I'm looking for advice for a silent-ish backyard chipmunk eliminator. They're digging up my wife's flower garden, excavating behind our retaining wall, and climbing up into our vehicles building nests and depositing acorns in them.
My only airgun experience is with a 25 yr old Beeman R7 which I still have. While I've eliminated a few chipmunks with this rifle at 10-15 yrds, my kill rate is only about 30% thus far at that distance. The rifle has an accessory open rear sight that's an improvement from stock. When I've tried sighting it in (after having missed so many chipmunks), my pellet spread at 15 yrds using a bench rest is about 5 pellets in a 2 inch diameter area, and that was for three different brands of pellets. So, I'm thinking that maybe I need a more accurate rifle.
My R7 is a break barrel and that's all I'm familiar with. I like that it's simple and convenient to use. I know that there are pressurized air guns but I don't know anything about how easy or convenient the air filling system is.
Even though I mostly crack a door or window to fire at my target, I'm in a neighborhood so I'd like a really quiet rifle so that I don't arouse suspicion from neighbors.
So, my requirements are: .177, quiet, accurate at 10-20 yrds (greater distance would be ok, too), less than $500-800 all in. Any suggestions on what rifle and dealer?
Thanks in advance for the help.
My only airgun experience is with a 25 yr old Beeman R7 which I still have. While I've eliminated a few chipmunks with this rifle at 10-15 yrds, my kill rate is only about 30% thus far at that distance. The rifle has an accessory open rear sight that's an improvement from stock. When I've tried sighting it in (after having missed so many chipmunks), my pellet spread at 15 yrds using a bench rest is about 5 pellets in a 2 inch diameter area, and that was for three different brands of pellets. So, I'm thinking that maybe I need a more accurate rifle.
My R7 is a break barrel and that's all I'm familiar with. I like that it's simple and convenient to use. I know that there are pressurized air guns but I don't know anything about how easy or convenient the air filling system is.
Even though I mostly crack a door or window to fire at my target, I'm in a neighborhood so I'd like a really quiet rifle so that I don't arouse suspicion from neighbors.
So, my requirements are: .177, quiet, accurate at 10-20 yrds (greater distance would be ok, too), less than $500-800 all in. Any suggestions on what rifle and dealer?
Thanks in advance for the help.
