oops sorry my spelling is terrible (spent most of my dinner times in school doing lines after spelling tests )
compounded by bad typing
should have run it thro a spell checker but was rushing
ATB
Duncan
air rifles; .177 or .22?
- Thread starter jonnie drake
- Start date
oops sorry my spelling is terrible (spent most of my dinner times in school doing lines after spelling tests )
compounded by bad typing
should have run it thro a spell checker but was rushing
ATB
Duncan
look at the XL tactical if you can its a composite stock so easy to maintain and clean etc plus very nice ergonomics
important to try any airguns or at least hold it if you can to find if it fits etc
ATB
Duncan
lol no worries Duncan.
BSA make a few good guns. the meteor and the lightning are very similar.
I considered it when I was into spring guns way back. by all accounts and reviews I read it is very accurate and powerful. the silencer takes a bit of the crack out of the shot too. Siberianfury will be able to confirm this as I only shot one briefly.
I found it a bit small and light for me but then I'm a big lad.
best bet is to get down to your local gunsmiths and have a good handle of what you like the look of.
check out weihrauch guns too - if you can afford it that is.
Have you looked into optics yet?
I would also recommend a one piece mount for your scope. - Personally I would recommend something along the lines of a 3-9x40
atb
andy
BSA make a few good guns. the meteor and the lightning are very similar.
I considered it when I was into spring guns way back. by all accounts and reviews I read it is very accurate and powerful. the silencer takes a bit of the crack out of the shot too. Siberianfury will be able to confirm this as I only shot one briefly.
I found it a bit small and light for me but then I'm a big lad.
best bet is to get down to your local gunsmiths and have a good handle of what you like the look of.
check out weihrauch guns too - if you can afford it that is.
Have you looked into optics yet?
I would also recommend a one piece mount for your scope. - Personally I would recommend something along the lines of a 3-9x40
atb
andy
Meteors run at 8ft/lbs, they are more intended for young shooters or decent plinkers.
Whats your budget? it will be easier to advise on what to get if we knew what you "couldn't" get.
I have around £100 available at the mo, but I could easily save another £100 or so on top, im not in any particular rush, just want to spend the money wisely and don't want to spend a lot of money on a first rifle as I only have a tiny bit of experience, enough to make me interested to give it a go though
ive shot .177 and .22 use the 22 if your not a good shot, it has more energy so it will do more damage on impact so you have a higher chance of a kill/bigger kill area on the target
however if you are a good shot go for the 177 with its greater accuracy, range and higher FPS
cheers CW
however if you are a good shot go for the 177 with its greater accuracy, range and higher FPS
cheers CW
Hmm. I don't think it's true to say that you get a bigger kill zone with .22. In my opinion, the kill zone on most non-FAC airgun-legal quarry should be confined to headshots (well, brainshots really I suppose). Having .22 instead of .177 doesn't give quarry a bigger head to aim at! I don't like the idea of body-shots (heart/lung) at non-FAC power levels, as I believe the chances of a clean kill (which is what we should want, as responsible hunters) are greatly reduced
Shooting .177 might actually give you a better chance of hitting the killzone because accurate rangefinding is less of a factor in a successful shot than .22. This has been done to death
in the posts above.For me, the bottom line is that if you are not confident in hitting what you aim at, at the ranges you want to hunt at, keep your finger off the trigger. I "back off" a lot more shots than I take because the shot is outside my ability, perhaps because of poor visibility of kill-zone, twitchy rabbit, longer range than I'm comfortable with, cross-wind, proximity of rabbit hole, etc etc
Just my view of things
Rat
I have around £100 available at the mo, but I could easily save another £100 or so on top, im not in any particular rush, just want to spend the money wisely and don't want to spend a lot of money on a first rifle as I only have a tiny bit of experience, enough to make me interested to give it a go though
Best thing for you to do IMO would be to save that extra £100 and try pick up a second hand Weirauch or Air Arms springer from the airgun forums. You should be able to get something. Most shooters look after their kit, and you can get a feel for if the seller is good or not on the forums. You might not get a scope with that though, so add another £100 for a decent bit of glass.
Thats the thing with air guns, you get what what you pay for. Cheap is generally just that, cheap. Quality and consistency come with a price tag unfortunately. A BSA supersport would do you well enough. But you dont want to go much lower price wise if your buying new. As i said, second hand could well be the better option.
Good Reply Rat, Don't shoot at a distance that you cannot hit a 10p piece at.
BSA Meteor, well was ok for clearing sparrows out from under the slates( back when they were classed as vermin), and the odd rat, but you really need something better if you wish to hunt rabbits and woodpigeon.
Like HillBill said, they are only around 8ftlb, so really only good for close stuff.
Look around for a second hand HW85 or 90, or one like SF's must be plenty out there. Stay away from the pre charged stuff until you are really sure that you want to go down that route.
Either way I am sure you will enjoy it, and as has been said, make sure you have enough for a decent scope AND DECENT MOUNTS, we are talking spring rifle here and they can move a cheap mount.
You can take the scope and mount off if you decide to upgrade the rifle so don't be scared to spend money there
Enjoy
BSA Meteor, well was ok for clearing sparrows out from under the slates( back when they were classed as vermin), and the odd rat, but you really need something better if you wish to hunt rabbits and woodpigeon.
Like HillBill said, they are only around 8ftlb, so really only good for close stuff.
Look around for a second hand HW85 or 90, or one like SF's must be plenty out there. Stay away from the pre charged stuff until you are really sure that you want to go down that route.
Either way I am sure you will enjoy it, and as has been said, make sure you have enough for a decent scope AND DECENT MOUNTS, we are talking spring rifle here and they can move a cheap mount.
You can take the scope and mount off if you decide to upgrade the rifle so don't be scared to spend money there
Enjoy
Blimey! Just found a HW35, 2nd hand, £60
Will forward you the details. Not everyone's cup of tea but for that money - got to be worth having.
Will forward you the details. Not everyone's cup of tea but for that money - got to be worth having.
Blimey! Just found a HW35, 2nd hand, £60
Will forward you the details. Not everyone's cup of tea but for that money - got to be worth having.
Seems too good a price almost.
Be careful at that price.
If you can pick it up. HW35's are incredibly heavy, not made any easier by having a long barrel.
If you are of slight stature, forget this air gun. It's a beast. Can be tuned to well over 25ftllb, of course this would be illegal unless it was registered as a fire arm.
I thought HW35 were lightweight, or is that the beginner's HW25 I'm thinking of?
The HW80 and HW77 are heavy beasts that's for sure.
The HW80 and HW77 are heavy beasts that's for sure.
Are you sure you're not thinking of the HW80? 25 lbft out of a 35 is a big ask - the swept volume is tiny compared with the 77 or 80
The HW80 was notorious for it's ability to go over/made to go over the limit.
Didn't the 35 have a barrel latch to open? Dainty wee rifle as I recall.
35's make a 77 feel like a meteor.
They are 3.9KG, plus the scope, mounts, sling, but a very good rifle, weight is the only consideration. If you are a small bloke they can be a bit much.
They are 3.9KG, plus the scope, mounts, sling, but a very good rifle, weight is the only consideration. If you are a small bloke they can be a bit much.
I think I went over the top with a 25ft pound quotation although I know that standard ones in .22 would hit 18 ft llb's no problem,
I am sure that a little twiddling would produce a few more. As for the 80, well that is a hell cat that will sail over the limit with great ease. Totally awesome
Yes the 35 does have a barrel latch, there is also a HW 35E.
I am sure that a little twiddling would produce a few more. As for the 80, well that is a hell cat that will sail over the limit with great ease. Totally awesome
Yes the 35 does have a barrel latch, there is also a HW 35E.
