Air Pistol Hunting Choices
Hunting is my favorite use of an airgun. And to increase the challenge of hunting, or for a casual walk through the woods, I often use an air pistol. Here are some of my suggestions for appropriate air pistols with which to hunt that you will find here at Airgun Depot.
Crosman 1377 - A great, easily found design that has been taking game for quite a few years. Unfortunately, the 1322, it's .22 caliber sibling, is no longer available. However, you can convert a 1377 to a 1322 if you like with a few parts. This gun has the advantage of being adjustable in power by varying the amount of air you put in the gun. Another advantage is that it is less susceptible to cold weather side effects that you get from CO2-powered guns since it uses air.
Crosman 2240 - One of the most common pellet pistols around, the 2240 is a great little bolt-action pistol that runs on CO2. Accurate, compact, and infinitely customizable with lots of aftermarket parts. Velocity of the .22 projectile is adequate for squirrel and rabbit sized game at reasonable distances, and you get a decent shot count from each CO2 cartridge/powerlet.
Benjamin Sheridan Pneumatic - A pump-up airgun similar in function to the Crosman 1377. This gun lends itself less to modification, yet in stock form is quite capable of taking the size-appropriate game of your choice when you do your part and put the pellet on target.
Benjamin CO2 pistol - Similar in function to the Crosman 2240, this gun also does a good job on small game. I prefer the sight system on the 2240, but the Benjamin sighting system is quite adequate for the hunter if not the target shooter.
RWS 5G - This spring-piston pistol is powerful and accurate. Self-contained, all you need is a pocket full of pellets and you are set for the day in the field pursuing your intended game. There's no nonsense about this pistol!
Now, are there other pistol offerings out there that will help you with pest control? Certainly, you can use whatever pistol you have that will hit the target with adequate force. However, if you intend to actively pursue small game, and not just pop the occasional pest, then I believe these candidates are your best options. And airgun pistol hunting is among the most challenging of the shooting sports. You really have to work at it when using an air pistol, so get the right gun for the job before heading out into the field!
