Air rifle advice wanted!

[SimonM]

Hi all,

After many years away from the airgun scene, I am thinking about buying one again. I have always had spring rifles in the past, various makes including Theoben, Park, BSA and Weihrauch.

My question is, with all the advances should I go for a springer, pre charged or CO2? (I realise that CO2 is not really a hunting option, but look forward to you proving me wrong!)

Use will include a little Field Target and a little bunny bagging (permission available already).

 

[Bernie Garland]

hi simon

only one way to go imo precharged co2, try the air arms s410

bernie

 

[spamel]

Depends how much wonga you've got to spend. PCP can be expensive to set yourself up, springers you can shoot all day with just a pocket full of pellets and a bag to put your kill in. Keep an eye out on the airgunbbs for some good deals though, my brother got an S410 in .22 with dive bottle and white antler scope and mounts for 350 quid, a bargain.

 

[SimonM]

Thanks guys - I am looking at some s410 reviews now, looks nice!

Simon

 

[Cap'n Badger]

Springer fer I.....no need fer recharge an' can be easily upgraded....(shhh..didn't tell ye that...winks).lol

 

[Toots]

Hi Simon.
IMHO a Theoben gas ram is the way to go. If I were to get another air rifle (which is quite likely) it would be a Theoben fenman. I don't thing they meke 'em anymore but very nice second hand one should be easy (ish) to come by. Pre charged pneumatics are allegedly more accurate coz they don't recoil quite the same (no piston accelerating forwards then coming to an abrupt halt as the pellet is spat out the muzzle) but you will become a slave to a divers cylinder, needing to return to it after 80 or 100 shots to fill the thing with air. Just my £0.02 .

 

[spamel]

This is the down side to PCP, the topping up. If you are on the ranges, then it makes a difference, but if you are out walloping rabbits, then you won't need to be using the 80+ shot capacity. The S200 rifle has been released with a nicer one piece stock and is a fair accurate rifle by what I've heard. You can get an upgrade to make it a multishot as well.

 

[SimonM]

So, what does a divers bottle cost then? Do I have to own one, or will a divers centre fill the rifle direct?

Simon

 

[Bernie Garland]

So, what does a divers bottle cost then? Do I have to own one, or will a divers centre fill the rifle direct?

Simon

hi simon
i got my bottle of the bay 15 quid and 30 quid for gauge and adapter and a quid for a fill,the dive centre down here charge about 130 for it all but fill it free for life so its what way you want to go,but if your using a rifle for hunting you'll never use all 80 shots, and if plinking at home your with the bottle.
hope it helps

bernie

 

[SimonM]

Cheers Bernie! I like the thought of Precharged but have a £300 or so budget, so might struggle to find a full set up for that.

We'll seewhat comes up over the next few weeks!

Simon

 

[Bernie Garland]

Cheers Bernie! I like the thought of Precharged but have a £300 or so budget, so might struggle to find a full set up for that.

We'll seewhat comes up over the next few weeks!

Simon

hi simon

see what you can get off airgunbbs

bernie

 

[spamel]

Like I say, 350 quid got my brother an awesome setup from the airgunbbs. Shame he hardly uses it!

 

[TallMikeM]

I'm a springer man through and through, but I made the mistake of having a go with a work mates BSA PCP. Big mistake that, it's got me reaching for the credit card

 

[Barn Owl]

I've never had the chance to try gas and my last rifle was a bsa lightning c. 10yrs ago.
I take it if I went for another , just for the odd rabbit a springer would be best as I wouldn't be using it much.

Ta,
Tom.

 

[SimonM]

I think I've made up my mind ....

Either a Theoben Fenman in .177

Or a Theoben Evolution in .177

I think I am leaning more in favour of the shorter Fenman at the mo.

Now for a supplier in the NW with both in stock, and willing to haggle as both blow my budget!

Simon

 

[Miggers]

Springer for me too... I use both an HW97K and 80 for HFT and hunting. The HW80 with full Venom kit was picked up for less than a good knife!

I suppose the next question is which calibre or one of each which is why I have the 80 in .22.

Pete

 

[Toots]

Both fine rifles Simon. I'm sure either will serve you very well indeed. Still Fenman for my money though. ...............................Want one..............Must resist

 

[Tony]

I've got a hw100s and i have to say that I love it. It's a bit weighty, but it's not been an issue at all, it's lovely to use, 14 shot, accurate, quiet and it's got a great loading mechanism that doesn't allow you to double load a pellet. I picked mine up very cheap second hand.

For the last couple of years i've been using a Webly Vulcan, very nice gun as well, but i'd not take it over the HW100

Although a consideration would be how long youre' going to be out with it, if you take it on a big long camp out then I'd take my Vulcan, the PCP's are a bit reliant on air pressure

 

[FGYT]

you say you want to do a bit of FT as well well i would go to the club and have a look see and a go you may find a bargain there for a whole kit or just bits like a nice Scope or bottle etc Most good PCP and Spring/Gas Ram guns will do what you want Most CO2 ones wont. PCP will be easier to shoot (i wont say more accurate because they arnt jut easier to get teh accuracy out of ) you want a PCP .177 cal multi shot AIr arms fits teh bill as suggested below but will be tight on a budget but not impossible espesially over time ie use a club air bottle at the club and take the gun home full for hunting again you wont carry 80 rabbits let alone shoot them on a hunt . and i wouldnt buy a second hand airgun unless i can see and shoot it first espesially if your unfimilier with the m its to easy to get a bargain dud etc same goes for air bottles it must be in test date or refund if it fails etc

Dive shops may fill airguns or they may refuse (which they can do) it depends on the shop so check first again a club should be able to help in this some dive shops also insist on 2.5yr check dates not teh 5 yr a non dive bottle is alowed etc

BTW you can get one gun to do it all and do it well ie hunt FT hunter FT and Plink before you get told you need a special one for this in 177 and a this in 22 for that etc etc

ATB

Duncan

 

[GreenmanBushcraft]

Hi all,

After many years away from the airgun scene, I am thinking about buying one again. I have always had spring rifles in the past, various makes including Theoben, Park, BSA and Weihrauch.

My question is, with all the advances should I go for a springer, pre charged or CO2? (I realise that CO2 is not really a hunting option, but look forward to you proving me wrong!)

Use will include a little Field Target and a little bunny bagging (permission available already).

IMO the good old springers are the best! Nice and traditional, less to go wrong and cheaper most of the time. I have both and find the CO2 or pre-charged rifles great fun for plinking, etc. But for me you can’t go far wrong with a spring. Have a look at Airarms, a good British make. I have a Pro sport but the TX200 rifles are great too.

Kris