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Dart gun question

DejaVu

Well-known member
I have a PneuDart rifle. Not Co2 but the pump style. I darted a 250lb calf with pink eye the other day and discovered the dart never discharged the Draxxin I loaded in it. Any ideas on what I did wrong or if the dart was a dud or whatever? I had to wait for it to fall out of the calf so thought everything was good. I shook the dart and noticed Draxxin coming out. I took the syringe I use to load it and drew out almost all I had put in. My faith in my handy dandy dart rifle is not so much at the moment.
 

Traveler

Well-known member
Did it need more velocity to discharge, and did the dart need topped off with sterile water? My boys have been using a rifle that uses the .22 loads. Can't dart young calves with the loads they've been getting because the dart goes in too far, not good when that happens.
 

rancherfred

Well-known member
You have to pump it more than you think you should have to since the force of the impact is what triggers the charge to expel the drugs. I use a minimum of five pumps regardless of syringe size. Five pumps at about 30-40 feet with a 7 cc dart works well for me. If I need to use a bigger dosage I will add several more pumps. The only time I have had problems with it firing is when I didn't pump it enough.
 

DejaVu

Well-known member
Thanks rancherfred. I'm betting that was my mistake. I only pumped it twice because it being a smaller calf I thought it would'n't need much force. Thank You very much.

Traveler, my darts have a gel collar on them which supposedly limits the depth of entry of the needle. Darts are single use.
 

Traveler

Well-known member
DejaVu said:
Thanks rancherfred. I'm betting that was my mistake. I only pumped it twice because it being a smaller calf I thought it would'n't need much force. Thank You very much.

Traveler, my darts have a gel collar on them which supposedly limits the depth of entry of the needle. Darts are single use.
There was a little too much power for a calf's hide. The dart went pretty far into the neck. Kind of an OH SH** moment.
 

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