Hello fellow warriors! I’m looking for suggestions on a compact, light weight PCP ratting rig in .177, as not to cause damage to any property. Something that would be accurate and consistent out to 30yds or so but as everyone else, my budget is limited. ($500 or less) I’m currently using a PRod. The accuracy is decent but still throws pellets off often enough to be frustrating, especially when trying to hit a smaller target. I had a 1720T at one time and I regret getting rid of it. Those things are tack drivers from hell. However, it is a single shot. How I wish they made the 1720T in a multi-shot! What do you use or recommend. ? TIA. Ready, go!
If you can live without the multishot bit, then getting a used AAS200 would tick all other boxes. Extremely accurate way past 30 yards. If you would like to buy new, you could get a T200(slightly higher than $500 of course), but then up the power. I haven't done that myself but Pyramyd gives instructions on how to. It's a proven platform and gives probably the highest price to performance return on all production airguns.
If you really want multishot, may be a used AA S410 C (carbine model) can be had for slightly higher than 500, or even $500 if you find the right deal. That will be the perfect tool for the job. Even with a shroud they are very manageably short, have a power adjuster that will let you turn the power down to 7-8 fpe for indoor work, has a first class trigger and magazine system, and will certainly shoot 1/2" five shot groups at 30 yards at the minimum. ( I have had 3 AA rifles and all of them shoot better than that)
May be there are other production guns now discontinued which will fit the bill and can be had for 500 ish.
Pluric, I’d actually thought about the MM barrel myself. How much do they run? That might be the least expensive ticket.
Functor, the AA models sound good as well. I will be doing some research on these. Thanks guys. Keep em comin. There are many options I’m sure. I’m still only about two years into the sport so I have yet a lot to learn.
Doug, it you can live with s single shot a used crosma n 1701p would do the trick. Swap out the .043 tp to a 1720 .067 tp . A few adjustments to hammer spring, add a 1399 stock and bug buster. 25/30 shots with js b 8.4 @ 680. The lw bbl will print a nice cloverleaf @ 35 yds.
Pluric, I’d actually thought about the MM barrel myself. How much do they run? That might be the least expensive ticket.
Functor, the AA models sound good as well. I will be doing some research on these. Thanks guys. Keep em comin. There are many options I’m sure. I’m still only about two years into the sport so I have yet a lot to learn.
Here is a thread I did on mine.
$170
http://www.wickedairrifles.com/store.html
Install videos on youtube. Really a worth while upgrade. Throw on a TKO LDC and the rats will never hear a thing.
If you can find one used, a multi-shot BSA Ultra fits the bill nicely. I have a .22 single shot that shoots 1/4 inch groups at 25 yards with multiple pellets all day long. From what I have heard, my gun is not an outlier, but the norm. I've read similar things about the .177 versions, and have even considered one myself, for exactly what you describe, as my Hatsan is a bit big.
Hope this helps,
Chris
Ditto on the S200. Light, compact and very accurate.
FWIW, there is a .22 LD that just popped up on the ads for $425, CO2, not a pcp, but if you live in a warm weather state it should get the job done very quietly w/o fear of over penetration, resulting in holes in the barn roof. Been there, done that.
Just some thoughts,from spending a good amount of time shooting rats at night.
I am a single shot fan...but not at night. Fumbling around in the dark getting a pellet to load nose first isn't my most favored thing. Better if they are already pre-loaded in a magazine (but exchanging mags at night is still a challenge, but one you only have to do every so often)...usually less often than you got rats to shoot.)
Night sights still ruin at least one eye's night vision. Are great for what they do, but better to close your "off" eye and live with that one eye being dark adapted and the other kind of "blind".
Red dot sights (or illumated reticles) area bit worse as it's hard to make out of it's a rat or not (a few dead kitten really isn't aceptible). Can see the dot, can see that something is there, but it's never a sure identification.
I've come to put out solar, motion detecting spot lights. Cheap,turn on with motion, can be set to "dim", and if you set them up a week ahead of shooting, the rat's seem to get use to them as they do for the bait.
With the motion decteting solar spots, have pretty much given up the night sight way-way down tuned .25 PCP. Have up-tuned it back to it's normal +40 foot pound area and use it for the occasional opossum/raccoon that mistakes my garbage cans as the buffet. ...but not a rat shooter (way over powered and damaging to the property on exit at that energy).
And just use a low power (like 14 foot pound) .25 springer with a 4X32MM scope for twilight/night rat shooting. Lights blink on...I aim with the simple 4X...rat's do a flip and a kick or two.
Rats actually aren't that thick (except for some of the big boys that live on the Mississippi river docks) and don't take a whole lot of "ommph" to poke a hole though. Likely it's better to poke a bigger hole, but I've used .177's without a problem so long as the pellet hole transects the "good bits"..
