Need Recommendation For First Air Rifle

[alamogunr]

I'm wanting to dip my toe into the air gun experience. I've thought about it several times but something in the cartridge area always came up first. I have in mind to start with a spring type air rifle and if I decide that I want to continue, maybe get a PCP rifle.

I don't want a cheap first rifle but don't want to spend over $200-250. I would like to get the most precision for the money. I also need a good scope. I'm thinking that a good scope can be transferred to a PCP gun or to a rimfire if I decide not to continue. The scope is a must. At my age there is no point to an accurate rifle without it.

I've read quite a bit, both here and on the air gun forums, but now need specific recommendations.

[Kestrel4k]

[...] I would like to get the most precision for the money. I also need a good scope. I'm thinking that a good scope can be transferred to a PCP gun or to a rimfire if I decide not to continue. The scope is a must. At my age there is no point to an accurate rifle without it.
How about the Daisy/Avanti 853 single-stroke pneumatic ? Far easier to shoot /accurately/ compared to most springers - particularly the higher-velocity modern ones.

They run about $200, and IMHO are the most accurate airgun at that price.
American-mfg (unlike the low-end Ch!na springers); its German-mfg Walther bbl is excellent. Very easy to scope the receiver, although loading pellets can be a little fiddly under the scope. Due to the lack of forward recoil (like springers will have), no scope or ring creep.

There is a pretty easy modification which adds an adjustable sear function to the trigger mechanism; I have done this to mine & the results were excellent - far better than any springer I have ever shot. The mechanical advantage of this particular design is inherent due to the conflicting requirement of holding back the powerful mainspring on the 'springer' airguns.

----------

From a bench, my 853 averages 0.17" 5-shot groups at 15 yds with three different styles of pellets.
Its best pellet delivers honest 0.3" groups @ 25 yds - I don't think that can be matched until the $400+ PCP's.

Edit: those accuracy results were obtained with pellets costing only 1.5 to 2 cents each (Vogel Merlin Match & Crosman Premier Lights) - so no worries about needing 2.5 cents (and up) RWS MK's etc. to obtain one-hole 10m accuracy.
It even averages 0.19" @ 15 yds with el-cheapo 1.0 cent Gamo Match wadcutters - truly a bargain.

[PerpetualStudent]

Kestrel is on point here. Single stroke pneumatic is your best friend for precision practice. You can do entry level 10m competition with that rifle.These aren't powerful but they are precise.

Best deal that I know of is the CMP's refurbished 853s for ~100.

[15meter]

Kestrel is on point here. Single stroke pneumatic is your best friend for precision practice. You can do entry level 10m competition with that rifle.These aren't powerful but they are precise.

Best deal that I know of is the CMP's refurbished 853s for ~100.


What he says, we have multiples around one of my gun clubs and they shoot very well for $100. and the peep sights help old eyes much more than you realize. You don't need razor sharp focus, just select the right size aperture to give you a white ring around the bull.

A multi-pump also gets you under $250, I have a Sheridan Silver Streak that shoots extremely well, unfortunately they quit making the 5mm match wad cutters for them. They still make it in .177 and they are an adult size air rifle with the ability to mount a Williams peep site or a scope. I have a friend with an older Silver Streak that has a scope on it, but I can beat him with mine with just a rear peep sight. I think they go by Benjamin now but they are made by Crossman.

With a multi-pump you can vary the number of pumps for target/pellet weight to fine tune accuracy. It does make a difference.

If you go more money look at the RWS 48 side cock rifle. I have one that shoots very well. Those are easier to mount a scope on.
I use the RWS for offhand practice, @ 10 lbs. it helps build muscle memory.

[GhostHawk]

https://www.amazon.com/Beeman-Sportsman-Deluxe-Air-Pistol/dp/B000W30UAA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522976593&sr=8-1&keywords=Beeman+P17

33$, 11$ dovetail adapter, and a 60$ truglow Red Dot makes an awesome shooting machine.

[calaloo]

Find an older Sheridan Blue Streak or Silver Streak and you will have one of the best pellet rifles ever made.

[Lethemgo]

John...all good choices and there are more. An rws 34 can be had used for around that also. I have a Benjamin discovery and pump on sale on here for $320 shipped and practically new. Heres a link...cant really go cheaper basically because its going to cost me around $50 to ship. Great fiber optic sights and you can put any scope on it where a Springer you'd need a airgun scope.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?357717-Benjamin-discovery-22cal-maximus-177cal

[Scorpion8]

Ditto for the first couple of responses. I got one of the Daisy 853's off CMP, completely refurbished by them, for $100 (at the time) and it is a superb piece of kit. Easy to attach any airgun or rimfire scope if needed. Highly recommended.

[alamogunr]

In the ad for the Benjamin Discovery, Lethemgo mentions a tko break. Can anyone tell me what that is?

[W.R.Buchanan]

the guns to look for are Weihrauch HW35's. I have never seen a worn out one.

I got my first one in 1978 and I still have it. Paid $189 for it. It has been fired literally thousands of times.

I recently picked up another one for $60. I had to disassemble it and clean out all the old dried up grease and refinish the stock. It looks new and shoots like it to. There is plenty of schooling on maintenance on Youtube. Not at all hard to work on.

These are the real airguns. German Made and these have been in continuous production since 1951! My first one is a HW35 EB ( "E"xport for "B"eeman Airguns)and was made in 1978. The new one is an HW 35E Export made in 1980.

These guns if taken care of, will last a lifetime and they are fairly common. They are deadly accurate and if you miss it can't be blamed on the gun. They are built like good quality Firearms with real Blued Steel and Walnut, and they have the best triggers in the business .

These aren't imported to the US anymore as they aren't as powerful as some of the newer guns. However a decent one is still pushing a .177 cal pellet at 750+ fps and that is good enough for small game out to 50 yards. New ones in Europe are $600+ but have weaker main springs due to restrictions. Any that you find here will be full power and if you find one that has Beeman Airguns on it it will be among the nicest ones available.

The first pic is of the new one prior to refinishing the stock.
Second pic is my first one bought in 1978
Third pic is the Williams sight on the old gun
Fourth pic is the Globe Front Sight they all come with
Fifth pic is my R1 which is a Weihrauch HW80. That gun is a hopped up version of the HW35 guns, it shoots .22 cal pellets at 750 fps. and I have hit a rim fire Silhouette Ram at 100 meters with it. It has a Leupold VX1 1-4X scope on it.

Sixth is new gun after refinish. and the last pics are the target I shot today at 10 yards in my shop offhand with open sights. The Bullseye is just over 1" in Dia.

All of these guns are lifetime quality and I would suggest going to Pyramid Air for more info before buying something that you will be disappointed with. There is nothing wrong with a used one and they are out there if you look in the right places. I paid $60 for the new one! I'd have to get $400 if I sold it.

If you live in a place where you can shoot rats or squirrels or other pests these guns really come into their own, but the real best thing about them is that you can shoot in a garage or down a hallway every night to develop your skills. You usually can't do that with firearms.

Randy

[Bazoo]

My buddy had one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Gamo-Silent-Cat-air-rifle/dp/B07BHVQ8SH With the ammo it liked, we routinely could hit smaller than 1" square blocks of wood at 15 yards in the shop. We shot standing offhand. Penetration was good... Would go through the wall of drywall and tin siding before we put up a backstop.

[Lethemgo]

John
After we messaged back and forth I think I have what you need. A hw30 love mine and airguns of Arizona has them for $289. You will ever regret it...A kid woman or even a old guy with a bad shoulder can cock it all day. Not a power house but deadly accurate. I have the 177 but have a few $ floating around and may just buy the 22 today. Hare to beat the rekord trigger. RWS is great but id give the edge to the rekord. Need more power go to the hw95 on sale to but harder to cock.
Good lucky buddy

[alamogunr]

Well! I'm back on line after having to disassemble everything so the carpet layers could do their thing. Still can't print. I have no idea how the printer was hooked up since I can't reach the usb port on the computer. Got to buy a longer cable.

I'm looking real seriously at the Weihrauch 30S. I was looking at it before I had to tear the computer set up down. Can I rely on Air Guns of Arizona to recommend a suitable scope and mounts? I would prefer to buy all from the same vendor. I don't want the scope cost to overpower the rifle.

Just so you guys know where I'm coming from, I will be closing in on my 76th birthday by the time I make up my mind and act on it. Cocking a spring powered air rifle should not be a problem. I still work out at the fitness center as often as I can. No! I'm not as strong as I was at 60 but I don't try to be either.

[Outer Rondacker]

In the ad for the Benjamin Discovery, Lethemgo mentions a tko break. Can anyone tell me what that is?

I have the same setup. Love it. More mods for cheap then a ruger 10/22 well maybe not more but kinda like that. You need that TKO muzzle brake otherwise it barks bad. I shoot mine around people when doing pest control and they never knew I took a shot. Its like a cat sneezing. I would say best bang for the buck on a pcp. Well I have been out of the game for a few years. Once I built mine I had no need for another one. Check out youtube for videos.

[Lethemgo]

John I've bought 3 guns from them and have been very pleased. I put a utg bug buster on my hw30 and it's a great scope. Don't think they carry that brand but ask...A Hawke vantage they have but it just set your limit and see what they suggest. Best thing is you know you'll be getting an air gun scope from them. Tell them you want it mounted and sighted in save yourself some time. Seems like they sent me a chronograph read out and target when they shot it.
Good luck buddy
Dick <><

[alamogunr]

Well! I'm back for more information. I called Airguns of Arizona and asked about the HW30 and then asked about a scope. They referred me to this:
http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/weihrauch-hw30s-.177-urban-pro/

Not bad but I'm not impressed by the scope. Unless I'm misreading it is a fixed power scope. That may be a good thing. The HW30 doesn't seem to be a long range gun. The scope is Chinese made but "Weihrauch designed". Also the gun itself is an "upgrade" to a fancy stock and a proboscis on the end of the barrel. Neither of which should be necessary for an accurate rifle.

Comments? I have to admit to leaning toward it even if it is a few dollars above what I wanted to spend.

[Tritium]

Here is a good used gun. https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=142133.0

My site: http://www.T3PRanchAGS.com

[W.R.Buchanan]

Alamo: I'd just start with the HW30s and add a scope later. That way you're in the game with a decent gun. You can chose a scope that suits you, and I don't really see a Chinese Weihrauch scope as being worth $200.

The iron sights on these guns are exceptional, and once you shoot them you'll see that you can hit stuff with them. A Bugbuster scope would be great on that gun and it is alot less than $200.

Randy

[alamogunr]

Sorry Randy! I should have posted earlier that I decided to get a HW95 w/scope. I'm in the process of breaking it in and getting used to the difference between an air gun and a powder firearm(.22 rimfire).

As far as scopes, at my age(75) I've decided I need one. I can barely get by with my milsurps and their battle sights. But, I'm not as concerned with precision with them as I am with the air gun. And it is somewhat fun to shoot under the same conditions, equipment wise, as they did as much as a century ago.

[W.R.Buchanan]

You done good! Those are excellent rifles and anything with Weihrauch on it is going to give you long service no matter how much you shoot it.!

Well done sir!

Randy

[mac1911]

picking your first can be tough. i have all sorts of pellet guns.
they all have some purpose over the others.
just the ones that are handy for use.
https://i.imgur.com/CnxCOZih.jpg