# OMG! Favorite squirrel rifle is obsolete now!



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Took it out squirrel hunting today and shot up a half a box of .22 shells and only had one squirrel to account for. I haven't shot that many times since I was in my 20's. 

Took my squirrel dog out this morning and my trusty old .22 rifle that I haven't used in several years. Dog treed 4 times. 1st one holed up! 2nd one I shot and hit way up high in the tree. As it was falling down the trunk of the tree, it fell right on a clump of small limbs protruding from a knot and hung up. Back foot was lodged tight around two small pencil like limbs. I shot the squirrel in the head about 6 or 7 times and it wouldn't come on down. Then I tried shooting the foot that was lodged up several more times. But with no luck. I finally decided I was wasting too many expensive bullets. 

Then the dog and I loaded up and we went to another area. As soon as I opened the jeep door he took off and had a squirrel treed before I even got my rifle loaded. Loaded up and quickly walked to the treed squirrel and ended up shooting at it 2 times. Second time I hit. Then we proceeded toward the woods and the dog treed one more time. Another Fox squirrel way up high. I shot at this same squirrel probably 6 or 7 times and never hit it. If finally eluded me way up high and I was too disgusted to try after it anymore. 

Then this evening I went back out again but didn't take the dog as I was wanting to scout out for any deer too. Came across 3 squirrels and only got a chance to shoot at one. Shot twice and missed both times. 

The rifle is dead on. But my eye sight is getting bad anymore. When I look through the scope at a squirrel, all I see is a blur anymore. I know the squirrel is there but I just can't pinpoint the head anymore. 

The last few years I have been using my daughters little cricket .22 with a red dot scope on it and I can slay the squirrels with it since it doesn't magnify. But last year the firing bolt messed up on it and I have yet to take it to a gunsmith. So I put the red dot scope on my pellet rifle and that's probably what I should have grabbed and hunted with today. So I guess what I need to do is buy another red dot scope and place it on my old trusty squirrel rifle. 

I'll try the pellet rifle tomorrow morning and see what happens.


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## DEKE01 (Jul 17, 2013)

you can shoot fox squirrels? Some breeds are protected in Florida and none of them are allowed to be hunted. I had one neighbor shoot one of my fox squirrels and now he is no longer allowed on my farm. He also bragged all over the neighborhood about his great big squirrel kill and the game warden went after him. The warden, with nothing but rumors, had no evidence to arrest the hunter. But apparently the warden worked with the cops to pull Mr. Hunter over and now he is in jail for 16 months for marijuana, felon with a gun, suspended driver's license, and driving without insurance. Word on the streets is that this is one game warden you do not get cross ways with.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

DEKEO1, why are fox squirrels protected in Florida? There's plenty of them here in Oklahoma. There's even a few black ones and a white or two. I've never killed or seen a white one yet but they say they're out there.


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## Farmerjonathan (Mar 11, 2013)

Regular scopes generally cannot take the abuse from a pellet or bb gun. I know it sounds dumb, but the concussion messes a scope up on them. Don't know about the red dot, but thought I would warn you.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Yep, only gray squirrels hunted in Florida. There are plenty of fox squirrels there but there are 4 separate subspecies. Two of those are scarce and the only way to protect them is to protect them all. 

As for bad shooting, never had a real bad day with my own rifles. Borrowed my uncle's ancient .22 with a peep sight one time. It was so far off that I never did hit a squirrel after about dozen shots. Gave up and headed back to the farm. When I went to jump the shallow creek, big sucker took off from under the bank and I just pointed the gun and shot. Belly up! Then started chasing more out from hiding and shooting them. Last fish shot was a 23" trout. Still can't get over the look on my aunt's face when I showed up with fish instead of squirrels and that was on a Christmas Eve!

Martin


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## DEKE01 (Jul 17, 2013)

Oldcountryboy said:


> DEKEO1, why are fox squirrels protected in Florida? There's plenty of them here in Oklahoma. There's even a few black ones and a white or two. I've never killed or seen a white one yet but they say they're out there.


Martin is correct. There are 2 out of 4 subspecies that are endangered. One of the local rangers said it takes a DNA test to be sure which subspecies you have. If that is true, I question that it is really a subspecies, but the Florida and US Wildlife Commission have never shown that they really care much about what I think.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

I was with my dad one time when he shot an albino squirrel. Wish that I knew what happened with it as it was mounted. I've seen at least 3 black ones in the wild. First was when I was 12 and didn't want to shoot it. Chased it into a hollow tree and plugged the hole. Went home and got an ax and started chopping it down. Then chopped into where the squirrel was. Had a canvas grain sack with me to put it in and leather mittens. Bit me through all layers. After milking was done that night, uncle and I spent about 3 hours building a big cage for it. Let the squirrel out of the bag and it went round and round the wire sides of the cage a couple times and dropped dead! We skinned it like a small rug and cured it. 

Martin


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Have you tried to adjust the scope to take the blur out. Possibly the scope is just plain and simple shot.


 Al


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm 63 and can relate to vission problems.We were discussing this on an airgun sight and I found out about "eyepal"I can't really explain it right so it would be better for you to check this out. It's like having a peep-sight on your glasses. Pretty cool! It allows you to focus on target,front and rear sights at the same time like we used to be able to do.I'll try and add a link but I'm not good at this kind of stuff.


Wade


http://www.eyepalusa.com/eyepal_whose_using.html


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I'm 67 and have pretty much got to depending on scopes and peep sights. Most scopes can be adjusted to take blurriness out One on my 22 I've had to adjust a couple of times but I only paid $39.00 for it new on sale.


 Al


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

As I age, will my next favorite squirrel gun be a .410?


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

I just added this in another thread. It kind of applies.

You're pretty much right in general terms.However all squirrels will cut at night depending on weather conditions.I have gone with dad as akid on night squirrel hunts. In a full or partially full moon especially during extreme daytime heat. It's really pretty neat to slip up the creek in the middle of the night and work around till you get the moon behind the squirrel and draw down with a little 410 and take tomorrows supper home.


Wade


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## arcticow (Oct 8, 2006)

Snowfan said:


> As I age, will my next favorite squirrel gun be a .410?


Ain't a thing wrong with a .410 for a squirrel gun, just noisier than a .22...


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

I just added this in another thread. It kind of applies.

You're pretty much right in general terms.However all squirrels will cut at night depending on weather conditions.I have gone with dad as akid on night squirrel hunts. In a full or partially full moon especially during extreme daytime heat. It's really pretty neat to slip up the creek in the middle of the night and work around till you get the moon behind the squirrel and draw down with a little 410 and take tomorrows supper home.

You will have to compensate for failing eyesight and the weight of your gear will play a much larger role in your hunting experience. I tell people my chainsaw weighs twice what it did when I bought it!


Wade


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

Farmerjonathan said:


> Regular scopes generally cannot take the abuse from a pellet or bb gun. I know it sounds dumb, but the concussion messes a scope up on them. Don't know about the red dot, but thought I would warn you.


Yep...Spring air guns recoil (its more of a vibration than recoil) forward, not backward. some scopes have the retical supported for rearward recoil only,,,,,. scopes built for both recoils are usually noted something like "air gun rated"


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

Why do I have this urge to grab my .22 and go track some rabbits in the dusting of snow we got last night? It has nothing to do with this thread. It's supposed to get down to 8 degrees tonight.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

I've had the red dot scope on the new air rifle for over a year now and shoot it quit often. So far I haven't experienced anything bad about it. My daughter and I have shot several squirrels with it and it's still doing fine. But I want to buy another red dot scope and put it on my .22 squirrel rifle. 

It could very well be the scope! It's a 4 X 32 scope and does not adjust. I've had it on there as long as I've had the rifle. More then 20 years. Shot many, many squirrels and snakes with it in my younger days. I'll have to get out my favorite deer rifle and see how well I can see through the scope on it. It has a variable scope and much more powerful then the scope on my .22 squirrel rifle.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

4x32 is to much in my opinions , bushnell makes a 1-4 and my go to scope is a nikon prostaff 2-7 it stays on 2 most of the time hunting , very clear and i can focus on a target as close as a few feet away with out the blurry , 

I keep thinking one of these days I am going to get a red dot , i like the ones i have tried ,but , needing a battery for a gun is proving a bigger mental block than a plastic pistol was


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Pete,I may be wrong but I think he's talking about a 4 power fixed,32mm objective which is not really an overkill. I agree that the lower power is advantageous,especially for squirrel hunting. I use a 1.75x5x32 on my high standard victor pistol and keep it on 1.75.It's easy to aquire your target even on a moving target and yet if I have a long distance still target I have plenty of time to dial it up and take the shot.
BTW, where you been? Haven't seen any of your posts lately?


Wade


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I know he was talking 4x32 fixed , and my opinion is 4x is to much to pull up on a target 50-75 feet away your field of view is rather small at that distance . this is completely personal opinion and preference and I know others will disagree but I feel it is worth a look at a low power scope when your at the store next , big stores are great for this because you can look at things at farther distances 

wade I just been busy , trapping season here up and out the door before sun up to check then strait to work then stuff to do after work , busy at work I pulled traps Monday deer season starts Saturday I am taking this time to clean up and get ready for deer season.

I just like 2x for anything inside 70 yards especially moving targets, i zoom out to about 4x for the 75-85 yard shots if i have the time but I mostly only use higher than that for sighting in 

but for squirrel l it would be unusual to shoot more than about 30 yards for me


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## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

DEKE01 said:


> you can shoot fox squirrels? Some breeds are protected in Florida and none of them are allowed to be hunted. I had one neighbor shoot one of my fox squirrels and now he is no longer allowed on my farm. He also bragged all over the neighborhood about his great big squirrel kill and the game warden went after him. The warden, with nothing but rumors, had no evidence to arrest the hunter. But apparently the warden worked with the cops to pull Mr. Hunter over and now he is in jail for 16 months for marijuana, felon with a gun, suspended driver's license, and driving without insurance. Word on the streets is that this is one game warden you do not get cross ways with.


Been away for a while and just caught up to this. Here in GA, all it takes is a rumor for our game wardens to have probable cause to conduct a search. In terms of "police power", they have all the authority of a state trooper with the addition of being able to enforce game, fish and land management laws which a trooper can't.

Also, they love to hear about poachers and trespassing hunters! Those tickets are excellent revenue around here as they often entail the forfeiture of vehicles and firearms!


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

See about adjusting the Scope plus pay attention to Trigger pull. If all else fails grab a Shotgun.



big rockpile


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

i'v always wanted one of those over n under 22-410s -put it on the Christmas list in case santa is watchin


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

arnie- check your P.M>!


Wade


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I have put many meals on the table with good quality pellet rifles. A friend has killed almost 100 squirrels with his this year. Ammo is as low as $5 for 500 ROUNDS ! I have one rifle listed in the " Barter Board."


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Those are both supposed to be good old guns. I'm just getting into adult airgunning and have a diana 34 to hunt with but haven't had the chance to get it to the woods yet.

Wade


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## homstdr74 (Jul 4, 2011)

Actually there is also another reason that ye olde .22 squirrel rifles will soon be obsolete----there's no ammunition for them!!!!


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## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

homstdr74 said:


> Actually there is also another reason that ye olde .22 squirrel rifles will soon be obsolete----there's no ammunition for them!!!!


Hard to get for sure, but there is a bit trickling out right now.

If folks would just buy what they need and not panic and buy every box they see, there wouldn't be a problem right now!

With luck, I should be good for a few years. Not a hoarder, just laid back a couple thousand rounds over the last 8-10 years.


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## homstdr74 (Jul 4, 2011)

JawjaBoy said:


> Hard to get for sure, but there is a bit trickling out right now.
> 
> If folks would just buy what they need and not panic and buy every box they see, there wouldn't be a problem right now!
> 
> With luck, I should be good for a few years. Not a hoarder, just laid back a couple thousand rounds over the last 8-10 years.


Other things, too---I know of a couple of guys who have insider info about when WallyWorld gets the .22 resupply and are first in line. One of them resells the 500 round box (which cost him maybe 25 bucks) for 55 dollars. I have seen ads online from guys who may be doing much the same, but selling at 75-85 dollars per 500 rounds! 

I don't know how much of the missing .22 ammo is involved in that sort of thing, but it somehow seems wrong, even tho' they are "just making a buck".


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

homstdr74 said:


> Other things, too---I know of a couple of guys who have insider info about when WallyWorld gets the .22 resupply and are first in line. One of them resells the 500 round box (which cost him maybe 25 bucks) for 55 dollars. I have seen ads online from guys who may be doing much the same, but selling at 75-85 dollars per 500 rounds!
> 
> I don't know how much of the missing .22 ammo is involved in that sort of thing, but it somehow seems wrong, even tho' they are "just making a buck".


:umno:

"Oncemanure's":thumb:


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

My favorite squirrel "rifle" is a 20 gauge shotgun! Just shoot far enough away and the pellets will not penetrate the hide, but still kill the squirrel.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

MichaelZ said:


> My favorite squirrel "rifle" is a 20 gauge shotgun! Just shoot far enough away and the pellets will not penetrate the hide, but still kill the squirrel.


 That's what I like about my Muzzleloading Double I can adjust my load where it just kills.

big rockpile


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I been thinking , I should help you fellas out , I will buy your obsolete guns for 50 dollars so that you can invest in one of them high power pellet rifles and get back to hunting game.


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## homstdr74 (Jul 4, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> I been thinking , I should help you fellas out , *I will buy your obsolete guns for 50 dollars* so that you can invest in one of them high power pellet rifles and get back to hunting game.


I'll give 55 dollars.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

homstdr74 said:


> I'll give 55 dollars.



SSHHHH cut that out , I only have the cash for the first 3 save yourself and you we can take turns you can have every 2nd one


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

while we are at it ,that 30-30 won't kill deer any more so I will help you with those also , your going to need a littel cash to put towards that new ultra mag , cause them deer , cross bread with spiders or something and now their fur is made of Kevlar like hairs


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I'm safe for the time being since I have a 32 special 94 for the time being.


 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

you of course know I am joking , I was just reading about a guy who was using a 30 badger 10 inch barreled contender for deer hunting. seeing his pictures is believing that uber mags just are not needed for deer inside 100 yards if you can hit the lungs 
120 gr 30 cal bullet going not much more than 22 long rifle speeds is enough for a complete pass thru of ribs and lungs at 50 yards

since I am fairly sure not many know what 30 badger is , it is a 38 special case necked down to 30 cal balisticaly it would be similar to 32-20 It looks similar and is very similar in size 

and is a very efficient little cartridge kind of a modernized 32-20 but able to pull off nearly 7.62x39 ballistics 

I have read about a bunch of guys that have taken deer cleanly with 30cal rounds going surprisingly slow this year, most were driving a 160-180gr flat nose cast lead bullet at around 1500 fps some form 30-30s others from 300 blackout 

I happen to have a load that does just this in 30-30 , and it does it with a most economical load of pistol powder cost is around 7 cents a round or 11 if you have to buy the lead from a rifle recoil is almost nothing , and it is half dollar size accurate at 50 yards with iron sights 

If you haven't heard of of 300aac blackout yet , I think it is going to become a very very popular cartridge , It is made cutting down a 223 brass and necking it to 30 cal balistics are on par with 30-30 but you can use spritzer bullets , and they run through AR rifles with only a change to the floor plate of the mag and new barrel
although many are building their 300 blackout AR with a pistol length gas system and suppressing them running 200gr bullets just under the speed of sound


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Personally I never was involved in this but heard enough of it to believe it. Back in the 60's the popular poaching gun was the 5mm rimfire. 200 yards with a spotlite,eyes shinning and straight down.Never did understand what the rimfire had over the centerfire.Just thought it was interesting.


Wade


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

1shotwade said:


> Personally I never was involved in this but heard enough of it to believe it. Back in the 60's the popular poaching gun was the 5mm rimfire. 200 yards with a spotlite,eyes shinning and straight down.Never did understand what the rimfire had over the centerfire.Just thought it was interesting.
> 
> 
> Wade


probably cost of ammo and noise 

with a tiny case volume the powder would have been burnt by the end of the barrel giving much less noise than something larger like a 222 or 223

it would be between a 17hmr and 22wmr


My family talks about an old guy that had a 222 with a big flash light mounted under it back in the 40s , that did some night deer removal around his apple orchards.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> My family talks about an old guy that had a 222 with a big flash light mounted under it back in the 40s , that did some night deer removal around his apple orchards.


Must have been a prototype since .222 was introduced in 1950. .220 Swift would have been the one to use back then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.222_Remington

Martin


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

yes I suppose it could have been 220 swift and he called it 222 or it could have easily been the 50s either way 222 was a favorite among the Scandinavians of north east Wisconsin, since the relatives telling about this were just kids before the War it would have been post WWII and that didn't really end till 46 and 47 before they were getting back to normal.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Esteban29304 said:


> I have put many meals on the table with good quality pellet rifles. A friend has killed almost 100 squirrels with his this year. Ammo is as low as $5 for 500 ROUNDS ! I have one rifle listed in the " Barter Board."


 Is that a Benjamin? I had one as a kid. Great rifle, and I cannot, for the life of me, remember where the dang thang went off to. One of the neighborhoods I grew up in was in the city limits, but still kinda' rural, and on 2-5 acre lots with lots of pecan trees. I had permission from lots of the neighbors to hunt squirrels and rabbits on their property, and they were more than happy to have me guard their pecans and gardens from varmints. I'd jump on my bike after school, make my route through the neighborhood, and usually come up with somethin' for Ma to put in the crock pot, and sometimes with a sack of veggies from a neighbor grateful that I'd just removed a thieving rabbit from their garden.
The pellet gun I shoot now is a Gamo 220 hunter, an impulse buy I picked up for a song at a pawn shop. I tried some of those lightweight alloy pellets recently, and it pushes 'em past the speed of sound, enough to get a "rifle crack" out of it, and yep, it will trash a scope not rated for spring-piston airguns. It'll literally shake the lenses right out of 'em.
I just relocated from Mississippi to Iowa, and the squirrels here are humongous. Just as soon as I get familiarized and find some huntin' spots, the ol' Gamo and the crock pot are coming out of storage.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

big rockpile said:


> See about adjusting the Scope plus pay attention to Trigger pull. If all else fails grab a Shotgun.
> 
> 
> 
> big rockpile





arnie said:


> i'v always wanted one of those over n under 22-410s -put it on the Christmas list in case santa is watchin


I've got a 20 guage/.22 over&under savage that I've had ever since christmas of 1973. Also have a double barrel 20 guage. But I'm not too fond of eating pellets anymore. Teeth aren't as good as they once was. 



homstdr74 said:


> Actually there is also another reason that ye olde .22 squirrel rifles will soon be obsolete----there's no ammunition for them!!!!


Yep, that's one thing that's been chapping my hide about missing all those shots. Wasted valueble ammo! 

Well the other day my little rat terrior treed squirrel behind my house and I ended up shooting 3 squirrels. 2 in one tree and 1 in a tree right next to the first two. Shot all of them with a pellet rifle and red dot scope.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

swamp man said:


> Is that a Benjamin? I had one as a kid. Great rifle, and I cannot, for the life of me, remember where the dang thang went off to. One of the neighborhoods I grew up in was in the city limits, but still kinda' rural, and on 2-5 acre lots with lots of pecan trees. I had permission from lots of the neighbors to hunt squirrels and rabbits on their property, and they were more than happy to have me guard their pecans and gardens from varmints. I'd jump on my bike after school, make my route through the neighborhood, and usually come up with somethin' for Ma to put in the crock pot, and sometimes with a sack of veggies from a neighbor grateful that I'd just removed a thieving rabbit from their garden.
> The pellet gun I shoot now is a Gamo 220 hunter, an impulse buy I picked up for a song at a pawn shop. I tried some of those lightweight alloy pellets recently, and it pushes 'em past the speed of sound, enough to get a "rifle crack" out of it, and yep, it will trash a scope not rated for spring-piston airguns. It'll literally shake the lenses right out of 'em.
> I just relocated from Mississippi to Iowa, and the squirrels here are humongous. Just as soon as I get familiarized and find some huntin' spots, the ol' Gamo and the crock pot are coming out of storage.


 That is an older Sheridan Blue Streak. Benjamin & now Crosman, bought them out, but they have stopped making the " Sheridans ", now. Three pumps for plinking & 5-8 for hunting. There are no squirrels around my house any more.


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