Lets see your Guns.

[AHPP]

I’m back to your first idea. A semi auto pistol, empty the clip and let slip the chooks of war. 
 

4m shots are surprisingly difficult btw. You think you need to hold under because you’re closer than your zero (probably). You actually need to hold over because you’re so close that your boreline hasn’t met your sightline (probably a scope quite high off the bore) yet. Unintuitive. 

Edited August 7, 2024 by AHPP

[AHPP]

[GarethM]

4m shots are difficult, are you having an absolute laugh!.

 

If you can't hit a rat with a head shot at 4m, you need to surrender your driving licence and maybe just lay down and let them eat you.

 

40m I can give you the benefit of the doubt with a rifle, personally that's pretty much on the end of the barrel.

[Paul in the woods]

It's not as simple as shooting a piece of paper from a set distance. Many air pistols will be well under the legal limit so marginal for rats and add in a rather loopy trajectory, moving target and a varying distance I wouldn't do it, but I know I'm a rubbish pistol shooter. 

 

What I have found is rats, squirrels etc seem to know if you've armed. I can be outside and they just sit there until I get the air rifle and then they're off. An air rifle would be my choice.

 

I would also agree with the opinion you shoot to kill, not maim and hope something else does a better job. Having seen hens get mice etc the poor animal can be alive for quite some time as the hen with it runs around trying to find somewhere away from the rest of the flock. If in the UK you legally shouldn't shoot something unless you have the ability to kill it.

 

I'd also add I would want to use lead free pellets if the hens are likely to eat the corpses.

[Stubby]

I get them in the traps daily . The older ones are trap shy and wont touch it . I have shot a few with an air rifle and the best efforts have been with an old Chinese  springer with open sights .  But the .410 ( fully moderated ) is the bollox .

[AHPP]

Anyone else want in on a bulk deal on cats with me and peds? I’ve just dug a hole for an old one. 

[AHPP]

2 hours ago, Stubby said:

I get them in the traps daily . The older ones are trap shy and wont touch it . I have shot a few with an air rifle and the best efforts have been with an old Chinese  springer with open sights .  But the .410 ( fully moderated ) is the bollox .

I’ve twice bought one of those brilliant hushpower 410 folders and twice sold them for underuse. One would probably come in handy for the inevitable arrival of rats (following the indeterminate arrival of chickens) though. Perhaps third time lucky. 

Edited August 7, 2024 by AHPP

[AHPP]

3 hours ago, GarethM said:

4m shots are difficult, are you having an absolute laugh!.

 

If you can't hit a rat with a head shot at 4m, you need to surrender your driving licence and maybe just lay down and let them eat you.

 

40m I can give you the benefit of the doubt with a rifle, personally that's pretty much on the end of the barrel.

I did explain... I can do it with different words but it will be fundamentally the same explanation.

[GarethM]

24 minutes ago, AHPP said:

I did explain... I can do it with different words but it will be fundamentally the same explanation.

I did get bored earlier, 1.5" group at 4m with a pneumatic Webley pistol from the 90s, I use it as a squirrel trap backup instead of lumping the rifle when trapping.

 

Irons are about as wide as the QE2 tho, just buy a kids start rifle including scope for £150. Slightly lower power but enough for rats and easy to use if you buy a gas ram version, headshot only tho, no excuses.

Edited August 7, 2024 by GarethM

[Stubby]

2 hours ago, AHPP said:

I’ve twice bought one of those brilliant hushpower 410 folders and twice sold them for underuse. One would probably come in handy for the inevitable arrival of rats (following the indeterminate arrival of chickens) though. Perhaps third time lucky. 

I must of had mine for at least 40 years . Its a Pedretti .   When I first got it I copuld not understand how I was missing things so , fired it on a pattern plate . Turns out I was getting a cigar shaped pattern at about a 45 degree angle . Took the moderator tube off and discovered the cross holes ( muzzle breaks ) were just drilled strait through without removing the burrs . Once I removed the burrs it put out a decent if not tight pattern ( being full choke ) Not worth selling . Its always there ...

Edited August 7, 2024 by Stubby