It only took a little over 40 years, but I recently developed the urge to pick up an air rifle again. The last time I used one with any regularity was back in the 70s. Pop had purchased some sort of little break barrel .177 that he used for popping dogs that were squatting on his Bermuda grass in the rump. At just 10, I quickly figured out that I could put a great meal for a family of 4 on the table in just a couple days of picking doves off the power lines. Then my fishing addiction dominated my life for 40+ years, and I forgot how much fun it was. I think it was the relative boredom of early retirement and the fact that fishing on the Georgia coast drops off significantly in the winter, or maybe it was the videos I ran across while down the You Tube rabbit hole, but something gave me the bug. So I started plinking with the old 760 I had collecting dust in the closet, and discovered that it was still fun (even if I couldn't focus on the sights any more).
Back to You Tube I went and started watching everything I could find. I was astounded at how far they have come in the intervening decades, both in accuracy and power. I thought I used to be pretty good by taking a dove at 25 yards with iron sights, but here I was seeing a guy shoot an aspirin at 100 yards! I had thought that squirrels and rabbits were about the extent of the hunting possibilities, then ran across a video of a guy taking a Cape Buffalo with an air rifle. A Cape Buffalo! OK, now I'm really interested; If he can take a buffalo, I should eventually be able to put a pig in the smoker, right?
More videos, more research, and I decided that a PCP would be the way to go, for me, and that would be needing a scope to hit anything smaller than a moose past 20 feet. (We have a distinct lack of moose on the Georgia coast, so that was out) Cost was going to be an issue if I wanted a PCP. That's a lot for a retiree on a fixed budget buy in one shot, so more research, more reviews, and more ghosting the forum trying to make a decision.
I finally settled on a package and it will be dribbling in this week. I went with the Gamo Urban .22 as something I could both plink in the back yard with and also hunt squirrel and rabbit in the surrounding WMAs (I have no less than 5 of them within 15 min of my house). Since none of them contain moose, I have a Hawke Vantage 2-7x32 AO Mil Dot coming to go on top. The Hatsan hand pump may not be the easiest way to fill it, but I think my cardiologist will be happy with my choice in that department. A pack of Shoot-N-C targets and a tin of JSP 18.13 grains, and I should be in business. Of course me being me, I am already looking into how to tinker with the Urban and dreaming about that future pig hunting setup.
This is going to be fun! (and I'll be ready for the zombie squirrelpocalypse)
Back to You Tube I went and started watching everything I could find. I was astounded at how far they have come in the intervening decades, both in accuracy and power. I thought I used to be pretty good by taking a dove at 25 yards with iron sights, but here I was seeing a guy shoot an aspirin at 100 yards! I had thought that squirrels and rabbits were about the extent of the hunting possibilities, then ran across a video of a guy taking a Cape Buffalo with an air rifle. A Cape Buffalo! OK, now I'm really interested; If he can take a buffalo, I should eventually be able to put a pig in the smoker, right?
More videos, more research, and I decided that a PCP would be the way to go, for me, and that would be needing a scope to hit anything smaller than a moose past 20 feet. (We have a distinct lack of moose on the Georgia coast, so that was out) Cost was going to be an issue if I wanted a PCP. That's a lot for a retiree on a fixed budget buy in one shot, so more research, more reviews, and more ghosting the forum trying to make a decision.
I finally settled on a package and it will be dribbling in this week. I went with the Gamo Urban .22 as something I could both plink in the back yard with and also hunt squirrel and rabbit in the surrounding WMAs (I have no less than 5 of them within 15 min of my house). Since none of them contain moose, I have a Hawke Vantage 2-7x32 AO Mil Dot coming to go on top. The Hatsan hand pump may not be the easiest way to fill it, but I think my cardiologist will be happy with my choice in that department. A pack of Shoot-N-C targets and a tin of JSP 18.13 grains, and I should be in business. Of course me being me, I am already looking into how to tinker with the Urban and dreaming about that future pig hunting setup.
This is going to be fun! (and I'll be ready for the zombie squirrelpocalypse)
. Welcome, I had no idea the Georgian Moose was extinct.
Not only are the squirrels gone but I get to pick from my neighbor's vegetable field in exchange for keeping the squirrels and rabbits to a minimum. Eat local!