Airguns.... who has what and how do you like it?

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I've had a few different ones over the years, mostly pistols, but one pump-up rifle (Crosman). It's been a very good rifle, I used it for quite a few years before I moved up to shooting .22's and such. But now with the price of ammo I'm back to playing with airguns again.

Problem is, I'm rapidly getting tired of pumping 10 times to shoot at a crow in the yard or a target. So I'd like to get a single-stroke that is 1,000 fps or better with lead. I've been looking at Gamo since they are supposed to be really good last I heard, but I'm sort of unsure as to what to get. So I figured I'd throw it out here an see what everyone else plays with and if they have any input that will help me make a decision.

I looked at Gamo's website (I don't really like the looks of any of the current crop of Crosman guns). I'd kind of like to get their fixed barrel CFX, but I haven't been able to find any through a local dealer, so I'm not sure I'll get it. I'm budgeting around $300 max at this point. The other two I've been considering is the Whisper and the Shadow Fox (both claim similar specs and noise is not an issue). I can have my choice of the two for a $10 difference through a local shop.

So have at it...

[adsm08]

I have a daisy pump gun that by dad got for me for my birthday about 15 years ago. It still work great too. Had to get 3 layers of old carpet and a piece of 1/2" plywood as a back stop. It would put the pellets through anything less. That was at about 20 feet. I'm sure it will kill your crows at 25.

1 Pump gun too. It won't pump more than once.

[TheTopher]

I had a single shot gamo that I loved, sold it to a buddy when I was low on cash. He loves it too.


Eventually I want to get one of these bad little toys....
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Career_707_9mm_Ultra/307

It's a "Pre-charged pneumatic" or PCP rifle. You charge an onboard tank to around 2000-3000 psi from a scuba tank or a foot pump. The foot pump can take a while. It's got a 6 shot capacity, lever action and it fires 9mm pellets with about the same force as a 9mm pistol.


Since I'm not allowed to purchase a firearm this would be the next best thing to protect myself from intruders.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I actually have thought about going with a PCP, I can get one rather reasonable, but I'd rather just have a single stroke pump at this point.

[TheTopher]

I'd kind of like to get their fixed barrel CFX, but I haven't been able to find any through a local dealer, so I'm not sure I'll get it.
So have at it...

pyramidair.com sells just about everything air gun related and their prices are fairly reasonable. Only down side is they require a signature for the guns they ship so I usually end up picking whatever I order up from the post office since I'm never home.

[Boggin]

i have a .22 that my dad gave me, not sure what the name of it is. i also got 2 pellet guns, the black one was given to me for my birthday 2 years ago and last winter i ended up bending the barrel so i sawed off the barrel haha

[00dangerranger]

Go to www.pyramidair.com and go to www.americanairgunhunter.com
Personaly I would stay away from Gamo. I feel the Gamo, winchester and beeman. I have owend several of all. They are crap in the fact they are not made very well, You can't keep a consistant group of shots due to the fact that the spring piston slams forward. The triggers on all very by lbs of trigger pressure. I've picked up 3 of the same rifles from the same batch, (My cousins and i are big air gun lovers) and we all shot the guns. They veried so much from hair trigger to barley can pull trigger. The manager at big 5 let us return them all several times due to the inconsistancy in workmanship and reliabilty as one or two did stop working properly. If you do have to go with a break barrel I'd recomend ordering a heavy grain pellet to slow it down to about 800 you will get better groupings and knock those Crows over.
In the end I want a PCP rifle but for now my favorite gun is my 1962 sheridan 20cal(we've rebuilt it several times) with a 28grain pellet, 8 pumps and open sights I regularly kill crows at 35yds. With the random 14.4 grain pellets, you had to have a head shot. either way those are two great web sights. I order through pyramidair and they are allways great. Try the predator ballistic tip pellets they are awsome & devastating.
Haven't touched a bird yet with them that dnt't fall total DOA, not a shake

[88_Eddie]

screw airguns, i think you said that you had a .22, but i dont remember. if not, get one and get some 20gr Aguila Super Colibri. they are extremely quiet, all you hear is the rim being struck, they'll hold a decent enough group at 25 yards to hit a crow. they wont cycle a semi auto action tho


forgot to throw this in there, if you'd rather go with a air/pellet gun, get one of these
http://www.instructables.com/image/FFXZ6USF9N2E1ZO/Add-a-breech-safety-to-a-cheap-Chinese-pellet-gun.jpg
they are about 50 bucks at a pawn shop, but they are extremely powerful

[85_Ranger4x4]

I love the power of my .22 pellet rifle, my Daisy 22X is based on the old 880 (which my brother has) and the difference between the two is phenominal. The .177 is faster, but the .22 hands down does more when it gets there.

Mine is a weird backwards lever like the 880, and requires multiple pumps so it is out of the running for you requirements though. They don't make them anymore but I love the heft of the wood forearm and stock with a metal receiver vs the toy feeling all plastic 880 as well, it really feels like you have something.

[00dangerranger]

A 29grain 22lr short is half or less as quite than my 8pump sheridan. Differance is I can hold the short a few inches high at a 100yds and still take dove or what ever. I couldent do that with my sheridan and the 28grain pellets i use even though they barley differ in FPS. Becareful if you got neighbors.

[Ranger Kip]

I have an UZI style CO2 (semi-auto), its cool and fun, mostly metal, and has a foldable stock. Its life size too! (BB).

I also have a Daisy pump action rifle that uses BB's.

[85_Ranger4x4]

A 29grain 22lr short is half or less as quite than my 8pump sheridan. Differance is I can hold the short a few inches high at a 100yds and still take dove or what ever. I couldent do that with my sheridan and the 28grain pellets i use even though they barley differ in FPS. Becareful if you got neighbors.

That is the great thing about a pellet rifle, they don't fly forever and a day like a .22.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I guess I should clarify... I have a .22 rimfire, but I'm going back to shooting an airgun because of the cost of ammo. I'm not giving up the .22 I have, but a brick of 500 rounds is around $20 on sale here. I can pick up 500 .177 cal pellets for $5, which means I can have 4x the fun for the same cost.

Noise is totally not an issue. I live in the country, nobody cares how loud it is (in fact, some of the neighbors will often start shooting too if they hear someone else doing it). I just want something cheap to plink with and take out crows and other pests. I'd like to stick with a .177 cal because I already have a pile of pellets on hand for one (probably 1,500 or so of the wadcutter match, just under 500 each of pointed and hollow point, and 248 of the Gamo "red fire" pellets).

[88_Eddie]

^
how about you build your own, get some metal tubing, use a small air compressor with 25 feet of line, maybe build a tripod, make it fully automatic, i'm thinkin a gravity fed magazine like a paintball gun.......yeah, i smell a new build thread

[LearjetMinako]

Sounds like you need a break-barrel air rifle. I have a Crosman Phantom 1000. Okay rifle for the price of $100. When the barrel is fully cleaned and oiled, lead pellets (.177) do break the sound barrier. But after a few rounds, they will slow down enough to stop making a crack noise when fired. Accuracy is awsome thou. With the right soft base shooting platform, it shoots pellets right through the last hole (dime size grouping @ 30 yds). Only problem with the Phantom that I have had is the double recoil effect of the spring. Crosman's newer line of Nitro Piston rifles are suppose to give around 1000 fps and no double recoil.

I have in all 3 air guns. A Crosman Phantom 1000 break-barrel rifle, Crosman 66 mutli-pump rifle, and a Crosman 1377 mutli-pump pistol. The 1377 is my new favorite. Rifled barrel for better accuracy. Mutli-pump for adjusting the right amount of power. Low noise producer, which is required for my needs of taking out pests in a close quater neighbor hood. .177 pellet, right size to do the job, but not too big that it will close damages to fences and be harmless when shot into the air.

[Boghog1]

didn't read all the previous and this isn't exactly what you were looking for but I picked up one of these (http://www.toolsnow.com/air-pellet-rifle.html)at the traveling tool show. for a cheap gun I like it better than my Crossman 760

[feellnfroggy]

I had the gamo shadowsport. With PBA ammo it shoots 1200 FPS but is really hard on your spring being a lighter lead free pellet. Dont Dont dOnnt get any of the ones with silencers. If you look at the barrels they are actually 3 inches shorter than the ones without and accuracy is slightly less.

[01_ranger_4x4]

right now i have an RWS Dianna. ive had crossman, beeman and gamo before and this RWS is by far the best one ive ever had. the rest were all made in china but this one is made in germany and it shows. great craftsmanship, sweet trigger and its accurate as hell. that reminds me, theres a damn chipmunk in my back yard i need to take care of. lol

[LIMA BEAN]

Gamo CFX (made in Spain) with a BSA 2-7X32 scope. Walther (made in Germany) CP99 pistol, 8 clips, Diablo speed loader and double/triple holster.:icon_thumby:

[lil_Blue_Ford]

All of the RWS guns I can get are out of my price range. :annoyed: But they're listed under UMAREXUSA now which also has the Walther guns... and there is a Walther rifle that meets my specs.

[scotts90ranger]

didn't read all the previous and this isn't exactly what you were looking for but I picked up one of these (http://www.toolsnow.com/air-pellet-rifle.html)at the traveling tool show. for a cheap gun I like it better than my Crossman 760

yeah, I have one too, had it for about 10 years, not bad for $20, put a scope on it, need to sight it in again though.

[superds]

I have a Gamo Nitro 17 (made in Spain) that I picked up this winter to ward off the rabbits. It apparently worked, only got a chance to kill one and the rest pretty much stayed out of sight. I thought it was an ok rifle since the price wasn't too bad, can't remember how much but it was on sale and much less than the Gamo Whisper that I also looked at.

[01_ranger_4x4]

All of the RWS guns I can get are out of my price range. :annoyed: But they're listed under UMAREXUSA now which also has the Walther guns... and there is a Walther rifle that meets my specs.

they are distributed by UMAREX USA but are produced by RWS in germany. i got mine through pyramidair.com for a good price, came with a leapers scope and scope mount. i had looked at the walthers before i bought the RWS and i liked them too, they seamed like good guns.

edit: heres a link to the combo i got, it goes on sale often. http://www.pyramydair.com/p/RWS-34-Breakbarrel-Rifle-Striker-Combo.shtml

[robertc1024]

I've got a Beeman R7 and I love it. I've had it for years with no problems at all - and it shoots very tight groups. I can't tell you how many squirrels I've killed with it. I just wish it were .22 instead of .177.

[01_ranger_4x4]

I've got a Beeman R7 and I love it. I've had it for years with no problems at all - and it shoots very tight groups. I can't tell you how many squirrels I've killed with it. I just wish it were .22 instead of .177.

the R7's are sweet. there are 2 levels of beemans. the cheap ones are made in china and the more expensive ones are made in germany ( i think, not 100%) i tried the china version of the beeman and it sucked.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

http://www.umarexusa.com/product/Walther-Talon-Magnum,21,47.htm

There is the Walther I've added to my consideration list...

01_Ranger, I've been kind of trying to stick with buying it local rather than order through a mail order company but that does look like a pretty good deal!

[88_Eddie]

have you done the math on how many bricks of .22 ammo you could buy for $300? with even a marginal 4x scope you could easily achieve 50-yard first round hits with a .22, it's not like you need to save whatever you're shooting to eat for dinner

[lil_Blue_Ford]

have you done the math on how many bricks of .22 ammo you could buy for $300? with even a marginal 4x scope you could easily achieve 50-yard first round hits with a .22, it's not like you need to save whatever you're shooting to eat for dinner
lol, hush.

I have the money and an arguably lame excuse to buy another toy. :icon_rofl:

[TheTopher]

lol, hush.

I have the money and an arguably lame excuse to buy another toy. :icon_rofl:

Good man

[feellnfroggy]

Problem with a .22 is the range. A pellet gun drops out at 100-125 yrds. Where a .22 had a much flatter trajectory and goes alot farther. Too much chance it hitting something that aint supposed to be hit afterthe round clears the target with a .22 Where some of us live. And Ive got a bad habit of shootin squirrels outta trees. So that upward angle makes a .22 even more dangerous for me. Now out in the open woods where noone is about and something bigger than a squirrel may come up .22 all day long. I like the 10 rnd bolt action from walmart, never misfires when maintained and you can get more magazines for reload when 40 plus rounds may be needed LOL such as a wolf. or honeybees.

[01_ranger_4x4]

http://www.umarexusa.com/product/Walther-Talon-Magnum,21,47.htm

There is the Walther I've added to my consideration list...

01_Ranger, I've been kind of trying to stick with buying it local rather than order through a mail order company but that does look like a pretty good deal!

yeah i def understand buying local and i would if i could but we dont have any dealers of quality air guns in my area.
have you done the math on how many bricks of .22 ammo you could buy for $300? with even a marginal 4x scope you could easily achieve 50-yard first round hits with a .22, it's not like you need to save whatever you're shooting to eat for dinner

i have a .22 but i dont like shooting it in my yard out of respect for my neighbors. an airgun is perfect for shots up to 50 yards and its quiet and is just as accurate as my .22 in that range. plus i can shoot my air rifle all day for next to nothing.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

There's only one local shop I know of that deals with the higher quality airguns. Most just carry the cheap single strokes and the multi-pump stuff. I wanted something better, lol.

I can shoot a .22 here no problem, as long as I'm not shooting up in a tree, I got a lot of hillside to shoot towards. And with an airgun I'll probably be shooting at the same ranges into the same hillside. Arguably, I don't need the airgun at all and should just spend that money on more .22 ammo, but...

[AllanD]

So I've had a few different ones over the years, mostly pistols, but one pump-up rifle (Crosman). It's been a very good rifle, I used it for quite a few years before I moved up to shooting .22's and such. But now with the price of ammo I'm back to playing with airguns again.

Problem is, I'm rapidly getting tired of pumping 10 times to shoot at a crow in the yard or a target. So I'd like to get a single-stroke that is 1,000 fps or better with lead. I've been looking at Gamo since they are supposed to be really good last I heard, but I'm sort of unsure as to what to get. So I figured I'd throw it out here an see what everyone else plays with and if they have any input that will help me make a decision.

I looked at Gamo's website (I don't really like the looks of any of the current crop of Crosman guns). I'd kind of like to get their fixed barrel CFX, but I haven't been able to find any through a local dealer, so I'm not sure I'll get it. I'm budgeting around $300 max at this point. The other two I've been considering is the Whisper and the Shadow Fox (both claim similar specs and noise is not an issue). I can have my choice of the two for a $10 difference through a local shop.

So have at it...

The Air Rifle I've had since 1985 (and still use) it an RWS 45M,
yeah, it'll do better than 1000fps with the correct lightweight pellets.

It's a spring piston "break action" (you cock it with the barrel)
and the type is one of the most popular for a damned good reason, because they work.

And while some will propose getting a 22cal air rifle "for the energy" the difference in energy is rediculous (the difference between pitiful and piointless) 177's are the way to go, velocity = flat trajectory (easier to hit with) and velocity with the proper pellets give far better penetration.

a crow with an EXIT HOLE won't move very far and most of that will be straight down.

a squirrel is a hard target to penetrate at all (they have suprisingly resiliant skin) but a 177 that gets inside can do a lot of damage.
Far more damage to them than a huge bruise.

Personally I have a bolt action 22lr that shoots flatter and hits harder while actually making less noise than my air rifle, it probably heps that the 22 rifle
has a 26" barrel... and the 40grain "pellets" it launches make exit holes in much larger "game" than a squirrel or crow.

But I live where nobody would notice a gunshot... I live 3 doors down from a high power rifle range:)

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[robertc1024]

You can also get sub-sonic .22 rifle rounds if you don't want to make much noise. One of my good friends lives in the 'burbs and shoots squirrels all the time with it. Probably way illegal, but he lives in LA. The state not the city.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The Air Rifle I've had since 1985 (and still use) it an RWS 45M,
yeah, it'll do better than 1000fps with the correct lightweight pellets.

It's a spring piston "break action" (you cock it with the barrel)
and the type is one of the most popular for a damned good reason, because they work.

And while some will propose getting a 22cal air rifle "for the energy" the difference in energy is rediculous (the difference between pitiful and piointless) 177's are the way to go, velocity = flat trajectory (easier to hit with) and velocity with the proper pellets give far better penetration.

a crow with an EXIT HOLE won't move very far and most of that will be straight down.

a squirrel is a hard target to penetrate at all (they have suprisingly resiliant skin) but a 177 that gets inside can do a lot of damage.
Far more damage to them than a huge bruise.

Personally I have a bolt action 22lr that shoots flatter and hits harder while actually making less noise than my air rifle, it probably heps that the 22 rifle
has a 26" barrel... and the 40grain "pellets" it launches make exit holes in much larger "game" than a squirrel or crow.

But I live where nobody would notice a gunshot... I live 3 doors down from a high power rifle range:)

AD
AD has spoken, lol

Mostly I just want an accurate toy to play around with. If I seriously want to kill something I'll step out the door with a 12 gauge an let 'er rip. Only one neighbor cares and she's certifiably crazy (plus she doesn't actually live there, she just comes around once every other day or so to collect mail and feed her dog, I should turn her in to the humane society). She also has no idea which neighbor shoots (probably because we all do, lol). The local cops could care less as long as nobody is shooting at the road. I love living out in the country, lol.

[goodie85]

i have a russian made pellet gun and ive had it since i was 5 or 6 years old still works like a beaut but now i am more into 25-06 or 22-250 and shotguns and pistols but every now and again i bring that pellet gun out and i can drop blackbirds from 50 yards out easy if its not windy

[feellnfroggy]

Allan is exactly right about the squirrels. I shot 10 of them to make a dinner for the family. Only 2 had exit wounds. Most the pellet got in and boucned around a little, ITs not as much their skin tho, as they have extremely tight muscle groups of the fast twitch nature. rock solid.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Allan is exactly right about the squirrels. I shot 10 of them to make a dinner for the family. Only 2 had exit wounds. Most the pellet got in and boucned around a little, ITs not as much their skin tho, as they have extremely tight muscle groups of the fast twitch nature. rock solid.
I think it's a bit of both. I had trouble cutting their hide with my knife but without sharpening it I was able to cut up two deer - they cut a bit easier.

[01_ranger_4x4]

hey for those of you that have a .22 cal air rifle, i have some pellets i need to get rid of. i no longer have a .22 cal (due to reasons listed above by AllanD.) heres a link to them on the site i got them from. http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Predator_22_Cal_16_0_Grains_Pointed_200ct/343 i only used about 10-15 of them. PM me if anyone wants them. i only want $5 just to cover shipping.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/kozal01/f7f4a14a.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/kozal01/1dbbe882.jpg

[lil_Blue_Ford]

those look like the Gamo red fire pellets I have in .177

[AllanD]

A friend got an RWS in 22 about the same time I got my 177 so we had ample time to directly compare results, yeah, he killed his share of squirrels, but many you could SEE hit and hear that distinctive impact sound would keep going until I hit them with a followup shot and the bruised caused by a 22 air rifle bellet was amazing....

OTOH standard velocity 22lr out of that L-O-N-G barrel on my winchester 67 is so quiet you can hear the "ping" of the firing pin crushing the case rim.
there is really little difference in report between std vel 22LR and my RWS.

If I actually bother to use Subsonic 22LR ammo that's even quieter and you can hear the echo of the firing pin before the sound of impact gets back to your ears at 50feet...

It's actually very "cool"

silencer? I don't need no stinking silencer.

a 22LR contrary to what is says on the box will go nowhere NEAR 1-1/2 miles

Back in the '70's the NRA did some exhaustive testing out on some desert dry lakebed and no 22 LR round consistantly made it past 3/4 miles. there was one round that DID make a few really close to one mile shots, it''s "kinda" a 22LR, the CCI stinger...
and 22Mag wouldn't reliably make 1-1/4miles unless the bullet had a tail wind.

so basically they won't fly as far as you'd think they would....

And a tumbling bullet (a richochet) will go even less distance because it has far more aerodynamic drag.

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