hey guys, im looking for a good reliable air rifle with a scope under 500$. I was thinking about the Benjamin trail np2. im going to use it for target shooting, pest control and maybe rabbit or grouse hunting. im open to any other suggestion and i want to know your toughts on the Benjamin trail np2! thank you
best .22 air rifle under 500$?
- Thread starter mactaco
- Start date
The Diana (RWS) Model 34 is a good spring piston air rifle, available in .177 and .22 and may fit in your budget. It is a much better rifle than the Benjamin Trail. They are available at a variety of places. See Specialty Shooting Sports https://www.specialtyshootingsportsoutdoors.com/air-gun/rifles/diana-rws.html and D&L Airguns https://www.dlairgun.com/Air-Rifles/Diana/ For a scope, it must be airgun rated as the two-way recoil from a springer can be hard on scopes. See the places linked for Hawke or Leapers scopes.
I would avoid the Benjamin Trail. I owned one, and was not a fan. With a lot of practice, it could eventually become somewhat suitable for rabbit hunting, but the accuracy would be 2" groups at best at 50 yards. Also, I need to mention that when Benjamin / Crosman state that their rifles will hit some stated FPS rating, they are doing that with useless low weight pellets which can't hit the broad side of a barn.
As mentioned above, the Diana would be a great pick. Personally, I'd go with the Panther:
https://www.specialtyshootingsports...reak-barrel-air-rifle.html#fndtn-product_info
Nothing wrong with that, but it will have an unusual recoil like all high powered springers (and nitro pistons) do. You'll need to learn to hold the rifle in the exact same way every time, or your accuracy will never be decent.
To avoid the springer kick, you can go with CO2 or pneumatic. A cheap option for CO2 is the QB78:
http://www.airgunforum.ca/store/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=30
Cheap and effective. Actually fires .22 pellets around 500 fps, and can easily be modified to shoot faster, or can be switched over to high pressure air. It should shoot decent right out of the box, and it's dirt cheap.
Alternatively, you could go for pneumatics. There are multi pump pneumatics, but they're basically all crap. There are also pre-charged pneumatics, but they are costly. The cheapest typical PCP is the Benjamin Disco:
https://www.specialtyshootingsports...eumatic-air-rifle-177.html#fndtn-product_info
Unfortunately, this will require an air source. You can fill it with a hand pump, or with a scuba tank. Cheap hand pumps are around $200. You'd be in for over $500 before even looking at a scope.
In any case, hope this was helpful. I'm big into airguns and am happy to answer any follow up questions you have. Just PM me.
As mentioned above, the Diana would be a great pick. Personally, I'd go with the Panther:
https://www.specialtyshootingsports...reak-barrel-air-rifle.html#fndtn-product_info
Nothing wrong with that, but it will have an unusual recoil like all high powered springers (and nitro pistons) do. You'll need to learn to hold the rifle in the exact same way every time, or your accuracy will never be decent.
To avoid the springer kick, you can go with CO2 or pneumatic. A cheap option for CO2 is the QB78:
http://www.airgunforum.ca/store/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=30
Cheap and effective. Actually fires .22 pellets around 500 fps, and can easily be modified to shoot faster, or can be switched over to high pressure air. It should shoot decent right out of the box, and it's dirt cheap.
Alternatively, you could go for pneumatics. There are multi pump pneumatics, but they're basically all crap. There are also pre-charged pneumatics, but they are costly. The cheapest typical PCP is the Benjamin Disco:
https://www.specialtyshootingsports...eumatic-air-rifle-177.html#fndtn-product_info
Unfortunately, this will require an air source. You can fill it with a hand pump, or with a scuba tank. Cheap hand pumps are around $200. You'd be in for over $500 before even looking at a scope.
In any case, hope this was helpful. I'm big into airguns and am happy to answer any follow up questions you have. Just PM me.
This is a very powerful springer. As such it will be challenging to use for target shooting.
Don't skimp out on a scope, the 350 is hard on scopes. It is also quite hold sensitive.
My brother has the 350 Magnum. That's a bigger/longer rifle, and great-looking. It took him some time and practice to figure out what hold and pellets it preferred. But it keeps up with my Diana 34s for accuracy, and I've witnessed him punch clean through Eastern Grey squirrel shoulders out to 50 yards. Clean through a ground hog head at 20 yards. I recommend .22 cal. That's where that spring shines. You may want to save for a Vortek spring/seal kit as well, it made a difference.
A spring piston air rifle has two-way (forward and backward) recoil that will destroy a scope that is not airgun rated. That is why a scope mount with a retaining pin is necessary. The D350 is a magnum springer with very heavy two-way recoil. PB rifles don't have the two-way recoil of springer air rifles.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Yep, my bro has a Leapers 3-9x on it that's held up well. Hate to sound pessimistic but scopes today are all junk. We don't want to pay, nobody wants to build quality. It'll be hit and miss whatever you buy, but you need an airgun rated scope. Leapers are built to take it, just don't be fooled by their warranty. I hear they make excuses and don't honor it. I have the 3-9x on my D34 and have a Hawke on order to replace it. Hawke is hit/miss, too. But they honor the warranty.
