Pellet rifle for gophers?

Z

zr600

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I need a tack driving rifle for gophers I live in a development we all have 2acers or so my high powered rifles are out of the question. What would be a good rifle to get. I have currently a gamo and it's a piece of junk doesn't group worth a [beeep] and I chronoed it and it's only shooting 600fps. I don't know anything about pellet guns what are my options?
 
pellet rifles accuracy is sensitive to the correct pellet type. Never use cheap pellets. Start out with at least the crosman premium premier pellet from walmarts in the 500 count can. You will be amazed at the accuracy of different pellets. They are way more sensitive that rimfire or centerfire.

Experiment with this pellet before you toss your gamo...BUT... there are some super rifles out there, but that gamo should at least group a quarter size at 30-50 yds.

Hopefully it's a 22 caliber instead of a .177
 
No it's a .177 plus the end of the barrel is rusted on the inside it live a hard life before I got it I tried cleaning it up with not much help.
 
I have an old Beeman R9 .20 caliber that I shoot the pee out of. Have worn out/replaced the spring a couple times, but that is cheap and easy and you really have to shoot it a lot over a long period to wear one out.

In it's current state of tune, it runs the JSB Exacts at 700 fps and the HN FTT (which it is more accurate with) at 770 fps. Those aren't big velocity numbers. But, those are much heavier pellets than the .17's you are using now. Go right through a gophers head at 40 yards. And more to the point, it is accurate enough to hit a gophers head at 40 yards.

Excellent trigger, known for really good accuracy, I think you would not go wrong with a Beeman R9 or for more power, an R1.

There are a lot of good options in the same general price range. RWS is one. There are others. I really like the Beeman trigger though.

- DAA
 
177 for feathers and .22 for fur.
I really like the .20 cal and there are some great guns available. .22 is far more popular in the US now with many more pellet choices. The Crosman premier are a good pellet, with the die lot stamped on the box it is easier to use the same ones the gun is sighted for.
RWS and Beeman have been good rifle brands for a long time. There are always better ones up to about $4000.
 
Look at Pyramid Air and just go through the rifles. Disregard most of the reviews and velocity ratings, pick a good name brand and you won't go wrong. Like there's been said, there's a lot of good rifles out now and some can be had for a decent price. Try a lot of different pellets and you should find one that is accurate enough for your needs. If you can justify the price of a pcp setup you'll be amazed at what can be done with them these days. I have a 22 and 25 pcp gun and they are both tack drivers. Flies don't stand a chance at 20 yes. Ground squirrels at 75 are in deep sh!t. Rabbits are not a problem out past 100.

In the spring guns, I've had good luck with several RWS rifles and I have a Chinese B40 that runs with the Air Arms TX200 at less than half the price.

Look around and pick what fits your needs.
 
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Go to GTA forum (google it) - start your search there. You currently have a spring powered rifle, and there are some higher quality models that will kill gophers at 50 to 75 yards (generally). There are also 'pre-charged' (PCP) airguns that use either a scuba tank or hand-operated pump to charge up a cylinder - there are generally 2 to 3 times more powerful than the spring type and are exceedingly accurate and very, very quiet. I recommend you start looking at these PCP models. I have one - a Benjamin Marauder - and use it on small farms where my hi-powered rifles are too loud. I've killed about 30 groundhogs with it this year.
 
I shoot a rws model 54 in 22 cal and it flat hammers little critters. It's a heavy gun but it shoots lights out with the rws pellets. It is more accurate than most 22 long rifles I have shot.
 
I have a relatively cheap ($100) spring piston Crossman Quest 1000 with good optics (AO down to 7 yards). I installed a Charlie Da Tuna trigger and had the piston, chamber, and spring cleaned up. The trigger alone is possibly the best $35 I've ever spent on any rifle in my life. Its a game changer. As for pellets...I've tried 20 different brands, shapes, weights etc...and by far the best are 8.3 gr superdome RWS. They look like they were machined. Gun Chrono's at about 970 +/- and will dump 10 pellets in the same hole at 25-ish yards. Drops bunnies, squirrels, crows, etc... with one shot
 
I have a relatively cheap ($100) spring piston Crossman Quest 1000 with good optics (AO down to 7 yards). I installed a Charlie Da Tuna trigger and had the piston, chamber, and spring cleaned up. The trigger alone is possibly the best $35 I've ever spent on any rifle in my life. Its a game changer. As for pellets...I've tried 20 different brands, shapes, weights etc...and by far the best are 8.3 gr superdome RWS. They look like they were machined. Gun Chrono's at about 970 +/- and will dump 10 pellets in the same hole at 25-ish yards. Drops bunnies, squirrels, crows, etc... with one shot
 
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