frangible BBs for starling control?

[HOSPassassin]

We have a small chicken coop that houses 8 chickens, 3 ducks, and unfortunately several dozen starlings. I have been slowly picking them off and gotten up to 16 or 17 kills. Then the memsahib (who does most of the chicken chores) came to me this afternoon to tell me one of the ones I had wounded was flapping around inside. I thought he would quickly freeze to death after he was hit but somehow he managed to hop up inside the house where it is warm and there is plenty of food.  So, out I went with the Daisy 901 and a pocket full of pellets.

To make a long story short, it was a rodeo in there. I shut the doors and started picking off birds up in the eaves when they became visible. The body count rose by ten when I was finished.

The question: Are frangible BBs a viable pest control option on starlings or HOSPs at a distance of no more than 8 feet? There were pellets bouncing around inside the coop even though I kept the power level down to 2 pumps/370 fps/~2.5 fpe. If frangibles will do the job without whizzing around inside an enclosed space that would be fantastic.

[lillysdad621]

on Hosp, im sure they are plenty hard.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Try shooting some into a roll of paper towels or a full plastic spring water bottle and see how they penetrate.  They should penetrate about 3/8-1/2 inch into the paper without breaking up.  If they penetrate the plastic water bottle they will probably kill a Starling.  This is based on my tests of a CO2 powered BB pistol that I thought about using to kill snakes..  I used steel BB's for the serious tests but I did test some Dust Devils and they would not penetrate a (full) cheap disposable water bottle from ten feet but at five feet the BB's broke up after penetrating.  Velocity was between 325 and 375 fps.

[desertplinker]

I wouldn't count on it. Killed a lot of starlings back in the day, they are tough buggers. Got a strong will to survive.

[Doug Wall]

At low velocities frangible BBs will only break apart on really hard things like steel.

[lillysdad621]

At low velocities frangible BBs will only break apart on really hard things

That is why i believe that you will get enough penetration to take them down like with normal BBs

[anti-squirrel]

Quick question- you shooting wadcutters?  I know you asked about BBs but...

I only ask as that's my preference when I'm really wanting to minimize pass-throughs.  I got to do some pesting in my old 'hood using my re-barreled 760 pumper in attics to remove some naughty squirrels- that 760 has a rifled barrel.  I prefer the heavier .177 wadcutters especially for short range- anything over 8 grains will knock the fuzz out of tree-rats, flying rats, and flying buttholes (Starlings)- though TBH I still prefer .22, but winter-time and CO2 mean my 2400 sits on the bench.  My 392PA has too much power on 3 pumps in an attic, and I'm sure your chicken coop is just as risky.


 ..and I will add my "neighbor) (actually lives a couple miles away) has a couple dozen chickens and I perma-loaned him one of my Tru-Mark slingshots and he said the clay-ball ammo is perfect for the pests.  It may not be your cup of tea, but slingshots are nutso at short ranges- provided some accuracy/practice.

[maraudinglizard]

You might try H&N Smart shot, they are copper coated lead bbs. I use them my bb pistols and not have near the ricochet as steel bbs.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/air-venturi-h-n-smart-shot-177-cal-7-4-grains-copper-plated-lead-bbs?p=1440

[airgunaut]

Quick question- you shooting wadcutters?  I know you asked about BBs but...

I only ask as that's my preference when I'm really wanting to minimize pass-throughs.  I got to do some pesting in my old 'hood using my re-barreled 760 pumper in attics to remove some naughty squirrels- that 760 has a rifled barrel.  I prefer the heavier .177 wadcutters especially for short range- anything over 8 grains will knock the fuzz out of tree-rats, flying rats, and flying buttholes (Starlings)- though TBH I still prefer .22, but winter-time and CO2 mean my 2400 sits on the bench.  My 392PA has too much power on 3 pumps in an attic, and I'm sure your chicken coop is just as risky.


 ..and I will add my "neighbor) (actually lives a couple miles away) has a couple dozen chickens and I perma-loaned him one of my Tru-Mark slingshots and he said the clay-ball ammo is perfect for the pests.  It may not be your cup of tea, but slingshots are nutso at short ranges- provided some accuracy/practice.

TruMark closed a few years ago, unfortunately. Glad I kept my two and some spare bands.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Quick question- you shooting wadcutters?  I know you asked about BBs but...

I only ask as that's my preference when I'm really wanting to minimize pass-throughs.  I got to do some pesting in my old 'hood using my re-barreled 760 pumper in attics to remove some naughty squirrels- that 760 has a rifled barrel.  I prefer the heavier .177 wadcutters especially for short range- anything over 8 grains will knock the fuzz out of tree-rats, flying rats, and flying buttholes (Starlings)- though TBH I still prefer .22, but winter-time and CO2 mean my 2400 sits on the bench.  My 392PA has too much power on 3 pumps in an attic, and I'm sure your chicken coop is just as risky.


 ..and I will add my "neighbor) (actually lives a couple miles away) has a couple dozen chickens and I perma-loaned him one of my Tru-Mark slingshots and he said the clay-ball ammo is perfect for the pests.  It may not be your cup of tea, but slingshots are nutso at short ranges- provided some accuracy/practice.

+1 for the slingshot.  They are very versatile and can fling a variety of useful projectiles.

Don’t ignore the blow gun either.  A .45 cal 48” blowgun paired with a laser pointer works like a voodoo curse on henhouse raiding rats.

[HOSPassassin]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

[anti-squirrel]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Still getting pass-throughs with wadcutters?  You shooting a hopped-up 880?

I like my various pumpers on 3 pumps for HOSPs and Starlings, but ... the only sparrows nearby are Chipping so they just get admired, not shot.  Anyway, it sounds like you got things well in hand now

BTW_ i was unaware TruMark was gone.  I now shoot mostly flat-band, though my wife prefers the tube-banders, including my favorite, a one-piece non-folding TruMark.  I buy tubing on Amazon by- and have the plastic ferrules for holding the leather pouch and sliding into the tubing.  None of that "tie it off" junk.  As it were, I also will say blow-guns are powerful medicine.  The way to go is the bigger-bore if you have the breath capacity.  I own several different calibers but the field mice and rats have kept a very low profile since some new hawks move in.  Until I get a night-vision set-up I don't think I'll have many chances to make the rodents visit their ancestors.

[HOSPassassin]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Still getting pass-throughs with wadcutters?  You shooting a hopped-up 880?

I like my various pumpers on 3 pumps for HOSPs and Starlings, but ... the only sparrows nearby are Chipping so they just get admired, not shot.  Anyway, it sounds like you got things well in hand now

BTW_ i was unaware TruMark was gone.  I now shoot mostly flat-band, though my wife prefers the tube-banders, including my favorite, a one-piece non-folding TruMark.  I buy tubing on Amazon by- and have the plastic ferrules for holding the leather pouch and sliding into the tubing.  None of that "tie it off" junk.  As it were, I also will say blow-guns are powerful medicine.  The way to go is the bigger-bore if you have the breath capacity.  I own several different calibers but the field mice and rats have kept a very low profile since some new hawks move in.  Until I get a night-vision set-up I don't think I'll have many chances to make the rodents visit their ancestors.

Nope, it's a completely un-modded 901 shooting on two pumps. That's about 380-ish fps. Believe it or not that will kill a HOSP at about 20 yards if you can hit it. It will also finish a squirrel with a close range head shot.

I also discovered that my 901 will not shoot q-tip darts for some reason. If you put one pump in, close the bolt, and stuff a dart into the muzzle the trigger just goes "click." Must be a liability thing.

[lillysdad621]

I would even see if you reconsider your 392 at either 2 pumps or 3 (that should be under 400 fps easy, maybe closer to 300). At that velocity a crosman premier will hit like a wrecking ball and the wider face will disperse the energy quickly and in an outward expanding manner. Try it on an apple and see what happens to the area adjacent to the impact point. It will be liquified due to the low travelling pellet dissipating its energy in a shorter amount of space. Plus the 392 is very consistent in velocity and they are generally quite accurate.

[airgunaut]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Ah, Moke's Mouse elimination Method! Please post the pics after you've tried it.

[airgunaut]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Ah, Moke's Mouse elimination Method! Please post the pics after you've tried it.

What happened? I wrote "Massa___", not "elimination. Is it a banned word?

[Back_Roads]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Ah, Moke's Mouse elimination Method! Please post the pics after you've tried it.

What happened? I wrote "Massa___", not "elimination. Is it a banned word?

Events related to WWII

[HOSPassassin]

Well, it turns out that the adjustment of your open sights makes a difference even at eight feet. I spent a little time yesterday shooting some targets at about the distance I shoot inside the coop. It turns out I was adjusted way too low even at that short range. I made the correction and went out yesterday afternoon to wreak havoc on the starlings since the weather has changed and they're back in force. I made 20 kills in about 45 minutes with a lot fewer bouncebacks. I think if RWS Basics actually hit a bird at 380 fps there isn't enough energy left to ricochet. I had been shooting too low and hitting plywood which caused the ricochets.

[airgunaut]

After re-discovering a thread on burger picks and sharpened q-tip shafts I have a P-17 on the way and a bunch of snipped Q-tips ready for starling eradication. If they'll kill mice they'll kill starlings. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=208933.msg156531263#msg156531263

I switched over to shooting wadcutters instead of my nice FTT pellets. They hit hard and don't ricochet as much but I still get a few. They still pass through starlings easily.

I think the body count is well over 50 since I started this three weeks ago. There seems to be an endless supply of the feed-thieving poop machines.

Ah, Moke's Mouse elimination Method! Please post the pics after you've tried it.

What happened? I wrote "Massa___", not "elimination. Is it a banned word?

Events related to WWII

I figured something like that. Good thing there are other, unrelated words that begin with the same letters. The lurkers and bots are all over forums.

[Jeff Marshall]

If they will chamber, try backwards pellets.