Air Guns and Rimfire

[GhostHawk]

I have tried some round ball in my Hatsan, and I was surprised at the results.

The last time I tried this the pellet was much more accurate. But the round balls got there, and were all in a nice quarter sized group.

This time the balls were just a smidge large for the bore on the new Hatsan. So I tapped it in with a plastic screwdriver handle. 5 of them went into one ragged hole. Where the pellets had a larger, but still decent group.

That sharp shooter mold is not fast, but as long as I have lead I can have food for the pot.
That to me is a lovely combination.

[richhodg66]

My Dad gave me a Benjamin springer that is a .25. Haven't shot it yet, but he was pretty impressed with it.

I live way out in the sticks now, so shooting anything in the yard is good to go, but in years past living in town, I've killed a lot f squirrels and a few rabbits with air guns, a Sheridan Blue Steak, RWS Springer and an old CO2 Crossman .22. They are definitely not toys.

I don't shoot .22 rimfires much anymore either, hate being dependent on something that can go away that easily.

[Black Beard]

I wouldn't bother with airgun moulds unless you are going big-bore. You can buy thousands of superbly made pellets for the price of a mould. Buying thousands of pellets now is a good idea (rumours of lead price increases).I agree airguns are quieter. I can't hear any muzzle blast from my silenced 12ftlb HW80. Even without a silencer, you won't hear air rifles beyond 100 yards in an urban environment and a few hundred in the countryside.

[Traffer]

I offered my brand new Mossberg 702 22lr semi-auto to my brother in trade for a Gamo whisper he picked up used in great condition for $50. He laughed at me. My reasoning was that the only rifle range in my area is only open one day a week from mid May to mid September and 3 days a week from mid September to late October and open every day for a few weeks. Very very limited range time available. I like to shoot. So I would have traded guns. His reasoning was that he kept the pellet gun in the garage for the little ground squirrels that kept digging out his foundation. Oh well. As far as cost and availability of 22lr. They are plentiful now. But the cost is almost always over 6 cents per. My limit is 6 cents per round. So I reload them. Within another year I believe I will have match grade 22lr. Powder coating is a very real advantage for 22lr.
I would move to get more shooting time in but the wife won't have it. lol

[jh45gun]

I sold 2 22lr guns and kept one took the scope off of it to put on my Multi pump Crosman 1300kt. I retired the rimfire. Pellet guns are quieter, more accurate than the average 22lr and will kill small game just as well.

[psweigle]

Take an air charged break barrel 22 air rifle and fill the skirt with petroleum jelly and shoot it over a chrony. It's pretty cool.

[Multigunner]

In post WW2 Germany gunsmiths sometimes modified spring piston air rifles specifically to take advantage of the diesel effect.
They added a sort of spritzer like that on old perfume bottles to inject a fine spray of wood alcohol into the cylinder just before the trigger was pulled. I've read that the result was velocities and energy very close to that of the .22 RF rifles.

There was a short piece on this in the American Rifleman back in the 60's. Not much detail beyond a photo of one of the converted air rifle actions.

[GhostHawk]

I have heard a lot of rumors about it, you also hear some rumors about damaged rifles doing it.

My Hatsan 135 Vortex is cranking 1000 fps with a 14.3 Crossman Premier Hollowpoint pellet. Fast enough for me.

[Multigunner]

A German air gun manufacturer took it a step further by marketing a purpose built diesel effect air rifle that used medical grade ether ampoules to supply the fuel. It was a version of the HW 35 called the Barracuda EL 54.

Here's a write up on that rifle.

http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2006/...ion-air-rifle/

Even that rifle had a problem with blowing out the seals.

[hanleyfan]

My marauder .25 will kill anything out to 100 yards that my .22 rimfire would, I sold all my .22 rimfires and bought this marauder PCP .25 and never looked back, its quite and deadly and more accurate than my rimfires were. I will never go back to rimfires. if it is too big for the marauder I will get out my centerfires. I can target shoot in my backyard and my neighbors don't know it, can't say that with a rimfire.