.177 pellet gun recommendation?

[Rotgut]

Was wondering if anyone could recommend a .177 pellet gun? Preferably made in USA and if not, at least not made in China. Nothing too expensive. I'd rather spend my money on other things.

I have a raccoon problem and the DFG says a .177 should be sufficient at point blank range, after trapping it. Sheriff's Dept says there are no legal issues with using the .177 pellet gun on my own property where I live. The Sheriff's Dept even told me I could legally fire a .22 in my backyard as long as it was done safely! I wasn't expecting that. They suggested letting the neighbors know first so the police aren't bothered with anyone calling it in. But I figure the .177 pellet gun will end up as less of a headache.

Thanks!

[Rotgut]

If you're going to go to the trouble to trap it, why kill it? Just take it up to Eden Canyon or Lake Chabot and release it!

Because I can't legally relocate it. That's the stipulation for trapping a nuisance raccoon, according to the DFG.

EDIT: DFG states I can trap a nuisance raccoon but it has to be euthanized on site and cannot be relocated because it's a nuisance and raccoons are considered vectors for various diseases.

I am of course trying everything I can to deter the raccoons from using my yard as a latrine before resorting to trapping them.

[Rotgut]

Haha. I wish it were that easy for me. Here, there is no free service for wild animals. I have to pay for an animal control service to bring a trap, maintain it (check it daily) and then pay for every raccoon caught. And then they have to euthanize on site. /sigh

Or I can just do the same thing myself.

[m98]

Cheap+not made in china= you wont have any choices to pick from. Most the cheaper hi power air guns are made overseas. Just spend 100$ on a gamo bigcat and some predator polymag pellets. These air guns can kill coons especially at pb range

[russ69]

A 177 is marginal on a big raccoon. If you have to use a 177, you'll want a very powerful one and a heavy pellet. Go here for better information: http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/

A cheap airgun won't do this job.

[Rotgut]

Thanks for the information. I'm going to look at those Big Cat 1200's. Hopefully I won't need it.

[h0use]

cant go wrong with any of the gamo rifles. beemman/sheridan air rifles are a good one too.

[Peter.Steele]

Myself, I like the EAA Drozd. Made in Russia (not China!) by Izmash, so ees strongk lyike BULL!

Seriously, though, 600 RPM and it'll saw a bunny clean in half.

[SocomM4]

Benjamin .22 cal

[Obviously a Plant]

+1 for Gammo, maid in Spain and around $100 when on sale at Big 5
1000 to 1250 fps should put down a 'coon and in your idle time, they are fun to shoot.
500 pellets run about $7, but getting a decent scope might cost a bit more.

[six seven tango]

I've got a Walther Talon Magnum that I picked up at Big5. It's a single shot break barrel that'll do 1200 fps and put a pellet about 1.5 inches into a phone book at 50 feet. A little more on the pricy side though - upwards of $200 on sale IIRC.