Good gun for shooting rabbits?
 

Help!

The rabbits have invaded my fenced-in garden (yes, I'm going to put a tighter-weave fence up, but I have to wait until the babies move out of the strawberry patch!). They just sit there and stare at me like they're daring me to do something about their presence. So, I need something that I can use to make a nice, quick kill. It needs to be somewhat quiet since I have neighbors. A high-powered air gun has been suggested...any other ideas? I'm getting hungry for roasted rabbit!

.22 rifle

Very quiet. Zero recoil. It's almost like shooting an air gun, but with much higher velocity.

I agree with the .22. Even most of the cheap ones are quite accurate - inexpensive ammo and plenty of power for small varmints.

and for being more quiet a .22 short

I used to shoot the rabbits during the summer time when they invaded my gardens. I would bury them or put them in the garbage. Eating them in the summer is a bad idea since they are full of fleas and also have worms. If you get them after the weather is cold the problems of worms and most fleas are nonexisitent.
I found that a .22 works very well. The airgun is not as accurate unless you get a really expensive high power air rifle. A shotgun puts too many pellets in the meat. A rifle greater than a .22 such as a .223 or 22 mag is too loud and unnecessary.The meat is really not bad if you can get past the thought of actually eating Bugs Bunny.

A .22 would be excellent, either rifle or a good pistol. If you're not sure of your accuracy, or if you're worried about bullets going astray, a .410 shotgun is also good. As a bonus, you can buy .22/.410 over and under combos that allow you to choose whichever one is most appropriate for the moment.

I was going to say the same as above ... .22 or .410

-OR-

Bailey can swing by and help you with those bunnies. lol She lives for it you know lol :)

Remember a .22 rifle has the range of a mile. It may not be a good choice if in a populated area. Always be careful of what is behind target. I grew up hunting rabbits with shotguns. Consider a .22 pellet rifle if you are a good shot. Needs to be one of the good ones. A box of shot gun shells is not expensive. I doubt you have more than 25 rabbits.

Ahh...it would be nice to have a dog earn its keep. I think Weasel would run from a rabbit if it showed any signs of fighting back. She's intimidated by the neighbor's cat, ya know!

I'm looking for something that doesn't have much of a range. I'm a pretty good shot, but we DO have a housing development behind us!

LOL -- but Weasel is Soooo Cute!!! Cute counts for a lot sometimes! lol :baby04:

Given the housing development situation, I'd say buy a fairly nice pellet gun.

I just shot one in my garden this morning with a 22 rifle. Rabbits have plenty of stuff to eat other than my garden.....

A .22 usually has a range of a mile or so. So a good air rifle would work at fairly short range IF you are a good shot. Other than that, I would suggest trapping the little varmints.

pellets
 

We have a pellet gun (not sure what its called, looks like a rifle and shoots BB's?) and it works great on the squirrels. I'm not as good as a shot as my husband so I only use it when I am sure I have a good shot (always afraid I might just wound and not kill). I do really well with it and get fast clean kills. It has a sight (is that what you call it?) on it and my husband showed me how to use it. Its very quiet. I took off a screen on one of the kitchen windows and just shoot it from there,after I open up the window and we always keep the safety on when its not being used.
We have this little abandoned shed building on the border of our property and we toss the squirrels up there and they always disappear. Not sure if its hawks or what, but the animal is recycled. Our dog loves it when we shoot them as she retrieves them and carries them to the shed, drops the body and we toss it up there. She looks adorable! lol
Anyway, just thought I would mention as this is the only thing I have ever shot before and it works great.
Another option you might want to consider is putting down some red pepper flakes in your garden. They aren't expensive and mammals dont like them. We only shoot the squirrels as they tear up the feeders. Doesn't matter if there is seed on the ground, they have to try to tear up the feeders.
By the way, I'm new posting on here. Been reading yall for a while now though. Nice to meet you all. :)

any single shot or lever action .22 cal with cb cap ammo aguilla is very good quieter than an air rifle short range can work with a relover also. shoot from a doorway or window neighbors will never know used one in a trailer park before.

a live trap is not expensive,and leaves no holes in the meat.

Maybe a crossbow?

.22 with Shorts or qa Pellet Gun.

Plus I've ate Rabbits year round all my life no problem.Young ones eat just as well :shrug:

THe Young ones just skin them cook them up whole same as Kids or Pigs.

big rockpile

You're right, I almost forgot about those little cb caps. Very quiet and short range. They work well in a rifle; I've heard they are loud if used in a revolver though.

Depends on where your shooting, city (sss) pump pellet rifle w/ laser sight, Country, .22 if your gonna eat then, .410 if your not.
.223 for long range (also if your not gonna eat them, not much left)

Since you have close neighbors, I recommend Benjamin Airguns- Model 392 Bolt Action .22 Pump Air Rifle for about $130.

If you had a good backstop for high powered rifles then I recommend Ruger 10/22 rifle for about $150. But remember to always look at what is beyond your target because these bullets will bounce off of hard objects (like rocks and metal) and can travel up to a mile.

Gotta admit I haven't tried the cb caps, but my .22 is very loud compared to any air rifle. My DS shoots the rabbits with a .22 air pistol (CO2 powered) and it seems pretty effective. A high powered air rifle would do the job nicely without the noise.

We also use a high powered pellet gun. Short range, kills in one shot.

Melissa in NE

Billie -- ironically enough Dave just called me and a rabbit got into our green beans. (I think you jinxed us - lol ) He & Bailey are currently running it -- lol -- you could hear her harking in the background. My guess is I'll be getting another call shortly... Bailey 1 - Bunnie 0 :)
I still think if we worked really hard on it we could train Weasel ... picture it... lol

We have 4 high powered pellet guns but its against the law to shoot them here in the city limits and knowing our neighbors.. they would call the cops. So be careful.

Other than trapping them, a pellet gun is your best bet. Gamo has some cheap, high power rifles [under $100]. Wal-mart has a Crossman pump pistol that can be pumped ten times for pretty good power and I think its around $40.

As a country kid, I paid for ammo and other necessary plunder like RC Cola and Moon Pies by shooting rabbits for mill town residents. My remington mod. 510 single shot would digest .22 shorts, longs, or long rifle rounds. The long rifle HP will drop the big "Swampers" and be less likely to go astray. We should always know what is behind the target and move around or pass up shots that might be a danger to someone else...Glen

I think the best that Weasel could hope for would be to scare the bunnies away with the hacking cough that would start soon after she started chasing them.

Weasel did chase rabbits back in her younger days. Hubby rigged up some sort of contraption like a fishing reel with a 100' string on it. We'd hook Weasel to it, tell her to get the bunny, and she'd take off. We'd then reel her back in when she got to the end of it. It was hilarious! She was tired by the time she got to the end of the string, so she never got jerked back or anything.

Big Rockpile...I'm a softie, I guess! I just can't bring myself to kill the babies. If my grandpa was alive he'd wring their little necks, but I just can't do it. Now, once they get big, I have no problem! I know it doesn't make any sense.

Hubby is now excited about buying me a gun. All we have around here right now is a 12-gauge. I'll have him read everyone's suggestions before we decide what to get.

unless youre already pretty good with a gun I would suggest against the 22. Now if you are a good shot then go with the 22 and get snake shot for it. its small pellets
A 410 has a little more kick but doesnt go as far as the 22 will and you dont have to be as good a aim as with the 22.

Any gun at all will kill a rabit. The thing is to get one and practice with it so that you can hit one at anytime. Guns are fun to use if you are good with them. The 410/.22 is probily the best thing that has come from the gun manufactures.

The best thing that comes with a gun is the knoledge that you are not defensless. Practice and have a safe experence with what ever you have.

I was just gettin ready to say "How about a bow and arrow to catch those Wascilly Wabbits".

A few years ago I had the same problem with rabbits. For two mornings in a row I would climb up on the roof of my house right at daylight and I would set there and shoot 5 to 8 rabbits each morning. The third morning I didn't see one rabbit anywhere. I used a 22 rifle with shorts. Being on the roof the bullet was traveling down into the ground. Making it safer. Not totally safe but much safer then shooting at ground level.

Get yourself a good .22 caliber rifle. There are about a million uses for one, and is a great way to get into firearms. You can buy sub-sonic .22 rifle rounds, that when used, will not be heard by even the nosiest of neighbors. When I fire mine, nobody even knows I'm shooting. I would steer away from a .410, they are a bit louder, and not nearly as versatile as a .22.

An air rifle will kill them, but you need a good one. I got a Daisy pellet rifle that was $99 and when using the Premier hollow point hunting pellet, it'll drop a bunny as good as a .22 does but without the noise. All you hear is a little puff of air when it goes off. I bought it to kill rabbits and it does a good job.

I've used air rifles for small game in the past. Had an old Daisy, I used pellets with sharp points and it dropped squirrels high up in trees effectively. Should work well for rabbits if they are sitting still. A .22 would work well, as would a 410. Personally, most rabbits I met up with were on the run, so a 20 gauge was even more effective.
If you are really worried about the neighbors, we used simple box traps when I was growing up. Just bait and check in morning. The downside is that you will get the occasional skunk or possum. The trap will allow you to catch and release since you mentioned upgrading your fence to keep them out. Of course, you can always knock them in the head, and the meat will have no damage.

Kendall

my 2 cents
 

ok, water the garden alot take an old extension chord cut off the end with the plugs tie one of the wires to a metal tent stake and stick it in the wet ground, do the same with the other, but not right next to each other and when the rabbit looks at you plug the extension chord in and then unplug it. You just electricuted a rabbit. do it enough and the worms will come out of the holes and you can pick them for fishing.

Remember it was a two cent comment , don't put too much stock in it working...

Now THAT sounds like fun, but I'd probably end up shocking myself somehow!

Before you go shooting, you need to check your gun laws.

Do you know how close to a populated area you are allowed to shoot? You want to shoot with a development behind you?? How close? Are there children that play in the area?

One shot, people will think - that's a gun shot. The second shot, they can zero in on the area.

Someone posted not too long ago that it's illegal to shoot from inside the house...What about your state?

Not saying don't do it, just saying be very aware!

A few weeks ago I would have suggested a slingshot but I just got a blow gun and WOW is that fun! on the other hand if you are a little short on air or dont want the neighbors thinking you have gone "Bush" then the sling shot is the way to go!

I was going to post something yesterday about a slingshot, but thought I'd be laughed off the forum. I might just consider that...I mean, they just sit there and stare at me! The blow gun sounds fun too. The only neighbor that would see me already knows I'm about 97% goofy.

You might think about hiring an 11-year-old boy with a .50 caliber pistol. Given the realitively small size of your garden, I'd say it would probably only take a an hour and a half chase and 5 or 6 shots to drop one of the little buggers.

That is unless they are unusually large bunnies, or domestic.

Always look at the liver. If it has yellow spots or is yellow or hard, don't eat it. Main rabbit disease I worry about for humans is rabbit fever (tularemia).