Moderated .410

[Pellet Pinger]

I grew up shooting rats almost every night with airgun , masses of them , used dogs and ferrets during the day . I have never cleared rats via the airgun but yeah i have had some massive bags ! I seriously do not believe you can clear a reasonable size rat population with airgun, reason being the rate of breeding if you just leave a few doe rats and one male . how many nights would you blank looking for the last 3 or 4 ? Easily educated ? yeah that contributes to the issue , way brighter than rabbits when it comes to avoiding getting killed !
By gosh i have cleared some Feral pigeons from farm buildings though with the aigun , normally no more than a couple of nights ( because they are dumb)

Yep, impossible to kill them all, but good sport trying!

 

[Alantoo]

Hi Guys

A mate of mine lives close to a farm which has a rat problem, he gets the rats running through his garden, he’s tried air rifle but the issue is they’re a quick moving target so it’s pretty much hit or a miss

during the daylight hours he’s no issue dispatching the rats with a .410 but he’s over run with them at nights an due to the neighbours a standard .410 is too noisy, what’s everyone’s experiences with a moderated .410 how quiet are they??

Regards

Lee

I replied to this thread when it came up a few years ago, but another thought has occurred to me since it was resurrected.

Presumably the OP's mate's neighbours also have the same rat problem and would be glad of his help shooting a few....I am sure their tolerance levels to any noise would be much higher if they knew the occasional bang was one of "their" rats being dispatched? Tell him to have a chat with them?

 

[Jamouk]

What about a 9mm garden shotgun with a moderator ?

 

[Squirrelbasher]

What about a 9mm garden shotgun with a moderator ?

That’s what I use but no moderator, they don’t need one as they’re only as loud as a hand clap

 

[Smellydog]

I used a silenced 410 a lot. And in my garden. I loaded some ammo with just 110gn of shot on some Alliant green dot. It was handy when a rat was at the bird feeders. Very quiet and safe enough too.
I also run a trap.

 

[User00036]

Why is an air rifle poor advice for rats? It is an ideal tool for confined space, being low power but plenty out to 50 yards (power not ability) and loses it's power quite quickly compared to powder propelled projectiles, whether in pellet or solid form. The important thing is to get them to pause long enough to take a head shot, which at sensible range is perfectly doable. I have shot thousands of rats with an air rifle.

I agree about the fox statement, unless it was in a trap and that wasn't mentioned for reasons of bravado.

Thank you, about the fox, can we just say humane dispatch.

 

[marve114]

A friend has a small holding and gets rats

We have used fully moderated.410’s with 3” magnum sub sonics and the sound from them is like a metallic thud Like you would get from a springer air rifle.

I also read some place that if you use bigger shot it’s supposed to not be as loud but not proved it.

Can take a group of 4-5 rats from 20 yards with a well placed shot

 

[25 Sharps]

What about a 9mm garden shotgun with a moderator ?

Only good to 5 yards and expensive to run

 

[Jamouk]

Only good to 5 yards and expensive to run

Don't know why I've always fancied one ! Only this and 4 bore I haven't got in the cabinet

 

[25 Sharps]

Don't know why I've always fancied one ! Only this and 4 bore I haven't got in the cabinet

They are good fun but not the most efficient tool, I have one but the .410 goes ratting!

 

[marve114]

Don’t waste your time with the 9mm

Carts are expensive and most of the ones I found the shot size was 10 so was like firing dust !!!

 

[Smellydog]

Just returned from ratting. Shot 8. Hushpower 12g. Closest was 4', furthest ,10yds.

 

[marve114]

I might try get out one day with the rim fire and some subsonics

 

[Overlay]

I use a pcp with the pard 007 with a 940 covert IR not the pard IR. Nothing over 30 yds

all you see is dead rats, can’t beat rat shooting with a PCP hardly any noise the 007 does make it easy I love it,

 

[25 Sharps]

Don’t waste your time with the 9mm

Carts are expensive and most of the ones I found the shot size was 10 so was like firing dust !!!

Have some 6s, they are slow though. I do load 150 grains of of 7.5s in the .357 over bullseye. Patterns well enough at close range through the rifled barrel and good to 7-8 yards or where the .410 has too much punch

 

[25 Sharps]

Just returned from ratting. Shot 8. Hushpower 12g. Closest was 4', furthest ,10yds.

Sounds messy!!

 

[Smellydog]

Sounds messy!!

In a good way yes

 

[sharkbait]

To be honest your mates neighbour needs speaking to about the problem!
But with rats no one way works best! It's a use of all armaments that will win through ! 4.10 them poison them trap them terriers liquid food to keep them still for the air rifle

 

[Squirrelbasher]

Don’t waste your time with the 9mm

Carts are expensive and most of the ones I found the shot size was 10 so was like firing dust !!!

Shot #10 is the best thing about them for shooting around and inside sheds and barns, that’s why I use them, no noticeable peripheral damage and mine throws a nice football sized pattern at about 8 yards. Absolutely flattens rats, no jumping about like with an airgun. The carts are relatively expensive though.

 

[25 Sharps]

Had 32 in a farm yard for 43 carts, Parkemy SxS for the start of the evening when the noise didn’t matter and there were plenty running around then switched to the Baikal hushpower later on.

Absolutely ace fun! Has persuaded me to start loading for .410!!