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firemandivi · Member

I'm looking to buy a .22 spring powered airgun to kill some woodchucks on my property. I was wondering if anyone knows how much power is required for a clean kill.

I'm looking at guns that shoot a .22 a min. of 950 fps. I'm thinking the Gamo Whisper or the Benjamin Sheridan Super Streak or anything in that range.

I live in New York with houses too close to use a rimfire .22, even so the quieter the airgun the better. Also if anyone knows the legal status of shooting air guns in NY that would be appreciated. I do have a sportsman license which allows me to hunt all game depending on the season. I am completely new to the world of high power airguns and hunting in general, I've never even killed an animal on purpose before. Even though I'm new I do have enough common sense to know my surroundings encase the pellet goes through or if I miss. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help.

fritz · Silver Status Member

1) Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your stay

2) Thankyou for not being an idiot and doing anything stupid.

3) Do it legal.

4) You will be addicted to airgunning, so expect to stay.

I suggest you contact the township and apply for a sportsman's license, I don't know about NY airgun laws, but expect there to be some fine print in there. Call up the cops and see what the regulations are for airguns. Call the Department of Fish and Game or other hunting authority and get a license.

Now that I have legally advised you so as to cover my (and the forum's) a$$(es)...

To take out these pests you will need to be within 50 yards. Head or neck shots only. Preferrably right in the ear or eye. My guess is at least 8fpe at impact. How close can you get? For a common spring powered air rifle you may actually need to be closer than 50 yards for a clean kill.

If you can't get within range you may have to use a powder burner or other means.

firemandivi · Member

Thanks for the quick reply

I already have a NY sportsman license, I will call the local police and/or NYSDEC(issuing agency here in NY) and see what they say about it the legality of hunting with an airgun.

As for stalking the critters, I can get to within 15-20 yards give or take for a clean shot.

You really think 8 fpe would be enough, I was thinking more like 25 as a minimum, but than again I really have no idea.

firemandivi · Member

I just got off the phone with the NYSDEC environmental police and as it stands hunting with an airgun in New York State is ILLEGAL. There currently is a bill before the state assembly but no word where it stands now. This is a real bummer.

fritz · Silver Status Member

I mean 8fpe at impact, not at muzzle.

But... let's say you can hunt groundhogs with an airgun...

You would need a medium to high powered springer for sure. A Diana 34, Beeman R9, Super Streak, or anything putting out 12fpe+ will do at 20 yards. The more the merrier. Make sure you hit him good. Hopefully he is paralyzed at least from the first shot, so you can get another shot in. Let's say he's down- I wouldn't even move before I put another into it's head. Walk up to it and then give it a poke with your muzzle.

Jaxom · Senior Member

I know it's a grey area, but are these woodchucks a pest? Sometimes there's a little lattitude allowed when killing pests....

firemandivi · Member

They are indeed a pest, they are destroying my vegetable garden. I plan on calling NYSDEC to see if that gives me any latitude to kill them.. Thanks for the insight.

firemandivi · Member

Update: Talked to the NYSDEC and woodchucks are considered pests and I am allowed to kill them with a airgun as long as I am not within 500ft of a dwelling or I have permission. Basically the same requirements as a firearm pertain to an airgun. So I am still going to get a airgun and kill some woodchucks, a co-worker has already asked if I would kill some on her property too.

The question now is which airgun to get: The two I'm looking at are the Benjamin Super Streak and Gamo Whisper. I'm leaning towards the Super Streak. The Diana 34 and Beeman R9 and some other airguns have a max velocity of less than 900fps leaving the barrel and I'm not sure if that's enough fpe, but again I'm completely new to this. Does anyone know of a graph showing fpe vs. distance, or velocity and grain count vs. distance or anything like that? I just want to make sure the airgun I get will be lethal and at what distance it will stay lethal.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

950 fps in a .22 cal is considered very powerful for an airgun. Yet that's your minimum? Obviously the more powerful your gun the further it can shoot. But I'd recommend keeping your shots to within 50 yards, unless you get a a really good, high end airgun like a Condor or an RWS. But even then you are only getting another 30 or so yards out of it. We had one guy on here who use to shoot vermin at 100 yards with his Condor allegedly, but that's usually not feasible for your average airgun hunter.

What it always comes down to is accuracy over power. I've heard the Whisper has accuracy problems. RWS are usually very reliable, so even if you only get a 800 fps RWS .22, you should still be lethal within 50 yards on woodchucks.

firemandivi · Member

I like the sound of that, I don't plan on shooting more than 50 yards anyway. Of course now I have to revise my gun selection process, if 800fps leaving the barrel is lethal I would much rather pay for accuracy over power. I've heard good things about the RWS but I thought they lacked power. Oh well back to the internet to do more research. Thanks for the help

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Most of the high end rws rifles are 900 fps in .22 cal. That probably only translates to 800-850 fps in real life, however, that's still more than enough power to kill medium size varmints within 50 yards.

Especially if you are just doing this for pest control, who cares if you get a clean kill or the critter crawls away in its hole and dies. Your goal is to ultimately eliminate the pest, so even if you don't drop it where it stands, you can still get the job done.

Let us know what rifle you chose, and show us pics!

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Don't forget about Weihrauch/Beeman. The R9 is very good too, and wonderful to handle. Much better balanced then the 34.

firemandivi · Member

I've heard nothing but good things about the RWS 34 so I bought one from pyramydair yesterday.

fritz · Silver Status Member

.177 or .22? You will love it once it breaks in.

broommaster2000 · Moderator