[Mongojoe]

First, I do know that 2 or 3 companies make airgun-shotguns...but I have no experience with them, so I won't make any comments or statements about them, other than to say that I would not think the range could be very far... But, like I say... I know very little to nothing about them.

You mention Benjamin and Beeman...both of these companies make excellent quality air rifles... I have guns by both companies, and am completely satisfied with them..... And your idea of a .177 caliber for pigeons and small game birds should work out nicely, particularly with the wide selection of ammo to choose from... I would suggest buying the "sampler packs" from a couple of different companies to try... That way you can try those company's more popular types and styles of ammo, and find which your gun likes best... Air rifles are just like cartridge firing rifles in that they often "have preferences", and shoot some ammo types/styles more accurately than others... You and I may have two identical air rifles...and your rifle may shoot "Ammo-X" like hammering tacks...but my rifle may scatter that same ammo all over the target like a shotgun pattern, and vice-versa. That is why you should try various kinds of ammo until you find what your personal rifle likes best.

For under 300 bucks you have a wide open field of guns to choose from... There are a truck load of excellent, powerful, and accurate, air rifles out there that can be had for well under 300 dollars...in break barrel, CO2, pump up, under lever, and side lever.... My own opinion is, particularly for a rifle, I think I'd skip the CO2. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but only because it would save you having to buy the CO2 cartridges...and their power tends to "drop off" as the CO2 cartridge empties.

I really kinda hate to "make suggestions" on a specific air rifle, because different people prefer different things...as well as different air rifles... In fact, there are a number of people here who have and shoot air rifles of various brands and kinds...and most all of them are completely satisfied with their guns...and one of them may tell you that the Beeman R-9 is the best rifle, another may tell you the Winchester 1000X is the best, another may say the RWS 34 is best, or the BSA Lightning, or the Daisy 1000S, or the Tech-Force 99, or the Mendoza RM-600, or the XS-B-19, or the Crosman Quest 1000X, or the Gamo Whisper, or the Sheridan Silver Streak, or the Walther Talon, or the Ruger Air Hawk, or the Remington Genesis, etc., etc., etc.......... And the fact is, all of these are good rifles, and all sell for under your 300 dollar limit, some considerably under...and there are dozens more just as good, and selling in the same price range.

I will however, make this suggestion.... Before you buy, go to several of the air rifle review websights...there are a number of them out there, and read the reviews of the various guns you may be interested in... These reviews are generally done by people who actually bought and shoot the guns, not by people just trying to sell them... Also go to some of the airgun forums, and read what the people say about the various guns...and find out what real people in real life, think about them............ I've bought a couple of airguns that I wish I had not bought...guns I feel I wasted my money on.... So, before I bought my last 2 or 3 airguns, I did just that. I made a short list of the guns I was interested in, then I read all the reviews I could find on them, and narrowed the list down even further, then I went to several airgun forums, read what the people had to say about these guns I was interested in, and I made posts and asked what they thought of such and such a gun, what experiences they have had with it...and I have to say that I am glad I did before spending my money...because I have been very happy with all of them I have bought after doing that.

[luis a]

thank you for your ideas

[luis a]

you relley help me on these man

[Mongojoe]

Glad I could be of help... Air gunning is a fun and enjoyable hobby or pastime...and also a good way to hunt small game...and I am happy to see more people getting involved in it.

[luis a]

is there eney think els that you can hunt whit a air gun that are not birds i have berly started air gun hunting and i have only hunted pigeons

[Mongojoe]

Actually, as to what you can hunt with airguns...that sometimes varies from state to state..... Now, keep in mind that I am only making suggestions here. Always check your state's game and fish laws first, as some of these animals may be legal to hunt, while others may not be...and an ethical hunter obeys the game laws...... There are quite a number of things that can be successfully hunted with airguns...such things as rabbits, jackrabbiits, the various types of hares, the different kinds of tree squirrels and ground squirrels, and even game birds in some places... These are all good candidates for airgun hunting, and many of them also make for some fine table fare as well... And generally the seasons and bag limits on squirrels and rabbits are quite liberal..... However, with game birds you should check first. I know that in some states/areas hunting game birds such as quail, grouse, snipe, dove, chukar, woodcock, etc., with an air rifle is legal, but in other states/areas it is not... You will find that this is often due to how airguns are viewed by the game laws... An air rifle is considered a "rifle" in some states...but in other states it is not...and this is often the reason that the laws on their legal use for game birds varies...... Also, no matter what you are using to hunt with, or what you are hunting, you will need to keep track of the various hunting seasons for the animals you intend to hunt.... Other things you can hunt with an air rifle in a good many states include animals the state lists as "pests"...such as crows, groundhogs, starlings, magpies, ravens, etc. (but again, always check first)... In some places you can legally hunt the smaller furbearers such as possums, coons, muskrat, skunk, weasel, mink, ringtail, etc., with an air rifle........... When I was a kid several of us boys would take our air guns and BB rifles and go to the local city dump, which back then was about 3 or 4 miles from town. We would get set up just in the tree line at the edge of the dump, and shoot the rats that came out to forage in the evenings...and behind us a short ways was a small creek which we would also keep an eye on for turtles............ But, let me also advise you to make sure of what you are shooting, and don't just go indiscriminately shooting small animals or birds... Many species, particularly song birds, are protected, and you can get in alot of trouble by shooting them... Also I would strongly advise you not to shoot cats or dogs you may run across. Quite often these can be people's pets...and besides the trouble you could get in, it makes for hard feelings among people, and besides all that, it is just not something an ethical hunter and sportsman would do anyway... That is the kind of thing a slob would do... I know people who have done this, and I, and most of the people I know, have no respect whatsoever for the jerks who do this sort of thing. And of course, we would never go hunting with someone that does things like that.

But, if you just obey the game laws, follow the rules of ethics, and safety, you will find that airguns can be a very good pastime, and an enjoyable method of hunting a number of different game animals, furbearers, and pests..... And, if like us your family plants a garden in the Spring and Summer, your air rifle can also come in quite handy for dealing with those garden robbing starlings and jays.

Good luck with it.

[luis a]

thanks for your help i got a raccon at my house sould i traped or shoot it whit my air gun

[Mongojoe]

Up to you.... Depends on which you would prefer doing... But remember that right now many of the furbearer seasons are still going on, and that raccoon may bring you a nice chunk of change at the fur buyer's place.

[luis a]

thanks i thing i will have to shoot it there are a real pain

[luis a]

but i only have a daisey power line 901 177 cal. all my other guns are out of country in mexico so you think that that can do the job

[Mongojoe]

It would not be my first choice, but it should work, if the distance is not excessive.