Air Guns
- Thread starter Falstaff
- Start date
mfrench
Addicted Member
well now,.... its time to burp this thing up, once again.
I've finished converting my Crosman 2289 Backpacker. I took it from a .22 14" barrel, to a .177 16" barrel.
I also added a Mellon Air flat-top valve and adjustable piston for the air supply. And, while at it, I added a new pump arm links, and, a bolt on pivot pin, where there was a rolled steel pin. The pivot pin is also by Mellon Air, and has a reinforcing bushing that goes around the main pivot, to create a thicker rotational pivot point, whereas mine had worn to an oval.
As a .177, I've whacked a half dozen Rats with it. Its a zinger now.
And, then, on picking up the mail from yesterday,.... we received a spam flyer from a company that specializes in attic clean outs.
On their flyer,.... two Rats.
Front:
Rear:
the rest of this tail (tail,... like a rats tail)
stuck to my pellet trap:
which is right next to my Red Light District Ratting Gallery
Takes aim,...
And, the Rat from the backside of the flyer:
I feel that I used their flyer appropriately.
I've finished converting my Crosman 2289 Backpacker. I took it from a .22 14" barrel, to a .177 16" barrel.
I also added a Mellon Air flat-top valve and adjustable piston for the air supply. And, while at it, I added a new pump arm links, and, a bolt on pivot pin, where there was a rolled steel pin. The pivot pin is also by Mellon Air, and has a reinforcing bushing that goes around the main pivot, to create a thicker rotational pivot point, whereas mine had worn to an oval.
As a .177, I've whacked a half dozen Rats with it. Its a zinger now.
And, then, on picking up the mail from yesterday,.... we received a spam flyer from a company that specializes in attic clean outs.
On their flyer,.... two Rats.
Front:
Rear:
the rest of this tail (tail,... like a rats tail)
stuck to my pellet trap:
which is right next to my Red Light District Ratting Gallery
Takes aim,...
And, the Rat from the backside of the flyer:
I feel that I used their flyer appropriately.
mfrench
Addicted Member
In another episode of Me vs. My Cat,....
Beeman P17 air pistol w/ Crosman pellet
This is another rodent that met its end in the generator shed. And, there were several pinkies as well.
Kitty, w/ pregnant/delivering Rat (note the gray lump at the delivery chute).
She loves us so much that she shares
Beeman P17 air pistol w/ Crosman pellet
This is another rodent that met its end in the generator shed. And, there were several pinkies as well.
Kitty, w/ pregnant/delivering Rat (note the gray lump at the delivery chute).
She loves us so much that she shares
mfrench
Addicted Member
I've been seeing a Sage Rat (Cal. Ground Squirrel, Beecheys Marmot) around Sarges bird feeding station, where the birds constantly leave waste seed. So, I set my patio blind up, again. Its been a year, minimum since I had the blind set up.
I also decided to run a night video with a pair of night vision binoculars, to see where the Rat population is, since I hit it so hard for so long that I ran out of them (they'll make more - no worries).
Well, the Sage Rat has been elusive; present but spooky.
The Rats,... ughh. They're back in abundance.
a screenshot image from the first night video:
So, last night, I set up the red light district (lit by red garden LED lamp), and baited it with birdseed, and,.... bacon flavored sunflower seeds.
Mmmm, Bacon (_8'(|)
I also rigged the N.V. binoculars onto the blind, and, around 9pm, I turned off the patio lights, and, entered the blind.
This was with my mod'd Crosman Backpacker
mod'd from 14" .22caliber, to 16" .177ca, and with upgraded adjustable flat-top valve and Crosman Premiere Hollow Point 7.9grain
I also decided to run a night video with a pair of night vision binoculars, to see where the Rat population is, since I hit it so hard for so long that I ran out of them (they'll make more - no worries).
Well, the Sage Rat has been elusive; present but spooky.
The Rats,... ughh. They're back in abundance.
a screenshot image from the first night video:
So, last night, I set up the red light district (lit by red garden LED lamp), and baited it with birdseed, and,.... bacon flavored sunflower seeds.
Mmmm, Bacon (_8'(|)
I also rigged the N.V. binoculars onto the blind, and, around 9pm, I turned off the patio lights, and, entered the blind.
This was with my mod'd Crosman Backpacker
mod'd from 14" .22caliber, to 16" .177ca, and with upgraded adjustable flat-top valve and Crosman Premiere Hollow Point 7.9grain
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Hey Chief, still using the Bug a Salt? Have mine, working like the day I bought it, version 2.0. Was in the hardware store, ranch supply, etc., couple days ago and lo and behold they have a new product, one I was waiting for but a pistol, not an assault style gun. A single action revolver you load with preloaded ammo giving ten or so shots per reload, barrel drops down in conventional style for reload. Thing is, it's CO2 powered, full sized powerlets Crossman style. I resisted buying one but keep thinking on it, won't be long. A bit pricey at 169.00 over the counter. The box wording is fun... splatter is used quite a bit using flies, wasps and spiders for the reference. Says good with in three feet, that's far enough. Has accessories available such as barrel fixed illumination for night shooting. Bright yellow of course. Every time I'm on the patio the thought occurs, go get one before they quite making it. As the box on the original says, fire your flyswatter, and I did.
Some gorgeous Gun there. Over the years I’ve had several FX ranging from the T12 whisper, 500 Royale and a boss just the name of few.
There are Air Guns that Make from 3 foot pounds of energy all the way up to 1500 and + foot pounds of energy. I know people with hunted Buffalo and big ole Russian boars
When I first got into air, saw the site showing the versions used to hunt "big game" with pics. Amazing. Interesting that air pwr was used by the military and during war. It's a really good hobby to release stress and it's relatively affordable. Have a large collection but haven't touched one in years. My stress levels are nearly nill.
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I was thinning out the Red-Eared Slider Turtle population in my pond the other day with my .22 caliber Umarex break-barrel pellet gun.
I have 4 break-barrels. Two .177 and two .22 caliber (Umarex & Gamo).
I use the German "Hornet" hunting pellets with the brass points. I also sometimes use Tannerite-filled exploding hollow points.
I have 4 break-barrels. Two .177 and two .22 caliber (Umarex & Gamo).
I use the German "Hornet" hunting pellets with the brass points. I also sometimes use Tannerite-filled exploding hollow points.
I saw a .72 caliber one with a massive pellet , they fkkk up a few cinder blocks with it, link
My buddy has the AEA .72 caliber. He’s taken many deer with it. His has the shorter barrel but you can get them with up to a 32 inch that makes over 1500 foot pounds of energy. That’s over twice the energy of a 357 magnum.
Bill S
Thread Killer
The most important pellet attribute is accuracy. It's amazing to shoot different brands and check how the grouping varies from brand to brand. Hollow points and pointed pellets are gimmicks. A pellet doesn't travel fast enough to benefit from a hollow point. Go to pellets are JSB or H&N. Crosman Premiers in the cardboard box used to be good too but discontinued. A gun with a good trigger is essential. HW, Air Arms, older Beeman guns, Webley, Feinwerkbau, Diana, etc. Big Box pellet guns are mostly Chiner and Turkish junk. Get you a nice, older Beeman R1, R7, R9, R10 or HW (Weirauch equivalent like an HW50, 90, etc with a Record trigger and be done. The high water mark for European spring air guns was in the 70s - 90s. Anything now with warning statements stamped into the barrel are sus, excluding Weirauch (HW) and Air Arms. Lots of good used guns tho. You want dime sized 25 yard 5 shot groups. Takes practice, a good gun and good domed pellets.
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I have a wide-range of pellet styles and like to try them all including lead & the higher-velocity alloy types.
These are fun:
Edgun West | Exploding Pellets
I have three styles of their exploding pellets:
- Filled hollow points
- Sharp tip
- Fragmentation
A sharp tip I like that are really accurate are the Gamo AccuTek Series Red Fire. In my guns these are extremely-accurate. If you haven't tried these you should. I was surprised how accurate they are.
Gamo Red Fire Pellet - Special Hunting Pellet with a Red Polymer Tip
I was not overly impressed with the accuracy of the Predator Polymag pellets even though they look similar to the Gamo Red Fire:
Pellets - JSB Match Diabolo - pellets, ammunition
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Bill S
Thread Killer
Is it legal to shoot turtles where you live? It's a big no no where I live. I wouldn't shoot them even if it were. Turtles are cool. Alloy pellets that go supersonic are very inaccurate. A pellet is not meant to do that. They are sold so Chiner and Turkish gun manufacturers can make distorted claims of velocity because uninformed folks fall for that. Those guns with the big muzzle brake on them don't do anything for noise. They are a bulbous cocking handle and I'd remove them if they were on my gun
To each his own. Springer rated scopes are expensive because they are built to handle the dual recoil of a spring piston. Sooner or later cheap scopes sold with those guns will break, usually slamming the reticule and cross hairs out of them. The guns I have scoped have scopes that cost more than a Gamo gun. Gamo made some decent guns when they were made in Spain 30+ years ago. I have rifles from Beeman (an importer of HW guns in the 70s - 2000s) Diana and Webly (England). BSA was also a popular British manufacturer. Just for kicks, find you a vintage Bean R7 or R9. Similar to an HW 30 or 50 with a fancier Gowdy stock and trigger. Not super powerful but very docile shooting and accurate with H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 grain dome pellets. Very nice looking, well built rifles machined from solid billets.
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I got one of these now so I don't need to shoot them. They are pretty-hard to hit anyway at long range.
Here it is in my pond....
I have a lot of money invested in my bass population to let these invasive turtles decimate them. I almost wish the river otters would come back because they feast on them.
Here it is in my pond....
I have a lot of money invested in my bass population to let these invasive turtles decimate them. I almost wish the river otters would come back because they feast on them.
I thought about getting an expensive spring piston gun but haven't yet. It's on the list of stuff to get someday. I've shot them before though.
The new Gamo Swarm guns are pretty-nice and they are powerful (and loud), but are really hard to cock.
As far as gas piston vs spring piston... I think they both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Some of the things I like about the newer gas pistons are:
Of course the scopes are cheap but I haven't had any fall apart or anything yet. The 2nd gun down is a cheap Umarex "Ruger" but it has a nicer scope I took off a .22 LR gun I have. It was about $80 if I recall (almost as much as the gun cost). Not super-expensive but better than the one that came with the pellet gun.
The new Gamo Swarm guns are pretty-nice and they are powerful (and loud), but are really hard to cock.
As far as gas piston vs spring piston... I think they both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Some of the things I like about the newer gas pistons are:
- You can leave them cocked longer without any power loss
- They are just as powerful as a spring piston
- The multi-shot magazines (although that's not real important to me)
- They are fairly inexpensive compared to some of the spring pistons. Some of those fancier spring piston guns are very expensive.
- They are heavy ( a lot to lug around for a pellet gun)
- They are hard to cock (it takes some muscle)
Of course the scopes are cheap but I haven't had any fall apart or anything yet. The 2nd gun down is a cheap Umarex "Ruger" but it has a nicer scope I took off a .22 LR gun I have. It was about $80 if I recall (almost as much as the gun cost). Not super-expensive but better than the one that came with the pellet gun.
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I don't know about buying older models. I really don't want to rebuild them or anything like that. Are there any decent new models?
What do you think of this one? Is it worth $780? It looks good and the scope looks better than you get with a Gamo or Umarex.
Links with price are shown after each.
You can probably find them a little cheaper though at other places. These are all from the Airgun Depot.
Beeman R9 Elite Series Scope Combo $779
Here's another one you mentioned....
Diana 350 Magnum $459
And this one is really big bucks.......
Air Arms TX200 MKIII Ultimate Springer, Walnut $1,599
Weihrauch HW90 $829
What do you think of this one? Is it worth $780? It looks good and the scope looks better than you get with a Gamo or Umarex.
Links with price are shown after each.
You can probably find them a little cheaper though at other places. These are all from the Airgun Depot.
Beeman R9 Elite Series Scope Combo $779
Here's another one you mentioned....
Diana 350 Magnum $459
And this one is really big bucks.......
Air Arms TX200 MKIII Ultimate Springer, Walnut $1,599
Weihrauch HW90 $829
Bill S
Thread Killer
HW 90 is a gas piston. The Beeman is a fancy HW95. The Diana 34 is a decent gun. Spring rifles can be tuned to shoot very smooth but you'd need a competent airgun smith. If you can't do it then maybe a gas piston. Get a good scope with an adjustable objective (AO) and a solid one piece scope mount and rings and blue locktite all the screws. I am surprised at prices these days. I haven't bought anything for quite a while and all mine were used. See if you can find something local and try it out. Get good pellets and see which ones your gun likes
Sight it and and stick with that brand
Can't go wrong with JSB or H&N. It you get a Magnum it will shoot a little harsher and be harder to cock. Go with heavy 10 grain pellets in a Magnum gun (over 750 fps).
Bill S
Thread Killer
I have mil dot scopes on my springers and often shoot at 80 yards. Probably not easy with head shots but I can hit ground squirrels at that range. I zero for 25 or 50 yards and hold over on a mil dot.