Remote firing air rifle

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 06:22 PM

Due to unwanted visitors (rats) in the attic I thought a remote firing air rifle with NV would be excellent

I’ve tried snap traps and electronic traps but nothing in them as yet so have gone to poison which they have gorged themselves on but are still running around at different times of the day. I thought about mounting a rifle on a tripod so it could move to aim then a diy type NV setup with separate screen with extension cables down through the loft hatch. The issues I see are, how to remotely move the rifle to aim,how to pull the trigger, how to reload ...or am I dreaming

**MartynB** · 03-03-2019, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by emin-j

Due to unwanted visitors (rats) in the attic I thought a remote firing air rifle with NV would be excellent

I’ve tried snap traps and electronic traps but nothing in them as yet so have gone to poison which they have gorged themselves on but are still running around at different times of the day. I thought about mounting a rifle on a tripod so it could move to aim then a diy type NV setup with separate screen with extension cables down through the loft hatch. The issues I see are, how to remotely move the rifle to aim,how to pull the trigger, how to reload ...or am I dreaming

Interesting idea, you been watching Day of the Jackal ?

**NewPaul** · 03-03-2019, 06:41 PM

The remote aiming will be the difficult bit. I have a Nitesite Venom Rtek which has built in Bluetooth which can be viewed real time remotely on a smartphone/tablet so no need for dangly wires from the loft with that. A bit extravagant to go buy one for the job in hand but maybe you know someone you could borrow one from - it does need to be the Rtek model though. I used to set my rifle up through the kitchen window and then sit in the living room with a brandy an coke with my iPad on the coffee table, when I saw a rat I got up and went the kitchen to shoot it. As I say, it’s the aiming and pulling of the trigger that’s the complicated bit. Good luck with finding a solution

**Bruno27** · 03-03-2019, 06:48 PM

Hand grenade with a cable to pull the pin

**Solvo** · 03-03-2019, 06:57 PM

Isn't it illegal to build any form of contraption linked to the trigger of a firearm?
I don't have the relevant legislation to hand to look; can't remember if it specifies for the purpose for continual / semi-auto fire or if it's just a blanket no.

**NewPaul** · 03-03-2019, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Bruno27

Hand grenade with a cable to pull the pin

Extreme but would do the job

**Captain Bongo** · 03-03-2019, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by emin-j

Due to unwanted visitors (rats) in the attic I thought a remote firing air rifle with NV would be excellent

I’ve tried snap traps and electronic traps but nothing in them as yet so have gone to poison which they have gorged themselves on but are still running around at different times of the day. I thought about mounting a rifle on a tripod so it could move to aim then a diy type NV setup with separate screen with extension cables down through the loft hatch. The issues I see are, how to remotely move the rifle to aim,how to pull the trigger, how to reload ...or am I dreaming

Sounds properly mad, I love the theory.

However, with my sensible hat on for a change:

It would need to be a very responsive set up to be able to aim at a mostly moving target and you would need to be watching a lot as they don't hang around for long.

Properly placed and baited traps would be a much cheaper option. Toxic baits for public purchase are now effectively half strength so can take a lot of bait to gain control depending on the A.I. (assuming the rats don't just get a bit ill and become bait shy). You will also need to locate how they are getting in. If it is via the cavity from a faulty drain then you could have an endless procession of rats visiting your loft no matter what you do.

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 07:30 PM

This is a possibility
https://youtu.be/o-5iJZMZDLE

Maybe a lever operated cable similar to a brake cable on a bike to pull the trigger.

**Mr.Fixit-Norm** · 03-03-2019, 07:33 PM

Not sure if rats behave the same as mice but when we had mice in our loft we used the snap traps with the the little bait type cup and filled them with chocolate spread

They found it irresistible and we got them easily, sometimes 2 or 3 a day

Over two years we got 15 in total, the traps are still up there but we haven’t had any mice for about 3 years now

Norm

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Bongo

Sounds properly mad, I love the theory.

However, with my sensible hat on for a change:

It would need to be a very responsive set up to be able to aim at a mostly moving target and you would need to be watching a lot as they don't hang around for long.

Properly placed and baited traps would be a much cheaper option. Toxic baits for public purchase are now effectively half strength so can take a lot of bait to gain control depending on the A.I. (assuming the rats don't just get a bit ill and become bait shy). You will also need to locate how they are getting in. If it is via the cavity from a faulty drain then you could have an endless procession of rats visiting your loft no matter what you do.

We are in the middle of a terrace so they could be coming from anywhere really, up the drainpipe along the guttering and under the tiles maybe but I don’t know where they’re feeding. I’ve had my trail cam in the loft and have seen one fully grown and two teens so far, they seem to be nesting under the loft boarding.

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Mr.Fixit-Norm

Not sure if rats behave the same as mice but when we had mice in our loft we used the snap traps with the the little bait type cup and filled them with chocolate spread

They found it irresistible and we got them easily, sometimes 2 or 3 a day

Over two years we got 15 in total, the traps are still up there but we haven’t had any mice for about 3 years now

Norm

Have got two snap traps up there with half a rolo on each plus one of the electronic ones that zap them if they go inside baited with peanut butter but no kills as yet

**Riffler** · 03-03-2019, 08:07 PM

I've posted these before on the board I think..

https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/trapproducts/rat-stoat/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqlwUXP-ubI

**Mr.Fixit-Norm** · 03-03-2019, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by emin-j

Have got two snap traps up there with half a rolo on each plus one of the electronic ones that zap them if they go inside baited with peanut butter but no kills as yet

They must be smarter than their little cousins

If you did decide to go the remote gun route you’d have to make a cradle to hold the gun which pivots up and down and side to side, a bit like a GoPro camera gimbal, then use R/C servos to move it up and down and side to side.
The amount of travel would depend on the length of the servo arms, and they’d need to be fairly heavy duty unless the rifle was something like a Ratcatcher.
The trigger could be operated by a third servo as well. Not at all sure how you’d do the multi shot side as cocking a bolt might be beyond the normal servo power, you’d probably have to do single shot, preloaded and then go up there each time it was fired.

You could sit downstairs or in a bedroom with the view through the camera on a screen and the R/C transmitter, waiting for them to turn up

Depending on the distances involved, ( <20’ ) the easier option to mount would be a full precharged or Co2 power pistol but of course suggesting that’s not allowed on here

A wireless cctv camera could be attached to the scope and the area lit with separate infra red lights.

To be honest, all a bit too time consuming and expensive in reality, but doable in theory

Norm

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Mr.Fixit-Norm

They must be smarter than their little cousins

If you did decide to go the remote gun route you’d have to make a cradle to hold the gun which pivots up and down and side to side, a bit like a GoPro camera gimbal, then use R/C servos to move it up and down and side to side.
The amount of travel would depend on the length of the servo arms, and they’d need to be fairly heavy duty unless the rifle was something like a Ratcatcher.
The trigger could be operated by a third servo as well. Not at all sure how you’d do the multi shot side as cocking a bolt might be beyond the normal servo power, you’d probably have to do single shot, preloaded and then go up there each time it was fired.

You could sit downstairs or in a bedroom with the view through the camera on a screen and the R/C transmitter, waiting for them to turn up

Depending on the distances involved, ( <20’ ) the easier option to mount would be a full precharged or Co2 power pistol but of course suggesting that’s not allowed on here

A wireless cctv camera could be attached to the scope and the area lit with separate infra red lights.

To be honest, all a bit too time consuming and expensive in reality, but doable in theory

Norm

I like the sound of all that

**emin-j** · 03-03-2019, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Riffler

I've posted these before on the board I think..

https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/trapproducts/rat-stoat/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqlwUXP-ubI

Do you have any experience with these ? Have read varying reviews on these.

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