If I drop $350 on a air gun will I regret it?

[NoBodyImportant]

I have been spending lots of time at my fishing shack lately.  The shack is setting on a tiny lot as land near the ocean is expensive.  I enjoy shooting behind my house at home but while at the beach house I have to use the ranges in the national parks which is and hour away or buy a yearly membership and one of the local private ranges that cost $100-200 a year.  So I bought a red rider BB gun to plink with while down there.  It kinda sucks to be honest.  This has got me wanting a higher end unit.  The Diana 34 looks like a pretty nice unit.  I we figure out a back stop. As a 22lr plinker will I be disappointed in a air rifle?  Biggest problem is dianas aren’t super popular over gear so I will have to order it sight unseen.  

[WalkedUp]

In my opinion a good air rifle is closer to a .22LR than it is to a BB gun. They are expensive though. 

I would go for a pre-charged pneumatic and a stirrup pump. 

[strimmer_13]

32 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

 

I would go for a pre-charged pneumatic and a stirrup pump. 

That. 

 

[Ultrastu]

Depends on what your doing with it .

If its just for plinking a break barrel springer will be best .as it won't run out of air and is ready to go the second you are .requires very little maintenance. Also plenty good enough for a bit of pest control out to sensible ranges .(look for a quality  .22 )

So either a British or German  made gun 

Pcp is fine but is more involved as far as pumps .shot count etc is involved. 

Better for long range hunting and precision .(again British  , German   or sweden) 

[NoBodyImportant]

9 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

Depends on what your doing with it .

If its just for plinking a break barrel springer will be best .as it won't run out of air and is ready to go the second you are .requires very little maintenance. Also plenty good enough for a bit of pest control out to sensible ranges .(look for a quality  .22 )

So either a British or German  made gun 

Pcp is fine but is more involved as far as pumps .shot count etc is involved. 

Better for long range hunting and precision .(again British  , German   or sweden) 

Long range isn’t happening as my yard down there is tiny.  150ft x75ft.   More worried about noise as the I have neighbors right on top of me.  I’d be shooting 75-100ft max.  But my daisy is not accurate enough to be any fun.  I was leaning toward springer.  Something slow enough not to create a sonic crack.  

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

In my opinion a good air rifle is closer to a .22LR than it is to a BB gun. They are expensive though. 

I would go for a pre-charged pneumatic and a stirrup pump. 

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

 

I looking to spend under $400usd.  I just want to get my shooting fix without driving to the public range.  I come in off the boat and like the set in the shade outside anyway, so if I had a air rifle I could pop some off.  

[NoBodyImportant]

What are you guys using as a back stop?  It’s kinda a nice area so it can’t be to janky looking.  I’m thinking like 3 layers of plywood screwed to the fence with something to hold targets that can be rolled into my shed.  The plywood wood only be there to catch the misses.  

[strimmer_13]

Personally I wouldn't use ply, very good chance of a ricochet. Unless you done a hardboard front, layer of very thin ply, then a layer of hanging carpet then ply. Thin ply it will zip through, but ive had a few come back from 3/4 ply in the past 

Could make the total quite easily with a few screws about 90cm square, 100mm wide  then it could be picked up and chucked in the shed 

In fact sod it, im going to make one 

[lakeside1000]

It looks like you are in the USA, have you checked with local laws to make sure you can actually shoot a high powered air rifle in a public area, I have the Air arms pre charged .177 with a decent telescopic on it, very accurate and ample power for targets or small vermin. easy to recharge with a pump and will fire all standard .177 pellets, here in the UK we need permission to shoot on any land, no shooting on public land but at least we dont yet need a licence for sub 12 ft/lbs air rifles. do some research on line for guns and advice on where you can shoot,  

[udderlyoffroad]

You're going to get replies from a British perspective, where airguns are limited to a maximum of 12 fpe (16.3 J) muzzle energy, which is nothing compared to what's available stateside, and will radically affect many things, including effective range and required backstop.

'Long range' to us will be >40 yds.  Calibres available for us are 0.177 or 0.22.*

Personally, if it's for plinking, I would try to find a quality spring-gun.  It will require you to practice your technique to be accurate, which is no bad thing

 

40 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

So either a British or German  made gun 

Pcp is fine but is more involved as far as pumps .shot count etc is involved. 

Better for long range hunting and precision .(again British  , German   or sweden) 

Market is radically different in the US so his choice will be a lot different

* Yes, I know, you can have a greater range of calibres and muzzle energy if you go FAC.  

[udderlyoffroad]

3 hours ago, NoBodyImportant said:

So I bought a red rider BB gun to plink with while down there.

For the avoidance of doubt, you doing that on your own small plot, or on a range?

I've built effective backstops using a chipboard+carpet off cut sandwich, with a printed out target taped to an old thick paper Catalog(ue) (RS components, argos, old phone directories) to catch the majority of the pellets.

But, again, this is for my 12 fpe rifles, if you've picked up a 40 fpe + rifle, you may need to up your game

[NoBodyImportant]

1 hour ago, lakeside1000 said:

It looks like you are in the USA, have you checked with local laws to make sure you can actually shoot a high powered air rifle in a public area, I have the Air arms pre charged .177 with a decent telescopic on it, very accurate and ample power for targets or small vermin. easy to recharge with a pump and will fire all standard .177 pellets, here in the UK we need permission to shoot on any land, no shooting on public land but at least we dont yet need a licence for sub 12 ft/lbs air rifles. do some research on line for guns and advice on where you can shoot,  

In this county I can shoot 50cal, as long as the round doesn’t cross the road or navigable body of water.  I wouldn’t because the lot is so small though.  Air rifles aren’t considered firearms so legally I could shoot them in the grocery store parking lot but I would probably get a disturbing the peace charge.  😂 

36 minutes ago, udderlyoffroad said:

For the avoidance of doubt, you doing that on your own small plot, or on a range?

I've built effective backstops using a chipboard+carpet off cut sandwich, with a printed out target taped to an old thick paper Catalog(ue) (RS components, argos, old phone directories) to catch the majority of the pellets.

But, again, this is for my 12 fpe rifles, if you've picked up a 40 fpe + rifle, you may need to up your game

Yes I own it.  It’s a small lot 75x150 feet.  So the range will be around 30 yards max.  

[NoBodyImportant]

The area is 95% summer properties so in the winter time I could get away with shooting 22lr as the neighborhood is practically abandoned but in the summer it is pretty packed out with drunk teens and Canadians.  

[Ultrastu]

This is a  garden back stop .

A solid wooden box with sand inside and the back wall has a few  lead sheets nailed to it .this makes for a very quiet stop to the pellet  .and as the pellets hit the lead they just make it thicker .

Behind is a wall and some heavy concrete slabs ..

Ignore the metal target spinners  they were just there as I was taking a picture of them having just made them .

They are field targets .though they could be placed infront of the box I suppose  .

[Ultrastu]

Hw30 

The hw30 is a spring break barrel that only makes around 7 fpe in .177 but its amazingly  accurate and quiet also  

Very well made  

[stu64]

why not look at something altogether better second hand? maybe a weihrauch or air arms, something you may use at home as well? you may get the airgun bug!

[Chaz25]

Gunpower?/ Airforce state side, they do PCP's 490cc bottles I recall can be made with a pre-chamber for plinking so a silly amount of shots, plus you might prefer to go .25 if your used to shooting 22lr

I have the stealth with the plinker style bottle toned down for are 12flbs rules and in .25 its awesome!

Edited January 14, 2021 by Chaz25

[Walker570]

I have a Mk 2 Air Arms S200 and use a dive bottle to fill it...takes seconds.  Accurate little rifle and has a moderator on it so very quiet.  The pellet makes more noise when it arrives.  In your circumstances there is little or no use for morew than 12ft lb.  I shoot vermin .... head shoot... frequently out to 25yrds with it.  A nice scope and a bench to shoot off and your ready to go.   A box as per Ultra Stu, even in 3/4 ply but with a bag of sand in it would be more than adequate. you could build a couple of spinners inside small enough to test your ability.  Not rocket science.

[NoBodyImportant]

On 11/01/2021 at 08:10, Ultrastu said:

This is a  garden back stop .

A solid wooden box with sand inside and the back wall has a few  lead sheets nailed to it .this makes for a very quiet stop to the pellet  .and as the pellets hit the lead they just make it thicker .

Behind is a wall and some heavy concrete slabs ..

Ignore the metal target spinners  they were just there as I was taking a picture of them having just made them .

They are field targets .though they could be placed infront of the box I suppose  .

That’s a good looking trap.  Id want bigger though

On 11/01/2021 at 08:23, Ultrastu said:

Hw30 

The hw30 is a spring break barrel that only makes around 7 fpe in .177 but its amazingly  accurate and quiet also  

Very well made  

That’s pretty close looking to the Diana 34 I was looking at. 

On 14/01/2021 at 14:10, Chaz25 said:

Gunpower?/ Airforce state side, they do PCP's 490cc bottles I recall can be made with a pre-chamber for plinking so a silly amount of shots, plus you might prefer to go .25 if your used to shooting 22lr

I have the stealth with the plinker style bottle toned down for are 12flbs rules and in .25 its awesome!

The local Walmart’s only carry .177 and .22 pellets.  I will probably stick to them as they are cheap and can be bought with money driving to a actual sporting goods store.  

[NoBodyImportant]

On 12/01/2021 at 09:32, stu64 said:

why not look at something altogether better second hand? maybe a weihrauch or air arms, something you may use at home as well? you may get the airgun bug!

Honestly,  I am trying to get to the point where I have cloths and everything I need down at the coast.  I want to be able to get off work Thursday and go straight there with no packing.  I have a washer and dryer down there now so I don’t even take clothes.  

[Longbower]

Airguns of Arizona , have a good range of Air rifles, with free stateside shipping. The Weihrauch HW30 , is on their Website within your budget.

Also Bass Pro Shops , have a fair range of Rifles , including the Gamo Swarm package (Scope ,pellets ,Case) also within your price.

Good luck with your search.

[Chaz25]

Howz about pump ups? variable power, light and gives you a work out! I have the 2200 magnum by Crossman its kind of on the cheap side of pump ups but power is good and accuracy is fair plus there are better makes out there.