Getting frustrated with a Chinese air rifle.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I need to find a relatively light weight medium velocity squirrel killer for backyard use.

My Chinese gun just won’t hold zero and the trigger is just too hard to work with.

[GunnyMack]

I've been an RWS guy since I grew out of my Crossman 760.
I have my orignal Model 45 and the newer 350 Magnum. Both are .177 and with the right pellet a tree rat can't go 30feet after I shoot them before it's DRT.
I always wanted a Beeman Crow Magnum .20 cal but never did get one.
Now I really want an Edgun West PCP but I'm not spending that much not to mention the compressors!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’m looking for a springer.

[Paladin]

The RWS "springers" are the best made in my opinion and you can't go wrong with one. I have had a few of them.

[jkbrea]

Have you ever used powderless .22? Aguilar makes them. They are ultra quiet. They're great in revolvers and levers, and single shots. I think they go about 400-420 fps and max out at 100 yards.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Have you ever used powderless .22? Aguilar makes them. They are ultra quiet. They're great in revolvers and levers, and single shots. I think they go about 400-420 fps and max out at 100 yards.

I’m not about to get myself arrested for shooting a firearm in the City. Thanks.

[Bill in Oregon]

Scott, reach out to Jon Halpin at Keystone. He imported a batch of very nice Cometas from Spain that are miles byond the big-box store Gamos. I am partial to the Fenix 400s with the barrel shrouds. Accurate, powerful and quiet.
https://keystoneairguns.com/

[horsesoldier03]

https://www.amazon.com/WildCat-Whisper- ... r=8-7&th=1

This wont break the bank.

[LeverGunner]

Me and a buddy messed around with a .177 Gamo like that, though his had iron sights. That thing was very accurate out to about 25 yards. We could both pick shotshells off at that distance. It was pretty ammo sensitive. It loved gamo pellets and hated some others.

I have a cheapo Chinese in 22 caliber right now that loves crossman pellets, or at least shoots them decent. I can hit a coke can out to about 25 yards with it, which is about all I expect.

[gamekeeper]

Have you ever used powderless .22? Aguilar makes them. They are ultra quiet. They're great in revolvers and levers, and single shots. I think they go about 400-420 fps and max out at 100 yards.

I’m not about to get myself arrested for shooting a firearm in the City. Thanks.

In the UK we can use firearms in the city for vermin control as long as the projectiles stay within the property that you are shooting on. Of course the quieter the better unless your neighbours are okay with a little unexpected noise...
My little Norica Thor .177 at only 9 FTP has killed a lot of squirrels, I only bought it for plinking but it surprised me how effective it was.

IMG_20200627_145814.jpg

[Scott Tschirhart]

Have you ever used powderless .22? Aguilar makes them. They are ultra quiet. They're great in revolvers and levers, and single shots. I think they go about 400-420 fps and max out at 100 yards.

I’m not about to get myself arrested for shooting a firearm in the City. Thanks.

In the UK we can use firearms in the city for vermin control as long as the projectiles stay within the property that you are shooting on. Of course the quieter the better unless your neighbours are okay with a little unexpected noise...
My little Norica Thor .177 at only 9 FTP has killed a lot of squirrels, I only bought it for plinking but it surprised me how effective it was.
IMG_20200627_145814.jpg

I grew up on a ranch and I could (in those days) shoot a .22 in any direction with perfect safety.

But city folks are different. I need to drop these squirrels in my back yard and dispose of them without notice. My six foot privacy fence helps.

That looks like what I’m looking for. Small and quiet.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Finally!

[Walt]

You said "finally".

Does that mean you finally got a squirrel with your old gun or you finally got a new air rifle?

I recall you were favorably impressed with the reviews of the Beeman R7. Pyramyd Air apparently has them and they imply they are still made in Germany. Might be worth another look. Good luck!

[Scott Tschirhart]

Yes, that’s the one I’m looking at. Just need to decide if I need a $400 squirrel gun!

[junkbug]

Not to drift the tread too much, but what are the various opinions/experiences of a .177 springer over a .22 cal springer?

Thanks.

[gamekeeper]

junkbug, both my son and I have been employed in professional pest control for many years and we both use .177 in medium power air rifles (around 12 foot pounds) I learned that my .177 killed a lot more cleanly than my .22 when I was in my teens, unless you have an air rifle with plenty of power the velocity is just not there, my son and I shoot mainly Squirrels, Crows and Pigeons with .177 air rifles.
However I am thinking of getting a new .22 air rifle because at 76 my fingers are not as nimble for getting those tiny .177 pellets in the breech...

[Scott Tschirhart]

junkbug, both my son and I have been employed in professional pest control for many years and we both use .177 in medium power air rifles (around 12 foot pounds) I learned that my .177 killed a lot more cleanly than my .22 when I was in my teens, unless you have an air rifle with plenty of power the velocity is just not there, my son and I shoot mainly Squirrels, Crows and Pigeons with .177 air rifles.
However I am thinking of getting a new .22 air rifle because at 76 my fingers are not as nimble for getting those tiny .177 pellets in the breech...

Would you mind sharing your experience with pellet choices? I used a cheap Daisy brand flat point for the squirrel I killed this morning but where I hit him I probably could have done as well with a bb.

Also what does 12 foot pounds translate into in fps for a .177 rifle?

[Scott Tschirhart]

Part of the problem might be that this Chinese gun seems to be Riesling on me. Sometimes there is some smoke and it may be doing this inconsistently

[gamekeeper]

My son is the one to talk about pellet choice, in his job he had to find lead free pellets which was a pain.
Me I used round nosed pellets of various makes and weights, I usually zero my rifle with whatever I buy but some brands seem a wee bit oversized for my Spanish Norica. There are so many different brands nowadays very different to when I was growing up but the ordinary round nosed lead waisted pellets seem to work well for me.
Dieseling can cause problems and in the UK if your air rifle goes over 12 foot pounds you could end up in jail. Any air rifle over 12 foot pounds has to be on a firearms license.

[junkbug]

Thank you for the insight

[Streetstar]

I recall one of our members here having a Weirhauch HW-97 and posting pics of it occasionally

Was impressed with the classy looks and great range reports -- it might cost a day or two's pay, -- but i think its in the "Buy once, cry once" category of airguns





https://www.pyramydair.com/product/weih ... ifle?m=829

[Rockrat]

Mine, although not light, works pretty well. Its a 22 cal XISICO, model 46, underlever. Best pellets in it are a "crow magnum" which also shoots well in my rws48. Pellets I am using now are a copper plated pellet. Shot the plain old Crossman round nose fairly well too. The XISICO is a bit quieter (not as powerful) but a friend has one also and the first week he had it, something like 15 squirrels bit the dust, with less than 20 shots.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Heck, I’ll use the dang thing.

But I will need a scope. Something compact

[AmBraCol]

Heck, I’ll use the dang thing.

But I will need a scope. Something compact

Scott, 12 FPE translates to roughly a 8.44 grain pellet at 800 fps. Your rifle is likely well under that. If it's smoking when you fire it then it's probably dieseling and that can contribute to erratic accuracy and premature spring failure as well as being quite hard on the seals.

I've found that the cheap rifles can clean up fairly well if you don't mind putting in a bit of elbow grease. The Crosman Optimus can be a very decent shooter with a bit of TLC and lowering the power on it to be closer to the UK level.

A good spring gun is a fun thing to play with. My Air Arms Pro Sport turned 10 this year. First thing I did was fit an Air Rifle Headquarters 12 FPE spring kit and seal to it. It's a lot more accurate than I am, using proper pellets. I've found that round nose pellets tend to shoot better than most, but have little recent hunting experience with them due to no legal hunting in this country.

For a scope, nice, compact and will stand up to the springer, take a look at the UTG Bug Buster scopes. I really like my side parallax 3-12X32, but they've gotten pricey. For a cheap decent scope take a look at the Hammer brand on Amazon. They have a rep of standing up to springer use, even the so called "magnum" springers. Their 3-9X32 comes with a one piece mount that should grip the dovetail nicely and stand up to the double recoil of the springer.

[AJMD429]

Of course the quieter the better unless your neighbours are okay with a little unexpected noise...

I literally pray every day in thanks for many things (health, wife and family, loyal patients, and being born in the US, where through hard work and sacrifice I've been able to maintain ownership of the 'family farm' and only have one neighbor within a half mile and that is my daughter and her husband and child...

So I can step from my bedroom to the balcony and shoot off a Garand or AR, and. . . . nobody gets upset. . . . . . THANK YOU GOD*...!!!

*...and the thousands of ancestors who fought for 'freedom' in the West....

[marlinman93]

Back during the pandemic I was a little bored and was searching the internet for a new pellet rifle. I came across a Gamo Whisper in .177 that was under $120 shipped to my door with a 4x air rifle scope. I did some research and read reviews and figured I'd take a chance and buy one. It's been an excellent pellet rifle, and very accurate. It came with some light 7 gr. pellets, and I bought some 10 gr. to see how they compared. Only slightly slower, but as good as the 7 gr. grouped, the 10 gr. grouped even better!
The Gamo Whisper is very high velocity with the 7 gr. bullets at around 1400 fps, and not much less with the 10 gr. bullets. It's been a great air rifle.

[rossim92]

You said "finally".

Does that mean you finally got a squirrel with your old gun or you finally got a new air rifle?

I recall you were favorably impressed with the reviews of the Beeman R7. Pyramyd Air apparently has them and they imply they are still made in Germany. Might be worth another look. Good luck!

i have the beeman rs2 has both barrels for .22 and .177. be careful the front sight is easy to break off

[rossim92]

My son is the one to talk about pellet choice, in his job he had to find lead free pellets which was a pain.
Me I used round nosed pellets of various makes and weights, I usually zero my rifle with whatever I buy but some brands seem a wee bit oversized for my Spanish Norica. There are so many different brands nowadays very different to when I was growing up but the ordinary round nosed lead waisted pellets seem to work well for me.
Dieseling can cause problems and in the UK if your air rifle goes over 12 foot pounds you could end up in jail. Any air rifle over 12 foot pounds has to be on a firearms license.

use oil made for pellet rifles. eliminates dieseling

[Mark in MO]

I bought my son a Crosman Optimus in .177 last year for Christmas. He needed something to eliminate some pesky squirrels around his place. For the price we were both impressed with the accuracy and power. According to him it did the job, killing quickly. I think the price was around $150. Given the price, I was impressed. Only downside to me was it had plastic sights, but we scoped it so not a big deal.

[JB]

Heck, I’ll use the dang thing.

But I will need a scope. Something compact

Make sure you get a scope rated for spring guns. Many scopes are braced for the forward recoil of spring powdered airguns and they'll soon break. I prefer Leupolds and Bushnell Elites on spring guns, but some folks swear they have good luck with some of the cheaper Chinese or Korean made airgun scopes.

[JB]

Yes, that’s the one I’m looking at. Just need to decide if I need a $400 squirrel gun!

That R7 is a quality made, mid power level rifle. I'm fan of the German made guns like the Beeman imported Weihrach and Finewerkbau rifles. The RWS imported Diana guns are a little cheaper made than the Beeman German guns, but I've owned several and they're great guns for the price. I'm not a fan of the Beeman or other imported Chinese and Spanish guns, but they have a lot of fans and some are better made than others.

[Scott Tschirhart]

This might be the winner

https://youtu.be/y_kQ3AK-pjA?si=TTo2PCiApCiLt_as

[Bill in Oregon]

Scott, you simply cannot go wrong with anything from Weihrauch. As to pellets, a lot of premium pellet rifles are like .22s in that yours may prefer an entirely different pellet than the identical rifle that came off the assembly line right next to it. Be sure to test yours with European pellets. My Cometas have always shot the Czech-made JSBs well, but sometimes those from Air Arms or the German-made H&Ns have the edge (and it is said JSB makes these for AA). Also be aware that, like handgun bullets, pellets can come with skirts a few thousands larger in diameter than the usual fare. Many pellet guns shoot the harder Walmart Crosmans just fine, but few shoot them better than JSBs.

Here are a few choices.

https://www.pyramydair.com/ammo/air-gun ... iber=0.177

You've gotten some fine advice here.
Use only silicone-based oils for the chamber, as petroleum-based oils will ignite and diesel at the instant of maximum air compression -- hard on your gun and bad for accuracy.
Buy a scope specifically rated for spring-powered air rifles, with their unique forward and backward recoil cycle.
Many springers shoot best when held very lightly so they can do their "recoil thing" consistently. Airgunners often find the "artillery hold" -- gently cradled at shoulder and cheek and forend held on your open left palm -- to provide best accuracy.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Sounds like good advice. Thank you.

I was resisting getting a very powerful (1000 fps) gun when there’s no shot in my back yard that requires that kind of power and noise.

[LeverGunner]

I have a chinese B3 pellet rifle in 22 caliber. They deisel, it's just part of the animal. Oil it a few drops every time you and it'll help you be more consistent. Mine is pretty accurate. It'll print about 1.5" at 25 yards. I have hit an empty water bottle can out to about 40, but not consistently. I've not tried a huge variety of pellets, but it's pretty sensitive. Right now I am using Crosman premier hollow point pellets.

One of the the things I noticed is that the rear sight notch is too narrow. I opened it up to get a good amount of light around the front sight and that made a lot of difference, at least for my eyes.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I found its replacement. A West German made HW30

[Scott Tschirhart]

Pretty rifle.

[AmBraCol]

HW makes some great rifles. That definitely looks like an older one, should have a decent, usable trigger. Nice for a low to mid power rifle. Their quality tends to beat out the chinese competition quite handily.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Nice trigger. Great sights. Gotta keep your booger hook off the trigger as there’s no other safety.

I like it.

[AmBraCol]

Nice trigger. Great sights. Gotta keep your booger hook off the trigger as there’s no other safety.

I like it.

This what I tell folks about a couple of my rifles. "The safety is between your ears - ENGAGE IT!"

[Scott Tschirhart]

It runs ok. Diesels some and needs a new breach seal. But I think it’s going to work out well.

[AmBraCol]

It runs ok. Diesels some and needs a new breach seal. But I think it’s going to work out well.

Here you go...

https://www.airrifleheadquarters.com/ca ... 425046.htm

Jim Maccari, the go to guy for air rifle spares. I've been buying from him for decades. 100% satisfaction.

[LeverGunner]

That does look pretty nice. Congratulations.