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andym
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PostPosted: 20:42 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Ratting? Reply with quote

Anyone do this with a slingshot?
Any tips on how to improve my accuracy?

My new job is in a recycling centre with a shit load of moving targets (think ratatouille auditions), but because of licensing laws in Scotland it's a bit of a faff getting an AWC (air weapon certificate), so I bought a hunting slingshot a few weeks ago.... having never touched one in my life.

The sling came with 1000 6mm ball bearings and after a few hundred shots I learned a couple of valuable lessons, my aim is shit and a rat will scurry off even after 4 point blank shots (including a spine shot).

Thinking it was just the bearings that weren't up to the job I bought a few hundred 10mm bearings, but found the little shits can still walk it off unless it's a head shot, so now I've bought a couple of hundred marbles, (14-18mm), to try.



So far I'm up to:
At least 500 penetrations where the rat scurries off (no idea if they survive the injuries or not).
Around 80 confirmed kills (where I can pick the twitching body up).
10-15 grab and kills (lightning fast reflexes or something).
7 kills in a night, (some finished off with a smack off a concrete block).
4 bearings (10mm) in a single rat that still ran off (dragging it's back end).
3 head shots with a putter (after 2 point blank headshots bursting both eyes) on the hardest rat I've killed so far, (think 3 men and a hammer).
So far 1 bite from a rat I picked up that had a broken tail and was able to swing up and get through the glove.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 20:51 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

You will never be able to hit a rat with a slingshot. If you put a big stone in it, you'll be able to defeat the Philistines, but that's about it.

Buy a catapult, like this:

https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/what-are-the-best-hunting-catapults-in-the-uk-for-survival

Edit: Better to buy a Fenn MKIV tunnel trap, or even use poison bait. Then you don't have to wait for them to come.
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Nobby the Bastard
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PostPosted: 20:59 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 at throwing bricks at them.
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andym
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PostPosted: 21:29 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
You will never be able to hit a rat with a slingshot. If you put a big stone in it, you'll be able to defeat the Philistines, but that's about it.

Buy a catapult, like this:

https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/what-are-the-best-hunting-catapults-in-the-uk-for-survival

Edit: Better to buy a Fenn MKIV tunnel trap, or even use poison bait. Then you don't have to wait for them to come.


The sling I'm using is closer to the TRUMARK FS-1 from that link.

These rats are crafty, they see the hi-vis and scarper instantly (usually from about 100 feet away).

Nobby, really? Getting close enough to grab them or cave their skulls in with a golf club ain't good enough?
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Fisty
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PostPosted: 22:07 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Put the slingshot in the bin and buy an air rifle.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 22:08 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

andym wrote:
The sling I'm using is closer to the TRUMARK FS-1 from that link.

So it's a catapult. Bit too dangerous, really, I would have thought.

I'd be inclined to get an air rifle the legit. way:

https://basc.org.uk/basc-scotland/airguns-in-scotland/

The only issue might be getting permission from your work to control vermin on their land.

The traps/poison work well, but aren't quite as interesting.
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Skudd
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PostPosted: 22:16 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

We used to throw tins of baked beans at the rats at ASDA.
Did you ever wonder how the tins got damaged?
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Islander
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PostPosted: 23:10 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fisty wrote:
Put the slingshot in the bin and buy an air rifle.


This.

It's not hard to get an AWC, fill a form out, get a referee, get a couple of photos, post it off. You need somewhere secureish to store it, a locked cupboard will do.

.177 is probably best - it'll give you a flatter ballistic trajectory and will do the job.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 23:16 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you tried using the catapult to launch dead rats at living rats?
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 23:45 - 13 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Have you tried using the catapult to launch dead rats at living rats?

Interesting thought. A cat-a-pult. Probably something on video somewhere done by some awful person....
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Islander
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PostPosted: 00:41 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rat-a-pult, surely?
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 00:59 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hitting them with a long thin stick is traditional.

Polyhedral dice are evil when fired from a slingshot and can be bought in bulk from China. Just saying like.
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defblade
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PostPosted: 07:40 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a works terrier.

Failing that, peanut butter or nutella smeared on a brick keeps the little gits still for a while as they lick it up.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 11:21 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Islander wrote:
Rat-a-pult, surely?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=squirrel+launcher
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Easy-X
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PostPosted: 11:21 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

How effective would an air rifle be against these things anyway? Rats have got pretty mean these days.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 12:32 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

We made slings (catapults) from 6mm reo-bar and 1/4" wide strips of rubber sheet that was used to line the inside of pumps and pipes in a process plant. (Sand quarries possibly use it too for.pumping wet sand into stockpiles.)
We loaded 1/2"-3/4" mill-balls as ammo.
Accurate enough to hit a beer can (empty) from about 50' about 85% of the time.
I used mine to skull rats around the workshop on night shift.
Not many that I hit walked very far. And most were stopped dead first strike.

We stopped using little stones for ammo as they are shite.
Steel or lead was best.

Try a tackle shop for lead shot.

Expect the environ-mentalists to be up in arms about the lead.
(Just ignore the Vegans, as we do.)
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:25 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Easy-X wrote:
How effective would an air rifle be against these things anyway? Rats have got pretty mean these days.


You want a .22 or ideally a .25" with the heaviest flat-nose or hollowpoint pellets you can find. You need the shock factor for chest-shots. Smaller, higher velocity rounds just punch holes in them.

Or gamo make an "air shotgun" which takes pre-loaded re-usable capsules of fine shot that splatters the little fuckers across the floor. 12" spread at 10ft. Fit a reflex sight and have-at them.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 13:29 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Easy-X wrote:
How effective would an air rifle be against these things anyway? Rats have got pretty mean these days.


You want a .22 or ideally a .25" with the heaviest flat-nose or hollowpoint pellets you can find. You need the shock factor for chest-shots. Smaller, higher velocity rounds just punch holes in them.

Or gamo make an "air shotgun" which takes pre-loaded re-usable capsules of fine shot that splatters the little fuckers across the floor. 12" spread at 10ft. Fit a reflex sight and have-at them.


Licensing laws..... air weapons/bows/x-bows etc.

Sling-Shots are probably governed too. 🤔
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:39 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

MCN wrote:


Licensing laws..... air weapons/bows/x-bows etc.

Sling-Shots are probably governed too. 🤔


Nah, just the air rifles.

You can buy a bow that will take down an adult deer at 60 yards with no licence at all. (it would be illegal to do-so, but you could).

Maybe OP should learn to use a "proper" sling. Use much bigger ammunition. I bet the wee bastards wouldn't walk away from that.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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BTTD
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PostPosted: 14:13 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

.410 moderated single barrel shotgun?
It sounds like an air rifle is as much of a pain to get as a shotgun licence (unless Scotland have more complicated laws for those too), so why not get a nice little firearm.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 14:24 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Easy-X wrote:
How effective would an air rifle be against these things anyway? Rats have got pretty mean these days.

Effective. Used at sensible ranges you can humanely take rabbits with air rifles. Being a reasonable shot and having time are the two main issues, which is why traps are probably better.
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bhinso
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PostPosted: 15:28 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Give them bikes and make them go ride in the rain.
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andym
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PostPosted: 15:52 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Maybe OP should learn to use a "proper" sling. Use much bigger ammunition. I bet the wee bastards wouldn't walk away from that.


I'll update this tomorrow after I've tried a few marbles Wink
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dynax
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PostPosted: 16:07 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is an unwritten code of conduct when it comes to vermin control, i suggest you visit this forum and get some proper advice Thumbs Up

https://www.airgunforum.co.uk/community/index.php
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JackButler
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PostPosted: 16:24 - 14 Feb 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Even rats deserve a quick clean kill.

If they won't let you own an airgun then there are some ingenious methods of trapping & despatching on Yootoob.
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