Which magnum springer cal. 22?

[Onty]

Need your help, my knowledge about air rifles is nil.

I would like to have quality, powerful air rifle, scoped, springer, cal. 22. Rifle will be used for hunting and pest control.

From what I could find, the closest one to my wishes are Diana RWS 350 or 460 Magnum. However, there are problems; one is relatively high cocking forces (45/39 lbs).

Second problem is their weight; 8.2/8.3 lbs. Bit too much for my taste, this is the weight of 300 and 338 magnum rifles.

Any springer on the market that has bit less cocking force, with 2-stage cocking?

Also, anything lighter in 5-6 lbs weight range?

Last but not the least; I would like to have rifle with classic look. Plastic stock is still OK, but AR style or thumb hole stock are not my cup of tea.

Thanks!

[MT Chambers]

Most powerful and recommended HW 90
HW95
HW80
For extra money and prolly more exp. and more accurate TX200 or HW97.
These are the best in the world and may not be what you want if you are looking at plastic and Walmart.
Check KRALE for the best prices on HW guns.

[Tripplebeards]

I have a nitro piston walther talon. It is a hatsan rifle that was rebranded by walther. They only thing I'm not a big fan is the trigger in it. They make a 30 cal nitro piston I'd like to buy called the carnivore. My walther 22 cal. dropped a coon at 25 yards with a head shot using predator pellets this morning. Just dropped and kicked. Made a nasty hole in its head a had some of its brain hanging out. I know, I know, TMI. Just wanted to get my point across that it's a powerful rifle. It's heavier and longer than most my center fire rifles.

Hers the link. Good quality air rifle for the money.

http://www.hatsan.com.tr/en_hatsan_airguns.html


I have a browning 22 cal brake pistol I paid a $150 for that drops rabbits and squirrels out to 20 yards as well. There is not enough velocity to penatrate coon hides with it even with a head shot.

[GhostHawk]

I lean towards the Hatsan's myself.

Started with a 135 Vortex QE that is a bit heavy, and takes a lot of cocking force. Plenty accurate and plenty of punch.

But if you don't want a magnum, don't go looking for one.

Me I went after a year and found a great deal on a Hatsan 95 Vortex.
Down about 200 fps, but significant reductions in both weight and cocking force. And cheaper to boot.

They both shoot, but I prefer the 95 most times.

Most times you really don't need all that energy.
My old blue streak seldom saw more than 4 pumps. I know they don't much over 650 fps with 8 pumps.
But if you put it in the right spot 400 is more than plenty.

So, figure out what it is you really need and want first.

And check on Field Supply for regular deals on Hatsan Air Rifles.

My latest was the little Charger Pistol that does about 600 fps. Fun to play with.

[Fly]

Gamo has a Swarm Magnum that a very powerful rifle. I have the regular Swarm .22 that a great squirrel rifle but the Swarm magnum is over
the top, power wise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZmDy2hZ3Rc

Fly

[besk]

You are not going to avoid the weight if you want a powerful springer. I have a HW80 (22) and it is heavier than I want to hand hold.
Went for a Diana-RWS 34 (177), got it tuned and it has plenty of power for squirrel/rabbit size animals. Accuracy is the most important attribute to look for in an air rifle.

[D-RIG]

The Hatsan 95 is a good one , the H&N 14.66 grain pellet
in the 5.53 head diameter . I've seen this combination work .

[Fly]

I wonder "do you really need or want a Magnum? Todays good brake barrels are very powerful. Take my standard .22 Swarm. They claim 970 fps
with lead pellets & more with the feather weight no lead. My chronograph is showing about a true 800 or so with a 14.66 weight pellet. That is
more than enough to kill a squirrel, rabbit, ect. It is a very accurate air rifle. Most magnums give up accuracy for power. The ole saying in air rifles
you can't have both seems to be true. Remember if you can't hit it you can't kill it.

JMOHOP Fly
PS one more thing. Idaho Ron has a brake barrel Air Arms TX200 that will do both.But it come with cost about & $650. I also have
a PCP Hatsan flash that is only $270 buying on sale. The problem with PCP guns is you must have a bottle or pump to charge them.
So you must add that to the cost. I just use a $50 hand pump & still cheaper than the more expensive brake barrels. But it is a pain.

Most likely why Ron & others pick the higher end rifles over the PCPs. But the new entry level PCPs are maybe something for you to
consider.

[Tripplebeards]

Don't expect to think you'll use the lighter non lead pellets with any accuracy either to make up for lost velocity. I have four different types and they are not minute of pop can at 10 yards. I and shoot little clusters in one large hole at 25 yards with predator pellets and crow magnums.

If anyone wan wants to purchase them pm me.

[Onty]

Thank you all for info. To my surprise, many of those better rifles are so heavy, going from 9 to as much as 11 pounds. Just checked, Weatherby 460 weighs 9.5 lbs. I can understand that trend for competition rifles, but air rifle, intended for hunt, even "high power", in 9-11 lbs weight range, just doesn't make sense to me.

Regarding use of 22 magnum air rifle, I would like to have something capable of hunting foxes. In area where I have intention of retiring, they are quite nuisance. I felt that such rifle could be a nice balance between hunting requirement and recreational shooting. In that respect, seems to me that even a quality breaker will be more that enough accurate.

Yes, I was thinking about PCP one. But, considering everything, I do not think that this system is for me.

[GhostHawk]

The other alternative for an air rifle is to go bigger bore.
Hatsan makes rifles in .25 and .30 along with .177 and .22.

The bigger bores do cost more to shoot.


For a larger animal like a fox a larger pellet will weigh much more, more foot pounds of energy.

That being said in your shoes I would worry more about accuracy and less about power.
If you can consistently put 5 shots into a quarter sized target at 25-40 yards you will be able to put a pellet into a foxes brain. Game over.

[Tripplebeards]

If it were me I'd get get what ever magnum that you can get the trigger down to 2 lbs or under. Just like the other posters stated if you can hit it it won't matter. Most air rifle triggers are horrible. Air rifles are fun but I'd rather have a 22 wmr for dispatching fox. My RAR 22 wmr that I bought on sale at cabelas for $199.00 last winter shoots .3" groups at a 100 yards and it isn't so loud that it's going to bother your ears. I have a CZ 452 utralux super exclusive with a 28.5" barrel in 22lr that sounds no louder than an air rifle from having a 28.5" barrel. Bought like new for $299 last fall. It will be more accurate, quicker on follow up shots, and have more power....and the big thing cost close to the same as a quality air rifle. The only thing the air rifle would have an advantage is for us shooting in town where you can't with rifles legally. I can tell you my walther isn't much quieter than my 22 lr. When I shoot mine in town I'm paranoid because it's so loud I know people can hear it...which defeats the purpose of having it and both rimfire rifles are feather light compaired to my heavy, bulky air rifle. I'd trade mine for the new 17 WSM rimfire in a flash!

[melloairman]

Thank you all for info. To my surprise, many of those better rifles are so heavy, going from 9 to as much as 11 pounds. Just checked, Weatherby 460 weighs 9.5 lbs. I can understand that trend for competition rifles, but air rifle, intended for hunt, even "high power", in 9-11 lbs weight range, just doesn't make sense to me.

Regarding use of 22 magnum air rifle, I would like to have something capable of hunting foxes. In area where I have intention of retiring, they are quite nuisance. I felt that such rifle could be a nice balance between hunting requirement and recreational shooting. In that respect, seems to me that even a quality breaker will be more that enough accurate.

Yes, I was thinking about PCP one. But, considering everything, I do not think that this system is for me.

You might look at the Nova Freedom as a alternative . Marvin
https://airgunwarriors.com/airgun-ta...on-board-pump/

[idahoron]

Magnum air rifles are a hoax given to us by the industry. My TX200 is only at 664 feet per second with a 14.66 gr pellet. But I have stacked up a pile of rock chucks with it. This year I shot 250 rock chucks and I lost count of pigeons, collard doves, and starlings. A magnum is not needed. A super accurate rifle is where its at.

[GhostHawk]

Totally agree Idahoron.

Anywhere from 600 to 800 fps is more than enough, if you have accuracy and a good trigger.

[UKShootist]

In the UK, airguns are a bigger deal than in the USA. I can say, on that basis, that the best hunting spring powered air rifle is the HW80, which I believe is sold in the USA as the Beeman R1. Built like a tank, the best trigger on any spring air rifle, accurate, easy to work on if needed. Personally, I favour .22 calibre. It's more efficient than .177 and on full power (in the UK it's restricted to 12 ft/lbs unless you have a firearms certificate) it handles beautifully. It's a gun that will last you your life and be good enough to pass on to the grandkids. Also, get the carbine length barrel. Springers don't need a long barrel.

For other rifles I would stay away from gas rams. They can leak, don't believe anyone who says they cant. The firing cycle is also horrible compared with a decent springer. Another thing is that most springers will need at least a tin of pellets putting through them to settle down to their best. It can also be well worth a strip, re-grease with decent grease, fit a PTFE spring sleeve (make it out of 1 or 2 mm sheet), and a smoothing of any edges. Easy enough on an HW80. To shoot them well the 'artillery hold' is thought best. A loose hold, just enough to support the rifle. Consistency is everything with springers as all the recoil takes place before the pellet leaves the barrel.

Don't go for fancy gimmick pellets, particularly pointed ones. They are never as accurate as the standard dome heads.

[Fly]

Ditto on that. These rifles today are not what you had as a kid. Plenty good for small game.

Fly

[thunderthud]

Magnum air rifles are a hoax given to us by the industry. My TX200 is only at 664 feet per second with a 14.66 gr pellet. But I have stacked up a pile of rock chucks with it. This year I shot 250 rock chucks and I lost count of pigeons, collard doves, and starlings. A magnum is not needed. A super accurate rifle is where its at.

Dude, you're lucky to have all those er, targets roaming around. I agree with everything you've said. you don't get a quality rifle in the 5-6 lb. range. I've got a Diana md 48 at around 900fps its a beast.

[rsterne]

Magnum Springers are, and need to be, heavy.... to control the recoil of the heavy spring and piston.... I had an RWS350 clone (BAM B-28) and hated it.... sold the gun within a month.... The only springers I kept were a Diana D-34 and a BAM-26 (W-95 clone)…. both mild and nice to shoot.... Realistically if you want a gun for Fox, I would suggest a PCP....

Bob

[roysha]

RWS 54 Air King. Admittedly a booger to cock, 39 lbs or so I think, but with the recoiless action, it is not hold sensitive. Mine chronographs 895fps with Crosman premier HP pellets, is very accurate and will consistently kill feral pigeons at up to 50 yards. Beyond that I don't shoot so well. HEAVY and BIG but a real joy to shoot because of the power, accuracy and lack of recoil. Because of the size and weight, (and my age which is another story), it works best for me off a rest.

Next choice is the RWS 460. Mine really likes the GAMO Hunter pellet. Not quite as hard to cock as the 54 but certainly takes a bit of effort and is just as fast as the 54. My Grandson shot a prairie dog through the head, side to side, at 42 yards. I saw the dust fly on the far side and we looked for the pellet but could not find it. I would have liker to see how it survived the trip through the pd skull.