[OldCootHillbilly]

I was thinking a decent air rifle might not be bad ta have in the stockpile. Can be bought fer a decent price, ammo be cheap, you could take tree rats, rabbits an birds fer some extra meat in the pot.

A bonus, there fairly quite.

What yall say an got?

Grew up with one, ain't had one in years, but thought it might be a good idear.

 

[carlnet]

I tried a number of the air rifles from Wal-Mart. I found them to be fun, possessing good power, but highly inaccurate (and no I do not expect 1 MOA out of an air riffle. Grin). If anyone has a good review of an air riffle that did not cost in the thousands I would love to hear of it so I can buy one!


Carl.

 

[horseman09]

I have a cheapy Walmart too. Yup. Lots of power, poor accuracy even with pellets. I too would like to find a good one at a reasonable price.

I've often thought an air rifle could come in handy even in certain home/property defense situations. Think about it -- someone's prowling about outside in a SHTF situation, but is not a direct threat. Do ya really wanna kill him/her if you could deal with him non-leathally? If things return to near-normal in a few months, are you going to be held accountable? What do you do with the corpse? What if she turns out to be your mother-in-law............Hey! lol

A single pellet to the thigh -- or where ever -- could send him howling on his way without the complications of a body in your yard. If the pellet from the airgun doesn't do the job, a bunch of pellets from the 12 ga. could then resolve the situation once and for all.

 

[carlnet]

After hurricane Andrew Dade county provided free anonymous body pickup. All you had to do was drag the body to the curb. So depending on the disaster you may not have to worry about what to do with the body...

 

[lexsurivor]

Lewis and clark used strong air rifles to hunt with on their journey. They used them because they were quiet.

 

[NaeKid]

Wildmist has a competition grade air-pistol (it cost the same as my 12ga shotgun) that I can hit bulls-eye with from 25 yards away (consistantly) using only its iron-sights. Using kill-shot I could probably get some small critters for dinner - haven't tried yet.

Hmm, another item for the bucket-list ..

 

[ZoomZoom]

I recently picked up a couple Hammerli .177 pellet guns. They're very accurate and push the lead down-range at 1000 FPS.

I got mine from Midway USA on sale but they're now out of them.

A place I've been using for accessories and ammo that has good info, reviews and prices is Air guns, BB Guns, Pellet Guns and Air Rifles from Crosman, Gamo, Walther and Beeman - PyramydAir.com They also have lightning fast shipping (at least when I ordered from them).

 

[mosquitomountainman]

Okay, I have a Beeman dual caliber air rifle combo I bought at WalMart. It has interchangeable barrels (one in .177 and one in .22 calibers). I like it and have used it to shoot rabbits and squirrels around the cabin when didn't want to worry about ricochets from a 22 rifle. It is not a match quality rifle but accuracy is pretty good. Every critter killed was hit in the head at ranges of 20 feet to 20 yards. While I like the Beeman air rifle I would not get the dual caliber again. It was just extra money and every time you switch barrels you have to sight it in again. I would opt for the 22 caiber. The velocity is slower but it kills better/faster than the 177 caliber. (Although the 177 does a pretty good job killing too.)

Some things to know about air rifles: First - it takes approximately 10,000 rounds for one to reach it's ultimate accuracy. Second - the quality of the pellets make a BIG difference. Third - when you get over 1,000 fps velocity it's more difficult to keep it accurate and velocities over this aren't really necessary. Fourth - there are large caliber air rifles for hunting big game such as deer and wild hogs but they are not cheap and they are definitely not quiet.

Another thing about air rifles is that you can practice in your living room by shooting into a tightly stacked box of old newspapers.

If I wanted an accurate yet quiet big game killer I'd use a crossbow. The range is almost as good as a HP air rifle but they are cheaper, quieter and more convenient to shoot (you don't have to pump up an air chamber to 1,000 plus psi).

 

[TechAdmin]

I have an old crossman pump, before they started using plastic, and I love it. I also keep a few thousand BBs and pellets around. It's fun to just go in the back yard and shoot cans, but in a pinch it can kill rodents, which I will gladly eat in a disaster.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

I have an old crossman pump, before they started using plastic, and I love it. I also keep a few thousand BBs and pellets around. It's fun to just go in the back yard and shoot cans, but in a pinch it can kill rodents, which I will gladly eat in a disaster.

I've got one of those too. It's rated at 750 fps with ten pumps but it will hit almost 900 fps with 18 pumps (I shot it through the chronograph). Pretty good little rifle.

 

[ZoomZoom]

(you don't have to pump up an air chamber to 1,000 plus psi).

How many pumps do you need on your Beeman?

On the ones I have, it's one.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

It takes one stroke to set the spring. (Spring piston design.) After that, load, aim and shoot!

 

[nj_m715]

I was in a competition when I was a boyscout. They gave us large HEAVY air rifles with a large lever on the side. Pulling the lever charged the gun and opened the breach. You had to place one shot at a time in the chamber. After the pellet was loaded you pushed back the handle and took your shoot. I don't know the make, but I would consider getting one. They were fast and very accurate, but they didn't seem cheap at all. They felt like a real gun compaired to the crossman toys we grew up with.

I've also fired a nice one that broke open at the barrel "shot gun style". It opened, charged it and again you loaded one shot. Not as nice as the competition rifles, but still felt like it was quality built. I wish I knew the names so I could track them down.

Loading each shot could be a pain, but the single charging action made up for it. Those old ten pump guns drove me nuts.

I don't think I'd drop $1,000 for an air rifle. I could add an ar to the closet fo that, but I'd do $3-400 some something good enough to put a rabbit or duck in the pot and have relatively safe fun with my son.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

Most of the spring piston rifles are adult weapons. It doesn't take a $1,000.00 rifle to put meat on the table. My Beeman will do that easy. If you want a competition rifle then you'll need to pay more but to hit a rabbit in the head at 20 yards you don't need a match quality rifle.

These are every bit as deadly at close range as a 22 rifle. Don't let your kids use them thinking they are "toy" guns.

 

[nj_m715]

I'll have to look them up. The other issueis that my F-ed up state conciders them firearms because our law gas powered projectile or something like that. I'm not paying for a backround check for amounts to a kids toy ( I understand what you above ) but it's not a gun. I'll need to get lucky at a yardsale or flee market.

 

[NaeKid]

I'll have to look them up. The other issueis that my F-ed up state conciders them firearms because our law gas powered projectile or something like that. I'm not paying for a backround check for amounts to a kids toy ( I understand what you above ) but it's not a gun. I'll need to get lucky at a yardsale or flee market.

I believe that anyone that wants a gun of any sort that isn't powered by gun-powder can own one (in Canada) without a background check. Now, can you go out-of-state (or out of country) and pick one up and bring it back home without needing that background check?

 

[carlnet]

nj_m715 you bring up a really good point! In some states and many countries BB and Pellet gins are considered firearms. It would seem that in your state, NJ the mere possession of an unregistered pellet gun get you an automatic 3 years in prison with no parole and because you are now a felon you can no longer own a real firearm or vote. Yikes!

Another interesting twist on the BB and pellet gun story is in many cities they have laws prohibiting the discharge of a firearm. And depending on how they define "firearm" shooting a BB or pellet gun could put you on the wrong side of that law once again putting you in prison or jail.

 

[nj_m715]

If I wanted a bb pistol I need to go get the permit needed for a real pistol. But we have voluntary rifle registration here, so anyone who has a firearm ID card can make a private sale to anyone else who has an ID card. It's best to get a copy of all their info so if it's used in a crime and the law comes a knocking you can show where it went.

Of course I can illegaly obtain a bb pistol, but I could also go get an ak off the street too. by the letter of the law and depending on the common sence of the officer, I could be in the same trouble for either weapon.

I think I could own a bb rifle, with my ID card legally because of the voluntary registration, buy if I want to get one from the store I need to pay for a check. That's why I'll looking at the flee markets. No need to get jammed up over a kid's toy.

 

[hank2222]

i have a walther lg 300.xt wood stock match air rifle but that more for personal enjoyemt use after the shtf along with haveing a scope attched for takeing out the garden pest from the front pouch with it on a rest ..

it stange how some of the states treat there people over a weapon that can not be use againest a person very well .. couple of weeks ago i got stoped for a 3 miles over the speed limit and was pull out of the car after telling the one officer that i had a air rifle in a locked case in the vehicle ..when the one officer asked me where was the keys for it.. the other officer was like saying to the guy why do you need the keys. for i had three locks on the rifle case two where on the latchs and one on the handle ..so i was not going be opening that case fast..but it goes to show how much some officer do not trust you with owning a weapon

 

[carlnet]

hank2222,
I have a concealed weapons permit just in case I ever get pulled over on the way to the range. Last thing I want is an officer with an overactive imagination roughing me up for something stupid. And out of curiosity why did you tell them you had your rifle? It is none of their business what you have in your car and they also have no right to look in your car unless they think a crime is being committed. If they stop you for speeding thank them for reminding you to keep an eye on your speedometer because there could be children anywhere. But keep the conversation on the speed not extraneous things like the box of doughnuts you have in the back seat.

And if I get asked if I have a weapon I always tell then I regularly transport my (insert some pistol I take to the range here) but as I am not on the way to the range I do not have it with me today. Then I go into a friendly discussion of some of the more bizarre weapons used throughout history and about that time they really want to go do something else... Big Grin.