Pellet / BB gun Questions, need help please.

[Lovesbeer99]

I'm considering a pellet rifle but know very little about them. I'll use it outdoors on open property and in my basement with a pellet trap. The purpose mostly is to shoot cheaply. The gun needs to be accurate and I'd like a nice trigger. I don't care if it shoots at 1000 fps cause I don't plan to hunt with it. I also don't want to spend much money.

Any recommendations on brand, or action type? I was looking at the break barrel kind at cabelas. Is there another forum or site I can check on?

I have a Red Ryder and It's fun, but I'm looking for something more serious.

Thanks in advance.
Lovesbeer99

 

[Oodin]

Several years ago I bought a Gamo Hunter 440. It's a break action pellet gun, rated at 1000 fps (never chronoed). My brother also owns another Gamo rifle, but I can't remember what model his is. We have both been very pleased with them, they are very accurate guns, especially when compared to the pump up BB guns we'd used since then. I never "grouped" it on paper, but I could hit a shotgun shell at 25-30 yards with a scope. I don't know about using them indoors, cause they seem kinda powerful for that.

Nice break action air rifles aren't "cheap" but if you want something more than just a wally world special, you'll probably pay around $200.

As for brands, I only have experience with Gamo, but I believe Beeman, RWS and Benjamin Sheridan (Crosman) to have good reputations and there are probably others.

 

[eliphalet]

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[eliphalet]

Perhaps a pump because you can control the amount of power. 800 FPS isn't necessary across the room.
I have a Sheridan 5mm pump pellet gun I bought over 40 years ago that has shot thousands of pellets, it still works great. The Company has changed hands and is owned by Crossman now but hear they still make a good gun. I think I would advise 177 now for targets, cheaper ammo. I would also search the net for reviews.

 

[Cron]

Hw-77

Consider a under-lever springer. There are fewer problems with scope mounting 'cause there's no barrel droop. Accuracy is about .15" ctc at 10 meters. A genuine one holer! Trigger is better than a lot of medium priced centerfire rifles. My early model is about 800 fps but the newer ones are a bit faster. Not cheap, but highly recommended!

 

[eliphalet]

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[cslinger]

Best bang for the buck is the CZ Slavia Lux IMO.

Beeman R7 is a a very very good gun with a very good trigger that would suit your needs as well but is getting a bit pricer.

Chris

 

[rangerruck]

trigger is going to be your big problem here, and springers take some serious training to get used to shooting accurately , because of all the spring movement. A pcp airgun is the best, but either way, you need to test the triggers yourself, beeman and benjamin seem to have pretty good out of the box triggers...

 

[CajunBass]

Well, I've got CHEAP Wally World Special "Marksman" break barrel. It's not good for much of anything but shooting at a coke can tossed out on the front yard, but it does that just fine. The trigger is horrible, the gun is ugly, I have no idea how "fast" it shoots, but it's SLOW I'm sure. It's got an old 4x15, "22 scope" on it that will probably get battered to death by the recoil. BUT it will sure make a Coke can dance and makes a very satisfying "TWUWUNK" when I pull the tirgger.



And it's a lot of fun.

I'm thinking I'll get a better one this year. Shoot, most anything would be "better."

But it has helped to save my sanity these last few weeks while I've been dealing with a sick wife. I can pick up the air rifle, step out on the front deck and take a few shots at a soda can or a paper cup tossed out in the goat lot.

Oh, this is not an endorsement of the "Marksman" rifle. It is a cheap piece of well, not "crap" really, but it's not a very good air-rifle. Spend a few bucks more. But it is an endorsement of having an air rifle of some sort as a stress reliever if you enjoy shooting. I could probably shoot a 22 or most anything else off the deck if I wanted to, but I can keep the air rifle right by the door with a can of pellets on the shelf, and I'm outside in 5 seconds. I wouldn't do that with anything else.

 

[MIL-DOT]

I have a releated thread here on this page, check it out for a little info.
I've been cramming and researching these for a little while, so i know just enough to be dangerous. I also wanted a Benjamin-sheridan for years, and they are great pump guns, high quality,accurate,last for years,economical. But it seems the best thing going now are the spring cockers ( unless you spend BIG money on the "pre-charged" stuff) . I recently got the highly praised RWS 34 panther ( panther means "synthetic stock") for $187 W/ free shipping from PyramydAir. They're a reputable company, but they take days to even box and ship, and the girls on the phone can't be relied on to know what they're talking about (this is widely repoerted on the interweb, and i concur). As pointed out in the other thread, the Beeman R9 is also a fantastic "entry level" gun (at about twice the price of the 34). Both are highly regarded,very popular German crafted,time-tested designs.
I've been using a related forum lately,it's called airgunadvice.net. As with most forums, there are lots of knowledgable folks and lots of useful info.
Another good source for puchasing or just info are Craig and Kevin at Straightshooters. Everyone raves about this company, and i must concur,too.I even ordered my Beeman from them, i'll have it as soon as i shower up and head into town to the UPS office !! Yeah,boy !!
Another thing, most rifle scopes that are not "air-gun-rated" are apparantly soon destryed by the unusual two-stage kick of "springers", so read up a little on that before purchasing or slapping on that Tasco scope you have lying around (which WAS my plan ).
Gotta run, i'll check back in later.......M.

 

[tallpaul]

If ya spend the money for a quality beeman- and they have cheapened some of them to be price competitive instead of being all premium based in recent years- it will last forever. I have one I spent a couple hundred on almost thirty year ago and it is still used often and sits about 6 foot from me as I type this Less than 10.00 a year for quality and fun. Rebuildable and parts available if needed. I'd think hard about a beeman r-9 or r-7

look around here
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/

be careful though its a sickness and addictive

 

[Smith357]

I have a few airguns and the one I always go back to is my Sheridan 5mm pumper that I bought 20 years ago, it has a factory good trigger, pretty fair accuracy and more than enough power for hunting tree rats. Springers are nice but they wear out my arm from the cocking during long sessions and then it's hard to hold them steady, and it is completely different hold than a regular rifle to be accurate with one. I can shoot the Sheridan all day using just 3 pumps, more than enough power to punch a hole in a tin can, and get groups the size of a dime in my basement. It's also much lighter than my springers so I can carry it all day in the woods with much less fatigue.

This is a shot of penetration between the Sheridan at 8 pumps on the left sending a 5mm 14.3 grain pellet at roughly 650fps vs a .177 8 grain domed hunter from a 1000 fps springer on the right.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

Mine is a Benjamin-Sheridan Model 397PA in .177 caliber. Not very expensive. A decent value for the money. As noted by Smith357, it can be shot practically all day with but 3-4 pumps. At 8 pumps, mine will group about 1.5" @ 30 yards.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Lots to read here : http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/


New Crosman Discovery PCP looks awfully interesting...

http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2008/01/benjamin-discovery-part-1-concept-and.html

 

[PoconoEagle]

crossman G1 extreme break barrel .177 cal 1000 fps comes with 3x9 scope for $139. looks cool too

 

[elmerfudd]

Get a Beeman R7. It's a German made lower powered springer, (700 fps), and people rave about it's quality. http://www.beeman.com/r7.htm

 

[rangerruck]

oh yeah, that is right, cz makes an excellent air rifle , for under 200 bucks, I see them at the gunshows all the time.

 

[Nortonics]

RWS = good stuff. German made quality.

Good forum: RWS/Dianawerk pellet gun forum

 

[MCgunner]

I just got a Crosman at Wallyworld for 100 bucks, 1000 fps advertized, decent velocity, though I'm sure it ain't 1000 fps. The trigger sux, lots of creep, but I've learned to take up the slack first and can put 'em into under an inch at 25. It's a spring gun, break barrel, and as such the scope is worthless. But, for cheap, it does what I wanted to do and I'm learning to shoot it rather well. It rings that 3" swinger every time at 25 so I'm backing it out there to get a little more challenge. If you want a decent trigger, you'll have to triple the $100 I gave for the Crosman and I just ain't into spending that much on a back yard toy. If I wanted a hunting tool, I might consider it, but not a can popper. I've found even the cheap Crosman has some pretty danged decent accuracy, even with a rather challenging trigger.