Other Your recommendations for best "box store" springers....

[Kragman1]

Just wondering if there are any models that stand out to the "cognisenti" here. I mean, there have to be a FEW, right? Stuff that people were pleasantly surprised by, especially over time.

I started wondering after I bought a 2nd hand Ruger Blackhawk Elite in .177. I didn't pay a lot because I didn't expect to get a lot. In fact, I figured it might make a good guinea pig for tuning.

It has a modern-style black thumbhole stock with lots of "cool" edges molded into it, turned me right off. I like old, wood & steel. And form that follows function.
But it is comfortable to use (!) and to my surprise, cocks, cycles and shoots very well (!). On top of that, it has a good trigger (!).
Everything fits neatly together, blueing is fine, etc. and there is no need for tuning. Well, well...

So next I bought a Stoeger X20S with the same thought, and that has turned out to be a very good shooting rifle also. Two for two as it were....

So I'm wondering if it's time to show a little respect to the box store stuff....

 

[Oddhawk]

I bought a Benjamin prowler form box world a few years back on sale for 64 something or other. The scope was junk but it's been a decent gun.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I bought a Benjamin prowler form box world a few years back on sale for 64 something or other. The scope was junk but it's been a decent gun.

Same here, I tool the plastic stock off and replaced it with a Vantage wooden stock. Actually a pretty good shooter but I did put a GRT III trigger in it.

 

[Hold_Over]

I have a cabelas outfitter .22 that after a stock swap, a grtIII trigger, and some lube on the piston and spring is a great rifle. The stock some people would have kept, I just didn't care for the thumbhole design so that shouldn't count against it. It's a crosman built rifle with the cabelas branding, I believe the same internally as a remington summit. Unfortunately not made any longer, but I believe there are several other crosman line rifles that are basically the same with different aesthetics and branding.

 

[Septicdeath]

I order mine online or buy used I’ve only bought one springer at a box store several years ago. A Guidehawk $99 have no complaints. Shoots good.

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

Oo oo oo! The Ruger! Looooove mine!

 

[JDR]

Read that Ruger Air Hawk and Night Hawk are Xisco Airguns that are Diana 34 clones. Be great if you are handy enough to tune one.

 

[Kragman1]

I haven't been inside the Blackhawk but it seems like a D34 clone. Never cared to look at it in that light, but I will next time it's out.

 

[Hold_Over]

I could see me picking up a ruger airhawk 1000. I assume the Blackhawk is the same just in the black synthetic stock?

 

[JDR]

Read that Ruger Air Hawk and Night Hawk are Xisco Airguns that are Diana 34 clones. Be great if you are handy enough to tune.

Read that Ruger Air Hawk and Night Hawk are Xisco Airguns that are Diana 34 clones. Be great if you are handy enough to tune one.

This gun is a Xisco B28 that is a clone of the RWS 350. You can see how powerful it is. However price is high for what it went for in Wally World. Maybe find it cheaper online. Don't know if Mike Melick with Flying Dragons can get a Xisco B28. Use to come in .177, .22 and .25.

Used Ruger Air Magnum .177 with 4x32 Ruger scope SKU 81.7 - Baker Airguns

Ruger Air Magnum .177 with 4×32 Ruger scope SKU 81.7 Ruger 4×32 Scope Dovetail to Picatinny scope riser Spring-piston .177 caliber Break barrel All-weather synthetic stock Ambidextrous Monte Carlo stock Rubber recoil pad 2-stage adjustable trigger Fiber optic sights (fully adj. rear) Weaver...

www.bakerairguns.com

 

[Kragman1]

I know that they make a B28 in .25, and that I'd like one. Inexpensive way to have a .25 "D350"...

 

[Moog]

Over 10 years ago I bought a Crosman Storm XT in .177 from Walmart. Once I installed a GRT III after market trigger it turned out to be a really nice shooter.
This is the first Springer I ever took apart. Over the years I've installed a new spring and piston seal. I also refinished the stock. It's all metal and wood except for the plastic fiber optic sights.
After over a decade it still shoots great.

 

[Kragman1]

I've heard about the Prowler that Oddhawk mentioned a few times, so there must be something to it.
Also, the gas ram guns neatly sidestep and the spring/spring guide/ etc issues, plus they feel and sound great. In medium cocking effort guns, I really like them. In the big ones, you do have cocking effort concerns though.
Triggers generally suck, but I found that the T05 copy in the Blackhawk is smooth and clean. No point in upgrading that one.
The Gamo-style triggers that are so common need help though.
That would be my recipe if I wanted to own the $200 market - small-medium and large-medium powered rifles with gas rams and decent triggers.
If Bam or Xisico made a D34 copy with a gas ram they'd pretty much have it. Add a good cup-style piston seal (and don't slice it during installation!) kiss the muzzle with a choke and you'd pick up smoothness, power and accuracy. A good moderator like the one on the Stoeger X20s would be nice too.
In today's market, that could be a $200 gun I think. If they were avaliable for $229 etc. I don't think that would really scare people away.

 

[Hold_Over]

Got a Crosman Vantage np 177 on it way to me now. Will let ya know how it works out.

 

[Kragman1]

The Vantage is another one that comes up often...

 

[Hold_Over]

The Vantage is another one that comes up often...

True, when they go on sale. A gun dressed in wood and metal for a bit more than 100 bucks will be hard to beat if it shoots well

 

[dgeesaman]

Just wondering if there are any models that stand out to the "cognisenti" here. I mean, there have to be a FEW, right? Stuff that people were pleasantly surprised by, especially over time.

I started wondering after I bought a 2nd hand Ruger Blackhawk Elite in .177. I didn't pay a lot because I didn't expect to get a lot. In fact, I figured it might make a good guinea pig for tuning.

It has a modern-style black thumbhole stock with lots of "cool" edges molded into it, turned me right off. I like old, wood & steel. And form that follows function.
But it is comfortable to use (!) and to my surprise, cocks, cycles and shoots very well (!). On top of that, it has a good trigger (!).
Everything fits neatly together, blueing is fine, etc. and there is no need for tuning. Well, well...

So next I bought a Stoeger X20S with the same thought, and that has turned out to be a very good shooting rifle also. Two for two as it were....

So I'm wondering if it's time to show a little respect to the box store stuff....

If I was restricted to box store airguns, I’d buy from the store with the best return policy and return until I found one that shot and did not fall apart.

I don’t think low end airguns are all junk, just that some are and you can’t tell which from what.

 

[JDR]

At Walmart, I got a Gamo Whisper magnum (not sure of the exact model) that retailed for $220 for $99. Like an idiot, I gave it away.

 

[Hold_Over]

I don’t think low end airguns are all junk, just that some are and you can’t tell which from what

I think that may be the point of this post. To highlight which models/brands offer something worth owning that doesn't break the bank.

 

[DonC]

I once bought a F4 Crosman with low power gas ram 500 fps. It is wonderful. Almost like shooting a HW30 EXCEPT the Crosman trigger needs a trigger job. Even then, it will never be as good as Record. But it is a good value and lots of fun indoors and out to 30 yards outdoors. By the way, F4 models are only sold by Walmart and they also offer it in FAC.