Garden gun

[Glenlivet]

I live in a house on an approx 1/2 acre corner plot surrounded on two sides by woodland. We've got quite a few grey squirrels, which damage the trees, which I would like to 'remove'. I'm not confident that I'm accurate enough with my old air rifle to kill them cleanly, I'm therefore thinking of either a hushpower.410 or a 9mm garden gun. Noise would be an issue so the 12g is out of the question. Obviously the .410 would be a better killer but substantially more expensive. Would a 9mm garden gun get the job done?

Edited March 4, 2016 by Glenlivet

[Mentalmac]

If it were me, I'd either get another airgun or would encourage the squirrels closer to where you can shoot them easier/safer from.

 

For the money to get 410 or garden gun you could get a more decent airgun.

 

I don't think the garden gun would be of much use being that the effective range is fairly limited.

[Glenlivet]

If it were me, I'd either get another airgun or would encourage the squirrels closer to where you can shoot them easier/safer from.

 

For the money to get 410 or garden gun you could get a more decent airgun.

 

I don't think the garden gun would be of much use being that the effective range is fairly limited.

To be honest, the air rifle is more than powerful enough to kill. The hands that hold it are more the problem. ...

[martyn2233]

To be honest, the air rifle is more than powerful enough to kill. The hands that hold it are more the problem. ...

bipod or shooting rest bags may help you

[robbiep]

You can get a perfectly adequate .410 single barrel shotgun for £50 or so.

 

EDIT : sorry, moderated 410 obviously a bit more expensive. But if you used subsonic cartridges in a 'normal' 410 they would still be pretty quiet

Edited March 4, 2016 by robbiep

[TONY R]

I think i would be looking at trying to get them a bit closer or get me a bit closer to them with the old air rifle, you could use a .410 i guess but air guns are cheap to run and you should be fine if you get them a bit closer.

[Glenlivet]

bipod or shooting rest bags may help you

I think i would be looking at trying to get them a bit closer or get me a bit closer to them with the old air rifle, you could use a .410 i guess but air guns are cheap to run and you should be fine if you get them a bit closer.

I could go down the air rifle route but still concerned about a clean kill, maybe a better 'scope would help. Can't use open sights as moderator fitted and front sights removed.

 

And I've got spaces available in my cabinets.......

[Glenlivet]

You can get a perfectly adequate .410 single barrel shotgun for £50 or so.

 

EDIT : sorry, moderated 410 obviously a bit more expensive. But if you used subsonic cartridges in a 'normal' 410 they would still be pretty quiet

Need to make as little noise as possible. There is some 'history' between my parents and the neighbours so the quieter the better.

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

Think about making a couple of tunnel traps with Fenn traps. They will be working for you during all the daylight hours.

 

Not as satisfying as shooting the critters, but very, very effective.

[dipper]

Buy a fenn and make a baited tunnel.Dipper.

[TONY R]

You dont need anything that special if you want a 410 get one but neigbour trouble i think i would trap or stick to the airgun my lad killed a few with a cheapo kids SMK177 with a nasty simmons 4x32 scope on it it was about about 9ft lbs when new.

[Rimfireboy]

9mm garden gun will knock them out of a tree if you're standing at or near the trunk, but not much further. I'd say 8 to 10 yards max. I find rws #10 shot flobert shells work well up to this range. Larger shot gives a sparse pattern in these little guns. Great for rats too.

[dougall]

airgun or 410......if it were me.you dont say how close neighbours are?clearly airgun quiet but need patience for squirrels with airgun.......or as above cage trap and airgun despatch would work.

[Glenlivet]

Thanks for the replies guys and also thanks to Dead-Eyed Duck for his kind offer. I'd be shooting from the sun lounge so 50 odd yards from the neighbours. The air rifle is moderated but the mechanical action is pretty noisy although I do use it in the garden on occasion. I might have a bit of target practice with the ar, although I find shooting at a target somehow easier as it's already dead! I see the Mighty Bosh has a garden gun for sale, do I dare go to Kettering or will I come back with an armful again??

[Dasher]

I expect that there will be hedges and structures close to where you would be shooting and so even with a Hushpower .410 you would be surprised about the amount of noise that will be bounced back and around you, I know as I've done it myself.

I would suggest that the airgun would be more suitable, if your not confident about a clean kill then trap first and then shoot, do not release else where or you will be committing an offence.

[Glenlivet]

I expect that there will be hedges and structures close to where you would be shooting and so even with a Hushpower .410 you would be surprised about the amount of noise that will be bounced back and around you, I know as I've done it myself.

I would suggest that the airgun would be more suitable, if your not confident about a clean kill then trap first and then shoot, do not release else where or you will be committing an offence.

This is part of the problem. The woods bounce the sound around. I prefer not to use the air rifle but have the right to do so. A mini shotgun making no more noise is my ideal solution.

[Dasher]

But any "mini shot gun" will make a hell of a lot more noise than an airgun, I would suggest you try to get the chance to hear one first before buying one. I also expect it would be easier to find a backstop for a single airgun pellet than a shotgun, don't forget if you fire a shotgun skyward you must ensure all pellets land within your own property and not rattle on the neighbours roof!

Edited March 4, 2016 by Dasher

[Underdog]

My fenn in a tunnel trap takes more per annum than I shoot in my garden !

[old man]

As said trap and shoot with air rifle?

 

Not a good location or situation for any cartridge gun?

[Glenlivet]

But any "mini shot gun" will make a hell of a lot more noise than an airgun, I would suggest you try to get the chance to hear one first before buying one. I also expect it would be easier to find a backstop for a single airgun pellet than a shotgun, don't forget if you fire a shotgun skyward you must ensure all pellets land within your own property and not rattle on the neighbours roof!

No backstop problem as shooting towards the wood at squirrels on the lawn/pergola. I know an unmoderated .410 will be too loud but don't want to spend £300+ on a Hushpower. Thought a garden gun might be no noisier than the air rifle but less likely to wing the target.

[old man]

No backstop problem as shooting towards the wood at squirrels on the lawn/pergola. I know an unmoderated .410 will be too loud but don't want to spend £300+ on a Hushpower. Thought a garden gun might be no noisier than the air rifle but less likely to wing the target.

 

Sorry to carp on but a pergola is not a safe backstop.

Remember all projectiles must stay within the boundaries of your land.

From the garden gun I used in the past it is not effective on squizzers at more than 10 yds/

Think of the storm coming your way if one gets over the boundary?

Trap and shoot captive with air gun?

[Glenlivet]

Difficult to explain the set up here really. I'll post a photo tomorrow, this is not your average garden. I know, I have to mow the bloody lawn and fend off the wood! !

[TONY R]

Difficult to explain the set up here really. I'll post a photo tomorrow, this is not your average garden. I know, I have to mow the bloody lawn and fend off the wood! !

No 3 garden guns are not that quiet they are less loud than a .410 but still an audible nang you can tell its a gun going off at more than 50 yards, round your own place / farm etc maybe, but neighbours 50 yards away and not realy up to much in range.

Juist stick to the traps and air rifle. What air rifle have you got anyway?

[Alycidon]

I live in a house on an approx 1/2 acre corner plot surrounded on two sides by woodland. We've got quite a few grey squirrels, which damage the trees, which I would like to 'remove'. I'm not confident that I'm accurate enough with my old air rifle to kill them cleanly, I'm therefore thinking of either a hushpower.410 or a 9mm garden gun. Noise would be an issue so the 12g is out of the question. Obviously the .410 would be a better killer but substantially more expensive. Would a 9mm garden gun get the job done?

 

 

Used to use a garden gun when I was a boy. Took me 3 years to kill a rabbit with it and boy did I get close. Its at its best against rats in buildings at a range of about 5 yards, or small [est birds, house sparrows were a pest in the early 60s so a good lot got felled by it. In your situation a good air rifle will serve you well but squirrels are very tough. I shot a grey with a 177 Original 45 non FAC at about 20 yards and the pellet was lodged under the skin on the far side of the chest, so 20 - 25 yards is about its limit unless a head shot is on.

 

A

[Jason_ox]

Sub 12ftIb air rifle, headshots a must on squidges. My recommendation is to trap and despatch as has been said a few times before.