Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Recommend a pellet rifle

Not everyone can master shooting a springer accurately. The beauty is they are so simple, you need nothing but the rifle and pellets.

Every rifleman can shoot a PCP. Downside is what someone above referred to as the "Baggage". Which is either a pump, a high pressure air tank (not a scuba tank) or a small high pressure compressor. Due to the added expense it held me back for many years.

After trying a PCP, sold all of my springers, there is no going back. Extremely accurate, easy to get that accuracy, and velocity close to 1,000 fps (depending on the gun and caliber).

The Benjamin Marauder 'was' the entry level quality piece (accuracy and no issues), newer entries may have replaced the Marauder, even so it's not a bad choice. They used to have a pump/gun package. The pump is fine as you are only topping it off. Most PCP's you will get around 30 shots per fill and then you will need to top it off or you will start to see more drop.

Even some low cost guns have a regulator now. The regulator, which meters the air for each shot, increases consistency/accuracy.

Velocity is your friend... as it equals less drop, I shoot ground squirrels out to 80 yards here. For crows I'd go 22 caliber, you don't need anything bigger and pellets being about the lowest BC projectile that you can find, will lose speed rapidly... the larger diameter and weight of the pellet, the faster it will lose velocity. I shoot a .25 for squirrels, a 22 would work fine, the 25 is a little better killer. Larger pellets cost more and drop more (given the same velocity). Some sellers (pyramid air for instance) list the pellet that is used for the velocity, this is important as some gun listings use a non-lead pellet for the velocity (Gamo, for instance), and of course it is much higher than you will ever get from a lead pellet. Also, in my limited experience trying non-lead pellets, accuracy was mediocre at best, this was several years ago... maybe that has changed? Velocity is your friend only up to a point, and that is around 950 fps, after that, again IME, accuracy goes to hell.

I shoot nothing but JSB pellets, there are other good brands out there, but JSB's are quality and proven to me. Some people buy the cheapest pellets they can find. Accuracy is directly related to pellet quality.

Someone above said that they are not concerned about noise... Most PCP's and some springers have integral moderators (suppressors), they have them for a reason... they are damn loud, as in hearing damage loud without them. It also helps a lot when hunting, can't speak to crows, but if I miss a squirrel I can often get a second shot as they are so quiet that the shot does not alarm them. How quiet depends on the moderator (design and length). Pyramid Air has the best descriptions which includes the noise level, on top of that the owner reviews will often talk about the noise level.

A couple of things I find useful (but not necessary) on magazine fed guns; are off side/forward cocking (like the gun pictured below), allows you to reload without taking the rifle off of your shoulder, which is much faster and can make a difference hunting. I also like guns that have a "no double feed" mechanism, space whether you've loaded a pellet or not and double feed it, and your shot will miss your target... even though there are two pellets going down range.

Every hunter/rifleman should have a pellet rifle, just like a rimfire, it can add a lot to your hunting and shooting opportunities.


Jerry


AGT Vulcan 2