Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Thinking about getting one.
Any tips?
Rob
Any tips?
Rob
Anybody know anything about air rifles????
- Thread starter Smiffy
- Start date
PhilTheFragger
Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
What are you going to be shooting?
Targets, pigeons, squirrels , rabbits?
Next doors cat?
Targets, pigeons, squirrels , rabbits?
Next doors cat?
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Bit of target shooting mixed with some rabbits (hopefully).
Looking at a Weihrauch HW77K
Gets great reviews, and I want something with open sights to start off with.
Don't you need decent hand/eye coordination, bit like golf 
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Craigg
Q-School Graduate
Stay away from cheap spring rifles. They are inaccurate. Pneumatic all the way for me.
.22 calibre for pest control.
.177 for target shooting
.22 calibre for pest control.
.177 for target shooting
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
I'm going .22 but want to stay with a "springer".
Weihrauch are one of the best makes. And as I say, the HW77K gets rave reviews.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Can't go wrong with weirauch in my view. I would stick with a springer too. Powerful, and easy to maintain. I'm not keen on pneumatics, they all seem a bit pathetic if you are shooting live stuff, but fine for tin cans in the garden.
If you are shooting in the garden to practice, you will need a long garden, or a very solid back stop.
If you are shooting in the garden to practice, you will need a long garden, or a very solid back stop.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Fortunately we have both Murph.
Also have a local gun club up the road who have a 30m air rifle range too, only £2.50 a session once you've paid the £41.00 joining fee.
Something to do when the course if flooded, which won't be too long if this rain keeps up.
Good choice of rifle. Nowt wrong with a spring/underlever action. Spring type, where you use the barrel as the lever are relatively inaccurate but underlevers are fine.
When you build your backstop/butt don't just put up an old wooden door, or similar, or you'll get ricochets/rebounds. Line it with soil/sand bags that will absorb the energy of the shot. I've seen a few rebounds, one that hit the shooter in the forehead and one that broke a window.
When you do see that pigeon sitting up in the tree at the end of the garden think where the pellet will land when you miss - look beyond the target!
When you build your backstop/butt don't just put up an old wooden door, or similar, or you'll get ricochets/rebounds. Line it with soil/sand bags that will absorb the energy of the shot. I've seen a few rebounds, one that hit the shooter in the forehead and one that broke a window.
When you do see that pigeon sitting up in the tree at the end of the garden think where the pellet will land when you miss - look beyond the target!
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Got a nice spot at the bottom of the garden where the soil is banked up. So any targets will go in front of that Bri.
ruff-driver
Journeyman Pro
Depends how deep your pockets are like any hobby,
If you want to start with a springer look for an air arms TX200, you may find one already fettled but they quite easy to strip and tune .
The HW range have had alot of bad press over the years due to the cut & shut springs found inside many a new gun many any sort of grouping nigh on impossible, barn door comes to mind,
As for calibre , that debate will rage 'till the end of time, for me i have all cals, .20 being the best compromise , but i will always reach for the .177 if out hunting even though it was primarily designed for target shooting
This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine...
Another fun rifle is a FWB300, originally an Olympic 10m with peep sights but seriously engineered for it's age and capable of 2p size groups at 40yds, not bad with open sights.
Even though i own a .22 i only use for close range ratting etc, it has a very loopy tragectory and difficult to learn, nigh on impossible with iron sights once you get to holdover/under
Deffo look at .177 and once you can group sub 20mm on paper at all sensible ranges then maybe move onto vermin
atb jay
If you want to start with a springer look for an air arms TX200, you may find one already fettled but they quite easy to strip and tune .
The HW range have had alot of bad press over the years due to the cut & shut springs found inside many a new gun many any sort of grouping nigh on impossible, barn door comes to mind,
As for calibre , that debate will rage 'till the end of time, for me i have all cals, .20 being the best compromise , but i will always reach for the .177 if out hunting even though it was primarily designed for target shooting
This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine...
Another fun rifle is a FWB300, originally an Olympic 10m with peep sights but seriously engineered for it's age and capable of 2p size groups at 40yds, not bad with open sights.
Even though i own a .22 i only use for close range ratting etc, it has a very loopy tragectory and difficult to learn, nigh on impossible with iron sights once you get to holdover/under
Deffo look at .177 and once you can group sub 20mm on paper at all sensible ranges then maybe move onto vermin
atb jay
i don't think you can go far wrong with German anything.
Ive one i use for shooting rabbits that get in the garden, far less noise and damage than when i shot them with on of my shotguns:mmm:
though i would rec a telescopic sight, i find it hard to hit anything out side about 20 yards without one.
Ive one i use for shooting rabbits that get in the garden, far less noise and damage than when i shot them with on of my shotguns:mmm:
though i would rec a telescopic sight, i find it hard to hit anything out side about 20 yards without one.
lex!
Challenge Tour Pro
I've got one, a Weihrauch, and I never use it now, after we moved out of the sticks. You can have it if you want.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Rooter
Money List Winner
My ears have just pricked up!!
He's gonna be like that for 23 minutes now!
why, has he taken a pill :smirk:
RollinThunder
Assistant Pro
Living on a farm, I started off with air rifles when I was 9, then moved onto shotguns, and then firearms, which is where I am now. It's always been my hobby, way before golf
I've had countless air rifles over the years, and I agree with the posts recommending Weihrauch rifles. I got a Weihrauch HW97K when I was 9 years old, a Weihrauch HW100 when I was 15, I sold the HW100 last year, and bought a Weihrauch HW98K in April. I've also had a Webley Hawk, BSA Lightning Tactical XL, and an Air Arms S410. I only have the Weihrauchs 97 and 98 now.
There's a rift between Spring Piston rifles, known as "springers", and Pre-Charged Pneumatic rifles, known as "PCPs". Springers go up to around £550, and PCPs can be into the thousands. Springers are cheaper, simpler, and easier to maintain, because all you need is a rifle, some pellets, and you're good to go. A PCP is much more technologically advanced, and requires a supply of compressed air, either from a Diver's bottle, or a stirrup pump, both of which are expensive. Nevertheless, PCPs have no (or extremely little) recoil, so they are generally speaking, easier to shoot, and easier to shoot accurately. Springers have a spring piston, which does have a bit of recoil, and therefore requires more skill and practice to shoot accurately.
I'd go for a premium, top-end Springer any day of the week, like a Weihrauch HW97 or 98, rather than a cheap, probably Turkish-made PCP for the same price. I'd only go for a PCP if I had more than, say, £600 to spend. Weihrauch and Air Arms are the best bet for Springers, in my opinion. Theoben used to make a nice Springer, but they've been bought out by Americans, and they're nothing like they used to be. Sadly, the old British makers, such as Webley and BSA seem to have gone downhill, as the last couple I've had have been very poor quality. The Daystate range, Air Arms, and Weihrauch PCPs are all cracking rifles, but personally, having seen the capability and limitations of an air rifle, I'd never pay more than £600 for one. Scopes for an air rifle don't have to be very substantial, and I'd say a maximum of £100 is a good limit for a rifle scope. You only need REALLY expensive scopes when you're shooting at very long distances with firearms, or in limited light.
Living on a farm, I've done a fair bit of shooting, and air rifles are the best tool for pest control, when you're within 30 yards of the pest, or when you must take into consideration your surroundings, such as around farm buildings, barns, shooting into trees, etc. Pellets are also very cheap, so just having some target practice is a cheap, fun hobby. I have a .17HMR rimfire rifle for ground quarry, such as corvids, rabbits, etc, and a .223 Remington centerfire rifle for the pesky old foxes. The ammo I use for the .223 are £1.40 per round, so target practice is a bloody expensive hobby! The .223 will go straight through a railway sleeper at 300 yards, so safety is paramount!
Safety is common sense, so never shoot where you don't have a backstop, and bear in mind that what goes up, must come down!
I've had countless air rifles over the years, and I agree with the posts recommending Weihrauch rifles. I got a Weihrauch HW97K when I was 9 years old, a Weihrauch HW100 when I was 15, I sold the HW100 last year, and bought a Weihrauch HW98K in April. I've also had a Webley Hawk, BSA Lightning Tactical XL, and an Air Arms S410. I only have the Weihrauchs 97 and 98 now.
There's a rift between Spring Piston rifles, known as "springers", and Pre-Charged Pneumatic rifles, known as "PCPs". Springers go up to around £550, and PCPs can be into the thousands. Springers are cheaper, simpler, and easier to maintain, because all you need is a rifle, some pellets, and you're good to go. A PCP is much more technologically advanced, and requires a supply of compressed air, either from a Diver's bottle, or a stirrup pump, both of which are expensive. Nevertheless, PCPs have no (or extremely little) recoil, so they are generally speaking, easier to shoot, and easier to shoot accurately. Springers have a spring piston, which does have a bit of recoil, and therefore requires more skill and practice to shoot accurately.
I'd go for a premium, top-end Springer any day of the week, like a Weihrauch HW97 or 98, rather than a cheap, probably Turkish-made PCP for the same price. I'd only go for a PCP if I had more than, say, £600 to spend. Weihrauch and Air Arms are the best bet for Springers, in my opinion. Theoben used to make a nice Springer, but they've been bought out by Americans, and they're nothing like they used to be. Sadly, the old British makers, such as Webley and BSA seem to have gone downhill, as the last couple I've had have been very poor quality. The Daystate range, Air Arms, and Weihrauch PCPs are all cracking rifles, but personally, having seen the capability and limitations of an air rifle, I'd never pay more than £600 for one. Scopes for an air rifle don't have to be very substantial, and I'd say a maximum of £100 is a good limit for a rifle scope. You only need REALLY expensive scopes when you're shooting at very long distances with firearms, or in limited light.
Living on a farm, I've done a fair bit of shooting, and air rifles are the best tool for pest control, when you're within 30 yards of the pest, or when you must take into consideration your surroundings, such as around farm buildings, barns, shooting into trees, etc. Pellets are also very cheap, so just having some target practice is a cheap, fun hobby. I have a .17HMR rimfire rifle for ground quarry, such as corvids, rabbits, etc, and a .223 Remington centerfire rifle for the pesky old foxes. The ammo I use for the .223 are £1.40 per round, so target practice is a bloody expensive hobby! The .223 will go straight through a railway sleeper at 300 yards, so safety is paramount!
Safety is common sense, so never shoot where you don't have a backstop, and bear in mind that what goes up, must come down!
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Living on a farm, I started off with air rifles when I was 9, then moved onto shotguns, and then firearms, which is where I am now. It's always been my hobby, way before golf
I've had countless air rifles over the years, and I agree with the posts recommending Weihrauch rifles. I got a Weihrauch HW97K when I was 9 years old, a Weihrauch HW100 when I was 15, I sold the HW100 last year, and bought a Weihrauch HW98K in April. I've also had a Webley Hawk, BSA Lightning Tactical XL, and an Air Arms S410. I only have the Weihrauchs 97 and 98 now.
There's a rift between Spring Piston rifles, known as "springers", and Pre-Charged Pneumatic rifles, known as "PCPs". Springers go up to around £550, and PCPs can be into the thousands. Springers are cheaper, simpler, and easier to maintain, because all you need is a rifle, some pellets, and you're good to go. A PCP is much more technologically advanced, and requires a supply of compressed air, either from a Diver's bottle, or a stirrup pump, both of which are expensive. Nevertheless, PCPs have no (or extremely little) recoil, so they are generally speaking, easier to shoot, and easier to shoot accurately. Springers have a spring piston, which does have a bit of recoil, and therefore requires more skill and practice to shoot accurately.
I'd go for a premium, top-end Springer any day of the week, like a Weihrauch HW97 or 98, rather than a cheap, probably Turkish-made PCP for the same price. I'd only go for a PCP if I had more than, say, £600 to spend. Weihrauch and Air Arms are the best bet for Springers, in my opinion. Theoben used to make a nice Springer, but they've been bought out by Americans, and they're nothing like they used to be. Sadly, the old British makers, such as Webley and BSA seem to have gone downhill, as the last couple I've had have been very poor quality. The Daystate range, Air Arms, and Weihrauch PCPs are all cracking rifles, but personally, having seen the capability and limitations of an air rifle, I'd never pay more than £600 for one. Scopes for an air rifle don't have to be very substantial, and I'd say a maximum of £100 is a good limit for a rifle scope. You only need REALLY expensive scopes when you're shooting at very long distances with firearms, or in limited light.
Living on a farm, I've done a fair bit of shooting, and air rifles are the best tool for pest control, when you're within 30 yards of the pest, or when you must take into consideration your surroundings, such as around farm buildings, barns, shooting into trees, etc. Pellets are also very cheap, so just having some target practice is a cheap, fun hobby. I have a .17HMR rimfire rifle for ground quarry, such as corvids, rabbits, etc, and a .223 Remington centerfire rifle for the pesky old foxes. The ammo I use for the .223 are £1.40 per round, so target practice is a bloody expensive hobby! The .223 will go straight through a railway sleeper at 300 yards, so safety is paramount!
Safety is common sense, so never shoot where you don't have a backstop, and bear in mind that what goes up, must come down!
Brilliant post and confirms exactly what I thought.
I want a springer, preferably an underlever, and would prefer open sights to be going on with but will most probably add a scope at a later date.
I used to shoot years ago, had an old Vulcan and my mates all had AirSporters (which were underlevers).
Don't want a PCP, not going to be using it that much, I appreciate that they are a little more accurate due to the lack of recoil, but the one I am looking at (HW77K) is not too bad on this front apparently.
I can get one new for £381.00 and the shop I have been in touch with have a 2nd hand one for £250.00 but I don't know exactly how old it is, or what sort of condition it's in.
Rob
Lex.... my ears are still pricked up mate!
richart
Major Champion
WIth your 'record' can you own a rifle ?
