# .22 Pellet Rifle



## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

What .22 pellet single cocking pellet gun would you buy as I know little if anything about them but due to shoulder problems I cannot pump and pump and pump as some seem to require.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

start here....

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/

there is air/co2 and spring piston guns out there. It depends on what you want to do with the gun etc.

I like my Wheireich and Beeman higher end spring guns that work with one "cocking" per shot. I have used my first for over 32 years now.... an HW 50 very similar to a beeman R7 or R9 for a newbies reference... either would be a great choice in .177 which is a cheaper caliber to shoot with many pellet choices etc. Again it depends on what you want to do with it. I have used the .177 for target practice,plinking and garden defense for years with success.


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## CSA again (May 2, 2007)

If you want to read up on air guns here is some links
I like the 22 cal for killing varmits. 
High end look at Beeman,RWS, gamo ect
lower end look at crossman ,daisy ,gamo, ruger ect


http://www.airgundepot.com/

http://www.pyramydair.com/

http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/

good luck theres a lot to choose from


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

dont want to pump?

I have a Czech DIANA, vintage 70's that has a 1 pump cocking, brea-open breech loader, works well for me. BB / .177 w/lead pellets but it works good.

DG



doc623 said:


> What .22 pellet single cocking pellet gun would you buy as I know little if anything about them but due to shoulder problems I cannot pump and pump and pump as some seem to require.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Gamo sells both .177 and .22 air rifles...they use CO2...so no pumping req'd


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

I guess I should clarify.
One pump or cocking is managable.
I think I would like a .22.
Not interested in a lot of bells and whistles.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Wanting a .22 pellet why? Are you knowledgable of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the available pellet choices? A .22 in any given gun will be slower than the .177 which effects trajectory etc... Lower pwoered easier to cock guns in .22 have rainbow trajectories and high pellet costs. The .22 is a decent choice in gas guns and for hunting at the mid and higher power ranges for bigger game.


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

Actually I don't know much about these guns.
I am just starting to scratch the surface.
I kind of like a cock and having to be dependent on a CO2 replacement cylinder.
I am not ruling out anything; just trying to gather information.
Any and all info pros and/or cons are welcome.


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## diamondtim (Jun 10, 2005)

I believe there is an airgun out there with both .177 and .22 barrels that are interchangeable. IIRC it is made by Gamo.


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## CSA again (May 2, 2007)

I have a 22 cal that takes 2 of the CO2 gas cartages great gun ; it cost to much to shoot,
I like the single cock, spring action phumitic, " break barrel " air guns best.something like this
http://www.airgundepot.com/rws-34-panther22-combo.html 800fps - 1000fps with pba ammo 22cal
http://www.airgundepot.com/gamo-shadow-sport.html 1000fps - 1200fps with pba ammo ,177cal


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

At the risk of sounding like a broken record... ya can search airguns as we have discussed it before. I like a quality new beeman of the R7 0r R9 variety. They are made by a German firm that made my fiorst over 30 years ago and its a still shootin good. Parts and accessories are really available and the guns will last.

They are both break barrel springers that are self contained power sources- one cocking/loading action. 

You can buy them and if they are not to your liking both of them hold their value really well and you will likely loose less than trying a cheap gamo etc and trying to get out from under it. 

Quality wood and steel like the old ways and not cheap plastic crap ya see alot of on the cheaper guns.

BTW my back ground in adult airguns runs from the old daisy lever guns to a .50 cal deer capable airgun and a couple of the vintage olympic guns... and a bunch in between.

If I had ta give em all up but one my original HW 50 would likely still be here ...

I like the .177 for bird and rabbit garden patrol and the cheap pellets as well as the quality pellets available. For target n plinking and thin skinned game up to rabbit its hard to beat.... the .20 and .22's may be better hunting calibers but they do cost more. 

I have said it before and will again- any shooter who is srious about shooting NEEDS at least one quality pellet rifle at his/her disposal.... even more so now with the ammo shortages etc that seem to be here.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

here is info on the R7 and R9- be sure to read the our take sections of each

http://www.straightshooters.com/beeman/r7.html

http://www.straightshooters.com/beeman/r9.html


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Some airgun picts

Old school HW guns top to bottom A beeman R7, HW50M , an OLD HW50s and a HW 55 target all mid velocity .177 barrel cocking spingers that are a joy to shoot 










R7 and DAQ Bandit .50 cal - 170 grain roundball Approx 800 fps 3 usable shots per air fill










A few target pistols...


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

So with the info given and requested above or previously what would be anyone's recommmendation(s) for an entry level pellet rifle that would not break the bank?


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

doc623 said:


> So with the info given and requested above or previously what would be anyone's recommmendation(s) for an entry level pellet rifle that would not break the bank?


two things

define "break the bank" 

and did you go look around the airgun forums and ask there? There are some guys that hang out there that like the "cheaper" guns...


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

BTW I just traded for another R7- there was a guy local to me that advertised a Beeman R7 and I traded one of my high end pocket knives to... this makes my second R7 in several months  I am addicted again to airguns....


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

Ok. what about a usable air gun for $100.00 or less?


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## alchemist317 (Nov 12, 2008)

tallpaul said:


> Wanting a .22 pellet why? Are you knowledgable of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the available pellet choices? A .22 in any given gun will be slower than the .177 which effects trajectory etc... Lower pwoered easier to cock guns in .22 have rainbow trajectories and high pellet costs. The .22 is a decent choice in gas guns and for hunting at the mid and higher power ranges for bigger game.


One advantage of .22 at the higher end is that you get more power for a given accuracy. Air rifles aren't generally spin-stabilized for the .177/.22/.25 pellet sizes - instead they use a shaped pellet that drag stabilizes. This can be very accurate, but only works well at subsonic speeds - below around 1100fps. There are a number of .177/.22 designs where the .177 version is right around 1100fps (or more), but where the .22 can be kept closer to 700fps (the usual sweet spot for an air rifle).


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

alchemist317 said:


> One advantage of .22 at the higher end is that you get more power for a given accuracy. Air rifles aren't generally spin-stabilized for the .177/.22/.25 pellet sizes - instead they use a shaped pellet that drag stabilizes. This can be very accurate, but only works well at subsonic speeds - below around 1100fps. There are a number of .177/.22 designs where the .177 version is right around 1100fps (or more), but where the .22 can be kept closer to 700fps (the usual sweet spot for an air rifle).



Dude there are different twists and different guns for different functions. If .177 was not "spin stabilized" as you put it then then all Olympic class target guns would not be in .177 - which they all are  

As ya said stabilization can be an issue its not the caliber but the pellet choices that either work well with a power level or not.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

doc623 said:


> Ok. what about a usable air gun for $100.00 or less?


The guys on the forum I recomended seem to recommend the ruger hawkeye air rifle. Its under 100 and they like it... I have no personal experience with them though.


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## CSA again (May 2, 2007)

doc623 said:


> Ok. what about a usable air gun for $100.00 or less?


Doc ..You may be have a hard time finding a good 22 cal. less than 100$ but there are some 177's out there that should serve you well.
heres a 22 cal. http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-1043.html
thats one of the cheeper 22's its made by crossman overseas I gess, but I always liked crossman, 800 FPS in a 22 should kill most all small varmits.
Again I like the 22 best for killin varmits. My 800 FPS 22 crossman CO2 air gun ( made in 1962 ) will shoot through both sides of a muskrats skull.

here are 177's listed in order from cheepest on up
http://www.airgundepot.com/break-barrel-air-rifles.html
Good luck


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## alchemist317 (Nov 12, 2008)

tallpaul said:


> Dude there are different twists and different guns for different functions. If .177 was not "spin stabilized" as you put it then then all Olympic class target guns would not be in .177 - which they all are
> 
> As ya said stabilization can be an issue its not the caliber but the pellet choices that either work well with a power level or not.


Airgun pellets do spin, but the spin itself is not sufficient to stabilize a diabolo shaped pellet at supersonic velocities, and the diabolo pellet adds a significant amount of drag stabilization to the acquired spin stabilization. This is why even a smoothbore pellet rifle can achieve decent accuracy (although you are correct that the match rifles take advantage of spin stabilization as well as drag stabilization).

Olympic target guns are .177 because the European standard is .177, and in locations like Britain, there is a maximum of 12 foot-pounds of muzzle energy before the air rifle becomes a "firearm" in the eyes of the law. Much easier to meet this limit with a .177 than with a .22, but not an appreciated limit if you're planning on hunting or plinking.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

alchemist317 said:


> Airgun pellets do spin, but the spin itself is not sufficient to stabilize a diabolo shaped pellet at supersonic velocities, and the diabolo pellet adds a significant amount of drag stabilization to the acquired spin stabilization. This is why even a smoothbore pellet rifle can achieve decent accuracy (although you are correct that the match rifles take advantage of spin stabilization as well as drag stabilization).
> 
> Olympic target guns are .177 because the European standard is .177, and in locations like Britain, there is a maximum of 12 foot-pounds of muzzle energy before the air rifle becomes a "firearm" in the eyes of the law. Much easier to meet this limit with a .177 than with a .22, but not an appreciated limit if you're planning on hunting or plinking.


If the .22 was more accurate then they would be using that sir. The europeans compete with rimfire and centerfire guns in the olympics too...

And its not that you can not have an airgun over 12 foot pounds in brittain its that you then have different permits and restrictions placed on you if ya do. 

Trouble is you are taking tiny pieces of fact and not painting a true picture for folks. You n I and a few others can talk this realm but the majority here can not... they are clueless not because they are dumb but they have not done the gun thing for years and with serious target interests.


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## alchemist317 (Nov 12, 2008)

tallpaul said:


> If the .22 was more accurate then they would be using that sir. The europeans compete with rimfire and centerfire guns in the olympics too...


I'm not claiming that it's more accurate - I'm claiming that they're comparable, and that ultimately the choice of airgun isn't an intrinsic difference between the calibers but rather simply a choice. You can build a .22 or a .177 of similar accuracy if that's your goal - both are going to end up being subsonic designs because of how airgun pellets are constructed. My claim was that if you constrain both calibers to a subsonic round that the .22 will deliver more energy to the target than the .177 by the simple virtue of being a heavier round. That's irrelevant to a target match, but important to consider if you're going to be hunting with the rifle. I'd have included .25 and 9mm calibers if we were looking at higher cost levels. 




> And its not that you can not have an airgun over 12 foot pounds in brittain its that you then have different permits and restrictions placed on you if ya do.


I didn't claim that you can't have them, rather that it qualified them as a "firearm", which in many areas are a whole lot more restricted than air rifles. For every Olympic marksman there are a slew of amateurs who will not have the same support from government and who will be limited to those easily available under the law. 



> Trouble is you are taking tiny pieces of fact and not painting a true picture for folks. You n I and a few others can talk this realm but the majority here can not... they are clueless not because they are dumb but they have not done the gun thing for years and with serious target interests.


I'm not looking to make a general ".22 is better than .177" argument here. I do think it's important to consider the energy delivered to the target for a rifle that will be used for hunting, as well as the specs of the rifle in question. If I had a choice of a hunting air rifle between a .177 at 1300-1400fps and the same rifle in .22 at 900fps, I'd expect the .22 to have better accuracy and higher energy delivered to the target. If the .177 was down at 700fps it may be the better choice. 

If the only goal is target shooting, either caliber will work. You'll find some better match-quality rifles in .177, but not in the $200 price range. If the goal is small-game hunting, I believe that a .22 will generally be better as air rifles (unlike firearms) don't generally have an excess of knockdown power at typical ranges. Both will work, but one may as well minimize the suffering of the target as much as possible.


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

Ok. In hopes of or for clarification of the original requested information find the following:
1. I am looking for a .22 pellet rifle.
2. I am not interested in competetive target shooting.
3. I am interested in a hunting/varmit.
4. I am looking for a break action type and not a pump or CO2.
5. I am not looking to spend $200.00.
6. I do not care about fps. A difference of 200-300fps is not going to make 
a difference to any varmit.
7. I am not going to be using this every day.
8. I may have to mount a scope due to the age of my eyes.
9. I do not care wood vs synthetic stock.
10. I am just looking for something usable, simple, and cost effective.
11. And thanks for the info so far. Oh, could those who do respond use names of brands instead of initials.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

doc623 said:


> 6. I do not care about fps. A difference of 200-300fps is not going to make
> a difference to any varmit.



Sir- at air gun velocities it does matter if you are using it against game. - whether ya want to believe it or not. 

in .22 the trajectory of the lower Feet per second is like a rainbow and ya still need certain power to harvest game.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I got a Benjamin 22 caliber Model 312 when I was 7, for pecan tree patrol duties. I would guess the velocity at 10 pumps to be 450-500 fps. It had a nice arc for a trajectory, but I learned to shoot and learned the holdover needed and range estimation and it helped me greatly in later life. I could hit what I wanted out to 50 yards or so almost every time. For rabbit shooting in the yard, any 22 going that fast is a sure killer. I know, I've killed hundreds with that gun, until it gave up after 20 years. I replaced it with a newer Benjamin. Impossible to mount a scope on, so I machined a scope mount and mounted one. Now my son is shooting it and learning trajectory and ranging. 

Sorry it is not a single pump or I would recommend it. All my other pellet rifles and pistols have been 177 and I don't like the way they kill. I have had the magnums going over 1000 fps but they just don't slap a rabbit to death like that old Benjamin does.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

AN RWS 34 would not be bad in the 200 dollar range 

http://www.pyramydair.com/p/RWS-34-Breakbarrel-Rifle-Striker-Combo.shtml

they even have a video review for ya


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## CSA again (May 2, 2007)

I agree with Tallpaul the RWS 34 may be the best 22 break barrel air rifel out there for a little more than 200$

If you must stay below 200$ I would go with the, Crossman " Quest 800 X "
For 115$ you'll not find a better gun for that price,
Click here http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-1043.html
Crossman has been in bussness sence 1923.


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## alchemist317 (Nov 12, 2008)

Some .22 options below $200:

http://www.pyramydair.com/p/beeman-heavy-target-rifle.shtml
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/beeman-SS-1000-air-rifle-kit.shtml
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/beeman-SS-1000t-air-rifle.shtml
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/mendoza-rm-2800-air-rifle.shtml


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