Break barrel springers - what to shortlist?

[Geezer]

My six standard answers:

1. Buy a good used one, rather than new.
2. HW35/80/85/95/98/99.
3. Diana 31/34/36/38.
4. FWB Sport.
5. Webley Omega, Tomahawk, or Longbow.
6. See 4 and 5.

2 and 3 are fine, too. Actually, option 2 may be best. Matter of opinion.

Try to find a club or a good shop when you can check a few out. Fit and feel are vitally important, and can only be judged in person.

[pelletcaster]

Hi,
my 2-Cents based on the comment of Geezer

My six standard answers:

1. Buy a good used one, rather than new.
I agree, especially for HW and DIANA

2. HW35/80/85/95/98/99.
I'm afraid none of these would (newly) shoot nicely thus crying for a tune.

3. Diana 31/34/36/38.
Same as 2.

4. FWB Sport.
5. Webley Omega, Tomahawk, or Longbow.
Sorry - no comment due to lack of knowledge.

6. See 4 and 5.

2 and 3 are fine, too. Actually, option 2 may be best. Matter of opinion.

Try to find a club or a good shop when you can check a few out. Fit and feel are vitally important, and can only be judged in person.
Yes and try a LGV. You'll be convinced.

[Geezer]

Hi,
my 2-Cents based on the comment of Geezer

Cheers. No experience of new ones. I last bought a new springer in around 1993. If you want an HW35, for example, you can either pay £300 or so for a new one, or half or two-thirds that for an old one with better finish and nice walnut, that has worn in over the years, or been tuned at some point, or will still cost less if you get a professional tune. And it will hold its value, unlike the new one.

Nothing really novel has been offered since (being generous) the TX200SR and Park RH91, being less generous the TX200, being ungenerous the HW80 or FWB Sport (honourable mention: Theoben Sirocco in 1982).

PCP, I guess it's different, in that current PCPs are I suppose better than older ones (I know sod all about PCPs, having never owned one). Even then, I wonder if a new R10 (say) is actually a better buy than an old R7, Skan, Titan....

No experience of the Umarex Walthers. I probably ought to get one sometime to allow me to form a vaguely-informed opinion.

Until that point comes, I am confident that you cannot buy anything now that is better than (for example) a raised-rail 85, Webley short-stroke Tommie or standard 'bow, or sorted FWB124/7. Walthers aside, I'd rather have a BSF 70 or a Webley Omega than current break-barrel offerings. But I'm probably weird.

[charliemow13]

I do thank you all for the input, there's obviously some fans of certain brands but this has thrown up plenty for me to consider. My last rifle was a Sheridan blue streak many many many years ago in my teens since when I've not shot a single pellet. I have asked if its still tucked away in the cabinet at parents house but im not holding out much hope. I started off on my dads non-descript and rather heavy break barrel and had the run of the grandparents farm when I was old enough with grandads ancient little bsa with fixed iron sights which I think my dad had learned to shoot with. The bsa was lovely to shoot even though it was probably 30 years and many thousands of pellets old by the time I picked it u. Don't want to rush into a purchase now so all the opinions suggestions and advice people have offered are great.

[look no hands]

I do thank you all for the input, there's obviously some fans of certain brands but this has thrown up plenty for me to consider. My last rifle was a Sheridan blue streak many many many years ago in my teens since when I've not shot a single pellet. I have asked if its still tucked away in the cabinet at parents house but im not holding out much hope. I started off on my dads non-descript and rather heavy break barrel and had the run of the grandparents farm when I was old enough with grandads ancient little bsa with fixed iron sights which I think my dad had learned to shoot with. The bsa was lovely to shoot even though it was probably 30 years and many thousands of pellets old by the time I picked it u. Don't want to rush into a purchase now so all the opinions suggestions and advice people have offered are great.

As you can probably tell from my posts, I'm not a lover of HW's BUT unfortunately and to my disgust, I have to agree and reluctantly recommend the HW95 for a new purchase (ie brand new off of a gun shops shelf, not new to you) as there isn't much else out there new which can come close to it's performance and build quality, unfortunately there isn't any new British made break barrel rifles which are worth mentioning (mainly because there ain't any), which pains me, if you're prepared to wait and also happy to buy secondhand (and older) then there are plenty of British made break barrels that'll give the 95 a good kicking, Webley, Theoben and even some of the BSA range (I kid you not, after a large fettling of course) are worth seeking out and trying.

Of course if Air Arms was to hurry up with a break barrel then we can put these types of threads to bed before they've gone too far and the HW name has been mentioned too many times

Pete