Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Most Accurate Air Rifle, Under $300?

Growing up I had a Winchester break barrel air rifle that would put .22 caliber pellets into nearly the same hole at 20 steps as long as I had pellets to shoot in it! Don't know what the velocity was, but I shudder to think of the sparrow and barn pigeons who fell to its crack! Even took an injured squirrel and one very unlucky rabbit.

I want to get another air rifle to help ride shotgun on my garden and to help my daughter develop some good shooting skills. I'm much more interested in accuracy than I am velocity and power, but really want enough power to help rid the yard of pests, both fleet of foot or black of bird!

Not interested in Co2.

Any recommendations?

Dan

I can't read.

I have a RWS model 34 that is fairly accurate. I have killed squirrels,birds and anything else that will stand still in the yard.

Dink

I have an RWS 34 and an RWS 48. The 48 I have will shoot rings around the 34 I have, but they are both really good shooters.

Tom

I bought a Beeman (Weihrauch) R9 about 10 years ago for $250. It seemed to me to be everything an air rifle ought to be.

Thanks to the collapsing dollar the same rifle is $500 now. I'd try my luck with one of the Chinese clones.

I also have an old Beeman barrel-break-cock rifle that's been long dependable and very accurate.

There IS an "Air Guns" Forum here on the 24 Hour Campfire, and you sould also inquire "there".

Some knowledgeable and helpful Air-Gunners over there.

Thank you for pointing this out to ME! I'll be sure to inquire "there."

Appreciate your time and consideration.

Dan

I have an old Beeman HW30 .177 caliber that is absolutely deadly....killed more birds, ferrel(sp) cats, opossums, squirrels than anyone could count with that thing...it was my growing up gun....deadly I tell ya...and so would many a critter

I have a Beeman GS1000 and really like it. The length and weight are close to a "real rifle". I've been shooting it every night for about a month preparing for my May safari.

Mike

The key with springers is low velocity. The so-called magnum spingers never shoot as well as the low velocity, match oriented rifles.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=001646110007P54

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Dan for the money this rifle is hard to beat ,add a leapers 4x scope [$50] and you're set.
I have one with a wood stock called the CFX Royal ,and two friends bought them with the synthetic stock after shooting mine.
Get a scope that is built for a magnum spring air rifle -springers recoil both directions and can ruin even hi-end scopes.

I have read [internet no less] that after many shots break barrel guns begin to shoot lower point of impact due to cocking the barrel.I'm not saying it happens to all guns but it does happen according to some people.

Also a gun with a 'shroud' sometimes called silencer/muzzlebreak etc. is a must for me ,without one you might as well shoot a .22 with shorts or cb's.
My rifle and both friends gun shoot the rws supermag pellets great and they kill ground squirrels dead -my rifle has proven that over a thousand times !
Shoot the heavy pellets so that the gun stays below the speed of sound because when the pellet goes supersonic it wobbles ,then when it slows down and goed sub-sonic it wobbles again.This process makes the guns inaccurate.
Good luck and remember modern quality pellet rifles are addictive.
Mike

My R7 cost about $300 when I got it a couple of years ago. For birds, rabbits at reasonable yards it is very accurate and more than powerful enough. It has quality feel to it. My old Sheridan rocker safety will do the job also and I found it used for about $80. The Sheridan is a little louder. Some neat modifications for them can be found as well.

I bought a .17 cal. Beeman 1000 W/Beeman 3X9 scope on sale at Cabela's for about $150. It's made in China, the scope is hard to adjust and the trigger is awful. It still shoots 1/2" groups at 30 ft. I tried a bunch of different pellets and found the 8.4gr GAMO Hunter pellets to be the most accurate. I shot a big coon between the eyes about 10 ft. away and killed him with one shot. I don't know what the velocity is but I'm going to check it. It's supposed to shoot the lightweight pellets 1000fps. I bought it to shoot squirrels in my back yard but haven't shot any yet.

What a great lookin' tropy room!! Good luck on your Safari.....

Most air rifles are very accurate. Having a very nice trigger to make it easier to shoot to that potential is another matter.

Since there is the daughter to factor in, the R7 in .177 cal (or the HW equivalent) would be a top choice. Quality tools is never a mistake when teaching life skills to kids.

Thanks Jeff. You need to come see it some time.

Mike

I'd agree.