While I've been thoroughly hashing over this springer purchase and dissecting German brands, calibers and trajectories and air rifle scopes, my brother has a new squirrel problem so he runs down to Academy buys an $89 scope/rifle package in .177 and a tin of pellets. He returns home and after about a dozen sighting shots he dispenses with 4 squirrels, the farthest at 50 yards. He thinks I'm making too big a fuss over this decision
Won't be long before that gun becomes 'inaccurate' and he wonders what is going on. Then he will see that the scope slid in the mounts, or the mounts moved on the rail, or the scope insides are all sloping around inside the tube. Then he will realize how crappy that trigger really is, etc....the cheap guns are ok for a few shots once a year, but if your going to shoot thousands of rounds through your rifle, then it is well worth getting a good one the first time around. What usually happens is that a guy will buy a cheapo, find out this is really fun, then buy a good one - in the process spend $200 on a gun that will never get used again because the nice rifle is so much better and fun to shoot. Don't ask how I know this......
As for shooting ground squirrels at 100 yards with an air rifle? Maybe, but I think there would be a lot of luck involved and there had better be no wind at all. Ground squirrels at 100 yards with a nice .22lr is not a sure thing. I think we need to be realistic here. 1/2 that distance and you will record more hits than misses, but it will still take some good shooting. You will be holding over about 3" and in a 5mph wind you'll be holding off about the same. These are short range weapons, nice and quiet so you can get in close and sometimes shoot several times before being noticed. If you looking for a 100 yard killer I would suggest a .17HMR.
