Good start up Airgun

[Kronos]

Hello,
I’ve just joined the BBS website and am keen to learn a bit about this sport. I’ve done some reading regarding a good start up rifle but have found quite a few contrasting opinions which I suppose was to be expected.
My main considerations are the following.
1. I want to use the rifle for target practice mainly.
2. I would like to have one that does not require licensing.
3. Which one would be better suited a spring or pcp?
4. I’m on a slight budget so would not like to initially spend too much on it.

Thank you for reading and for your help.

Oh and great site btw.

[mr who?]

Hello,
I’ve just joined the BBS website and am keen to learn a bit about this sport. I’ve done some reading regarding a good start up rifle but have found quite a few contrasting opinions which I suppose was to be expected.
My main considerations are the following.
1. I want to use the rifle for target practice mainly.
2. I would like to have one that does not require licensing.
3. Which one would be better suited a spring or pcp?
4. I’m on a slight budget so would not like to initially spend too much on it.

Thank you for reading and for your help.

Oh and great site btw.

Hello mate .

And welcome to the forum .

You will get more results for your questions if you ask the same thing on the "General" airgun section .

But Ill add my 2 cents for what its worth....

As long as your rifles less than 12 ftlbs you will not need a license , Springer or PCP? now theres a question for you? thats a whole can of worms!! personally , I perfer PCP rifles , but each to their own I guess .

As for budget , theres plenty of bargains to be had , Its a buyers market , and a good 2nd hand rifle will serve your requirments well . if you do decide to go with a PCP ,you will of course need to think and budget for some type of charging system , pump , divers bottle etc.......

And no matter what you end up buying you will need to budget for ammo , cleaning kit , targets , gun slip , maybe scope and mounts etc.....

Hope this helps mate .

All the very best .

Andy .

[Kronos]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for your reply. I'll go on over to that section and post again. I'd like to get some opinions about makes/models and just what would be recommended as a good start up gun. Thanks.

[RobF]

Hello,
I’ve just joined the BBS website and am keen to learn a bit about this sport. I’ve done some reading regarding a good start up rifle but have found quite a few contrasting opinions which I suppose was to be expected.
My main considerations are the following.
1. I want to use the rifle for target practice mainly.
2. I would like to have one that does not require licensing.
3. Which one would be better suited a spring or pcp?
4. I’m on a slight budget so would not like to initially spend too much on it.

Thank you for reading and for your help.

Oh and great site btw.

.177 PCP are the best for target shooting, don't require a license, easiest to get results from.

Depends really on your budget though. S400's are a good place to start. Scope will depend on what type of target shooting you're doing.

[willo1962]

if you are on a tight budget then it will probably have to be a springer. Even a cheap pcp with a pump will be quite expensive.
Check out the sales section, there is quite often a full outfit for under £300.
Spend as much as you can afford and go for quality. A used weihrauch/air arms will always be a better choice than a new hatsan/smk/benjamin/crossman etc.
The trigger units on the weihrauch and air arms tx200 are far better.
If you are buying a scope seperate and are shooting at 20m or less you may be better getting an AO (adjustable objective) scope as most scopes are set at 50m or more and it is hard to get the crosshairs and target in focus.

If you see something that takes your fancy, just give a shout out in here, I am sure there will be plenty of advice for you .
Good luck

[Kronos]

Hello guys,
Thanks for all the answers. I've been doing loads of reading and just realize there are so many options when it comes to buying.
To answer some of your questions, I won't be shooting much further than 50m initially I would think but it probably won't hurt having that option later on.
I would probably buy second hand first, to try and get a full kit like you guys suggested. Unfortunately I do not have access to the sales section yet.

Am I right in saying that the Air Arms TX200 is comparable to the Weihrauch HW80?

[eyebull]

Hi mate, welcome to the BBS

You will get a bewildering amount of suggestions re: first rifles and it will all get a bit confusing. Best thing to do is clarify exactly what you want in a gun, and then try as many as possible. Don't buy on the basis of looks, or even solely on the basis of a recommendation - the Air Arms S400 series for example is very well regarded, but if it doesn't feel good in your own shoulder then it's no good to you.

Are there any clubs near you? Most of the time there are very friendly people at clubs who will be quite happy to let you try out their rifles and offer good advice on first buys.

PCPs vs Springers:
As far as cost goes the springer is the cheapest option - self contained, no pumps or bottles to worry about, and to an extent less to go wrong mechanically. However they are not as easy to shoot accurately as PCPs and require a bit more input from the shooter, but the consensus is that if you learn how to shoot a springer well you will be able to use any airgun with ease.

PCPs give instant results as far as repeatable accuracy is concerned, but you will need to budget for filling equipment (unless you are very close to a club or gunshop that can fill for you). Also there are things like power curves within each fill that don't make them quite as straight forward as they first appear. If you want to be truly competitive in target shooting you will need a PCP, but if you are just starting out this may not be a major concern.

About £300 will get you a good 2nd hand rifle and scope set up with either Spring or PCP. Factor in maybe another £150 for pump or bottle if you go PCP.
Good guns can be had for less, but if you buy cheap you will find yourself buying again in short order...


Here's a good starters guide to have a look through:
http://airgunbuyer.com/page.asp?pg=18

Plenty of eye candy on that site too

[PCPShooter]

You'll never beat a good springer, but you have really have to apply yourself to get to shoot one well in the first place -

Go for Diana or HW and you'll have a rifle that if looked after will last a lifetime, with a few services, which you will be able to do yourself eventually if you get into it

[kenhart1]

If you are on a tight budjet best buy would be a springer the best ones are the Weithrauch HW77 or Air Arms TX200 either would cost £300 OR less,both of these have been around for a very long time and are quality springers and very accurate.

[yoshiwolves]

really does depend on your budget,, but i would suggest a hw77 in .177, can be had for around £200 if you search, a great rifle , then get the best scope and mounts you can afford,
atb
paul

[Kronos]

Hello Guys,
Thanks for all your input and advise. There are just so many options going around. I'm going to have a look around and see if I can find my local club, hopefully I'll be able to test some of the rifles there.

Am I right in saying that the Weithrauch HW77 and the Air Arms TX200 are in the same category then?

[secretagentmole]

I had a TX200 in .177 last year, got it with a scope, bag and pellets, paid £160 for it. It was very low recoil, superbly reliable and a beautiful trigger! I could hit dessert spoon spinners at 45 metres with that! it was a mark one and was still shooting superbly. Happy hunting!

[Kronos]

Thanks for the advise guys. It sounds great.
I've been doing some more reading and the Tx200 and HW77 looks like it might be what i'm after.
For now the springers also look like it's the route for me, budget wise atleast.

Now I just need to get myself to the shooting range and try them out. I've seen some online stores that sell rifles with a lifetime parts warranty as long as you own it, they are a bit pricey though.

I'll do a bit more shopping around though.

[PCPShooter]

Both very heavy rifles those ....
HW95 Diana 31/34 are good all rounders