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johnw Online Content OP
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For plinking, garden pests, and possibly some occasional small game hunting?
Would probably prefer to use iron sights, and don't want to send it off to have it "doctored"...

Which rifle is the best bang for my buck, considering trigger quality, ease of use, overall quality, and effectiveness?

What is the best source for air rifles, and accessories?


"Chances Will Be Taken"


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Kind of a broad request, but I'll take a stab at it...If you are talking about a springer, (single shot break barrel), then I'd go with the Beeman R9 in .20 caliber. Around $400.00 I believe.. I bought one from Pyramyd Air a few years back and slapped a cheap 3x9 MilDot scope on her. Like most Spring guns, its hold-sensative, but once you master the "Artillery Hold" (Google it, it will restore your faith in spring guns)..That rifle will shoot a 10 shot group I can cover with a quarter, easy, at 30 yards. Powerful enough for squirrels , pigeons & crows, but thats where I'd stop.
If you want to take it to the next level, try a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) gun. You will need a high psi air source like a pump or SCBA/SCUBA bottles, but once you cross that bridge, you won't come back....Not recoil sensitive, much more powerful & as accurate...I have a PCP rifle that shoots heavy .22 cal pellets (18+ grainers) at over 900 fps and can cover 5 shots with a dime at 50 yds.. Its my "chicken coop rat rifle" and its a hammer for sure..
All depends what you wanna do (and how much $$$ you're willing to spend..). The Beeman being $400 and the PCP rifle being $1500. Although you can get a great lower priced PCP in the form of the Benjamin Marauder. They run under $500. but for all around casual fun, I'd go Beeman R9. State of the art Rekord trigger, beautifully finished and reasonably priced. 20 cal. pellets are all over the place and they are a good compromise between the 177 & 22. (my R9 does about 825 fps with standard 20 cal pellets ..high 700's with Crosman Premier heavies (14.3 grs.) Rifle is factory stock.

Last edited by ds1911; 06/07/14.
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For plinking and garden pests/iron sights that's a Benjamin 392.
Link here
You may be able to find one local to you as well.
I have a Benjamin 347 that has worked well for 40 years and is the first rifle in mind when a buddy needs a loaner for a week or two. They just work and no special hold required to shoot well.
I have others but for a first rifle with your parameters, get a Benjamin pump and pass it on to your grand kids.




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You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend."
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johnw Online Content OP
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recommends then for the beeman r9 .20 and the benji .22...

I would prefer a .22 as the pellets are available off the shelf at farm n fleet...

Is the beeman r9 available in .22?

Is the quality of the benji still the same as my uncles old air rifle from the 60s?


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[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=35fQcuFnjR8[/video]

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MoaT4Xs_ig0[/video]

There are a bunch of good reviews on youtube (lots of awful ones too) so do some shopping and make note of the models that you want to check out at youtube.
Take a look at Airguns of Arizona, Pyramid Air, Straight Shooter and Gateway to Airguns to see which models and features are important for your needs.
It's like Lays potato chips,Betcha can't stop with just one!


"Camping places fix themselves in your mind as if you had spent long periods of your life in them.
You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend."
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johnw Online Content OP
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Well,

I actually have a benji 397 that i picked up from a gunshow for $15 in 2008. Great shooter, but there are times when I would like a little more punch.

There's also times when I would prefer not to pump 8 times, which makes the beeman look attractive.
I googled the beeman, and one article from Arizona said that the company was out of business?


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Actually, Beeman was the importer, but a German company called Weihrauch (pronounced "viro") makes the rifles.. They are still being made and have a great warranty...click here and scroll down to the 5th rifle....The Weihrauch version of the R9 is the HW95 and is identical. Its made in .22 and will shoot hard at 755 fps. Airguns of Arizona is great to deal with...
I also have a Benji pumper and I grew up with that rifle..if there was ever a fire in my house (God forbid..) and I had time to grab one air gun, it would be the Benji...Its an old friend...I will never sell it. I will confess though that the R9 easily outperforms it. Sounds like you already have a Benji, so.......


http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/Weihrauch.htm

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Is either the pumper or the spring piston rifle much affected by temperature changes, or cold weather?


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As a rule the Pumpers are not too affected by the cold temps, although you can count on getting lower velocities due to the denser air. Spring guns will need two or three shots to get acclimated to the outside temps. (internal grease on piston , spring, etc..) Not a deal breaker for me, just one of those things....The regulated PCP rifle like a Cricket is relatively unchanged by weather temps...

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Originally Posted by johnw
Is either the pumper or the spring piston rifle much affected by temperature changes, or cold weather?


Really only the CO2 guns are affected by the weather. It won't be much of an issue with a multi pump or springer.

I'll go along with the other guys in recommending the R9 and 392/397 Benjamin rifles. The R9 is a great little rifle and fairly quick for followup shots, but the Benjamin pumps are easy on scope and can be kept loaded for years with no affect on the rifle (unlike spring guns). I have examples of both but currently shoot the Benjamins more than my R9.

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One thing that wasn't addressed is noise. The pumpers are about twice as loud as the springers. I have a Sheridan Blue Streak in .20 cal and with 8 pumps it's loud. Not 22 Long Rifle loud, but loud just the same. I could see it being an issue in urban areas. The spring gun is more of a dull "thunk" sound... Its not an issue for me where I live, but I just wanted to mention it should you have neighbors that aren't gun-friendly...cause thats a game-changer..
I know you said you weren't in favor of sending a gun out to be pro-tuned, and I get that. But one of my R9's has been tuned by Russ Best and that gun shoots Crosman Premier 177's at well over 900 fps. and is so quiet, it sounds like a muffled finger snap when it goes off. ..(for lack of better analogy...lol).. It is also deadly accurate and is pure poison on garden-raiding Starlings & Chipmunks...Think I paid $365 shipped for it, used.. They are out there..


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Originally Posted by johnw

I would prefer a .22 as the pellets are available off the shelf at farm n fleet...


John...I don't know if I'd limit myself to the "off the shelf" pellets you can buy at the big box stores unless they're accurate enough. My new Benjamin pistol/carbine won't keep any of the Crosman premiers within a two inch circle at just ten yards. Predator polymags do one ragged hole at 25.
If you're lucky, the cheap pellets will work, but once you find the pellet/pellets your gun likes, you'll likely stockpile a few tins...

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Well...

The issue is settled, for now at least... I was in town this morning and found an older Sheridan blue streak for $50...

A local shopkeeper had taken it in trade from an older guy who couldn't pump it anymore... The old guy took home a gamo .177...

The Sheridan is obviously well used and has some considerable wear on it. But I made a 1" circle on some cardboard and put 2 of 5 shots in the top of it from 50'. all shots grouped within 1", fired from my lawn chair offhand...


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Congrats on the Blue Streak...a little advice...think about using the JSB pellet....I tried them in my Blue Streak and the groups shrank to half the size... They are a bit lighter than the Benji cylinder pellets, so you'll gain some velocity as well. here's a link...


http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/JSB_Diabolo_Exact_20_Cal_13_73_Grains_Domed_500ct/477


Last edited by ds1911; 06/09/14.
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Originally Posted by johnw
Well...

The issue is settled, for now at least... I was in town this morning and found an older Sheridan blue streak for $50...



Sounds like a good deal to me. Those old blue streaks are great air guns...

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I have an HW97K .177 cal which I've owned for something like 6 to 8 years. It is nothing less than a great under lever spring gun. I also have a Benjamin Marauder 25 cal PCP That will surprise you with the power and accuracy. I've owned quite a few different air guns in my life.


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Originally Posted by Middlefork_Miner
Originally Posted by johnw
Well...

The issue is settled, for now at least... I was in town this morning and found an older Sheridan blue streak for $50...



Sounds like a good deal to me. Those old blue streaks are great air guns...


$50 is a super deal.

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My Benjy's never peen pumped 8 times. What?. Too too tiresome. 4 or 5 got the tree rats, the roof rats, the cottonmouth and I forget the rest.

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The little sheridan came with a full tin of benjamin 14.3 gr pellets...

I note the above recommendation for the polymag. Any other recommends???


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JSBs are also very good...I've not tried the H&Ns but have only heard good things about them. Reading the reviews at Pyramid Air might help you decide on which to try.

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