What toy is next..... AIR RIFLE

[NickB65]

I have had PCP air rifles in the form of S400, BSA R10, HW100 and I now fancy something with a spring.....

 

Never owned one, never shot one in anger before but would like one for pest control, plinking in the garden and paper punching.

 

Now I like to buy quality and something that will last. I have a 100ft garden so I have lots of scope to practise and plink as well as three permissions, two stables with loads of paddocks full of rabbits, rats and pigeons as well as a farm with over 2,000 acres of stubble and beet.

 

So, advice on what is a good hunting air rifle in sping format - prefer .177 as it is was I know and love but happy to consider .22

 

 

[shootgun]

you won't be wrong with a HW97 K mate... few configurations to choose from, sporter/thumhole, beech/syntetic , good sturdy underlever who will serve you many many years...

[pork chop]

i,ve had a few over the years,hw's are very well made the last one i had was a airarms tx 200 hc one of the best springers i've had.always wanted a pro sport they just look right

[oscarsdad]

TX200, no question. I had that and a HW77K and the TX was just nicer to shoot.

[FalconFN]

i,ve had a few over the years,hw's are very well made the last one i had was a airarms tx 200 hc one of the best springers i've had.always wanted a pro sport they just look right

+1

HW97, 77, 80, 95 (in that order) or a AATX200 or Pro sport will last you for the rest of your days.

 

I also shoot a .177 PCP but I'd get a springer in .22 as they are slightly quieter and have a less harsh recoil.

[bullet boy]

I'd go for either Weihrauch or Arms Arms range of rifles!

[secretagentmole]

HW90, give it some gas man!

[Swordy]

I bought a pro sport .22 last week it's awesome had a rapid mk2 but I absoloutly love this pro sport

[robbiep]

In underlever, the HW77k weighs a ton. But if you run out of pellets, you can always club your prey to death with one !

 

In all seriousness though, damn but a 77k shoots well. Mine (in .22) will put 10 pellets in a 1" circle at 30 yards, and it's a pretty old gun (1986 or so). Spent most of it's life in a barn, unloved, uncared for, and it is still that accurate.

[NIGHT SEARCHER]

HW 97 kt Very accurate out of the box and smooth to shoot.

But send it to Sandwell field sports for there £65 tune.

You get a polished piston. A new spring and top hat. All internals polished.

It will come back super smooth with a lot less recoil making the gun super accurate.

After 30 or 40 years you can hand it down to your kids they are that well made.

[snipper]

Hw97k , walther LGV or top of my list the prosport

[walshie]

HW80

[moorvale55]

I go with "Walshie", HW80k. Mine is 26 years old and is still superb.

[NickB65]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have watched a few Youtube vids to see the various options in action and some showing how to strip them down..... quite easy really. I loved the HW100 so really tempted with the HW97 and the S400 was my first love so the TX200 is also on the shortlist.

 

Now to find a decent second hand gun.......

 

QUESTION - Can you use bi-pods when shooting a springer and are there any fundemental differences between shooting a spriner and a PCP?

 

I will not ask the question .177 or .22 as there will never be a definitive answser and it is always down to choice so I will just have to see what is out there.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

[secretagentmole]

No, the recoil from a springer means using a bipod will give you a grouping like a blunderbuss! It is down to the recoil, you can shoot off of something like a bag shooting rest as it will alow the gun to move freely with recoil!

[pork chop]

shooting a springer is totally differrent to a pcp.much more skill involved you cant rest a spring gun like you can a pcp so the bipod is out it will shoot all over the place.if you can master a spring gun you will be able to shoot anything

[NickB65]

No, the recoil from a springer means using a bipod will give you a grouping like a blunderbuss! It is down to the recoil, you can shoot off of something like a bag shooting rest as it will alow the gun to move freely with recoil!

Interesting, so when gripping the gun it is a loose grip allowing the gun to move - sounds like some fun times ahead....

[Palumbus Gus]

Hi Nick,

 

About a month ago i bought a BSA Lightning XL Tactical in .22. Been looking at getting a new air rifle for ages, sale of the house went through so had a bit of cash and the missus said she would rather me buy new than 2nd hand (good girl!) so after a lot of research decided on the BSA based on a few things. Had a BSA mercury as a kid and shot it forever on Dad's farm. It never let me down, killed everything I shot with it and the spring never wore out. (Would have stuck with it except my ex-lodger dropped it and bent the barrel and broke the sight). Decided on the Tactical as 1. it looked well mean!! and 2. liked the idea of the non-wood stock, easy grip and no warping. Picked up a deal from the Essex Airgun Centre online, £400 for gun, Hawke scope, (choice of 2) gunslip and targets, delivered to my local registered Firearms Dealer for £15 extra. BEWARE, - your FAD may charge handling fee, - i had to pay another £25.00!! Apart from that I thought this was a good deal given that I have seen the gun alone, without sight and bag etc advertised for £389!

 

I've shot a tin of pellets out of it so far and have to say it is accurate, very confortable, easy to shoot, (love the two stage trigger), has minimal recoil, looks as good as I thought it would and will drop a bunny or squirrel at a longer distance than I was expecting.

 

Depends on what exactly you are after, but you won't go far wrong with this gun if it's within your budget.

 

Good luck!

 

Gus.

[NickB65]

Gus - Had a look at the Lightening and it looks a solid gun with a great pedigree but for a little more money I can get the TX200 or the HW97 which seem to be more solid and from the feedback I have had very popular to hunt with. When I decide on which to buy and have it and as your not that far away so I will invite you over to one of my perms and we will see how good they are against some bunnies :-)

[NickB65]

Ok you Spring Rifle people what is a SHORT STROKE kit and what does it do? The same goes for a V-MAX kit.... do these smooth the delivery of the power or make it more pokey? How often do you need to change the spring? A new language for a PCP chap like me..... :-)

[timmytree]

The best advice is to go and handle as many of the options as possible, I know people who have bought a top end springer from HW and couldn't get on with it. The same goes for the other way!

Short stroking means altering the internals to make things more efficient. A V mach kit is a replacement spring, guide and tophat, it can make a gun smoother but so can a good strip and relube. Most top end guns don't need replacement bits, just a bit of TLC.

As said before, bipods are a no go generally, I've tried one and got some decent groups but any change in position upsets the groups.

Sticks are a different matter, well padded sticks are an asset, my Prosport will group well off sticks, with or without my hand under the forend.

A light hold or "artillery hold" as it's known is best for all springers.

If you're already used to .177 then stick with it, you know the advantages and the trajectory.

Then practise! Any of the top level guns will rival a PCP for accuracy once you've mastered the technique.

This is 4 x 5 shot groups I did last week with the PS, 35 yards with AA Fields in 4.52.

[brent52]

for a springer it's got to be a hw, I shoot the hw90

[Axeman1984]

I've got an as new in the box BSA lightening XL .22 with nikko Stirling scope and nice leather sling for sale if its any interest to you, I'm roughly 30 mins drive from Cambridge, comes with the box and all instructions, Its had 20 slugs through it at most and stood in the corner ever since... £200 the lot

[NickB65]

I've got an as new in the box BSA lightening XL .22 with nikko Stirling scope and nice leather sling for sale if its any interest to you, I'm roughly 30 mins drive from Cambridge, comes with the box and all instructions, Its had 20 slugs through it at most and stood in the corner ever since... £200 the lot

 

Thanks Axeman but I think I will go for the TX200 or the HW97 as they seem to get the best write ups and most comments.... Thanks for the offer anyway. Must admit the more I read and the more I research the harder it is to choose between the TX or the HW. I guess I am going to have to handle a few and see what takes my fancy :-)

 

Timmytree - I agree in that I know .177 so makes sense to stick with the girly calibre :-)

[Axeman1984]

No worrys mate, just thought I'd throw it out there, I've seen a 17 hmr bolt action with a stock like you wouldn't believe and it's got my name all over it, just gotta shift the lightning to make a bit of room...