Trainer air rifle recommendations please

[Prone Shooter]

I just know this is asking for grief but here goes anyway

I need a rifle or two or even 3 or 4

Not for myself per se but to use as a intro and training rifle for young people whom I will be putting through a 6 month shooting course for their D of E (Duke of Edinburgh) skills section of the award.

I'm not really interested in 2nd hand unless all the same as I want some consistency in what they will be using. Scopes I can sort. They need to be...

.177
Ambidextrous (preferably)
Easy to use with a safety so probably break barrel.
Have open sights with scope rail for later.
Have the ability in the right hands to hit a 40mm Nockover target at 35 yards.
Reasonable power (to hit those longer range targets) again in the right hands.
Budget - this is a voluntary project so low cost is very important.
Easy to service in the event of breakages.
Suitably sized to allow both junior (14/15 year olds) to handle and still be acceptable to adult shooters, say on a "have a go range" or club induction.

Ideally, you will own or at least have tried your suggested rifle.

"If" I had been asking many years ago I would be considering such classic as BSA Meteors and Supersports, HW30/35's and not to leave them out, some of the smaller Webleys. Now, with a couple of the above being owned by other companies I have no idea what their performance is like.

Over to the collective for hopefully some good advice please, if you have experience of suitable "budget" guns.

Thanks in advance.

Bob

[thisisdonald]

Hw30 all day long

[bozzer]

Hw30 all day long

No brainer.

[Chippendale]

Hw30 all day long

^^^^^^^^^^
This

Chippendale (with clothes on)

[rabbitwrecker]

Hw30 all day long

The HW30s measures up to all your requirements...

[Matt]

My thoughts would be contact the manufacturers and distributors of airguns and simply outline what you are doing and ask if they can help in anyway.

I would also contact the ATEO, think thats the initials airgun training speak to Dave Mills to see if they can help at all. Pop along to the shooting show over the weekend they'll be running the have a go area.

Sorry not a recommendation if any specific kit as such but advice on getting started.

Matt

[countryboy]

For your particular needs , I would strongly recommend the hw 99s. Refined firing cycle, built to last , simple to maintain, and at less than £200.00. as a trainer it would tick all my boxes. Maybe dearer than say , a Remington express, but would have better re- sale value, and in this instance for me it would be a no brainier.I am sure a good RFD could do you an excellent deal ( perhaps 4 for the price of 3 ?). Good luck with your quest.

[Shed tuner]

HW30s, 99s, gamo CF-20/30/CFX (very safe)

[Geezer]

HW30s, 99s, gamo CF-20/30/CFX (very safe)

Agreed. And HW57 (very safe). Also consider full-length Diana 31/34. Or, though I hate to say this, the better Chinese Diana copies.

[TORNADOS7]

What about the 'Walther Terrus' available in a synthetic stocked version, people keep suggesting the '99S' even with its ill fated cocking linkage, I'd be reluctant to put money on one that's for sure...

[Prone Shooter]

Thanks for the replies so far chaps, I'll start looking at some of those suggestions.

Anyone know what the BSA's are like?

Bob

[cooper_dan]

I can knock over 40 yard targets with my stoeger. It's ambidextrous, break barrel, auto safety and synthetic stock which can take a bit of abuse.

Granted it will never be weirauch accuracy, but it also didnt need fixing out of the box to make it shoot ok

Also when I was 14 I wouldn't have known the difference

[Robert_Lavin]

Sorry, I'm not really able to provide a recommendation but...

I'm sure there are outdoor centres / activity providers that offer air rifle shooting so it would be interesting to see what they use.

I would be surprised if it was anything from Weihrauch.

Given the age of the students, something lightish might be wise so I'd be thinking plastic rather than wooden stocks. For me, plastic also has the advantage of being something that I wouldn't be too precious about. A dink in a plastic stock doesn't elicit the same sharp intake of breath from me when compared to a dink in a wooden stock.

Yes, I know we all want a lovely trigger, but how important is that for this application?

Having said no recommendations, the only rifle I've owned that might fit the bill is the 900x (yes, I know, I've just contradicted one of my points above) or a plastic variant. Cheap, light, accurate and a proper rifle. I also shot a Webley VMX once which wasn't awful and I reckon I've tried the odd plastic Hatsan as well which also wasn't awful.

Rob.