Pest Control

Written by: Randy Mitchell

When controlling pests in your yard, or at other locations where a firearm can't be used, there are few more useful tools than the airgun. With the vast array of available airguns, you are sure to find one that suits your liking, and you can begin the precise and accurate removal of pests from your domain without having to resort to poisons or traps.

I began my sojourn in airguns due to the need of removing squirrels from my attic. All I had on hand was a Crosman 1377 pump-up pistol, and I yearned for something a little more powerful that would reach out further, as well as remain quiet so as not to disturb the neighbors. Now my airgun arsenal consists of quite a few different guns that not only cover my pest control needs, but my hunting needs as well.

When you use an airgun for pest control, you are making a conscious choice to make do with lesser power than even the lowly .22 rimfire cartridge. To make the best of this particular tool you have chosen, you need to maximize your accuracy. To this end, most airguns have some mechanism in place that allows you to mount a scope. With a scope, you can estimate range, get a better view of your potential target to determine that it is indeed a pest, and place the lesser-powered pellet where it will do the most good.

For most pest control, a low-to-medium powered airgun is sufficient. There are several makers out there who offer airguns in this category, among them RWS, Gamo, Tech Force, Crosman, Daisy, and Beeman, just to name a few. They come in a variety of powerplants, from CO2 to pump-ups, as well as the tried and true spring-piston powerplant. Airguns in this power level will easily dispatch most avian pests such as starlings and sparrows, as well as the occasional squirrel at the bird feeder and rabbits in the garden.

If your pests come in a larger package, such as raccoons and opossums, once again you will find a manufacturer with an airgun to suit your needs. The Beeman R-9 is capable of taking racoons at close range, and you can move up to some very impressive power levels with many of the pre-charged pneumatic offerings out there today. Just this week I called on my Beeman R-9 to dispatch an unwanted raccoon who had learned how to empty my bird feeder each night. One shot at 10 yards and my raccoon problem was solved.....and I didn't even disturb the dogs in the back yard doing it.


Poisons can be dangerous to the environment and aren't pest-specific. They are also expensive in most venues. Traps can be costly and must be monitored. So if you have a pest problem, consider the advantages that an airgun offers.....precision, quiet operation, and a source of continued enjoyment once the pest problem is under control.

Anics 9000 S

Written by: Randy Mitchell


The Anics 9000 S belongs to the family of fun airguns that emulates the look and feel of a real firearm. In this case, the makers of this airgun chose to emulate one of Beretta's fine semi-automatic handguns with a close copy that features a working thumb release, magazine, safety, slide release, hammer, and a slide that can be opened like the real thing, though it does not cycle during firing.



Holding 22 rounds in .177 caliber, the Anics 9000 S comes complete with a 6 groove rifled barrel featuring a right hand twist. The magazine will work with lead bb's as well as lead pellets up to 7.6 mm in length. Powered by a 12 gram CO2 cartridge, you will get over 70 shots from each cartridge, letting you reload the 22-round magazine at least 3 times. The manual states that it is okay to leave the CO2 cartridge in place for up to 3 months if you are not going to use up the entire cartridge.

The muzzle velocity of this little gun hovers in the 300 fps range depending on the weight of the pellet. It isn't meant for hunting or target shooting, but rather as a fun plinker that gives you several shots before having to reload.



Some of the interesting features include the life-like safety, magazine release, and slide action. The safety on this gun can only be engaged with the gun on half-cock. Moving the safety down so that the red button is visible releases the hammer to be manually cocked, or to be used in a double-action mode by simply squeezing the trigger. And if you have the hammer fully cocked, you can move the safety the other way, up all the way, and the hammer will drop down to half-cock position. It is very realistic as well as ambidextrous.





The magazine drops out of the butt of the gun just like a real firearm by pushing the magazine release located where it would be on a real gun.

Once out of the gun, reloading is accomplished by sliding a plastic cover out of the way and placing your pellet or lead bb in the magazine, filling each hole as it rotates around. There is a probe included in the case to allow you to seat each round deeper in the magazine slot provided. Failure to seat the pellets or bb's correctly can lead to a frustrating jam from time to time as I found out. But seated correctly, the magazine works quite well in the test gun I was provided.



The trigger pull is a little stiff in the double action mode on this gun, but one must remember that it is the trigger pull that rotates the magazine, so there is more moving going on inside the gun than what may appear from first glance. In single action mode, the trigger is much more pleasant. And this is also a new gun that I'm reviewing, so the trigger pull may smooth out and become easier as more shots are fired and the gun breaks in.

The gun is made for individuals with smaller hands. I have average hands, and the pinky finger on my right hand, the one I use to hold the gun, will occasionally slide off the butt of the gun. If you have large hands, you won't be able to grip the gun with all your fingers, just the thumb and first three fingers.

The manual included with this gun does a good job describing the operating procedures and features of the Anics 9000 S. A cleaning rod, foam-lined plastic hard case, and a pellet seat give you all the tools you need to get shooting in very quick time.

A Pocket Full of Pellets - with the Tech Force Model 34

Written by: Randy Mitchell







I love to shoot airguns, all types of airguns. From the CO2 guns to the large caliber PCP's, I find immense fun in the shooting of airguns. They provide me with a way to enjoy the shooting sports in my own backyard, and can be very economical, which leads me to the airgun I am discussing today, the TF34.

Tech Force has had this gun in their stable for a number of years, and this particular model is an upgrade to the TF38. It features a Monte Carlo stock, underlever cocking action, a re-settable safety, and comes in both .177 and .22 caliber. The model I own is the .177 caliber, and it currently shoots medium-weight pellets at 650 fps. I use it for several things, among them guard-duty on the bird feeder, keeping starlings and English sparrows at bay, and as a fun plinker when I am in the mood to just shoot an easy-to-cock, easily handled airgun. When I shoot it, I get a solid "thunk" with hardly any twang whatsoever from the spring-piston powerplant.

As the title of this article suggests, all you need to enjoy this little gem of a gun is the gun itself and a pocketful of pellets. I can dump a handful of pellets in my pocket, pick up the gun, and hit the trail, or just relax on the porch near the bird feeder. As I write this, I have disposed of three pest birds while sitting here composing this article. I wish I had remembered to take my camera from the car before my wife drove off with it!

The TF34 is a mid-powered gun, delivering plenty of power for avian pests, plastic bottles, and the thoroughly enjoyable exploding unopened soda can. Mount a decent scope on the gun, and you will find you can remove wasp nests from the eaves of the barn from a surprising distance. I currently have a Tech Force 2-7x32 scope on my TF34, and the combination gives me nice accuracy without breaking the budget. The scope is $59.95, and comes with an adjustable AO. The TF34 itself is $52.95 and comes with a 30-day warranty.

There are several guns available from Tech Force, but the TF-34 is one of my favorites. Its design is a robust, proven design that brings the weight of the gun in at about 7.5 pounds. The cocking effort is on the easy side for a gun of this power, and the single-shot design allows you to feed it any variety of pellets….it shoots them all! I would not hesitate to use this particular gun for small game hunting, and indeed, have made plans to take it squirrel hunting at the earliest opportunity.

So if you are looking for a budget-level gun that really delivers, I would urge you to take a look at the Tech Force 34. Pick it up, experience its comforting weight, and add some ballast to your pockets in the form of pellets, and you are set for some great shooting experience.

HANDGUNS FOR PEST CONTROL

Written by: Der Luftmeister

It is no secret that airguns are the tools of choice for some types of pest control. We all know that a break action, precharged, or multi-pump rifle in the hands of a good marksman is wonderfully efficient for eliminating small pests. For example, as spring approaches, you may want to clear the garden of starlings (where it is legal to fire an airgun). But what if you are a handgun hunter and would still like to use an airgun for dispatching vermin? In a rifle required for such work?

There are numerous air and CO2 powered pistols available that are suitable for practicing for hunting with firearms, and some of them are even suitable for small pests. It takes no more than a 177 caliber pellet traveling about 400 ft/sec to cleanly dispatch a sparrow or a mouse. Move that velocity upward a hundred feet per second or so and the pests can include starlings (one of my favorite targets) and an occasional rat. Some 177 caliber air and carbon dioxide handguns are capable of that level of power. Make it a 20 or 22 caliber model and the power is sufficient to eliminate even larger pests when the pellets are carefully chosen and accurately placed.

If you like single shot pistols, there are several airguns that will make excellent tools for use on small pests. My preference is for one of the carbon dioxide powered models, and it is difficult to find a better choice than the Crosman 2240. This 22 caliber single shot launches pellets at velocities up to 460 ft/sec. At that velocity, a 22 caliber pellet hits with a lot of clout. I would have no hesitation about going after a lot of pests with this pistol. I have had two of these handguns for years, and they are my favorites for pest control.

If you want to shoot from a more stable platform, Crosman makes a detachable shoulder stock can be attached simply by removing the grip panels. With this skeleton stock, the 2240 then becomes a short barreled rifle. Another feature of the Crosman 2240 is that you can mount a scope easily. A two piece intermount is available that clamps on the barrel. Grooves along the top of the mount allow clamp on type scope mounts to be attached. I use a compact scope with a long eye relief that works very well. With this combination of scope and stock, I have obtained groups smaller than one inch at a range of 25 yards. This combination is a real pest popper.

Two other single shot pistols are the 177 caliber Benjamin EB17 and the 22 caliber EB22. These models are only slightly less powerful than the Crosman 2240, but they are more compact. No shoulder stock is available, and these models are not as readily fitted with a scope. However, the open sights are very good, and both pistols are capable of fine accuracy. My EB22 is a favorite carry gun because it is so compact. It is accurate and gives a heavy pellet a velocity of about 425 ft/sec which is adequate for many pest species.

If you do not mind pumping, the Crosman 1377 pistol is a .177 caliber powerhouse. A brother has used this model on rather large pests at short range when the pellets are placed accurately. Like the Model 2240, the 1377 can be fitted with a shoulder stock and scope, although that sort of defeats the advantages of a pistol. The Benjamin Models HB17 and HB22 are excellent multi-pump pistols that also work well as pest eliminators.

If you want to keep the ranges short and the pests very small, the various repeater CO2 pistols will suffice. Particularly appealing are the Smith & Wesson Model 586 revolvers. These fine handguns have the same dimensions and weight as the Model 586 firearms in 357 Magnum caliber. In other words, you can shoot mice and sparrows with a CO2 pistol that exactly mimics your hunting handgun. My experience with these guns is that they have excellent adjustable sights and are wonderfully accurate.

For those whose taste runs to a CO2 pistol that is patterned after an autoloader, the Beretta, Walther, Colt, and Gamo models are available. However, these are models of low power so the pests must be very small and the range short. The pistols that fire BBs are not suitable for use on pests.

The point is that there are several handguns suitable for pest control. All of the models described above are available from Compasseco so take a look at the catalog and find a model that appeals to your taste and fits your budget. Be sure to select a model that is sufficiently powerful for the types of pests you plan to pop. Then, try a few types of pellets to find some that are accurate in your pistol, and do a lot of practicing. As was described in the blog posted April 9, 2007 this type of shooting is ideal practice for the hunter who uses a center fire handgun.