BB/Pellet rifle

[wgaynor]

Thinking of getting a bb/pellet rifle for steady trigger time without eating up my ammo stash. Is 25 yard plinking possible with any kind of accuracy?

I'm considering a Daisy 880. Averages around 700fps .177 projectiles.

Any thoughts or experiences?

 

[jmorris]

If you get something like a feinwerkbau, you would be impressed at what it can do.

 

[MachIVshooter]

If you really want to enjoy it and actually benefit from it, I'd suggest going with a better product. The 880 is not what it was 20 years ago; Now they're 95% plastic and made in china.

I'd look at RWS, Beeman and Sheridan. I have a Blue Streak and an RWS Model 34. The Sheridan is a .20 cal, and is a good rabbit & squirrel killer, about 800 FPS with the heavier .20 cal pellets. The model 34 is more target oriented, about 925 FPS with .177's.

There are also the serious PCP rifles, some of which have power on par with a .45 ACP. But these are $600+ rifles, use expensive 9mm, .45 and .50 cal pellets, and require a SCUBA tank to charge.

 

[harvester]

RWS model 48 in 22 will meet your need nicely.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I had many fun times with my 880 growing up. Probably got the air rifle 12(ish) years ago. It did break eventually, but for the $50-$60 it cost, I got way more than my moneys worth out of it. I have a benjamin sheridan multi pump now - about the same power, but wood and metal instead of plastic.

 

[candr44]

Check out Pyramid Air to see whats available. Some of the air rifles today are quite impressive and can go up to $4000.

I had a Daisy 880 when they first came out. It had plenty of power for small animals and plinking but the single shot and pumping every time was a draw back. Its certainly accurate enough for 25 yards but if I remember right, it has a smooth bore. Its size is also made more for kids than adults and its on the cheap end of the air gun quality scale.

I don't know what your budget is but there are better guns out there for not that much more money.

 

[Hacker15E]

I recently compared the Daisy 880 with the Crosman 2100, and ended up picking up the Crosman based on handling them both.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I remember right, it has a smooth bore.

They're rifled. Or at least they used to be. I got mine in 1990 at the age of 8, put many thousands of BB's and pellets through it over the years, until it was left with a friend and went missing when I was 16 or 17.

Examining the ones made today, there's no question that the quality has suffered with the overseas manufacturing.

 

[Tempest 455]

Yes we shoot at 50 with darn good accuracy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuIwmjkihrg

Get an RWS, you will not be sorry.

 

[WALKERs210]

I have a Gamo Whisper Deluxe and it is awesome. This one has a suppressor that reduces sound quit a bit, and I did a compairson with a friends Gamo that did not have one on it. Mine was at least 35-40 % quiter. This is a .177 cal pellet rifle but there is a wide choice of shot for them.

 

[w9trb]

Go to Pyramyd Air and spend some time watching the videos and reading the blog. The German rifles are a delight to use. Crosman Nitro rams are very usable also. But check out the videos and blog to help you make an informed purchase.

 

[wgaynor]

Thanks for all the info guys. Gonna have to do some picking and choosing...

 

[floorit76]

I shoot a crosman/Remington NPSS. I love it, and it is quite accurate. As for the 880, I had one when I was young (late 80's) that was a fine shooter. The new one I bought a few years ago is so bad Daisy should be ashamed to have their name on it. I have not bought another Daisy product since.

 

[witchhunter]

I love my RWS .177, with a 4x scope it is death to pests.

 

[ngnrd]

Even my el'cheepo Crosman Storm XT is good enough to deal with nuisance squirrels at 25 yards. Just have to shoot the pellets it likes. I tried a half-dozen or so with various results and finally settled on one that shoots just over an inch at that range. And the upgraded trigger helped a bunch. The factory unit was terrible.

 

[Tempest 455]

Forgot to mention, I bought my RWS 28 years ago and it shoots as good as it did new. I know they were bought. Not sure if the quality is the same but it was great then.

 

[Random Discharge]

Check out Crosman's web-site. Under the "Airguns" drop down is the "Custom Shop". The 2400KT shoulder stocked carbine makes a great practice shooter. Yes, it is CO2 powered, but you get about 50-60 shots a 12 gram cartridge. Shooting cost is not an issue. This makes a great 10 meter wad cutter pellet shooter (indoor practice on challenging Olympic targets) for trigger time. You don't need 25 yards. Or you can shoot outdoors with dome pellets (wad cutters are not accurate at longer distance) up to 25 yards in fair weather. The main downside is that CO2 is temperature senstive.

The Chinese QB78 family of CO2 rifles has many good options. These are fun shooters for around $100, depending on model.

Another great value option is a Mike Melick XS-12 rifle, $87 shipped. check out http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/ This rifle is not temperature sensitive like CO2 rifles, and makes a nice economical accurate short range shooter.

If you step up to $170, the XS B-26 in 177 is a fantastic target rifle. This is a high quality clone of the Beeman R9 with a fantastic trigger. http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/XISICO_XS-B26.html . I own one, and it is a great shooter. It's a little much (power wise) for targets, but great for longer distance shooting and pest control.

Be careful with Gamo spring rifles. The triggers are mediocre and need an aftermarket upgrade and tune to be good shooter. Most Crosman spring rifles are Chinese Gamo clones - same issues. The Stoeger family are essentially the same thing - Chinese clones of the same Gamo rifle, with a little better fit and finish, but still needful of a tune and trigger upgrade.

The Ruger Airhawk is a steal. It is a very nice Chinese clone of the RWS34 (internal parts interchangable) and is the same as the XS-B25, but in 177 caliber (The XS-B25 comes in 22). It has a great clone of the RWS T05 trigger, which is a fine trigger (RWS now come with a T06 trigger). But, just like the RWS34, it has a too long barrel subject to "barrel droop" that can be problematic for scope mounting without a droop compensating mount, depending on the sample you get.

The XS-B26 is a better rifle than the Airhawks/B25's for the money, even if it does cost a little more.

 

[Captains1911]

I have a RWS in .22, very quality. I'm not a fan of Gamo, way over priced IMO, horrible triggers.

 

[d2wing]

Random discharge is right. I have a QB 78 tuned by Mike at Flying Dragon that out shoots any spring gun I ever shot. It is a .22 cal and is a good back yard hunter. Since it is co2 powered it doesn't have the weird recoil spring guns do. Since the hold and recoil on ring guns is so odd, I don't think they are good practice for powder guns.
Never buy a GAMO I have a Bone Collector Nitro. It is junk.
For 10 meter Target work a Daisy 953 is a great bargain.
Not powerful enough for hunting but one hole accurate and recoil is less than a .22 lr.

 

[Tempest 455]

Just my $.02.

Trigger time is trigger time. My son started on air rifles when he was 8 and shot his 1st F class 1,000 yard match 2 weeks ago at 14. I don't buy air rifles are different to practice/learn. You still learn the fundamentals of trigger control, breathing, hold over, wind etc. I'm convinced it shortened his learning curve when he moved over to centerfire rifles.

 

[wgaynor]

Looks like this could be another expensive hobby if not careful.

Since I'm looking for an economical alternative for basic marksmanship, I do not foresee me paying more than $100 for a rifle. I do not intend to squirrel hunt with this rifle, so FPS, does not worry me as much. What I do want is a rifled bore so that it can be as accurate as possible.

 

[Random Discharge]

Given pest control is not in your future, and your $100 budget: The Daisy 953 is a great suggestion. The Daisy 953 has a rifled barrel and is a single stroke: pump-load-shoot; not pump, pump, pump, pump...shoot. Big difference. You want at least ~500 fps for wadcutter pellets to make clean holes in paper at 10 meters, so you'll need to pump a multi-pump.

Or the Flying Dragon XS-12. This is a low power springer, and is under your budget. Cock-load-shoot. The low power spring takes care of funky recoil-you won't need to worry about that with the XS-12.

Another option to consider might be a Daisy 853 (used rebuilt) from the CMP. These are a Daisy 953 with a wood stock (get the Monte Carlo), aperture sights, and a choked Lothar Walther barrel for ~$100 vs $300+ new. Make sure you wet the felt pad down with Crosman Pellgun Oil when it shows up though, in case it was rebuilt "Dry".

I wouldn't shoot at 25 yards for your purposes. 10 meters is plenty for practice with small targets. Good enough for the Olympics, anyway. All more distance will get you is loss of accuracy with flat head target pellets and more velocity needed to make clean target holes.

Pellets are cheap. Do order some decent ones. HN Sport wad cutters are nice. RWS Basic are super cheap from Pyramid Air (~$7/500 for buy 4 get 1 free). You can order these on-line for no more than cheap Gamo pellets, etc. at a local big-box store.

Oh yes, it can be an expensive hobby, but it can also be a cheap one and its loads of fun!

 

[joecil]

I have a couple of Gamos one is a Bone Collectors the other a Hunter but both are older models. Both shoot .177 pellets and with target type at 1000 fps with some of the others 1200 fps. Both are scope mounted and fairly accurate at least for me about 70 yards perhaps further.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have a Gamo "Survival Rifle" from about 1986 or so. It's a break-barrel, with a camo-plastic stock with pistol grip, a folding shoulder stock, sling, and a 25-round semi-automatic tubular magazine. The magazine feeds a pellet into the breech end of the barrel each time it's broken open for cocking.
It's also equipped with a micro-meter adjustable rear sight and a hooded front one. If I recall correctly, it was originally rated at about 550-600 FPS.

I've had a bit of fun with it, mostly in the first decade or so that I had it. You guys are talking me into getting it out and spending some time with it again..

 

[RainDodger]

I have a Beeman R9, break action .177 pellet rifle. Very nice indeed and awesomely accurate. What impressed me about this rifle is the trigger. It's very nice - no creep, it's quite light, and breaks very cleanly.