View Full Version : .22 rifle suggestion (squirrel control)
Greetings CO-AR braintrust,
I've been out of the gun buying world for a while and have a question for those of you familiar with what's currently available:
My mom and her husband have a squirrel problem (ground squirrels, Central California) in such that the squirrels are digging under trees to eat roots which causes the trees to die from lack of water - water goes down hole, bypassing the roots. I have seen this in CA decades before the drought so while they do have a water shortage, that's not the problem this post is hoping to address.
They have tried various traps, poison, and other methods suggested by the local farm supply and at about 25-30 yards out, a .22 is the remaining and potentially best option. So, what's going to be the cheapest adequate rifle for this task in terms of what's available now (not some discontinued model from yesteryear)? In light of advancing years, they are going to need to put a cheap scope on it to be effective. These people have zero experience with firearms of any kind but I don't think learning to hit something at 25 yards with a .22 rifle is rocket science.
Any suggestions would be appreciated :)
I believe whatever the current model of Savage .22 rifle available (Mark II?) would be acceptable. No accu-trigger or other fancies required for this task. Also, at only 25 yards, they could likely use the CCI Quiet rounds and it would be suppressor quiet.
buffalobo
09-29-2015, 19:51
Savage model 64 with 22 shorts.
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Great-Kazoo
09-29-2015, 20:06
Where in Central CA. ? Our kid's in that area, she'd be happy to travel, within reason.
Air rifle maybe? Might be easier for your parents to use as well as easier to get with Cali's gun laws..
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/71899/redirect
With a .22 can
I'd also lean twords an air rifle.
Great-Kazoo
09-29-2015, 20:43
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/71899/redirect
With a .22 can
No threaded bbl & detachable magazine
I'd also lean twords an air rifle.
Discharging an air rifle is the same as firearm, there's a 10 day wait for firearms. The bb gun or air rifle would probably be a better option as "ammo" for it's more available and cheaper then 22.
The air rifle idea was my original thought but I'm unsure how much punch they have out at 25-30 yards away. When i was a kid (a long while ago), we'd shoot those ground squirrels with fairly potent stuff and they are durable little critters. My favorite was a .30-06 "Accelerator" (.223 sabot) but that's a whole different kind of squirrel misting...
One that came to mind was the Chiappa "little badger". As far as I can tell from my research on Calguns, threaded muzzles are OK in CA on rifles (but are no-go on pistols). I've shot one of the Chiappa's once and it seemed like it may fit the bill.
Bear in mind: once the last squirrel is dispatched, the rifle will never be fired again, so there's a limit to how uppity this needs to be.
If you get a larger caliber pellet gun it drops squirrels quick. Someone had a Sheridan .20 cal multi-pump and it is so much better than a .177 that I'm thinking about a .22 cal pellet gun. I would say a single stroke break open would be perfect. Though they are a bit loud. I think they make a Benjimin multi pump in .22. Pyramid Air guns seems to have a good selection and lots of guides and articles.
The elderly may have trouble operating a pump air rifle.
-yeah, I had that Sheridan "Blue Streak" .20 (5mm) as a kid and while a great many squirrels and rabbits met their demise as a result of my having that, it's not something that the average 75 year old is going to have an easy time with repeatedly - even cocking the bolt is tough on those. These aren't gun people, just folks that need 6-8 squirrels dead and then the gun thing stops then/there. On a per-squirrel basis, these fury menaces will be about the most costly squirrels ever.
Aloha_Shooter
09-29-2015, 22:53
It's Kalipornia so I'd tend to stay away from anything using gunpowder and especially anything NFA. I'd go with a high velocity air rifle. The Gamo Varmint has good muzzle velocity but I'm biased against break actions that could screw up sight alignment. I like the Daisy 853 series for competition air rifle; it should do a decent job against squirrels at 25 yards.
newracer
09-29-2015, 23:11
Benjamin Trail NP2 Air Rifle Combo in 22 caliber
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Trail_NP2_Air_Rifle_Combo/3533/7087
or
Benjamin 392 Combo, 4x32mm Scope
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_392_Combo_4x32mm_Scope/1431
I've watched my neighbor pump a squirrel full of pellets with his Gamo Whisper from about 3-5 FEET. I thought he must have been taking on the Highlander of squirrels until I pinned it down with a stick so he could get a clean shot. It's damn near torture to try and kill a squirrel with an underpowered air rifle.
Thank you all for the many suggestions, they've been much appreciated.
How about a single shot Rossi or HR break action, or if your mother and/or her husband are of smaller stature, how about a Keystone Crickett or Savage Rascal single shot bolt?
Any of these options would be relatively inexpensive and should be easy to sell once the intended task is completed. There is always someone looking for a starter/trainer rifle for kids/grand kids.
sellersm
09-30-2015, 10:31
The elderly may have trouble operating a pump air rifle.
Heck, they may have a harder time with a break barrel/springer!! On my 'bad' days of arthritis/RA flareups, I can't operate mine...
Can a pest control company help?
Of the suggestions I'd go for the rossi break or the savage mk2
Cricket rifles can be a pain to chamber since theres no feed ramp
Air rifles have plenty of draw backs for this situation
A few harbour freight traps and a trash can full of water might be your best bet
M79 with flechette rounds.
porfiriozg
09-30-2015, 12:53
Marlin model 60 easy to scope, and tube feed (no mag)
How about a trap/bucket of water?
Havahart $25 + Kalifornia-Safe jar of peanut butter.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_36849-1558-1025_0__?productId=1084937&store_code=102&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-LawnGarden-_-OutdoorPesticide-_-1084937:Havahart&CAWELAID=&kpid=1084937&CAWELAID=1368009773&k_clickID=829ab4ba-e0d1-4bf4-aaec-e86b83874df6&kpid=1084937
Catch squirrel in trap.
Throw in drum of water.
Wait till bubbles stop.
Empty trap in compost.
Repeat.
wctriumph
09-30-2015, 13:57
My dad used a old (1950s) Stevens or Savage bolt action with .22 shorts for backyard gopher control. He shot from inside an upstairs bedroom about two feet back from the window. You could not see him from outside the house and the noise was as quiet as my daisy BB gun. VERY effective.
In Fountain Valley, CA no less. Although this was some 30 years ago.
Growing up in Farm country in rural Ohio I shot hundreds of pest birds with a single shot .22 caliber Rossi with a fixed 4x32 Bushnell Wal-Mart scope. You can still pick these up for around ~$150 and are more than accurate enough for the task. If the sound of gunshots are an issue or there are insufficient backstops behind the pests, elevate the shooters position so as to shoot down onto the rodents and use subsonic .22 Shorts. CCI makes some great quiet .22 shorts and Long Rifles.
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In Fountain Valley, CA no less.
-doubt that'd go over all that well in Little Saigon now...
I went to the local fun shop this afternoon and looked at a few options. I need to research transfer dealers a bit at this point.
I'd go Marlin model 60. Rifle is cheap, reliable and eats any ammo I ever put in it. I have a 2-7x32 scope on it and it's awesome for squirrel and rabbit. I shoot Remington hollow point sub sonic rounds through it and it's air rifle quiet. Perfect squirrel gun
wctriumph
09-30-2015, 18:32
-doubt that'd go over all that well in Little Saigon now...
I went to the local fun shop this afternoon and looked at a few options. I need to research transfer dealers a bit at this point.
Don't eat the Salty Crab soup, they get the crabs off the jetty in Long Beach. I've seen them collecting them at low tide, the whole family is out there at 2 to 3 AM with their buckets.
Holger Danske
09-30-2015, 19:22
I believe whatever the current model of Savage .22 rifle available (Mark II?) would be acceptable. No accu-trigger or other fancies required for this task. Also, at only 25 yards, they could likely use the CCI Quiet rounds and it would be suppressor quiet.
This. With accutrigger and fiber open sites.
My dad used a old (1950s) Stevens or Savage bolt action with .22 shorts for backyard gopher control. He shot from inside an upstairs bedroom about two feet back from the window. You could not see him from outside the house and the noise was as quiet as my daisy BB gun. VERY effective.
In Fountain Valley, CA no less. Although this was some 30 years ago.
Way more than 30 years ago!!
Why not ask on Calguns if anyone is willing to do the deed for them? Not too many varminting places nowdays, so a few people might jump on the possibility. Your parents would probably be out a meal and the cost of some ammo, plus might make a nice friend out of it?
If you still wnt to get them a rifle, how about the cricket or the other kid gun? Cheap, designed for weaker stature folks. Might be a short LOP but for under a dizen shots, meh.
You say this will be a one time thing, but once your parents get a taste of squirrel blood; there will be no turning back.
Skullworks
10-03-2015, 16:05
I would almost be tempted to say get a pump or lever action .357mag and use 38spl hollow base wad cutters with like 1.8gr powder. Sounds like a loud paint ball gun from an 18-22" barrel and hits a Squirrel like an Eastwing hammer. Any hit will cause enough damage that the sucker will bleed out quick enough. Rifle also serves dual use as a non-threatening home defense gun. Though I know CA has banned lead for hunting and might try to convolute this as hunting even though you are not harvesting game animals but doing varmint eradication.
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