Anyone switching to airguns?

[caoboy]

I'm contemplating purchasing a better quality airsoft pistol for target practice. I already have a break action pellet rifle that I'm using.

It just seems easier to practice at home a bit more, fundamentals are fundamentals.

[Goop]

In my opinion the PCP air pump ones are the best for hunting. Very silent and extremely powerful. However they do make for terrible plinkers. Its like 100 pumps for 20-30 good shots. Not fun unless you got a scuba tank to refill it.

I like the springers myself, less reliant on air source. Its a single heavy cock per shot but you can shoot as long as your arms allow. RWS, Weihrauch, Beeman, Benjamin Trail, Cometa, Air Arms seem to be the higher quality but be prepared to pay.

Crossman, Hatsan, Gamo are middle quality.

Any of the Chinese made ones at walmart are low quality. Also note a lot of them get rebranded to popular models like Ruger, Winchester, Browning so pay close attention where they are made.

[rice_man]

I got a RWS Diana 48 in .22". Sidelevel spring-action, 8.5lbs, 900fps. It is one solid German air rifle, beautiful beech stock, crisp trigger, very accurate, and hits hard.

Powered by my elbow. Will last a life time.

Very nice - I'm so close to getting an RWS M34. Leaning towards this Pro Compact scoped model. Click on image for details...

[bobgengeskahn]

Interesting thread, I too have been debating a pellet rifle for a number of reasons besides ammo. In a SHTF situation, I'd rather have pump pellet rifle and a small cast for pellets for small game hunting and save my real steel for defense.

Besides that it would be fun to have a small plinker pack gun around. I really like the size of the Airforce TalonP PCP... but its a PCP, not a pump. Anyone know of a more compact .177 or .22 carbine size that's spring or air-spring powered?


EDIT:

I'm contemplating purchasing a better quality airsoft pistol for target practice. I already have a break action pellet rifle that I'm using.

It just seems easier to practice at home a bit more, fundamentals are fundamentals.

I would recommend any of the KWA PTPs for this. I have a M9 PTP and it is so similar to the real thing its almost scary, and its accurate and powerful.

http://kwausa.com/professional-training/kwa-m9-ptp

[shinbone]

Honestly, this PCP rifle gives me a schoolboy grin.

Benjamin Rogue

.357 cal pellet @ 1000fps

electronic valve for different operating pressures

will take 90gn - 175gn pellet

Best of all, its relatively quiet

[Loco45]

I love airguns and own a Colt Defender (410 FPS), a Colt Special Combat 1911 (400 FPS), an IWI Jericho 941 (480 FPS), a Umarex Steel Storm (BB Sub Machine Gun with a single and six shot burst selector with a claimed velocity of 430 FPS), a Crosman 357 10 Shot pellet revolver (430 FPS), a Gamo Sporter 500 (750 FPS Break Barrel) and a Crosman Phantom (1200 FPS break barrel) and I just participated in the new season of the TV Show American Airgunner that will air on the Pursuit Channel on July 3rd 2013. I love both airguns and firearms, but as of right now I am saving my firearm ammo and plinking with .177's. When I was on the show, we got to shoot some larger caliber airguns too and they really blew my mind, hopefully maybe I'll get one, one of these days

[Izzy43]

I am not promoting these nor do I own one but just for information here's a website for some Chinese air rifles that are tuned by one of the icons of the air rifle sport. http://www.flyingdragonairrifles.org/

I just happened across this site from reading a post on rimfirecentral.com and thought I would share. Personally I just ordered one of the used Daisy 853 air rifles from CMP, they seem to get good reviews for a low powered rifle.

[Loco45]

Honestly, this PCP rifle gives me a schoolboy grin.

Benjamin Rogue

.357 cal pellet @ 1000fps

electronic valve for different operating pressures

will take 90gn - 175gn pellet

Best of all, its relatively quiet

That Rouge has Power! I would love to try that one out one day, it's far out my price range though. How is the loudness of it?

[jl7422]

There are airguns to fit every taste. The wife and I set up a range on the back of the property this past weekend to shoot our vintage "Shooting Star" pneumatic carnival tommy gun--she ran 1500 rnds through it, grinning the whole time. Full-auto fun with a total ammo cost of .39 cents!

[Loco45]

What caliber was the tommygun? .177 or .22? There's a .22 Pellet SMG out there from Air Ordinance, it's 500 bucks, has a 100 round belt and reaches velocities up to 700 FPS, I believe and than there's a .22 pellet gun called the BMG which is a bit bigger, also has a 100 round belt and shoots at 1000 fps. Both these guns are from independent companies so they're both really pricey. When I was at the American Airgunner thing, I talked to the Director of UmarexUSA and told him about these guns and said that it would be cool if such a thing would be able to get mass produced and in that way the prices would go down

[SilentPea]

I just got a Daisy 753 (upgraded sights/stock compared to the 853) louder than expected - but tolerable even for indoor shooting. I have a little target box with backstop in the garage and shoot down the hallway into it.

Buddy and I are going to start our own little private 10m competition.

[jl7422]

Loco45: the Shooting Star carnival guns are designed for #1 chilled lead shot - it is a common misconception is that they use #2 and we were shooting #2 which worked fine. The original Feltman carnival tommy guns were designed to use #1 lead shot, and are more accurate with the proper size shot. Even at current lead prices, we used less than a bucks-worth!

[NRai2001]

I am not promoting these nor do I own one but just for information here's a website for some Chinese air rifles that are tuned by one of the icons of the air rifle sport. http://www.flyingdragonairrifles.org/

I just happened across this site from reading a post on rimfirecentral.com and thought I would share. Personally I just ordered one of the used Daisy 853 air rifles from CMP, they seem to get good reviews for a low powered rifle.

Surprisingly these Chinese ones are pretty expensive for low powered rifles... You could get 1200fps rifles at big5 or Walmart for ~$100 range

[Loco45]

This is a Crosman Phantom, Break Barrel .177 caliber with a claimed velocity of 1200 FPS. I have chronographed it to 1050 to 1100 FPS with Crosman Premier Hollow Points and 1250 FPS with alloy pellets. It's a very accurate gun, great for target shooting, plinking and hunting small game. I paid 80 bucks for the rifle and 60 for the scope (I forget what brand it is, but it's a pretty good scope though and does it's job) and I've also installed a custom trigger that has a trigger pull of about 1.2 pounds.

[bplvr]

for $350.00 this piece looks really appealing and quiet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=YgGuX3yPtt0&NR=1