New to the sport

[andyjoel]

Hi all,

I've recently joined the Lambourn air rifle club in the Swindon league and I'm looking for some general advice on my first target rifle. I've used the club gun, FWB 300, and a couple of the members have kindly let me try their guns, FWB 601 and a Steyr LG110. So the question is whether to go with the lower cost side lever action or plump for a generally more expensive PCP that should see me through for years to come. I do like the ease of using PCP but can't decide if the expense is worth it. Do others graduate from side lever to PCP or just go with whatever works for you?

Cheers
Andy

[tufty]

Hi Andy,you don't mention what discipline you are shooting,so I'm assuming it's 10m rifle,in which case I'd go for a PCP,if you start to shoot competitions,using an SSP can become pretty tiring after 60 shots plus sighters,and it can be difficult to cock the rifle without breaking your stance slightly,my advice would be go with the best you can afford and feel comfortable shooting,and welcome to the forum

Neale

[wilbydoughboy]

Hello. I am in a similar situation as yourself. I started bell target shooting using the club rifle a fwb300s and after a few months I decided to purchase one due to the fact I was happy with the club rifle and didnt want to spend to much on a modern rifle. I was tempted to buy a gunpower target rifle but was put off by the lighter weight. I can easily shoot 60 plus pellets in an evenings practice but have been looking to get a fwb601 but my 300s seems easier to cock without picking the gun up. I am in the top 15 for averages and until my rifle packs up I am going to stick with it. I think you will find the more you use the club rifle the harder it will be for you to change to a pcp to start with.

[Will Hay]

Firstly, you've done absolutely the right thing going to a club, I can't begin to tell you the benefit that was to me but I thik I landed lucky with the club

I'm only six weeks in to owning and shooting with an air rifle.
I contemplated a springer first but sooooo glad I didn't.
I went with an MPR FT and just bought another to use the custom stock.
My advice would be to buy a second hand with a bottle and spend three months with it.
Believe me, you won't lose much in three months if you do decide to upgrade to another rifle.
Now I'm happy with the custom walnut stock with MPR action I can't see myself changing within the year.
A further piece of advice; don't buy a new rifle, there are plenty of respectable members selling high quality rifles on forums such as this.
I bought my two from members here and they were superb and exactly as described.
My advice would be to stay away from the rifle sales in groups on facebook but use them to gauge current value if you need to.

It does get expensive though, so I've listed below the expense you might go to to start out [with my S400 recommendation] combined with that I bought to get me started in shooting HFT [sorry, I don't know what your intent is].

eg. AA S400 classic .177 £325.00 s/h
Scope MTC Viper 10x44 £100.00 s/h
AIM Mat £95.00 new [or old exercise or camping mat for a fraction of that cost] *obviously specific to HFT competitions
Cushion £10.00 s/h *obviously specific to HFT competitions
Non-fleece lined rifle bag £25.00 s/h
7ltr 300bar bottle with gauge and whip £180.00
Five tins of pellets £40.00
Club membership £60.00

s/h - second hand

I can't think of much else but there will invariably something I've missed that more established members could comment on.

Good luck, you're certainly in the right place.

[Heidi]

Depends on how far you want to take your shooting always make sure shooting is for you then buy the best you can afford; I don't mean go out and buy an Anschutz 9003 Olympic standard rifle but don't do what I did and get a totally unsuitable rifle.

Something like
Air Arms S200,
S400,
Hamerli AR20 all are good starter rifles then

The next bracket
S400 MPR,
MPR Sporter

in this bracket there some very nice rifles but you are going to pay £400+ for new all listed can take dioptre sights which are essential in 10m.
There are a range of good quality second hand rifles available from the S200 to the Feinwerkbau 300 these are very heavy.

If you really like the sport then by all means begin to move up to the next price bracket ie the basic Anschutz

Heidi

[Powderfinger]

If you are starting out in 10 metre shooting, do not rule out buying a sidelever to start with. It will give you time to decide whether 10 metre shooting is a sport you will pursure further. When you want to move to a PCP, you will be able to sell your sidelever for a similar amount to what you paid for it provided that you bought iy at a reasonable price. Or you might love your sidelever so much that you decide to keep it as a back-up gun or a bell-target gun. Good sidelevers include: FWB300, FWB 601 series, Original 75, some of the old Anschutz range and the Walther LGR.