Has anyone had success with a .177 on Possumes ?

[Big_Bill]

Hello,

My name is Bill, and I am a newbe, thanks for having me on your great forum.

I was wondering if any of you airgunners have had any luck "taking" Possumes with a .177 air gun?

My cat, Jasper and I had run in with a pushy old possume the other week, he didn't to like my cat.

So I went to Jaspers aid, and put him in the house, he was O.K., just mad as he'll at the possume.

I went back out to see if that possume left my yard, and there he sat, like he was waiting for me or Jasper to return.

Well I shined my big maglight on him and he hissed and growled at me. I took aim with my Gamo Hunter 890, .177 cal. and shot him right between the eyes, it only nocked him out or he played possume on me.
I put another pellet into the rifle and fired a second round into the same spot, and he only flinched a little. Well after the third shot, and he was still breathing,
I went for my .22 T/C, and wit one shot ended his life, cleanly.

I have delt with possumes many times before , and they are unbelievablely tough, but then I was using "real gun" or my .20 cal. Sheridanair rifle.

I have allways been able to make clean one shot kills with either of these, what I would really like to know is, has anyone had success with a .117 cal ? And if so, what bellet are you using.

I appreciate any imput that is offered.

Thanks,

Bill


Remember: SHOOT SAFE, SHOOT WELL, AND SHOOT OFTEN !

[shadow]

Hi Bill, well I've taken a few out on my dads farm. They get after the chickens and they are VERY tough company. I use my .177 Gamo Shadow with JSB Predators. They cost alittle more but they are made for one thing , HUNTING.! I always go for the head shot myself. As I have seen myself, country rat's are tough and the JSB'S have worked for me. Im sure some of our fine fellow members will give some great advice too. :) hunting 'Ed

[Big_Bill]

Thank you Shaddow,
I haven't heard of JSB'S, but U can bet I'll be looking for a supply.

Bill

[shadow]

No problem, HAPPY HUNTING, Ed

[longislandhunter]

Hey Bill,

Welcome to the forum.  I haven't shot any possums with a .177 but I have taken a few woodchucks using them.  I   took those woodchucks using the JSB Predator pellets, which are my primary hunting pellet in both .177 and .22 cal.

The predators shoot extremely well in most of my rifles and I have found their perfromance on game to be excellent.  Give em a try, if your gun shoots them well I think you will like them for your airgun hunting.  

Jeff

[Big_Bill]

Thanks for the input, could anyone recomend the place to purshase these JSB Predator pellets, and which weight do you use ? 7.9 gr., 8.4 gr., or 10.2 gr. ?

Thanks again,

Bill

[shadow]

Hello again, you might wanna check the MALL GATE. it's our expressway to shoping and I think Cobra AirGuns, Target sports etc.. sells em. I use the 8,4 gr myself. Do some testing and find out what your airgun throws best. Fellow members will chime in and get you headed in the right direction too. If you have any problems finding the ORDER button just ask us hehehe. Ed

[Black Mamba]

Hi Bill, welcome to the forums.

As the other's have said, JSB Predators are probably one of the best hunting pellets they use.  You can include myself in that list.

As far as where to by them....well...probably anywhere on the net that advertises them is ok.  I would make a suggestion of Pyramidair.com myself.  If you by 3 tins of something your 4th tin is free (cheapest of those purchased).  I have used that philosophy when buying them online.

I can however, if I get there at the right time, purchase them through my local Sportsmans Warehouse.  They are only $9.99 a can there.  Problem with that is avaliability.

I'd recommend that if you have a big name Sportsmans store near you to go and check it out.  They may just carry them.

Also, from what I am aware of they only come in one weight for .177 and that's 8.4gr.

My scale says that they are lighter though.  Typically 8.0 to 8.1gr.

[USNCop]

Ditto on the Predators.  They don't offer a weight selection.  The best price I've seen also is Sportsmans Warehouse.
I dropped 2 squirrels with headshots with a Shanghai QB57 bullpup rifle.  Both were dead on pellet impact!
You may also look into Gamo Raptor or Rocket pellets.
I have been exercising pest control for 20 yrs. and I find it most effective to get as close as possible and to drill hard headed critters thru the ear canal or thru the eye socket.  The front of the skull can be quite thick.  (Don't mean to be graphic here!)
If you can find some anatomy pictures, you can locate the most vulnerable places.  It will also boost your confidence.
I've even dropped feral cats with a .177, but only because of the experience I have accumulated!
Hope I could help.

[longislandhunter]

Like Black Mamba said,,, the predators are available at several places online.   Like Mamba, I also often us Pyramydair.com for pellets since the 4th tin is always free.  If you can come up with a 10% off coupon code that will work with the pellets purchase also for an even better deal.  The coupon codes are usually floating around, or you can ask if anyone has a valid one.  

USNCop is absolutely correct when he emphasizes the importance of shot placement and distance to target.  I will always try for a head shot on any small game if I can get the shot, especially when using the .177 caliber.  If I'm using one of my .22's I will sometimes take an upper body shot if I have a good angle and depending on what rifle I'm using.  

As for the GAMO rocket (bb tip) and Raptor (gold) pellets,,,, the rockets shoot exceptionally well in most of my air rifles, and I have used them to take small game and pests, but the predator pellet is my primary hunting pellet and the most effective small game pellet I've found so far.  As for the Raptor pellet,, I won't use them in any of my rifles for fear of damaging my guns from the piston slam caused by the pellets extreme light weight.  The theory is that the pellets extreme light weight doesn't provide enough resistance to the piston when the rifle is fired causing "piston slam" and possible damage to your rifle over time.  Many people have also reported that the Raptors lose their accuracy out beyond 20 yards and don't group well.  I do use the Raptors in my Crosman 1377 pump pistol and they perform very well out to 20 yards, they also give me some added FPS in the 1377, but as for the rifles I don't use them.  

You won't have any trouble finding the predator pellets if you decide to get some.  

Jeff

[USNCop]

Longislandhunter,
I forgot about that spring slam thing!  Very important.  Then it would be safer to recommend those pellets for non-springers,yes?
As some of you folks have also recommended, the Predators are probably the best bet for initial penetration on a hard target.
For softer targets, I usually reach for the RWS Super H Points.  I have also had good results with Beeman Crow Magnums in my Sheridan .20

As for the Predator pellets, Sportsmans Warehouse has the best price I can find.  Seems like you pay more online, especially when you count in ship/handling.  I think Pyramyd would be the closest exception.

Good thing we can all put our heads together on this stuff!

[Big_Bill]

I would like to thank everyone that took there time to answer my hunting problem! THANK YOU !

I have hunted for 44 years with rifles, pistols, shotguns, and bows, and have killed 20 or so possumes. I shot 5 or 6 of them with my Sheridan .20 cal., with the old Sheridan cylindrical pellets, and even with these one shot kills were tough. They are not many in my area, at least not any more. This old possume that I shot, didn't offer me a side profile, or I would have shot him behind the temple, just in front of the ear, the shull is much thinner there. I do not know if that would have worked any better though, as the possume has a very small brain, and I was not offered an angle to the brain... but we do have supply of racoons though, and there heads are not nearly as tough.

Since I don't know very much about .177 in air guns, I can use all the help I can get ! My old mentor Elmer Keith allways recommended a wide heavy bullet with a large frontal area at medium velocity, he felt that for the projectile to work, the animal needed to know he was hit, not go into shock and run or fight.
 

So I thank you one and all, for all your knowledge and time.

If I can ever help you with a question concerning powder burners or stick shooters, just let me know.

THANKS,,

Bill

[shadow]

Just for future reference this is the country rats armor layout. Notice low profile and there is skull plate behind the eye which will need to be penetrated to shut down the fusebox. :) hunting Ed

[Gene_SC]

Hey Bill, I must add my two cents.. hehe   Our Big Brother's over in New Zealand go possum hunting almost every night. They us .177. Our good friend Sean who I email allot to says they are infested with Possums and there Possums are allot bigger than our..  lol

But yes to answer your question about a Gamo .177 able to take out a Possum, is YES!  hehe

Good Luck
Gene

Bill,NEVER aim between the eyes,they have a hard head and it will just sail over the skull,go for a between eye and ear shot or eye or ear shot,better luck next time,and 177 of that power shouldnt have trouble killing a possum.