Air Rifle

BBK

BBK

Active member
Hey guys, I want to purchase an air rifle for squirrel hunting. I've always wanted to try it, and this year I am going to do it.

I'm going to look at break open style, but was wondering if I should go .177 or .22 cal? This is for squirrels at 30-40 yards I imagine.

I'm really leaning towards .22 cal.

What are your thoughts?
 
definatly get a .22.... with crosman premier pellets at wally world... they shoot the best for the price.

The Titan break ofen rifle is pretty good... but the PCP rifles cost more...but their accuracy and pleasure to shoot is better...but they do cost twice as much.

EDIT... my Titan is okay... but when I go for a springer... I do grab the Trail NP.
 
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I have the Trail NP in .22cal. It is scary accurate. The Trail NP is a nitro piston which should be quieter than spring and also you don't have to deal with the double bounce. I bought it from Airgun depot. Came with Centerpoint 3x9.
 
I think the bounce he is talkimg about, is from the recoil of a "springer". They can be more difficult to learn to shoot as well. And harder on cheap scopes. They tend to be cheaper to purchase. Air rifles like a lot of things, there is no free lunch.
 
I recently inherited a Beeman HW97, which is a spring gun that cocks with an underlever. What a beautiful gun. I also have a Benjamin Discovery which is a PCP gun, meaning you have to fill a small tank attached to the gun that holds air. The gun is supplied with a pump. The Benjamin is great because it has no recoil, retains power and is able to be left cocked for periods of time, unlike the spring air rifles(which I read somewhere is not good for them-not sure on that though). SO for hunting applications, the Benjamin may be a better choice. I have mine in .22 and have picked off crows at 50 yards with mine. Squirrels at 30(but I havent seen one passed 30)
 
If your getting serious with air rifles then go with a pcp type the accuracy will put pellets in the same hole at 50 yards as for power I have taken bobcats and coyotes with mine. I have both benjamin mauraders one in 22 and the other in 25 cal. I also have a jack haley 308 cal that is now my coyote gun, accurate out past 100 yards.
 
Hey BBK...

If you are set on buying an airgun from Airgundepot....you might look at getting a "refurbished" airgun...you will get more gun for your money, with the same warranty as new....personally I would stay away from the hatsan...I don't think you will be happy with it...I will say that I haven't owned a hatsan...but I have and have had many many airguns!....I think that if you don't use the gun much you will have a hard time "taming it" and won't be able to shoot it accurately....$100 dollars won't buy too much gun at all.....don't believe the power and velocity quotes of a lot of these guns....most of the time it is around 100-200 fps slower with a good hunting weight pellet.....not always, but enough of the time....just because it's fast doesn't mean it will be accurate....most of the time, around 750-850 fps with a hunting weight pellet gets the best results....the exact hunting weight pellet will vary with caliber...but .22 in a spring gun will be at least 14 gr. and no more than 21 gr. (21 gr. being a lot slower and only for the most powerful spring guns....not the hastsan)....I would stick to 14 - 18gr in the hatsan.....14gr might get around 700-800 fps.....and the 18gr. might be around 600-700fps range.....only a guess from my experiences......

Sorry for rambling!...Good luck with your purchase!
 
I have the Benjamin Trail NP XL 1100 in .22 cal. I get good accuracy and hunt with JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys, and Predator Ploymags. The Nitro Pistons are powerful, but hold fussy to shoot, especiaaly in field positions without a rest. I put a GRT III trigger in it and polished the bore with flitz to accelerate break in and clean the black gunk from the factory. Now I get 1/2" 10 shot groups at 30 yds. I wish I would have bought a Marauder in .25 cal instead. I definetly see one in the future in the future.

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Originally Posted By: SteveB22250 If your getting serious with air rifles then go with a pcp type the accuracy will put pellets in the same hole at 50 yards as for power I have taken bobcats and coyotes with mine. I have both benjamin mauraders one in 22 and the other in 25 cal. I also have a jack haley 308 cal that is now my coyote gun, accurate out past 100 yards. I agree! After I get done with my 1322 carbine mod for rats,then save up for a Mrod.
And as far as Hunting Coyotes in a Municipal areas a PCP is the ticket
 
Originally Posted By: BBKHey guys, I want to purchase an air rifle for squirrel hunting. I've always wanted to try it, and this year I am going to do it.

I'm going to look at break open style, but was wondering if I should go .177 or .22 cal? This is for squirrels at 30-40 yards I imagine.

I'm really leaning towards .22 cal.

What are your thoughts? I bought a Benji Titan NP in .22 from AGD for like $120,it is a Refurb. Spec's say 900fps but after Chrony check it's 750fps,Very accurate and well worth the money. Now you say the you will only use it for squirrels but hang on to your wallet because you will get the AG Disease!!
 
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25 is definitely the way to go for critters. The 22 cal killed the squirrel, the 25 stiffed legged it.
 
In my opinion, the break barrel design is fundamentally wrong and for all of the gamos and other various brands that i've shot, a 30 to forty yard shot is very difficult and often in the outer limits of their abilities as they are horribly inaccurate. But, i personally prefer the extra velocity of a .177. I'll tell you this though, any cheap $150 22lr rifle with CCI cb ammo that is quieter than any pellet gun, if far superior to any air rifle.
 
I agree that a cheap 22 powder burnerwith cci's is one way especially at short range and some scope adjustment to allow for drop. But don't sell the AIRRIFLE short I have taken large ground hogs out at 60 yards with one shot to the head ,including country rats and skunks and coons.

Lots of break barrels do need some love and tune work and PCP CAN BE EXPENSIVE when you include tanks, moderators etc. But man can they be fun especially for squirrell hunting anywhere from 20 to 60 plus yards.

Gary
 
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For the money I like the bejamin trail NP XL I have. I have brought cheaper break berrel springers and have not been happy with them. A $100 gun is going to be poor IMHO. $270 the Benjamin Tail in .22 is fast(750-850 fps) and accurate and very quiet! I am going to order the GRT 3 trigger for $38 because the trigger is the only thing I don't like about the gun. It is way quieter than a .22 lr with sub sonics or other spring pellet guns. The gun is well made, very nice looking, and even the center point scope is not bad. I can shoot 5 shot 2 inch groups at fifty yards even with the crappy factory trigger.

The Benjamin discovery is an awesome gun but more money. My buddies is unreal accurate! Santa is bringing me a discovery!
 
Im not so sure a CCI would out perform all air rifles my jack haley 308 provides more power than a cci would and isnt that noisy while doing it. I have shot clean through two coyotes one at 50 yards broadside, and the other was at 35 yards in the chest out the rear. and it holds a group of less than a inch and a half at a 100 yards, most 22 ammo cant compete with these results. Air rifles have come along ways form the red rider days. Originally Posted By: KaianuanuIn my opinion, the break barrel design is fundamentally wrong and for all of the gamos and other various brands that i've shot, a 30 to forty yard shot is very difficult and often in the outer limits of their abilities as they are horribly inaccurate. But, i personally prefer the extra velocity of a .177. I'll tell you this though, any cheap $150 22lr rifle with CCI cb ammo that is quieter than any pellet gun, if far superior to any air rifle.
 


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