Any air rifle experts here? .177 or .22

[..]

Under $200

For target shooting in my yard.

[Serk]

I'm FAR from an expert on air rifles, but I did pick one of these up in the Cabela's Bargain Cave a while back for $100 (The box was opened, but the inside bag the rifle was in was still sealed)

https://www.amazon.com/Hornet-Maxxim-Air-Rifle-177/dp/B01APG0T5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530047718&sr=8-1&keywords=gamo%2Bhornet%2Bmaxxim%2B.177&th=1&psc=1

I've only done some simple plinking with it but so far I've been impressed.

If your goal is truly just target shooting the .177 should be fine, if you're also looking at pest control, might consider moving up to the .22 version, although the .177 is still quite adequate.

(One other advantage of the .22 over the .177 depending on your specific situation, the .22 being a heavier load can deliver more down range power without going super sonic and thus avoiding the tell tale sonic crack of the smaller, faster pellet.)

[old2soon]

.177 offin some no name tool truck fer bout 50 bucks as I recollect. Chinese mfg heavy but whatever you put the sights on gits hit. Half a block away a cat Will squeal But no blood. Haven't tried closer in-YET.  Just weighed it right at 7 pounds. Looked ALL over the sumbitch no kinda name Anywhere on it. One longer lever charges it and opens the breech. 100 115 feet from street tp garage door and it will dent the old steel overhead door. Gittin out fer a day of cheap plinkin and fun kinda hard to beat it!  RIDE SAFE.

[Gavin_Sons]

For best accuracy keep it under 1000 fps.  You can have some fun dieseling. Look it up, very simple. I have read about air rifles until my eyes started bleeding.  I'm looking at the big bore in either 357 or 44.

[Pete]

Some .177 can shoot bb's if you want. There handy for just moving animals on with really injuring them.

The AR15 M4 look-a-like has terrible accuracy, works well and seems well made, worst accuracy I have ever seen with bb's and pellets want to stick in the barrel at 4 pumps or less.

I have had some Daisy spring bb guns that were accurate $$$, and some that were average in accuracy $.

Crossman makes some good air guns.

Have you decided on pump, co2 or compressed air?

Some of the new compressed air guns are really nice. May be over $200 though.

[Jess from VA]

I concur with Serk's advice.

I'd stick with .177 for general purpose fun.  I did get a .22 for more certain squirrel kills. (But that RWS Diana air rifle was more expensive than a nice .22 rifle, and the Chinese scope that came with it was junk, and I was never very happy with that .22 pellet rifle.  I thought the spring piston slower .22 would be quieter than a supersonic pump .177, but it wasn't; the thwang of the piston could be heard all over the neighborhood (just like the supersonic snap of the .177 pumped up 10 times).

There's just so many more choices in .177 than .22, and .177s are cheaper (so are the pellets).

Not a big fan of CO2, but 5-10 pumps gets old too.

Spring piston is the better system, but more spendy (one co ck of the barrel, or a lever under the bbl)

Another thing, my Benjamin Silver Streak (pump .177) was all silver, including the sights, and bright chromy sights suck.  You want dark (blue/black) sights.  

  

[Alpha Dog]

https://www.pyramydair.com/

They can probably school you.  My first was a crosman 760 pumpmaster as a youth.  I use to shoot the heads off matches with it.  I still have it but it needs rebuilt which I may do someday. I bought another one a few years ago to chase the hundreds of black birds in the spring away.  They make more powerful ones now like the one I bought for my son at about 1100 fps and accurate.  But there are many options.  Have fun.

Gotta go.  The wife just got buzzed by a fly.  She insists I get the Bug Asalt gun out of the box I received for Father's Day.  My son bought me the lazer scope for it.  The inventor says if its red its dead.

[da prez]

Jess , if you want to get rid of the silver streak , let me know. I've had one for 40 years. I needs another rebuild kit.
  Rob , Wally world sells a crossman 177 , bb. I have one with a scope. Knocked off many chipmunk. Lay a beer bottle on it's side and shoot out the bottom thru the opening.

                    da prez

[NewValker]

I found a Gamo .177 with a scope mis-marked at WW. It is 1250fps. Was priced at $49.00.
All the others were $109.00, bought it as fast as I could.
Guess all that stuff about karma is true...
Never missed so many squirrels in my life as with that gun. I have an old Gamo 750 FPS with a ten dollar scope that shoots better.
As stated, keep under 1000fps for accuracy.
Craig

[The emperor has no clothes]

I found a Gamo .177 with a scope mis-marked at WW. It is 1250fps. Was priced at $49.00.
All the others were $109.00, bought it as fast as I could.
Guess all that stuff about karma is true...
Never missed so many squirrels in my life as with that gun. I have an old Gamo 750 FPS with a ten dollar scope that shoots better.
As stated, keep under 1000fps for accuracy.
Craig

I`ve killed many squirells with my $39 Crossman

[Jess from VA]

Jess , if you want to get rid of the silver streak , let me know. I've had one for 40 years. I needs another rebuild kit.
  Rob , Wally world sells a crossman 177 , bb. I have one with a scope. Knocked off many chipmunk. Lay a beer bottle on it's side and shoot out the bottom thru the opening.

                    da prez

Sorry Ross, that rifle has a dual purpose.  It still shoots OK, but it hangs in a place where any thief will see and take it, and is part of an early warning system. 

Not that that's ever happened.

[Pappy!]

Would agree into looking at the spring/piston guns. They are consistent shooters. .177 caliber.
Single pull to charge and quieter than the spring only guns.

[..]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-Exclusive-F4-Classic-NP-Break-Barrel-Air-Rifle-with-Scope-177-Caliber/53968155

[cookiedough]

I have got a gamo similar to this one on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Gamo-Rifle-Scope-Caliber-6110065654/dp/B004WMFX22/ref=sr_1_56?ie=UTF8&qid=1530063444&sr=8-56&keywords=gamo+air+guns#customerReviews

not a HUGE fan of it since is LOUD and does KICK a lot for a pellet gun.  Is fairly accurate though but the LOUDNESS is horrible and it is very heavy as well over 7 lbs. weighs as much as a deer rifle, if not more.

I would stick with one similar to this but make sure it says WHISPER in the description since you can hear mine over 100 yards away or more.

I have seen my local farm and fleet and walmart selling ones as well around or under 100 bucks am sure decent quality, just do not go too cheap.  I got this one black friday deal at gander mountain was like 180 bucks for 100 bucks.

like most say, stick with .177 unless dealing with critters you want to kill then .22 is probably better, but .177 will do the job with critters as well am sure will kill rabbits, squirrels, and birds no problems. 

[Serk]

One other point, and I'm not 100% positive of the veracity of this one, but supposedly airguns are harder on optics than even the most powerful magnum centerfire rifle. If you're gonna put a scope on it, make sure the scope is airgun rated or it won't last long...

[DirtyDan]

One other point, and I'm not 100% positive of the veracity of this one, but supposedly airguns are harder on optics than even the most powerful magnum centerfire rifle. If you're gonna put a scope on it, make sure the scope is airgun rated or it won't last long...

Yes I have heard the same......

Took me a while to wrap my head around that one but......

Dan

[Jess from VA]

I forgot to mention what I did when Mike (Hubcap) was asking questions.

If you already have a .22 rifle (or even if you don't, but get one), you can shoot quieter with Aguilla Super Colibri .22 ammo, than with any pellet rifle.

I think there is Colibri and Super Colibri.  Both are low power and quiet, but I've always used the Super Colibri.

It only has 20gr slugs (vs 40gr in std long rifle ammo), no gunpowder, only primer power, and it will not cycle a semi auto (must be hand ejected, and single loaded), but it has plenty of power and accuracy in backyard distances.  Aguilla says it is only for pistols, and may hang up in a rifle barrel, but I have some 3500 rounds of it through an 18" bbl Ruger 10/22 (with straight 4X scope), and never had a slug fail to exit the bbl.  I do run an oil patch through from time to time for lubricity.  And it kills pests dead.  It runs out of steam at longer range, but you still must be sure of all targets and backstops (like any shooting, even pellet rifles).

With a semiauto, I single load with the mag out using small needle nose to put bullet in chamber. A bolt rifle would work easier, and quicker.  I cannot say the short colibri rounds will feed properly and reliably from all .22 magazines (box or tube), but it seems to work for the guy in the video below.  Yes, the Colibri ammo costs more than pellets.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2506295321/aguila-super-colibri-ammunition-22-long-rifle-20-grain-lead-solid-point

Hear just how quiet it is in the rifle. (the loudest part of each shot, is what you hit)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUyz0uWg3Lw

The reason you must use only airgun scopes on airguns is that they recoil forward not backward.  It's hard to understand how a scope for a .458 Win Mag can be ruined on a light recoiling air rifle, but it can.

I'd rather put a hundred or two toward a decent .22 rifle (and all it can do for me), than toward an air rifle.


  

[..]

I'm close to city limits. About 100 yards. I will not be firing a "real" firearm on my property.

[Crackerborn]

While I am hardly an expert air gunner, I prefer .22 caliber springers to .177. If a varmint up to racoon size needs to be dispatched,  there is no problem. 800 fps is plenty in .22 and the break barrels are plenty accurate for targets. My Walther was more than your stated budget but a Gamo is a viable option. Airguns of Arizona  is a good source as well as Pyramid. Like the powder rifles, sights and/or scopes are a big factor in making the rifle accurate. I am toying with the idea of the PCP big bore airguns in .32 or .45 caliber. You can buy powder guns for less though.
I still use a Crossman 760 pump even if i have better options. And a Crossman break barrel with iron sights similar to the one you linked in .22 is the number one squirrel chaser around my house. Rabbits no longer come close enough for a clean kill with an air gun even if the Walther with a Hawke scope is accurate out to 70 yards.

[Serk]

Or if you DO wanna spend some money (And time), get a decent .22 bolt gun and get a suppressor.... 

Sounds something like this:

https://youtu.be/gDw_2kpwY3U

[da prez]

   Jess, I was not trying to take (steal) your rifle. I think it is one of the best air rifles there is. I have brought down many a squirrel and a few rabbits.
  I was the lucky as my bride asked me what my favorite rifle would be. It was a Henry Golden boy  ,22 ca. hexagonal barrel ,lever action . A western style rifle. She bought it for me.

  LOVE HER  and LOVE the RIFLE.

                                                       da prez

[Ramie]

This one looks really cool.

https://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-wildfire-pcp-air-rifle.html

[Wizzard]

I forgot to mention what I did when Mike (Hubcap) was asking questions.

If you already have a .22 rifle (or even if you don't, but get one), you can shoot quieter with Aguilla Super Colibri .22 ammo, than with any pellet rifle.

I think there is Colibri and Super Colibri.  Both are low power and quiet, but I've always used the Super Colibri.

It only has 20gr slugs (vs 40gr in std long rifle ammo), no gunpowder, only primer power, and it will not cycle a semi auto (must be hand ejected, and single loaded), but it has plenty of power and accuracy in backyard distances.  Aguilla says it is only for pistols, and may hang up in a rifle barrel, but I have some 3500 rounds of it through an 18" bbl Ruger 10/22 (with straight 4X scope), and never had a slug fail to exit the bbl.  I do run an oil patch through from time to time for lubricity.  And it kills pests dead.  It runs out of steam at longer range, but you still must be sure of all targets and backstops (like any shooting, even pellet rifles).

With a semiauto, I single load with the mag out using small needle nose to put bullet in chamber. A bolt rifle would work easier, and quicker.  I cannot say the short colibri rounds will feed properly and reliably from all .22 magazines (box or tube), but it seems to work for the guy in the video below.  Yes, the Colibri ammo costs more than pellets.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2506295321/aguila-super-colibri-ammunition-22-long-rifle-20-grain-lead-solid-point

Hear just how quiet it is in the rifle. (the loudest part of each shot, is what you hit)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUyz0uWg3Lw

The reason you must use only airgun scopes on airguns is that they recoil forward not backward.  It's hard to understand how a scope for a .458 Win Mag can be ruined on a light recoiling air rifle, but it can.

I'd rather put a hundred or two toward a decent .22 rifle (and all it can do for me), than toward an air rifle.


  

I was going to buy a new  airgun and tried the Aquilla subsonic rounds in my 22 and love them. They make less noise than my old airgun. Problem solved and they are accurate and can use my little browning lever action 22 with scope.

[sutterhome]

https://www.fieldsupply.com/airguns/refurbished/benjamin-titan-nitro-piston-22-cal-air-rifle-combo-hardwood-refurb.html

try this one, has some nice punch to it.

[Jess from VA]

I forgot to mention what I did when Mike (Hubcap) was asking questions.

If you already have a .22 rifle (or even if you don't, but get one), you can shoot quieter with Aguilla Super Colibri .22 ammo, than with any pellet rifle.

I think there is Colibri and Super Colibri.  Both are low power and quiet, but I've always used the Super Colibri.

It only has 20gr slugs (vs 40gr in std long rifle ammo), no gunpowder, only primer power, and it will not cycle a semi auto (must be hand ejected, and single loaded), but it has plenty of power and accuracy in backyard distances.  Aguilla says it is only for pistols, and may hang up in a rifle barrel, but I have some 3500 rounds of it through an 18" bbl Ruger 10/22 (with straight 4X scope), and never had a slug fail to exit the bbl.  I do run an oil patch through from time to time for lubricity.  And it kills pests dead.  It runs out of steam at longer range, but you still must be sure of all targets and backstops (like any shooting, even pellet rifles).

With a semiauto, I single load with the mag out using small needle nose to put bullet in chamber. A bolt rifle would work easier, and quicker.  I cannot say the short colibri rounds will feed properly and reliably from all .22 magazines (box or tube), but it seems to work for the guy in the video below.  Yes, the Colibri ammo costs more than pellets.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2506295321/aguila-super-colibri-ammunition-22-long-rifle-20-grain-lead-solid-point

Hear just how quiet it is in the rifle. (the loudest part of each shot, is what you hit)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUyz0uWg3Lw

The reason you must use only airgun scopes on airguns is that they recoil forward not backward.  It's hard to understand how a scope for a .458 Win Mag can be ruined on a light recoiling air rifle, but it can.

I'd rather put a hundred or two toward a decent .22 rifle (and all it can do for me), than toward an air rifle.


  

I was going to buy a new  airgun and tried the Aquilla subsonic rounds in my 22 and love them. They make less noise than my old airgun. Problem solved and they are accurate and can use my little browning lever action 22 with scope.

Same thing for me.  My two air rifles never get used anymore.

Jess, I was not trying to take (steal) your rifle.

I know that.  I've generally been sorry for almost every firearm I ever sold (couple exceptions for newer upgrades for same model, so I basically traded up).  So I just quit selling any anymore.

Except I have a few old Mausers and SMLEs I should sell.

I'm close to city limits. About 100 yards. I will not be firing a "real" firearm on my property.

I understand completely Paul.

But I would point out that in many jurisdictions (like mine), the basic misdemeanor statute prohibiting the firing of firearms anywhere in the county (except specially excepted places, with lots of acreage) includes all firearms AND all air rifles (and sling shots, blow guns, archery, BB guns, and throwing rocks if you hit a house).

While it is true that shooting a (very lower power low speed) firearm, might draw more scrutiny than an air rifle, both carry the same prohibition and penalties.  So my choice evolved to the quietest, stealthiest (and still plenty safe) way to bend the law without discovery or trouble.  The noise of both my air rifles was much more likely to draw adverse reaction, than the thhuut of the Aguilla (from indoors or absolute cover).  But, all my shooting is for tree rodent control, and no casual target practice at all.  But that's me.

I would recommend you do the local and county homework to discover exactly what the rules are for your house.  It may be that 100 yards from the city limits is as good as 5 miles from the city limits.  I also had to check my State/County DNR rules about hunting and trapping (I did this too), and hunting seasons and licenses (and discovered squirrels were not a regulated game)(a good thing). 

But one must always have a feel for the neighbor and local PD attitudes, as well as the governing rules and statutes.

But you already knew all that.  

 

[Wizzard]

I shot 2 ground squirrels last night with my Aquilla rounds,,and I live in a Townhouse and no one hears a sound.

[..]

Jess, the Sheriffs office tells me I can use an air rifle so long as I use all care.

[Jess from VA]

Jess, the Sheriffs office tells me I can use an air rifle so long as I use all care.

Well going right to the law is the smart move Paul.

[Psychotic Bovine]

One other point, and I'm not 100% positive of the veracity of this one, but supposedly airguns are harder on optics than even the most powerful magnum centerfire rifle. If you're gonna put a scope on it, make sure the scope is airgun rated or it won't last long...

Spring piston airguns have kind of a "double recoil".  They recoil back, then forward as the piston gets to the breach.  This is what breaks non-airgun scopes. 

[Pete]

Jess, the Sheriffs office tells me I can use an air rifle so long as I use all care.

In TN asking a local officer about a firearm law is a total crap shoot. Some know, some do not but all think they do, or they make it up on the fly.

Do you own research via the net about your location and print it out, as you may need it.
Check with the better and smarter independent gun shops in your area, they know.

[Gavin_Sons]

Jess, the Sheriffs office tells me I can use an air rifle so long as I use all care.

In TN asking a local officer about a firearm law is a total crap shoot. Some know, some do not but all think they do, or they make it up on the fly.

Do you own research via the net about your location and print it out, as you may need it.
Check with the better and smarter independent gun shops in your area, they know.

An air rifle is not a firearm.

[..]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-Exclusive-F4-Classic-NP-Break-Barrel-Air-Rifle-with-Scope-177-Caliber/53968155

I ordered this one and some Crosman pellets.

Arrives Saturday.

[Jess from VA]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-Exclusive-F4-Classic-NP-Break-Barrel-Air-Rifle-with-Scope-177-Caliber/53968155

I ordered this one and some Crosman pellets.

Arrives Saturday.

Cool.  

The add says:   Nitro Piston reduce noise by 70 percent vs spring powered rifles

Never heard of it, but it sounds very promising.

The reviews are interesting too.  

Especially, The trigger was fair, but was easily fixed (Google Crossman trigger fix using RC bearing)

I did, and got...    https://www.google.com/search?q=Crossman+trigger+fix+using+RC+bearing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b

And:
 
Nitro Piston
A recent innovation introduced by Crosman is the Nitro Piston® power plant in which cocking the rifle moves a piston to the rear, but instead of compressing a spring, a gas (nitrogen) in a cylinder is compressed. When the rifle is fired, the compressed gas propels a piston forward to compress air in the receiver behind the projectile. The advantages of the compressed gas as a power source (sometimes called a gas ram) include lighter weight, a great reduction in noise and vibration, and the option to leave the rifle cocked for extended periods which might cause weakening of a spring.

Nitro Piston 2
Crosman expanded its lead in gas piston technology in 2014 with the introduction of the Nitro Piston 2. The design has several improvements that collectively increase speed while continuing to manage noise, recoil and accuracy. All metal-to-metal contact was eliminated and the piston itself was split to accommodate a bushing that acts as a brake at the end of the stroke, vastly reducing vibration. An additional consequence of the design is an impressive reduction in the effort required to co-ck the rifle.

[T.P.]

I have a Gamo Shadow 1250 fps .177 that's great on tree rats.
the guys on American Airgunner sure like the Umarex guns.

https://www.umarexusa.com/products/umarex-gauntlet?variant=37034334986

on the program tonight they were shooting the 50 cal HAMMER.

https://www.umarexusa.com/products/umarex-hammer

WOW!!

T.P.

[cookiedough]

sure hope it works out for you and for 80 bucks vs. over 100 bucks for pretty much everything else, definitely worth a try.

good for you for listening to me to get something QUIET and hopefully accurate.

either way, like said,  give it a try for 50-100 shots and if cannot get accuracy,  walmart has easy return policy within 30 days of course.

[..]

Boo, delivery date got pushed back from 6/30 to 7/3.

Oh well, I can celebrate July 4th by shooting off some pellets.

NO, NOT IN THE AIR!

[..]

Wow!

It looks and feels like a "real" firearm.

Not made from cheap pot metal.

Doing the first "break" I thought I was going to have to work out a little harder.

After a few breaks it's a little easier but definitely not for a child or young teenager.

The sound when firing is quieter than a nail gun.

I have to get the sight "zeroed" in before I'm at sniper proficiency 

It does seem pretty accurate at 20 yards straight out of the box. No open sights.

I had thought about getting a .22LR but being able to use this air rifle at my house far outweighs the small pellet size.

I bought a 1,000 pellets and now I need to set up some permanent targets so I can fire from my covered porch when it rains.

[Jess from VA]

No open sights?  

Meaning only a scope? What kind?  If it came mounted, make sure it's tight before you start doing click adjusting.  

Two kinds of targets are fun.  Paper plates for tight(er) groups (I used to shoot a black spray can through a hollow can for black bulls on paper plates).  But you can use your printer and download all kinds of targets.  

https://www.nssf.org/shooting/targets/          

http://targets.ws/

And reactive;  things that you can knock down/over/spin, and things that go clang.

Some of these might be fun.  https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=metal+pellet+gun+target&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=228991954282&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3161024304896278052&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008188&hvtargid=kwd-332994310721&ref=pd_sl_5jxocvc2kc_b_p38

Give it a little lube.  

[..]

No open sights?  

Meaning only a scope? What kind?  If it came mounted, make sure it's tight before you start doing click adjusting.  

Two kinds of targets are fun.  Paper plates for tight(er) groups (I used to shoot a black spray can through a hollow can for black bulls on paper plates).  But you can use your printer and download all kinds of targets.  

And reactive;  things that you can knock down/over/spin, and things that go clang.

Some of these might be fun.  https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=metal+pellet+gun+target&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=228991954282&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3161024304896278052&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008188&hvtargid=kwd-332994310721&ref=pd_sl_5jxocvc2kc_b_p38

Give it a little lube.  

I had to mount the scope on to the dovetail rail.

CenterPoint 4x32 which has a value of $49.99 or $25 on Amazon 

https://www.crosman.com/4x32-mm-rimfire-airgun-scope

[czuch]

Drill some holes in a 2x4. Put a piece of card board behind it and pens that quit working in the holes.
After the pens get warm in the sun hit em and the ink spraying on the cardboard looks neat.
I sighted my Benjamin .22 in at 18 feet. I'd plug rats in the back yard from the bathroom window.
When the landlord was doing his annual inspection he asked what the holes in the screen were from. I told him, and that I'd replace the screen.
He called his wife and we were drinking beer, shooting rats out the bathroom window.
I got my full deposit back, btw.