Me Thinks I Need A New Pellet Rifle

[buckwheatpaul]

I havent had a pellet rifle since 1970....I need a good yet reasonably priced pellet rifle for winged rats and other vermin around my house and barns as well as training my granddaughter.....Need you 2 cents worth please....

[williamwaco]

I agree. I think we both need one.

I simply cannot decide which.

[Oreo]

How old is the grand-daughter?

[HollowPoint]

As fast as air gun technology is evolving, air rifles are now becoming similar to computers in that they tend to become obsolete as soon as you get them home. No sooner do you get them out of the box and sighted in that the next generation of air rifles start appearing on the store shelves. It can make a guy wish they'd waited just a little longer and bought the latest and the greatest instead of the one you did buy.

I think most air rifles are at a point now that it's now more of a Fords vs Chevys kind of decision in terms of performance. I say, trust your gut instincts and buy that way. No matter which one you buy, it seems that we always wish we had bought something else instead.

In my opinion, it's not really which air rifle to buy but, which pellets to shoot out of the gun we've bought. Even the most cutting edge air rifles are, for the most part still shooting antiquated pellet designs.

I've mentioned this before. The pellets we're shooting have now become the weak link in our pellet gun shooting experience. I think that with more efficient pellet designs, even the least expensive pellet rifles would make their owners happy.

HollowPoint

[Duster340]

Hey Buckwheatpaul,

Like you, I too needed to find a decent pellet gun after many years w/o one. Rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks were decimating every vegetable, fruit, flower and berry plant on my property. Ended up buying a Ruger Airhawk. The vermin no longer are a problem. Walmart has them for $88. Here's the specs.

Ruger Air Hawk .177 Pellet Rifle with Scope:

• Rifled barrel
• All weather composite stock
• 4x32 scope with mounts included
• Adjustable fiber optic rear sight with fixed fiber optic front sight
• Adjustable 2 stage trigger
• Rubber recoil pad
• Ambidextrous vented cheekpiece
• 1200 feet per second
• .177 alloy pellets
• Automatic safety
• Model# 2244005

[mulespurs]

2nd the Ruger Airhawk.
My son got me one to play with. Different pellet types make a large difference in accuracy.
Just leaning on a post I had 8 out of ten in a one inch group at 25 yards. I think it will do better, maybe with a different pellet and a better rest.
Cottontails out as far as 60 yards. It doesn't make any sense but it seems as effective as a 22.
Rumor is that short range accuracy must be confirmed at long rang as well.
Rumor also has it that lead pellets, Std weight aprox 8 grains , some heavier, may be more accurate than the lightweight alloy ones. One theory is that they start and stay subsonic.
Way fun and cheap to shoot.

[nhrifle]

Go to pyramidair.com and check out the guns made by Hatsan. I have three of them, one PCP and two break barrel springers. They need no work out of the box like the majority of the air rifles I have bought, the quality of materials and workmanship is outstanding, they look great and they are just plain spooky accurate. Also, for the performance levels they achieve, they are priced below their level of value as far as I am concerned.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have messed with cheap and expensive spring and pump guns over the last two years.I can't blame pellet design as my good British and German guns shoot some groups under 1/2" at 50 yards.I wouldn't care if a better pellet shot 1/8" groups at that tree angle because the accuracy is adequate enough.in not too expend guns I like the Airhawks as well as the Benjamin's nitropistons once a good trigger is installed.For shorter range easy to clock the Stronger X3 or Xisico B12 are very nice.The older Crosman 760 and 2100 also shoot better than you'd expect, often under 3/4" at 25 yards.

[GhostHawk]

My Sheridan BlueStreak works for me. Ohhh I also have a pair of crossman 1322 pistols for playing with. But when it is time to get serious, and something needs killing, my Sheridan speaks for me.

I've had woman come and go, dogs die, trucks die, in short everything go wrong that could go wrong.
But my Sheridan has never failed me. Even when it only got 1 drop of oil per decade (90's and most of the 2000's) it kept right on doing what it does.

The newer PCP's are trying to get to what the Sheridan has, controllable power. 2 pumps for targets, 3 for small birds, 4 for furry critters, an extra pump for longer distance.


Fact remains to date nothing can match Sheridan's versatility and its price.

[nagantguy]

Love my Sheridan's blue streak and Benjamin Franklin as well, have to say for price and weight which in feel.really stimulates a larger caliber hunting rifle the Ruger air hawk has been a winner. First one I bought was broken out of the box, two more since have been real winners for $99 with a scope which ain't the worst I've used they get my vote. Critters up to small.tacoon in size have not had a word of complainet. I plan to buy another for a wood shed plinker.

[plmitch]

It all depend on what you consider a reasonable price. Alot to chose from out there. The crosman np's are nice shooters and cheap enough. I just got a RWS 34, to me very inexpensive for what you get.

[Sc0]

Didn't mention age of Grand-daughter... HW50s would do the trick, light enough to be handled, not too tough to cock and decent power for all that you ask it to do. Spring piston, so all that is needed to shoot it is a tin of pellets.

[roysha]

First let me say that I am a springer fan. However, since you are going to be teaching your Grandaughter to shoot and unless she is nearly a teenager, most springers can be a bit of a chore to cock, especially over an extended period of shooting.

I taught my youngest Grandaughter to shoot when she was 6 years old. I got her a 2260, (wanted a 1760 but out of production) and cut the stock to length for her, saving the piece to reattach when she got older. Since it is a CO2 gun it allowed her to develop good shooting habits from prone or a rest without the necessity of having someone there to cock and load the gun for her or her having to get completely out of position to cock and load the gun then get back into shooting position. Also, there is the thing about "hold sensitivity" related to springers which you can believe or not, as you wish, that does not apply to CO2 guns. Obviously, I was there to supervise her shooting but she was able to do the cocking and loading by herself.

Although the CO2 may not generate the velocity of the average springer, given the .22 caliber pellet weight, it generates nearly as much energy as the .177 higher velocity pellet. I have eliminated many starlings and such with my Grandson's 2250 so I'm sure the 2260 would serve you well.

Admittedly, there is the extra cost of and the necessity of having on hand the cylinders but for a beginner, the ease of operation, at least in my view, is worth the bit of inconvenience.

[Finster101]

I am still using my Crossman 760 I got as a kid. It is plenty accurate and powerful enough to take out tree rats and I do mean rats not squirrels. It also seems to do just fine using BBs as well as pellets. You could probably find a good used one really cheap and the size would most likely fit your granddaughter well if she is younger.

[rking22]

I dearly love the CB9 Sheridan, and would suggest you take a look. But ,they can be a bother to pump for the young folk. look into a 2240 or 2260 custom from Crossman. She can help you spec it out and enjoy the anticipation waiting for her gun, they are inexpensive enough to get you both one. I had some good times rolling empty 12 ga hulls own the driveway with my son and daughter. You shoot in turn unill niether can hit it as it is driven further and further away,, FUN
The more velocity they advertize , the less fun they are in the long run. The "powerful" ones are hard to cock and vibbrate when shot and they are heavy/big. All said ,if you need more power than an R9 , just get a 22. PCPs are fun , but the overhead of charging gear is a pain.
I have all types , I shoot a 1959 CB9, an R9, and a Crossman 160 the most. Being able to drop a tin of pellets in the pocket and go shoot all day is very nice.

PS: see if you can find a Beeman catalog from the 90s, Dr Beeman always had a good article on chosing a pellet gun and what makes them enjoyable.

[troyboy]

Tough question. Try the crossman 2240. Lots of option with the platform. Mods are available for just about anything from stock to hp. Much friendlier than a springer or pump and is a joy in stock configuration.

[Garyshome]

Gamo Big Cat 1250 Air Rifle with 4 x 32 Rifle Scope and PBA Platinum Pellets .177 Caliber

http://www.amazon.com/Gamo-Rifle-Platinum-Pellets-Caliber/dp/B004WMFX22

[Kirbot]

I have an old RWS Diana, and I can't think of anything I'd trade it for.
You can still get a new Diana 34 for about $280.

The last Gamo air rifle I bought about 8-10 years ago, and I had nothing but problems with it. They might be better now, but the trigger was horrendous, the front sight fell off, and part of the cocking mechanism broke.... That's when I set out to find a used RWS for about the same money.

[Pakprotector]

The pre-charged are quite nice, though charging them is either a chore or requiring comparable cost to the rifle expense for the equipment. I sill have my fist Sheridan, and two more acquired since. Springes are hold sensitive, even the liddle ones. IME, hat is just one more thing to teach.
cheers,
Douglas

[jazzman251]

First let me say that I am a springer fan. However, since you are going to be teaching your Grandaughter to shoot and unless she is nearly a teenager, most springers can be a bit of a chore to cock, especially over an extended period of shooting.

I taught my youngest Grandaughter to shoot when she was 6 years old. I got her a 2260, (wanted a 1760 but out of production) and cut the stock to length for her, saving the piece to reattach when she got older. Since it is a CO2 gun it allowed her to develop good shooting habits from prone or a rest without the necessity of having someone there to cock and load the gun for her or her having to get completely out of position to cock and load the gun then get back into shooting position. Also, there is the thing about "hold sensitivity" related to springers which you can believe or not, as you wish, that does not apply to CO2 guns. Obviously, I was there to supervise her shooting but she was able to do the cocking and loading by herself.

Although the CO2 may not generate the velocity of the average springer, given the .22 caliber pellet weight, it generates nearly as much energy as the .177 higher velocity pellet. I have eliminated many starlings and such with my Grandson's 2250 so I'm sure the 2260 would serve you well.

Admittedly, there is the extra cost of and the necessity of having on hand the cylinders but for a beginner, the ease of operation, at least in my view, is worth the bit of inconvenience.

I agree with purchasing a Crosman2260. Springers are difficult to learn how to shoot but a CO2 is quite easy. As she advances a springer would be a great second choice.