posision ( modifications are mainly in the grip or hand of the stock) and being a simple break barrel is way easier to feed in the confines of a barn etc than any of my fiddly multi shot mag fed jobbies or single shot PCPs and most importantly i never have to wonder how much air it has left. my favourite bait for Rat stakeouts is finely mashed or liquidised fishy tinned cat food thinned with a little cooking oil. This holds them in one place that is safe to shoot and they cannot run in grab a lump and leg it without the chance of a clean shot. it should work over and above any other food in the area due to its strong smell and high nutrient content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun jimmy Posted June 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 Have been looking on the net and an underlever springer looks appealing. As you say Kent, I will never have to worry how much air is left and because most shots will be taken inside 20 yards, it doesnt have to be as surgically accurate as a pcp. Been out again this morning with the airwolf and I missed a few because of the loopy arch at close range! Also its a bit too powerful as a pellet ricochet'd and landed at my feet. So a bit less power is required!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoben fenman Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 I cannot believe someone would waste half a pasty!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Ive with what appears to be nearly everyone as ive said pasties arent for rats. But if you have trouble loosing bait and you dont like pasties do you think some plastic explosive would work? Not sure if its legal but damn it would be effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 I have just picked up a gunpower stealth for close range ratting and was considering topping it off with a red dot. I wanted something compact and 400+ shots per fill you can't go wrong. Got a few little mods I Want to do but happy so far with 1/2 inch groups at 30 yards standing shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 That looks like a very nice bit of kit. I had a Stealth and i sold it but i wish i had kept it very accurate full power Rifles. I could never get on with red dot so i put night vision on mine for Ratting. The Rats don`t see infrared so you just pop them off i have shot thousands with N/V. I found the Rats soon got lamp shy when lamping them with a red filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 Frankly any rifle will do at that range but .22 or .25 will be best. If you can, invest in a nv setup as you'll pick more of them off and more easily. Also rats will start to steer clear of where their mates are dying so I'd get traps and poison ready to really get on top of them. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 I would love to put NV on mine but I just can't afford it at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 Its not that expensive if you go down the monocular route mounted at the back of your scope. My first set up was a moonlight monocular £70 of ebay and an infrared lamp of ebay £25 and with that i could see out to 150 yds at 30 yds very bright like Daylight but green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy198712 Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 interesting, so do you mount that too the rear of your scope then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Yes infrared lamp or torch mounted on top of the scope and the monocular mounted at the back of the scope. I did have to make a small bracket from the scope rail to support and attach the monocular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant8681 Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Yes infrared lamp or torch mounted on top of the scope and the monocular mounted at the back of the scope. I did have to make a small bracket from the scope rail to support and attach the monocular. Any chance you could post some pics please mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I haven`t got a clue how to sorry mate. There should be something on YOU TUBE that will give you a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I shoot a lot of Rats in pig sheds and my set up is a Hatsan AT44 10 shot PCP. Well for very close range you could use open sites. For close range rats i use an Hatsan 1000x in .25 cal 25 grain pellets there devour-stating. 15 yds to 30 yds i use the Hatsan AT44 they come with 2x 10 shot mags and an air gauge. I use a 3x9x50 scope set on 3 or 4 mag and a moonlight night vision monocular fixed to the back of the scope and a infrared lamp this gives me vision out 150 yds and very bright at 20 yds. I have shot thousands of Rats with this set up the best bait i came across was 1/2 a cornish pasty done in the micro wave for 4 min. Place it near the rat holes and the smell brings them out and you just pop them off. Set up cost Hatsan AT44 new £260. Moonlight monocular S/H £70. Infrared lamp new £30. New scope £30. The Hatsan AT 44 comes with 2x 10 shot mags an Air gauge and a very good Silencer as good as HW one almost silent. I have also used my Logun pro 10 shot with a lamp and red filter but they soon get wise to the lamp the I R night vision they are clueless they don`t see it. Happy. hay you ****** , whats wrong with a cornish pasty. laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I cannot believe someone would waste half a pasty!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: yo right where abouts in kernow you to.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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