Old man wants a plinker

[pahoghunter]

Hi I'M new to the forum. I'm 75 years old and looking something plink with in the back yard. The most would be 20 yds. i recently I tried a RWS 34 and on taking it to the range I found I barely had the strength to cock it. So what's next a CO2?. Would a single shot be better than a repeater? What turns the rotary clip is this accomplished by the trigger pull?

thanks Bob

 

[Flintsack]

Beeman r7 or HW30 (same thing). Much easier to cock than a 34, and extremely accurate and pleasant to shoot. I suggest you find someone in your area who owns one, and try it. Or possibly there is a shop in your area that handles them. 

Mike

 

[Terryb00]

Hi Bob,

A review was just posted on a CO2 plinker. that may fit the bill.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/hammerli-850-air-magnum-in-22-full-review-co2-tack-driver/

Terry

 

[bandg]

Very hard to answer without knowing more about your abilities. One of the least expensive guns you can get is a Beeman P17 pistol. About $30 or so, single open and close cocking action, generally very accurate. But if strength is an issue that may be too difficult for you to close. CO2 might be a viable option for you (not a big fan of them myself) or possibly an entry level PCP like the Diana Stormrider with a small compressor. Hope you find something you can shoot.

 

[Terryb00]

Forgot to say welcome Bob!

You're in the right spot for assistance.

 

[Hepotter]

I don't recommend the C02 option. The cartridges don't propel the pellet fast enough to kill any pest bigger than a small bird, and they don't store long once they have been put in the gun.

If you want enough power to go 20 yards and still have enough punch to take out a raccoon, possum, armadillo, squirrel, groundhogs, etc...best to stick with the spring powered guns. I'm 76, been doing this since back in the 70's, when I bought an HW55 from Mrs. Beeman on the phone. Cost a small fortune back then, I paid $155.00 cash money, shipped!

Further, I suggest you get .22 caliber for pesting. A .177 will do the job, but why send a boy to do a man's job!



Regards,

Kindly 'Ol Uncle Hoot

 

[bandg]

He did say plink, not pest.

 

[c_m_shooter]

HW30/R7 is the way to go if it is in your budget. Crosman still makes the 2260 if you want co2 powered. It has been around forever and they based the Discovery PCP off of it, so it is a proven design. Some of the Co2 repeating rifles are double action triggers, very heavy to pull and not easy to get good accuracy with.

 

[Ranchibi]

How about an inexpensive PCP like a Diana Bandit pistol...would be very easy to pump with a cheap eBay pump.

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

For plinking you could drop a lighter spring in, roughly $20.00 if you can swap it out. This will make cocking easier but the lock up ( if an issue) will still be tough. A 017 will be no fun for you either.

On Co2 a QB78 ( or QBxx or ...) is a solid choice tho you might want to swap out the hammer spring on one of those as well.



John

 

[ranedouglas]

... the co2 rifle suggestions above would appeal to me if i were in your need range. .. i received hundreds of 12 gram co2 carts from crosman to test repaired airguns when i was listed as an authorized repair center on their website -- now i'm hooked on co2 rigs. the hammerli 850 , which is a walther adult air rilfe , would be great in either caliber (but .22 has more potential with all of the after market mods available). the sky's the limit with what can be done to an 850 (i wish roald was still upgrading them - he was awesome.) : http://www.the850store.com/ .. also , the crosman 2260 (and an even better choice would be the sheridan 2260mb) rifles are great and there are many aftermarket upgrades .. carbine version would be the crosman 2250 or 2400kt .. i'm in texas where it stays warm .. co2 loses power under 65-70 degrees F , but i find that as long as the metal of the gun doesnt get cold , i can keep it inside and have 3-4 shots in about ten minute's time with no big power loss. (about the time it takes to dispatch grackles and squirrels within 25 yards.) also , .22 and .25 cals are much more efficient as far as ftlbs. there's something about co2 that it keeps expanding and does this easier in larger bores. the longer the barrel , the more power, usually. the .177 bore is just too small , but i can get 12 ftlbs from the .22 and .25 cal 18" barrels i use on my 2400kt's. the .177 pellets are harder to handle for us older folks - and co2 cartridges have been an easily manageable power supply , with out having to mess with high pressure air and the expensive tanks, hoses, pumps , etc . let me know if i can be of any help. - paul . - ps : ive been wanting to try one of these, too : http://mrodair.com/mrodair_airmax_plinkster_co2

 

[biohazardman]

That looks like a Diana Stormrider which is just a re-badged Chinese gun. From what I have seen they shoot fairly good. Any of the guns you mention should be acceptable for his needs.

 

[genericAGuser]

I have enough strength, but I love CO2. I just got a Crosman 1077w and it’s a blast. Cheap, not overly complicated, and works well with domed or hp pellets. My behind work range has an Umarex multi-shot at 50 feet, and the targets are tiny but it’s a fun challenge, and the gun is amazingly accurate right out of the box. On the second two mags aluminum can ends are fun. I also have a Crosman DPMS SBR full auto BB. Just did the 2000 shot lube service and it is fun little gun too. I have a Umarex PPK/S, wildly inaccurate. Next I think a Crosman CR357 is in my future. 

 

[Trunion]

I would suggest the Browning Buck Mark. The cocking effort is only 19 lbs and it's a great plinker. the velocity is on the low side , 360 fps. It's a nice shooter.

 

[srserl]

I also would recommend HW30. It's my go to rifle for the yard, where my max distance is 25yd. Dime sized groups at 20 yds regularly (but not always) when rested correctly. I had trouble seeing with the sights it comes with and put an old Bug Buster scope on it. I like the combo very much.

 

[Michigander]

For back yard recreational shooting it is still hard to beat a good, light weight springer like the HW30. It is easy to cock, and the Record trigger is one of the best available on a springer. Fit it with a good scope, rest it on a good bag, use quality pellets and you should be getting decent groups with just a little practice. These are some recent groups at 25 yards from my R9, similar to the HW30 but higher powered. I don't see why the HW30 couldn't do as well or better.

And this is the setup I used, a single Caldwell bag positioned just in front of the trigger guard. Pellets were the 177 JSB Exact 8.44 grain (target labeled incorrectly).

Chuck

 

[MDriskill]

I gotta jump on the R7 (HW 30S) bandwagon. Quality construction, very accurate, GREAT trigger, very easy to cock. Like all springers, it’s all self-contained with no external power source needed, and doesn’t care how warm or cold it is. A gun you’ll both love shooting, and be proud to own.

Scopes are great, but if your eyes are up to it, I like keeping the gun light and well-balanced with an aperture sight. Adjustable-opening eye disks and other accessories make these very versatile and more eye-friendly than you might think.

 

[Michigander]

I agree Mark, the HW30S with its globe front sight with interchangeable inserts just about begs to have a rear aperture sight fitted. The Williams 5D-AG is still available for $40 and would be a big improvement on open sights, for me at least. As you mentioned, apertures are available in different sizes. I seem to do best with the 0.050" for target shooting. The only reservation I would have is that peep sights require a well defined target for good accuracy. So they would not be the best choice for picking off pennies at 20 yards, for instance. The other advantage of a scope is that you can spot your hits without having to use a separate spotting scope. I find 12 power to be plenty for spotting hits on paper out to 50 yards.

Chuck

 

[Michigander]

As an example of what can be done with aperture sights, I dug out my Benjamin 397 fitted with a Williams receiver sight and Crosman Premier Light pellets. The aperture is a 0.050" that I opened up to 0.067". I find the 25 foot pistol targets to have the perfect size bull for shooting outdoors at 20 yards with a blade front sight. The gun is sighted in to hit at the top of the front sight so I can use it for pest control if I want to. I was using a six o'clock hold here. As you can see, this combination is plenty accurate enough for plinking and informal target shooting. Pumping does get a bit stiff on that fourth pump though. I probably could have gotten away with only three. And I should mention that the gun does not seem to like JSB pellets at all, but does fine with the harder Crosman pellets. I have no idea why.

Chuck

 

[Raden1942]

I use an umarex fusion co2 177. Its light, accurate, and gets lots of shots. Not a pesting gun really just a fun plinker. Make sure you buy the archer airguns aftermarket co2 end cap. The factory end cap is unservicable and dangerous.