Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Looking for a springer

Basically for pest control and practice. Accuracy is paramount for me. I would like a 177 cal that can launch the heavies at 900 fps or so. I was looking at the sig ASP 20 but I guess it was discontinued.

What do you recommend? Thank you.

I'm not too familiar with the .177's. I have a couple springers, both Hatsan 125 Sniper QE. 22 cal, and 25 cal.

One thing to know about any springer, elevation is their enemy. Thinner air makes less velocity.

Here at 4000' elevation I lose about 50-60 fps compared to down near sea level.

I'm guessing you are probably at or above 6000' ASL. Just something to keep in mind.

With a multi-pump air gun, you could add a pump or two to make up the difference, not so with a springer.

It might be helpful to give an idea on your budget also, they can go from fairly affordable, like under $200, on up to nearly a grand or so.

Under 500

The underlever style are generally more accurate than the breakbarrel style.

You might check out something like the RWS Diana 460 Magnum,

https://www.airgundepot.com/diana-rws-460-magnum.html#216-6445

While that seem like it would make sense, it has not been my experience. A high quality break barrel is every bit as accurate as an underlever of the same quality. High power super fast models of either type are hard to shoot. Find something like an R7 or R9 from Beeman and they are easy to shoot well. The 460 that I had was not difficult to shoot either but it was not the Magnum version. It did have some issues when cocking where the lever had to be perfectly aligned with the barrel or it would bind and grind (actually found some metal shavings in the action). I have had limited experience with a Model 48. While it shot decent that was a huge, heavy, beast of a rifle and did not appeal to me at all. Every time I went to load it, it felt like messing with a loaded bear trap - if that cocking mechanism ever slipped while loading - bye bye finger. Best advice is to forget high speed ratings, find something that is medium powered, high quality (German made) and you will have a smooth shooting rifle that will last a lifetime (at least). There is 'no replacement for displacement' fits air rifles also. If pest control is the main factor then .22 cal is the way to go. With .177 pass throughs are more prevalent and they just don't kill as fast. These are low powered rigs (12-15 ft/lbs) and don't kill with shock like centerfires.

A little summary of each type:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2007/12/breakbarrels-sidelevers-and-underlevers-advantages-and-disadvantages/#:~:text=Sidelevers%20have%20a%20separate%20cocking,re%20less%20sensitive%20to%20handling.

I have found much to my surprise that the R7 in .177 hits a lot harder and a lot further than I ever thought it could.

Pretty amazing how much punch that little pellet packs. A few years ago I shot a rock chuck in the head at about 35 yards, saw a big splat in the mud about 20 yards past the chuck. Then saw the chuck start flopping around. That pellet had shot through his head and smacked the mud hard enough to leave a crater about the size of a golf ball. That was with my R9 shooting about 675 fps with Crosman Premier 14.3gr Hollow Point pellets. I have taken literally thousands of rock chucks with pellet rifles over the last 30 years and am continually amazed by the killing power of such a low power projectile.

Can't beat a RWS springer. Just be sure I have two. A model 48 .177 and a .22 model 34. I can hit an aluminum pop can at 100 yds,and have killed small game at 50 yds

Said rig is highly effective, IME

The RWS 350 and 460 are true magnum air rifles. I have several 177 rifles, but I prefer 22 caliber in the magnum guns.

Air Arms TX200. Hold the under lever back while loading the pellet if you are concerned about "bear trap" problem. Consider a 22 caliber because there is less wind drift than a 177.

The closest I could find that met your requirements is a Beeman R9 in the package is ~$600

Other available rifles are more expensive, too fast, or don't have a lifetime warranty or accuracy of the Beeman.

I have an Weihrauch HW 97K .177, HW35E in .177 and getting a HW80K in .25
German made, very good quality.. known as Beeman in the US.

Krale in Netherlands sends to US regularly and quite good prices.

Gave a couple dozen rock chucks the old dirt nap with my R9 just yesterday. A high quality springer is an engineering masterpiece and a joy to shoot......a cheap one is an awful experience all around.

Old pic, same result.

FWIW - my healthy Berman R9 (aka Weihrauch HW95) does 775 with Crosman 10.5 domes at sea level, and nearly 800 with H&N 10.64 Baracudas.
My Walther Parrus should do 950 with either.

If you are at 6,000 feet of elevation, I'm guessing you will lose 100 to 150 fps from my numbers.

Either rifle is a good choice - the R9 is great quality & accuracy with good power, the Parrus is good quality, very good accuracy and great power.

A Diana 350 is very good quality, very good accuracy and great power.

The Parrus is extra heavy, and discontinued. I would look for one of the other two. Both have better triggers too.
Krale is definitely your friend if you buy an HW95.

Also, for much less money, consider a Hatsan 95 or their 125. Enough to get you a quality scope and still meet your budget
Both are powerful (the 125's are extremely powerful) and pretty accurate. 125s are not for plinking unless you are very strong - they take extra effort to cock. No big deal for hunting though.

Take a look at Montana Marine's post here about shooting a block of ice with his 125. You'll see what I mean. And you may decide on a .22 or .25....

Be aware - most springers are tough on scopes. The magnums are scope destroyers. Buy something like a Hawke AirMax that is made for them and has a no questions warranty. And I recommend a 1 piece BKL mount if you get a 350 or bigger rifle.

The springer world is a lot of fun, and very rewarding. Learning to shoot one well is a good challenge.

I get 675 fps out of my R9 with 14.3gr Crosman Premiers @ 4000'. Does a number on 5-6# rock chucks out to 50 or 60 yards.

Thats a nice velocity at that elevation Centershot.
I'd say that you have a keeper!

That's almost EXACTLY what I got with my R9 .20 with CP. Speed and effective range.

Once you get above the R9 in power, typically I found the weight of the rifle is more than I want, and the force to cock.

I had a RWS 34 in .22 long ago, power was not lacking, but it lacked the accuracy, smooth firing, nice trigger, etc. that is found in the R9, HWs and the former FWB 124s.

I don’t know what speed I get out of my R7, but I have taken at least 15-20 good sized cottontail rabbits in the head with it. And it is great fun to shoot freestanding at a wiffle ball and bounce it across the yard.

The R7 has been a great trouble free air rifle. I’ve had it since 2007 with zero problems.