Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Crosman phantom

I am having some sort of issue with my springer air gun. I bought it last October to reduce the squirrel population in my backyard. I mounted a Barska airgun scope on it, sited it in and put it to use. At first it was seven for seven on one shot kills. Now I can't seem to get a kill. Eight shots and eight runaways. I put the gun on paper and it is still sited in but if I'm hitting the squirrels they are not dieing. Could the gun have lost enough power to account for this? Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Dallas Jack

if it will shoot clean through a soft bound cabelas catalog ( 1/2" thick +-) at the distance your hunting it will kill a squirrel with a good shot.

I mention this as I assume you don't have a Chronograph. It takes over 500fps with a .22 pellet to blow through that catalog.

JJHACK, your correct I don't have a chrono. The rifle is a .177 with a claimed velocity of 1000 fps. I am sure it never reached that velocity but it had no problems shooting through squirrels (at first) at the distances (13 to 17 yards) I am shooting.

I'll try the catalog and see if it makes it through. It is a cheap gun with a horrible trigger but it worked great for a while.
Thanks for your help
Dallas Jack

Well, I shot the gun at a telephone book at 7 yards. I used a caliper and measured from the front to the last page that had a tear in it. The 3 shots measured .595, .736, and .792 deep in that order. Sounds like it's hitting hard enough so it must be me. I guess it's time to put it on paper and see which way I'm missing.
Thanks for the help.
Dallas Jack