Scratching an itch - .25 recommendations?

[laverdabru]

Recently scratched one itch & bought a Kral PCP as a retirement present to myself, very pleased so far.
Having read a few posts on here in praise of the 'quarterbore', been thinking about, maybe, getting one. It would be mainly used for can mangling at 20 yards or less. Possibly when sighted in at the odd rat on the bird feeders (10 yards).
Not sure of my budget yet, but at the lower end of the market. So probably a break barrel rather than a PCP. I also prefer a wood stock.
Any suggestions?

TIA

Bru

[tinbum]

I have a BSA Lightning which can achieve all of that, even beyond the ranges mentioned!
(Just)

They are a lot of fun. Mine was made just after the TP venturi screw was phased out, I had an older one too. Both were good.

I have no idea what it is worth, but it can’t be much?

[Dfait]

I’m pleased with my Hatsan 55 in .25 , very decent trigger and a barrel that doesn’t seem too pellet fussy so far .

Can be had new for under £150 , which I would say represents value .

Watch out for some of the older guns as they are not true .25 , more like .243 and therefore most modern pellets are super tight and suck power and accuracy.

[Mach 1.5]

One number springs to mind. 80. But with budget in mind the above two recommendations by said gents are rather good. Mach 1.5

[32:1]

A Kral np02 in .25 is a gem in the budget pcp arena, Ive two Kral quaterbores and they’ve been faultless. Boinger wise I’ve only ever shot a mates .25 Cometa and was impressed, so much so I’ve now got one on my bucket list

[angrybear]

If you buy a BSA go post 2012, for a .25 bore not a .243"

[laverdabru]

Thanks for the replies so far. Informative.
Had previously had no idea about the .243/.25 issue. Likewise, didn't realise there was a Lightning .25. Every day's a schoolday!
Hatsans cropped up a few times when I was 'having a Google'. Used a Striker(?) in .22 a while back, seemed OK, but it was only for an afternoon.
Cometa - will have a look.

Bru

[Andy001]

Pell pax have a few Hatsan’s on, Hatsan Zada/air tac/edge, I’ve never had one but they look fairly cheap

[TonyL]

Stop it, stop it, stop it!

So far I've managed to resist the temptation of a quarter bore. I mean, we don't need 'em, do we? Especially with the massively varied choice of .22s available to us in all different weights and shapes. But then there are so few things in our little airgunning world that we NEED. But that'll not stop us WANTING them!

I don't have a ratting permission, which I view as the natural playground for the quarter bore. So it'd just be for pure fun and animated target antics.

Lack of space and budget precludes one for now, but I don't think I can say "no" forever!

[maximus]

A good few years ago I scratched my quaterbore itch by purchasing a second hand HW 90 for £150 then bought a new barrel for it. It's lovely to shoot and I was especially impressed when it bounced my steel target holder off the wall No other gun in 177 or 22 has ever done that before or since!!

[angrybear]

Thanks for the replies so far. Informative.
Had previously had no idea about the .243/.25 issue. Likewise, didn't realise there was a Lightning .25. Every day's a schoolday!
Hatsans cropped up a few times when I was 'having a Google'. Used a Striker(?) in .22 a while back, seemed OK, but it was only for an afternoon.
Cometa - will have a look.

Bru

I had a BSA Supersport .243 25-cal & pellet sizer from TBT, topped out around 8ftlb iirc,
bought a Striker .25 when they first came out 2011/12 did a review of it, nice rifle let down by the trigger, often regret selling it, but it went to fund a Scorpion SE .25 which I've still got, superb rifle.
Also got a Rapid .25 FAC but that's a whole different level.

PS the Scorpion with 20gn FTT, a 25yd zero gives an unbroken +/- half inch PBR from 6-28yds at 11.5ftlb Quarter bore is perfectly practical.

[Blackrider]

Been there, bought one, HW 80 and never looked back !
Ammo: FTT .25.

[JLB]

Just picked up a BSA Ultra TS in .25 to scratch the itch. Definitely a bigger whack on the spinners at 20 yards. A little tweek on the hammer spring, shot one 499 fps shot 24 509 fps shot 50 498 fps. Remarkable for an un-regged rifle. 232 bar fill for that though.

John.

[look no hands]

I went down the replacement barrel route and bought a .25 Lightning barrel for my Supersport, I love it and it's my go to rifle.

[Waddy]

I bought a Theoben Sirocco in .25 with it's original .22 barrel as a spare, the .22 barrel is back on it because it's .243 and also because I already had a .25 Hatsan Model 55, wooden stock & two stage "Quatro" trigger that I got second hand but as new (still in original box) for £130.

The Hatty is really a very good rifle for the price, but it did need a few tweeks. It's now got a lightened & glided piston, a reduced TP (it unscrews, I just made a new one out of brass) and a Titan spring. I had the barrel threaded for a stubby mod too.

It's a big rifle but it fits with it being a quaterbore.

If the Hatsan 55 hadn't come up I'd have held out & saved a bit because I really don't like plastic stocks.