Help with Air Gun Choice Please

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nof60

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Hi all
I live in Yukon so probably have to order it in without seeing it. Air Gun is for my 9 year old son. He has had a BB gun for 3 years and is really mature with it. I want a .22 or .177 under 500 fps. He is a fairly tall kid. I have been looking online at Diana Panther 21, Diana RWS 240, Ruger Explorer Youth, Winchester 500S, or ???

Suggestions please. School me. I know nothing about air rifles or what the differences in brands are.
 
Lucky boy! I assume you want an accurate rifle, of course. Do you want something your son can pass on to his son? How tall is he? Can he handle a regular length stock and a medium 6 lb rifle? He may need a boy's size rifle to fit his stature and also for him to be able to #### it. What's your budget?
 
Didn't we all start with a Red Ryder?
If you want something more "accurate" how about a Daisy Avanti Champion 499
daisy-avanti-champion-499-180px-180px.jpg

(A "Target" Red Ryder)
 
I'd buy a de-tuned Diana 34 in .22 that way when he grows you can always put a full powered spring in it for small game at 725-750 fps rather than the no licence under 500fps ..........Harold
 
I haven't heard of any Diana 34s in non-PAL. It would also be a lot for a 9 year old to handle at 7.5 lbs.

The 240 is a great choice, and can be upgraded, as well as the 24, and the 280. They range from 5.7 lbs to 6.5 lbs.

Check out the choices here at very good prices:

http://www.airgunforum.ca/store/index.php?cPath=22_31

Not much else in that price range with similar accuracy, unless you want to step up to a lower end Weihrauch.
 
That's about the age my son started with my Diana (600+) in the basement. He learned to "crack it" using the floor and I was happy that anything could distract him from videos for 1/2 hr.......If you get something too underpowered, he may lose interest quickly....like buying a bike or shoes that fit him now, but not in two years.
 
Good point on the under-powered airgun and losing interest. Bought my son an IZH 61 last year and did a bunch of mods to make it better for my then 9 year old son. Problem was, when we went out to a field target shoot the 3fpe it offered just didn't knock over targets. He still enjoyed being able to knock holes in pop cans at close range, but out beyond 15 metres he just got frustrated.

So after six months or so I set him up with my old 2240 with regulated HiPAC and a shoulder stock. With the 6x Bugbuster on that and shooting just shy of 500fps with RWS Hobby 11.9gr .22" pellets he was up to 6.5fpe, double the whack and some modest successes in knocking steel targets over. A rather high arcing trajectory, but thanks to his pocket Chairgun chart and a simpler version transposing holdovers onto a mildot reticle taped to his scope, it's just a matter of learning to estimate distance. Now aged ten, he's getting fairly good at knowing the difference between a 1 dot and a 2 dot holdover distance. And whacking cans out to 30 metres isn't hard at all. He even managed to put three pellets on a 75 yard target this summer... though it took 15 shots to do that. I'd say 5 to 6fpe is about the lower limit for him to feel some satisfaction shooting.
 
http://www.scopesandammo.com/storef...jamin-sheridan-classic-22-air-rifle-kit-p-245
would be another option to add to your list.

I have quite a few air rifles. Personally I would be getting a kid a knock-around gun that has available replacement parts (crosman, Diana, Benjamin etc.). For a non-PAL gun I would go with a .22 since you have a heavier pellet at about the same speed for a lot more "smack". There are a ton of good options including the ones you listed. Do you want irons or scoped? I am sure you've found D&L, specialty shooting sports outdoors and airgunsource.com. I have bought from almost all of the Canadian suppliers at one point or another over the years and haven't had a bad experience.

I have a "classic 22" as well as a few much more expensive airguns. The classic .22 with the GTX two stage trigger (not needed for now) is a fun easy cocking gun that your son can grow into. I haven't handled a 240 specifically, but the RWS air rifles are quality pieces and I doubt you'd be disappointed if you went that direction. The daisy 953 (or any of the daisy pneumatic line) should also be on the short list- and it is a pneumatic so will be easy to ####, last forever and be very accurate without the springer "recoil". A daisy powerline was my first "real" air rifle from my grandfather many decades ago- still works great!

For non-pal guns make sure you go to the lighter spectrum of pellets. They don't generate enough oomph for the heavies.

Good luck!
 
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