Rifle selection help.

[concretesnail]

Morning all.

I'm looking for a littlw advice regards a solid entry bolt action springer for my dad.

It's an odd request, in that I'm an older player, although life has prevented me from playing recently, but have solid kit that I've run for years but I'm a little.out of touch as to rifs that are available now.

My father has a rat problem in his garden and he has borrowed my vsr to use to discourage the rats. He has been having much more success with it than with his airpistol as the rifle configuration means he can hold and brace it mitigate his central tremors. As I mentioned has has enjoyed my vsr (upgraded and tuned) but now he would like his own rather than use mine, plus I'd like it back at some point.

Being out of the market for so long I'd like to know if there are things I should avoid, historically I wouldn't be looking at say ares bolt actions for example.

Things that have peaked a little interest I'm him would be the tac41 sport or sport lite. although I'd tend to look at tm or tm clones then fettle I think he'd rather have an out the box that's not budget busting but good enough over say the 30m of his garden.
Ive always wanted consistency over outright range and I'd be looking for it here too. So advice to help.me steer him from potential pitfalls of marketing hype, groomed figures or such like would be much appreciated.

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

To be honest,you will fall foul of the wildlife and countryside act with that plan. Nothing discourages the rats more than them being dead- you need a cheap .22 air rifle for the task- much more accurate effective, and will not cause unnecessary suffering. Shot from the upper windows of his house, you will have a safe backstop in that the garden itself will likely form this (or create your own from paving slabs behind their usual haunt if you really need to). If he has tremors etc,then a cheap PCP will be the way to go- a springer can't be shot accurately off a bipod, but a PCP could be proped up on a window sill and be rock steady for him.

 

[Diemaco]

I agree, airsoft is not suitable for pest control. An actual air rifle is the way to go. This is also likely to be a cheaper, as well as more effective solution (especially if you look at second hand options).

 

[Tackle]

Forget the gun, he needs a puddy tat........

 

[concretesnail]

Thanks for the replies folks. I did suggest that an air rifle might be the way to go but he doesn't want to kill them or stop feeding the birds.

@Tackle the cat they have is old codger now at eighteen years and with him having lost the dog recently I don't think inhave the heart to suggest an animal right now.

 

[Rickwales]

Chilli powder down the holes can be successful if you know where they live. It's worked for me in the past.

 

[Hatchet]

To be honest,you will fall foul of the wildlife and countryside act with that plan. Nothing discourages the rats more than them being dead- you need a cheap .22 air rifle for the task- much more accurate effective, and will not cause unnecessary suffering. Shot from the upper windows of his house, you will have a safe backstop in that the garden itself will likely form this (or create your own from paving slabs behind their usual haunt if you really need to). If he has tremors etc,then a cheap PCP will be the way to go- a springer can't be shot accurately off a bipod, but a PCP could be proped up on a window sill and be rock steady for him.

Click to shrink...

Also Animal Welfare Act 2006.

As people have said, this isn't the right tool for the job. You're either just going to injure them badly or blind them and have them suffering. Suggestion would be either kill them outright with an air rifle or see if there's any way to disuade them (remove food source, sonic deterents, etc). With air rifle you can also always practice in advance with those metal targets to be sure of getting clean hits.

If that's not an option then I guess professional pest control.

@concretesnail - you said your father doesn't want to kill them, might be worth pointing out that's likely a more humane option than Airsoft.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

I had a similar issue with my Grandfather. He was risking a £1400 fine for animal cruelty under the '81 Wildlife Act for his unethical use of traps. I used a Slavia 634 air gun in .22 to deal with the visible rats. Now I live in the same house too, I use cage traps (+air pistol), Black Cat traps, and poison in boxes (to avoid the birds). A No.3 garden gun would be handy too.

Householders have a legal duty to deal with vermin.

 

[Rickwales]

A cheap light option to consider is the aptly named crosman 2250 ratcatcher, £160ish. Co2 powered bolt action. I've owned loads of them over the years. Enough power for cleanly dispatching vermin. No pump or dive bottle required.
Honestly tho. I hate killing anything, and relied on traps, poison, deterring with chilli powder and just removing as many food sources as possible.

 

[Tackle]

I'm following this thread with interest, ive had an on & off problem with rats for years, a nearby watercourse & the fact we have chickens etc, combine to make it inevitable.
But cant use poisons as I have dogs & cats, the cats won't hunt at night much due to the shite winter weather, the rats seem to have got wise to the traps, both cage & the killing type, no matter what baits i try, plus im limited to where I can place them without harming other wildlife.
So shooting them is rapidly becoming my final option, but my "upgraded" HW77 is way too powerful to use in close proximity to my neighbours.
So a c02 powered rifle sounds like the easiest/quietest option ?, any recommendations please pm me as technically we're not allowed to discuss airguns here, but ive let it run a wee bit as its preferable to prevent the op or his grandad getting in trouble.

 

[Rickwales]

We had a bird table, it had to go unfortunately. They were brazen and would sit there for ages stuffing their faces.

 

[ButcherBill]

In theory if you remove the food source, shelter or water rats won't stay around... nay impossible in an open area like a garden.

I love feeding the birds & squirrels in my garden but the food attracts rats so I no longer feed the birds & couldn't tell you the last time I saw a squirrel in my garden, I have a pond with Koi & goldfish in it so removing a source of water ain't happening, as for shelter... they used to live under my shed in burrows/rat runs.

I've not seen a rat since I stopped feeding the birds & bushy tailed cute rats but they're there somewhere.

I seem to recall a saying that 'you're never more than a meter from a rat'.

Shooting them without a clean kill is cruel, shooting them with an airsoft or air rifle can't guarentee a clean kill, poison with friendly wildlife around can potentially kill the wrong animals, traps don't always work but it's a well researched topic of concern.

This link might help...

How to Get Rid of Rats in Gardens

Top 10 ways to prevent or get rid of rats in your garden, including from bird feeders. Natural poison free solutions from wildlife expert Sean McMenemy

www.arkwildlife.co.uk

 

[Galvatron]

Shooting them without a clean kill is cruel, shooting them with an airsoft or air rifle can't guarentee a clean kill,

Click to shrink...

Not just cruel, it presents health hazards with blood and guts attracting other vermin if they can continue running or walking wounded.

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

So a c02 powered rifle sounds like the easiest/quietest option ?, any recommendations please pm me as technically we're not allowed to discuss airguns here, but ive let it run a wee bit as its preferable to prevent the op or his grandad getting in trouble.

Click to shrink...

Kral NP02 PCP air rifle - tiny, pointable, whisper quiet with a silencer on it. or one of the Gamo PCPs if you want something slightly more lazer accurate and longer range. You can usually buy a package, coming with a stirrup pump.

 

[Rickwales]

Kral NP02 PCP air rifle - tiny, pointable, whisper quiet with a silencer on it. or one of the Gamo PCPs if you want something slightly more lazer accurate and longer range. You can usually buy a package, coming with a stirrup pump.

Click to shrink...

The krals are pretty decent for the money, and gamo are good too. Think they own BSA now.

 

[Rickwales]

In theory if you remove the food source, shelter or water rats won't stay around... nay impossible in an open area like a garden.

I love feeding the birds & squirrels in my garden but the food attracts rats so I no longer feed the birds & couldn't tell you the last time I saw a squirrel in my garden, I have a pond with Koi & goldfish in it so removing a source of water ain't happening, as for shelter... they used to live under my shed in burrows/rat runs.

I've not seen a rat since I stopped feeding the birds & bushy tailed cute rats but they're there somewhere.

I seem to recall a saying that 'you're never more than a meter from a rat'.

Shooting them without a clean kill is cruel, shooting them with an airsoft or air rifle can't guarentee a clean kill, poison with friendly wildlife around can potentially kill the wrong animals, traps don't always work but it's a well researched topic of concern.

This link might help...

How to Get Rid of Rats in Gardens

Top 10 ways to prevent or get rid of rats in your garden, including from bird feeders. Natural poison free solutions from wildlife expert Sean McMenemy

www.arkwildlife.co.uk

Click to shrink...

A good 6ftlb pistol can dispatch if used in the right hands, but wounding them is too easy and as you say is cruel. A good scoped and silenced pcp air rifle is probably the best way to go, with a safe backdrop of course.