Pellet rifle suggestions and considerations.

[Ural Driver]

I just bought this one. Have not installed the scope yet (hey, I just got it Friday) but it is very accurate with the open sights. I did get one surprise, that big ole spring makes more noise than I expected.

https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Hatsa...ring/3411#7705

[dverna]

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.

Thanks for the information sir!!!!

[LtFrankDrebbin]

I am another supporter of the Diana 34. Mine is a second hand 1986 vintage .177, tuned to 12ftlb with a Vortek kit. Cans at 50 meters are no problem, shot shells at 25 no drama and I have managed 2 litre bottles at 100 meters. 2-7x scope and scored a hit on a chuppa-chup at 85 meters within 8 shots.
Kept within 30 meters bunnies don't fair up to well either.

[W.R.Buchanan]

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

Bazoo: Just like my Hand Press with Airguns you get what you pay for. For $200 you aren't going to get very much. A good quality air gun will last a lifetime. I still have my first Airgun a Weihrauch HW35EB which I purchased new in 1978 for $189. It is built every bit was well as any of my firearms and better than most of my firearms.

I recently bought another one just like it for $60 that sat in someone closet for years and required a little TLC to bring back to cosmetic excellence. It is an HW35 E which is a slightly different Export model. These guns have been in continuous production since 1951 and new ones are around $550 now. Both of mine are .177 cal. and both are a Joy to shoot.

I talk about "Tactile Gratification" (joy of the feeling something imparts.) with my Hand Presses. These guns and many other German and English Made airguns deliver this joy in use that the cheaper guns just don't provide.

I also have 2 other Weihrauch guns a HW80 which is a 10lb beast that I have shot Rimfire Silhouette with to 100 yards, and an HW77 which is an underlever design. both in .22 cal.

All 4 of these guns will put pellets into <.25" groups for as long as you can stand to sit there and shoot them, all 4 have the same "Rekord Trigger" which is considered by most knowledgeable users to be among the best triggers on any gun out there.

That said, Weihrauch offers several guns which are priced below these top of the line guns. The HW 30 and HW 50 (AKA Beeman R7 and R9) are in the $300-400 range and are excellent guns which will also last a lifetime. All any of these guns needs is to be handled carefully and kept clean and lubricated. IE: treated like any of your other prized firearms ! You will shoot the airgun 10 times more than any other gun you've owned because you can shoot it at home or in your back yard or I used to shoot down my Hallway in my Condo.

You can goto https://www.pyramydair.com/a/Air_gun.../150/brands_55 and see lots of different guns. Including all the ones I talked about above.

Also here's a link to https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spr...-hw35e-walnut/ I have two of these both made in 1976. They both look like new! and shoot like new as well. This is the good stuff!

Just like my Hand Press you pay a little more and you get alot more in return.

Pic#1. HW 80/Beeman R1 2. My first HW35EB, 3. my newly acquired HW35E,4. the new 35 with a scope mounted.5. this is the kind of accuracy you can expect from most of the German made guns.

Randy

[Dapaki]

Bazoo,

Hatsan 95 combo on Amazon runs about 2 hundo. Scope is crap but the gun shoots! It is not a Springer but a Vortex air piston and cocks just like a Springer. I'm looking at the .25 for a family pest gun.

[Ural Driver]

Bazoo,

Hatsan 95 combo on Amazon runs about 2 hundo. Scope is crap but the gun shoots! It is not a Springer but a Vortex air piston and cocks just like a Springer. I'm looking at the .25 for a family pest gun.

That's the set-up I just got in .22. And yes, it will shoot.

[Dapaki]

Do you have a target to share?

This is a $300 PCP, 10 shot group, out of the box (40th to 50th shots).

[mobilemail]

You have already gotten some excellent advice about good gun choices. Let me throw in some extra information that might help your choice.

1. Avoid buying the most powerful "springer" airgun you can find. The more powerful the gun the more violent the reaction as the piston slams forward. These "magnum springers" are harder to shoot well, and they beat the daylights out of scopes. Once you get past shooting 20-22fpe, you're really better off going to a PCP. Springers seem to have the most acceptable balance as a target shooter and small critter-gitter in the 12-14fpe range.

2. Just about every springer can go from good to great, or from great to WOW! after it has been tuned by a competent airgunsmith. There was a link in this thread to Flying Dragon Airguns. Whether or not you buy a gun from him or somewhere else, he would be a good guy to send a rifle to for a full tune. It will add $100 or so to your investment, but you won't regret it.

3. The Weihrauch HW30 is a little light as a critter getter, but it is widely regarded as king of the back yard plinking guns. It shoots at a velocity at or just above a target rifle, and is easy for just about anyone to cock and shoot. Beside that, the HW77 underlever, Diana 34, and Beeman R7 and R9 guns are great.

4. The upper end Beeman guns that are sold by airgun dealers like the R7, R9, etc are made by Weihrauch. The lower end Beemans that you see at Academy or Walmart are chinese.

5. Somebody mentioned the Diana 48 and 54 "Air King". These are great guns, but out of the box they are magnum springers. They take a good arm to cock, are a bit heavy, and can definitely eat a scope that isn't up to the challenge. Another gun that I didn't see mentioned yet is the Air Arms TX200. These aren't cheap, and without looking I don't recall whether they come with open sights. But they are one of the most highly regarded guns out there, especially with the springer target shooters.

I own springers and PCPs in the .177-.25 range, including some of those mentioned in this thread. They are all fun!

[Dapaki]

Loving the DAR, I will never go back to a springer of Nitro piston again. I got to send a few more pellets from the shop window setup today after lunch, it's 150 feet to the targets with a 20 mph cross wind.

[alamogunr]

Almost 3 years ago I got the urge to get into air guns. I bought a HW95 w/scope. This is a heavy powerful gun. I'm just now getting back to shooting it. I've got a fair amount of upper body strength but the HW95 takes a bit of effort to cock. I overdid it and it took me almost a year before I could use my left arm without pain. Now I use a modified method to cock. I should have done as Bazoo and done more research and inquiry. The gun is definitely high quality and should last the lifetime of whichever of my heirs ends up with it.

Right now I'm evaluating what I can sell and get a decent PCP/compressor/tank setup. Before I do, I will be here asking advice. I have a friend that is about my age(78) that got a PCP and a compressor. Before he got it, I directed him here and to an air gun forum to learn about them. It is about all he is able to shoot these days.

[igolfat8]

You can buy a Yong Heng 4500 psi compressor on eFlay for $240 delivered and an Air Venturi Avenger for $300. Best entry level PCP out there, bar none. Once you shoot a PCP your springers will likely never see the light of day again.

[sparky45]

Sounds to good to be true; but I'm going to have to try one.

[Dapaki]

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

Very cool!

[centershot]

Almost 3 years ago I got the urge to get into air guns. I bought a HW95 w/scope. This is a heavy powerful gun. I'm just now getting back to shooting it. I've got a fair amount of upper body strength but the HW95 takes a bit of effort to cock. I overdid it and it took me almost a year before I could use my left arm without pain. Now I use a modified method to cock. I should have done as Bazoo and done more research and inquiry. The gun is definitely high quality and should last the lifetime of whichever of my heirs ends up with it.

Right now I'm evaluating what I can sell and get a decent PCP/compressor/tank setup. Before I do, I will be here asking advice. I have a friend that is about my age(78) that got a PCP and a compressor. Before he got it, I directed him here and to an air gun forum to learn about them. It is about all he is able to shoot these days.

I'm new to airguns and am considering my first purchase now. Addressing the concerns of cocking effort, barrel droop and accuracy, I've spent several weeks on the 'net daily (I'm retired) reading reviews and asking questions. I think I'm sold on this one at this point:

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/gas...er-asp20-wood/

The reviews and tests I've seen rate it highly; accurate, 30 lb. cocking effort and not too heavy at ~8-1/2 lbs. It's also available with a synthetic stock for a few dollars less, about the same weight as the wood stock.

[alamogunr]

That looks like a good deal. I imagine that the Schnabel on the end of the barrel is just like mine: a good handle when cocking.

[Mal Paso]

I went with a side lever (RWS48) and cocking is easy. Didn't know SIG made air rifles. Cool!

[Pioneer2]

Avoid Spanish,Turkish and Chinese guns.Buy quality German ,Czech or British.I run RWS 34/.22 and HW80K/.22 both full power and kits to smooth them out.

[lksmith]

I got a Beeman combo a few years back, had 177 and 22 cal barrels and a 4x scope. Feels like a "real gun' THink I paid about $100 for it at WalMart. Break action (Beeman Gas Ram Dual 1073) Not sure what they run now, probably at least 50% more I'd guess.
Pretty fun gun for practicing without making a bunch of noise or using my silent 22lr


CORRECTION: It's a Beeman Sportsman RS/2. Right now 126.29 on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Beeman-RS2-Ai.../dp/B001BS5OFG

[fiberoptik]

I got a Beeman combo a few years back, had 177 and 22 cal barrels and a 4x scope. Feels like a "real gun' THink I paid about $100 for it at WalMart. Break action (Beeman Gas Ram Dual 1073) Not sure what they run now, probably at least 50% more I'd guess.
Pretty fun gun for practicing without making a bunch of noise or using my silent 22lr

Did the same but not Walmart. We have a sporting goods/fishing place here in Jacksonville that does a yearly tent parking lot sale. Mine was $78??? Scope sucks/rifle rocks! Has penetration! (Watch your backstop!)


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[lksmith]

Did the same but not Walmart. We have a sporting goods/fishing place here in Jacksonville that does a yearly tent parking lot sale. Mine was $78??? Scope sucks/rifle rocks! Has penetration! (Watch your backstop!)


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That sounds about right, but may have been less It wasn't much over $100 if at all though. My memory is a bit foggy since in the last 3 years we've moved, had a kid and changed jobs So far the scope has done pretty well. Might have to break it out again and shoot it again since ammo isn't as readily available for my 22 as it was, and don't like shooting around my dog because I don't want to hurt his ears