Spring Air Guns

[blackstairs boy 0]

Hi everyone,

Would a break barrel air gun with power between 18 to 20ftlb be ideal for knocking down rabbit and pigeon out to 40yrds. Considering a purchase of an air gun but would want plenty of stopping power for larger pests. It will be .22 cal. All advice greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

boy

[Edgar 1]

You do know you need an FAC for that? If so I would suggest a gas ram. I have no first hand experience of FAC air rifles but I have heard the recoil of a springer is usually to harsh for accurate shooting at that power. Theoben do a break barrel gas ram called the eliminator that certainly looks good. At 18-20 ft/lb I would imagine you could shoot rabbits and pigeons well past 40 yards once you had got used to it.

[blackstairs boy 0]

You do know you need an FAC for that? If so I would suggest a gas ram. I have no first hand experience of FAC air rifles but I have heard the recoil of a springer is usually to harsh for accurate shooting at that power. Theoben do a break barrel gas ram called the eliminator that certainly looks good. At 18-20 ft/lb I would imagine you could shoot rabbits and pigeons well past 40 yards once you had got used to it.

Im from ireland so i need to get a gun licence for an air gun no matter what the power is. This is why i want something thats good for about 40 yards for ferals and crows around the farm and also rabbits. I would much prefer a spring so i would not consider a gas powered one. Thanks for the advice and would you know would there be much sound from a spring gun.

atb boy

[andyfr1968 772]

Hi, mate.

 

Have a look at the RWS52. I had one on ticket years ago that with just a gentle tune gave 32ft-lbs with Crossman Premiers.

 

Even at that power the recoil was no more than most 'normal' springers.

 

Don't be put off by gas-rams, mate. The ram is only a type of spring in the way it works, still self contained, not like a pre-charge.

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers.

[Edgar 1]

Sorry mate should pay more attention. As already mentioned gas rams are not like pre-charged they have a cylinder of gas that is compressed when you cock the rifle and don't need charging.

[blackstairs boy 0]

Thanks for the advice mate... I dont have a huge budget so what do you think you would pick up one of those gas ram ones for? I am wanting to spend about 350 euro so do you think I would get a second hand one with all the trimmings for that ?

Cheers,

boy

[andyfr1968 772]

You should be able to buy an HW90 and kit easy for that price (used), gas-ram and made to produce 20ish ft-lbs (22).

 

I picked up a nice 52 a little while back for £120....

 

Cheers.

 

Edit to say.. If I was to go for the high powered version of either gun, and I've had both, I'd go for the 52. It really does shoot very well at the 'export' power. The 90 shoots like a tw*t at those levels. Too much recoil.

Edited January 13, 2010 by andyfr1968

[Edgar 1]

Saw a theoben eliminator doing about 20ft/lb for 200 pounds a while ago, don't know what that is in euros. As already mentioned an HW90 could be tuned to that power.

[blackstairs boy 0]

Saw a theoben eliminator doing about 20ft/lb for 200 pounds a while ago, don't know what that is in euros. As already mentioned an HW90 could be tuned to that power.

thanks for all the advice lads. Please keep it coming as I dont want to make a purchase that i will regret later.

cheers

boy

[kev1986 0]

hi mate why do you need a fac for 40 yards i use a bsa lightning 11.8ftlb and take rabbits ,crows , pigeons etc at 45 yards no prob all being well you can read your trajectory etc and a .177 will be flat to about 45yards and wil take al above quarry no prop at under 12ftlb

atb

kev

[andyfr1968 772]

hi mate why do you need a fac for 40 yards i use a bsa lightning 11.8ftlb and take rabbits ,crows , pigeons etc at 45 yards no prob all being well you can read your trajectory etc and a .177 will be flat to about 45yards and wil take al above quarry no prop at under 12ftlb

atb

kev

 

The bloke lives in Eire. He'll need a licence for any sort of gun. No power limit there, just no licence, no gun of any sort.

 

Cheers.

[kev1986 0]

oh well scrap the sub 12 ftlb and get 60ftlb apecial airarms in 177 and a 177 hmr for the bunnies and you sorted out to 200yards sorted

[blackstairs boy 0]

oh well scrap the sub 12 ftlb and get 60ftlb apecial airarms in 177 and a 177 hmr for the bunnies and you sorted out to 200yards sorted

well i could jus get a 22 rimfire or a 17 hmr for those ranges but i prefer the fieldcraft of stalking rabbits and also i can use it in the farmyard for the ferals fairly safely without too much worry about backstops.

cheers for the advice,

atb boy

 

ps: edgar and andy when you said a rifle could be tuned to a higher power is that an easy job to do? could i do it myself ? I presume you could only get 1 or 2 extra ft/lbs from it or could you get more?

cheers'

boy

Edited January 16, 2010 by blackstairs boy

[andyfr1968 772]

The 90 is made to produce around 20 and the 52 is made to make about 26ft-lbs, they are de-tuned for the UK market. Most springers are by simply fitting a weaker spring at the factory...

 

You guys and a lot of Europe don't have the power restrictions that we do over here, so the guns are made to their optimum then castrated for the UK.

 

What you buy in Eire should be whatever the gun was ment to be and not a UK spec weakling.

 

Cheers.

[blackstairs boy 0]

I see a hw for sale. It didnt say but what sort of power would that have in 22 cal. Im lookin for about 20 ft/lbs so fingers crossed.

cheers

boy