So I Want An Air Rifle Should I Get A.......Let Me Stop You Right There Just Get An R7/HW30

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Hatsan got a bad rap when they first came to market several years ago. But for the last couple of years they upped there game. I have put several of my Hatsans head to head with more expensive European rifles and they beat them out side by side.
Xisico a Chinese company are also on par with several of the European companies.
One of my very best shooting rifles is my Norica Dragon evolution.
And you mentioned the duel by beeman which one are you referring to. The one I have pictured is a double barrel. The top .22 barrel is deadly accurate. The lower a .177 is hit and miss. Probably because the red dot is sighted for the .22.
Most of my rifles perform great. But each I have tuned. Some I have soft bedded and done trigger work etc.

There's something great about stepping out you backdoor and shooting.
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Septicdeath said:
Hatsan got a bad rap when they first came to market several years ago. But for the last couple of years they upped there game. I have put several of my Hatsans head to head with more expensive European rifles and they beat them out side by side.
Xisico a Chinese company are also on par with several of the European companies.
One of my very best shooting rifles is my Norica Dragon evolution.
And you mentioned the duel by beeman which one are you referring to. The one I have pictured is a double barrel. The top .22 barrel is deadly accurate. The lower a .177 is hit and miss. Probably because the red dot is sighted for the .22.View attachment 914462
Click to expand...

I was thinking about the dual caliber barrel change one. I wasn't aware of an over under. How does that work in an airgun? Does it fire both at once or do you choose which one and it dumps the air into that breech and you re-cock and choose again?

Also while we are on the subject, I have NEVER used an electronic sight on an airgun. I see that you have one mounted on that gun. What has your experience been with electronic sights on spring guns?
 
SepticDeath,

Don't you think you might have a teeny tiny bias of your own. Seems to be more than a few Hatsans in your inventory. And you shouldn't make assumptions about someone's experience level just because their "bias"d from yours. It doesn't make either of you wrong just different.

But German springers are just better.:rofl:
 
Bill_in_TR said:
But German springers are just better.:rofl:
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.....but English are even better. :p

Actually I am just joking around. I actually prefer the German guns. But JEEEBUS Air Arms can make a pretty gun with Blueing that would make an old Colt blush.

Sorry I am bored to tears today and trapped at my desk today.
 
I have been in this game for 20 yrs. Mendoza's are made in Mexico. One was designed by Tom Gaylord to clone the Beeman C1, but just became junk. Most of the Crosman are Chinese. The Chinese bought out the Beeman Brand, but did not get rights to the Beeman R series. Norica. Xisco, are Chinese junk. Look at the Crosman B3, there are about 15 of those in different names and slightly different modifications in style. The Ruger Air guns for example are Chinese made guns. Hatsan, hit and miss. Stoeger does have some nice guns and better quality than most Chinese gun.
Gamo use to make some really nice airguns many years ago.. There are some models that are nice, but not many.
Umarex is a distributor.
While a lot of these guns are nice shooters, and many can be made to be nicer shooters, for the most part you just are not going to get a Lifetime Product like DIanawerks, TX, Walther, HW ,Beeman Rseries, Feinwerkbau, Steyr .The top quality just is not there.Loose tolerences, Cheap Metals, cheap Springs, seals etc. Once one gets "Twangy" you will figure it out. But then again, some can get custom tune kits.
There use to just be two Chinese Manufacturers that made most of these guns under different names. Crossman has some models they advertise as "American Made". BS, they buy and ship the parts from China and assemble them in the US.

But do not get me wrong. A lot of these cheaper guns serve a purpose. Depends on what you want to get out of one. Many will give you good years of service and fun to shoot. Just like any rifle, pistol, shotgun, you have to find out what your needs are, and what you will be using it for. Most folks I know started off with a less expensive gun and just moved up as the years went by.

My last Spring Rifle cost me about $700.00. I started off with a off the Walmart shelf Crosman. And I had fun along the way with the Crosman.
Do a Google and find out what the competitiors that shoot Bench Rest and Field Target are using.

PS If you really want to get to know Air Guns and Air Rifles, join a Airgun Forum, purchase a few editions of Air gun Blue Books. They are fun to just read and see all the guns throughout the years.
 
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Hatsan yes alot of them because they are a quality affordable rifle. But there are also several European, Mexican and Chinese guns. Don't seem bias to me.
 
cslinger said:
I was thinking about the dual caliber barrel change one. I wasn't aware of an over under. How does that work in an airgun? Does it fire both at once or do you choose which one and it dumps the air into that breech and you re-cock and choose again?

Also while we are on the subject, I have NEVER used an electronic sight on an airgun. I see that you have one mounted on that gun. What has your experience been with electronic sights on spring guns?
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barrel
Other dual barrel rifles all feature interchangeable barrels that the you can change. But they all hold just one barrel at a time. The Double Barrel rifle has two barrels that are mounted to the rifle. When this spring-piston rifle is cocked, both barrels pivot downward, being held their breech by the base block. The barrel are steal shrouded by I believe it aluminum. There is a .177 dual and a .22/.177 caliber. Mine the later.
I would think you would get decent groups with the dual .177 but with the dual .22/.177 I tried everything to get a group without success. I changed the valve out to shoot each barrel single. Now the .22 barrel shoots very accurate with 14.3 h&n the .177 barrel isn't the one sighted so I aim a bit higher.
the Chinese company that made the barrel seems to know how to make a accurate barrel.
It looks like a Xisico built rifle.
A different and unusual rifle that is better shooting than most of the reviews gave it credit. Definitely fun different and brings a smile to faces.,

I like the red dot for quick target acquisition. Great for hunting. Here is a group from 35 yards with Hatsan 125 .22 using a red dot. They seem to hold up nicely on a break barrel. One in the eye, whiskers and neck. Not super tight groups like you get with a scope but good enough to get the job done. 20200501_154915~2.jpg
 
Septicdeath said:
barrel
Other dual barrel rifles all feature interchangeable barrels that the you can change. But they all hold just one barrel at a time. The Double Barrel rifle has two barrels that are mounted to the rifle. When this spring-piston rifle is cocked, both barrels pivot downward, being held their breech by the base block. The barrel are steal shrouded by I believe it aluminum. There is a .177 dual and a .22/.177 caliber. Mine the later.
I would think you would get decent groups with the dual .177 but with the dual .22/.177 I tried everything to get a group without success. I changed the valve out to shoot each barrel single. Now the .22 barrel shoots very accurate with 14.3 h&n the .177 barrel isn't the one sighted so I aim a bit higher.
the Chinese company that made the barrel seems to know how to make a accurate barrel.
It looks like a Xisico built rifle.
A different and unusual rifle that is better shooting than most of the reviews gave it credit. Definitely fun different and brings a smile to faces.,

I like the red dot for quick target acquisition. Great for hunting. Here is a group from 35 yards with Hatsan 125 .22 using a red dot. They seem to hold up nicely on a break barrel. One in the eye, whiskers and neck. Not super tight groups like you get with a scope but good enough to get the job done. View attachment 914592
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks. Interesting gun.

I might try a red dot for giggles on one of mine at some point.
 
cslinger said:
Meanwhile all the PCP guys are thinking......bless all their hearts. :D
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I am a devoted Springer fan, always have been. The guy that tunes my guns has a notorious reputation for some of the finest tunes you can imagine. We later became good friends as we live in the same town. This guy was a engineer by trade, but his hobby was tuning guns. He is from Argentina and has a history of working with metals and wood. He use to tune for money, got out of it and would only tune for friends. The thing is, he never shot them for sport. His bag was tuning. He just love to see how smooth he could make a Spring Powered Air Rife. And my gosh. When I shot his, it changed my whole feelings about air guns. I remember one in Particular, a Beeman R8. Just taking one shot would amaze you. Almost worth paying money just to shoot one.
His collection was out of this world. Not just the mechanics of the gun, but the wood work from his own stock builds. The guy really was a talented guy.

PCP guys are a different breed. I can see how they love them. Some really nice guns. I know one guy that Paid about 5 grand for one, tuned over in Europe and he put a $4,000 scope on it. I will say this, they can do wonders. Personally glad I never got into the sport of PCP. You really have to have some deep pockets. And now they have 45.cal 357 on up.
All this said, I have to say I keep thinking of going to the dark side and getting a Air Force Talon. I love those guns.

https://www.airforceairguns.com/The-TalonSS-By-AirForce-Airguns-s/38.htm


7f7N8Hc.jpg
 
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I have been tuning and doing my own for about 15 years. When I buy a rifle I'll will shoot a few hundred then tear it down debur and tune it. Fine tune the triggers etc... I also soft bed the wood stock rifles. Tinkering is 50% of the fun.
1587237709_7995471145e9b534db16bb5.33028138.jpg 20200504_185116.jpg Also do mods. If I don't have the equipment one of my very good friends is a gunsmith and let's me use his equipment.

Here is a 130QE 8mm smoothbore shotgun mod that I did a few months ago. The bottom picture is spread at 25ft

A TUNED RIFLE IS A WONDERFUL THING TO SHOOT. and even the cheap ones deserve a tune. It's not complicated. If you have basic tools. The only special tool needed to buy was a spring compressor.
 
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Septicdeath said:
A TUNED RIFLE IS A WONDERFUL THING TO SHOOT. and even the cheap ones deserve a tune. It's not complicated. If you have basic tools. The only special tool needed to buy was a spring compressor.
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Spoken from the perspective of an obviously very enthusiastic airgun addict and admitted tinkering junkie. But not everybody is anywhere near your level of involvement. And the original premise of this thread is for someone wanting to buy a first rifle.

I would guess that most people buy an air rifle to shoot it with some reasonable level of accuracy. They expect to take it out of the box, maybe run a couple of patches down the bore, and go out and shoot it. They expect the rifle to do what it is designed to do. They don't expect to have to tear it down and rebuild it shortly after they get it.

Many people who are serious airgun enthusiasts are in it for the shooting not the tinkering. They choose their airguns based upon what they want to shoot with it not what parts they will have to buy afterwards, especially for a first air rifle.

At the very least I expect to be able to take a gun out of the box and have it function correctly without needing immediate fixing up.
 
Bill_in_TR said:
Spoken from the perspective of an obviously very enthusiastic airgun addict and admitted tinkering junkie. But not everybody is anywhere near your level of involvement. And the original premise of this thread is for someone wanting to buy a first rifle.

I would guess that most people buy an air rifle to shoot it with some reasonable level of accuracy. They expect to take it out of the box, maybe run a couple of patches down the bore, and go out and shoot it. They expect the rifle to do what it is designed to do. They don't expect to have to tear it down and rebuild it shortly after they get it.

Many people who are serious airgun enthusiasts are in it for the shooting not the tinkering. They choose their airguns based upon what they want to shoot with it not what parts they will have to buy afterwards, especially for a first air rifle.

At the very least I expect to be able to take a gun out of the box and have it function correctly without needing immediate fixing up.
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99% of airguns perform out of the box. Millions are sold every year. Yet you hear about the bad experience much more than the good. Human nature is to complain about the bad. I have only had two bad experience with new rifles in twenty years. All I'm saying is you can improve on the factory build with a little work.
 
Septicdeath said:
99% of airguns perform out of the box. Millions are sold every year. Yet you hear about the bad experience much more than the good. Human nature is to complain about the bad.
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I agree 100%. My HW30S is box stock. It cocks smoothly and quietly. It has a nice shot cycle, nothing harsh or twangy. It is accurate if I do my part. It does everything I bought it for well.

Just wanted you to hear a positive experience.
 
The smoothest air rifle right out of the box I have ever shot bar none. So accurate, so quiet and worth every single penny I paid for. Not to mention it Locks up like a frigging Bank Vault. No need for a tune. The free floating pistol is a marvel.
Gpod luck trying to find one in stock in America. Most likely will have to go to Kral's in Europe who will export one for you.

Gun Broker has a Beautiful one with peep sight for $750.00. "Spezial" modle.

Btw1idW.jpg

https://www.umarex.com/products/airguns/brands/walther/600.50.05.html




 
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Bill_in_TR said:
Spoken from the perspective of an obviously very enthusiastic airgun addict and admitted tinkering junkie. But not everybody is anywhere near your level of involvement. And the original premise of this thread is for someone wanting to buy a first rifle.

I would guess that most people buy an air rifle to shoot it with some reasonable level of accuracy. They expect to take it out of the box, maybe run a couple of patches down the bore, and go out and shoot it. They expect the rifle to do what it is designed to do. They don't expect to have to tear it down and rebuild it shortly after they get it.

Many people who are serious airgun enthusiasts are in it for the shooting not the tinkering. They choose their airguns based upon what they want to shoot with it not what parts they will have to buy afterwards, especially for a first air rifle.

At the very least I expect to be able to take a gun out of the box and have it function correctly without needing immediate fixing up.
Click to expand...
This is me to a "T." I don't have a spring compressor but I have modded 1377s and 1322s. My R7 is obviously not my first airgun but so far my favorite based on ease of cocking and accuracy. I wanted one that performed well out of the box and got one! Besides,with a last name of Schmidt,I had to go German,right?:)
 
tm255 said:
Do you know anything about the quality of the included scope?
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Only what I have read. The scope appears to be a fairly good quality unit.

That said, apparently my rifle is sitting in customs at the moment. Not sure when I will get it.

When it comes to airguns I know far less about optics then I do for firearms. I know enough to generally get something I am happy with but mostly as long as they are durable and clear enough out to 50 yards MAX, I am good. I am more picky with the scopes that go on my firearms.
 
Thanks for the scope info. I tend to favor higher powered scopes in general so I wouldn't want to be buying the scope only to discard it for something else. I love the look of that laminated stock and it sounds like a really nice rifle. I don't know if the moderator accomplishes anything but it complements the look.

cslinger, you mentioned customs -- you bought from AOA, correct? They are the only source I know of.
 
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