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Madmaxx

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May 12, 2021
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PA, United States
I’ve been around guns for the past 47 years… So I’m not a rookie to guns, I’m a rookie to air guns.

I am looking for advice on which type propulsion to purchase and what model, so let me lay out what I need it for. I have grackles all around my house that keep dropping their baby poop sacks into my swimming pool. I also have them sitting on the fence posts of my pool and crapping all over the place. I figure if I whack one or two of these guys, the rest will vacate the premises and find a safer place to live.

Now on to what I’m looking for… Single to multi shot, pistol grip, accurate to 30 m, 4X scope, .177 or .22 caliber, money is no object but I’m only going to need this thing for a year-ish, so I would find it ridiculous to put out several hundred dollars into a BB gun that will be used a half a dozen times and then given away to a neighborhood kid… although the neighborhood kid would appreciate it LOL.

adult suggestions please…
 
Good morning and welcome.

I have been in the PCP world for 18 years, but with an Airforce Airguns, which is much less complicated than many of todays airguns. I am just recently got in to Kalibrgun and FX, which even after 18 years I am still finding it difficult to "have fun with the FX". I am giving my, opinions only, based on the most likely scenario that you will enjoy the gun (if you get the right one) and keep it for more than a year. 

You are pretty specific on what you are looking for and that is good. If that is exactly where you want to go with, get a springer from Gamo with a scope on it for $250 from Walmart. From your post you want a multipurpose airgun in a .22 Cal. Airforce Talon SS in .22 is a wonderful single shot airgun for about $650. Very accurate and very very easy to use. After that I would recommend something that is easier to "play" with such as a Uragan or a Kalibr Cricket. These are regulated guns but much easier to fix and tune. Georgia Airguns and Charlier Frear sells a wonderful Cricket 2 in .22 that will really do the trick for you; that is light, pistol grip, .22 caliber, good for hunting and bench, and very accurate with the right pellets. (Pellet choice and weight is another subject). PCP will need a air source. Filling from local fire stations is really never an issue that I have heard. 

Multi shot vs single shot vs semi auto shot. I own a Airforce and it has left me wanting more in shot turn around. Sure it is 90% great because most of the time it doesn't matter, but moving to multi shot with a magazine has been a true upgrade for me after 18 years. I do not own a semi auto (yet) but I am very happy with my Cricket 2. The Uragan would provide the same satisfaction I am sure. 

As for FX. Many guys will say to not get the FX if you are new to airguns. They can be complicated at times and take a lot to get tuned if you are not familiar with them. The learning curve is higher. 

Scope - I would go with an Athlon Argos 1-4x24 FFP MOA scope for $199.99 from CameralandNY.com. It illuminated, good reticle, the power you want, light weight. Get some FX adjustable rings for scope height and MOA for maximum adjustability for elevation. 

Also MOST cities, communities do not allow you to shoot airguns in your backyard. FYI. Also make sure that pest you want to shoot is legal to shoot before doing so with your state. 
 
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If backyard pest ridding is not a legal issue .. and you're familiar with rifles in general, it may do you well to spend more for a quality "out of the box" accurate air rifle, something that won't frustrate you to the point of hating both the grackles and the very real possibility of an in-accurate bargain air gun even more. You may even find that after ridding the grackles.... target plinking with a fine accurate air rifle is actually satisfying as we age. If you can locate a Beeman R7 or Weihrauch HW 30s or 50s in .177 .. that would be my suggestion.
 
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If all is O K on the legal end, the first gun that comes to mind is using the Benjamin Marauder Pistol in it's carbine mode. It checks all of your box's and then some. Pistol grip with two stage trigger, 8rd mag.almost silent, accurate, and the best customer support in airguns. And using a cheap manual pump you can easily charge it. In the end, if you take care of it resale will be easy.
 
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A GOOD Co2 rifle will serve your purposes quite well for minimum investment, and maximum return on that investment. The gun will set you back only $100-150; a year's supply of Co2 cartridges $10-50. They are more accurate than moist shooters, powerful enough for your purposes (without the hazards of overkill), have iron sights and are easily scoped, can be kept charged and ready for moments-notice action, yet will last a lifetime (or two).

Cheap springers suck, and PCPs require too much peripheral expenses(s) for your limited and short-lived application.

Here is a small sampling of good Co2 prospects, but there are MANY others-

https://www.pyramydair.com/compare/G/4120/4613/3409/
 
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Another vote for the Marauder Pistol. Grab a clean used one off EBay... I had one and they are .22 caliber. Very compact, very quiet, and can be easily tweaked to shoot 650-700 fps. Plenty of gun for a 30 yard Grackle shot I would think. Hand pump these with no problem, too. Also multi-shot magazine fed to boot. Mine shot every brand pellet I had very accurately. Another one I shoulda kept..dang..

heres one right now on EBay. (No affiliation, just punched it up)...brand new, with mag and shoulder stock for $362 + free shipping.



IMG_6257.1620849177.PNG

 
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I think you will spend a minimum of $500 to have an accurate PCP with a scope and a hand pump. The pump is the cheapest, the ~$60 one I bought from Amazon works about as well as my Benjamin that cost three times as much. The cheapest scope I can recommend is a Hawke Vantage 2-7X, I have one on my Prod and it works well. It is around $100. The rest would go for a gun. A Prod and an Avenger were my choices and either are easy accurate and powerful enough for what you describe.

A springer or nitro piston would be cheaper. No need for a pump and the gun can be cheaper. Still need a scope. The ones that come with a gun might work for you but are really low end. I would think about a little better springer and the same Hawke scope. Price depends on how cheap you can get an accurate springer/nitro piston.

A pump up air rifle would also work. Many are very accurate and have at least adequate power but multiple pumps per shot gets old.

An advantage of the pump up and PCP is you can have the gun charged and loaded and ready to go. I understand leaving a springer cocked is not recommended.
 
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Best bang for your bucks?A 22 caliber (springer) Diana 34 break barrel, a Hawk 2-7 X 32 Air-max scope.BKL double strap rings,medium height rings.You'll have to try several different weights and brands of pellets to find a very accurate one that shoots well thru the rifle.A break in of at least 500 shots fired. Time taken to lean how the rifle responds to the ways of hand placement, firmness of how it's held.( It might like an open grip(artillary hold) and a very light trigger grip. Or pulled a bit into your shoulder pocket by the forestock hand or trigger\grip hand.If bought used these techniques or finesse may have already been figured out.
 
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I’ve been around guns for the past 47 years… So I’m not a rookie to guns, I’m a rookie to air guns.

I am looking for advice on which type propulsion to purchase and what model, so let me lay out what I need it for. I have grackles all around my house that keep dropping their baby poop sacks into my swimming pool. I also have them sitting on the fence posts of my pool and crapping all over the place. I figure if I whack one or two of these guys, the rest will vacate the premises and find a safer place to live.

Now on to what I’m looking for… Single to multi shot, pistol grip, accurate to 30 m, 4X scope, .177 or .22 caliber, money is no object but I’m only going to need this thing for a year-ish, so I would find it ridiculous to put out several hundred dollars into a BB gun that will be used a half a dozen times and then given away to a neighborhood kid… although the neighborhood kid would appreciate it LOL.

adult suggestions please…
Click to expand...

Do you have an Academy where you live?

My recommendation to you is a Winchester 1977XS. They are .177 and cost approximately $69.95 at Academy.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/winchester-model-77-177-caliber-air-rifle

I use Daisy 7.87 gr wadcutters the most in mine. They're good for 1 inch groups at 25 yards and will slam a grackle down, DRT. I also get good results from RWS 8.3 gr Superdomes and Crosman 10.5 CPUM's. The 10.5 gr gives the most power, 745 fps / 12.9 fpe w/ 10 pumps.

I did a thread on mine here at AGN: https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/winchester-1977xs-velocity-and-accuracy-testing-ggg/?view=all#post-962795

One thing I should probably point out though is they have a heavy OEM trigger pull. I modded mine to remove a few pounds from the pull. There are other mods you can do to it to make it a superlative air rifle.
 
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