Pellet rifle suggestions and considerations.

[Bazoo]

Let me tell you about my experience first before I ask a couple newb questions.

I had a cheap china no brand spring piston, barrel cocked pellet rifle .177 caliber. I got it for 20 bucks used. I shot several thousand rounds through it and it never have me any trouble. At 30 yards I could hit about a 1.5" target. Gave it away.

Next a friend had a Gamo from Walmart. We could hit 1" targets at 20 yards. Barrel cocked, and .177 again. We didn't stretch it any farther as we shot it inside at work. Gamo pellets offered the best accuracy from the few we experimented with.

So what I think I want is this, spring powered barrel cocked air rifle. Iron sights are the absolute must have. I won't be scoping it so if it has no provisions for such that's fine. Wood stock would be nice. Trigger, I guess I'd like a smooth trigger that's workable. I'm easy to please, 5 pounds and smooth is okay but if it was 4 pounds and crisp it'd be better. I want something that will hold up well and or be user serviceable. So let's say a seal needed to be replaced every 3k shots and it was an easy takedown job for a .10 gasket, I'd have no issues with that. Weight is not an issue neither is weight of cocking.

I'm not sure if I'd want a 22 caliber and cast for it or a .177 and buy pellets. I'm considering the 22 for the added fun of casting. Well anyways I'm looking at Rugers line, they offer a wood stock .22 model for around 150.00. I want to stay 200 or so or less. I'd go 250 but it'd have to be something special.

I am not particularly interested in power, nor hunting, though squirrels might be tempting. I'm interested in offhand and field position shooting for fun and not bench shooting. 50-75 yards maybe 100 if it'll do it. 50 being most common. I can hit an empty shotshell at 50 and a coke can on end at 75 with a 22 rifle, is this realistic for a pellet rifle?

Basically I want plinking, form maintenance. I also want to shoot some where I don't get lead contamination and need a shower since I have a baby. If I could go out and shoot 10-30 shots and not have to strip and shower, I'd shoot more.

So with all that, what should I consider?

Thanks.

Bazoo

[BigAlofPa.]

I have quite a few. Rifles and pistols. The Ruger impact max is a real nice one for the money. I got one for 99.00 from Midway when they had a sale on them. It's 22 with the wood stock. It likes the Crossman hollow points the best. Walmart has them for 150.00.

[Winger Ed.]

For squirrels, 50-75 yards is getting on out there unless you use one of the more powerful ones.

Something I think is pretty cool:
check out the new generation ones that you charge up with its own (expensive) air compressor.
A charge is good for a couple dozen or so shots.

[GARD72977]

For the price range you are looking at I think your expectations are unrealistic.

Airguns are intresting but not cheap.

[GhostHawk]

http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/ind...tegory&path=59

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the replies.

BigAl, can you offer some details. What accuracy do you get and at what ranges will it reach? I seen that model and it meets my desires for looks.

I'm not really considering hunting with it, but if I could I might. Mostly I'm wanting plinking on cans and shotgun hulls. If I could hit a can at 75 yards but not gave the power for hunting at that distance that'd be fine. I never shot the one I had that far.

I don't really have expectations, I'm not sure what a modern airgun will do. Is 50 yards reasonable for an airgun? What accuracy is reasonable?

Is casting for a 22 a real option? Or is it just a fancy idea that don't work without tons of experimentation?

What other models can I compare the Ruger to?

[GhostHawk]

I cast some .22 round balls from a sharpshooter buckshot mold. I get better accuracy than pellets, but they are a touch lighter I think.

I would say most decent air rifles should put all rounds in a golfball at 50 unless your fighting wind.

Good ones will be tighter and stay tighter longer.

[BigAlofPa.]

The longest have shot it. Is 40 yards at cans. It nails them no problem. I found out how good they are. From a fellow who had one i ran into. At the spot i shoot out in the bush. I haven't tried it at longer yards yet. I just got a Benjamin recently. I want to try it too at longer distances.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for those replies. A golf ball at 50 yards is good enough. I shoot offhand 90 percent of the time.

Round balls huh, hmmm. Sounds easy enough. What are they lubed with?

[Fatbill]

The German-made RWS34 is the quintessential pellet gun, and probably the best bang for your buck. I've had mine for over a decade with no maintenance and no problems. That's the air rifle I would get

[dverna]

The German-made RWS34 is the quintessential pellet gun, and probably the best bang for your buck. I've had mine for over a decade with no maintenance and no problems. That's the air rifle I would get

I have one, but will sell it. Too much clocking effort for a of shooting. Bought a Daystate PCP.

[GARD72977]

The German-made RWS34 is the quintessential pellet gun, and probably the best bang for your buck. I've had mine for over a decade with no maintenance and no problems. That's the air rifle I would get

This advice is spot on. It is a little above you stated price.

I dont mean to be negative. I have a couple silhouette guns. It cost a ton to have consistent accurracy @45yds. Springer's are a harder animal to tame. Low power and heavy gun make an accurrate offhand Springer.

I shoot an Air Arms TX200 springer de tuned to <12fpe and a Styer PCP. Without using slugs and a very high power PCP or with very heavy pellet you accurracy will seriously degrade past 50yds.

[GhostHawk]

Thanks for those replies.

Round balls huh, hmmm. Sounds easy enough. What are they lubed with?

They are not lubed at all. Although if I was to lube it would be a light coat of Ben's Liquid Lube.

[Mal Paso]

You are asking the wrong guys if you want inexpensive. They talked me up to $400 RSW 48. I like the side lever.

[Dapaki]

Sounds like an uphill climb, Bazoo. I settled for a DAR for $300 after a fruitless search for much of the same wish list. I have nitro piston break actions that now shoot well but the PCP (it comes in today) is a better value IMHO.

Also, I will not cast but may make a swage die if the NSA slugs (sampler) work out. I have gophers, red squirrels, ground hogs, racoon and house sparrows to clean out this spring.

Grey squirrels have behaved so far so they get a stay this spring.

[dverna]

Sounds like an uphill climb, Bazoo. I settled for a DAR for $300 after a fruitless search for much of the same wish list. I have nitro piston break actions that now shoot well but the PCP (it comes in today) is a better value IMHO.

Also, I will not cast but may make a swage die if the NSA slugs (sampler) work out. I have gophers, red squirrels, ground hogs, racoon and house sparrows to clean out this spring.

Grey squirrels have behaved so far so they get a stay this spring.

I have limitations that drove me to get a PCP rifle, but PCP's have a huge disadvantage. You need high pressure air. For someone who is older and/or in poor condition hand pumping is not an option....watch a couple of YouTube videos of young guys pumping up a PCP.

That means getting an electric pump ($500+++) or a SCBA air cylinder (also $500+) and getting it filled. With the tank, you have a 15 service life and a retest every 5 years. Without a retest, most places will not fill it, so you need to find someone who will do it.

I need to drive almost an hour to get my tank filled but it is cheap. $10 and I should get about 4000-5000 shots out my gun. So about once a year so not a big deal. If the grandkids get into it, maybe twice a year. Variable Cost for air about $1-1.25 per tin of 500 pellets. Cost for tank and testing over 15 years about $700 and that is a fixed cost ($50/year).

If someone shoots 1000 a year the tank adds $25/tin of 500. Pellets are $15/tin of 500. So over $40/500

I expect to shoot 5000/yr so the tank costs will be $10/tin. Cost $25/500

Springers are very cost effective and the best choice for most people. Also, if you have kids, they will not burn through pellets if they have to cock every shot. PCP's are cheap to shoot IF you can make do with a $150 hand pump. Kids will get tired of hand pumping too!

The big incentive IMO is being insulated from the market swings of .22's for plinking. I have about 25k .22's. If I sell 20k for $3-4000 (current market), and replace it with a platform that costs $1000/20k, I have paid for a high end PCP and made a profit. And I will be shooting 5000 rounds a year for $400/year (cost of tank, air, pellets) regardless of what happens. That is cheap entertainment! The other plus is no hearing protection and no brass to pick up (I plink off my back porch).

My inventory of .22 LR's cost me less then $20/brick, but It still "costs" market price to shoot them if I can sell them for $100/brick.

Once I find the pellets that shoot best, I will buy 20k. That is a lot of pellets for $600-700...or 6-7 bricks of .22's.

If/when .22 LR drops back down to $200-250/case I will buy 20-40k rounds and wait for the next cycle. If prices stay stupid, I will not care as I will not need .22 LR to play with. But I would not shoot my cheap .22 LR's if I can sell them for $500-1000/case. I see the PCP rifle becoming my primary plinking gun and am now looking at a PCP pistol.

[GARD72977]

With the need for sights I would say a RWS 54 Airking would be what you want.

[Dapaki]

Don,

Please allow me to report my findings since I have been looking hard for materials to support PCP while not breaking the bank.

Pyramids buy 3 get 4th free, $10 coupon, 4 tins of JSB Exact Jumbo 15.89gr for $60.00 delivered. 2000 pellets, $120 for a years shooting.

Four Uncles 3 stage pump, no harder than pumping my road bike tires... really.

Neighbor has an air cooled compressor off of Amazon, costs $219, good for 250cc per run, filled my wife's Diana in 45 seconds.

I understand your numbers but there are better deals out there, you just gotta look.

BTW-NSA slugs are $18 for 400.

[Black Beard]

The RWS air rifles are great. I have 2 52s and a 54. The US prices are a bargain. In the UK they are twice as expensive.

I also like HWs but I think they are more expensive in the US for what you get. If you can find a cheap second hand HW80/R1 they are very good at up to 20ftlb in .22. They just keep on going.

I think 40 yards is practical maximum hunting range as the kill zones are often tiny. PCPs don't recoil so they can extend this a bit.

[Bazoo]

I've been giving it some research. I appreciate the responses.