GTA
GTA Intro and Help => Welcome New Members => Topic started by: Pastry215 on May 10, 2025, 10:31:30 PM
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Hi everyone, here to learn more about air rifles. Recently bought a home and have a squirrel pest issue. I’ve shot/plinked about 10 years ago when I was in high school and had a blast. I’ve been researching and have been learning a lot. It was my friend’s break barrel and we had a great time. Now I am in need of one for squirrel control. If you all have any thoughts or recommendations I would appreciate it. Some info for my situation:
-Backyard squirrel control. Occasional chipmunk possibly.
- max distance 33 yards
-accuracy is important. I’m willing to put the time and practice.
- budget is tight. Preferably $150 since I am also saving my budget for a better scope than what is typically offered on cheaper rifles
- prefer break barrel.
- reliable
-noise conscious. Home is on a .6 acre lot. I have great neighbors, but I also don’t want to be a bad neighbor.
I have been considering the gamo varmint power 22. I don’t know if that’s overkill or too loud for my needs. I have learned a heavier pellet will slow the projectile speed and reduce sound but don’t know if it’s enough for the environment as well as if the rifle itself is too loud.
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Welcome to GTA Forums John!!!
SAFE & Happy Shooting!!!!
Dave
8)
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Welcome to the GTA John!
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HOWDY, WELCOME, HAVE FUN, AND "Follow the Yellow Brick Road”
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Welcome to the GTA John, check out the Hunting Gate I do alot of pest control over there with many types of air rifles.
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Thanks for the warm welcome everyone and for the suggestion back_road.
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Welcome to the GTA!
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Welcome to the GTA, John!
For that pest at 33yd, on a small property with neighbors, may I suggest a .177? It is a little quieter and the pellets lose energy a little faster than a .22, and so it is easier to keep collateral damage on your property rather than your neighbor's. Also, what about a multi-pump? I have found them as reliable as my breakbarrels, and I can lower the power if say, a pest is ON my house and I don't want to break anything. Quality multipumps are the Dragonfly 2 and Crosman 362, and cheaper ones that will do the job are the Daisy 880/901/Winchester 1100 or Crosman legacy 1000. Buckrail makes moderators for all of those.
And of course, prevention is 90% of the cure.
Cheers,
Mike
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welcome! My story isn't much different from yours. Definitely start with a .177, they're stunningly accurate and plenty adequate for squirrels.
Daisy's 880 is/was about $60 at Walmart and it's a bang for the buck winner under $100 in my estimation. Some would disagree but we all know it's a solid budget choice. Get Crosman FastFlight alloy pellets, they fly faster and hit very hard. They're also super accurate. The scope it comes with is basura but can be sighted in well enough for your purposes. Just remember that there's caps on the adjustment turrets, and the adjustment part is under them. Sounds silly to say it but believe me, it's a common screwup for new guys to all kinds of guns that even range guys know about here.
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HOWDY, WELCOME, HAVE FUN, AND "Follow the Yellow Brick Road”
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Welcome to the GTA!
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welcome! My story isn't much different from yours. Definitely start with a .177, they're stunningly accurate and plenty adequate for squirrels.
Daisy's 880 is/was about $60 at Walmart and it's a bang for the buck winner under $100 in my estimation. Some would disagree but we all know it's a solid budget choice. Get Crosman FastFlight alloy pellets, they fly faster and hit very hard. They're also super accurate. The scope it comes with is basura but can be sighted in well enough for your purposes. Just remember that there's caps on the adjustment turrets, and the adjustment part is under them. Sounds silly to say it but believe me, it's a common screwup for new guys to all kinds of guns that even range guys know about here.
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Welcome and +1 to the above, except for the alloy pellets. I have had great success with a Daisy 880 or 901 (basically the same gun) and a cheap Winchester scope shooting H&N Field Target Trophy pellets. Always aim for the head so that if you hit it's an instant kill and if you miss it won't wander off and die on your neighbor's land. These guns are pretty quiet especially if you can get away with pumping less than 10 times. You will have less effective range but less noise.
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Appreciate all the advice and experience everyone! I’ll consider them all.
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Welcome to the GTA, John!
Also, what about a multi-pump? I have found them as reliable as my breakbarrels, and I can lower the power if say, a pest is ON my house and I don't want to break anything. Quality multipumps are the Dragonfly 2 and Crosman 362, and cheaper ones that will do the job are the Daisy 880/901/Winchester 1100 or Crosman legacy 1000. Buckrail makes moderators for all of those.
And of course, prevention is 90% of the cure.
Cheers,
Mike
I haven’t considered that an option but I will now. I suppose without giving it much thought, I believed a multi pump was introducing a variability to my precision accuracy. That may have been an incorrect conclusion. Thanks!
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Welcome to the GTA, John!
Also, what about a multi-pump? I have found them as reliable as my breakbarrels, and I can lower the power if say, a pest is ON my house and I don't want to break anything. Quality multipumps are the Dragonfly 2 and Crosman 362, and cheaper ones that will do the job are the Daisy 880/901/Winchester 1100 or Crosman legacy 1000. Buckrail makes moderators for all of those.
And of course, prevention is 90% of the cure.
Cheers,
Mike
I haven’t considered that an option but I will now. I suppose without giving it much thought, I believed a multi pump was introducing a variability to my precision accuracy. That may have been an incorrect conclusion. Thanks!
That is indeed a potential issue. The solution is to pick a number of pumps and stick with it. Zero your scope to the pellet and the pumps. Sometimes a certain number of pumps will be more accurate on average.
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welcome! My story isn't much different from yours. Definitely start with a .177, they're stunningly accurate and plenty adequate for squirrels.
Daisy's 880 is/was about $60 at Walmart and it's a bang for the buck winner under $100 in my estimation. Some would disagree but we all know it's a solid budget choice. Get Crosman FastFlight alloy pellets, they fly faster and hit very hard. They're also super accurate. The scope it comes with is basura but can be sighted in well enough for your purposes. Just remember that there's caps on the adjustment turrets, and the adjustment part is under them. Sounds silly to say it but believe me, it's a common screwup for new guys to all kinds of guns that even range guys know about here.
Welcome and +1 to the above, except for the alloy pellets. I have had great success with a Daisy 880 or 901 (basically the same gun) and a cheap Winchester scope shooting H&N Field Target Trophy pellets. Always aim for the head so that if you hit it's an instant kill and if you miss it won't wander off and die on your neighbor's land. These guns are pretty quiet especially if you can get away with pumping less than 10 times. You will have less effective range but less noise.
I've got all kinds of wood and plywood here that shows much deeper penetration for Crosman alloys. I just recycled a piece of 18ga stainless target material that was undeniable. Lead pellets dented, alloy nearly pierced. Lead pellets make a giant mess of a squirrel's head, alloy punches a hole through with minimal bleeding.
But we can disagree and still be friends. This isn't a pineapple-on-pizza kinda disagreement.
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Welcome to the GTA.
Richard
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welcome! My story isn't much different from yours. Definitely start with a .177, they're stunningly accurate and plenty adequate for squirrels.
Daisy's 880 is/was about $60 at Walmart and it's a bang for the buck winner under $100 in my estimation. Some would disagree but we all know it's a solid budget choice. Get Crosman FastFlight alloy pellets, they fly faster and hit very hard. They're also super accurate. The scope it comes with is basura but can be sighted in well enough for your purposes. Just remember that there's caps on the adjustment turrets, and the adjustment part is under them. Sounds silly to say it but believe me, it's a common screwup for new guys to all kinds of guns that even range guys know about here.
Welcome and +1 to the above, except for the alloy pellets. I have had great success with a Daisy 880 or 901 (basically the same gun) and a cheap Winchester scope shooting H&N Field Target Trophy pellets. Always aim for the head so that if you hit it's an instant kill and if you miss it won't wander off and die on your neighbor's land. These guns are pretty quiet especially if you can get away with pumping less than 10 times. You will have less effective range but less noise.
I've got all kinds of wood and plywood here that shows much deeper penetration for Crosman alloys. I just recycled a piece of 18ga stainless target material that was undeniable. Lead pellets dented, alloy nearly pierced. Lead pellets make a giant mess of a squirrel's head, alloy punches a hole through with minimal bleeding.
But we can disagree and still be friends. This isn't a pineapple-on-pizza kinda disagreement.
I didn't mean to throw shade. It's just that my experience with Crosman pellets and Daisy airguns has been uniformly bad and Field Target Trophy or Meisterkugeln have always shot well. But, as we say, every barrel is different. I've heard that they work for others.