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pianoman

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Everything posted by pianoman

  1. pianoman
    You made a great choice of rifle eggs. I have an HW97K in .177 and it is just a brilliant, quality hunting arm I cannot be without. Fettles squirrels and pigeons very effectively. I have some lovely permissions in Lincolnshire where Woodpigeons are a real nuisance. This rifle really sorts them out. Generally speaking, from direct experience, I find PCPs are inferior to quality spring rifles. They are too temperemental for my liking. Limited shot counts, always need refilling from separate divers bottles, prone to leaks and loss of power and other malfunctions and breakdowns. And really no more
  2. pianoman
    Spring rifles are truly superb hunting arms. Accurate as the most expensive PCP. Never runs out of puff, shrugs off the extremes of the weather and are utterly consistent and reliable. I have a beautiful Daystate Huntsman Regal .177. It makes for a superb bird gun and can knock out a pigeon clean at 50 yards. But, it cannot hold a candle to what my spring rifles are capable of against fur as well as feather. I will never waste my money on a PCP air rifle again, when I have a collection of spring rifles as good as they are.
  3. pianoman
    It still pulls the underlever open Mike. I have removed the sling from my TX200HC for this reason.
  4. pianoman
    Hi eggs. .20 HW97 is definitely worth a look. A close pal of mine here shoots a .20 calibre HW90 gas-ram and it's a blisteringly accurate set-up. H&N FTT are the ammo of choice in this flavour. For a good scope, start with a look at Hawke Panorama series for a decent baseline scope. There are cheaper Hawke scope models, but they are frankly rubbish for spring rifles and don't last 5 minutes. Nothing wrong with the Hawke 4-12x40 and 4-12x50mm scopes on my HW77 and HW97 spring rifles. In honest truth, all you really need from a great scope for an air rifle is a quality 3-9x40 with a
  5. pianoman
    Probably, PCPs are cheaper on second hand sales as there are possible negative reasons like faults and leaks and other unreliabilty issues, as to why people are selling them. Or it could be a simple case of needing quick cash to pay a bill or buy a new rifle and the gun's fine. You have to be aware of what you are really buying with second hand PCPs. Not all sellers are as sound as some would have you believe. But there are some fine guns from decent chaps out there. So it's not all bad news by any means. A great spring rifle, on the other hand, is still a great spring rifle. You would hav
  6. pianoman
    Theoben Fenman was a fine little carbine in its time, for sure Jake. An HW77 or HW97 will not let you down I promise you. I was out with my HW77 .22 yesterday and had the best day's shooting in a long time! Along with my HW80 .22, HW97K .177 and TX200HC .177, I really do not need any more than what I have already. Brilliant rifles all of them.
  7. pianoman
    Hi Pete. The "Tree" in your question is an SCB (Small Calibre Ballistic) reticle. This is a ladder scale that enables you to plot the point-of-impact trajectory of your shot over differing ranges, closer and further out from a basic set-zero range. Looks complicated but it's not. Basically, it helps establish an accurate holdover reference aim-point. The further away your target, the more you will raise or elevate your rifle and shoot on the marks lower down to the base of the scale. The horizontal arms or "Branches" of the scale are helpful in establishing windage adjustments over the di
  8. pianoman
    Hello Milesy75. It's more a matter of how well you can shoot accurately to the ranges you want to reach. 50-metres is about as much of a maximum-distance range for hunting with a sub-12 ft/lb air rifle for most shooters in whatever calibre. Even with an FAC air rifle. I shoot with spring rifles in both .177 and .22 and I rarely take a shot on a rabbit at 50-60 metres unless I know for absolute certainty I can hit it clean and humanely. My average killing range on rabbits is 30-40 metres, even with an FAC HW80 .22 and even that is a test of hold and patient practice techniques to be able to
  9. pianoman
    Hi Matt and welcome here! Realistically, the TX200 and TX200HC are superb air rifles. No question. I've owned both Mk.III versions and still have my Mk.III TX200HC .177. Carbine. In .177 calibre particularly, they are amazingly accurate. The only real gripe with the TX200 rifle I had with mine was, the underlever seemed to be a bit loosely fitted and 'wayward' when you closed it back up after loading. It didn't relocate into the ball detent cleanly and precisely as Weihrauch underlevers do on their 97' and '77 rifles. It tended to waver about and lock-up askew and off-centre until you
  10. pianoman
    Of the two, I'd go for the HW80. Mine is 16 years old, a .22 that has never left me wanting on a hunting foray. True it is tuned to FAC but in sub-12ft/lb versions it is still the best break barrel rifle there is. I had a beautiful TX200 .22 rifle but, I just couldn't quite gel with it. I sold that for an HW97K and I couldn't be happier....than when I'm out with my .22 HW77! THREE brilliant Weihrauch rifles to consider but, if a break barrel is what you really want, the HW80 is without a rival. I have never heard of anyone regretting buying one, but I've come upon loads of lads who reg
  11. pianoman
    Wouldn't hurt to get it stripped down and see what's going on Mike To be fair, the rifle is a beauty to shoot. It just seems to lack power. I'm really not used to seeing my .177 pellets actually hit the target in broad daylight!
  12. pianoman
    Hi Pete. Welcome. A great spring rifle in its time the Webley Longbow. It was a good looker and had great potential as a hunter/sporter. Alas Webley went through a change of management that proved an inept disaster for this once-fine British maker and this rifle never saw the light of developement it deserved. Equally, it's a shame Eley wasps are made to unacceptably poor standards nowadays because this pellet (when Eley were making them) was a killer in a Longbow in .22. What pellets are you using nowadays? Looking forward to reading your further posts about shooting this rifle. Good to
  13. pianoman
    How are you finding the Regal ,had any problems yet ? To be honest nothing I'd call serious Villaman. But, there are a few more points against it, than for it. After a lifetime of springer shooting, the Huntsman Regal feels or seems a bit flimsy in construction and not all that powerful. Maybe that's because it is totally recoiless and gives nothing away when you shoot with it. It doesn't seem to have the punch that a 12ft/lb rifle should have, so, I need to get it Chroned to find out for sure. The barrel rattles inside the supporting ring (or something!) when you shake the rifl
  14. pianoman
    Welcome here Daz I shall be heading to two lovely permissions I have here in beautiful Lincolnshire with my Weihrauch HW80 .22 spring rifle and giving the Rabbits a thinning. And a Feral and Woodpigeon clearance job in the barns for my Daystate Regal .177 to cut its teeth on! Simon
  15. pianoman
    Bless you Father Darkie. I repenteth my sin and beg forgiveness cardinal Moxy O Ministerial one....
  16. pianoman
    Honestly? I tell a bit of a porky sometimes, about the numbers I shoot. In reality I shoot whatever adults I see and leave the young Kitts off to grow up for tomorrow's sport. If the farmer's about and Kitts can be seen well, then I shoot them and I'm seen to be doing the job. But otherwise, I leave the youngsters be if possible. It's really simple. I don't want to see the countryside turned into a graveyard of wildlife and wipe out my permissions to the point where there is now't left to shoot. I've done that with my permission in West Yorkshire and going there now is a waste of p
  17. pianoman
    Hi Mr Goodcat. Generally, heavyweight 'magnum' pellets are fine for PCP rifles on Firearms certificate at higher power. That said, in sub-12 ft/lbs .177 calibre they often prove very effective, even increasing the recorded velocity on a chronograph. But this can lead to the rifle being found illegally higher powered so, you have to be careful with what level of energy your rifle is working at. As you shoot with a .22 sub-12ft/lbs the thing you really must have is consistent accuracy -which is the real power of your rifle. Try both headsizes and see which one groups tighter with most co
  18. pianoman
    Have you considered a great spring rifle DenBell? I have a Daystate Huntsman Regal. A beautiful rifle to look at and handle; and is an awesomely accurate PCP in .177 and quality built. But, honestly, my HW97K .177 is every bit as accurate and costs nearly half the price. And it doesn't run out of puff or need a diver's bottle. Then, I have an HW77 and an HW80 .22...and they are something else! Simon
  19. pianoman
    Great read that Den. I've shot rabbits and left them for the foxes on my West Yorkshire permission.A few times now, I've watch a vixen pop out of cover and then, her little ones follow out and pick up a rabbit each. Then scamper back into the woods. That's why I love nature and the things you see when you're out shooting. Free rabbit dinners for the foxes might mean they leave my friend's chickens alone. Simon
  20. pianoman
    Thank you Darkie69 for this kind response. I hope it helps you get the best out of your spring rifle shooting. A 5-shot, 5p-size group at 25 metres standing is nowt to sneer at! Well shot mate! Simon
  21. pianoman
    My .22 HW80 is on-ticket but my HW77 .22, HW97K .177 and Air Arms TX200HC .177 are sub-12ft/lbs and are amazingly accurate, reliable and durable hunting arms. I have a .177 Daystate Regal so, I've dipped my toe in shooting/owning a quality PCP. It's a beautiful rifle and extremely accurate but, it could never replace the spring air rifles I have for hunting purposes . It is no more accurate than any one of these and thus, I still hunt with my springers. My guns are as accurate as a rifle is possible to get and do not run out of puff on a long day's shooting.
  22. pianoman
    That's likely true. It really smells nice to me too. A little bit like banana and walnut to my senses. Don't think the rabbits would like it though!
  23. pianoman
    I've had one Bushnell 4-14x50mm Scopechief break its reticle on an air rifle after a good number of years use, in the past and they replaced it with a new one without fuss or bother. Still have it and it's a beauty! I'd recommend their products and service anytime.
  24. pianoman
    Both! Seriously. It is a question of how well you can shoot with a particular calibre, or both of them. A clean hit in the head will kill your quarry no problem. I shoot and hunt with both calibres. I prefer .22 for rabbits, squirrels and rats. .177 for pigeons and corvids. I agree with Dave's advice particularly here. You MUST learn to become a proficient shot with an air rifle that's up to the job and try to respect the wildlife with a clean, humane shot to the head. NO body shots or wounding the animal to bring it down and finish it off with a second or more shots. That's for twats who
  25. pianoman
    Welcome there fella. I have a Nikon Fieldmaster on my Daystate Huntsman Regal. Awesome quality, zeros right to,the centre-dot reticle but, it's a bloody expensive piece of glass. Worth the money if you are serious though.
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