Pellet Gun

[Earcutter]

So with the ammo shortage, I was thinking of getting a pellet gun. A long rifle version that I can use on my lot and here in town.

I‘Ve been at this stage before. But every time I start looking, I get so overwhelmed I just kind of move on. So help me out. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Are pellets available? Because if not, we’ll just stop here
• What rifle should I get? I’m a bit of an accuracy snob

Heres what I need:

• The rifle has to be light enough for my son to shoot. He’s 12
• I’d rather not do complicated, but if it means consistent accuracy, I’ll play
• I don’t mind spending money on quality

Thanks guys!

 

[Lightcs1776]

I purchased a hunting pellet rifle a few years back. It can take out squirrels with relative ease. It would also be fine for rabbits I would provide the model, but my oldest son has borrowed it, so I don't have it in the house at the moment. I use Benjamin .177 pellets, which have been widely available. It is very easy to handle, so your 12 year old would not have any issue.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[nortac]

I would check out Pyramid Air and do some research.
Air Rifles: BB Rifles & Rifle Pellet Gun for Hunting
| Pyramyd Air Airgun Guide - to help you find the right airgun for your needs
| Pyramyd Air gun blog - Pyramyd Air Report
Air

Also check out Gateway To Airguns. Lots of info.
Airgun Forum | GTA International Airgun Forum | 17,332+ Members (gatewaytoairguns.org)

The sky is the limit. Highest performance will be with a PCP, but also highest cost and more complicated, but there are many awesome springer guns. I'm not aware of current pellet availability as I have a huge stockpile. Pyramid Air is where I have bought most of my pellets. They used to have a buy three tins for the price of two offer, or maybe it was 4 for the price of 3, can't remember, don't know if they still do. Best pellet selection is in .177 and .22 calibers.

 

[dfoulk]

You can pick up a decent quality one at the local Walmart for around a hundred bucks or you could spend literally several hundred to thousand dollars at a specialty air gun store on a very high end model. So it just depends on what you are looking for. Maybe propose a budget that you have in mind as I know there are several guys here that are into this as a hobby and could provide some very good advice.

 

[nortac]

I currently have two air rifles. I have a Gamo Bone Collector .177 springer that I got on sale for well under $100 and an Air Arms PCP .22 that I paid over $1400 for.

 

[nortac]

The high end. Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter PCP .22. Target was shot at 30 yds.

 

[nortac]

Correction. This target was shot at 51 yds. The target in the previous post was shot at 30 yds.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I shoot rimfire benchrest with one guy that was trying to convert us all to high end benchrest airguns.

 

[nortac]

Oh yeah, there are some serious air gunners out there. I'm just a low end hobbyist. "Serious" starts at 100 yds.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I would probably entertain the idea of serious airgun benchrest if I lived somewhere with an indoor facility and a decent sized group of competitors already in place....I am talking about 50 yard matches very similar to the rimfire benchrest I already shoot.

 

[Whilliam]

Springers tend to be a bit heavy compared to, say, pre-charged pneumatics (PCPs) or CO2 rifles, but they're self-contained: you don't need to buy and bother with tanks, compressors, hoses, etc.

If you're willing to spend the money for quality, a Weihrauch HW-97 springer is built to firearms standards and is relatively easy to ****. Moreover, it lends itself to a very high degree of fine tuning and accurization by precision airgunsmiths such as Dave Slade. Another firearms-quality brand to consider is AirArms.

Another way to go would be a Crosman pump-up. But don't bother with the factory version. Look into one that's been modified and accurized by Tim McMurray in California (About Us - https://www.mac1airgunshop.com/aboutus.asp). The rifle is essentially a PCP with a built-in pump. Tim's rifles are not cheap, but do cost significantly less than Weihrauchs.

For utmost accuracy, PCPs reign. But as I mentioned, you need to buy and deal with all sorts of ancillary gear. While I own some top-tier PCPs, as well as a compressor, I'm most at home shooting springers.

Echoing nortac's recommendation, PyramidAir is a fine source for quality airguns, ammo and information. I've been dealing with Joshua for more than 25 years; his operation is first class. Another good online retailer who I've long dealt with is Bob Buchanan at Airguns of Arizona. For Crosman, I'd opt for Mac-1.

All that said, the best I can realistically suggest is that you continue to do your online homework and ask lots of questions. Also, get ready to spend some real money if you're serious about quality and get hooked on the hobby.

Also, spring is coming, and I believe Little Rock still hosts a widely attended airgun show sometime in April or May. It's big for an airgun show, and draws shooters from around the country, but by regular gun show standards, it it tiny--maybe a couple of hundred tables, if that many. But it is a chance to get hands-on with the kind of gear you are not likely to find at local gun shops or Walmart.

Good luck and have fun.

I cannot speak to the availability of pellets, as I have a pretty good stockpile. But I have heard that prices are going up. Still, pellets remain a bargain compared to the cost of .22 longs these day--if you can find them.

 

[Ratso]

I have an older RWS .177 that shoots at 1000 FPS. It’s very accurate and didn’t break the bank. It’s a single **** which might be a challenge to a 12 year old. The last time I looked into a pellet rifle there were tons of them. Many brands I never heard of. Pay attention to the ballistics provided by the different manufacturers with regards to the projectile weight. Some of the pellet guns cost thousands of dollars. Those are referred to as adult air rifles.

 

[Whilliam]

I would probably entertain the idea of serious airgun benchrest if I lived somewhere with an indoor facility and a decent sized group of competitors already in place....I am talking about 50 yard matches very similar to the rimfire benchrest I already shoot.

That's one of the problems with airgunning: shooters are an inch deep and a mile wide. Here and there, you find pockets of airgunners, but very rarely. For example, I live in New York and used to travel to Maryland for field target and silhouette matches. And I'm among the most casual of competitors: I don't shoot to win so much as to socialize.

I think if the ammo shortage persists for any real length of time, we'll be seeing lots more airgunners (though there are forces that seek to outlaw lead of any kind).

 

[Whilliam]

I'm trying to figure out what got censored here ("****"). I suppose one could say, "engage the spring so as to bring it under tension while setting the sear."

 

[Ad Astra]

I'm trying to figure out what got censored here ("****"). I suppose one could say, "engage the spring so as to bring it under tension while setting the sear."

Might have been a typo, "shot" for "shlt." Anyways.

Definitely interesting topic, especially interested in high caliber air guns. To use 30 cal buckshot, or cast slugs, especially.


AA

 

[FarmerTan]

I have so far been relatively unscathed by any addictions to pneumatic guns.

But if you regular folks want an edumication on air rifles you didn't think you need, I was amazed at how long these things have been around!

I have a pellet pistol around here somewhere that I bought used that is so stinkin' fun. And surprisingly accurate! I'll have to see if I can get a photo up here.

 

[FarmerTan]

Might have been a typo, "shot" for "shlt." Anyways.

Definitely interesting topic, especially interested in high caliber air guns. To use 30 cal buckshot, or cast slugs, especially.


AA

Do you know if you can take down deer with a decent high caliber air gun? Ethically? Legally? Lol, I don't want that @OkieStubble dude on a multi-border car chase coming after me!

I have a friend who has a nice scope on an air rifle that he says is awesome for squirrel hunting. He may or may not use it at his up town home to dispatch critters. Just guessing, of course!

 

[Whilliam]

I have an older RWS .177 that shoots at 1000 FPS. It’s very accurate and didn’t break the bank. It’s a single **** which might be a challenge to a 12 year old. The last time I looked into a pellet rifle there were tons of them. Many brands I never heard of. Pay attention to the ballistics provided by the different manufacturers with regards to the projectile weight. Some of the pellet guns cost thousands of dollars. Those are referred to as adult air rifles.

Muzzle velocity is a numbers game played by manufacturers using extremely light (and often inaccurate) pellets. Depending on pellet mass, a well tuned air rifle (for accuracy, rather than power) should make about 12-15 foot-pounds of muzzle energy (fpe) with eight or nine grain pellets while keeping muzzle velocity below the speed of sound.

What you never want to do is have your pellets go supersonic--which means a muzzle velocity of less than 1000 fps. Diablo pellets are not bullets; their aerodynamics are different, causing them to lose accuracy as they go transonic.

RWS, BTW, makes fine air rifles. One of my favorites was their Diana 46 under-lever, now discontinued. It's one I regret having sold.

 

[Ratso]

The censorship was for the “C” word. I guess there is a “C” word for both genders. They got me too. So I learned something new today. Now I don’t have to pay attention the rest of the day.

 

[Whilliam]

Do you know if you can take down deer with a decent high caliber air gun? Ethically? Legally? Lol, I don't want that @OkieStubble dude on a multi-border car chase coming after me!

I have a friend who has a nice scope on an air rifle that he says is awesome for squirrel hunting. He may or may not use it at his up town home to dispatch critters. Just guessing, of course!

Depends on your state. I've heard of people taking deer in southern states with high powered PCPs. Here in restrictive NY, I believe it's legal to take pests and small game with airguns, while in gun-friendly PA, it is not. Me, I subscribe to the saying, "use enough gun."