Which air rifle to buy

Which rifle in .22 cal

  • Diana 54 Air King 850fps

    Votes: 23 29.9%

  • Air Arms Pro Sport 750fps

    Votes: 22 28.6%

  • Weihrauch HK 97 750fps

    Votes: 32 41.6%
  • Total voters
    77
KDX

KDX

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I'm looking to buy a new springer and there are 3 good choices from what I have seen. Post your reasoning for the rifle you would choose. Practical experience with each would be nice to hear as well as how they compare in loudness when shot.
 
The Air Arms Pro Sport is one of the nicest spring piston rifles made. It enjoys an excellent reputation, as do Air Arms air rifles in general, springers and PCPs. It's also the most expensive. All three rifles in the poll would be about equally loud.

As a point of interest, air rifles are probably even more picky about their ammo. That is to say, they can be more picky about getting the right pellet as .22LR rifles are about getting the right ammo. Just as there are few manufacturers of quality .22LR ammo, there are only a few manufacturers of quality pellets, JSB (which also makes Air Arms pellets), H&N, RWS, and Crosman.

With pellets the make, size, and weight are all factors that come into play for accuracy. Each pellet maker's pellets are of different hardness. Shape also varies between makes and varieties within makes. Size varies by pellet head size. For example, .177 pellets are nominally 4.50mm in diameter, but they are available in head sizes from 4.50 to 4.53mm. The larger .22 pellets are available, in different makes, in 5.50 to 5.55mm. Both .177 and .22 pellets are available in different weights, the heaviest among them specifically made for powerful PCP rifles.

To put it succinctly, there are many more flavours of .177 than .22 pellets. That is one of the reasons that .177 is preferred more often for target shooting. If the purpose of the air rifle is target shooting, go with .177; if it strictly for hunting then it doesn't really matter. Although the .22 delivers more energy, game like rabbit is regularly taken in the UK where air rifles have a 12 foot pound energy level unless the owner has a FAC (in Britain, the Firearms Acquisition Certificate). Twelve foot pounds in a .177 with an 8 grain pellet has an MV of about 800 fps.
 
My first air rifle was the hw77
After a bit of fiddling around with a new spring
And grease kit i got it from 11ft/lbs to 19ft/lbs
Muzzle energy. That rifle was solid

Have you looked at a theoben sirocco?
Gas ram charged rifle. Amazing pieces of kit
I am almost certain HW made their version
 
remyltr said:
My first air rifle was the hw77
After a bit of fiddling around with a new spring
And grease kit i got it from 11ft/lbs to 19ft/lbs
Muzzle energy. That rifle was solid

Have you looked at a theoben sirocco?
Gas ram charged rifle. Amazing pieces of kit
I am almost certain HW made their version
Click to expand...

Not many airgunners in North America have seen the Theoben Sirocco since relatively few made it here. Theoben, a former UK airgun maker, designed the gas ram (also called gas spring or gas strut) system. It is used in the Weihrauch HW90. The gas ram system makes for the most powerful non-PCP air rifle. They can be left cocked for extended periods of time without damage but they are harder to #### than springers.
 
I had a Dianna model 48 and found the side lever cocking extremely awkward, nice gun and build quality was good. I was between the Air Arms tx200hc and the HW97K in .177 (I just like .177) and went for the tx200 due to the excellent build quality inside and out. I would still like to get an hw97 some day though.
 
Ohhhhh the pro sport is nice, i didn’t know this existed now i need to start saving!
I have seen a tx200 up close and they are really nice rifles, even more so than the Hw97k. Quality would be the same but the air arms has a much higher trim level. The pro sport looks like the whole package, fixed barrel without the forward weight of the full length lever. No doubt the balance is similar to a powder burner. If i had your money i would be be buying the pro sport hands down! Personally i dont really like the under levers as i find them very muzzle heavy I shoot an HW95 due to the light weight and 780 fps!

All the rifles you are looking at are just excellent though.
 
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Voted Diana. Just a fun story, I bought a Remington express .22 Springer for $100. Installed a Diana 34 tune kit. (Exact same internals). Bought a decent light and laser set-up. 900 fps. 19 ft/lbs. Approximately. A great budget friendly build.
 
IanC said:
Ohhhhh the pro sport is nice, i didn’t know this existed now i need to start saving!
I have seen a tx200 up close and they are really nice rifles, even more so than the Hw97k. Quality would be the same but the air arms has a much higher trim level. The pro sport looks like the whole package, fixed barrel without the forward weight of the full length lever. No doubt the balance is similar to a powder burner. If i had your money i would be be buying the pro sport hands down! Personally i dont really like the under levers as i find them very muzzle heavy I shoot an HW95 due to the light weight and 780 fps!

All the rifles you are looking at are just excellent though.
Click to expand...

The problem is I don't have money, just expensive tastes. I will likely sell my Condor to fund the springer. I'm leaning towards the Air Arms products after checking out some reviews. Possibly the TX200 in .22cal as it's easier to #### than the Pro Sport.
 
Just looked up the new prices on those rifles...and from the looks of it if i was going to spend that kind of money on the Air king I would go for the 97k instead unless you plan to shoot open sights. Which for me i would get the diana k98 or the 430. If your going big the tx200 is the winner!

Or be like me and get a used HW95 or 85k in .22 for $400 and be happy...lol its not for sale. Mines like a laser inside of 40 yrds!
https://imgur.com/gallery/XDoy1dm
May not be fixed barrel but Weihrauch makes some excellent break barrels that come up used on the CAF forum quite often. I have a vortex kit in mine and its very smooth.
 
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I haven't regretted buying a 97 KT. May want to consider pre-owned. Never owned a thumbhole stock and was hesitant, didn't want to lay down $$$ and regret it. I prefer it now.
All excellent rifles. Beware the cocking shoe issue regarding the full power TX. Seems they were designed for 12 ft lb max.

cc.jpg
 
grauhanen said:
Not many airgunners in North America have seen the Theoben Sirocco since relatively few made it here. Theoben, a former UK airgun maker, designed the gas ram (also called gas spring or gas strut) system. It is used in the Weihrauch HW90. The gas ram system makes for the most powerful non-PCP air rifle. They can be left cocked for extended periods of time without damage but they are harder to #### than springers.
Click to expand...

Weihrauch HW90

thats the rifle i was thinking of,thats a damn good rifle to have
 
I've got two 97KT's, one in .22 and one .177. Both are extremely accurate, and both great for critters. I've got a HW100T which is the same stock, when I want the best accuracy and more smack. If I just want to wander through my bush shooting field targets I have set up, I take the 97's so I don't have to rely on an air tank every 28 shots.
 
If you like walnut, the Air Arms TX200 or Pro Sport are the obvious choices from which to pick. The TX200 is also available in beech for a little less money. The finish on the Air Arms is second to none, the bluing is highly polished and the woodwork well crafted. The Weihrauch HW97k is not available in walnut but is in laminate, beech, and synthetic. The German rifle is also available in a thumbhole stock as shown above.

I did not have a Pro Sport, although I wanted one when I shot air rifles. I loved my TX200's, one in .22 and the other in .177. The HW97 is an excellent rifle as well, although it doesn't have the same spit and polish as the Air Arms springers. My walnut TX200 in .177 with a 12ft pound spring kit was the last of my air rifles to go. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with either.
 
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