Looking for a new accurate pellet gun

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pixel shooter

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Been shooting for a long time, but no experience when it comes to air rifles. I bought a gamo 1200fps last year from Cabelas, yeah it shoots fast but sure isn't accurate.

I have these common and house sparrows that cause a ton of havic on my tree swallows, they kill the young in the boxes or throw the eggs out of the box. 3 years of it and tired of it. In any event, Im prepared to pay a little more to get a little more. Looking for accuracy w/ decent groupings. Shooting between 30-40 yards max for something of that size bird. Not sure if I need a .177 or .22 or.25. Again need accuracy and killing power.

Can I get into something for say $7-800 or better? And where would you buy from?
 
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For me I would pick a Weihrauch HW50 in .177 cal. A great manufacturer with a long history of quality materials/workmanship The Reckford trigger is recognized as one of the finest triggers available and accuracy is top class This is a spring powered break barrel design which produces over 800 fps which is plenty for what you say your needs are. Overall balance and weight is perfect not overly heavy as some of the magnum powered rifles tend to be.
This rifle will always hold it's value down the road should you ever decide to part with it (DON'T EVER !)

I would top it off with a Hawke Airmax 3x9x40 (milldot recticle) and match droop compensated mount (Sportsmatch). Great airgun scopes, very bright,clear optics with lifetime warranty.

Check out Specialty Shooting Sports or perhaps D and L Airguns. Let us know what you end up going with.

Good luck, fortuna
 
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Have you tried every type of pellet under the sun? Have you practiced the proper artillery hold?

I've got a ruger hawk 1200. Bought it on sale for $89 at a grocery store in Michigan. Once I learned the artillery hold, my accuracy went way up. Then I went and bought the smallest package of just about every type of pellet there is. I was profoundly amazed at how different each type was. Some shot tight groups, others looked like I was patterning a shotgun. Several would shoot tight groups, but pellet A would group left of the aim point and pellet b would group right of the aim point. It's a frustrating process, but worth it. I settled on Crossman Destroyer pellets. By the looks of them, you'd think they'd be horrible, but for me they group great and the terminal ballistics are awesome (bang flop)

There's not a bird in the hangar that's safe now. Best kill so far was a 60 yard standing shot. Love that gun now.

Not that I want to talk you out of buying a new toy, but without the right hold and pellet, it won't matter how much money you spend on the hardware.

Good luck!
 
Shooting spring guns consistently takes a certain technique and a consistent hold.
Can't argue with a nice HW though. I shot a CZ branded but made by Air Arms Pneumatic at the range last summer and it was very nice to shoot! No recoil to speak of like you get with the springers and it had a rotary magazine for quick follow up shots. It was filled from a scuba tank of compressed air or you can use a hand pump to pressurize the cylinder on the gun and then it's good for maybe 50 shots between fills?
 
Like kodiakjack, I bought a cheap Ruger Blackhawk (Diana 34 clone).

It is the PAL required model.

When I first got it I tried 3 different Crosman .177 pellets (all I could find at CT). It definitely preferred the Crosman Destroyers which punched nice round holes and grouped 10 shots into 1.25" with the irons at 15 yards. I shot off the bench, no sand bags using an artillery hold.

Second best were Crosman hunting pointed tip pellets which cut blurry holes and grouped 2" at 15 yards.

Worst were Crosman Premier HPs which punched nice round holes but grouped 10 rounds into 3". It was my first group with the rifle so some of it may have been me.

Heavier pellets might be more accurate as well.

I then mounted the included 4x scope, locktited all the screws and shot off the bench with the Destroyers. Best 5 shot group was 0.75" at 15 yards.

With practice I'm sure that I could cleanly kill sparrows at 30 yards with it.

Overall for a cheapass air rifle it shoots just fine.

I hadn't shot an air rifle in over 30 years. I had a LOT of fun :D.

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In your price range look at the HW97 or Air Arms TX200. Either of these will fill your needs. Both are springers and both are capable of incredible, repeatable accuracy (they dominate the Field Target world because of their quality)! The other option is a PCP gun and you can get a Hammerli AR20FT with a scope on it that will put pellets through the same hole all day long (yes, it's a field target gun but FT simulates small game hunting). The only problem with the PCP gun is you'll need a way to fill it and a hand pump becomes a PITA quickly !! Check out Airgun Source, D&L Airguns or SSSO. They are all dealers with a variety of guns.
 
As with so many things, if you get something cheap you will not get quality. Buying a spring piston rifle based on muzzle velocity is the wrong approach. Air rifle pellets near, at, or above the speed of sound are inherently inaccurate. Look for a quality Weihrauch, Air Arms, or perhaps even a Diana brand air rifle. Stick to quality pellets like JSB or H&N domed (round head) pellets. Stay away from made in China pellets or Crosman pellets sold by the tin. And throw away any pointed pellets you may have.
 
Try some heavy pellets to slow it down; as was mentioned pellets breaking the sound barrier don't shoot well. And as Grauhanen also mentioned, the pellets with a good metplat will kill better. I do somewhat agree/disagree with needing to spend big money, as the highly regarded Hatsans are very affordable. I had a powerful Walther (rebranded Hatsan) in .25. Nice gun, but at the power level, it was challenging to shoot, even knowing how I should be using an artillery hold. Keeping a scope on a big springer is tougher as well.

Wanted to go PCP, so I almost bought a Hammerli Pneuma; which would have been a good choice. I eventually bought a Discovery package that was a little handier, and on sale. It also, gives me the option to use CO2 from a paintball tank, for more shots, but a little less power.

I think that the .22 caliber is a little better choice for small game, as it moves a little faster (generally) than a .25, but hits harder than a .177. Also easier and a little cheaper to stock up on a good selection of pellets.

I think that Specialty Shooting Sports have the best prices, and are easy to deal with. Though whoever had the Pneuma seemed to be good as well. Whether it was D&L or Airgun source.

With your budget, I would probably go with a Hammerli, or an Airforce, if I did it again. But I still like my Disco. If you are ever around my area, or Edmonton you are welcome to give it a try.
 
if you can find a feinwerbau 300 you will be very pleased. match accurate at around $500 when you can find them.
 
Geoff B said:
What is an artillery hold?
Click to expand...

It is a loose hold, supporting the gun but not imparting any kind of control to it, other than resting it loosely on target. It allows the recoil cycle of a springer to move the gun unimpeded by outside shooter influence. A must to master shooting with a big springer. Otherwise you will get no consistency.
 
Geoff B said:
What is an artillery hold?
Click to expand...

Springers have 3 recoils that happen in a hundredth of a second (rearward as the spring races forwards, forward as the spring slams to a stop, and then rearward again as the pellet and air are forced out the barrel)

The recoil is just too complicated to control with a tight grip. So, the solution is to take the grip out of the equation and let gun buck around however it wants - as long as it bucks around the same way every time, the pellet will fly the same way every time.

Watch some videos on YouTube. It's hard to get it right. Not easy to let go of the ole muscle memory to grip it tight.
 
pixel shooter said:
Been shooting for a long time, but no experience when it comes to air rifles. I bought a gamo 1200fps last year from Cabelas, yeah it shoots fast but sure isn't accurate.

I have these common and house sparrows that cause a ton of havic on my tree swallows, they kill the young in the boxes or throw the eggs out of the box. 3 years of it and tired of it. In any event, Im prepared to pay a little more to get a little more. Looking for accuracy w/ decent groupings. Shooting between 30-40 yards max for something of that size bird. Not sure if I need a .177 or .22 or.25. Again need accuracy and killing power.

Can I get into something for say $7-800 or better? And where would you buy from?
Click to expand...
I've got the same problem with starlings raiding the bird feeders. I've been researching and I'm looking at Air Arms TX200, check it out on the website. I don't think you could go wrong with that rifle. It is one of the best springers you can get. Cheers Pete.
 
Forget springers all together... go with pneumatic... either multi-pump or pre-charged... the Benji Discovery or the old school Sheridan C9... we have killed thousands of grouse and hares over the past 35 years with these guns... eyeballs only... Crosman Premier 14.3 grain pellets have proven to be best... followed by Beeman Ramjets and Kodiak's.
 
hoytcanon said:
Forget springers all together... go with pneumatic... either multi-pump or pre-charged... the Benji Discovery or the old school Sheridan C9... we have killed thousands of grouse and hares over the past 35 years with these guns... eyeballs only... Crosman Premier 14.3 grain pellets have proven to be best... followed by Beeman Ramjets and Kodiak's.
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I've been looking at pcp air rifle's, they sure are accurate. From what I have seen, they are expensive. I would like one but cant justify paying that much. What I was looking at started at about 1000 and up.
 
For the best accuracy stay away from springers, A PCP with a pump would be your best bet unless the thought of handling air tanks sounds okay. A good start would be a .22 Benjamin Discovery with pump. I my self have a XS B50 that I pump but it took a bit of tinkering to get it 100%. These rifles should be capable of 1/2" groups at 40-50yds once you've found the pellet they like best. Plenty of power with the Benjamin and good for parts and service should something go wrong. If you were worried about noise though they are a bit loud how ever your only looking at $600.00. If you don't mind heavy then a HW97 or Air Arms TX200 are probably the most accurate springers weighing 10lbs+ with a scope which they will need. They should get you to the $800.00 more or less but capable of 1/2" groups at 50yds as well. You can get the Discovery with pump and the HW97 at DL Airguns and you can get the AAtx200 at Airgun Source both good Canadian online dealers.
 
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pete dobinson said:
I've been looking at pcp air rifle's, they sure are accurate. From what I have seen, they are expensive. I would like one but cant justify paying that much. What I was looking at started at about 1000 and up.
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You should be able to get into a PCP and pump for around $600... it is worth it... or buy an older Sheridan/Benjamin multi-pump pneumatic... I like the C9's and prefer the .20 cal models.
 
At the Canadian Airgun forum store my friend picked up a XS B50 with pump and foster fitting for around $500.00 shipped but get a quote to confirm. He did need to do some internal cleaning and polishing and purchase a different main spring which cost about $5.00 and that particular gun needs a scope but he got a great piece of hardware that has the fit and finish better than many airguns costing more.
 
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