Seeking first quality airgun

[shrigg]

Hello all, 

I am looking to purchase my first quality airgun, and I would like to pick up something used that could be considered "heirloom quality" for use dispatching nuisance Starlings that have invaded my property. These birds are very aggressive, constantly clucking when I am around and even dive bombing my small (30 lb.) female Brittany when she goes out into the yard. I was considering something like a Beeman R9 or Weihrauch HW50, and I was thinking I'd like iron aperture sights instead of a scope just to keep it simple. Can anyone recommend a model that might come with aperture sights? Also I was leaning towards a .22 but also remember the old saying ".177 for feathers, .22 for fur." Thoughts?

Thank you, I have a lot to learn!



Best,

Darren

 

[d3vnull]

What is your longest shot expected to be?

How close are your neighbors to you (i.e. you live in town in the suburburs with houses close or on a larger property?)

 

[Sqwirl57]

A HW50S is a great option and will work very well in both calibers. The 50S is possibly the best lightweight break barrel on the market right now. I dont think I have another gun, air or powder, that shoulders as well as that gun does. 

 

[esingle]

Hello you can not go wrong with a HW. If your shots will be in with in 30 yd look at an HW30 in 177 or 22 if with in 20yds( I love my HW30 in 22 cal). Also the HW front truglo fiber optic sight paired with a Williams rear peep really makes the gun. With this set up on my HW 30 22 cal I can hit 9mm casing at 15 yds and 12 gauge hulls at 25yds 9 out of 10 time free handed. Well good luck Eric

 

[shrigg]

My shots would be within 20 yards. I am in a neighborhood with houses to the immediate left and right and houses 100 yards from my house facing the rear of my lot. Is velocity the only difference between the HW50S and the HW30S?

 

[OldSpook]

I put a silencer on my hw50 this afternoon. I think it made it louder.



What a fine little rifle!

 

[shrigg]

Hello you can not go wrong with a HW. If your shots will be in with in 30 yd look at an HW30 in 177 or 22 if with in 20yds( I love my HW30 in 22 cal). Also the HW front truglo fiber optic sight paired with a Williams rear peep really makes the gun. With this set up on my HW 30 22 cal I can hit 9mm casing at 15 yds and 12 gauge hulls at 25yds 9 out of 10 time free handed. Well good luck Eric

Thanks for the positive suggestion! Can you link the appropriate Williams peep sight? Thanks again

 

[Sqwirl57]

An HW50S in .22 using wadcutters inside 20yds should lay the smackdown pretty good on starlings.

The 30S is awesome too, but the little extra pop you get from the 50 is nice to have, especially if you plan on stretching it out a bit further at times.

 

[KWK]

The HW30 or an R7 will be perfect for what you're doing. Get ready to fall..........

in love

 

[d3vnull]

An HW30S is an excellent choice. The equivalent Beeman is an R7 when you look for used. The HW30S is less hold sensitive, easier to cock, less power, and if you have children definitely has an advantage in them using it at a younger age

 

[shrigg]

An HW50S in .22 using wadcutters inside 20yds should lay the smackdown pretty good on starlings.

The 30S is awesome too, but the little extra pop you get from the 50 is nice to have, especially if you plan on stretching it out a bit further at times.

The HW30 or an R7 will be perfect for what you're doing. Get ready to fall

in love

Awesome. I will get to looking for one of these. Thanks everyone!

 

[muddydogz]

I would also keep your eyes peeled for a Diana 240 in .177. A great bang for the buck.

 

[Cannonball]

I just picked up a HW50 from Krale. I paid $354 delivered for it and a tin of H&N FTT pellets. My only regret is just ordering one tin of the pellets. I am extremely pleased with my HW50 and will most likely pick up a HW30 soon. FYI - Krale has the HW30 for around $300 delivered and their service is excellent. 

 

[shrigg]

I just picked up a HW50 from Krale. I paid $354 delivered for it and a tin of H&N FTT pellets. My only regret is just ordering one tin of the pellets. I am extremely pleased with my HW50 and will most likely pick up a HW30 soon. FYI - Krale has the HW30 for around $300 delivered and their service is excellent. 

I am stuck on their order page, it won't accept my standard US address, asking for an additional house number. How did you get past this? Thanks

 

[Cannonball]

I just picked up a HW50 from Krale. I paid $354 delivered for it and a tin of H&N FTT pellets. My only regret is just ordering one tin of the pellets. I am extremely pleased with my HW50 and will most likely pick up a HW30 soon. FYI - Krale has the HW30 for around $300 delivered and their service is excellent. 

I am stuck on their order page, it won't accept my standard US address, asking for an additional house number. How did you get past this? Thanks

I just put in my numerical street address where it lists house number. For example if my address was 1234 Main St., I listed 1234 for the house number. You will also need to upload your Drivers License at the end of the transaction, I think they use it to verify your old enough to purchase an airgun. You might want to look over their pellets also, it shouldn’t cost you any additional shipping and the prices are extremely good. Let me know if you need anything else, you can send me a PM so I don’t miss your question. 

 

[BryanH]

Welcome to the forum. Buying used I would recommend a Diana 34 or a Beeman R9. Buying new, Beeman R9.


.177 or .22, take your pick. At 13-15 fpe a .177 is deadly on critters bigger than you think, if you can place the shot. Will zip right through a squirrel quartering, through the shoulders and out the ponch, with a 10-11 grain dome. .22 pellets are a little bigger easier to handle, make a bigger hole and a little better shock effect. More often then not I find a .22 pellet under the off side hide.

So it’s up to you. You want 2 holes or one bigger hole? Doesn’t really matter they both are deadly. I like a little flatter shooting gun but I like the shock of a .22 as well especially a wad cutter.


HW50 are sweet rifles but you live in the USA, if you’re gonna have only one make it a full power rifle.


Flip side, it won’t be your last, lol. You will probably scope it eventually, or buy a second and scope that. Either way you’ll buy another.

To be honest it’s simpler just to throw a scope on there than to mess with a diopter. A scope with good strong clicks, I recommend a Hawke for a springer. I use a Leupold 4x28 with old fashioned friction turrets on my R9, no clicks but it’s super duper light and low profile, makes for a sweet woods walking rifle.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

You are looking at the best choices. For your backyard the HW30 in .177 or the HW50 in .22 would be perfect. Let your caliber choice pick the model. Pellets are at optimal accuracy around 650 to 700 fps. With neighbors close by you should try to get around 600 fps. The HW30 in .177 gets around 625 fps and the HW50 in .22 around 575 fps. The peep sight is a great choice also. Keeps the package light and handy. I would also recommend that you just buy a new one. These two models are everyone’s favorites and can be difficult to find in nice used condition. If it’s a bit vintage and nice it can easily be as much or even more than a new one. Good luck. Welcome.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

When it comes to the peep sight, I would recommend the the Williams with the target knobs. It’s a bit more expensive but very easily adjustable. You can quickly make a few klicks to your known backyard yardages. Also you should drill and tap a stop screw so the diopter stays put. It will slide rearward without a stop screw. The guns receiver is set up for the stop screw. Here is one with and one without the target knobs and one with and without the added stop screw. One says Beeman but both are made by Williams.

 

[thumper]

I have the HW50S and it's a great shooting rifle. Mine even wears aperture sights sometimes. It does have a rather high cocking effort for the power output due to the cocking linkage it uses. Otherwise, it's a great platform. 

Myself, I'd rather have an HW77K if I was only going to have ONE rifle, and especially if I was going to be using it in a somewhat stationary setting. It will literally do anything you want. Nice long sight radius with a peep sight (it will accept a standard Weihrauch front globe), or you can mount a scope and be competitive at a Field Target match if you decide to give that a try. It's truly the universal air rifle IMO. It will offer up a little extra power over the HW50S, but is easy to shoot due to the extra weight of the rifle. 

Just another option to consider. Either of those is a great choice. 

Personally I'd get a .177 and not even consider a .22... I've had several .22 Weihrauchs and none of them had very accurate barrels. I've had quite a few .177s and all of them have been great. Aside from that, I feel that birds in a backyard setting would be better suited to .177 anyway. 

 

[shrigg]

When it comes to the peep sight, I would recommend the the Williams with the target knobs. It’s a bit more expensive but very easily adjustable. You can quickly make a few klicks to your known backyard yardages. Also you should drill and tap a stop screw so the diopter stays put. It will slide rearward without a stop screw. The guns receiver is set up for the stop screw. Here is one with and one without the target knobs and one with and without the added stop screw. One says Beeman but both are made by Williams.

Awesome info, much appreciated! Thank you I'll have to look around for that one