Any shooters on the forum?
We get the occasional visiting rat at the bottom of the garden lunching on the birdfeeder. I have a .22 with open sights which is pretty accurate, but the fibre optic sight on the end of the barrel has come adrift and disappeared. I was thinking of getting either a red dot sight or a telescopic to fit instead, I don't want to break the bank and I have seen both for around thirty quid.
Which type is best for a range of about 10-12 yards, and are they any good at that price?
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I don't think I'd bother with a scope. A target-type aperture sight? Maybe beyond your budget, though. Why not stick with what you've got, if it's "pretty accurate"?
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Shoot a few rats by all means, there's plenty to go around.
But might it be simpler to rat-proof the bird feeder?
I have mine hung from a narrow steel rod, which even Roland doesn't fancy climbing.
I've also rigged up a small tray around the base of the feeder, so very little food is spilled.
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>> But might it be simpler to rat-proof the bird feeder?
Could also put a rat trap under something, then wouldn't need to hang about watching for the rat, either.
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Quite like rats. Not really a problem in the garden are they?
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...Not really a problem in the garden are they?...
They were for this woman:
"An animal lover died in agony days after being scratched by a rat in her garden.
"Carol Colburn, 56, ignored pleas from her husband to wear gloves as she tried to free the trapped rodent from a wire bird feeder."
www.theargus.co.uk/news/3668270.Brighton_woman_killed_by_rat/
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I'll re-phrase. Not really a problem in the garden unless you are stupid and try to free one from a bird-feeder with your bare hands.
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>> Quite like rats. Not really a problem in the garden are they?
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Two schools of though on that, cuddly little mammals or disease carrying vermin. I subscribe to the latter.
Replacing the bird table isn't an option as it is one of these ornamental ones and Mrs RR likes it. Tried traps, rats appear far too intelligent to fall for them and they are ignored. As I said first post, I need a new sight anyway and wondered if there was a better option than open sights. My problem is I use reading glasses which I need to wear to align the sights properly but which then blurs the target at distance, so a scope may be better.
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There is always the DIY version, tape a laser pointer to the barrel.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 7 Dec 10 at 14:13
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A cheap scope is likely to have a smaller aperture, so won't be so good in poor light.
Provided it is securely mounted and properly zeroed in for the preferred range it should be fine. If yr air rifle is the kind that is cocked by breaking the barrel, rather than by a lever below the barrel, it is possible that movement in the spindle, however slight, could compromise pinpoint accuracy unless the scope is mounted on the barrel itself (which with that sort of air rifle it usually isn't).
Don't tell Morrissey though (whoever he may be). He will only call you a murderer.
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(1) Get rid of the bird feeder. Rats are lazy animals and they don't wander far from their nest to find food. Once they've found a regular source of food they build a nest close to it ~ and then reproduce at a tremedous rate. Rats take between 2-3 months to reach sexual maturity and can have up to 7 litters per year with the average litter size being about 8. ~ and they don't know about the concept of incest!
(2) Get some rat bait blocks. www.ratbait.co.uk/index.asp
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A ratbox with Sorexil Gold(?) in it saw mine off. I found him a few weeks later in the log shed, stiff as a board.
John
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>> A ratbox with Sorexil Gold(?) in it ............
I think that's for mice. I recommend Neosorexa Bait Blocks. Skewer them onto a nail (hammered vertically through a piece of wood) so that the blocks can't be taken away whole and cover the lot with a ridge tile placed close to a fence of hedge ~ rats like to walk alongside something and to feed under cover.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Tue 7 Dec 10 at 14:39
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I've noticed most MacDonalds burger places have several rat boxes around their outside walls.
I don't know if I should be alarmed a problem exists, or reassured it's being dealt with.
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I watched a huge rat run down the outside of and behind a quite posh restaurant once. Flippin' massive one. Obviously ate well.
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>> I've noticed most MacDonalds burger places have several rat boxes around their outside walls.
And inside in the dry store cupboard and in the Kitchen. I think it's a pre-emptive thing although when i worked there at 16 i have absolutely no idea how we didn't have rats at the bins.
Rats are the least of your worries. I only learned "god kissed it devil missed it" when i started there :-P Sticking 16 burgers down on a grill designed for 9 was another speciality. People were eating visibly pink bits on their burgers.
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Neosorexa Gold, that's the stuff.
John
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>> Neosorexa Gold, that's the stuff.
>> John
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www.ratbait.co.uk/neosorexa-gold-3-kg-642-p.asp
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Poison is out as we have a couple of dogs.
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Forget the airgun, get yourself a nice 12 bore, no sights needed !
Or if you feel thats too much, get a 20 bore.
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Our outfit is much like this one...
www.gunstar.co.uk/Air-Rifles/Weihrauch-HW77K-gun-for-sale-gs5947.aspx
Ours is a Tasco zoom scope with very good light gathering ability. Has a light mount on the scope for a small LED torch which illuminates targets at a sensible range well.
Makes picking off vermin really easy.
A scope like this would do you..
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tasco-3-9-x-40-scope-/230552820452?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Hunting_ShootingSports_ET&hash=item35ae04dae4
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 7 Dec 10 at 16:26
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>> Poison is out as we have a couple of dogs.
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I suggested putting the bait under a ridge tile to prevent larger animals from getting to it.
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>> or use a rat box
>> John
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That's another method. Incidentally, rats feed mainly at night, so you'll only see a small percentage of the local rat population during the day. www.wonderclub.com/Wildlife/mammals/brown_rat.html
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Of course you could get a good cat... it will sort the rats and appreciate you feeding the birds.
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rats love peanut butter
vermin horrible disease ridden things talking to someone the other day and his friend had died within the week from weals disease he told me
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Weils disease is something anyone who has anything to do with the countryside should be aware of. It is spread by infected urine, not just of rats but also other rodents, cattle and pigs. It is commonly found in still or slow running water especially in agricultural areas and normally enters the bloodstream via an open cut. Anglers, canoeists and the like are particularly at risk
Symtoms are flu like and essential to seek medical advice as soon as symptons occur if you have been near water that you think .could be a source
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FL's Ebay link will be OK if you just want a basic sight for a fixed distance, and at this end of the market they are fairly cheap and obviously limited.
If you want to get crystal clear high magnification with a wide aperture then you'll have to spend a fair bit.
I have one of these and it's clinically accurate, good value for what it is, with a better label this would be a £500+ scope.
www.uttings.co.uk/Product/543/102918/mtc-optics-mamba-4-16x50-rir-rifle-scope/
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So has anyone used a red dot sight?
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Airgun Sights - FotheringtonTomas
