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Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range #8252163 04/29/21 07:19 PM
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Ol Thumper Offline OP
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What’s the best air rifle in the $3-$500 range? Researching those things makes my head hurt. I need one to take care of a few squirrels out back that keep destroying the wife’s plants and she offered to buy one so who am I to say no to another toy clap I don’t have a clue on these things any more, my old Benjamin 177 killed more birds growing up that I should feel guilty about but these new things are on another level that’s out of my knowledge zone. The neighbors behind us are squirrel fanatics so the quieter the better if that’s even a possibility.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252165 04/29/21 07:24 PM
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Many of the more powerful airguns are not quiet at all.

I like super colibre 22 ammo. Suppose to be no powder, just the primer and what looks like a 22 caliber pellet crimped in. I have killed piles of suirels with them. Functions best through a bolt gun and are most likely quieter than air rifles.


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Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252171 04/29/21 07:35 PM
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Look at Pyramid Air.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252182 04/29/21 07:45 PM
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Depends on what your really after. Spring-piston or gas piston, Pump pneumatic or Precharged pneumatics? I'd stay away from CO2 but thats just me. Gas pistons are fun but they can be loud and you do loose a slight bit of accuracy with them at times because of the recoil. I'd say the Gamo 10 shot break barrel repeaters have some really good reviews on them. I have an older Beeman break barrel that out to 30 or 40 yards is pretty darn accurate. Just depends what you want to do. The PCP guns are extremely accurate and a lot of fun. However your looking at purchasing more equipment to get up and runninng with those. I prefer .22 caliber. I think if you pull the trigger on a nice gas piston break barrel in either .177 or .22 caliper it will more than take care of those tree rats. Also what is pretty interesting as well is that Ruger and Sig both are making gas piston rifles. Lots of choices out there. Keep us posted on what you pull the trigger on and make sure you chicken fry a few of those bad boys with some good dipping gravy on the side!

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: SouthWestIron] #8252192 04/29/21 07:56 PM
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Ol Thumper Offline OP
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Originally Posted by SouthWestIron
Depends on what your really after. Spring-piston or gas piston, Pump pneumatic or Precharged pneumatics? I'd stay away from CO2 but thats just me. Gas pistons are fun but they can be loud and you do loose a slight bit of accuracy with them at times because of the recoil. I'd say the Gamo 10 shot break barrel repeaters have some really good reviews on them. I have an older Beeman break barrel that out to 30 or 40 yards is pretty darn accurate. Just depends what you want to do. The PCP guns are extremely accurate and a lot of fun. However your looking at purchasing more equipment to get up and runninng with those. I prefer .22 caliber. I think if you pull the trigger on a nice gas piston break barrel in either .177 or .22 caliper it will more than take care of those tree rats. Also what is pretty interesting as well is that Ruger and Sig both are making gas piston rifles. Lots of choices out there. Keep us posted on what you pull the trigger on and make sure you chicken fry a few of those bad boys with some good dipping gravy on the side!



No offense but you just confused me more hammer I’m joking but your post is what I’m running Into. It’s all way to dang confusing, I just want an accurate lead slinger that’s not a piece of junk.

I will check out the Rugers and Sig’s though, I can see this already going above budget before I even look but I don’t want a turd gobbler so I’ll pay what I must.

Last edited by Ol Thumper; 04/29/21 07:56 PM.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: redchevy] #8252193 04/29/21 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by redchevy
Many of the more powerful airguns are not quiet at all.

I like super colibre 22 ammo. Suppose to be no powder, just the primer and what looks like a 22 caliber pellet crimped in. I have killed piles of suirels with them. Functions best through a bolt gun and are most likely quieter than air rifles.

This is probably the best answer. You can get a lot of 22 quiet ammo for $500....if you can find it. I also like cci quiet. CCI isn't quite as quiet as the Aguila, but it is still about as quiet as a pellet gun.

Last edited by unclebubba; 04/29/21 08:04 PM.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252380 04/29/21 10:40 PM
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This.....10 shots no reloading necessary. Single rifle break.


https://gamousa.com/product/swarm-b...tia-fed-22-caliber-10-shot-pellet-rifle/

They have it in synthetic as well. The bone collector is only 6lbs.

Mine will be here Saturday.


'It's Only Treason if You Lose."
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252389 04/29/21 10:57 PM
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SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin

Last edited by BigfootWallace; 04/29/21 11:10 PM.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252390 04/29/21 10:58 PM
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A while back I was in the same boat you are...so many options...how to wade through all the junk and not feel ripped off. Luckily for me I found a Benjamin R9 on this very forum. There have been over 80 squirrels meet their maker since then... its a tack driver....Thanks Buzz!

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: unclebubba] #8252391 04/29/21 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by unclebubba
Originally Posted by redchevy
Many of the more powerful airguns are not quiet at all.

I like super colibre 22 ammo. Suppose to be no powder, just the primer and what looks like a 22 caliber pellet crimped in. I have killed piles of suirels with them. Functions best through a bolt gun and are most likely quieter than air rifles.

This is probably the best answer. You can get a lot of 22 quiet ammo for $500....if you can find it. I also like cci quiet. CCI isn't quite as quiet as the Aguila, but it is still about as quiet as a pellet gun.


I have a ton of subsonic 22 ammo but I’m wanting a air rifle for this project, I’ve wanted one for a while but since mama’s at least paying for part of it I get another toy to play with.. I’d love to be able to buy a few of these things to but their illegal here, [Linked Image]

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: BigfootWallace] #8252394 04/29/21 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by BigfootWallace
SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin


Please check your facts before posting.

Actually Gamo is made in Barcelona, Spain.



Gamo
GAMO OUTDOOR vectorial.svg
Native name Industrias El Gamo S.A.
Founded 1959[1]
Headquarters Spain
Website www.gamo.com

A Gamo Big Cat 1200 in loading configuration
Gamo Outdoor S.L.U, or simply Gamo, is a Spanish airgun manufacturer based in Barcelona, Spain, and is the largest producer of airguns in Europe and the largest producer of airgun pellets in the world. The company was founded in 1959, as El Gamo, and airgun production first started in 1961. Today Gamo products include air rifles, air pistols, ammunition and optics. They produce primarily airguns intended for mass market.

When Manganese Bronze Holdings liquidated what remained of the gun division of the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1986, assets including the logo and the right to use the initials "BSA" were purchased by Gamo[citation needed] who have continued the air rifle business at Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP under the name BSA Guns (UK) Limited.

During the 1970s in the UK El Gamo marketed two air rifles, the Marksman, a conventional .22 rifle with a fitted and pre-zeroed telescopic sight, and the Paratrooper repeater, a .177 pistol-gripped repeating rifle incorporating a tubular magazine along the top of the cylinder, and using a rising/falling breech mechanism for positioning the pellet.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamo_(airgun_manufacturer)





Last edited by Superduty; 04/29/21 11:21 PM.

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Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252398 04/29/21 11:21 PM
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Sorry ol thumper. Didn't mean to confuse. Go with one of the break barrel 10 shot Gamo you'll be satisifed and it will definately take care of the tree rats.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Superduty] #8252411 04/29/21 11:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Superduty
Originally Posted by BigfootWallace
SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin


Please check your facts before posting.

Actually Gamo is made in Barcelona, Spain.



Gamo
GAMO OUTDOOR vectorial.svg
Native name Industrias El Gamo S.A.
Founded 1959[1]
Headquarters Spain
Website www.gamo.com

A Gamo Big Cat 1200 in loading configuration
Gamo Outdoor S.L.U, or simply Gamo, is a Spanish airgun manufacturer based in Barcelona, Spain, and is the largest producer of airguns in Europe and the largest producer of airgun pellets in the world. The company was founded in 1959, as El Gamo, and airgun production first started in 1961. Today Gamo products include air rifles, air pistols, ammunition and optics. They produce primarily airguns intended for mass market.

When Manganese Bronze Holdings liquidated what remained of the gun division of the Birmingham Small Arms Company in 1986, assets including the logo and the right to use the initials "BSA" were purchased by Gamo[citation needed] who have continued the air rifle business at Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP under the name BSA Guns (UK) Limited.

During the 1970s in the UK El Gamo marketed two air rifles, the Marksman, a conventional .22 rifle with a fitted and pre-zeroed telescopic sight, and the Paratrooper repeater, a .177 pistol-gripped repeating rifle incorporating a tubular magazine along the top of the cylinder, and using a rising/falling breech mechanism for positioning the pellet.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamo_(airgun_manufacturer)





Don't forget Benjamin is made in Germany! At least mine was!

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252428 04/29/21 11:53 PM
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Pyramyd Air has the Diana Model 48 for around 450.00, Extremely accurate and a great trigger. Mines the 22 cal and I've shot rabbits out to 50 yards with it, also available in .177.

When you get up rifles with this velocity they ain't quiet. Might also check local ordinances on discharging air rifles in the city limit's. Also check and see if you can shoot squirrels out of season.

Since squirrels are considered a game animal you might want to check your county,
https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/animals/squirrel

Last edited by HWY_MAN; 04/29/21 11:53 PM.

Yes! A Weatherby does kill them deader.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252459 04/30/21 12:28 AM
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My Gamo was a piece of junk. I would look at a Hatsan 135 QE Vortex in .22.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: BigfootWallace] #8252463 04/30/21 12:31 AM
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Originally Posted by BigfootWallace
SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin



Yeah those Benjamin are trash and won't kill anything! cowboy

[Linked Image]

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: BbarVRanch] #8252529 04/30/21 01:43 AM
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Originally Posted by BbarVRanch
Originally Posted by BigfootWallace
SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin



Yeah those Benjamin are trash and won't kill anything! cowboy

[Linked Image]


What model is that?

Last edited by Ol Thumper; 04/30/21 02:00 AM.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252530 04/30/21 01:44 AM
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It's a Marauder. I assume .25 cal. It's a PCP gun.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252609 04/30/21 04:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Ol Thumper
Originally Posted by BbarVRanch
Originally Posted by BigfootWallace
SIG ASP20, I have 2 and love them. Nice wood and super accurate. Made in USA too, dont buy Chinese crap Gamo or Benjamin



Yeah those Benjamin are trash and won't kill anything! cowboy

[Linked Image]


What model is that?

roflmao

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252615 04/30/21 04:43 AM
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UMAREX Gauntlet in .22 or .25 caliber. It’s a regulated PCP. Runs about $300. Get that and a good hand pump and you are golden. Takes some stamina to hand pump but you don’t have to fill it to max pressure and you can and should stop about every 50 or so pump strokes to allow you and the pump to cool off.

I’d avoid break barrel gas or spring piston rifles. Due to their double recoil, you have to buy special airgun rated scopes for them. That same double recoil also affects accuracy until you learn the proper shooting technique.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: ntxtrapper] #8252620 04/30/21 04:54 AM
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Originally Posted by ntxtrapper
It's a Marauder. I assume .25 cal. It's a PCP gun.


Thank you up

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: GNTX] #8252622 04/30/21 04:56 AM
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Can you hook a tank to all of those verses the hand pump? I’m afraid I’m wore my pumper out over the years and prefer mechanical assistance grin

Serious question tho, from my research tonight I’m thinking this is the way to go but I’m not sure if all of them can use a CO2 tank or not.

My dad a a breaker barrel gun and I can’t hit squat with it but he can so obviously takes some getting use to.

Last edited by Ol Thumper; 04/30/21 05:00 AM.
Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252684 04/30/21 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Ol Thumper
Can you hook a tank to all of those verses the hand pump? I’m afraid I’m wore my pumper out over the years and prefer mechanical assistance grin

Serious question tho, from my research tonight I’m thinking this is the way to go but I’m not sure if all of them can use a CO2 tank or not.

My dad a a breaker barrel gun and I can’t hit squat with it but he can so obviously takes some getting use to.



I use a scuba tank. Takes just a few seconds to fill, and you are good for many more shots.

ntxtrapper was right, it's a .25 cal Marauder. Integrally suppressed. Loudest thing about it is the pellet hitting your target.

Like you, I've never been able to hit much with a break barrel. They can be finicky. My Marauder groups like 1 1/2 at 100 yards. But to kill bigger stuff like med/small hogs or coyotes, you need to limit yourself to head shots at 50 yards or under.

If you are interested in a complete setup, rifle, tank, optics, ammo, shoot me a PM. I may be able to hook you up for much less than you think.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: BbarVRanch] #8252800 04/30/21 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by BbarVRanch
If you are interested in a complete setup, rifle, tank, optics, ammo, shoot me a PM. I may be able to hook you up for much less than you think.


If he’s not, I may be interested.

Re: Best Air Rifle $300-$500 Range [Re: Ol Thumper] #8252802 04/30/21 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Ol Thumper
Can you hook a tank to all of those verses the hand pump? I’m afraid I’m wore my pumper out over the years and prefer mechanical assistance grin

Serious question tho, from my research tonight I’m thinking this is the way to go but I’m not sure if all of them can use a CO2 tank or not.

My dad a a breaker barrel gun and I can’t hit squat with it but he can so obviously takes some getting use to.


A CB cap out of a heavy barreled .22 is almost silent. I have a couple PCP airguns I hunt with. AirForce makes the Escape SS that is easy to pump by hand and comes with a silencer you might consider. Deadly accurate out to 100 yards with sub moa groups. Your neighbors will never know you pulled the trigger.


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
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