Need a solid HIGH QUALITY air rifle...

[gunsbam45]

I have a Daisy 880 that's a squirrel killing machine when I can hit them. I took it out tonight and put it on paper with a scope, and can't shoot any better with the scope. Trigger is so bad it's ridiculous. It's killed a lot of squirrels, but I'm ready to find a quality air rifle with a proper trigger. Umarex and Benjamin are the only brands I've heard make better stuff I can think of, but know nothing about them never handled any. What's out there that has the things you want in a quality rifle, but in an air rifle?

[pacecars]

Beeman R9 is an outstanding air gun
www.pyramydair.com/air-guns/rifles/spring-piston-rifles?product_brand=Beeman

[gunsbam45]

I forgot about Beeman. To me, the barrel moving every time looks like a recipe for inherent inaccuracy, but I've heard they're good. The whole idea of that design seems strange to me. I wonder how they hold up over time. I need a gun that groups like a good quality rifle, at least at close range. It might get better if I got out the shooting table and bags, but I couldn't shoot a 1" group at 20 yards with the Daisy.

[dvnv]

Sheridan blue or silver streak is another good pump air gun.
I'd vote for .20 or .22 over .177 if squirrels are the main recipient.

Spring piston air rifles (like the Beeman R9 or R7) are very hold sensitive, but capable of good accuracy once that issue is solved.

[needsmostuff]

If you go with a side cocking rifle you get a fixed barrel which solves many issues. Now you can mount a scope or a rear sight on the receiver.
I have a Diana RWS model 48/52 and it is a wonderful machine. Probably not a current model but very accurate and plenty of power although I believe it weighs more than most of my rifles.
I advise looking for a side or underlever cocker. A lot of torque is placed on the barrel when the barrel is used to cock an eventually the barrel will droop from bending.

[squawberryman]

Try the one this gal in Miami uses on iguanas ($). Guided hunts are available down there.

youtu.be/E0U69_ZUCwo

[bula]

Been having a mouse/chipmunk/red squirrel boom here, like crazy ! The Beeman Kodiak .177/.22 rifle is finding more use than ever. The classic Crosman CO2 .22 pistol also. The triggers..yeah the BB and pellet arms I've shot all seem to have long pulls and higher break rates than wanted. The Hatsan .30 is maybe too much of a good thing. The cocking effort makes for a workout. If you want to play in bores beyond say .25, consider the PCP guns. The thwack when it hits steel, cans or cardboard is quite rewarding though ! 

[arlon]

There are a lot of good ones out there! I like spring guns just because I'm not interested in getting pumps and tanks and such for a pre charged gun. Pre charged is easier to be accurate with. The spring guns because of their crazy double recoil are just more finicky to hold and such. Put them on a rest and they shoot one way, shoulder them and it's totally different. Since I use mine offhand, that's really the only accuracy that counts. My favorite is a 50 year old Diana model 35 break barrel I got as a kid and it still shoots like day one. Bang for the buck, hard to beat any of the German made spring guns. I have Beeman R1, HW77, HW77k, several Diana/RWS 48/52s, several Webleys, etc. I'm also pretty fond of the side cocking Diana/RWS 48/52 models. Plenty accurate, lots of power, most of mine were found cheap used. I've had a few Chinese guns but they all disappointed me one way or another and are now gone. You pretty much get what you're willing to pay for. I mostly shoot iron sights, Irons are just faster for me to use and at air gun range not much difference in accuracy for my eyes. All of my German guns also have really nice adjustable triggers. Wish the Webleys did...

[northerngos]

Don’t ever shoot a high end pcp unless you want to get hooked. FX makes some great ones, including a new style rifle that is more like a traditional rifle style. Anything capable of shooting the little lead slugs is going to be way ahead as far as bucking wind.
This gun has been for sale forever, a guy could probably get it for half price or a little better because theobens are sort of old old tech but I have several that were worked over by the same custom guy and they are crazy accurate. If I miss a head shot on a starling at 75 yards it is frustrating. If I miss at 50 I’m furious. Allen also builds a built in suppressor in that barrel shroud and they are very quiet. (for anyone looking to buy an fx Allen is also a distributor for them and offers a great buy with some tune up and suppressor packages as well.
www.newenglandairguns.com/pre-owned-theoben-rapid-allen-zasadny-custom-tuned.html

[parallaxbill]

Oct 31, 2024 21:05:44 GMT -5 dvnv said:

Sheridan blue or silver streak is another good pump air gun.
I'd vote for .20 or .22 over .177 if squirrels are the main recipient.

Spring piston air rifles (like the Beeman R9 or R7) are very hold sensitive, but capable of good accuracy once that issue is solved.

Plus 1, on the Sheridan Blue Streak.

[gunsbam45]

Nov 1, 2024 4:35:57 GMT -5 squawberryman said:

Try the one this gal in Miami uses on iguanas ($). Guided hunts are available down there.

youtu.be/E0U69_ZUCwo

That's funny. Looks like sumthin I'd do. We're probably related. I kept the snakes cleaned out of the water meters in the town I grew up in when I was a kid. That gun looks handy and easy to shoot, which is what I'm after. The old .177 Daisy is all I need power wise to kill squirrels, the little pointed Crossman pellets wreck em, but I'm not against trying bigger. The main thing is I want it QUIET, and accurate. I'd prefer a traditional style lightweight rifle like the Daisy, but I don't see anything like that in the quality line so far.

[pacecars]

Spring piston guns would be out since they are rather loud and also brutal on scopes that aren’t air gun specific. I know you said a “Quality” air gun so this may seem weird but I have been using a tuned QB78 which is a Chinese air gun but it is exceptionally accurate and with the tune upgrade is powerful enough for dispatching squirrels quite effectively. It is powered by two CO2 cartridges and is very quiet

[squawberryman]

I have a friend that is going to go do the "hunt". Daystate and Brocock (giggle) are the two high end ones, straight pull cocking. High end means higher priced than a new Seekins carbon bolt action rifle.

[Professor]

My Dad bought a wood stock Ruger marked break barrel one. Probably made by umarex. It's real good for the money. The high end stuff is finer made. The rws 54 air king that I had was cool buy just too big to carry. I had a 25cal Hatsan sniper from turkey, it was a shooter as well. I have a few old break barrel rws rifles that are great accurate but powerful enough to kill much.

[gregs]

For squirreling, 177 and 22 are the calibers. Personally for backyard or basement plinking PCPs are great. Less energy expended during a long session, quiet (built in 'moderaters' and ease of refilling around the house. I have an electric HPA pump and a CF Tank.

For field use, I think the springers are great. Less hardware to drag around and generally no a lot of shots taken.

Springers are in two types, hydrolic gas rams and conventional springers. As previously stated, springers are hold/position sensitive and once mastered are accurate. Big springers (R1} are violent cycle along with gas rams but they have the power in 22 to dispatch ground hog size animals at 75m due to the weight of the projectiles.

If keeping shots within 50m, a high power 177 is fine, for squirrels a little further.

I have 3 springers myself, a 177 Beeman R9, a 22 Dual Mag and a 177 AA TX 200 fixed barrel side cocker.

Optics on springers need to be tough. Go to a air rifle shop on line and look at what they recommend.