Beginner looking for a good break barrel...

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winter_fell88

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Nov 4, 2019
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Michigan
I'm a novice when it comes to air rifles. I want something accurate and reliable for my girlfriend and I to target shoot and use for pest control when needed. I'm unsure as to what to purchase. I know I'd like a break barrel for the power. Gamo, Umarex/Ruger and Crosman have some nice offerings under $200, I've heard some reviews suggesting that some Gamo and Umarex products are sub par. Any suggestions? 
 
Try the search option above and see what you see. This question has been asked multiple times, (even recently) so you are likely to get instant answers. 
You will get different thoughts on the “Gamos” some folk get their panties in a wad if you suggest that those “Walmart” rifles suck. It’s all about personal experience. If you ask me, they suck. Save up and get a nicer rifle. 
How far will you be shooting? What kind of pest? Is your girlfriend on the smaller side, or can she hold her own? 
For a smaller, easy to shoot, very accurate, and reliable gun, check out the HW30/R7. If you need more power, perhaps an HW50 or HW95. 
 
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I second the suggestion of the Diana RWS Model 34, and I see them on Amazon for only $205, so you won’t need to up your budget much, and you may find them cheaper elsewhere.

The Diana is one of those legends that floats near the top of most all top 10 lists for rifles in this category. Just make sure you get the model 34 if you want to use it for pest control. The Diana model 240 is less expensive, but it’s not rated for hunting, just plinking and target practice.
 
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Another option is to go to a local airgun show. The last one I went to there were a lot of guns being sold for about $200. At the show, you'll be able to hold and shoot the rifle before buying. Weight, balance, and LOP are also important variables to consider when buying an air rifle and the best way to sort those out is by actually holding the rifle before buying. Anything in .177, .20 or .22 cal that shoots 600-800 fps will serve your needs. IMO anyway. Tell us what you get and how you like it!
 
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Regarding Gamo/Umarex etc: I don't look at it as a question of "do they suck or not." It's all relative. What is almost universally agreed upon is that there is a big difference in quality when you step up from that type of product to airguns made in Germany like Weihrauch (the HW lineup) or Diana. 

Regarding power, two things to keep in mind:

  1.  Forget about manufacturer published feet per second numbers - they are nonsense on many guns. To compare power, you need to know the foot pounds generated by the gun, which is a combination of the speed of the pellet and its weight. You can find actual test data all over the internet.
  2. Even more important: Don't get sucked into the power numbers because power with accuracy means nothing. And as a general rule, the more powerful a springer gets, the harder they are to shoot accurately. In other words, even if the gun is inherently accurate, it might be very difficult to shoot it accurately. 
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    All that said, my two cents (or my $200 in this case), is that spending a little more on a Diana 34 would be my suggestion. As mentioned above, for just over $200 on amazon, that's pretty hard to beat. Or a Diana 240 is very easy to cock and shoot and even less expensive, but for pesting, it's not ideal, but will work for small critters (squirrel, rats, starlings, etc) up to 20 yards IMO.



 
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I have had 3 Gamo underlever rifles. The CFX became a CFR. Mild manered, not hold sensetive, quite accurate. The rolling block breech takes a little getting used to though. The advantage of a fixed barrel.
Click to expand...

Mine was one of these. I think they called it the Accu .22. I actually liked the rolling breech, was probably the only thing I liked about it. It was very harsh, but to be fair, accurate. After a while though, not a long while, it just would not hit a barn. The build quality was also very poor. Front sight broke from looking at it a little hard. (Hit the side of the bench, not really very hard) 

Still have it, maybe one day I will tear into it and see what makes it tic. 
 
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Everyone has a budget that they have to, or want to, stay within. Well....most of us do. You know what you can afford. I will say this though. Buy as much as you can afford. There is a rather large gap often times in quality between different airgun manufacturers. I have never owned a Crosssman Valiant or Hatsan 95, so I cannot speak to those. But I have owned a couple of RWS 34's. I still do own one and shoot it very regularly. As a matter of fact, I will be going squirrel hunting with my 34 tomorrow. It is a fine quality German springer at a very affordable price point. Will cover all of the criteria that you stated you were looking for in a rifle and then some. Good luck to you and let us know what you decide on.

TR
 
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Someone once told me I had a voice meant for Radio, I brushed them off. Then someone else told me the same thing, coincidence surely. Funny thing was, everywhere I went, in different walks of life, I kept hearing the same thing from different folk. That many people can’t be wrong. That’s one regret I have, never even looked into it. 


On that note, I would get the RWS34, but that’s just me. Good luck choosing. 
 
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Both of these are at $200 or less on Amazon and they are both German built.

https://www.amazon.com/Diana-RWS-Breakbarrel-Rifle-rifle/dp/B0007M8EJK/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=diana+34&psc=1&qid=1573010342&sr=8-2



https://www.amazon.com/Walther-Terrus-Caliber-Pellet-Airgun/dp/B00TIZY6HG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=walther+terrus&psc=1&qid=1573010222&sr=8-1

Only advice I can offer has already been said. Buy the best you can afford and don't get caught up in all the "fast" feet per second marketing hype.

Ray
 
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I have the Hatsan Mdl 95 in .22. It’s the first “real” air rifle I bought. I feel Hatsan quality is very hit or miss ( that should be said about all budget break barrels). Let see good things. Nice looking, decent sights. Plenty of power to take down most back yard pest. Fun to shoot. I mean it shoots like a powder burner. Some down sides. It’s big and on the heavy side. And some what hard to cock. So maybe not good for a Child or small women. The trigger is really heavy. That’s one of my biggest complaints. It is also hold sensitive. Meaning it takes a lot of effort to shoot accurately. If your sitting at a bench with a rest. Punching holes in paper or knocking down steel plates. It’s very fun and rewarding. But for walking around hunting. The heavy trigger and the hold sensitive makes it (for me) not a good choice. If you still want a Hatsan get it as cheaply as possible. The sell factory refurbished guns on their website. 
With mine using H&N Field Target Trophy’s 14.66 grn. Shooting 22 yards off a rest. I get just under 1” groups.
Hope all this helps. 

 
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