[BigDaddyB]

What do you folks consider to be 'best buys' for quality, accuracy, and price in both air rifles and pistols?

My young sons are really starting to enjoy 'shooting with Dad'. I see airguns in my future, and am woefully ignorant on the modern brands and where the best bang for the buck (bad pun!) can be found.

Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

well what for and how old are they? for just target shootin any Daisy will do, but for something with a little more power i have a Gamo Hunter 440 with a scope. That is good but can be hard to cock and is a little over $200.00

 

[Chris]

Just for Starters

BigDaddyB

Depending upon how old your boys are, you can start them out with something as simple as a Daisy Red Ryder. I know when I got my first air rifle, I was in Hog Heaven. Probably better to start them out with a rifle...don't want them too close to the business end of a barrel for starters.

Daisy also makes a couple of nice pnuematics, fitted with a micro-adjustable sights. This can be a good good choice before you plunk down the big bucks. My son likes his...heck, I like it too.

Not pushing Daisy...just more fimilar with them than anything else. I know there are also some good Crossman and Sheridan rifles out there that will serve your boys well, whatever your decision.

Anyway, I am sure your boys will flip when they see what Dad (or Santa) brought them.

Be Safe!

 

[BigDaddyB]

Excellent advice from all.

I still have my old Daisy Red Rider. I picked up a chinese spring-style rifle at a flea market and have been enjoying it.

I'm glad to hear that Benjamin and Sheridan are still considered quality options. With the recent rage of mergers and buy-outs, I wasn't sure who was who anymore.

FWIW, I have a Henry Golden Boy and Ruger MkII Government Model that the kids shoot at the range. My oldest is 8, youngest is 6. Youngest gets his first shooting lesson at my grandpa's place over Christmas. He's VERY excited!

Thanks to all,

 

[Zachary]

I have an RWS (I think 42 or 48). It drives a .177 pellet at over 1,000 fps. I bought as a combo with a 4x scope for about $250. Some people may not think that this is a best buy, but when you see that I have shot birds at an honest 90+ yards, then you won't question its quality and accuracy and thus consider it a "best" buy.

 

[rwng]

BDB, Santa is bringing my 7 year old a Redrider this Christmas. I still have my Daisey from my 7th B-day. A friend has a Chinese air rifle that shoots .22 cal, he says its range is around 350 yards! I too have been looking around for air guns. It looks like Gamo has some nice rifles. This is not first hand knowledge tho.

 

[Zachary]

Questor,

To answer your question: A LOT! :-D

The reticle on the scope is a standard duplex. What I did was simply as follows:

I first put the cross hairs on the bird. At the shot, I heard the pellet hit the pole. (The birds were always a little confused and looked down to see what the heck was going on. )

From there, I simply raised the cross hairs a little more, and then a little more, until I actually hit one of them.

Now let me tell you, it is NOT easy hitting a small bird at 90 yards EVEN WITH YOUR MOST ACCURATE CENTERFIRE RIFLE. So you can imagine how hard it is with an air rifle.

The biggest problem with air rifles is that the slightest breeze can blow those little pellets right off target at those longer distances. As such, I had to wait on those super calm days.

And don't think that, once I got the hold-over right, that I was hitting them consistently. Remember, accurate shooting has to do with the shooter just as much as it has to do with the rifle. I would say that, on those 90+ yards shots, that I would hit about 1 out of 10.

Zachary

 

[Ekspurt]

For what it's worth

I am researching to buy my first (real) air rifle too. Initially, I was leaning toward the RWS Diana 48 which I'd found for as low as $240 I think. But experienced opinions have nudged me closer to the Beeman R-9 for around $276 or less. Still not sure but the Beeman comes highly recomended.

 

[dand]

Sorry the Guest above was me - thought I was logged in. I read a few reviews of the Winchester /Daisy rifles and the Crossman /Mendoza rifles before I bought the R7. Prices are very modest but the reviews weren't kind when it came to the triggers. I believe the cocking effort could be quite stiff (over 30 pounds) for rifles claiming to produce 800 feet per second or more - a consideration for a youngster.

I saw a review somewhere of the Daisy Avanti target rifles and I think the 853 was well regarded.

Find the Review Centre airgunsor Ten Gold Stars (airguns) sites for a wide range of reviews on air rifles. GB Hope its ok to recommend those sites?

 

[jose grande]

The 853 Daisey is the best buy out there. Under 200$ & very accurate. Comes with many things too,sling,spacers,sight inserts.I have 6 of them here for my 4-H kids to use.

 

[jimfleming]

Bigdaddy, I was in your shoes before the Christmas holidays. My son is 8 and I did alot of research. He had a Crosman that finally broke and was getting started asking to use my Daystate Harrier SE. It is still a little too much gun for him. What we ended up going with was the Beeman model 1783 Silver Bear. Part of the reason I went with it was that I had spent too much time deciding and the holidays were getting near. Now I find myself shooting his gun on occasion(when he is gone to school of course). Anyway, it can be had for ~$60 from Wal-Mart and it comes with a 4x Beeman scope. Seems like it just shoots ~500 fps but seems to have no problems downing squirrels out to 30 yards. Hope this helps................happy hunting

 

[22MK1]

One of the best deals in springers righ now is the Slavia(CZ) 631. They can be had for ~ $80. The 630 is ~$70 but lacks the adjustable trigger. The review is a few years old and as a result of exchange rate fluctuations, they are cheaper now than when it was written in '98. For a review of the 631 go to:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~ispellan/Airguns.html


<img src="http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/f33b5a38/bc/BRNO+Mod+4/CZ++Slavia630+and+631.jpg?bcWHxZ.AOHZ0SRwT">

For a co2 gun, you can't go wrong with a QB-78 which is a Chinese copy of the classic Crosman 160 and also available for ~$80 from Fun Supply in .177 or .22. In co2 guns, you get more fpe out of .22 for the same amount of co2. There are a number of tuners who hop therse cheap guns up: Mac-1, Gene sunday, and Co2une.
Here's a picture of my shrouded barreled QB in a Customwerks stock. It's unbelievably quiet and very accurate(more so than most rimfires at 50 yards).

<img src="http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/f33b5a38/bc/QBf/QBf+best+full+length.jpg?bcWHxZ.A.Gb1AQV6">

For pistol, the best deal is accuracy/$ is probably a daisy 717. It's probably a little large for small kids to hold though. Here are pictures of my Daisy 777 and Crosman MK 1. The 777 is no longer made but they still make a 747 which has the Lothar Walther barrel and adjustable trigger. The Crosman MK 1 is no longer mde but you can pick them up used and they are very accurate and can also be hopped up. The LD pistol by Mac-1 airguns(built from a MK 1) outshooots European pistols costing 5 times as much and can also outshoot most rimfire pistols at 25 yards.


<img src="http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/f33b5a38/bc/Airguns/Daisy+777+and+MK+1.jpg?bcWHxZ.A2SOYD2Ki">

<img src="http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/f33b5a38/bc/Crosman+MK1+and+600/LD+custom+seaton+grips.jpg?bcGaxZ.AdRFl.lhE">

Here are some links:
http://www.mac1airgun.com/
http://www.funsupply.com/airguns/qb78.html

 

[22MK1]

BDB, Santa is bringing my 7 year old a Redrider this Christmas. I still have my Daisey from my 7th B-day. A friend has a Chinese air rifle that shoots .22 cal, he says its range is around 350 yards! I too have been looking around for air guns. It looks like Gamo has some nice rifles. This is not first hand knowledge tho.

Do yourself a favor and run don't walk away from Gamo airguns. A lot of people get suckered into buying them because they always take out a full page ad in American Rifleman.

 

[cocojo]

Hi new to the forum and I love air rifles. I was reading everyones replies on an air rifle for an 8 & 6 year olds. My son is 11 and I just purchased him a Daisy 856 pumper. It's only 3 pounds shoots .177 pellets at 650 on ten pumps. The pumping is not problem being that it's no where near as tough to pump as my Sheridan C9. He started with the smaller lever daisy which shot at 275, so this is his first adult powered air gun. My air guns are just too heavy and they are not fun to shoot being this heavy. Remember it has to be easy for them to shoot hold and handle. $ 40.00 for a Daisy is not bad. I just ordered it from D&R in a Camo stock that should tickel his fancy and has the fiber optic front sight also. Good book to read is the American Air Rifles , well written.