Pellet Rifle?

[versa-06]

Considering a mass produced pellet rifle 177 or 22 cal & curious of best quality for the money. Popping a few chipmunks & skwirls. Don't want to spend as much as I paid for my collectors rifles. Something reasonable but definately durable. Any input appreciated. -06

[Winger Ed.]

Are ya looking for a new generation one with the compressed air tank, a old school pump or CO2?

[versa-06]

Old School Pump, Nothing fancy just durable

[Randy Bohannon]

I bought a break barrel Beeman that was made by a Spanish company called West in .22 cal. it has a set trigger and will go through 3/8” plywood. Got it at WalMart it’s killed a truck load of Eurasian doves,rabbits and other undesirable critters.

[Winger Ed.]

I bought a .22 Benjamin single shot pump with my first paycheck from my first job in 1968.

Last year, when I pumped it up, it would leak down in a few minutes so I had it rebuilt.
It might be my imagination, but I think it hits harder now than when it was new.

[Mk42gunner]

I bought a switch barrel in both .177 and .22 caliber at Walmart a few years ago, seems to have a bit more power than I remember from the Crosman 760 that I wore out as a kid in the 1970's.

Barrel cocking and it is accurate enough for me in the plinking in the yard. I have not used it for pest eradication yet though, I tend to grab either a .22 or a shotgun depending on what it is (I live in the country).

No idea who actually made it, probably some youngster in China.

Robert

[Lonegun1894]

I've got two. My .22 is a Benjamin Titan NP, which got limited to hunting use only and retired from pest control duties when it showed a tendency to shoot through the rat and the solid wood fence behind it. What replaced it is a .177 Gamo Whisper IGT that a friend gave me, that kills pests just as well without the safety concerns. Both are equally accurate, but the .177 is factory "suppressed" so slightly quieter. Both work very well on squirrel, rabbit, etc, but Ive never taken a ground hog with a pellet rifle so can't help much there with experience. I did however toss the scopes that both came with and replaced them with Simmons 4x32 "22 Mag" scopes. These scopes are nothing special, but the glass is much better and therefore the sight picture clearer. The stock scopes were useless in less than full sunlight, and past 25 yards, while I've taken these rifles as currently set up out to 100yds on paper, and 85yds on game for the .22 and 75yds for the .177.

[GhostHawk]

Hard to beat the old Sheridan Streaks IMO, although I have heard fairly good things about the Benj pump up .22.

IMO .22 is much better for fur, .177 is fine for feathers. And the 5mm Sheridan Blue streak does both well.

There are a couple of very good sheridan smiths that do good work for somewhat reasonable prices. They can pretty easily do a whole new set of seals, etc. Bring an older gun back for decades more use.

I like to say about my early 70's Blue streak. Your wife may leave you, your dog may die, your truck almost certainly will die. But a drop of oil every decade and your Blue streak may live longer than you do.

[tunnug]

Love my Sheridan Blue Streaks, first I found a fairly new one in 5mm (20cal), about a year later found me one in .22 cal, loaded up with pellets in both calibers, always been great shooters, got them for around $65 ea, hard to beat.

[Tracy]

Crosman 362. It's a .22 multi pump that is right around $100, shares parts with the ever-popular Crosman pistols, and has the power you need. They tend to be very accurate, too.

[greenwart]

Sheridan Blue Streak If you can find one. mine is a .20. I picked mine up at a pawn shop for $35 because the seals leaked. Got a rebuild kit for $30.Will function longer than me. I also have Benjamins in 177 and 22 which are nice but the 20 Sheridan is has nicer trigger feel and is slightly better.

[MUSTANG]

I have a Ruger 1200fps .177 Air Rifle that I bought 20 to 25 years ago as I remember. Does a great job on the occasional small bird/varmint that needs to be dispatched quietly.

It is similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Umarex-Barrel.../dp/B098V7K3TT

[IHuntDragons]

I bought this one in .22 about 45 days ago. I've been happy with it so far, has taken out several rabbits and squirrels making their way into the garden. Was one of their reduce price "alternate specials". Basically I was told these were restocks from stores that held too much inventory that were then gone through again and sold.

https://www.crosman.com/product/cros...ernate-special

[centershot]

versa-06, the old phrase "You get what you pay for" was never more true when considering air guns. You've said that you want to hunt with it and that you want it to last. Let's look at hunting; With airguns, it's energy generated (ft/lbs), not speed (fps) that matters. I would strongly recommend a .22 caliber rifle for hunting. A .22 pellet weighs between 12 and 20 grains, depending on which one is most accurate in your rifle. I use a 14.22 gr. pellet, at a velocity of almost 800 fps and that lightweight pellet sheds velocity REAL quick! But, inside 30 yards, it'll kill any squirrel that roams the treetops. Choose your rifle carefully, compare advertised velocities and remember that those speeds are achieved only with the lightest pellets. Some people still believe that spring piston guns can not be left cocked for any length of time without causing the spring to wear. Testing has proved this false , in QUALITY air guns. If you want a springer, buy it. I did. And I couldn't be happier. I bought a Weirauch 95, put a Hawke Vantage IR 3-9x scope on it and went hunting. Great combination! Expensive? Yeah, about $750, but it was worth every single penny! You may not need the power of a '95, but Weirauch makes a slew of rifles that are lighter and less expensive. Check them out:

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/

You can also check out the competition at sites like Airgun Depot:

https://www.airgundepot.com/

And, by all means, come join us in the Air Gun section:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/for...hp?182-AirGuns

[SeabeeMan]

I have a .22 Gamo break action with a nitro piston that I've been very impressed with. I still have the stock scope on it and once I figured out what pellets it liked best, I reach for it over the 22 for rodents and anything invading my bluebird houses. I've had a few .177 pellet guns over the years that have done ok, but going with a .22 has made a big difference in killing power.

[Digital Dan]

Buddy of mine has one of those things with the air tank that he charges up and plinks with for awhile. .45 caliber that shoots something around 290 gr lead bullets. Supersonic velocity, bit of a kick when you jerk the trigger. Fairly certain it would take a deer or hog w/o too much trouble. Reasonably accurate, running about 1.5" groups with three shots at 50 yards.

[versa-06]

Don't see anyone commenting on the Crosman pumps I grew up with, We killed many skwirls & birds with them way back in the early 70's. The Sheridans are really holding their value. Would want something that could be repaired if need be & not just a throw away. The cocking barrel models I am not familiar at all with. It's been many years since I've used an air rifle & don't want to learn at the expense of trial & error. -06

[WILCO]

https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-fury-np-177

This worked for me.

[centershot]

Don't see anyone commenting on the Crosman pumps I grew up with, We killed many skwirls & birds with them way back in the early 70's. The Sheridans are really holding their value. Would want something that could be repaired if need be & not just a throw away. The cocking barrel models I am not familiar at all with. It's been many years since I've used an air rifle & don't want to learn at the expense of trial & error. -06

If you're referring to one of these:
https://www.airgundepot.com/crosman-...air-rifle.html

you wouldn't go wrong in buying one, .22 caliber of course. They are totally re-buildable, if you ever needed to, and the variable power option is really attractive. I killed my share of critter with one as a boy and have nothing but fond memories of it, wish I still had it! The newest version comes standard with a peep sight, so a scope may not be needed.

Also, if you ever decided that you needed more power, there are places that will "magnum-ize" this rifle to deliver more air pressure, this allows the use of heavier pellets. Just something to think about.......

The Sheridan's and Benjamin's, while fine rifles, are handicapped IMO by their caliber. The 5mm is a lethal hunting caliber, no problem, but finding 5mm ammo can be problematic. Not the kind of stuff usually found at Walmart, while .177 and .22 caliber are usually well stocked, at least at my local store.

[versa-06]

All this knowledge & suggestions is greatly appreciated. I'm taking it all in. Thanks -06