Air Guns Anyone?

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

First off, who here likes air guns? I love them! They are what really got me interested in guns and I really enjoy the fact that they are mechanically powered and therefor super cheap to shoot. They are great for practice, taking care of small pests, and just fun.

There are two air guns I currently use. A little lever action Daisy Buck BB gun that does like 10fps or something :lol: , and a break action pellet gun that I don't even know the manufacturer.

I'm heavily considering buying a new break action pellet gun that doesn't necessarily have to be a big upgrade to what I currently use, but both of the air guns I use are my dads, and I kind of of want to buy one to own for myself. I only know three different manufacturers, which are Daisy, Crossman, and Umarex. Any suggestions.

 

[gerry]

Can't help you much but in case you haven't seen it this guy has a cool YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthxJ7 ... d4n_aSSO7g

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I've got a crossman nitro piston break barrel in .22 cal that Ibshoot around the house and keep critters away...Put a $25 4x Simmons on it and it shoots pretty decent out to 30 yards or so. Great to practice breathing and trigger control, plus it's cheaper than dirt to shoot. And they're just fun!

 

[Guy Miner]

Our gun club has purchased several match-grade air rifles for the youth small bore league. We let the youngsters in the league start with our rifles. They're very accurate, but expensive.

https://www.anschutznorthamerica.com/st ... unior.html

I'm not sure that's the exact model, but over the years we've purchased six or eight real nice air rifles for the young shooters to use. Great program!

Regards, Guy

 

[truck driver]

There are cheap ones and then there are expensive ones.
It depends on what you want to do and achieve with them.
They are scope wreckers and you will need a rifle scope rated for them.
A good German made or English made air rifle will set you back the price of a new center fire rifle.
Pyramid Air and AoA ( Air guns of Arizonan) are good places to look at what is available.
For large pest I would recommend a .22 caliber air rifle which will handle just about all pest if hit right.
I don't own a break barrel but do have two side levers and a under barrel lever which handle like center fire rifles and are very accurate.
My brand of choice is Diana and there are package deals with inexpensive scopes that will work for plinking.
My recommendation to you would be to read a lot before you buy.
If you have to have a break barrel a Diana 34 will do what you want to do and not cost you an arm and a leg.

Besides these two I have a third which is very expensive and is recoiless.

 

[SJB358]

Cool rifles TD.

I’ve got an inexpensive Ruger 22 caliber and it’s quite a lot of fun.

 

[truck driver]

Thanks Scotty.
If you think they are cool you should see my M 54 which is recoil-less and the action moves on rails when it's fired just like a howitzer.
The two shown have had extensive internal work done on them by me to make them easier to cock and shoot better. The 48 .22 is still what is called a magnum rifle and develops over 18 ftlbs of energy. The 430L is a .177 cal and is making 11.5 ftlbs of energy.
That means the .22 is pushing a 15gr pellet at over 850fps and the .177 with a 10gr pellet is running around 850fps also.
A lot can be done to make these things shoot bug holes and take out squirrels and ground hogs out to 50yds which is pushing it but I'm talking head shots which they are capable of.
The 54 .177 is also running close to 900fps around 18 ftlbs of energy with 10 gr pellet.

 

[PJGunner]

I have two, a Daisy 880 .177 with a cheap scope on it and a GAMO 1500 break open that came with a scope as part of the package.

The 880 with ten pumps will do in the pocket gopher that sometimes plague what little lawn I had but that GAMO, while extremely accurate and advertises 1500 FPS barely makes out at 900 FPS with standard 177 pellets. Turns out they sell a special pellet that appeass to be made of brass and they are the only ones that will do 1500 FPS. I've done head shots on gophers at 30 feet and they just shake their heads and run off to their holes. Dunno if they die in their holes but I guarantee you they have one hell of a headache. :roll:

One really nice thing about the GAMO though is the trigger can be adjusted to a very nice pull which I think is why the rifle is so accurate.

I have a portable backstop rated for .22 LR high velocity and I can set it up in the house at different levels to practice the various hunting positions.

Paul B.

 

[RaySendero]

I've had a Benjamin-Sheridan .22 for many years.
Kids like shooting it.
Me - I use it for pest control.

 

[elkeater2]

I see a few brands and a couple vendors being promoted. My vote is for Mike at Flying Dragon air rifles. He's a one-man show. Imports but tunes and tweaks for best performance. Great resource just for info as well. He has springers, PCP's, CO2 from basic to wild. Good guy. Like already said, read and research. Your budget is a factor. The big names like Diana are really good but expensive. Really good performance and accuracy can be had for less, but takes some digging. Have fun! EE2

 

[bmoore]

I am an airgun junkie. I have had a couple Marauders. Right now I have a synthetic Mrod in .177 and a Benjamin Maximus with a TKO brake on it and Baker airguns trigger. I also shoot a modified Crosman 1322 pump with steel breach and 14.5 inch barrel.

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Truck Driver, you mentioned that air rifles can break scopes, is that from recoil? Every air gun I've ever shot seemed to have very little recoil so I used to think you could put pretty much any scope on them.

Also, really nice air rifles you got there!

 

[RaySendero]

Anyone have a trajectory(s) for .22 cal pellets?

 

[coop22250]

I have a cheap $125 air rifle, but I’ve always wanted a 22 cal nice one, awesome rifles above!

 

[truck driver]

Truck Driver, you mentioned that air rifles can break scopes, is that from recoil? Every air gun I've ever shot seemed to have very little recoil so I used to think you could put pretty much any scope on them.

Also, really nice air rifles you got there!

What most people don't know is that though they can't feel it for the most part a spring air rifle recoils both forward and backwards. Scopes for the most part are designed to take the backward recoil and not both that is why they break scopes.
When the piston slams forward when you fire a spring air gun is what destroys most rifle scopes. You also have vibration that will loosen screws that aren't lock tight in place.
The scope mounts in my pictures are Zero recoil mounts that counter act the recoil similar to the recoil system of a 105 Howitzer.
Though not shown in my picture post I also have a rifle that the action has a recoil less system to help with the recoil but the vibration from the power plant will shake a scope to pieces. Some spring air rifles are worse then others.
The more power the more recoil and vibration.

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Interesting. Good to know that spring rifles can do that. This is why you ask questions on forms where people know more than you. :wink:

 

[truck driver]

Interesting. Good to know that spring rifles can do that. This is why you ask questions on forms where people know more than you. :wink:

If you really want to learn more about Spring air rifles or air rifles in general visit one of the Air gun forums like GTA ( Gateway To Airguns ) which has different forums in the forum shown as gates to different locations( Countries ) where air guns are made and used.

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Thanks for the pointer. I'll have to check out GTA.