Air pistol advice....

[Capt Boo 2]

Hello all..... dumb-arsed question for you, but...

I will be setting some live traps for Mink in the near future, and was wondering if any of you could recommend an Air pistol to deal with (hopefully) caught Mink.

As the Estate I work on is open to the public, I thought pistol rather than rifle. (Easier to get around the lake area without panicking the fee-paying punters)

Was thinking of somethimg in .177 flavour?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thank you.

[pianoman 3,589]

Hi Capt. Boo

Absolutely not mate! Under no circumstances attempt to use an air pistol on a Mink (or any small animal come to that). They are a very tough animal, fast-fidgity movements and absolutely fearless. I've hunted and shot a lot of wild mink on one of my permissions over the years and always use one of my FAC HW80.22s over my sub 12ft/lb TX200 .22 rifle, let alone a way-underpowered plinker pistol. Chances are you will have the animal screeching in agony and little Jimmy in tears and his Mum and Dad baying for your immediate sacking and compensation!! A good .22 rifle in a gunbag discreetly out of sight in your vehicle, till needed..bop! job done, back in the bag and away!

 

ATB

Simon

[davyt63 1,845]

hi buddy

ask phantom .he is the man for advise on pistols

 

regards

 

davy

[Phantom 631]

Vermin dispatch in a cage?

 

The larger the calibre the better, so .22 is better

 

I speak from both experiance and as the Secretary of an International Air Pistol Shooters Club.

 

My reasons are that a .22 moves slower than a .177 and therefore the more kinetic energy is transfered to to the animal, thus ensuring more of a lethal shock to the central nervous system; the wound tract is also much larger than a .177

 

You want the animal to die as quickly and as humanely as possible don't you? (or t least most members and pest controllers on here do)

 

I have dispatched vermin with both .177 and .22 and I must say that .22 (especially very close range) does the damage much more effectively than a .177 as they move faster, transferre less kinetic energy and the wound tract is smaller.

Even if a .22 does over penetrate (which is very likely up close and guarenteed with a .177) the larger energy transfere and larger amount of blood loss from the wound will kill faster than the smaller caliber.

 

I once placed a .22 in less than an ideal position on a rabbit. I placed the muzzle of my HW70 (running at under 2ft/lbs) at the base of the skull on the bunny. Squeezed the trigger and the pellet embedded (flathead) in the soil after travelling through the brain)

 

ATB

 

Phantom

 

Guns suggested are EB22, or HW 45 (at half power)

 

Cheers Davy

Edited October 28, 2010 by Phantom

[Capt Boo 2]

A BIG thank you to those who answered, very good of you to take the time.

I didn't want to go into this 'blind', and so knew I would receive good advice on here.

I most certainly wish to deal with the creatures as quickly & cleanly as possible, and so will follow the advice given by 'those-in-the-know'.

 

Thanks again ALL, a real help

 

ATB

J

[ian118118 10]

the crossman 2240 pistol is about £75 new and it is close to the legal limit for pistols so i would think it can dispatch humanely

[pianoman 3,589]

Well, I stand well and truly corrected lads! Never thought an air pistol would be powerful enough, especially on a mink!