Air Rifle Recommendations?

Waxy · #1 07-23-2008, 09:44 AM

My old Crossman Model 2100 pump action that I bought when I was 12 years old has pretty much had it. I can't believe it lasted this long. I don't even want to hazard a guess as to how many pellets and BBs have gone down that barrel.

At any rate, I'm looking for decent air rifle to replace it with. I'm looking to be able to dispatch the typical critters - magpies, grackles, and gophers around the cottage.

What I don't want is for the gun to be a "firearm", so that limits my choices to guns under 495 fps, which is pretty pathetic. It also means that, based on what I've seen so far, most of the available guns in that power range are relatively poor quality compared to the higher velocity models.

Any help you folks can give me to point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Waxy

Trax · #2 07-23-2008, 12:43 PM

I purchased a Daina from Wholesale Sports. Good quality, accurate but a little pricey for something that's does 495fps.

Stinky Coyote · #3 07-23-2008, 01:12 PM

how bout an Alberta dealer of high end airguns then?...

here is the model for you...or get the iron sights version if you don't want a scope on it...

http://www.canada-shops.com/Stores/s...6758164.2.html

they sell them in non-fac velocities

at full power in .177 cal it will do approx. 625 fps real world velocity with average weight pellets, my dad has been using mine around his acreage for the whole summer now and he loves it, at 10 meters it just puts pellets in the same hole, so when he's pulling the trigger on the pests they just flop right there (and to much further than 10 meters fyi) and he's pretty happy about it...built to last a generation or two or three, not too expensive for the quality/accuracy you get....and you can quit pumping too, one cock and its good to go, everytime you cock it the safety comes on (nice for if other people are going to use it once in awhile) and also has an adjustable trigger which makes it easy to be accurate, set it at about 2.75 lbs and you'll have the perfect little varmint slayer....oh, and they are very quiet compared to anything that uses gas or compressed air (these spring piston guns don't have that 'snap' that comes with the compressed gasses)......

i would order the .177 cal non-fac version to go 495 fps rather than the .22 cal at only 426 fps myself...

fyi, this is one of the worlds best air rifles as recognized by the airgun hardcore, its not all about power, this gun seems to have the perfect amount of power without all the extra heft/kick/noise from the full size stuff and its super easy to cock and shoot making it super super fun as just a general plinker as well....Beeman sells it under the name R7 but this is who makes it and the true name of it fyi......german made stuff

hope that helps, good luck with your choice, i've bought from those folks (husband/wife team) before and they are super nice to deal with, send them an email, they will ship it to your door....they have some good pellets too(jsb exact express would be my top pick for that rig) and ask about scope/rings (4x32 works great on them)...

fluxcore · #4 07-23-2008, 04:42 PM

I bought a crossman springmaster 795 for 100.00 from wallmart and striped the canadian spring assembly for the original one I bought online. It went from around 500fps to around 1200fps its crazy accurate the only downside is its almost as loud as a 22

, the .177 pellets break the speed/sound barrier

Stinky Coyote · #5 07-23-2008, 06:33 PM

good point, you could easily do the same to the HW30 also and bring it back to 625 fps by getting the factory spring and installing it yourself

i had a webley tomahawk that threw .177 cal pellets of moderate weight easily over 800 fps on my chrony....i'd shoot gophers at 50 yrds and watch the pellet skip in the dirt past the gopher another few times and couple hundred yrds....a little bit overkill unless long distance is your game with airguns....out to 50 yrds the HW30 is ideal, the webley was a handful to hold (very full size gun) and heavy to cock which makes for a less enjoyable experience....the little HW30 you can shoot all day and you love it....and yes the tomahawk was WAY louder than the HW30.....amazing what changes when you go from 625 fps to 850 fps!....not worth it imo

fluxcore · #6 07-23-2008, 07:18 PM

my springmaster is very hard to cock, after a long day ill end up with marks on my leg and stomach from the buttend. I mostly use my .22 I was hoping to use the pellet rifle around the house and campsite during the summer but its just to loud. Ill keep it around for shooting gophers I usually have a buddy that dosn't have a rifle and wants to tag along, he gets stuck with it

When I tell friends Ill bring my pellet rifle I usually get some laughs untill thay shoot it.

Waxy · #7 07-24-2008, 09:19 AM

Great info guys.

That HW30 looks like the ticket alright, especially with a nice 4X scope. I just hadn't planned on having $400 into an air rifle!

So, the 495fps is plenty for 20-30yds? I'm worried it won't have enough power. How easy is it to swap out the spring if I'm not happy with it? Cost?

Thanks.

Waxy

Stinky Coyote · #8 07-24-2008, 03:09 PM

yes, 495 fps will be plenty to 30 yrds, i did okay with 425 fps to 30 yrds on all the usual vermin with another airgun years ago...so you'll get the penetration needed to 30 yrds easy...

a great pellet thats easy to find, goes pretty quick in most airguns and penetrates very very well is the simple "crosman points" and you can generally find them at the walmarts/canadian tires, they will probably be plenty accurate enough in most guns for pest control work and they penetrate so much better than the real soft mushy lead pellets as they seem to have some alloy mixed in with them making them super hard...for example, soft lead pellet at marginal velocity won't stick into plywood back stop....the crosman points stick in a little more than half way.....it makes a difference on pests when using lower velocity airguns to use the hard little crosman points in terms of penetration.....i xperimented with a lot of this stuff years ago and not much has changed since

#9 07-26-2008, 10:12 AM

A good deal is the winchester pellet gun they carry at Peavey Mart. It goes on sale for around $100 and is worth every penny. It has a very nice heavy stock and is as sturdy as any pellet gun. Its in that 490-495 ft/s range so it does shoot a pellet nice and straight for a significant distance. Triggers a bit stiff but those pellet guns can really shoot and feel like a big game rifle with the heavy stock.

sbtennex · #10 07-26-2008, 02:10 PM

Have a Winchester single break type for rodents around the acreage. Wasn't very expensive - I think under $300 from WSS with a 3-9X40 airgun scope mounted. It's a 1000fps model (with those fancy pellets that cost more than .22 shells), more like 800 with standard .177 hunting points, but it's not terribly accurate. Heck of a "BUZZ" when the 8 lb trigger finally lets go, stiff to cock, and might be good for 2" groups at 100 feet. Does knock the beJesus out of squirrels and mice though when you hit 'em!

newfieshooter · #11 05-04-2009, 05:36 PM

ive seen all the highpowered pellet guns,, please someone tell me i can get one of these guns in canada,, i have a restricted and non restricted gun liscence,,, i have a savage 300 rifle,, im hoping that i can at least by a 1000 to 1500 fps spring action pellet gun here,, its crazy if i cant,, can someone tell me how???????

rugerjack · #12 05-04-2009, 07:18 PM

check out D&L airguns great to deal with they have a huge selection on their web site . they can rebuild your old rifle if you happen to have any sentimental value on it. i have had a couple rebuilt and bought a couple. john knows his stuff. canadian airgun forum has lots of info also .

thundergrey · #13 05-04-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newfieshooter

ive seen all the highpowered pellet guns,, please someone tell me i can get one of these guns in canada,, i have a restricted and non restricted gun liscence,,, i have a savage 300 rifle,, im hoping that i can at least by a 1000 to 1500 fps spring action pellet gun here,, its crazy if i cant,, can someone tell me how???????

Wholesale Sports has some about 1200fps for under $300... Just bring your PAL.

Reading up on it anything over 800fps you start to sacrifice accuracy for the extra speed. I donno, Ive seen 495fps air rifles take rabbits...

elkhunter11 · #14 05-04-2009, 07:28 PM

Airguns only sells a good variety of guns on their site.

Statick · #15 05-05-2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trax

I purchased a Daina from Wholesale Sports. Good quality, accurate but a little pricey for something that's does 495fps.

Indeed. I suggest a Diana Model 24. It is very well made, comes in .22 and .177 calibres and fires at 495 fps. It is a break action air rifle though, so it doesn't have the potential speed that some pump actions do.

Waxy · #16 05-06-2009, 01:21 PM

I ordered a Weihrauch HW30 and Hawke 3-9X40 scope from airgunsonly.com. Great gun, BRUTAL customer service. If you're looking at the Weihrauch's avoid DAK Sports/airgunsonly.com like the plague and give D&L Airguns a call.

Waxy

Blairh · #17 05-06-2009, 09:32 PM

I have a beeman air rifle from canadian tire. Scope mounted one and shot gofers from 60ft. Ive killed things at a greater range then that i think its a great pellet gun for only 180. Scope included.

ndttech · #18 07-24-2009, 12:21 AM

You may want to try www.airgunsource.com
They have a good presence & website online...and when I was in their shop in Peterborough, ON yesterday...they were extremely friendly...

MOF, picked up a winchester 500x for 119...that chinamart is selling for 150.

...and another thing...any shop that has 8 or 10 friendly dogs wandering around loose, can't be all bad.... :-)

brian

ontario gunner · #19 07-24-2009, 06:44 AM

If I were to go buy an air rifle it would be a benjamin/sheridan pump. Can change velocities with amount of pumps and its a solid built air rifle. Unfortunately they are about 250 in canada,, can still get them for a 100 in the u.s.

solocam3 · #20 07-26-2009, 02:53 PM

I phoned and ordered from D & L Airguns out of Langley, B.C. a Benjamin & Sheridan (Now owned by Crossman, I think) Super Streak .177. But it is 1500 FPS. I phoned it in on Wed Afternoon and had it in my hot little hands on Friday Morning by Courier. I have done a fair bit of reasearch on the web and read a lot of reviews (all the way from "dont buy this dog poop" to "after its broken in I expect my 5 shot groups to tighten up from 0.25 inches) so what do you believe. So far in appearance I am amazed. It looks scarier than my Weatherby Vanguard in .223 cal. I know you cant judge a book by its cover. Even the scope impresses the hell out of me. It is a centre Point 4 X 16 X 40 with illiminated reticles and you can switch from red to green (Get the heck out!!!) Had trouble with the scope mounts as the rifle was miss machined and after two replacement scopes (Out of Quebec) they replaced the rifle and it works like a charm. This is a single shot single cocking lever (a springer, they call it) in .177 but does it do the gophers in. It is a good solid feeling rifle weighing in at about 8 and 1/2 pounds. D&L Airguns service was great and the guy at Gavel in Quebec for the warranty work was good as well. Apparently D $ L will also rebuild your old air guns. Their web page is dlairguns.com and John is the guy.

solocam3 · #21 07-26-2009, 03:29 PM

And just like any subject now adays, just google what you want to look at. There are a lot of forums out there that have air gun info such as californiapredatorsclub.com and especially out of England where all (99%) of firearms are banned (except for criminals)

due to their gun laws so now air guns are very popular.

I also have a little Crossman Backpacker from Cdn Tire that cost about $120. It is rated at 495 fps and is a 22 cal. Very accurate out to 20 yds as we were shooting pop bottle caps hanging in trees at that range one evening around a campfire. This is not a bad little gun as you can take the "Plastic" stock off and put pistol grips on it.