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air rifle ?
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
With the higher powered air rifles its actually better to use heavier pellets and keep the velocity below the speed of sound when it comes to accuracy. Pellets tend to lose velocity fairly quickly due to their shape, and when they make the transition from supersonic to subsonic speeds they have a tendency to tumble and don't fly stable anymore.
This is a concern with regular rifles too, it just takes place over a much larger scale. A bullet that starts out 3 times the speed of sound and has a much better ballistic coefficient than a pellet won't make that transition inside the ranges most people are likely to shoot it at.
This is a concern with regular rifles too, it just takes place over a much larger scale. A bullet that starts out 3 times the speed of sound and has a much better ballistic coefficient than a pellet won't make that transition inside the ranges most people are likely to shoot it at.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
IDK about this pellet guns being illegal in cities bt. Maybe on the coasts, but in the MidWestern suburbia it isn't the case. I can shoot a crossbow in my yard and I just face civil liability for damage.
I bought a GAMO rifle at around that price. Supposed to be 1200 with the copper pellets and 1000 with lead. I don't think it ever came close. I have read a few place you can expect about the 5th shot the rifle makes to hit that claimed velocity and then pretty quickly it settles about 20% below. Not sure if that is true or not. I wanted mine for squirrel hunting and it is not suitable for the purpose.
Accuracy is not great. At about 20 meters I can shoot a 2-3 inch group off hand pretty easily. The rifle DEFINITELY bounces around as all springers supposedly do. Not sure if it is worse than normal or not. It is not accurate enough that I use it for practice.
I saw a clerk at walmart pull a springer out and dryfire it several times for a customer to see, so who knows what happens to them before you get them. I didn't buy mine at the local walmart after witnessing that instead waiting until I made the yearly black Friday trip to Cabela's.
I considered sending it back to the company to have them overlook it once. From what I read online the performance I received isn't really outside the norm for high velocity springers though.
I wished I'd waited and paid the $500+ for a PCP rifle when I had the money. Crossman has one that goes on an AR lower I think.
I bought a GAMO rifle at around that price. Supposed to be 1200 with the copper pellets and 1000 with lead. I don't think it ever came close. I have read a few place you can expect about the 5th shot the rifle makes to hit that claimed velocity and then pretty quickly it settles about 20% below. Not sure if that is true or not. I wanted mine for squirrel hunting and it is not suitable for the purpose.
Accuracy is not great. At about 20 meters I can shoot a 2-3 inch group off hand pretty easily. The rifle DEFINITELY bounces around as all springers supposedly do. Not sure if it is worse than normal or not. It is not accurate enough that I use it for practice.
I saw a clerk at walmart pull a springer out and dryfire it several times for a customer to see, so who knows what happens to them before you get them. I didn't buy mine at the local walmart after witnessing that instead waiting until I made the yearly black Friday trip to Cabela's.
I considered sending it back to the company to have them overlook it once. From what I read online the performance I received isn't really outside the norm for high velocity springers though.
I wished I'd waited and paid the $500+ for a PCP rifle when I had the money. Crossman has one that goes on an AR lower I think.
For those who are seduced by velocityitis.
I ran the numbers through an online trajectory computor comparing a light weight high velocity pellet to a heavy pellet.
The light pellet, a Beeman Laser weighing 6.5 grains and having a ballistic coefficient of .01
The heavy pellet, a JSB Exact Heavy weighing 10.3 grains and having a ballistic coefficient of .031
Muzzle velocitys:
light pellet 1200 fps
heavy pellet 950 fps
These are hypothetical velocitys chosen because they have about the same kinetic energy at the muzzle.
light pellet
muzzle vel 1200 fps 20.8 ft-lb energy
25 yard vel 728 fps 7.7 ft-lb
50 yard vel 514 fps 3.8 ft-lb
heavy pellet
muzzle vel 950 fps 20.6 ft-lb
25 yard vel 826 fps 15.6 ft-lb
50 yard vel 733 fps 12.3 ft-lb
50 yard drop sighted in at 25 yards zero
light fast pellet -6.2 inches
heavy slow pellet -4 inches
wind drift in a 2 mph crosswind at 50 yards
light fast pellet 3.8 inches
heavy slow pellet 1 inch
I ran the numbers through an online trajectory computor comparing a light weight high velocity pellet to a heavy pellet.
The light pellet, a Beeman Laser weighing 6.5 grains and having a ballistic coefficient of .01
The heavy pellet, a JSB Exact Heavy weighing 10.3 grains and having a ballistic coefficient of .031
Muzzle velocitys:
light pellet 1200 fps
heavy pellet 950 fps
These are hypothetical velocitys chosen because they have about the same kinetic energy at the muzzle.
light pellet
muzzle vel 1200 fps 20.8 ft-lb energy
25 yard vel 728 fps 7.7 ft-lb
50 yard vel 514 fps 3.8 ft-lb
heavy pellet
muzzle vel 950 fps 20.6 ft-lb
25 yard vel 826 fps 15.6 ft-lb
50 yard vel 733 fps 12.3 ft-lb
50 yard drop sighted in at 25 yards zero
light fast pellet -6.2 inches
heavy slow pellet -4 inches
wind drift in a 2 mph crosswind at 50 yards
light fast pellet 3.8 inches
heavy slow pellet 1 inch
Most of the accuracy issues are likely due to hold and follow-through. Springers are an aquired taste, but once you figure out the hold they shoot great. A consistent, loose hold is what works for me.
There's a reason that the serious air rifle competitors use either recoiless springers or pre-charged pneumatics. The pneumatics seem to be taking over.
I planning on buying a pneumatic as soon as somebody invents an electric-powered device that costs $300 or less to pump them up to over 3000psi. Until then, I'll stick with springers.
I have been shooting a B21/22 for over 7 years now. It's a springer - Chinese copy of the RWS 48 side-cocker. Very well made, and I consider it better than the RWS because the trigger is a true 2-stage adjustable trigger made of all forged steel parts. Someone should figure out how to marry-up the B21's trigger to the RWS 48. If this could be done, then I'd consider purchasing an RWS 48 and another Chinese B21 just for the trigger parts.
I have been shooting a B21/22 for over 7 years now. It's a springer - Chinese copy of the RWS 48 side-cocker. Very well made, and I consider it better than the RWS because the trigger is a true 2-stage adjustable trigger made of all forged steel parts. Someone should figure out how to marry-up the B21's trigger to the RWS 48. If this could be done, then I'd consider purchasing an RWS 48 and another Chinese B21 just for the trigger parts.
If you go Gamo know that the trigger bites a root but for a few bucks to this guy he will send in a drop in trigger that makes it near match quality. Only takes a screw driver and a minute to remove the old one and put the new one in.
http://charliedatuna.com/GRT-III Trigger New.htm
http://charliedatuna.com/GRT-III Trigger New.htm
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
You can use any SCUBA compressor, right? Fire department has one they will refill SCUBA tanks with and there are a few others around in shops. I happen to have a few tanks also.
You know, from before I was married, when money grew on trees and time was something to be wasted.
You know, from before I was married, when money grew on trees and time was something to be wasted.
From my experience, you need a dive card to get SCUBA tanks filled. Besides, I admit - I'm lazy. I don't want to have to bother a fire department that will be willing to fill a tank for me just to shoot an air gun.
People are making booster pumps that work off of standard air compressor to get the pressure to a level needed to top off 3000 psi air cylinders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWoH7f90c4U. I am aware of at least one company that produces a commercial booster pump. But, I'm cheap and lazy - this technology will get a bit more refined, and then I'll think about jumping in.
People are making booster pumps that work off of standard air compressor to get the pressure to a level needed to top off 3000 psi air cylinders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWoH7f90c4U. I am aware of at least one company that produces a commercial booster pump. But, I'm cheap and lazy - this technology will get a bit more refined, and then I'll think about jumping in.
Any local paintball store should be able to fill 4500 psi cylinders these days- C02 is almost dead in the water.
I prefer springers, as it keeps the logistics of a day shooting airguns in the woods to a minimum. I usually shoot with aperture sights, so I'm not stretching the range. 12 ft lbs and decent accuracy are plenty for me.
Before you dump your Gamo you should try some heavier pellets. I like the Beeman Kodiaks, which shoot really well in my C-1.
I prefer springers, as it keeps the logistics of a day shooting airguns in the woods to a minimum. I usually shoot with aperture sights, so I'm not stretching the range. 12 ft lbs and decent accuracy are plenty for me.
Before you dump your Gamo you should try some heavier pellets. I like the Beeman Kodiaks, which shoot really well in my C-1.
B.L.E. is correct about false advertising and light pellets. I have used my Benjamin / Crosman 392 .22 Pump up air rifle to take out crows, Raccoons, Possums, skunks, tree rats and other assorted vermin. Plenty of power at 7 or 8 pumps and it is only rated at 685 FPS with 14.3 grain pellets. 500 to 600 FPS with .22 pellets is plenty for small game if you hit them right. Shot placement is the key.
On second thought, the crappy BC of those pellets that are light enough to hit those .22 rimfire velocitys can be a safety factor if you are shooting squirrels in trees. These pellets shed velocity like birdshot and that is important in a semi-rural area where you have neighbors in all directions.
A 6.5 grain wadcutter with a .01 BC starting out at 1200 fps is going less than 100 fps at 200 yards. Like a shotgun shooting birdshot, it probably won't go a quarter mile at any elevation angle.
If you have neighbors close enough for the sound of a .22 to be a problem, you definitely have neighbors close enough for the danger zone of a .22 to be a problem.
A 6.5 grain wadcutter with a .01 BC starting out at 1200 fps is going less than 100 fps at 200 yards. Like a shotgun shooting birdshot, it probably won't go a quarter mile at any elevation angle.
If you have neighbors close enough for the sound of a .22 to be a problem, you definitely have neighbors close enough for the danger zone of a .22 to be a problem.
I will throw in, my wife is interested in Air Guns (she read the Lewis and Clark journals and got intrigued)
However, she is a farm girl used to shooting serous artillery and wants one that can shoot larger projectiles as it were.
Whats the biggest caliber and in the best make and model that is still good accuracy at say 50 yards?
However, she is a farm girl used to shooting serous artillery and wants one that can shoot larger projectiles as it were.
Whats the biggest caliber and in the best make and model that is still good accuracy at say 50 yards?
I wanted an air rifle I could shoot on my 35 yard rangel at home. I went to GTA AIR web site and started learning. I wanted an air rifle I could hold and shoot just like I shoot my powder burners. I soon learned springers and nitro pistons require different shooting techniques and may be difficult to shoot off of a sandbag rest. I finally decided that a precharged pnuematic was just the ticket. The down side, at least twice as much as I wanted to spend. So I saved longer and purchased a Benjamin Discovery package that included a pump. The Discovery operates at 2000 psi so pumping is easy. The Disccovery is deadly accccurate, easy to shoot, and plenty powerfull. I highly recomend it . I put an LDC (lead dust catcher) on it to make it backyard friendly.
Does anyone have the Beeman dual caliber model ?
I have one I bought from WM for about $120 or so. I have shot over 750 pellets through it and love it. With good Benjiman 177 pellets it will shoot through 7/16" wafer board siding at 22 yards. The 22s shoot even harder. I wouldn't look at a 177 cal until I shot this gun. Plus at 22 yards it will shoot half inch groups.
Mine came with a 4X scope but I bought a Tasco Golden Antler airgun scope with adjustable objective and its much better. I mainly just shoot open sights though. Its an excellent gun for the low price I paid for it.