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I've 78 years down the road'
Looking for something for shooting practice. Wondering if it's made.
1. .177
2. 6 pounds maximum
3. Adjustable trigger - something that I can get to 2 pounds.
4. "Pump up power" I have a small indoors area that could be utilized and acres of huntable outside.
5. Scopeable. Older eyes are having major problems with iron sights.
6. Consistent accuracy - minute of Coke can at 25 yards would be nice.
7. No more than $250

What do you suggest?

Thanks
Jim

Since you asked for suggestion, here is mine. Stay away from the Wally world offerings and look at the "Our Take" forum on Straight Shooters. Select a rifle, then click on the Our Take tab. Normally they will give a pretty good evaluation of the product with the pros and cons along with velocity expectations. I personally like the gas ram guns. For the practice you describe, I would suggest a .177 caliber. Some will come as a package with a scope included. Coke can accuracy can be far exceeded by most of the air rifles out there. More like dime-nickel sized at 25 yards. They are quite a pleaseure to shoot.

I'm only 10 years behind you and I got my first air rifle in Sept. 2015 for much the same reasons; such as scopeable and minute of coke can accuracy. Wanted to squirrel hunt also just for kicks and I was told to get a .22 cal. although I was also told .177 would work. Wound up with a .22 cal. Benjamin Trail with the Nitro Piston 2 system. Came with a 3-9x Center Point scope already on it and so far it's been a lot of fun. Will take squirrels out to about 25 yds. and is lethal on 12 oz. cans. Only problem is that now the MSRP is up to about 280 bucks and the weight is given as 8 pounds. Crosman has a lot of other, lighter. less expensive models in .177 that might be worth checking out; many of which also come with a scope.

Thanks for the responses guys.
I sent an email to Pyramyd Air asking the same questions. Wonder what they will come up with.

Jim

Just out of curiosity let us know what they say......... If I ever upgrade from what I've got now those PCP ( Pre Charged Pneumatic ) guns look real interesting. Even if they are a lot more money. I've looked at some of the Crosman PCP stuff and if I ever decided to splurge they even have a custom shop that offers a bunch of options.

The Disco (Discovery) and the other budget synthetic stocked rifle will get you in the game,but must be pumped or supplied air filled at a cost almost equal to or exceeding the cost of the gun.
Remember it looks like a bike pump, but you are charging a 2,000 psi charge.
Good thing about the Disco or Maximus(?) is their light weight, and can be packaged into a nice package from some of the on line stores.
Look for videos on both of those on youtube.
Minute of Coke can at 25 yards . . . . Both of those should give you minute of "O" on the side of the can at 25 yards.
Of course the Marauder is a leap up in price and performance and weight.

Someone came out with a big bottle air supply gun that is supposed to be very accurate and all at a budget price, but my mind is blank.

Several sites around dedicated to airguns too.

Was checking off your boxes like mad until the last one. Would still highly recommend you up your budget $50 and get a Beeman R7 177cal.You will wish you would have bought one years ago.

I know that you asked about a .177 and this is the Air gun forum, but for less than $10.00 down at the hardware store for a 100 pack of CCI CB 29 grain shorts and the .22 that you probably already own, that .22 CB at 710 fps would be quieter, deadlier and easier to shoot than a pump up air rifle. As a kid I loved my pump up Sheridan .20 air rifle and it sure helped develop a 10 year old's shoulder muscles, but while I still have it, With the huge variety of ammunition available including that sub sonic quiet stuff, a .22 is more practical for me now.

A consideration. The Sheridan Blue streak and Silver streak .20 caliber rifles meet your specs. I have had one for about fifty years. I has killed beaucoup bunnies and squirrels, the odd woodchuck and crow. I've had a scope on it off and on. Finding pellets is not6 quite so easy, but it's not a problem. Like Windfall said above, the .22 CB loads are a very viable solution. I take one with me to my "deer stand" when I am crossbow hunting and it doesn't bother Bambi that I am popping varmints. They are quieter than the firing pin out of a long barrel target rifle. They can be an issue accuracy wise in some rifles because they are short but buying the CB longs helps.

A cheap, mostly plastic, Daisy 880 from Walmart will easily meet your criteria except the adjustable two pound trigger. Put a $40 scope on it and you should be able to hold under one inch groups at 25 yards with Crosman 7.9 cardboard box domed pellets.

Maybe check out the Seneca Dragonfly?

I've never owned a Benjamin 307 but they have a loyal following.

If you consider going the CO2 route, an Umarex Fusion or QB78 are good options.

Here is the Pyramid Air reply:

Jim; The closest we have are these: https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_392_pump_air_rifle/205 $172.95 I suggest the 22 cal if you are going to hunt-more effective. https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_397/206 $172.95 (the same gun in .177 cal). https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Seneca_Dragonfly_Multi_Pump_Air_Rifle/4514/8800 $179.99 (22 cal) or https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Seneca_Dragonfly_Multi_Pump_Air_Rifle/4514/8799 (.177 cal) These are the best choices for your application. Most of the other multi-pumps are cheap kids guns. Thank You,Mark.

My response was:

Mark
1. How is scope mounted and how is trigger adjusted on Seneca_Dragonfly_Multi_Pump_Air_Rifle/4514/8799
2. According to your specs. the Benjamin_397/206 weighs 5.5 pounds and the trigger pull is 5.5 pounds.

Could you please read my above spec. request again and come closer to those requests?
Thanks
Jim

Their "Chat" guy suggests - Weihrauch HW30S

What do you know about this one?

Well, you got lucky..because their sales person recommended WHAT YOU NEED rather than what the merely wanted to SELL you..

The HW30-S is a great choice.

The HW30-S is the Weihrauch model designation for the rifle they make for Beeman called the R-7 ..It 's the same gun..
The "S" means it has the match grade REKORD trigger design. Most folks who own one consider it about the best money you can spend on an airgun in terms of quality and utility for the $$ spent.

They develope about 600 fos in .177 which is equal to most Olympic match Air rifles.The firing behavior is smooth with little "buzz"..They don't tear up scopes. Any decent rimfire scope with good mounts will.work just fine.

The HW3O/Beeman.R-7.rifles. in .177 they are a peach. Mine is.my."back" door rifle..When the pellet us properly placed they will take game out to 30 yards up.to the size of skunks. My R-7 has killed a truck load of short range vermin around my place and is wonderfully safe and quiet for target shooting.

Mine will shoot Crosman 7.9 HPs into.less thsn jalf an inch at 25 yards..

Pyramid Air is Running a 4th of July special through tomorrow..11% off and free shipping..
That would put you in a.new HW30-S for $266.99 to your door. Plus you get a free steel knockdown "rat" field target...

If I were you, I would get off the fence and buy one pronto...


https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Weihrauch_HW30S_Air_Rifle/2018/4099

If those are really the same gun, the R7 appears to have a Lifetime Warranty.

There us no "IF" about it.

The only real difference is the name. .FWIW, the standard Pyramid warrantee with the HW30-S is one year.
Guns being the sinple machines they are- if you get one that is not right, the issues generally show up pretty fast. With an airgun , about the first two tins of pellets...

The Beeman warrantee will cost an extra $33 since coupons are not allowed on the purchase of the R-7.

Weihrauch has been in business 100 years and is a family owned company. The Beeman Comosny has nvever mafe a gun..Badicallt it us just a 40 year old Marketing brand that has changed hand 4 times in 40 years.

Unlike Crosman or the Chinese, the Weihrauchs DO NOT put their name on crap. They do everything humanly possible to.make sure only good guns go out their door. Go on Youtube and watch a few of the Weirauch factory your videos. Those people are serious about quality.

It's worth noting that in my shooting career I have bought more USED Weihrauch springers (with no warrantees) than new ones
.and never had a bit of trouble with any of them..

In the end , I trust Weihrauch's QC and inherent build quality more than Pyramid Air/ Beeman's "lifetime" warrantee..Both in practice and longevity.



I would buy the HW-30 and put thar $33 extra dollars into 4 tins of good .177 pellets. At Pyramid you buy 3 and get the 4th tin free, so $33 will cover most of a nice selection of JSB,H&N and other brands of pellets.

Money well spent no matter which way you go..

I just ordered this 30S from PyramidAir after seeing these posts. I'll let y'all know the results.

I've been thinking about an HW50-S or HW95 myself. What is your experience if any with those ? Are they hold sensitive ? Twangy ? {I really hate that} How accurate at say 40 yards ?

Basically all springers are "twangy". I agree with Blackheart about hating a "twangy" air rifle. You can spend the extra $$$ 's and have a springer tuned by one of the air gun guru's. The tune does make a difference both in accuracy and sound. You should not leave a springer cocked for very long as the spring will tend to take a set and over a long period this will affect accuracy and velocity. This was one of the reasons in my original reply that I mention the gas piston air rifles. For this type of rifle you cock it and are compressing gas (air) in a sealed piston. With the gas piston type air rifles you eliminate the "twang".

They are both good guns.

The HW95 is heavier and more expensive and puts out a bit more power.

The HW50-S is a 6 lb rifle that puts out just under 12 ftlbs (twice what the JW30/R7s do)
The HW95 is the same gun as the Beeman R9.. They weight about 7.5 lbs and put out 15 ft lbs..

Both can be a bit "buzzy" out of the box but NOTHING like cheap magnum Chinese specials ..There is also a bit of luck of the draw between guns as they do vary slightly. All of them smooth out with use .

If I was getting a .177 and wanted a light gun, I would get the HW50.
If I did not mind the extra weight and /or wanted a .22 - I would get the HW95.

I think due to the cocking linkage, the HW95 is a bit easier to cock in relation to its power level. The HW50S is quite a bit of power crammed into a small package.

Well, actually not all springers "twang" due to their power level (6-7ftlbs) the R7/HW30S rifle really don't have any buzz on firing. Which is why they are so univesally loved by those who own them.

There is sort of a magic physics formula of rifle weight vs ftlbs of muzzle energy at work there. As long as the gun does not put out more than one ft lb of muzzle energy per pound of rifle weight, the gun is usually well behaved. The HW39/R7 rifles weigh six pounds and put out that anount at the muzzle. ..

Most Olymic grade Match spring rifles put out HALF their weight in muzzle energy.
Magunm springers usuly put out TWICE as much.. Its a matter of mass vs stored energy.

Gas tams have their own problems . Yes they elimnate " twang" but they actually are less reliable than spring pistons.They van leak and or explode (yes- explode) They have no twang, but a sharper snap to the firing cycle and are very hard on scopes.

Spings are cheaper and easier to replace as well. When Walther set out to design new state of the art piston guns with their LGV and LGU series ,they DID NOT use a gas ram to do it. That should tell you something.