Hello, I am looking for a air rifle (.177 cal) for taking down small game such as squirrel, coons, opposum, birds, and the like and have a budget of $200. I live near a Bass Pro Shop and that is where I plan to buy the air rifle. I have heard that i should stay subsonic as supersonic and hypersonic is too fast for a small pellet to travel accuratly. I have also heard that Beeman Crow-Magnum is the best ammunition to use for small game and that a Gamo Big Cat would be a wise choice. Any opinions?!

God, Guns, and Glory

I can't help you a lot, but, I do know that gamo makes good guns, so do benjamin and crossman.

Buddy has a Gamo and loves it; however the woodchucks around his house don't seem to care for it although they're not talking. Bleeding yes talking no.
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I use a Gamo CFX on most of my small critters and love it. I use Gamo PBA Raptors and yes they do increase the velocity and it is still very accurate out at 40 yards. I use old clear ink pens to carry my pellets and make loading a lot easier. Just pull the ink cartridge out and put them in the top and use the cap to hold them in.

That is a great idea with the pen for a holder. I have used a muzzleloader primer holder in the past with a little better spring and a bend or two. I personally can't say much about other air rifles due to the fact I have rarely shot anything other than my own, but I will say that my Crossman kicks tail(s). It was only 60 bucks on clearance. It came with a nice scope. It is a break barrel and shoots 1000fps. I sight in and shoot nice groups at 100yds but have yet to take more than a couple squirrel past 85-90 so far. I just been shooting field point lead and lead hollowpoints. I ended up with my limit every day I went in January this year here in Indiana. I highly recommend Crossman for the price and for what I have seen them do. My son will hopefully be shooting my gun when he is my age!

well thanks for the input. I went out and bought the Big Cat. i put a simmons 3x9x40 scope on it and at 20-25 yards i am getting 2 inch groups with RWS Superdomes. I am now trying to break the barrel in so that i will hopefully have 1 inch or less groups. the trigger is harsh and i am thinking about ordering a Charlie da Tuna drop in trigger for $32.
God, Guns, and Glory

i decided not to get the drop in trigger as my trigger pull seems to be lessening with use. the other day i shot two shots standing while leaning on the frame of the back door and got two to touch at an estimated 30 yards. For anyone that wants to get a somewhat cheap but effective gun the gamo big cat is for you

God, Guns, and Glory

i have the big cat as well and after about 200 or so rounds sighting in i am getting 5 shot groups small enough to cover with a quarter at 35 yards. it will do the job but use a pellet no less than 7 grains to stay below the noise barrier and keep accurrate.

Your best bet is walmart - for $125.00 you can get a "BEEMAN Dual Caliber Air Rifle" "Model # 1073" it comes with 4x32 scope Rifle .177 cal barrel .22 cal barrel It is a break barrel action. 1,000 fps for the .177 cal good for distance 800 fps for the .22 cal good for knockdown power It works great i use the .177cal for small birds and the .22 cal for raccoons, opossum, fox stuff like that. Its a great rifle for both hunting needs.
John Lawrence

i am into airguns very much, I have a Airforce Condor which is making close to 70 footlbs energy and at 25 yards i am getting single hole groups, i have a Beeman P1 in .177 cal its a pistol but i nailed a squirrel in the head at 15 yards dropped him dead right there. and i have on order a Mac1 LD pistol its a highly accurate pistol

crosman storm xt and quest 1000x both come with scopes and are under 200$.very acurate and powerfull. i have a storm xt and it is awsome for the price!!!

Gamo is still #1 - no ?!

just bought the crosman storm xt taking it out this weekend-let ya'll know how it is.paid 115 at wal-mart

lousdad

If i were to try any for squirrel rabit or any small game I would use the gamo wisper it might be a little more than 200 but well worth it.

I am a big air rifle hunter. i shoot squirrels and rabbits with them mainly because the challenge of not using a shotgun but using single projectile ammo and how cheap it is. I have 3 different air rifles and all of them for me have worked very well for hunting but the setup i have is a gamo big cat with a decent scope and hollow point ammo for short ranges and pointed or domed ammo for longer ranges. and my other two air rifles are decent. they're a crossman storm xt and a beeman dual caliber with 2 barrels.

When I go air rifle hunting I have my gamo big cat with a scope on it and i don't really carry much gear besides my binoculars and my hunting knife. oh and that's a good idea with the pen to carry your pellets in. When I hunt I usually carry my pellets in empty skoal cans.

For all you air rifle hunter you need to look at the Charlie Detuna (spelling is not right I don't think) trigger installation. It make a huge difference and only take about 5 minutes to install. $32 (includes shipping) will make that gun feel like a million dollars.

i just bought the GAMO shadow 1000 177 cal. 1200 fps. very acurit up to 50 yards.. i love it. very un to shoot. i put a bussanell 3x9 on it and can put an eye out at 50 yards.
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I have been doing alot of ballistics testing on air gun ammo. From my experience and I have many years on this, I think you'd be happier with a .22 cal airgun. I use both but noticed no matter how much of a push you give a .177 pellet it doesn't have nearly as much energy at point of impact as a nice .22 cal, especially if you spend the few extra bucks and get a good high power pcp gun. Grain for grain, a lower powered .22 air rifle will do far more damage than a .177. It all comes down to how much mass is in the pellet. If it weighs more it will carry more energy to your target. In .22 i hear a pile of whining about how hollowpoints aren't going fast enough to mushroom out. Don't believe it. I put a good many into a softened parafin target and each one was devistating to the target.
If you're still bent on a .177 cal, I have had great success with a Ruger airhawk and Predator International Polymags. If you want to take your shot hypersonic, Gamo Raptors perform well.

Lots of luck

i love my gamo whisper with gold plated raptor pellets they shoot 1200fps. i personally dont believe they are not accurate weve taking out mallards and geese with one shot from 20-30 yards across ponds. also shot plenty of squirrels from all different distances up to 40 -50 yrds and have had plenty of success.

I'd highly recommend anyone going to use a air rifle to hunt too go with at least .22 even thought I have had good results with a .177. I also always recommend pyramyd air to check out before buying one. These people live breathe and poop air guns. I don't want a chinese made air rifle.

I would vote for getting the rifle in .22 cal. gamo does make some decent airguns for the price. as far as ammo... like any firearm you want the most accurate. but the Beeman crow mag, JSB predator JSB 16 & 18gr and Beeman Kodiak are some of the top.