air rifle for a newbie.

[.22 0]

I have had experience with spring powered air-soft rifles so I think I would like to step up into hunting with proper air-guns. I have used a friends CO2 powered rifle before and I was amazed by the power and control you had with the gun.

 

The rifle I'm looking at is a Rat Sniper Co2 .22 Air Rifle XS78,

 

Spec:

Type: Bolt Action Loading .22 cal

Trigger: Single Stage three way adjustable.

Safety: Trigger block safety.

Stock: Hardwood.

Barrell: Steel Rifled 12 grooves.

Lengh: 40 inches (1015mm)

Weight: 5.75 lbs (7.6kg)

 

http://www.pellpax.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_...Co2_Rifles.html

 

[Phantom 631]

Nice little gun, suprisingly accurate and easy to fettle

 

I've used the QB version and all the knockdowns went down at all ranges

 

Bit costly on co2 though when you get into it

 

Tony

[.22 0]

I know but I think its worth it

[hugo1 31]

great guns had one about a year ago nice mod and scope and get it tuned they will do anything could kill at 40 yds with mine that was set at 11.4 can get parts of ebay cheap and very tuff guns

Edited April 23, 2012 by hugo1

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Just a word to the wise, forget Pellpax, expensive boys who trade on the to the door thing...

 

have a look here, £20 saving, 9 miles from you so if it goes wrong you are not in crap corner trying to return a gun to Cromer in Norfolk!

 

http://www.bedfordcountrypursuits.com/vshop/details.asp?prodID=1046

[.22 0]

Thank you secret agent mole, your a lifesaver

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Pellpax make a lot of money by driving round in a van hawking rifles out of it at well over the cost you can buy them for locally! If you want a QB/XS 78 buy one locally, that way if it goes wrong less angst getting it fixed. I bought a friend of mine one of these in .177 from an auction in Norfolk, they are strange little rifles, don't feel much, but accurate and strangely addictive! CO2 buy from ebay, I mean look at this for cost...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-x-Brass-Eagle-Gas-CO2-Capsules-12g-suits-Pistols-and-Rifles-/280846184762?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Hunting_ShootingSports_ET&hash=item4163bcb13a

[.22 0]

Should I get a .177 or a .22 model?

[Phantom 631]

That depends on you

 

When it comes to co2, a .177 reguires more co2 to achieve the higher velocity needed to reach a specific energy, hence it will cost more to run. However...... The pellets are generally cheaper!

 

A .22 on the other hand uses less co2 thus is cheaper to run but the pellets on the other hand are more expensive to buy.

 

All boils down to personal preferance

 

Tony

[Phantom 631]

And you would be a bit of a plank to call yourself .22 and then go for a .177

[davyt63 1,845]

I have had experience with spring powered air-soft rifles so I think I would like to step up into hunting with proper air-guns. I have used a friends CO2 powered rifle before and I was amazed by the power and control you had with the gun.

 

The rifle I'm looking at is a Rat Sniper Co2 .22 Air Rifle XS78,

 

 

if you are planing on stepping up to proper air guns as you put it,i would stick with a decent spring rifle for now!

the only advantage a PCP will give you is a multi shot system! and CO2 will loose accuracy in cold conditions!!

 

take my advise you will have more fun,with a spring rifle

 

regards

 

Davy

[.22 0]

Can you recommend a good spring rifle then davy?

[Lewis Ste 245]

Put it this way .22 your going to be paying double for a decent spring air rifle than what you will pay for that smk

[.22 0]

I just want a cheap rifle to start off with, my max budget is £130.00.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Well you have a choice, either save a bit more and get a top of the line springer, such as an HW97, HW77, AA TX200, AA Prosport or an HW95 (which can be found secondhand from around the £150 mark), or you go in at the bottom of the pile with a QB or XS78 (the same gun and little CO2 pellet spitter of choice), an XS79 (bigger CO2 bottle and easily converted to high pressure air), or start with a more lowly springer such as a Stoeger Suppressor, XS19, or a Hatsan 55 or 60.

 

If going down the second route I would go for a Hatsan 55 or 60 (55 is .177 and a 60 is.22), they are good guns. Walnut stocked, German barrels and mechanicals, they also come if open sights fitted so if you can only afford the gun, a slip and some pellets you can still go shooting. They are also sold under a more expensive name, the Webley Stingray mark 2, so save yourself £100 and buy a 55 or 60.

 

People (such as Woodfield Gun Care Products), now do tuning kits for them (they also make tuning kits for the more expensive rifles like the HW97, HW77, AA TX200, AA Prosport or HW95 so don't feel ashamed about tuning). So as you get a bit more cash you can invest it in even better mechanicals and make it an even better gun to shoot. Just beware than a springer is a totally different gun to fire than a CO2 powered rifle and the recoil will take some getting used to, so allow a lot of time for perfecting hold and aim, but when you get it, you get it!