Why do people spend $300+ on a pellet rifle?

accuracy

Sometimes spending a lot more for a "good" pellet gun doesn't justify the results. I regularly beat guys using $2000 Feinwerkbau air pistols at our matches using my $55 Crosman American Classic 1377C. They laugh at me pumping it between shots until I beat them (25 yards, standard NRA outdoor targets).
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That doesn't work all the time - of course, you are correct about expense being wasted on some people and fine shots being able to work wonders with what might be considered less than optimal equipment.
The late Don Nygord won a National Championship shooting a Daisy such as yours.....but that was Don Nygord.
There are shooters upon whom the expense is not wasted. Feinwerkbau, Hammerli, Morini, Steyr, and Walther offer shooters more than snob appeal.
Do you regularly beat all the guys shooting high end guns? How often does your club hold real registered air pistol matches?
Air pistol is normally shot at 10 meters at the B40 target. The inner ten ring is 5mm in diameter.
 
I buy airguns because they're inexpensive to shoot and because I can shoot them literally anywhere.

Because it's so easy and cheap to shoot my airguns, I shoot some of them more than I shoot my firearms.

I buy good quality airguns because it doesn't make sense to be spending a lot of time shooting low-quality airguns. I like my shooting to be enjoyable, and I don't get much enjoyment from poor accuracy, stiff, gritty triggers and rough, twangy internals.
I regularly beat guys using $2000 Feinwerkbau air pistols at our matches using my $55 Crosman American Classic 1377C. They laugh at me pumping it between shots until I beat them (25 yards, standard NRA outdoor targets).

If you can hold it steady it shoots straight.
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I have a Crosman 1377 and an FWB 65.

You are correct that the 1377 is very accurate--mine is. At least it is now. I had to replace the barrel because the one that came on the gun had a large pit (about 1/8 of an inch across) inside the bore near the muzzle. I also did a considerable amount of work on the trigger because the stock trigger was not only quite heavy, but it also had a lot of creep and a gritty pull.

The plastic breech loosened up after lots of shooting and it is now held in place by a hose clamp to prevent air from escaping.

I would say that in terms of raw accuracy, my 1377 (as modified) is not far from being as accurate as my FWB 65. But I can shoot my FWB a lot more accurately for the duration of a match because I can focus more on shooting and less on pumping.

The sights are also MUCH better on the FWB than on the 1377.
 
You are correct that the 1377 is very accurate--mine is. At least it is now. I had to replace the barrel because the one that came on the gun had a large pit (about 1/8 of an inch across) inside the bore near the muzzle. I also did a considerable amount of work on the trigger because the stock trigger was not only quite heavy, but it also had a lot of creep and a gritty pull.
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I work through the tough trigger, it's great training. My regular Bullseye gun is a DA revolver, so it's no big deal.

I'm sure I would do a little better score-wise with a high end FWB, but it's a more fun to do well with low end equipment, and easier on the wallet.

Do you regularly beat all the guys shooting high end guns? How often does your club hold real registered air pistol matches?
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We shoot it with NRA outdoor targets (after the regular Bullseye match), and most of the guys are accomplished shooters. I think my high score is 378/400 at 25 yards, the record at our club match is I believe 392. There is one guy with a premium gun who usually beats me, but 6-8 others who do not. Several show up only for the air pistol match, which is held once a month, and are quite serious about it (at least as indicated by their investment).
 
I work through the tough trigger, it's great training.
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It is, and I shot mine stock for some years before I did anything to it. I think that my early shooting experience, which mostly consisted of airguns with pretty rough triggers, helped me improve my technique.

But when I'm shooting for accuracy (as in a match) or for fun, I'd much rather have a nice trigger than a rough one. Since I can afford nice triggers now (or can modify them/have them modified to be nice) I do.
...it's a more fun to do well with low end equipment, and easier on the wallet.
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There is a certain appeal to demonstrating that the shooter is more important to the outcome than the equipment is. That said, you don't have to go all the way up to a FWB pistol to get a nice trigger or reduced cocking effort.

You might take a look at the Crosman 2300T. Pretty good reviews, has an adjustable trigger, decent sights & good sight radius, is CO2 powered (no pumping) and can be had for under $140 if you shop around.
Pics please!
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I don't have any decent pics of it. But it's a stock FWB 65.

Here are links to some pics that show the sights of someone else's FWB 65.

http://picturearchive.gunauction.com/1912728/6759483/0193ecb40e0a9a4fd1faa90f9d140ded.jpg

http://picturearchive.gunauction.com/1912728/6759483/d1a6a3bf366369c3ba2eb1f7cb6f6bda.jpg

http://picturearchive.gunauction.com/1912728/6759483/d1a6a3bf366369c3ba2eb1f7cb6f6bda.jpg

The front sight width can be selected. The rear sight notch width and depth are adjustable. The rear sight elevation and windage have knobs with click adjustments.
 
plinking

Another quiet backyard plinking round is a .22 Hornet case primer only, no powder, with a .22 air rifle pellet seated in the neck. This is good for about 350-400 fps with CCI small rifle primers and Crossman .22 Copperhead pellets. It's about as loud as dry firing the gun.
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neat idea. I use .223 Remington cases with 209 shotgun primers. I bore out the primer pocket with a (what??) a C drill iirc and set the pellets in the neck of the case with a long finishing nail (through the enlarged primer pocket)
Makes a pellet gun out of my rifle.
Pete
 
No way I'd spend that little - I'm saving for a $3,000 Edgun Matador!

But to answer your question:

-cheap ammo
-legal to shoot in many city limits
-cheap ammo
-quiet
-cheap ammo

Did I mention the cheap ammo? :)
 
airguns are pretty cool, you can mod them and are great for small game. If you keep an eye out you can pick up deals, i bought my first pcp direct from walmart, benjamin discovery and the pump for $300.

ive had nice spring style air rifles but once you go pcp its hard to come back. Some of the new guns in 25 and 30 cal shoot as flat as rimfires with almost as much power.
 
When I was a kid, I had a crossman air rifle and at 33 feet I could pick off those little green army men in my backyard with it.

It was fun. Hell it would be fun right now. 300 bucks? No...but I've spentthat much money than that on a rimfire pistol people dilsike, so why should I say a 300 dollar air rifle is a no-no? I'd like to shoot one and see what it's like.
 
beeman400.jpg


Heck, my Beeman 400 was $400 back in 1980. I have no idea what that would be today, a couple thousand?

Why do we buy them?

400_factory_target.jpg


Did your rifle come with a 5 shot factory target like this?

400_trigger.jpg


Did your rifle come with a 5.5 onz factory trigger? Actually I turned it up. It used to be 2 onz and that was a bit light.

400_target_092281.jpg


5 shots per bull, 10 m shot in a competition. Admittedly my best shooting ever but hey that is what precision air rifle is all about.

So why spend thousands on a precision air rifle? Because if you wanted to compete back in the day it was either the Dianawerk 75's (my Beeman 400 was a clone) or the FWB 300's. You did not win without one.
 
I'd love to find a Diana 75, FWB300, or best of all a Walther LGR at some garage sale.

Still, I should pick up a few more Daisy 853's from the CMP while they are still around. They will shoot tight, and it is fun to go SSP vs. SSP with a friend.

Jimro
 
I'd love to find a Diana 75, FWB300, or best of all a Walther LGR at some garage sale.
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Keep looking.

They do turn up from time to time on the used market. That's how I bought my FWB 300 some years back. In fact, one sold on ebay just a month or so ago.
 
Peter M. Eick, or someone else who shoots competitive air rifle, what kind of backer do they use on those targets to make nice clean bullet holes instead of difficult to score bullet tears on the paper?
 
what kind of backer do they use on those targets to make nice clean bullet holes instead of difficult to score bullet tears on the paper?
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First off you get better holes from actual target paper targets. The paper has the fibers arranged in a manner to have nice round holes cut in it. I've been using the ISSF/NRA 10m targets from National Target. A pack of 100 is pretty cheap considering you get 12 bulls per sheet.

My last match there were no backers on the targets, they were held in place by clips and gravity. We had no issues scoring. If that doesn't work for you, double wall cardboard seems to work as a backer.

Second, you have to use wadcutter pellets, domed or pointed pellets will make ragged holes.

Jimro
 
I've tried heavy card stock and printed targets from my computer, but you still get tears. I use those for most of my practicing and every once in a while use the good targets to really see how tight I'm getting.

The Daisy/Avanti 753/853/953's are a bargain. Every home should have at least one :).


ETA: Peter M. Eick ---> Damn! Nice shooting.

ETA: Article evaluating Daisy 953
http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2009/05/daisy-powerline-953-targetpro-part-1.html
 
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Daisy isn't a name I would associate with a quality air rifle. I've shot them plenty when I was a kid & wore a couple out
 
The Avanti line is definitely not a Red Ryder. While "quality" may not be the best word to describe them, they perform well above both their price and most expectations.
 
I started out with the red Ryder around 6yo.and completely wore it out. When I was upgraded the following Christmas with the Winchester model 94 version, I was ready for big game haha. 55 years later.. I still have it! A little loose & beat up, but still works... Kind of. I wouldn't trade my RWS for anything. The Steoger isn't bad either, just no comparison with the RWS in quality
 
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Just realized my RWS 48 nowadays qualifies for this thread. Short answer - because it feels like a real rifle and doesn't fall under the "no firearms in the city" rules.
 
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