What rifle?

[syntax 0]

Hi all, been looking at loads of different posts and there's just too much to go through my minds gone all mushy. I want to get an air rifle for a bit of target shooting but mainly to get out and hunt small game. Im not rich or anything, and will be saving up for a while, but i really want a nice accurate well built gun(powerful also), and so will spend anything up to the cost of theoben rapid s-type, which goes for just under £1000. (Call me crazy cause its my first rifle but i've always been this way with buying things and I dont think I can change that,lol)

I was wondering whats the best for power and accuracy out of pre-charged, gas ram and co2. My guess is gas ram but thats just a guess.

All i know is that i like the theoben range of rifles, ive heard people talking about the s410 alot, and I dont want to get a single shot spring rifle, any ideas?

 

Cheers

[ChrisJones 7,975]

How much are you prepared to spend? Upto a grand on the gun only or do you want some sort of kit?

Edited February 22, 2008 by ChrisJones

[Ratman2 2]

Wow!!! that’s a lot of money for a first airgun. May I sugest you get down to an airgun club and try a few before spending a grand.

I have several good airguns and some cheap ones too, I like them all. The one with the most rats under its belt is a cheap and cheerful Chinese [bANNED TEXT], I've had it for ten years or more and wouldn’t be without it.

[spike 0]

With that sort of budget you could have pretty much anything, the best thing to do is try out a few different ones- 410, rapid etc if you can.

You could end up spending £1000 on something you can't get on with otherwise.

[syntax 0]

Cheers for the ideas people, i will definetly be testing out different guns before I buy. I havnt treated myself for a while so im gunna go a bit crazy and get some quality stuff, not that i think it will make me an expert shooter or anything.

The answer to your question Chris would be everything I need for a grand I guess, which is a good point because I didnt even factor in all the accessories that are needed, I was just looking at rifle prices.

 

[ChrisJones 7,975]

Next questions then.

 

Do you want to spend the full grand or do you want value and usability? New or second hand? Like Ratman said if you're just going to plink rats get something cheap and cheerful instead of going for a super expensive set up. Most shooters give up the game within 6 months. Do you want to try something out first? Start cheaper and upgrade if you feel that shooting is the game for you?

 

Next question. Rifle.

 

Single or multi shot? Do you want something like a springer which never needs recharging, and only requires small amounts of maintenance? Or are you prepared to set aside a chunk of your budget for a stirrup pump or a diving bottle?

 

Pre Charged Pneumatic (PCP) require filling after X amount of shots. Pros: they're lighter and quieter than springers. More accurate too. Cons: They require filling equipment that could eat between £100 and £200 of your budget if you're shopping new. The rifles are generally more expensive than spring guns. While reliability is improved the seals go and they leak.

 

Spring/Gas Ram Rifles. Pros: Price. They're very cheap (start at £35). Accurate. Teach you the skill of shooting correctly which recoilless PCP's can never do. Cons: Can be heavy. Only single shot.

 

Next question. Scope.

 

Presuming you're going to buy a gun with a scope.

 

When are you going to do the bulk of your shooting? Day or Night?

 

If night have you budgeted for a gun lamp or any other kind of illumination device?

 

Think that covers it for now.

[marsh 0]

hello

i'm new here and this is the first comment i have posted!!!! but i have had 3 air rifles the first being a very old bsa springer the second one being an air arms s400 and the final one which i still have is a daystate harrier x which was more expensive but not quite as good as the air arms for one reason, praticality. what i mean to say is money can buy you a good rifle but depending on whether you need what you pay the extra money for it is less use than something you could have bought second hand with the odd scratch.as i found out!!!

 

 

 

best of luck on finding the new weapon. happy hunting!!!!