Squirrel hunting gun recommendations (sorry)

[ZekeZX10]

Bold move getting that close to a skunk hahaha. I do really like the Notos; I've heard pretty much nothing but good things. The only downside I've heard is the slower fps and maybe not having enough "oomph" to reach out much farther than 30 or 40 yds on game. It obviously has enough for that skunk though.

I'm really liking what I've heard about the Stoeger XM1 ranger and scout, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't continue to look at the Notos.

That quail I got at 50 yds was stock, I did get a little bit more out of it later with 1/2 turn up on the reg and slightly heavier hammer spring. BTW, that skunk I hit when he was quartering away, took 2 steps and just stopped and dropped...no spray

But yeah, if you're thinking of taking it out further or hitting some bigger critters like racoon you might want a bit more "oomph"

 

[Bander124]

You can get a .177 hatsan flash QE at UA for 150$ add a gx pump from Amazon for 130 and under 300 you have a pcp set up.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

That quail I got at 50 yds was stock, I did get a little bit more out of it later with 1/2 turn up on the reg and slightly heavier hammer spring. BTW, that skunk I hit when he was quartering away, took 2 steps and just stopped and dropped...no spray

But yeah, if you're thinking of taking it out further or hitting some bigger critters like racoon you might want a bit more "oomph"


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Those are some really good numbers for stock. Especially since it's price point is so nice.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

You can get a .177 hatsan flash QE at UA for 150$ add a gx pump from Amazon for 130 and under 300 you have a pcp set up.

I hadn't heard of that one. I'll have to take a look at it. Thanks!

 

[SpindleB]

I hadn't heard of that one. I'll have to take a look at it. Thanks!

I had a .22 Flash. Was my first PCP. Shoots well out to my yard length, 45 yards. Bolt was easy to cock.

It is a good choice. Hatsan has a Refurb for $149

HatsanUSA_Refurbished – Flash QE

Model FlashQE Caliber .177, .22, & .25 Max Velocity* (Lead-Free Pellets) .177 – 1,250 FPS .22 – 1,120 FPS .25 – 900 FPS Max Velocity* (Lead Pellets) .177 – 1,150 FPS…

hatsanairgunsusa.com

 

[SpindleB]

I had a .22 Flash. Was my first PCP. Shoots well out to my yard length, 45 yards. Bolt was easy to cock.

It is a good choice. Hatsan has a Refurb for $149

HatsanUSA_Refurbished – Flash QE

Model FlashQE Caliber .177, .22, & .25 Max Velocity* (Lead-Free Pellets) .177 – 1,250 FPS .22 – 1,120 FPS .25 – 900 FPS Max Velocity* (Lead Pellets) .177 – 1,150 FPS…

hatsanairgunsusa.com

Hatsan also has a .177 AirMax for $349.
Bullpup, 0.5L bottle, sidelever, wood stock. Definitely an upgrade from the Flash. Easy to replace bottle with regulator and CF bottle.

HatsanUSA_Refurbished – AirMax

Model AirMax Caliber .177, .22, & .25 Max Velocity* (Lead-Free Pellets) .177 – 1,350 FPS .22 – 1,220 FPS .25 – 1,000 FPS Max Velocity* (Lead Pellets) .177 – 1,250 FPS .2…

hatsanairgunsusa.com

 

[BryanH]

30 or 40 yards range is plenty for squirrels. Even with a .22 LR, you’ll probably find a similar limit to make a good shot on a grey squirrel. They are so small and move around so much. Not like the big fox squirrels that sometimes hunker down in the tops of the pines. If you guys have big fox squirrels up there, you will benefit from a gun with more range. Knock them out of the tops of the tall pine trees.

At 18 foot pounds from the muzzle, you have all the power you need to handle squirrels past 50 yards in a .22 air rifle. It’s more about wind, trajectory, and accuracy. That is where the 30-40 yard limit comes into play.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

I had a .22 Flash. Was my first PCP. Shoots well out to my yard length, 45 yards. Bolt was easy to cock.

It is a good choice. Hatsan has a Refurb for $149

HatsanUSA_Refurbished – Flash QE

Model FlashQE Caliber .177, .22, & .25 Max Velocity* (Lead-Free Pellets) .177 – 1,250 FPS .22 – 1,120 FPS .25 – 900 FPS Max Velocity* (Lead Pellets) .177 – 1,150 FPS…

hatsanairgunsusa.com

That's a good deal. How important is it for a PCP to be regulated? I know that a regulator helps the gun deliver consistent speeds and performance, but does that mean an un-regulated rifle will be all over the place and inaccurate?

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

30 or 40 yards range is plenty for squirrels. Even with a .22 LR, you’ll probably find a similar limit to make a good shot on a grey squirrel. They are so small and move around so much. Not like the big fox squirrels that sometimes hunker down in the tops of the pines. If you guys have big fox squirrels up there, you will benefit from a gun with more range. Knock them out of the tops of the tall pine trees.

At 18 foot pounds from the muzzle, you have all the power you need to handle squirrels past 50 yards in a .22 air rifle. It’s more about wind, trajectory, and accuracy. That is where the 30-40 yard limit comes into play.

That's a good point. I may be trying to over-gun. I'm probably over estimating my shooting ability as well. A field shot is much more difficult than bench shooting.

 

[SpindleB]

That's a good deal. How important is it for a PCP to be regulated? I know that a regulator helps the gun deliver consistent speeds and performance, but does that mean an un-regulated rifle will be all over the place and inaccurate?

No, it will be fairly linear as the pressure drops. Accuracy is pretty much the same.

Regulator is consistency, but there is a loss in power unless you also have a plenum of sufficient size for the pellets you are shooting. Bigger caliber requires more plenum. There was a thread that calculated how much plenum you need.

The unregulated has the whole bottle as plenum. Regulated only has the amount of air between the regulator and the valve as plenum.

Huben Power has the Cricket Max-ATH with a 50CC plenum. I love that regulator but it is very pricy $180.

-- Matt

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

No, it will be fairly linear as the pressure drops. Accuracy is pretty much the same.

Regulator is consistency, but there is a loss in power unless you also have a plenum of sufficient size for the pellets you are shooting. Bigger caliber requires more plenum. There was a thread that calculated how much plenum you need.

The unregulated has the whole bottle as plenum. Regulated only has the amount of air between the regulator and the valve as plenum.

Huben Power has the Cricket Max-ATH with a 50CC plenum. I love that regulator but it is very pricy $180.

-- Matt

That's good to know. Thank you for relaying such good info. It's hard to try and figure this all out on my own.

Member BryanH brought up a good point about not needing to shoot much farther than 30 or 40 yds for squirrels. I may be trying to over gun. With that I mind, I'm leaning again towards the Notos based on price in relation to quality. I can hone my skills, and make some upgrades down the road if needed.

Now I just need to wait for a decent deal.

 

[SpindleB]

Umarex Notos
Barra 250z
Niksan Ozark/Elf
Reximex Lyra
Hatsan Flash/Flashpup (refurb)
Air Venturi Avenger (used)
Beeman underlever
AirForce Talon (used)

Take your pick no particular order.
In .22 they will all do the job.

I'm less enthused with the Notos than the rest. I like a bit more power than it puts out.

 

[zerochance]

XM1 Scout seems like a good choice per this video. I would try it.

But for a "budget" gun, I definitely would look at Air Venturi air guns or the Zelos. The Zelos you can find for about $400 new... you will still need a compressor. I started out with a "budget" gun and budget compressor... now 9 months later I own 3 FX air guns and down this rabbit hole with no regrets.

 

[BordertownDevil]

That's good to know. Thank you for relaying such good info. It's hard to try and figure this all out on my own.

Member BryanH brought up a good point about not needing to shoot much farther than 30 or 40 yds for squirrels. I may be trying to over gun. With that I mind, I'm leaning again towards the Notos based on price in relation to quality. I can hone my skills, and make some upgrades down the road if needed.

Now I just need to wait for a decent deal.

You’re not having to figure this all out on your own. We’re all here to help you out. It’s a big learning curve coming from powder burners to springers and PCPs, and in reality still a niche market/hobby, which makes it harder to find people in your immediate area to help with experienced information in person.

This forum, and others, are great resources filled with a wealth of knowledgeable like-minded people. We’re here for you.

 

[AmosBurton]

As a fellow Illannoyed citizen I will say I've received "stuff" directly from some sources while others required an FFL(think about ordering from the SW USA as opposed to somewhere to the east of us).
I have a Notos, a .25cal Avenger, and a .22cal BRK Sniper XR.
If the Sniper were a .25 it might be my favorite, but my Avenger (with some stability mods for hunting) kicks butt. The extra energy of the .25 gets me out a little farther than either .22 will. Not that squirrels sit still very often but when they are cutting on an acorn somewhere within 70yds the Avenger can get them.
But getting a squirrel beyond 40yds is rare so I often just use my Notos because it's light, short and just as accurate inside 50yds.

I'm still looking for a deer rifle that won't break the stupid rules....

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

Umarex Notos
Barra 250z
Niksan Ozark/Elf
Reximex Lyra
Hatsan Flash/Flashpup (refurb)
Air Venturi Avenger (used)
Beeman underlever
AirForce Talon (used)

Take your pick no particular order.
In .22 they will all do the job.

I'm less enthused with the Notos than the rest. I like a bit more power than it puts out.

Those all sound like good options, but why not do hot on the Notos? Just not enough juice?

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

XM1 Scout seems like a good choice per this video. I would try it.

But for a "budget" gun, I definitely would look at Air Venturi air guns or the Zelos. The Zelos you can find for about $400 new... you will still need a compressor. I started out with a "budget" gun and budget compressor... now 9 months later I own 3 FX air guns and down this rabbit hole with no regrets.

The scout and ranger both are very high on my list.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

You’re not having to figure this all out on your own. We’re all here to help you out. It’s a big learning curve coming from powder burners to springers and PCPs, and in reality still a niche market/hobby, which makes it harder to find people in your immediate area to help with experienced information in person.

This forum, and others, are great resources filled with a wealth of knowledgeable like-minded people. We’re here for you.

I meant it as if I didn't have your guys help, but I worded it funny. You guys have been awesome and super informative. I truly appreciate it.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

As a fellow Illannoyed citizen I will say I've received "stuff" directly from some sources while others required an FFL(think about ordering from the SW USA as opposed to somewhere to the east of us).
I have a Notos, a .25cal Avenger, and a .22cal BRK Sniper XR.
If the Sniper were a .25 it might be my favorite, but my Avenger (with some stability mods for hunting) kicks butt. The extra energy of the .25 gets me out a little farther than either .22 will. Not that squirrels sit still very often but when they are cutting on an acorn somewhere within 70yds the Avenger can get them.
But getting a squirrel beyond 40yds is rare so I often just use my Notos because it's light, short and just as accurate inside 50yds.

I'm still looking for a deer rifle that won't break the stupid rules....

The Avenger looks fantastic. I honestly gave up looking for a rifle that would fit the new law. It's ridiculous

 

[AmosBurton]

The Avenger looks fantastic. I honestly gave up looking for a rifle that would fit the new law. It's ridiculous

The Avenger is great for the money. It definitely needs (IMO) a barrel band(preferably 2, or just a wide one that can lock the tubes in place) in addition to the original. I used 2 because I'm kinda rough on stuff. I spent too long grabbing my old Marlin .22 by the barrel and running out the door. That habit can make the Avenger barrel shift and change your POI, hence the 2 extra barrel bands.
FWIW, I would say the Notos is more reliable in stock form, even with it's not great trigger.

As to IL and the law, I have a .308 which you know I can't use to hunt(Grrr!), so I'm currently leaning towards a Ruger American in .300 AAC with a single shot adapter. My real issue has been finding land to hunt(other than my own which is really too small) that isn't overrun with other hunters.

Anyway, you've got lots of options to check out. Good luck with the search. Don't get too hung up on one over the other. You can always sell whatever you choose and try something else.