Air Rifles/pellet guns

[Silverback]

Can anyone recommend a good pellet rifle- < $200 for general backyard plinking and varmint control? I live in the city and have squirrels, and the usual pests which are just begging to be dispatched.....my .22 is not a good choice......:subgun:

[creophus]

Pick up a copy of American Rifleman. They have tons of ads in the back about air rifles.

[Silverback]

Pick up a copy of American Rifleman. They have tons of ads in the back about air rifles.

Hopefully my subscription will start soon....joined NRA again.....:patriot:

[creophus]

Good man. The name Gamo shows up alot in those ads. Might want to look on their website and see if they have anything that meets your needs.

[MullahElRon]

Try to find a good used Beeman. They "rebrand" several German mfgs airguns that are built to spec. There are better guns out there for more money, but there are many, many worse ones. Great triggers, great fit and finish. RWS is aight too for midrange guns. Like everything else, prices for quality have gone up... Don't go too cheap, just throwin' money away then. Used to be a bunch of Beeman and RWS "demos" out there for cheap, but they appear to have dried up.

http://www.beeman.com/types.htm

http://www.pyramydair.com/

[CZ93X62]

I have two RWS air rifles--a Model 45 (break barrel) in 177 caliber and a Model 52 (side lever) in 25 caliber.

Specific to squirrels, since my rifles get shot daily at ground squirrels......

The velocity ratings listed for most airguns are gathered using the lightest pellet available in a given caliber. Exceptions are the match-grade 177s, which usually get fired with Meisterkugeln 8.3 grain wadcutters. Match rifles aren't highly powered, compared to hunting/field air rifles. BTW--good air rifles do some AMAZINGLY consistent ballistics--velocity extreme spread is never more than 12-15 FPS, top to bottom. SDs often run about 1.5-2.0.

E.g., my M-45 is rated at 900 FPS, but its best pellet for hunting (combines accuracy and penetration) is the Beeman pointed design, 8.0 grains. These get about 800 FPS, and at 20-25 yards only a head shot will reliably dispatch the tough little diggers. Yes, the M-45 is accurate enough to do that if i do my part, but 25 yards is the outer boundary. 10-15 yards out, heart/lung will kill them, but not often DRT.

The M-52 in 25 caliber is a whole 'nuther matter. Its go-to pellet is the Beeman Crow Magnum, a 27 grain concave wadcutter that gets 780 FPS from my rifle. That's getting into 22 Short territory. Any center-mass hit within 20 yards is a DRT. I've hit them at 35 yards/center-mass, and they go hors de combat within a few seconds.

If I had it to do over again......I would opt for the RWS Model 54 in 22 caliber. The 25 is a good hunt caliber, but there are few choices in pellet design. The M-54 is more powerful than the older M-48/52. The 177 can get some impressive velocities, but the 22 pellet weighs almost 3X as much and sacrifices little velocity over the 177. The 22 has MANY MORE pellet choices than the 25 has. Some of the high-powered 177s like the M-54 will push pellets hyper-sonic, effectively defeating the purpose of the urban airgun (quiet) with the pellet's hyper-sonic crack.

Just my 2 centavos' worth.

[Silverback]

I have two RWS air rifles--a Model 45 (break barrel) in 177 caliber and a Model 52 (side lever) in 25 caliber.

Specific to squirrels, since my rifles get shot daily at ground squirrels......

The velocity ratings listed for most airguns are gathered using the lightest pellet available in a given caliber. Exceptions are the match-grade 177s, which usually get fired with Meisterkugeln 8.3 grain wadcutters. Match rifles aren't highly powered, compared to hunting/field air rifles. BTW--good air rifles do some AMAZINGLY consistent ballistics--velocity extreme spread is never more than 12-15 FPS, top to bottom. SDs often run about 1.5-2.0.

E.g., my M-45 is rated at 900 FPS, but its best pellet for hunting (combines accuracy and penetration) is the Beeman pointed design, 8.0 grains. These get about 800 FPS, and at 20-25 yards only a head shot will reliably dispatch the tough little diggers. Yes, the M-45 is accurate enough to do that if i do my part, but 25 yards is the outer boundary. 10-15 yards out, heart/lung will kill them, but not often DRT.

The M-52 in 25 caliber is a whole 'nuther matter. Its go-to pellet is the Beeman Crow Magnum, a 27 grain concave wadcutter that gets 780 FPS from my rifle. That's getting into 22 Short territory. Any center-mass hit within 20 yards is a DRT. I've hit them at 35 yards/center-mass, and they go hors de combat within a few seconds.

If I had it to do over again......I would opt for the RWS Model 54 in 22 caliber. The 25 is a good hunt caliber, but there are few choices in pellet design. The M-54 is more powerful than the older M-48/52. The 177 can get some impressive velocities, but the 22 pellet weighs almost 3X as much and sacrifices little velocity over the 177. The 22 has MANY MORE pellet choices than the 25 has. Some of the high-powered 177s like the M-54 will push pellets hyper-sonic, effectively defeating the purpose of the urban airgun (quiet) with the pellet's hyper-sonic crack.

Just my 2 centavos' worth. Thanks too all you guys for the advice.....:sniper: the squirrels don't know it yet , but their days are numbered!:patriot:

[CZ93X62]

Airgunning is a whole different world, with enthusiasm levels fully as rabid as that seen in firearms hobby pursuits. Some of the pre-charged pneumatics (PCPs) get velocities into the 1300-1400 FPS range--and beyond.

There are 9mm air rifles.

Lewis & Clark had a Swiss-made PCP on their journey of exploration, and it was used on deer and other game species. The Native Americans were quite impressed with its relative silence and absence of powder smoke. Clark's owned black servant York got the pump-up duty, 150 strokes per shot. Kinda jacked up, that--but the Native American women thought most highly of York's other physical attributes and gifting abilities, so there were some non-cash compensations for all his hard work.

Napoleon ordered summary execution of any enemy soldier/sniper found in possession of an air rifle. These were greatly feared by the French soldiers, and were quite lethal.

[Silverback]

Well, I ended up getting a Beeman 1073( with a .177 and .22 barrell) scope included at W-Mart for $129.00. Which barrell should I use for hunting?

[Trooperdan]

Silverback, I suggest the .22 for serious varmint control, has a good bit more 'thump".

[Silverback]

Silverback, I suggest the .22 for serious varmint control, has a good bit more 'thump".



That's what I was thinking. It was on the gun when purchased. Do you have any favorite pellet/pellet brand/type?? :patriot:

[MullahElRon]

Is that the Chinee Beeman? At least Walmart is easy to return to if it doesn't work out.

[ISUSteve]

I have an RWS rifle I got from my grandpa. Its fast and accurate. Pricey though.

[Trooperdan]

I like the Cros Magnum from Beeman.

http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/pellet.pl?pellet_id=302

[Silverback]

[quote=Trooperdan;31389]I like the Cros Magnum from Beeman.



I'll get some......too bad they don't make moulds for casting your own:)

[Silverback]

Is that the Chinee Beeman? At least Walmart is easy to return to if it doesn't work out.


yes- but I hope it gives the pests lead poisoning- not me:yesnod:

[Silverback]

Three squirrels DRT.

[AlPackin]

I have a RWS 45 from the 70"s, it kicks ass on tree rats. I really love shooting my S&W 78G that recently had all of it's O-rings replaced and an upgrade that added 150-200 fps to it. I can dance a tin can all around the yard at 30-40 feet with it. When I can't get to the range it's better than nothing. It too is from the mid 70's.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj300/AlPackin/IMG_11001.jpg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj300/AlPackin/IMG_11011.jpg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj300/AlPackin/IMG_11021.jpg