Rat shooting- what do you use

[TimS]

I have a friend that raises upland birds with outside fly pens and feeders. Needless to say, this creates a rat magnet. Tunnels and nest everywhere. But it did create a great shooting opportunity.

We started with 22 revolvers and birdshot and quickly realized that we were outnumbered.

My next idea was a Ruger 96-22m with birdshot, but when we turned on the flashlight I could not work the leaver fast enough.

My final solution was a Saiga 410 with #12 shot. Absolutely the most fun hunting/shooting experience of my life.

I mounted a flashlight on the rail and a cheap dot sight with the 60moa circle and 20 round magazine.

Went into the bird pen hit the light button and it was 20 shots as fast as I could shoot. Wait 15 minutes and repeat.

All shots were 2-15 yards. Heck of an adrenaline rush when you feel rats bumping your boots.

I always use duct tape or rubber bands around my pant legs at the boot. Ask me how I learned that

Just thought I’d share.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Sounds like a hoot!

 

[BoomDeBoom]

To reduce Rat populations, find someone who rents a Ferret and have him walk it around the area you want to rid the pests. It isn't as fun as shooting then, but effective.

 

[JSH]

They are like coyotes, every time you don’t kill them you teach them.
Growing up my fishing/ hunting buddies folks had 10-25 k of chickens.
His dad put a bounty of $1 each on rats. First few weeks we were far from rich. Invested our few dollars in some cheap soda pop. Next morning we went out to where we had put the pop out in pie pans. We had over 100. His dad paid up, went to town bough more pop gave us each a brick of .22 and a box of shotgun shells. The ammo was our severance pay. Put us out of business, lol.

 

[K22]

Back more than an half century, when I was a kid there was a pastry shop than had a dump in the back that was loaded with rats, I mean rats - big nasty rats. I was friends with the owner and he encouraged me to help him with the rat problem. The dump was situated in such a manner than I could set up about 30 yards away and shoot safety into a bank that was cover with rat holes. Also the shop was located in a rural area w/o any housing developments.

I took my trusty 22 Marlin rifle loaded with shorts and began eliminating the rat population. The one thing I learn quickly was that any slight movement by me cause the rats to spook and scurry away. So I began hiding behind a junk oven the owner had stored in the back which served as a make shift blind.

I baited the rats with with stale donuts - they couldn't resist the smell. It was a vicarious experience - hunting dangerous game - my dream to go to Africa and hunt lions which would never happen so the rats had to serve as surrogate lions.

I had a rather limited allowance in those days so I quickly ran out of ammo. The owner gladly reimbursed me for more shells so I could continue on as a professional rat hunter.

 

[Randall Hardy]

When I was growing we lived a block away from th the local co-op. We would go in the basement at night and shoot rats with our pellet guns. Same set up flashlight taped to the stock. The co-op kept us supplied in pellets. Pretty freaky place at night. Huge fun none the less.
Randy

 

[TimS]

Rat gun

 

[xring]

In my experience , 22 Shot Shells in a Rifled Barrel were totally ineffective on Rats . The Rats would just jump a little and run away . That was way long ago , but I think I used an old Sears Semi 22 and also a Mossberg Target 144LS Bolt Action with a flashlight taped to it . Hollow Points were very effective . We used to go to a small dump out in the boonies and no matter how many shots we took , it did not make much difference to Rat volume . We were told to tie our pant legs just in-case . Darn Rats were all over the place and would run all around our feet . It was pretty interesting . My shooting buddy was a Dealer and one day he told me he had just taken in a Winchester 61 with a Smooth Bore .... like a mini-410 . We set up Ann Page Pie Pans at some short distance . 22 Shot in a Rifled Barrel just dimpled the Pie Pans . 22 Shot in the Winchester Smoothbore easily went right through . I could kick myself for not buying that 61 and I won't even mention the price he quoted me !

 

[snert]

My dad said he used a JC Higgens 22 short rifle that had a "bad" brrrrrt sear. Back in the 40's. He said dump rat shootng was a lot of fun but hard on the wallet, even when shorts were cheap.

 

[Tommie]

I have a friend that raises upland birds with outside fly pens and feeders. Needless to say, this creates a rat magnet. Tunnels and nest everywhere. But it did create a great shooting opportunity.

We started with 22 revolvers and birdshot and quickly realized that we were outnumbered.

My next idea was a Ruger 96-22m with birdshot, but when we turned on the flashlight I could not work the leaver fast enough.

My final solution was a Saiga 410 with #12 shot. Absolutely the most fun hunting/shooting experience of my life.

I mounted a flashlight on the rail and a cheap dot sight with the 60moa circle and 20 round magazine.

Went into the bird pen hit the light button and it was 20 shots as fast as I could shoot. Wait 15 minutes and repeat.

All shots were 2-15 yards. Heck of an adrenaline rush when you feel rats bumping your boots.

I always use duct tape or rubber bands around my pant legs at the boot. Ask me how I leaned that

Just thought I’d share.

Where are you getting #12 shot? I’ve look for years and never found anything smaller than #9.

 

[people]

I use traps for the most part. Some are smart but will find their way into a live trap. If you can hunt at night like I can. I use a suppressed 22lr with IR laser.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

I would think the 410 semi auto (your Saiga) would be very costly. Those 410 shells aren't cheap. My vote would be a semi-auto 22lr....with standard velocity ammo, and IRON SIGHTS. If you're shooting 2-15 yards, a scope is a hindrance rather than an asset. And also at that distance, the cheapest standard velocity ammo will do fine....as long as it cycles appropriately in the 22.

However, if they scatter at the first shot...or at a light being turned on...I could see a lot of misses with a 22...and the 410 may be the only way to go.

 

[TimS]

Where are you getting #12 shot? I’ve look for years and never found anything smaller than #9.

Midway shows it in stock. I’ve had this bag for years. It’s dated 02-12.

 

[sw282]

#12 is also known as 'Dust'. l hear those #12s will help your skeet score. Just don't get caught with 12s at a match

 

[Fast14riot]

For large volume rat control there are two options, bucket traps or 2-3+ small terriers. Parson Russell terrier or other similar sized dogs will make quick work of it. Plus, it's a hoot to watch! Not much training is needed for the dogs.

 

[Pete Roberson]

Go on YouTube, airguns and rats.
There is allot of information there, about scopes, lights and everything else you need to know.

 

[JFW]

I'm thinking a cheap thermal on a suppressed 22 with standard velocity

 

[SSL]

Guy I knew bought a farm that had mostly been a hog farm. Rats were everywhere and roamed the entire lot and yard without a trace of fear even during the day. Even his cats would stay on the porch rather than engage any of them. He complained that it would be several days before a professional rodent service could be there. I volunteered the services of a buddy and myself to try to reduce their numbers in the interim.
We showed up early on a Saturday and set up an enfilade situation with our .22s from hidden rest positions and plenty of liquids (iced tea...no alcohol and guns folks!) Both had scoped 10/22s with heavy barrels and tuned triggers. In the course of a single day we totalled well over 100 rats and another 62 the following day. The report of our rifles seemed to have minimal short term effect, so shooting was fairly steady.
Rodent service showed up Monday and said it was probably one of the worst he had seen. Took him 3 weeks of alternating days of changing out poisons and locations and another month of weekly fogging and checking to clear the premises. End result was only an occasional rat spotted.
Moral...once they get dug in it is a major effort to clear them out.

 

[TimS]

I would think the 410 semi auto (your Saiga) would be very costly. Those 410 shells aren't cheap. My vote would be a semi-auto 22lr....with standard velocity ammo, and IRON SIGHTS. If you're shooting 2-15 yards, a scope is a hindrance rather than an asset. And also at that distance, the cheapest standard velocity ammo will do fine....as long as it cycles appropriately in the 22.

However, if they scatter at the first shot...or at a light being turned on...I could see a lot of misses with a 22...and the 410 may be the only way to go.

It was costly until we figured in the fun factor. Loaded my own ammunition.

I shot several during daylight hours with my suppressed 10-22. Had very limited visibility and had to be very selective with shots especially when they are on concrete.

 

[Fast14riot]