Target air rifle or pistol

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  • boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    Is it possible to find a truly accurate...entry competition level...air rifle or air pistol for $350 or less? I want to replace my father-in-law’s Crossman 622 with something I can enjoy shooting and teach the grandkids to shoot. Ideas?
     

    Ranchero50

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 15, 2012
    5,411
    Hagerstown MD
    How accurate are you looking for? My $230 wood stocked .22 Gamo is within 3" at 25 yards with an occasional flyer shooting free hand. However, my sons $200 plastic stocked one sucks. My $400 RWS Diana in .177 isn't as good as my Gamo. Ammo is Crossman premier so I'm sure some of the problems are quality related.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,731
    Socialist State of Maryland
    A Benjamin pump rifle is one of the most accurate air guns out there and they are less than $200. Pump them three times for shooting paper and you can keep all the pellets in one ragged hole at 10 yards. Pump them up to 8 pumps and you can kill squirrels out to 25 yards (with the .22 or .25 version). You can use the open sights or put on a Williams peep sight or add a scope.

    I recommend the .22 cal version as it has the best selection of pellets. I still have mine which I take squirrels with from my den window anytime they start eating on the house. :mad54:
     

    BigTinBoat

    Active Member
    Jan 12, 2016
    335
    Eastern Baltimore County
    What distances are you wanting to shoot? The Daisy 853 is a fantastic 10M target rifle for just over $100. It is a SSP (Single stroke pneumatic) that was discontinued by Daisy but the CMP still has ones that they rebuild and sell. These are the guns they use for the 4H clubs and such. No need for any external air source or CO2.

    Go to below link and scroll down to the 853

    http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/air-rifles/sporter-air-rifles/
     

    TOWcritter

    Self Sufficent Sovereign
    I have a Beeman R9. It has interchangable .177 & .22 barrels. Pretty accurate with some nice glass on top.
     

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    boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    Thanks all for your comments...keep 'em coming. The picture I have in my mind is my kids in rifle club in Boise, ID shooting in a small room with tiny targets and the kids going to competitions in surrounding state. I know that is hard to quantify but...that kind of accurate. Further I am picturing being able to shoot at least in my back yard. Or perhaps even shoot inside my house in the middle of winter. So something that COULD be one-hole accurate at those kinds of distances. If that makes any sense.

    Is there any advantage to the airguns that use the CO2 cannisters. I have a whole bunch of those left over from my father-in-law but that does indeed seem like a bit of a hassle.

    Continued thoughts?
     

    boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    What is the shortest distance that competition rifles are shot at? (I'm thinking about the finished room in our barn that is about 20 feet long.)

    And anyone have any thoughts about air pistols?
     

    boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    BigTinBoat...I should have asked...how accuarate would you suggest the 853 to be? The proverbial "one ragged hole" at 10M? Doubtless more accurate than I am but just wondering about the capability of the rifle.
     

    Balzer94

    Active Member
    Feb 27, 2011
    769
    Cresap Rifle club is selling some of there older competition air rifles. There is info on their Facebook page.
     

    BigTinBoat

    Active Member
    Jan 12, 2016
    335
    Eastern Baltimore County
    BigTinBoat...I should have asked...how accuarate would you suggest the 853 to be? The proverbial "one ragged hole" at 10M? Doubtless more accurate than I am but just wondering about the capability of the rifle.

    The 853 comes with a LW barrel so yes off bags it's single hole at 10m with the right pellet. Some (cheaper) pellets do not so as well. Mine loved the JSB 8.44's.
    Any youth will likely be WAY more accurate with this gun then any springer under $300.
     

    toppkatt

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 22, 2017
    1,185
    Thanks all for your comments...keep 'em coming. The picture I have in my mind is my kids in rifle club in Boise, ID shooting in a small room with tiny targets and the kids going to competitions in surrounding state. I know that is hard to quantify but...that kind of accurate. Further I am picturing being able to shoot at least in my back yard. Or perhaps even shoot inside my house in the middle of winter. So something that COULD be one-hole accurate at those kinds of distances. If that makes any sense.

    Is there any advantage to the airguns that use the CO2 cannisters. I have a whole bunch of those left over from my father-in-law but that does indeed seem like a bit of a hassle.

    Continued thoughts?
    The chief advantage of the CO2 or even a PCP air gun (pistol or rifle) is not having to work your muscles to compress a spring or a piston of air. They also allow the shooter to remain in position better. Kinda like a muzzle loader in the civil war, hard to reload in the prone position, not impossible but more difficult. Being able to stay in position and not having to exert during the match makes for better scores. That said if the temperature drops the CO2 'power' drops too. The liquid won't turn into a gas as easily and keep pressure up/consistent.
    The CMP Daisy 853 is an excellent air rifle, though it does need to be pumped. A trigger job can make them wonderfully accurate. I upgraded from a CMP 853 to an Anschutz 8002s and while I did improve a few points the main advantage I saw was the customization of the stock adjustments. No I am NOT saying the trigger was as good in the Daisy but dollar for dollar spent the CMP Daisy after trigger job is a real bargin! Next, who's pellets to shoot....

    I used Champions choice in the 853. I think they are/were made by H&N a German company I believe. Waiting for someone to correct me...
     
    Last edited:

    toppkatt

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 22, 2017
    1,185
    What is the shortest distance that competition rifles are shot at? (I'm thinking about the finished room in our barn that is about 20 feet long.)
    Shortest distance I am aware of is 10Meters (about 33 feet)

    And in answer to 'how accurate the 853 is' yes with right pellets, trigger job and shooter one hole is possible at 10M.
    It will be more accurate than your kids, unless they are high end or Olympic quality shooters.
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,172
    Outside the Gates
    My Crosman Phantom shoots bottle caps at 40 yards and was only $100. Have added an aftermarket trigger and a 4x scope. Never benched it, I always shoot sitting. Had to try 8 different pellets to find one that shot that accurate. Probably will shoot well inside 2" at 25m with cheap Daisy .177's.
     

    Ranchero50

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 15, 2012
    5,411
    Hagerstown MD
    Thanks all for your comments...keep 'em coming. The picture I have in my mind is my kids in rifle club in Boise, ID shooting in a small room with tiny targets and the kids going to competitions in surrounding state. I know that is hard to quantify but...that kind of accurate. Further I am picturing being able to shoot at least in my back yard. Or perhaps even shoot inside my house in the middle of winter. So something that COULD be one-hole accurate at those kinds of distances. If that makes any sense.

    The problem with super short distances at tiny targets is you have more hold induced errors due to the sights being above the barrel. .22 tends to shoot slower but has less fliers. .177 tends to go all over the place more often.

    With an air gun you ask yourself, was that me, the rifle or the pellet when one goes astray. For me, larger pellet, heavier rifle and artillery hold have tightened up the groups and kept things manageable. I run a cheap 16x scope on my Gamo, overkill but it was in the safe and the stock Gamo scope lost focus when dialed up above 4x.
     

    toppkatt

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 22, 2017
    1,185
    Define artillary hold. Many may not have any idea what you mean. Honestly, I don't use it for the most part. But that might just be me. Often, there is more than one way to support a rifle or pistol. Sometimes it all gets down to the shooters physique and training. Open palm, fist, three finger hold in offhand; all work, one works better for one person then another. Doesn't make one 'more right' except for that shooter.
     

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