9mm garden gun, .410 or .22 shot cartridge for a problem rat.

[bullet chucker]

Get a night vision sight, or a cheap thermal sight, it will not know you are waiting for it. Job done.

BC.

 

[Longstrider]

Where is the rat when you trying to shoot it ? If it's in the open .. that's your problem right there. Rats don't like being out in the open. Give them a roof over their heads and they're far happier to sit around a while.

I like to bait them and air rifle them and I do so by putting the bait on the upper face of the bottom plank on a fully boarded pallet. Push the pallet against a likely entry point and sit well-enough back so you can and shoot under the pallet. Ratty will come in the back, under the pallet, smell the bait and move forward to it, feeling safe because it has a roof over it. The rest should be obvious ...

 

[Skogsmannen]

Where is the rat when you trying to shoot it ? If it's in the open .. that's your problem right there. Rats don't like being out in the open. Give them a roof over their heads and they're far happier to sit around a while.

I like to bait them and air rifle them and I do so by putting the bait on the upper face of the bottom plank on a fully boarded pallet. Push the pallet against a likely entry point and sit well-enough back so you can and shoot under the pallet. Ratty will come in the back, under the pallet, smell the bait and move forward to it, feeling safe because it has a roof over it. The rest should be obvious ...

That makes a lot of sense - usually I set up at the kitchen window with a bit of food out on the grass as bait and get them just as they come out from under the log shed. The big one very rarely ventures far from cover and I've never seen it stop to eat anything we've had out when it does. I think it's dragged at least one dead one off before I've cleared it up before now though.

 

[Pete6.5]

Bait station. I know we are on a shooting forum and love an excuse to buy guns and stuff but sitting there and popping them off is not a efficient use of time fun but not efficient.
The answer to everything is not what gun should I use.
If you can't use bait then getting good at trapping is the next best step

 

[jall55]

Get some bait stations around the place, job done

Yes bait boxes but not poison would be my suggestion

 

[lanber123]

If it won't stop smear something it has to lick near its cover then smack!!

 

[25 Sharps]

Having owned a 9mm garden gun, I'd say it's very ineffective for all but very close range shots. Airgun with some NV equipment is much better for rats

They are ok loaded with #6 shot to about 5 yards, any further they bounce off.

I load .357 shot cartridges that have more poke

 

[25 Sharps]

Keep at it, you only need to get lucky once, the rat has to be lucky every day.

My guess is there’s more than rat running around

 

[Wilbur]

If it is trap wise then change the bait I’ve never been let down with jam in a trap for rats, wf

 

[shakey jake]

the company behind probably dont have toxic bait down. especially if one of the big companies does the job. i was always sceptical of traps but they really do work, pre bait for a few days with loads of free grub, then once its happy set it. by all means buy as many guns as you can, i have but traps are a great tool that works while you sleep

 

[Len the dog]

Put bait out at the same time and in the same place to condition it to being in the right place for a shot, use a gloopy smelly bait such as cat food liquidised with some fish oil, that way it can’t grab the bait and run but has to stay to lap it up.
You could even leave a dim light on to get it used to it, making it easier for yourself.
The rats on my neighbour’s allotment run like clockwork around feeding time for the hens, like everything else they become creatures of habit.

 

[StephenToast]

If it is trap wise then change the bait I’ve never been let down with jam in a trap for rats, wf

Or peanut butter.

 

[Len the dog]

If using a trap then make sure that hedgehogs can’t access it.