Ideal rat shooting rig?

[Craig-P]

And 20 yds is definite hollow point territory.

Makes no difference, as Chris already said they sometimes run from his .22 FAC, I've personally seen them scarper from .22lr too - people don't realise just how tough they can be.
I used an old Rapid MK1 .22 to great effect but found the mag a pain in the @rse ( my mate and I were shooting between 80 and 200 rats PER NIGHT on a refuse site ). With that amount of targets, at the quick pace that we used to shoot, I defy anyone not to either a. run out of pellets just as move targets show up and then have to faff about loading a mag or b. fire a barrel full of air thinking it's got a pellet chambered. An easy loading, single shot PCP would be my personal choice.
I'd have a look at getting a tricked up Stealth with a cheapish 3.5-10 scope ( one of those Leupold copies from E8ay would be nice ), sorted to use .22 Bisley Magnums, but a nice .25 setup would be very very good at close range stuff.

Craig

[ross H]

rats are tough but not as hard as squirells IMO. if you get ratty in the head he will be out like a dark barn. even with .177 they should go easily. i would go fn12 raptor in .22. low mount with a low mag scope say max zoom of 9. i normally shoot on about 5. s200 are also good for rats but they do seem to jam occasionally

[Craig-P]

But it's not everytime the head presents itself for a shot - and even if it does, that's a right small target to hit at much more than 25 yards, even more so if you take into account obstacles that are usually associated with a rats' natural environment ( I've not seen many grazing in clear pastures... )
It's at this point that .177 even with wadcutters, goes right out the window...

[Hsing-ee]

I'll have a nice .22 BSA Mercury S on sale soon, would be ideal with a low power scope and heavy pellets.

[ross H]

with .177 i just find you have to let them present a shot rather than guns blazin. the larger calibre is better. if your re zeroed at say 20 yards people should be able to hit the head of a rat anything between 5 and 25 yards surely. also if you shoot for the head and miss the chances are you will either hit the heart/lungs or completely miss. you could get a hw100k when they are available. they look good for rats because of size and the mags are good. if you want you can put the single shot adaptor on it

[Craig-P]

with .177 i just find you have to let them present a shot rather than guns blazin. the larger calibre is better. if your re zeroed at say 20 yards people should be able to hit the head of a rat anything between 5 and 25 yards surely. also if you shoot for the head and miss the chances are you will either hit the heart/lungs or completely miss. you could get a hw100k when they are available. they look good for rats because of size and the mags are good. if you want you can put the single shot adaptor on it

I've never once been out and had a rat 'present' itself in any shape or form mate, some ran out from under my feet and sat a few inches away - others sat on piles of rubbish 40 odd yards away ( impossible to get nearer to due to...that's right, more piles of rubbish and rats ).
So show me a rifle that's zeroed at these maximum ranges and therefore able to pin point the small areas of head/heart etc and I'll buy 100 of them.
We were paid to get rid of rats from three refuse sites, quite lucky I suppose. So after 2 years of trying out various kit and rejecting a good deal of it, we came up with the ideal stuff for our needs - but even with gear tailored for the job, you're still going to get runners or have mishaps - fact. Another fact is, choosing a single shot, .22 rifle will definately cut down on the runners and help you to deal with the ones that are 'struggling'.

[ross H]

I've never once been out and had a rat 'present' itself in any shape or form mate, some ran out from under my feet and sat a few inches away - others sat on piles of rubbish 40 odd yards away ( impossible to get nearer to due to...that's right, more piles of rubbish and rats ).
So show me a rifle that's zeroed at these maximum ranges and therefore able to pin point the small areas of head/heart etc and I'll buy 100 of them.
We were paid to get rid of rats from three refuse sites, quite lucky I suppose. So after 2 years of trying out various kit and rejecting a good deal of it, we came up with the ideal stuff for our needs - but even with gear tailored for the job, you're still going to get runners or have mishaps - fact. Another fact is, choosing a single shot, .22 rifle will definately cut down on the runners and help you to deal with the ones that are 'struggling'.

a single shot may well be what you prefer and i definatly know what your talking about on reloading mags but to say a rat has never presented itself means surely thet you have never ambushed them. if you do this normally they are not in a huge rush to run so you can place your shot roughly. mishaps are a definate but they can be limited by shooting at vital organs rather than gut. i personally would prefer i missed 10 shots than have 10 runners if that means my bag is smaller so be it. a rat may be vermin but it deserves to die in dignety. this is only my opinion. if your happy to do it then fair enough.

[lightning22]

I use a RWS Scimitar in .22 with either a Bushmaster 3-9x40 on 3 mag and a lamp (Nite Hunter), or i'm just sorting out mounting my NV scope on it too.

The grip cocking and indexing lets you keep your eye on the target(s) while you reload, power can be dropped at the flick of a switch and it's incredibly accurate.

It seems to fire most decent pellets well, I normally use 20.5grn Penetrators on the rats but will give some of these new predators a spin next time (they fit if you load the mag carefully)

It's also indecently light.

Rich

[ross H]

I use a RWS Scimitar in .22 with either a Bushmaster 3-9x40 on 3 mag and a lamp (Nite Hunter), or i'm just sorting out mounting my NV scope on it too.

The grip cocking and indexing lets you keep your eye on the target(s) while you reload, power can be dropped at the flick of a switch and it's incredibly accurate.

It's also indecently light.

Rich

that sounds like a good setup. very cheap mags for these guns so you could have 5 or 6

[lightning22]

that sounds like a good setup. very cheap mags for these guns so you could have 5 or 6

I've got 4

[turkey_man]

2-3 years ago on this site someone modded a crossman rat catcher to do close to uk limit which was shooting large lead balls (.308 i think).

That seemed to me the perfect rifle for ratting, the trajectory sucked though but it must of hit like a bitch.

Does anyone have a link or some pics of it?

[Rabbit Sniper]

My Falcon lighthunter 8 shot is ideal, its for sale at the moment. For pics look at my sig.

[Chief Wiggum]

I use/will be using a Gas Rammed Theoben Sirocco .20, i set it up today and its very nice to shoot

[ross H]

fair enough craig i was rong about the gut shots i just got tht impression soz. also personally a couple of seconds say 3 is enough for a head shot or miss on a rat 95% of the time. like the long post ( got a computer full of special k now )

[16 Grain]

I use a RWS Scimitar in .22 with either a Bushmaster 3-9x40 on 3 mag and a lamp (Nite Hunter), or i'm just sorting out mounting my NV scope on it too.

I too use a .22 Scimitar with NV for rats. Best thing for ratting in my opinion.