Most people wouldn’t think of a BB gun or a pellet gun as a survival item, but lately, a number or people have emailed us asking about adding one to their supplies. While it wouldn’t be my first option, there are some reasons you may want to consider adding one to your survival stockpile.
Technology has made them stronger and more reliable
In terms of technology, design and manufacturing, BB guns have come a long way over the last decade. Today’s BB guns are not the BB guns of your youth, and many of them are actually very reliable and very powerful. Pellet guns take things up a notch, and are great for plinkers or hunting small game.
- They are both quite capable of taking small game like birds, rodents, squirrels and small rabbits.
- If you want to increase your odds, look for a pellet gun with a high velocity of at least 700 FPS in a .22 cal, or 950 FPS in a .177 cal.
- A good scope can increase accuracy, and help you spot smaller game.
They are dirt cheap
With the recent rise in ammo prices and a sudden shortage of rimfire ammunition, a lot of people are looking for cheaper alternatives. For training purposes, a BB gun might not be a bad alternative for speed or defensive drills. It’s probably not going to make you a better shooter, but it can be used to simulate some self-defense situations, and sure is a lot cheaper than almost anything else you can shoot.
- A 500 ct. box of pellets is going to cost you around 10 bucks, and BBs are going to be even cheaper at $10 for around 6,000.
- A decent BB or Pellet gun, suitable for hunting small game, can be found for under $200
A couple more reasons to consider adding a BB or Pellet gun to your survival stockpiles
- They are legal to carry in most areas of the country.
- They are quite and do not attract as much attention, making it easier to take out multiple small animals when hunting.
- Believe it or not, during the Vietnam war soldiers were trained with Daisy model 99 BB guns to practice instinctive shooting techniques. They can be a great way to practice target focused shooting and quick kill techniques.
- They are just plain fun, and can be a great way to introduce children to firearms.
What kind of Pellet or BB Gun is best for survival?
If you’re buying one for survival purposes, I would stay away from anything that needs CO2 or compressed air to fire. During a survival situation, these cartridges are going to be hard to come by, making your rifle completely useless once you run out of compressed air. Instead, look for a spring piston or lever action rifle; these allow you to build up air pressure by simply cocking a lever.
- Single pump air rifles only require one pump to obtain maximum power. They are quick, easy to use and the best option when trying to quietly take a number of small animals.
- Multi-Pump air rifles are another good option that allows you to control the amount of power you’re shooting with. They are typically less expensive but they are not as stealthy when trying to hunt.
Of course, if you’re looking to take things to the next level, I highly recommend checking out a Ruger 10/22. It’s one of our favorite .22LR Rifles on the market.
Some BB Guns and Ammo that we like:
in my opinion a true break down of modern day society any firearm/ pellet gun would be extremely helpful even thought the knock down power of a .177 cal pellet gun is low, you can quite easily kill squirrels and rabbits. I do this all the time in fact in large quantities with my friends.and once we skin them (from hemorrhaging) we can see the animal took a lot of damage from a such small pellet. almost 80 percent of the time it penetrates fully through the rib cage where it plows through a assortment of organs and finally lodges itself somewhere in the squirrels body . however every so often it will hit a bone and it will not die (thats why i hunt theres 3 of us a shooter a tracker(fancy name for the person who trys to tree one up)(and also another shooter who alternatively the catch carrier) however for home defense a pellet gun should NEVER be in your hands. Not only to kill a BG it would take close range and multiple pellets, but if he happens to have more intelligence than an amoeba he will either fight you with fist or a weapon he may have concealed. you would be better of with a ar 15 (accuracy and reliability) but if for some reason a BG enter your home a 12 gauge shotgun does the trick.
yeah maybe so but they do make pellet rifles that are powerful enough to kill a rabbit or squirrel or even a possum with one shot irregardless of where you hit them I mean come on you can find pellet rifle that do 1600 feet per second if you spend the money heck that is faster than a 22 but to all the people pushing the 22’s what you seem to be forgetting is that the reason for the pellet rifle is noise a 22 can still be heard from a long way away and in a shtf situation stealth may just be the key although you could always use 22 cb’s they are practicly noiseless and up to 30 yards or so will still kill small game easy enough
You think a BG won’t go down from a air rifle, take a look at the Air Ordnance SMG-22, 100 round belt fed, 600 FPS at 12 PER SECOND!
A full auto pellet gun at 720 rounds per minute, loaded with PolyMag Predator, and topped off by a laser sight is NOT something you’ll argue with for more than a second! It’s also quiet enough that I’ve fired it in my backyard with no problems!
With today’s air guns you can hunt and hit a dime at 60 yards. And even have shooting power to hunt rabbits at 100-120 yards. I don’t shoot firearms anymore. I was hooked when I was young and I am 50 years old now! It is the most rewarding, you become a very very good shooter. But also make sure if your going to kill something that you will take it home to eat it.
wow, who knew i have been a ‘expert’ at taking small game since age 7!
In my opinion, a good break barrel pellet rifle or a pump action pellet pistol is a must have for any survivalist. Ammo is very inexpensive and light weight, they now have alloy pellets that weigh much less than standard lead pellets, and travel at a greater velocity. Also, in a pinch you could load the weapon with virtually anything in place of a pellet: small rocks, a small sharpened stick, whatever you can find. Granted these are not ideal projectiles, but when the ammo runs out you will still be able to shoot small game.
I recall shooting a rabbit with a Daisey powerline pellet rifle when I was a kid. loaded with a BB. and at 3o yards she was disatched quickly with 1 hit to the side of head. I guess BBs go much faster than standard pellets. but need to hit an area that causes brain loss/damage/scramble to disatch an animal quickly. of course luck was a factor at 1o yrs old.
tasted good coz it was my first.
Air rifle, not BB gun.
Pellets .17 or .22. with 900+FPS, pump not CO2.
a Daisey Powerline is a pellet rifle that shoots BBs to . It IS a multi pump pellet rifle.
Air guns have come a long way. Calibers range from .177 to .45 which will shoot through a cinder block. Granted you would need to fill the reservoir with either a scuba tank to 2000psi or a multi stage hand pump to that pressure which would take an hour or so of hard pumping. But even when the ammo runs out the air will still be free and in good supply. The area I live in has a bit of a rabbit problem and with my Remington NPSS .22 dispatching the little lawn eating buggers at 25 yards is nothing. I hope I never have to feed myself or my family this way but modern airguns make it possible if need be.
Recently bought a crosman phantom rated @ 1000 fps in .22
Power is VERY impressive…
I say you should get good with a bow and arrow for a survival situation. Best to learn wich a traditional bow because then you can make on yourself pretty easy if you need to. Arrows are reusable and easy to make with a sharp rock and some duct tape. And a bow is proven to take down just about anything you will meet in the woods and is very silent.
Anyways, about pellet guns. Either you go with a high powered springer, I got one of those in .25 that shoots around 700 fps, these high powered air rifles are very loud, about the same as a .22lr. I also got a Marauder PCP pistol, it is not as loud and you can easily convert it into a carbine. But carrying a big bicykle-type pump around would not be a good option in a survival situation.
Maybe an FX independence that has an onboard pump? Well, they have alot of weight in them and even though you might be able to take out a squirrel at 100 yards, you would burn more calories going to get that squirrel than you will gain eating it.
Now, I live in Sweden, so our conditions might be different.
As an avid hiker, I started contemplating about ways of taking small game in emergency situations.
I started with a slingshot (not with a whole lot of expectations). YES U DO need to practice a lot b4 its a viable option at close range, learn to stalk the prey i.e get within 30 feet!!
With the $19 cheapo Truemark 2K, I get an average of 200 fps using 1/2″ lead slugs I made (12 grams). That is close to 22 Joules at 20-25 feet, with potentially unlimited ammo everywhere. Not to mention you can also carry couple of take down arrows for bow fishing and hunting.
Next up is a Crosman 1377 pistol, modified to .22 caliber with additional fps and accuracy mods (500+ fps is quiet possible). I grew up shooting pellet guns and can easily take head shots from 50-60 feet (without a scope, so still a viable option
Survival rifles: Henry A7 ($200), Marlin Papoose ($320ish), & Scout M6 (way over prized due to supply, but comes with over/under 22/410
I like the 1st two options and of course I will always prefer a firearm over the former two.
However things that go in the favor of the former
Sling: If there is a rock u got ammo, small/light, quiet, easily field repairable
Air pistol: Ammo is very small to pack, I mean you can carry 500 pellets in the size of deck of cards. they rarely jam or breakdown.
I would personally carry a sling, AND a Henry or Marlin
Here’s my idea of a pellet gun :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClVbIS3r3-g
I think there are a few benefits to consider; ammo is cheap and easy to stock. You can pump these up with an air tank (if you have a generator for a compressor) or with a hand pump, and they are fairly quiet considering. These big bores can take any kind of game you’re after.
i agree rws 350 magnum .22 pellet gun will fill all your small game needs up to 65 yards or so and provide stew beef for sure .;lets not forget our rimmys or c.f will absolutely be needed for self defense and big game and ammo wont last forever
Big Cat® 1200 (Gamo)is a .177 caliber Air Rifle with 1200fps. This will take any small game out that a .22 will and no pumping. Just break the barrel, load, close and shoot.
Not everyone is lucky enough to live in a country where firearms are widely available. I live in Spain and getting a firearms licence is a huge problem for anyone not fluent in Spanish. I’m restricted to an 18Lb/Ft Air rifle. If I still lived in the UK, it would be 12 Lb/ft, although I may stand a chance of getting a shotgun licence.
This is also a good option for those of us who can’t legally carry firearms.
i belive pellet guns r great.ive been using a crossman 760 pump master with not much sucess unless lizards r succes. im probablt getting a break barrel crossman phantom 1000 fps pellet gun. 80 dollars .177 cheap reliable deadly and accurate faster than a 22. also if 177 is not anough many copanies make high velocity guns anywhere from 800 to 1400 in 177 22 25 45 and 50 cal. but unless u cary scuba tanks around the higher cald wont due
I got my 1st pellet gun when I was 8. It was a Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. I remember a lot of meals where the only meat on the table was what I harvested from the field and swamp across from our house. It was an old gun, but a clean shot from a close range always got the rabbit, squirrel or dove. Once I even managed a 8 yard head shot on a turkey with it. My Pop was really proud of me. Now over 30 years later I have been through a lot of firearms, including weapons I used and carried in the military. I currently use a 30-06 and 30-30 for deer, and have other smaller caliber rifles and shotguns. But when I hit the woods for squirrel or rabbit, I go to my collection of 16 air guns, including a few 600fps+ pistols. I still hunt for food, not sport, but I enjoy the challenge of having to get that close and honing not only my shooting skills, but actual hunting and stalking skills. IF the time comes, I will not only have the guns to take small game, but will have the skills to take the shot. Regardless of what you use, just make sure you know the limits of both your gun and yourself, then keep the shot within those limits. BTW, if you come up starting trouble, I don’t even think of my air guns, but if that is all you have available and know those limits, it can be very effective.
bb guns are good for plinking and practicing, but whenever you need to eliminate something pull out the pellet gun.
A few months ago, a neighbors dog, pit/boxer cross attacked my chickens again. He had already killed 8 of them over the past few months. This time I was tired of telling neighbor. I shot him at around 30 ft with my CO2 .177 pellet pistol with red tip pellets. I shot him right under shoulder, he went around 10 steps, and dropped dead. Dog had to weigh around 30-40 lbs. I was shocked. But I did learn a lesson about the ability of the .177 pellet gun.
Dumbass redneck!!!!
Keep your dog in your yard, be a responsible pet owner. Any dog that had taken to killing Livestock should be put down. Dumb city boy.
Nice job man….Took down someone’s dog.. Hopefully someone reports you. Try keeping ur chickens better couped and not so free ranged. Any dog in the worlds natural instinct is to hunt a chicken unless specifically trained not to. And don’t blame a stupid owners negligence on the dog. Make you ultimately the dumb ***
Maybe idiot dog owners should try keeping them penned up so chicken owners don’t have to kill their dogs. Loose dogs are a nuisance. They killed my horse when I was a kid. Loose your dog, lose a dog.
Im my yard lived young kittens.I feed them and one morning found them butchered by street bunch dogs.Because i bought HATSAN 125 and i promise anyone if i see dog in my viewpoint i will shoot.