New To Airguns

[ErikR]

Hello All,
I'm new to airguns but not new to firearms. I decided to give airguns a go when I dusted off my brothers old Crossman 1400 pump .22 caliber because of a Racoon problem i have been having lately. To my surprise 500 fps only seemed to bounce off and generally just piss off the coon. I just ordered what I think is a nice entry level airgun the Umarex Surgemax Elite .22. I will use this for target practice/plinking in my backyard to start.

My question is what do you all think about this rifle in general ? and, should I even attempt to use it for pest control. I do NOT want to shoot a coon inhumanely and would rather get a clean kill, even if it takes 2 shots to the back of the head.

 

[Removed]

Welcome to the forum, generally people ask these types of questions before they actually go out and make a purchase. Having firearm experience is great but shooting a piston gun accurately is an entirely different skill set. Best advice is to practice as much as you can on paper and to find a quality pellet that shoots accurately.

 

[maxtrouble]

Purchase some quality domed pellets. Crosman premier or Haendler & Natermann are probably the best for your choice of rifle.

https://www.pyramydair.com/brands/haendler-natermann?mid=7

This is what I would start with. Buy a few different tins and see what she likes.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/...hy-22-cal-14-66-grains-round-nose-500ct?p=912

AND

H&N Baracuda Match, .22 Cal (5.52mm), 21.14 Grains, Round Nose, 200ct | Pyramyd Air

Stock up on H&N Baracuda Match, .22 Cal (5.52mm), 21.14 Grains, Round Nose, 200ct at Pyramyd Air and get the best price from the largest airgun retailer!

www.pyramydair.com

Either should get you shooting tight groups.

 

[Cannonball]

Raccoons are tough animals and I use a .25 with about 3x the FPE that the Umarex puts out when I need to dispatch one. Accuracy is more important than power to a degree, so whatever you use make sure you can place the shot in the kill zone. I would personally recommend something with more power if you are going after medium sized game like raccoons.

 

[ErikR]

Thanks for the replies, Yes i ordered a few different pellets, weights and manufacturers. Just like my normal firearms in the past, I'm sure they will prefer 1 over the others.
I have a feeling I'm going to be traveling down the rabbit hole on my journey into Airguns. Butt im glad I found these forums for some guidance and expertise.