Best Barn Gun...

[rabbitwrecker]

I've been asked by a neighbour to recommend a barn gun. He has a smallholding, mainly storage and a small workshop, with a feral pigeon problem - inside and out - which means that over-penetration is a major issue. Shots much over 10 yards would be a rarity and he has a budget of £200, (which he might stretch a little), but he insists on buying new. He wants something self-contained and is happy to use open sights if necessary.

To my mind, a .22 HW30s is the perfect choice at £175 new - good accuracy, good opens and not too much power - which could be upgraded with an aftermarket peep or red dot/holographic sight if needed.

Do any of you have a better suggestion? Thanks...

[WILBA]

2nd hand hw95 or 99 be a better choice.

[Jonjon79]

Yep, I'd go HW30 with wadcutters or something like H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme for that job.

[TonyL]

Yep, I'd go HW30 with wadcutters or something like H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme for that job.

Yep, and my .22s love Hobbies.

[CapitalBee]

+1 for the HW30 in .22". I have one; doing about 8fpe with hobbies, with which it's very accurate out to 25yds.

[secretagentmole]

I've been asked by a neighbour to recommend a barn gun. He has a smallholding, mainly storage and a small workshop, with a feral pigeon problem - inside and out - which means that over-penetration is a major issue. Shots much over 10 yards would be a rarity and he has a budget of £200, (which he might stretch a little), but he insists on buying new. He wants something self-contained and is happy to use open sights if necessary.

To my mind, a .22 HW30s is the perfect choice at £175 new - good accuracy, good opens and not too much power - which could be upgraded with an aftermarket peep or red dot/holographic sight if needed.

Do any of you have a better suggestion? Thanks...

Hatsan 900 Breaker, great little gun with a trigger that is not brilliant, they seem to average around the 10 ft lb mark, flat head pellets should stop most problems!

[CapitalBee]

Trouble is, at 10yds, you'd miss and put a nice hole in his barn cladding with a full powered rifle.....

[angrybear]

Hatsan .25 break barrel, I doubt he'd be worried about the trigger feel so the Striker would fit the bill.

Shame he's insisting on new.

[rhyslightnin]

I've been asked by a neighbour to recommend a barn gun. He has a smallholding, mainly storage and a small workshop, with a feral pigeon problem - inside and out - which means that over-penetration is a major issue. Shots much over 10 yards would be a rarity and he has a budget of £200, (which he might stretch a little), but he insists on buying new. He wants something self-contained and is happy to use open sights if necessary.

To my mind, a .22 HW30s is the perfect choice at £175 new - good accuracy, good opens and not too much power - which could be upgraded with an aftermarket peep or red dot/holographic sight if needed.

Do any of you have a better suggestion? Thanks...

wot about a cheap .25?

[tinbum]

I feel a quest coming on! Is there anything out there at 6-9fpe thats as good, or better than an HW30s for under £200??

My initial reaction is no, but its research time!

[Lucky Luciano]

Crosman ratcatcher?

[rancidtom]

Get a secondhand BSA Meteor, Mk3-Mk4. 8ish FtLb so not too much risk of overpenetration, accuracy at 10-15 yards is perfectly acceptable, the open sights are useable but you can throw a cheapish low power scope on say a 6x40 and still have plenty of change for a bag and a huge stack of pellets.
As a lad I always had a Meteor with a BSA 4x scope on it in the tractor cab for close range bunnies, it was the farmyard and barn gun of choice for rats and feral pigeon including the odd stupid woodie that might perch up on the barn roof. 30 yards was the maximum it was ever used at but it was capable of perfectly humane shots even at this range.
I would consider a HW30 as well but they're loads more expensive even secondhand. You can often find a good enough condition Meteor for less than £100 in many gunshops.

[derekj]

Birmingham Webley Stingray carbine .22 with Simmons WTC 1.5-5×20 scope

[bighit]

Crosman ratcatcher?

depends on the temps when using I would guess.

[PCPShooter]

Currently for £200 I'd look for a Cometa 400
I bought one for £180 with scope, nice carbine one with built in moderator. Easy enough to have spring shortened a bit for the ample 10ftlb with SHP / Flat heads that sound perfect for requirements.
Still in production, spares available long term, adjustable trigger, well made, very accurate.

The Hatsan 900x was fab vale at £69, and still good at £89, (incidentally just use Superdomes as these shoot best in every one I've shot, or heard of anyone having) but trigger is pants.

s/h - an old hw80 will last forever, but isn't nimble at those close ranges, like the Cometa is -

I like the old UK Webleys, but with often bent barrels, over sprung by monkeys, some spares now thin on ground, I'd still go Cometa first, though for handy, and shoot ability I do like my old Excel very much (same as Vulcan, junior stock so even dinkier). Webleys normally like RWS or Trophy both good all round pellets

All in 22 at the ranges suggested. The reason I'm not saying HW30s is that if requirements change the full size rifles can be adapted to suit with no more than a spring change, plus the galling on some 30s 's.

As I type, I'm dwelling on how underrated Cometa are after Hatsan became the new darling of the price focused air gun market.

The Chinese Diana 31 Copy is very good too - but again Cometa has better trigger, and handier in the silenced carbine form -