.22 LR vs pellet gun

[gspn]

Recently I thought about buying a new .22 LR. I have an old one but my collection lacks a good .22. I did some homework and came close to buying a CZ…but ultimately I just upgraded my pellet rifle instead.

Pellets are way cheaper, more available, the gun makes no noise, I can shoot it in my back yard from 0 to 100 yards, I don't have to go to the range to shoot…it seemed like a much more efficient thing to do. This thing is tons of fun. I get hundreds of sight pictures/trigger pulls per month for less than $10.

With the ammo supply issues of the past few years does anyone else find themselves shooting the pellet guns more? Am I alone here?

 

[MICHAEL T]

No but I have thought about it . I can shoot pistols and rifles at my house. Just expensive, and I don't reload ,I have no real interest in starting . So a pellet rifle be good

 

[Pete D.]

not alone

No, you are not alone. Modern pellet guns are marvelous tools.
There is no arguing that effective practice is way less $ than any firearm.
Kinda hard to do rapid fire but not impossible.
Pete

 

[230RN]

I've got a "green gas" (propane) powered clone of a Colt Mark IV that's indeed semiauto and is powerful enough that the BBs drop only about a foot at 30 yards or so. Been practicing with that, but only when the neighbors aren't home since it's pretty noisy.

The propane is pretty cheap and so are the BBs. It's also pretty accurate since there's a gizmo in the barrel that gives the BBs a spin.

Terry, 230RN

 

[Sav .250]

You are correct on your assessment. The 100 yd thing gives me pause but if you say so.

There are some states that allow certain hunting with pellet type weapons. lots of value in that.

As far as the 22 cal ammo question goes. Not a problem in my area. Even with quantity
control in some places, still not a problem.

 

[Potatohead]

I almost bought one the other day. Got all the way up to the register but just couldnt pull the trigger for some reason. Thx for the info.

 

[Mousegun]

If you think that powder burners are addictive, you ain't seen nothiin' yet until you get going on pellet guns.

I fell in love with them in the early 80's but didn't buy a super quality pellet until a few years ago.

The first was a Baikal pistol that shoots better than I can dream of and then came a RWS model 48 rifle in 177 cal. which I "tuned" by tearing it apart and installing a Vortek aftermarket spring kit and polished the internals.

Then just recently, the bug bit again and I went for the farm on an Air Arms TX 200 with a left hand walnut stock.
I got into that one too and tuned it up even though it is near perfect out of the box.

When rested with a hand hold on a roll of towels, I can shoot a 10 shot group into a dime size circle at 35 yards repeatedly.

Air guns are hold sensitive and they will teach you repeatability and trigger control that transfers over to your powder burners readily.

The group on the left is from the RWS 48 and the one on the right is the TX200. I have shot against friends with 22 long rifle guns and out scored them with the air guns.

 

[frankiestoys]

I have been shooting pellet/BB guns since I was a young boy when I was old enough my dad handed me his SA M1 and my love for firearms just expanded from there. WTS I still enjoy my Air rifles and have several, and also shoot in my yard but never out to 100 yards that's pretty far even for a high end Air rifle . My back yard range is only 50 yards but I would be interested in seeing seeing your targets . Enjoy new your plinker because Air rifles aren't just for kids anymore.

 

[chicharrones]

Several years ago I replaced one worn out Crosman with a Gamo. That started a small waterfall of airgun buying for a couple years.

I ended up with a some springers (rifles and pistol), another pumper, and some CO2 jobs (pistols and rifle). I was given a couple airsoft guns but never did warm up to them as I want to poke holes in what I'm shooting.

The easiest to shoot for me are anything but the springers. My accuracy limit seems to be about 30 yards with any of them (.177 or .22).

 

[gspn]

Several years ago I replaced one worn out Crosman with a Gamo. That started a small waterfall of airgun buying for a couple years.

I fear I may be on the front end of that process! I replaced my Crosman "10 pump" type gun with a Crosman TR77 break barrel. It did a good job out to 20 yards on targets and squirrels but my research pulled me deeper.

My Benjamin Marauder should be here next week. The groups these guys are getting were really surprising to me. I dig the accuracy and super quiet nature of these guns.

My plan for deer season is to hunt deer with my big bore pistols, but bring the Marauder with me for those days when I see 30 squirrels from the stand. It would be a lot of fun to leave the woods with a deer and a bag of squirrels from the same spot.

 

[RussB]

I've been regularly shooting pellet guns since 1991

 

[Iggy]

The most accurate thing I have that shoots is a Beeman R-1.

I even impress myself once in a while with it.

 

[SleazyRider]

Wow, Russ, that's a pretty rifle! Forgive me, but what is it?

 

[redbullitt]

Just did the same thing here OP... I miss shooting my 22s so I have jumped on the air rifle boat.

100 yards is no problem with the Precharged pneumatic rifles. They cost about the same as a nice 22lr, but do perform similarly. Some of them can produce nearly the same energy as a 22 lr. Accuracy can be VERY good as well. You do have to find a way to fill the reservoir though. I use the hand pump most of the time and am happy with it.

My rifle is set up to be quiet and very efficient, meaning less noise and less air, and
I have personally shot my 22 pellet rifle at 90 yards and could hit clays almost as well as with a good 22 LR. I am pushing a 25 grain pellet at 600 fps. It hits with less authority to be sure, but it hits hard enough for plinking out there. If you have one set up for power it would be much more like a rimfire, noise and all.

Most importantly I can shoot cheaply with it. No run on pellets yet lol.

Check out the condor and talon airforce rifles if you have never seen them.

 

[Cesiumsponge]

I posted this in a rifle thread, but here is an entry-level Anschutz Superair 2001 10m .177 cal air rifle. People in the firearms community generally laugh at air rifles but I'm glad to see a following here. The center ring is 0.200" diameter and the pellets are only 0.177" diameter. Not much room for error. 0.0115" of clearance to clean the center ring is equal to three sheets of printer paper in thickness That is the equivalent of just under 1/8 MOA wiggle room if you were to clear the same target, scaled up at 100 yards.

10m air rifle shooting is an Olympic-level sport. It's not as easy as it seems. Subsonic velocities, really small targets. Takes a steady hand and it's really, really good and cheap practice. Most folks that own a property can find a 10 yard stretch to practice in. You can even do that inside a house. It's cheap practice and a great way to work on fundamentals. Oh, and globe iron sights

Heck, any air rifle practice is darn good fun and cheap.

 

[RussB]

Wow, Russ, that's a pretty rifle! Forgive me, but what is it?

A Beeman R9 in an Abernethy walnut stock. Leupold 3-9EFR scope in BKL rings

 

[TUBBY1]

My Gamo extreme hunter says 1650 feet per second with PBA pellets. As far as no bang that's correct but noise is an issue in a neighbor hood. It sounds like a heavy duty nail gun and the pellet breaks the sound barrier upon exiting the barrel. Sounds like a long valley shot with out a bang,just echoing. It is a hoot and I highly suggest.it but will worn you the gun can cost as much or more than a conventional rifle depending on what you get. Operational cost is much less.

 

[alfon99]

I've been regularly shooting pellet guns since 1991

Sorry for my ignorance, but... is that a recoil pad? on an airgun?

 

[sherman123]

I too have been considering buying a .22 airgun as a result of the still ongoing ammo shortage. Anyone have any suggestions for starting out? The main purpose would be squirrel hunting.

 

[itsa pain]

Sorry for my ignorance, but... is that a recoil pad? on an airgun?

When you cock a break barrel or under lever mostly where your leg and hip meet or anywhere without the rubber pad it will slip very easily and the rifle will go off in all directions. A spring gun is very hold sensitive and will shoot different groups using different holds. It is harder to master then most firearms

 

[readyeddy]

I have also substituted air guns for 22 rim fires. Another plus to air gunning, is that a break barrel air gun will slow your rate of fire and force you to focus on fundamentals.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

I've acquired a few pumper and CO2 rifles and handguns over the last year. All Crosmans. Might not be the best, but they outshoot me and were quite inexpensive.

Started out by having an old Crosman rifle and an old CO2 handgun repaired and re-sealed. Both were about three decades old. They work, but I could've bought new for less than the cost of repairs. Wasn't worth it.

 

[gspn]

I too have been considering buying a .22 airgun as a result of the still ongoing ammo shortage. Anyone have any suggestions for starting out? The main purpose would be squirrel hunting.

Here's a quick review of calibers that might help:

http://www.crosman.com/croswords/?p=2636&source=pepperjam&publisherId=21181&clickId=938556440

Here is a review of types of power plants that might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g8R9TLHTrs


There is also a fledgling air gun section on the main page of the forum…with some VERY knowledgable folks.

Once you decide on caliber you'll have the hard work cut out for you…which type of gun to buy. Lots of choices ranging from very affordable to you-gotta-be-kidding-me.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I shoot cans mostly but I have whacked some field rats with mine. Beeman hollow point pellets do the job at 30 yards.

 

[Calibre44]

I've got 1 bolt action, 1 U/L and 2 semi autos.in 22LR and have questioned why am I putting expensive ammo down range at 25m when an air rifle can do the same for a fraction of the price just as accurately.
Here's my two air rifles:
Air Arms S400
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Weihrauch 97K
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And a target at 25m
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