Air Rifles

[wcd]

Just wondering wouldn't a 10/22 be just as good to practice with? I would think that good fundamentals would apply regardless of design? My son has Rotc and he wants to excel as he is on the marksmanship team and they use air rifles.

 

[JJFII]

I've done Air both PCP and Springer. Its way harder than firearms. PCP is about the same for the first few shots, then as the tank runs low you really got to know your trajectories. Springers no matter how light the trigger will move your POI just because the spring release is felt recoil prior to the pellet leaving the barrel.

PCPs are for rich guys I might add...LOL By rich I mean my PCP air rifle and associated gear cost close to $1200... for an AIR RIFLE... Not only are the guns themselves costly, the gear that is needed (beyond a pump) can get costly as well.

I just sold my Hatsan BullBoss in .25. It was stupid accurate for the first 9 shots. I could drill a golf ball easy at 100 yards. Guys are hunting Pig with them in Texas...they are that accurate and powerful.

 

[JeepHammer]

I need to get with an air rifle expert sometime, I'd like to have one with no plastic parts and seals that can be made/replaced easily.

In the military there were HEATED air rifle competition on the oldest, stiffest air rifles I've ever seen.
When trapped indoors, we used to shoot in the day room or unused hallway. Wasn't exactly 'Legal' but it beat climbing the walls...

 

[JJFII]

I need to get with an air rifle expert sometime, I'd like to have one with no plastic parts and seals that can be made/replaced easily.

In the military there were HEATED air rifle competition on the oldest, stiffest air rifles I've ever seen.
When trapped indoors, we used to shoot in the day room or unused hallway. Wasn't exactly 'Legal' but it beat climbing the walls...

Air Force makes single shot PCP rifles up to 50 cal as I remember. About $1000 for a top of the line model with suppressor...no NFA needed. That fits your needs.

Look at Diana, Benjamin and Hatsan for good affordable air rifles. Gamo, Daisy, Crosman, and Walther are good mid-price guns as well.

Diana I think has the best break barrels
Benjamin Marauder is the 1911/Glock/AR of the Air Rifle PCP world
Hatsan has the widest variety of choices for style, price and accuracy.

 

[JimH]

This is 20 shots at 25 yards with my .25 Marauder,without pumping.Most people have guns around that are more expensive than a Marauder that never get used-sell one and buy the Marauder!

 

[BE Mike]

I've run and shot International Air Rifle Matches. It is fired at 10 meters and the "10 ring" is just a dot. They also shoot position air rifle. If he is going to compete in precision air rifle, he needs to train with one. There is no substitute. On the plus side, there are some college scholarships offered at a few universities, if he gets good enough. Forget the recommendations posted previously (no offense intended). He'll need to have at least a Single Stroke Pneumatic match rifle to start, as well as, a shooting jacket, trousers and shooting boots, and glove. Feinwerkbau makes some great equipment. If you want what the champions are competing with nowadays, you're looking at Pre-Compressed Pneumatic air rifle that has removable cylinders which are usually filled from a scuba tank. This link will give you an idea of top-of-the line air rifles. Feinwerkbau (FWB) | Champion's Choice I've retired from air rifle competition. This is the Feinwerkbau model 601 that I used. It is capable of shooting all tens, but is a Single Stroke Pneumatic (one pump) and is older technology, so now it is considered a starter rifle and can be purchased in the hundreds of dollars rather than the thousands for the new top guns.

 

[natdscott]

Just wondering wouldn't a 10/22 be just as good to practice with?

No it would not. For one, it is not nearly as accurate, and second, it is not nearly as SHOOTable. Ergonomics are crap, triggers are also (unless big $ is spent replacing).

I would think that good fundamentals would apply regardless of design?

It is true indeed that a great shooter can shoot amazing groups with any of the above. What I will say though is that there are a good number of decent centerfire, and even rimfire shooters that would have some, uh, ..."adjustments" to make to their techniques if they were to pick up a precision 10m rifle and try to shoot it well.

I know this because I was one. It took maybe 10 pellets offhand on the 10m target to realize "oh sh#%, I have a real problem". It took 10,000+ more-and-counting to try to solve it.

It is most telling, in my opinion, that on the International Air scene, NOBODY shoots all tens. The target hasn't been changed in GENERATIONS of shooters.

My son has Rotc and he wants to excel as he is on the marksmanship team and they use air rifles.

If he wants to excel, he needs to be using approximately what he will use in competition. That starts at about a Crosman Challenger, and truly, those rifles can hammer.

If you are looking for a BUDGET item, call the CMP and get them to send a rebuilt Daisy 853 (with the Monte Carlo stock), buy a sleeve of Meisterkugeln heavies (they are 8.2 grains, and have a little rifle dude on the tin, not the little pistol dude). Buy a bunch of whatever target he will be shooting.

Cut him loose on that for 50 careful OFFHAND shots a night, 5-6 nights a week, in addition to any other team practices etc. The emphasis has to be on the careful part though...the 50 rounds are not "blasting time": it's one shot at a time, trying for 10s, or 9s, or whatever the top value is that he can shoot on average. Example: If his scores are averaging 73%, then he needs to be pushing hard to keep them in the 8 ring. If you all are shooting on the 10m ISSF Target, the 10 is probably out of reach for him right now, so don't push too hard there.

If you want to see how the sight picture looks, so you understand what he's trying to do, get yourself one of the rifles, and do it WITH your son. I guarantee you'll be a better coach and shooter when you're done.


I'm not saying to not shoot the 10/22. Shoot away, provided it isn't in something like STC. Go squirrel hunting with him while you both still can.

-Nate