The most enjoyable cheap springer you have shot

[Neil54]

I had an Edgar Bros Hatsan 1000s Striker. One of those you don't how good it was until you sold it.

I was impressed with a Gamo GRT in .177. Very accurate but one hell of a crack when it went off.

[Jake190]

Baikal (IZH) IJ 38.
Made in the USSR and a lovely little rifle to shoot.

[scoots]

Remington express....straight out the box....great for the money

[Brizo62]

Remington Express 177

[TonyL]

Gamo, subject to internal appraisal.

At the risk of sounding like a Gamo bore (sic!), I was given a mint condition, hardly used Vipermax about a year and a half ago. But most of the Gamo range still seems to be cheaply available new.

Vipermax.....I love the synthetic stock - the styling, comfort and grip. And its ability to shrug any knocks off and water / blood etc.

Very smooth, easy cocking. It's a .22 and is doing about 10.3 with Superdomes. I'll test with others soon and would expect output to be even higher with the JSB types and Hobbies.

The firing cycle is very benign, with minimal sight picture disturbance.

Seemingly not pellet fussy and accurate with a good variety of different pellets. Down the garden, at about 14 yards max, 10mm edge to edge groups are reliably and repeatably obtained. I haven't tested on paper at longer ranges but at the Boinger Bashes it consistently knocks those spinners around at up to 40 yards and has connected with the 75 yards Quigley bucket many times.

Barrel lock up is solid and it has a proper breech bolt.

Trigger - very usable "pseudo two stage". Consistent and quite predictable. When newer I would occasionally experience alarming creep at times when taking up the "second stage" but I did read somewhere that this improves with use as the trigger breaks in and I'd say that this has been the case.

The only slight downer is the very loud "KER - TWANG!!!!", no doubt due to a very poor spring to guide fit. This I aim to address very shortly and, once sorted, I think will add a certain air of refinement.

I'll report back on how the project goes re twang reduction and internal build / finish once I strip the little Spaniard down.


I have also been quite impressed with various Hatsan models, especially the ones with the Quattro trigger unit. But I have only had brief goes with them and haven't conducted any form of proper accuracy testing.


So, yes, I think there are certainly a fair few likely candidates out there. Budget springers that can provide satisfaction and, sometimes, very pleasant surprises in terms of performance and shootability.

[baldinio]

Brand new it would be another vote for the remmy express. Secondhand the bsa mercury in .22 I paid a very reasonable £60 for from a lovely member on here. 10.3 ft/lbs pellet on pellet with as close to a match trigger as I suspect any bsa springer ever had

[Baxterbasics]

Webley hawk MK2 -tuned by a clubmate for a work colleague to use for close range ratting. It was putting out about 6-7 ft llbs in .22 and was completely recoilless. Cost my work colleague £40.00.
Bargain!

[piggy589]

A used B2,kept me amused,not to say crying with laughter