Laser sights and rats

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

Looking to put a laser sight on my rat killer.   My gut tells me the rats will run from the glowing dot of death.... I currently use a very wide beam green flash light to aid in finding a good sight picture in the dark, but my eyes are starting to show their age.   Any thoughts?  Is laser color a factor?....

[ranchibi]

Christopher, I have not used a laser dot for rats but I do know birds freak out if hit by a laser! Maybe look at a OneLeaf or PARDN007 night vision attachment to your scope? They can be a bit expensive (300) but well worth it as you can easily move it to another scope. Or, try a brighter red or green flashlight!? I use a redflashlight that mounts to a picatinny rail and is very small with 500 lumens by Cosmoing ($25) off of amazon. I use 30mm scope mount with picatinny adapter unless you already have one for your flashlight. The red flashlight makes the underbelly and sides of rats glow orange making it easy to see them at night.

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

I appreciate the info.  Glowing rats sounds very helpful.   It's a cheap but efficient air rifle. (Blackhawk elite) in .177.   Not sure I want to spend $300 on night vision, but a better and different color light is definitely worth a shot.   I already ordered the laser. $30 cheapo so I will play with it and let you know how the rats respond.   Meanwhile I will be light shopping.

[Nvreloader]

CT

I would use a Red color if possible, I know it works very well on Sage Bunny rabbits etc.

HTH's
Don

[Back_Roads]

 I am not sure that the OneLeaf or PARDN007 are spring gun rated, that and not sure a Laser will stay sighted in as well either, but there are some brands that do. I have had lights fail from use on springers as the battery and switches do not hold up well from repeated use, light use pesting only may give you longer service.

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

The rifle does not hit as hard as most I believe.  It certainly has much less shock than my Browning leverage or Gamo magnum.  I have had an unbranded scope and green flashlight on it for a couple years.   It's gets shot probably 20 ish rounds a month.  More when the rodents population flairs up.  (We have chickens).  The rats love chicken feed.  Have not had any issues and the gun still shoots true.  The only change is my eyesight isn't what it used to be.

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

The laser I ordered is advertised with a lifetime guarantee from an amzn company called Tacticon.   Shows to be a veteran owned company.  Any chance I can get to help out a fellow vet, I take.   It has good reviews and the seller must have faith in it's build quality.   
 Now knowing that air rifles are hard on such things, I have no intention in taking advantage of this guys warranty policy, but for $30 ish bucks I'm going give it a shot.  As I said the scope has held up well.   I can only assume it's the scope that came with the gun.  I bought it 8+ years ago from a pawn shop as a gift for my youngest son.  I gave it a custom paint job that covered any markings.   He took the scope off and shot it open sights.   I dug it out and put it back on when I started using it to kill rats.   I work on a boat and am gone 28 days at a time.   The new laser is waiting at home.  I looking forward to trying it out.   
  I'm also considering installing a large colored flood light above the area where I get most of the kills.  But I'm worried about driving them to another area.  Where I ambush then now is very convenient.

[ranchibi]

Christopher, I also use a red LED 13W flood light in tandem with a red flashlight and it does not bother the rats one bit. I've heard that some creatures cannot see the red light spectrum but can see it's brightness to some extent.

[kbstingwing]

I would go with a red LED flashlight, they don't get scared like they do with a laser, I used a laser for years on my Sheridan, the rats had finally figured it out and would scatter when they seen it, my buddy uses a red LED flashlight and the rats seem to not notice it from about 25 yards out, maybe a Hologram sight would work if it is springer rated.

https://www.airgundepot.com/airgun-lasers.html

[huntr]

Christopher, I have not used a laser dot for rats but I do know birds freak out if hit by a laser! Maybe look at a OneLeaf or PARDN007 night vision attachment to your scope? They can be a bit expensive (300) but well worth it as you can easily move it to another scope. Or, try a brighter red or green flashlight!? I use a redflashlight that mounts to a picatinny rail and is very small with 500 lumens by Cosmoing ($25) off of amazon. I use 30mm scope mount with picatinny adapter unless you already have one for your flashlight. The red flashlight makes the underbelly and sides of rats glow orange making it easy to see them at night.

Birds are not colorblind, that's why the males of most species are colorful for breeding purposes. Rats are red colorblind, like deer and most other mammals. If you want to see what it looks like, download the app 'Daltonize Me Camera' to your phone.

[Back_Roads]

 I just went to https://tacticon.com/product-category/flashlight/ they do seem to sell some quality products.

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

James, I am hoping so.  I'm looking forward to getting home so I can run the new laser through it's paces.  If it's of good quality, I will definitely be ordering more from him.   
 As far as my original dilemma.... I have bit the bullet so to speak and ordered a scope camera with night vision and ir flashlight.     Figured what the *(&^.   

[ranchibi]

Christopher, congratulations on the laser and nightime cam with NV! I'm sure both will be fun to shoot with amd have a place for use.

[Compulsive Tinkerer]

Thankfully my wife doesn't mind my project A.D.D.    Especially if this particular project rids us of the rats.  (Well thins them out ) She cringes when I even mention them lol.

[ranchibi]

LOL! Yeah..rats are not something anyone really wants around their HOME! That's what got me into airgunning...RATS! LOL!