I got back into air guns as an adult, a few years ago. I had purchased a Benjamin NP3 (think that the name) I am looking at getting a springer. Like a TX 200 ,Diana Magnum. Or something like that. For squirrel hunting when weather gets really cold. Which is killer for my pcps. I’m leaning more toward under lever than brake barrel. After my Benjamin, I bought two Gamos just wasn’t very accurate so now I’m kind of leery of brake barrels. What y’all guys think? I want something with plenty of power but still is accurate. To me a guns only cool if it’s accurate enough to hit, but you’re shooting at. Thanks for information. Also would like one that’s not pellet fussy. In 22cal so I can buy pellets out of the store, not having to order them.
N/A Traditional Airgun hunting
- Thread starter Airgunner79
- Start date
Springers work best using the "artillery hold" because they recoil differently from other arms. That means that you have to build a new set of habits in order to use them well.
Airguns are my method of keeping my powder gun skills sharp, so I avoid springers. I just don't see the need to relearning part of how to shoot well.
You might look into a PCP or a pumper unless you're willing to spend the time building new habits.
Cheers,
J~
Airguns are my method of keeping my powder gun skills sharp, so I avoid springers. I just don't see the need to relearning part of how to shoot well.
You might look into a PCP or a pumper unless you're willing to spend the time building new habits.
Cheers,
J~
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I have the RWS 350 with a Gamo sling and a 4x16 scope that I use for squirrel hunting. However it is very long and heavy and harder to shoot consistently. I am taking a Primo adjustable tripod and a Teflon sheet taped to the tripod. However I am testing it against the FWB 124D for ranges up to 50 yards so may go with the FWB 124 if it shoots same or better at 50 yards. Would stretch the range a bit if the RWS 350 is the winner. Anyway, fun to shoot a springer. However more concerned with the fun of the hunt than how many squirrels I take if any.
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I have texan 457 for my big game hunting. I have Benjamin Marder, RTI p3 and airacuda max. For my small game. I miss the simplicity of grabbing my old np3 and tin of pellets. And having fun in woods.
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Weihrauch HW95 in 22 caliber. It’s a barrel break but in an entirely different league the your Benjamin. The under levers are great guns but best suited for a bench because of their weight.
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Take a look at the Cometa USC in .22 at Keystone airguns, that would make a great hunting springer.
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I've also got a couple of PCPs, but do all of my grouse and squirrel hunting with my spring guns because I prefer the simplicity. I also had poor experiences with Gamo and other lower cost 'nitro piston' guns, which never gave me the accuracy I needed. IMHO, the hw97k or TX200 are your best options if you want an under lever. In .22 both can pretty easily be setup to shoot very accurately at 15-17fpe, which is plenty for squirrels. I own an hw97k and hunted often with it in the past. But lugging that thing around for 2-3 hours in the woods was a chore due to weight, even with a sling. A few years ago I switched to an hw50s in .177 and that has become my favorite hunting spring gun. For a springer it is relatively light and nimble, and setup to shoot at 11-12fpe it is very accurate.
The Weihrauch break barrels are generally quite accurate, and if you prefer .22 then the hw95 is a great package. Same power plant as the hw97k, but lighter. There are a lot of good options to consider, so good luck choosing.
R
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You are leery of break barrels because Gamos can be hard to shoot accurately. HW95 and HW50 are typically much easier. Especially the HW50. In .177, which is very effective, it's an outstanding squirrel rifle that you can carry all day and never fatiguing. Sighted at 25y it will shoot very close to POA for airgun range.
Alloy pellets are great in the HW95 if you choose .22. Much less trajectory to deal with. Some are very accurate. A little expensive. I've bought them on Amazon, where shipping pellets is questionable because they don't pack well, but alloys are harder and survive the shipping better.
I don't use an underlever because there's too much wasted motion loading and fiddling. Plus, I tend to hunt hilly areas where I don't want extra unnecessary weight.
In a hunting situation break barrels give up nothing to underlevers. It's more of a give and take. I take the break barrrel.
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The Diana 460 Mag would be my choice for a underlever hunter, hands down. It is appreciably lighter than the TX, and lighter than the HW97. It is seriously accurate out to maximum springer distances, and much easier to shoot accurately than the 350 Mag.
Unlike the TX or the 97, the 460 Mag comes with open sights and also have a stock that is conducive to using them (not a given). To a hunter, a set of opens can save a hunting trip when the scope fails, and provide a lightweight, zero cost way of shooting in their own right.
Power-wise, the 460 blows the TX's and the 97's out of the water. You might be thinking of a squirrel gun, but end up wanting to take on bigger animals down the road. The 460 Mag can be used as a true 24 fpe magnum, capable of taking down the biggest small game, or it can be detuned to any power level to suit your needs. Some guys have theirs at 14 fpe, and love 'em.
.22 cal Weihrauch barrels are notoriously over-bored, often shooting only the largest-head pellets well, likely H&N FTT 5.55. I had one of those. That's a serious downside to a hunting gun, where different types of pellets might be called for, depending on the hunting situation (inside a barn etc.).
Lead-free pellets have terrible downrange ballistics due to lack of density, even the best ones petering out at around 30 yards, so no long shots on game with 'em.
The HW's and TX's also have clumsy, metallic-loud safeties, which is a bane for the hunter. The Dianas have quieter, more functional safeties.
Breakbarrel guys sometimes point out the extra motion a fixed barrel requires, but, shooting both on a regular basis, I don't see a basis for that. With either one, you need to bring down and then back up either the barrel or a cocking arm the length and size of a barrel, which is equally bad, from a stealth point of view. Loading a breakbarrel is a little quicker / more idiot-proof than loading a fixed barrel, but the difference is really small.
Unlike the TX or the 97, the 460 Mag comes with open sights and also have a stock that is conducive to using them (not a given). To a hunter, a set of opens can save a hunting trip when the scope fails, and provide a lightweight, zero cost way of shooting in their own right.
Power-wise, the 460 blows the TX's and the 97's out of the water. You might be thinking of a squirrel gun, but end up wanting to take on bigger animals down the road. The 460 Mag can be used as a true 24 fpe magnum, capable of taking down the biggest small game, or it can be detuned to any power level to suit your needs. Some guys have theirs at 14 fpe, and love 'em.
.22 cal Weihrauch barrels are notoriously over-bored, often shooting only the largest-head pellets well, likely H&N FTT 5.55. I had one of those. That's a serious downside to a hunting gun, where different types of pellets might be called for, depending on the hunting situation (inside a barn etc.).
Lead-free pellets have terrible downrange ballistics due to lack of density, even the best ones petering out at around 30 yards, so no long shots on game with 'em.
The HW's and TX's also have clumsy, metallic-loud safeties, which is a bane for the hunter. The Dianas have quieter, more functional safeties.
Breakbarrel guys sometimes point out the extra motion a fixed barrel requires, but, shooting both on a regular basis, I don't see a basis for that. With either one, you need to bring down and then back up either the barrel or a cocking arm the length and size of a barrel, which is equally bad, from a stealth point of view. Loading a breakbarrel is a little quicker / more idiot-proof than loading a fixed barrel, but the difference is really small.
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There is a reason that the R9 is probably the most recommended spring gun. You should definitely check it out if you can.
I have the R10 (basically the same gun as the R9) and it is close to perfect balance between power, weight, and cocking effort.
I have had 3 RWS/Diana spring guns and wasn’t exactly blown away with the quality. Although for the price they were pretty decent. After shooting a side leaver (RWS 52), I definitely prefer the break barrel format. Easier to load, less weight to lug around.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
I have the R10 (basically the same gun as the R9) and it is close to perfect balance between power, weight, and cocking effort.
I have had 3 RWS/Diana spring guns and wasn’t exactly blown away with the quality. Although for the price they were pretty decent. After shooting a side leaver (RWS 52), I definitely prefer the break barrel format. Easier to load, less weight to lug around.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
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There are some very nice break-barrel airguns out there that don't require the shooter to jump through hoops trying to figure out how to hold the danged thing so they can make a shot, one of which I would recommend is the Norica Omnia ZRS. The ZRS is an acronym for Zero Recoil System and amazingly, the danged thing really works! It uses a gas-piston for power, but my take on what they've done means the barrel is basically isolated from the stock, with the result being you use the same hold you're used to using with any other good rifle that doesn't hop around or kick when the trigger is pulled! It genuinely shoots with zero jouncing around and no kick, just like a favorite .22 rifle or a better variable pumper (my own personal favorite type, although basically none really has the power to reach out there and touch someone, not like you can with a higher-quality springer or gas-piston air rifle). The Omnia ZRS is kind of costly compared to others, close to four hundred bucks if memory serves me still (my wife gave me one for my birthday soon after its release -- what a gal <grin>). Hopefully, it's one of those you get what you pay for deals -- it's super accurate with only the decent open sights, although it has a long dovetail rail for mounting any optic one might want and the .22 version shoots at almost 900fps, which is plenty for target shooting even at longer distances and absolutely will put small game on the menu as well. Unfortunately, the areas I have for shooting (I live in a townhouse with an open front yard and a tiny, fenced-in backyard) are very limited, so I haven't been able to shoot it at anything further away than about 45 feet or so, and that guestimate is probably pushing it. My shooting is almost entirely 10 yard, 30 foot target practice, and you can do that with hole-in-hole accuracy all day long with just the open sights, but the rifle basically is overpowered for that. Still, I just haven't had an opportunity to see what it could do at distance, although I've read many 4-plus star reviews in which users claim the capability. The cocking force isn't too bad either. It's not a Diana, Beeman (German) or Weihrauch, all of whom make accurate rifles in this price range that probably deserve consideration as well, but I've not been lucky enough to shoot any of those. I have and DO shoot my Norica Omnia ZRS however, and believe it to be one of the better break barrel air rifles now available, so if you could find a way to test-drive one, you might decide it's just what you were lookin' for. Check it out if possible. Great rifle, for my 2c worth!
(sorry for butchering the spelling)
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I feel completely opposite about the 460 magnum. I was never able to shoot it accurately with the amount of recoil that it has being a magnum. As for weight, my tx200hc was much lighter and easier to handle than the 460. Also the loading gate in both the tx and hw under levers is much larger and to the side for easier loading. I was always dropping pellets in the 460 even without gloves.
I just bought a beeman r9/hw95 that is coming from Mike at flying dragon, specifically for a hunting setup using just iron sights. When I get it, I’ll let you know more.
I just bought a beeman r9/hw95 that is coming from Mike at flying dragon, specifically for a hunting setup using just iron sights. When I get it, I’ll let you know more.
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I had my HW95, .22 out today. It has a 3-9 Leupold efr scope mounted. I was surprised at the accuracy. Hands down it beat a AA Prosport, plus is easier to cock and load. I have two each of older FWB 124 and newer Sport models and they are unbelievably accurate . The older FWB 124 I bought new in early 1975 so have years of experience with it. A couple of years ago I took the scope off and went back to a peep sight and have had more fun with it that way. A couple of HW35e models and a HW 98 round out my collection of break barrels. Honestly the only thing that can beat them is a FWB 300s, sidelever, a pure match rifle so no real comparison. I find the break barrels easier to load and shoot than the under levers and much easier than a Diana Airpro King which is a beast to cock. With the underlever and one sidelever with a scope, and I chose a scope to be short enough not to cover the loading port, and it still blocks view and access to the breech, slowing down loading just a little. Nothing loads as easy as a break barrel.
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There's a D460 .22 4 sale in classifieds for $300. I can knock bottle caps off fence posts @ 50 yards with my Motorhead tuned D460. It'll take out a jack rabbit at that distance, plenty of thump for your hunting purposes. Mine likes the 14gr FTTs.
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