Since getting to the long gun range takes a bit of effort, and expense, I was wondering if any of you guys toy around with air rifles? Ive been doing a bit of research and am considering a Benjamin Maurauder in .22 for the back yard plinking. Any of you guys do this?

I use a GAMO Raptor for removing pests from my yard

1350 FPS seems to be very effective

I have pcp air rifles.

At 1350 fps that pellet is really moving out of that Gamo!
DS, Im leaning towards PCP as well. Is the support equipment for filling expensive or are there cheaper work arounds? Thanks

My air tank is from joe branco. It goes to 4500psi. It can be filled at most dive shops. I can get about 7 fills of my 35 cal air rifle. 30 of my 22 cal air rifle. 15 or so of my 30 cal air rifle.

I have a little shoe box air compressor that hooks to any standard compressor. Just ad a moisture sepperator. Takes 3-4 hours totop off the tank from 3200psi to 4500.

The acessories can be spendy, no doubt. They are reusable though. Think of it more as a reloading set up that has less continuing costs. Ie cases, powder, bullets.

Pellets need to be thought of like one would 22lr bullets. While supersonic the accuracy degrades. The best accuracy is from tuning the bullet weight and air regulator to a few fps spread. 2-3 fps. Usually fols fin the most accurate speeds seem to be just under 900, 870 seems to be my sweet spot.

When using break opens, under levers, side cocking pick heavier pellets that get you just a tad under 900. When looking for non pcp air rifle. Look more closely at side cocking and under lever rifles. Break opens typically stact to have lock up issues a few hundred rounds in.

Maybe.....

For simple back yard fun I suggest an HW30S/Beeman R7. No fills to worry about, easy cocking, accurate, phenomenal triggers, made better then many firearms etc. Don’t focus on velocity.

Nice collection there cslinger. Ill put he Beeman on the short list, but I'm leaning towards PCP as I have a compressor.
DSgrouse, Since I have a stand up compressor that I use to run air tools, I suppose it's just a matter of finding myself maybe a retired scuba tank, or someone getting out of Airsoft for a tank, then just adapting the compressor to fill the portable tank?

Your compressor will not work. At least without something like an add on compressor like the “shoebox” mentioned. You need to be able to compress to 3500 to 4500 PSI which is far beyond a shop compressor which is like 180 or 200 PSI.

I was afraid of that, and don't feel like going to the extra $ for the support equipment, or trips to a dive shop. Back to spring or pump power, thanks for the info cs.

This is what i would start with given what you just said.
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m..._RWS_54_Air_King/398

I have a RWS Diana 350 Magnum (.22) that loves killing squirrels. Air rifles have gone up in price quite significantly over the past decade.

Quality air rifles have gone up in price but honestly many are well crafted and have triggers much nicer then their powder burning cousins.

You can still get cheap springers at Walmart......I wouldn’t but it can be done.

Weihrauch, Diana, RWS, Walther etc. all cost real money but you get a REAL gun not a toy so to speak.

It’s funny how shocked folks are when I bring one of my air guns to the range with me and their only point of reference are the cheap sporting goods air guns or BB guns of their youth and all mine are only mid grade spring or SSP guns. You get into the high end PCP stuff and you have what I like to call kinetic art.

Just keep in mind that there is a technique to shooting higher powered spring guns that is radically different from a powder burner. Being a good firearm shooter will not translate to a good springer shooter. Being a good springer shooter will make you a much better firearm shooter because it will REALLY teach you follow through and consistency.

It’s a great hobby. I honestly enjoy it more then .22lr.

Thanks guys. Ive got some more research to do now, but Im pretty convinced I want a .22 or .25 rather than a .177.

I have a couple lower cost ones I shoot.
I have shoot some mice with them with great success.

My wife went in to a gun store with me last Friday and promptly told me she wanted a Sig 226 co2 pistol.

I will buy her one, she is a very good shot.

beyond the usual Crosman 760/7600 I've had since I was a kid,

I had an older Gamo target model, ex school (ROTC) Gun, used it to practice off hand for Service Rifle,
beer cap accurate at 25 paces, I don't think the pellet would go 27 paces,

sold it for parts

now have a RWS Diana 34, break action, extremely accurate, and loud,
like 22 LR loud,

I mostly use a Daisy 835 ish (not sure of the exact model, very similar to the one the CMP sells,

quiet, very accurate, like dime size groups offhand at 25 yrds, (surely someone with more skill could do better) and will kill a goundhog dead in the garden,

all irons, nothing scoped

Is there any love left for the ancient ole' Benjamin 392 pump? I guess being a pump there is too much velocity fluctuation, therefore accuracy? I remember the kids with more money had those while others of us had 2nd generation (for us) Crossmans or Daisys. I don't want anything too loud btw, so the Diana may be doubtful. Thanks guys.

I have a cheap air rifle. It's a Crossman .177, came with a scope that I took off, it's spring loaded with some silencing thing on the end. Shoots pellets at close to 1250 FPS. Sometimes I shoot it at a backstop in my backyard. Most of the time I just use it to dispatch iguanas. It's pretty quiet and less than $80, I bought it at Walmart.It's very accurate at the 25-35' I shoot it at.

quote:

Originally posted by apf383:
Is there any love left for the ancient ole' Benjamin 392 pump? I guess being a pump there is too much velocity fluctuation, therefore accuracy? I remember the kids with more money had those while others of us had 2nd generation (for us) Crossmans or Daisys. I don't want anything too loud btw, so the Diana may be doubtful. Thanks guys.

Actually, yeah, I have a lot of love for the Benjamin and Sheridan blue streaks. You can find used ones pretty easily, and have it restored by several air rifle repair places. You hit on one of the nice things about the pumps, you can get a consistent 400fps out of them vs the 800-1000fps out of some of the springers or nitro piston guns. 400fps are perfect for dispatching rabbits or smaller game. They will be considerably quieter than the faster air rifles.

RWS makes a great break open pistol that hits that fps range you are talking about.

If you're just using it for plinking in the backyard, why does moving up in caliber matter? .177 is by far the easiest to find pellets for, .22 somewhat common...… .25 you're ordering them on the internet...….if that's the case might as well go to an 850 FPS .50 caliber....hehehehee

--Gamo ACCU22 .22
--Webley Hawk MKIII .177
--Crosman Custom Shop 1300KT .177
--Crosman 1322 .22