Air Rifles

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I went to the shooting range with some friends yesterday, and enjoyed myself way more than I had any right to. It was the first time I had ever fired a real gun, but I actually turned out to be a pretty good shot, because I had learned as a kid on an old BB gun that my grandfather gave to me. Well, I did a little research, and it turns out I can have a gun on campus as long as I let the campus police hold it for me until I'm ready to take it off campus. Long story short, I don't want an actual gun, but I would love to get a pellet gun for target practice -- not only can I shoot it at a range while I'm on campus, but when I go home for the Summer, I live in a rural area, and can shoot in my backyard -- something I couldn't safely do even with a .22 rifle.

I'm going to get <link=http://www.crosman.com/airguns/rifles/pneumatic/760B>this air rifle, which the local Walmart has for a grand total of $25. For discussion value, does anyone care to share stories of when they were kids, plinking drink cans with their trusty BB gun? I know I had years of entertainment from it. I've still got the old Daisy BB gun, but it's in rough shape, and considering who gave it to me, it has sentimental value, so I'd rather drop the $25 on a new one that has more features anyway.

Edit: Also, I understand that a pellet gun is considered a much more serious investment in the UK and other places with strong gun laws. It'd be nice to hear some stories from that point of view as well.

Edit Edit: I'm not really looking for suggestions on a better pellet gun, unless someone knows of a better one in the same price range that I won't have to get through the mail. (I don't think the campus police would be too happy about me getting a rifle, even an air rifle, through the mail )

What I really wanted to do with this was just talk about the BB gun or air rifle that people learned to shoot on. I know I had a lot of fun with mine when I was a kid, and it was also bonding time with my grandfather, who lived next door to me. He built a little frame that we could hang a target on, and we would go out and shoot at it. He was a soldier in World War II, and he taught me well, better than I realized until I went to the range yesterday. By the time I was 10 or 11, if I shot at a soda can anywhere within the effective range of that gun, I hit it. However, I never fired a real gun until yesterday, when I went to the range with my roommates and a friend of theirs, who brought a semi auto 12 gauge and a semi auto .22. I always thought the recoil would throw me off, but even shooting slugs with that 12 gauge, I adjusted very quickly. I wish Grandaddy could have been at the range with me yesterday; I think he would have been proud.

 

[WanderingFool]

Airsoft guns... most fun you can have without actual military training

 

[baddude1337]

Airsoft guns... most fun you can have without actual military training

This. Airsofting is great fun, but from the sounds of things you just want to have something to shoot rather than use the guns for skirmishing, so go for a little cheap one like that at first.

But you really should check out skirmishing if it sounds appealing, its great fun.

 

[e2density]

That specific airgun is a pretty cheap model. Just buy a Gamo rifle.

http://www.gamo.com/portal/international?use-lang=en

They are perfect for what you want them for. After all, this is still a firearm, regardless of the fact that an airgun isn't a real gun, it isn't something you want to go "cheap" on.

I have an old Gamo Recon, and it comes with a scope to start with.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Airsoft guns... most fun you can have without actual military training

This. Airsofting is great fun, but from the sounds of things you just want to have something to shoot rather than use the guns for skirmishing, so go for a little cheap one like that at first.

But you really should check out skirmishing if it sounds appealing, its great fun.

Yeah, I've thought about airsoft, but I have nowhere on campus to play -- although I know plenty of people who play back home. I actually have an additional reason for wanting the air rifle; my roommates are terrible shots, which is not a good thing to be when you have a friend who occasionally takes you to the gun range to shoot various guns, including a semi automatic 12 gauge shotgun. If I get the pellet gun, I can work with them on their aim without spending a ton of money on gun rentals, and also without having to deal with a real gun. Besides, I had a lot of fun plinking as a kid, and I wouldn't mind doing it again.

(Yes, I know a pellet gun still has to be treated like a real gun, and can easily kill a squirrel, but It's a big step in safety from a .177 air rifle to a .22 or larger rifle rifle. I'd feel safer having a pellet gun in my home than an honest to goodness rifle.)

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

That specific airgun is a pretty cheap model. Just buy a Gamo rifle.

http://www.gamo.com/portal/international?use-lang=en

They are perfect for what you want them for. After all, this is still a firearm, regardless of the fact that an airgun isn't a real gun, it isn't something you want to go "cheap" on.

I have an old Gamo Recon, and it comes with a scope to start with.

You know, I looked at the site, and if I were going to get an air rifle that serious, I'd just bite the bullet and buy a .22 rifle. Same price range, same caliber (in at least some of the examples) and power, a lot less likely to get me laughed off the shooting range

I can see those being an excellent option in places like England, where you can't legally get a real rifle, but that's not really what I'm looking for.

Edit: Look at the muzzle velocity. The smallest I saw was 1200 FPS, compared to the 650 fully pumped of the one I'm looking at. I can shoot a 650 FPS pellet in my backyard, which takes up an acre of land. Not so much one at 1200 FPS -- I'd be too worried that it would carry on for a mile or so and hit someone, which is one of the reasons I don't want a .22.

 

[ductape10]

yes in the uk there are controls for air rifles. i live about 10 mins from my local range and they 2 safes one for the air riles and one for the .22 rifles (and a panic button which calls armed response faster then you think)

 

[e2density]

You know, I looked at the site, and if I were going to get an air rifle that serious, I'd just bite the bullet and buy a .22 rifle. Same price range, same caliber (in at least some of the examples) and power, a lot less likely to get me laughed off the shooting range

I can see those being an excellent option in places like England, where you can't legally get a real rifle, but that's not really what I'm looking for.

Edit: Look at the muzzle velocity. The smallest I saw was 1200 FPS, compared to the 650 fully pumped of the one I'm looking at. I can shoot a 650 FPS pellet in my backyard, which takes up an acre of land. Not so much one at 1200 FPS -- I'd be too worried that it would carry on for a mile or so and hit someone, which is one of the reasons I don't want a .22.

In which case I'd just recommend you get a semi-decent spring airsoft gun, because you'll get a more quality product than the cheaper end airguns. There isn't too much of a point buying an airgun when you can buy airsoft guns now.

Also, just set up a nice backstop if you want to get a .22LR. Maybe take a bunch of dirt and pile it up to make a solid backing...otherwise, just set your targets close to the ground...

Or, snag yourself one of these:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=172588

22LR isn't exactly a "high velocity round", and these bullet traps can stop them with no problem. Recognize that a 22LR will honestly not kill any animal larger than a squirrel with one shot, these traps work wonderfully.

 

[Antari]

That gun will do OK for target shooting but a 650m/sec muzzle velocity won't give you much range, accuracy, or killing power. Unless your using pointed tip ammo you'll just piss off whatever squirrel you shoot with it. 1200f/sec pellet guns sound like they are alot more dangerous but they aren't. The pellet still takes roughly a mile to a mile and a half if you give it an upward angle to slow. But for the first 300feet, the 1200f/sec gun will see alot more accuracy between shots. As well keep in mind the weight of the round is what makes the .22LR alot more deadly. A 3 ounce round will do a hell of alot more damage than a 0.45 ounce pellet. If you want to just shoot cans, that gun is fine. If you want to get into serious target shooting. Start at 800f/sec and go from there.

 

[jackknife402]

Well, I happen to have several real guns, and only use my gamo 1250 ft/s for minor game hunting.

Now nothing feels as good as a .357 magnum going off in your hands, or a big bad BAR spewing lead down the range.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

That gun will do OK for target shooting but a 650m/sec muzzle velocity won't give you much... killing power.

That's the idea. This is strictly for plinking and teaching my roommates, one of whom is a particularly bad shot, how to aim. I have no intention of using it for hunting, so the less chance I have of injuring a person or animal, the better. For reference, I learned on an old Daisy spring loaded BB gun, which had a much lower muzzle velocity, but was still pretty accurate as long as you didn't go past about 12 yards. If I remember correctly, the model number of that BB gun is either 112B or 1112B, and it's older than I am. I still have it, but as I said in the OP, it's in rough shape, and as much sentimental value as it holds, I'd rather leave it with my parents than the campus police. The Crossman that I'm looking at is a definite upgrade over that old Daisy, in terms of features and quality.

Besides, I wasn't asking for suggestions on a better gun; I really started this thread for discussion of childhood target practice

 

[Jopoho]

I remember having an old BB gun and learning to shoot with it against a cardboard cut-out of a deer. Got pretty good too there for a while. My grandpa came to town once thought and absolutely shamed me.

To this day it is still the only thing I have ever fired with some kind of accuracy. Of course that's because I haven't had a chance to fire a real weapon.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

You know, I looked at the site, and if I were going to get an air rifle that serious, I'd just bite the bullet and buy a .22 rifle. Same price range, same caliber (in at least some of the examples) and power, a lot less likely to get me laughed off the shooting range

I can see those being an excellent option in places like England, where you can't legally get a real rifle, but that's not really what I'm looking for.

Edit: Look at the muzzle velocity. The smallest I saw was 1200 FPS, compared to the 650 fully pumped of the one I'm looking at. I can shoot a 650 FPS pellet in my backyard, which takes up an acre of land. Not so much one at 1200 FPS -- I'd be too worried that it would carry on for a mile or so and hit someone, which is one of the reasons I don't want a .22.

In which case I'd just recommend you get a semi-decent spring airsoft gun, because you'll get a more quality product than the cheaper end airguns. There isn't too much of a point buying an airgun when you can buy airsoft guns now.

Also, just set up a nice backstop if you want to get a .22LR. Maybe take a bunch of dirt and pile it up to make a solid backing...otherwise, just set your targets close to the ground...

Or, snag yourself one of these:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=172588

22LR isn't exactly a "high velocity round", and these bullet traps can stop them with no problem. Recognize that a 22LR will honestly not kill any animal larger than a squirrel with one shot, these traps work wonderfully.

I think you'll be happy to know that I eventually wound up buying an airsoft pistol. It was cheap ($10 new, $8 used from a friend) but it's fun for target shooting, and it wold make a nice sidearm for an airsoft war if I ever get into one. What put me over the edge was when I realized the muzzle velocity and weight of the projectile were both low enough to safely shoot in the apartment. Cue me getting out the unused target from the day we went to the range, and spending a fair amount of time target shooting, and also saving myself the embarrassment of having to take a flipping BB gun to a shooting range, because there's nowhere else in town to shoot one. I may still buy that pellet gun, but not before I go home for the summer.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Red Ryder 50th Anniversary Air Rifle. Dad bout it for me when I was one year old.

My brother now has it, and still uses it. That thing is awesome.

 

[Plurralbles]

ah man. That looks and sounds awesome.

 

[theevilsanta]

Well here's my story:

I was about eleven years old and playing with my friend. He had a nitrous powered bb gun and I had a pump-up one. We were exploring woods near my house and came across a robin (a bird) stuck to a tree by a string. We cut the string and the bird flopped to the ground and scuttled around. Its legs were obviously broken, it couldn't stand and fly. It was terrible.

We decided we should kill it (a crime in this state). My friend's gun was stronger so it was decided he should take the shot. He was an emotional person and cried the entire time and hours afterward. His shot (not sure where it hit - we aimed for the head) caused the bird to go into convulsions and flop like crazy on the ground. At this point I took aim and fired a bb into its head. It stopped moving at that point. Then I grabbed a stone and made sure it was out of its misery. The we buried it. The pile of stones is still in my parent's backyard.

It was a seminal moment in my childhood. Yeah. BB guns.