Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Beeman R-9?

I'm tired of dinking around with the Walmart level springers. Looking for something that will be squirrel head accurate to 50 yards, and help with garden pest disposal ( head shot ground hogs and rabbits).

Being a fun plinker also wouldn't hurt. Assuming the usual chores of finding which pellets it likes best, and how it likes to be held, will an R-9 make me happy?

I forgot to mention the terrible spongy triggers that the cheapo guns have. Does the Beeman have a good one?

The R9, or the Weihrauch HW95, is a fine springer and will do as you wish if you're up to it. I have a love/hate relationship with my springers.......love their simplicity, hate the fact I just don't shoot them well in various positions found in the field. If you're willing to go down a slight rabbit hole a PCP will put a smile on your face, it did mine. When I really want to kill something, my Benjamin Marauder comes out.

Was always happy with my R9's. Great trigger, excellent fit, finish and overall just a great package. Sent a lot of rock chucks to the hay field in the sky with mine. If hunting is your main objective then one in .22 would be preferred. The difference in killing performance between .177 and .22 is more than a little noticeable.

FWIW: I just purchased a TX200 from a fellow 24hr member. Excited to see what it's like.

So centershot, I know you don't have it yet, but is the TX200 considered a step up from the R-9. I noticed the price isn't all that much higher.

Not so sure it's a step up or a step sideways. Both have their merits - good triggers, high quality construction, both shoot about the same speed. The R9 is a couple pounds lighter, the TX200 is supposed to be a little smoother. The R9 is a break barrel, the TX200 an underlever. Underlever seems like it should be more consistent without the barrel moving, but I have never had the slightest issue with high quality break barrels. The only other underlever I owned was a RWS 46 - no issue with it either. Never read a bad review on either. Springer Field target shooters tend to like the TX200 or HW97 from what I have read.

Supposed to be here Monday, excited to find out.

TX200 is a nice rifle. It weighs the same as an M1 Garand and inserting a pellet into the barrel is very slow and cumbersome.

If you are speaking of grey or fox tree squirrels you will be in for a world of disappointment if you really try shooting at 50 yds. 25 yds is a long shot with any air gun on tree squirrels. Hitting them is not the hardest part, but killing them cleanly. Squirrels are tough critters.

I headshot one once at 35 with an RWS in .22 that then took 5 or 6 more pellets to kill. I won't ever do that again. But my wife uses her R9 every year at her mother's old home place and she does well, as long as she limits her shots to 20 or 25 yds. Hers is 177.

The R9 is a great little rifle, but I agree with BlakBranch that 50 yards is a long ways. I love the R9 for squirrels. 22 is better, but I've killed a pile of them with the 177. If you don't mind carrying around the extra weight, the RWS 350 (break barrel) or RWS 48 (fixed barrel) in 22 have the power for longer range shots.

The R9 may be my favorite springer, and I have only good things to say about them. However, I've never shot any small game past 25 with any springer, so I have no opinion about its effectiveness on game at that range.
I will say that mine are capable of head shots well past 25 yards.

A couple of thoughts:

1. A Diana 34 makes almost exactly the same power as an R9, and with the excellent T06 trigger they give up nothing to the R9 performance wise. Accuracy is equally comparable, but the Diana is less expensive. I just bought a like new used one from an airgun dealer for half of what a new R9 goes for.

2. There are definitely more powerful springers out there, but they generally weigh a lot more. To get more power but keep things reasonable I would look for a Diana 350, 460 or 48. All great magnum class .22's. IMO, the best one to hunt with will be the 350.

3. The only Weihrauch rifle that's in the magnum class is the HW90. Probably 600-700 new....

My brother has a Diana 350 and it's a beast. Very similar to my Walther Parrus in size and weight. Neither is anything I'd want to carry far for small game. For back yard pest control they're fine. A bit much in size/weight and cocking effort for a relaxing afternoon of plinking. For small game hunting I'll take one of my 5-6 lb. .22 rimfires over the 10.5 lb. {scoped} Parrus or Diana 350 every day ending in "Y'. They're just rediculously huge, ungainly things. Longer than a 28" barreled pump/auto shotgun and heavy as an African dangerous game rifle. I'm not taking a rifle that heavy out hunting unless it says .458 Win. Mag on the barrel and the intended quarry is a helluva lot bigger than a friggin squirrel.

Ha ha! Yeah, I get it and I'll easily agree, except that for some situations a rimfire is "no bueno". Plus the challenge aspect is good.
But ultimately, the power to weight ratio battle is won by rimfires...

A little update on the TX200.........this is an amazing rifle. Smooth, accurate and possibly the best trigger of any rifle I own including centerfires with custom triggers. It really is that good. I have only shot it in the basement at 10 yards but 10-20 shots into a little hole easily coved with a dime is the standard. I have no doubt that it will easily be 1" @ 25 yards.

About the only negative that I have found is the weight. It's heavy - need to weigh it but scoped and ready to go it has to be close to 10#. While a heavy rifle is not all that fun to pack around it is nice when aiming and shooting. Been a while since I have shot a heavy rifle and the lack of movement while aiming is noticeable.

All the hype over the TX200 is well founded. It is a functioning work of art and engineering masterpiece. Easy to shoot and very accurate. Expensive for sure, but quality usually is.

Comparing to the Beeman R9........overall fit and finish is about a tie, both excellent. The stock on some of the TX200's is very nice with walnut or beech options but comes at an extra cost. Cocking action again about a tie. Both are very finely engineered and manufactured machines. The R9 is a little easier to cock and load pellets with a slightly longer lever arm and open breech to insert the pellet. TX200 is not difficult at all, but by design not quit as easy. Triggers - while the Rekord on the Beeman is a huge step up over most spring rifles it does not hold a candle to the TX200. The TX200 trigger is simply amazing. A light 2 stage trigger that pulls smoothly into the first stage that breaks so clean and crisp that it just makes you smile every time you shoot it. Accuracy seems to be a wash - both very good. The TX200 may win out just slightly by having the advantage of being a heavier rifle. I would venture a guess that it would take a tin through each to find a winner and then it would be a small margin. Maintenance - while very little maintenance is required for spring rifles of this quality the TX200 is a clear winner. Changing springs (for power or smoothness) is simple. Remove the action from the stock, put the but end on a table add just a bit of weight and unscrew one bolt. Ease up on the pressure and the trigger assembly just slides right out. At that point you can easily access the springs. On an R9 you need a spring compressor and a little more know how.

So who is the winner? That is a tough one. Both are very fine rifles that will last a lifetime or more. Having owned 2 R9's and 2 R7's over the years I know them well and have been very satisfied with them. But, this TX200 has stepped things up a notch. Not a huge step, but it is a very nice rifle. If scored like a boxing match I'd have to go with the TX200 in a split decision.

Here's a pic of my TX200


A ~20 shot group rested on a Primos Triggerstick bipod sitting on my butt @ 10 yards in the basement.

Have an HW 95 in .20. It is looking like it will be a favorite squirrel and garden protector. Go for it. RZ.

R-9's are great air rifles. I have an R-9 in .177 and a Weihrauch HW-95 (basically the same as an R-9) in .22. They are both vey nice but I mostly shoot the .177 at targets. I think the .22 is better for small game.

If you want a middle of the road springer, an R-9 or the corresponding Weihrauch HW-95 is a fine choice.

That TX 200 sure is a beauty. Thanks for the write up. I have to confess, over the holidays I kept looking at those damn emails I was getting from Pyramid air. I also had a co-worker talking up his PCP rifle in 25 caliber, and showing me pictures of critters such as garbage raiding raccoons, and crows, that he was whacking, some out past 50 yards.

Well, one day the email had the 22 cal. Benjamin marauder on sale, with the Lothar Walther barrel upgrade, 4-16x scope, and a free hand pump. I caved and got it. I've only been able to get it out once, on a pretty gusty day, but it was putting 10 shots into ragged holes at 25 yards.

It's a pretty big, kind of clunky thing, but seems like it wants to shoot. If I get to shooting it very much though I'll be looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time.

Have a .20 cal/R1 Carbine.

Really likes the 13.73 gr. JSB Diabolo Exact

Shoots bug-holes through old leather work boots from 50 ft.

At ~ 750 fps., what they do to squirrels and rabbits is criminal.






GR

I bought a cheap Beeman X2 with switchable barrels, 17 and 22 caliber a few years ago. It shoots better then a cheap springer should and has taken more squirrels than all of my 22lr's combined. Trigger isn't the best but it can be adjusted.

GR, doesn't the guy with the boots get upset? RZ.

I have lots of airguns. I've sold off many more. I have 3 favorite barrel break air rifles. Beeman R7 in .177. So accurate it thinks it's a target rifle. So easy to shoot accurately it is "almost" boring. Fire one shot, reload, turn your head away and fire, and it goes in the same hole. This is only a SLIGHT exaggeration!! Beeman R9 in 5mm or .20 caliber. Very easy to shoot and very accurate. Squirrels eye at 40 yards is easy. Enough power with accurate shooting. Beeman Kodiak Magnum in .25 caliber. Some find it hard to cock, I don't. Power like crazy. If I want to kill something bigger than squirrels, this will do it. I once hit a squirrel hanging onto the side of the tree. I went for a heart shot and it peeled him off the tree and threw him onto his side!!! Impressive.

Centershot. I wonder, if you're happy with it, why weight the TX200? You may start a dissatisfaction line of thought. It is a wonderful gun. Just shoot it. But if it is too heavy I can take it off your hands, just as a friendly gesture. Be Well Brother, RZ.