need advice for a stealthy chipmunk eliminator

[nellborg]

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.

 

[Hapo]

https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/AirForce_Condor_SS_PCP_Air_Rifle_Spin_Loc_Tank/3063



https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Air_Venturi_MK4_Kit_by_Hill_Hand_Pump_Up_to_4500_PSI/5501

 

[intenseaty22]

My favorite Chipmunk Slayer is......Wait for it......An HW30 (Basically an R7) in .177. At 20 yards I can put a pellet in the chipper’s eye every time, no questions asked. I get head shots out to 28 yards, no problem. But mostly aim for the body beyond 20 yards. 

Have you tried scoping it? Does it need a tune up? New spring? Etc? Look into a Hawke 2-7, very affordable and perfect for that rifle. 

 

[Yo]

177 Umarex Gauntlet search Google for cheapest $200-$230 and a $28 Chinese hard pump and a $40 filter from Aliexpress in China if you can wait at least ONE MONTH otherwise spend $50 generic Chinese pump domestically shop smart GOOGLE and $80-$100 filter. $45.99 Generic 6-24x scope with illuminated bullet drop compensating holdover reticle. And a set 1 inch adjustable rings 11mm dovetail from FX $60 or so anywhere that sells FX products. Just under $500 ready to shoot and right about $500 when you buy couple tins of pellets. Nothing else will be as accurate than this combo at $500 complete ready to shoot. If you can up the budget then go buy a Kral Puncher Breaker bullpup instead that adds around $200-$250 to the $500 and it has a user friendly power adjuster dial too. The 177 Gauntlet will probably be a little more accurate though at 55 yards. Roughly 5/8"-3/4" for the Kral vs. 5/16"-3/8" for the Gauntlet.

 

[Yo]

Before buying something else go and CHRONY your R7 with 7.9 Grain Crosman Premier Hollowpoints from Wal-Mart. Maybe you need more practice shooting that's all and just haven't found the right pellet for your R7 which is easy 30 yard sub 1 inch group capable without even trying hard. Buying a better gun may not necessarily be the solution for not enough practice and or discipline.

 

[Moog]

Make sure all the screws are tightened down on the rifle. Loose screws will cause accuracy problems.

 

[nellborg]

My R7 probably has 1000-1500 pellets through it's barrel in it's lifetime and those were 25 yrs ago. It's been in a rifle bag in the garage for the past 20 yrs. I have no idea if a tune up or new spring is needed. Maybe I should look into that first?

I'm looking into the Gauntlet, Condor, and Kral - thanks.

I have not tried using a scope but I think that's a good idea. First need to get the rifle shooting tighter groups, I think.

I'm not a great shot, but I do ok with my Anschutz Fortner biathlon 22.

I've been using Crosman Premier Pointed 7.4 grain pellets. Would those be as accurate as the Hollowpoints? 

 

[edenwildfood]

R7 is the ideal gun

 

[Yo]

The 7.4 Grain pointed Crosmans shoot great on some but not all guns. Better chances with the 7.9 Grain Premier Hollowpoints.

 

[Yo]

Go ahead and buy these 2 simple items and I guarantee these specifically will make you a much better shot no question!

 

[cea1960]

I have eliminated dozens of chippers with my Crosman Custom Shop .177 2400KT. With a TKO or Rocker1 moderator it is very quiet. It has about the same power as an R7 and the accurracy with the 14" L/W barrel is outstanding to 40 yards. With a good scope it's still under $250.

 

[MMCM13]

You can hand pump a Marauder, and a .177 Marauder is the gold standard for quiet. A good scope on a marauder, mine is quite accurate at 17 yds, with Predator Polymags. The loudest sounds are the ping in the rifle and the thwack that the pellet makes on the varmint. I bought a used one on the want ads, gen 1, and put a nice scope on it. It is so quiet, I shoot from patio door, can't hear it in house and you can't hear it in yard, other that pellet strike.

 

[shambozzie]

The best stealthy chipmunk eliminator period .

 

[intenseaty22]

Nothing wrong with picking up a different gun, most of us own a few more than we need. However, the R7 you own is a really nice gun, very capable of meeting your needs. There's some solid advice being offered up there. A Chrony, if you have one available, is a really good way to start. Otherwise you can take the gun apart and inspect the seal, spring, etc. Spring and seal kits are readily available for those rifles. Vortek, for example. There are videos on YouTube that can guide you in the process, or post for help here and you will find plenty of help. It't really not very hard to do. The worst of it is having a way to push/compress things into place in order to replace the pin that holds everything together. 

Once you have the rifle stripped, clean all parts really well, only apply grease to the needed parts - not too much either. Put everything back together with a new spring, seal, and tighten screws. Make sure you clean the barrel really well too. Try a scope on it. At that distance you should be OK with even a x4, but I really like the Hawke 2-7, it's very affordable and more than you will need. I shoot the gun out to 30 yards with that scope all the time. 

Go out and shoot it a good bit, it may diesel upon the first shots, just keep shooting it a few times. Then try and see how it does shooting some groups out to 15 or 20 yards. Anything less than 1/2 inch or so is a dead chipper. Good luck. 

 

[intenseaty22]

Here ya go. This is my HW30 Hunting thread. I usually add my last victim to it. For Chipmunks, it’s the cat’s meow. 
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/i-love-my-30/

 

[nellborg]

Thank you everyone for the advice.

I'm going to look around me for a gun shop that has experience with air guns and have them check the spring and piston and barrel for me. I could give that a try...but I've got too much on my plate to be losing small parts that I know will accidentally fall on the floor, and I'm just not all that mechanical with springs and seals and such.

The Hawke 2-7 looks like a good enough scope for me at a good price point. Can I assume that the BKL one-pc mount that Yo linked to will fit the Hawke 2-7?

If the above combo works well, then I'm good. Otherwise, I might take a look at one of the other rifles linked to above.

 

[270windude]

It can be hard finding proper lubes without ordering online (granted I live out in the country) but after a trip to bimart, Walmart, and ace I finally found silicone chamber oil without going online. I suspect your gun would appreciate some down into your chamber if you don’t want to open up the gun. 

I also don’t know how anyone shoots accurately without sorting their pellets. Maybe because I’m shooting lower cost guns but pellet sorting and choice is the difference between 2 inch groups and half inch. Then pellet treatment brings that 2 inch down to even under half inch. Basically I’m saying it’s hard for me to just buy any old tin of pellets and have them hit where I’m wanting, I have to work for it. 

 

[intenseaty22]

@270windude I never sort pellets, ever. However, I might do it if I was competing.

I personally think that a good quality gun and quality pellets are good enough for hunting accuracy. The guys that compete, that’s a whole different story. Sort, wash, weight, measure, and pray over them.  

 

[Hapo]

...springers kill scopes...just sayin'...

...they are relatively loud too...but they don't "need air" like PCP's...

...I recommend both...!!!... 

 

[MileHighAirGunner]

Thank you everyone for the advice.

I'm going to look around me for a gun shop that has experience with air guns and have them check the spring and piston and barrel for me. I could give that a try...but I've got too much on my plate to be losing small parts that I know will accidentally fall on the floor, and I'm just not all that mechanical with springs and seals and such.

The Hawke 2-7 looks like a good enough scope for me at a good price point. Can I assume that the BKL one-pc mount that Yo linked to will fit the Hawke 2-7?

If the above combo works well, then I'm good. Otherwise, I might take a look at one of the other rifles linked to above.

Just something to be aware of, Hawke has two 2-7 scopes that I know of. So are you looking at the Hawke Airmax 2-7x32 or the Hawke Vantage 2-7x32? As I understand it the Hawke Airmax scopes where designed for a springer's recoil where as the Vantage scopes may not hold up to a springer's recoil.