air gun purchase

[calsite]

I'm looking for an adult air rifle, for my dad and brother to enjoy in there back yard. Not looking to spend hundreds, maybe $100 or so. Any suggestions.....

[schutzen]

Try Pyramid Air Guns on the net. I bought a RWS for my brother for $200. Out to 75 feet it will drop the squirrels in his yard just like a .22.

For the hunters, He kills the squirrels because they seem to enjoy removing the soffit sections from his two story home. My brother does not enjoy replacing the soffit; he would rather shoot the squirrels.

[Scrounger]

Check the auction sites, GunBroker and AuctionArms, there are usually air rifles listed on them at very decent prices.

[pumpguy]

Try shooting a box of Aguila Colibris through a .22. They are quieter than my air rifle.

[scrapcan]

also make sure how the local laws classify an air gun. In the major town in my area an air gun is classified as a firearm and violates the law if used with in city limits. makes me glad I live a good distance from town.

here is a link with some good info on tuning some of the Chinese springers. Depending on what you are looking for you might be able to pickup a good springer and do a little tuning and end up with a nice shooter.

http://charliedatuna.com/Airgun%20Info.htm

here is another one
http://www.compasseco.com/

Here is a link to one custom tune spring manufacturer

http://www.airguns.citymax.com/page/page/251327.htm

Choose caliber wisely also. I bought a 177 and wish I had gotten the 22. the 177 will get the job done on starlings at the bird feeder and pigeons out by the barn, but he 22 would have done it better.

Also some good info on shooting springers versus pneumatics (both precharged and pump up pneumatics). Air gunning will get you hooked also so be careful as to the path you take.

good luck and do some reading. Also if you chose to do the springer route and you want to mount a scope, buy a springer rated scope. They will knock the crap out of the best quality non springer built scope in short order. They have recoil in both directions that take a scope apart.

I went down this road a few years ago and ended up buying an Diana model 36 because it felt good to shoot and it was a great price due to it being on closeout.

[OBXPilgrim]

This one has accounted for many crows & squirrels.

http://www.pyramydair.com/p/crosman-2260-co2-rifle.shtml

Cheap, accurate out to 40 yards - hard to beat for the price.

[trail troll]

I think one of the untapped bargains out there are the Sheridan Blue Streaks. The older ones,, when Sheridan was still Sheridan back in the early 80's and before. I got two for about a hundred each a year ago, and let me tell you you can't miss with them even in the standard form with open sights. Plus they have REAL walnut stocks and are totally rust proof as nearly the whole weapon is brass and bronze. Plenty hard hitting too. My oldest is a 1973 model that is just as it was the day it left the factory, never been re sealed or worked on and still hits HARD and holds for weeks on end.

Plus they look right, if you know what I mean. Check out gun broker and other auctions,,, you will find them around.

Bill

[carpetman]

+1 to Trail Troll. The older Sheridan Streaks are great guns. They made them in Blue Streak and Silver Streak and the finish was the difference. They arent worth a darn for mounting a scope on---they are clumsy with a scope--even a small pistol scope mounted way forward---it's still in the way. But you can drill and tap and mount a peep sight and I like that much better than the original sights--which are ok. The newer models are already drilled and tapped. The older ones aren't. The d&t is done on the right hand side of the receiver. On the left side there is a cover---but this is for access to remove the bolt---many see this and think it is d&t for peep--not. The streaks come in .20 cal 5mm which to me being middle of the .177 and 22's you get the best of both worlds. It's my favorite air gun cal. (and makes me wonder if I'd like a .205 Ruger??) For some reason Wally World doesnt carry 5mm pellets but I can get them at sporting goods stores---they do run a little higher than the Wally World .177's and .22's--still cheap shooting. The Streaks are pump ups and 4 strokes and above I dont see the pellet. They can be pumped up to 8 strokes. One guy that formerly posted here had a newer one and he said he saw the pellet even at 8 strokes. Being pump up does have the advantage that you can pump it just a couple times and have less power if less is needed. This is opposed to spring air guns where you cock it and a strong spring is locked into posistion--you have full blast and no in between. I got mine used in early 80's and it's still good as ever. When not in use give it a couple strokes the seals last longer if they are stored with light pressure--what the book says. Having said all that I do have a RWS spring air as well and I like it too, but really the Sheridan is my go to gun. The RWS weighs over 9 pounds.

[9.3X62AL]

I have 2 springers--both RWS. The 177 is a Model 45 break-barrel, and the 25 caliber (yep!) is a sidelever Model 52.

On ground squirrels, the 177 will work if you take head shots and use pointed pellets--the Beeman pointed ones go about 875 FPS, and work on small pest birds and crows with head shots.

That 25 caliber jacks up ground squirrels right proper to 25-30 yards, brain housing group or center-mass hit. The Beeman Crow Magnum pellet weighs 27 grains and gets 775 FPS from my rifle. I believe mine was re-sprung, 'cause they are only supposed to get about 600-625 FPS with stock springs. I know that side-lever is one unholy bee-otch to cock.