Gas piston .22 hunter

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Locker50

Member
Feb 26, 2018
305
4
NJ, United States
Hi all. New to this forum and air guns, but not new to hunting or target shooting .Want to do some gray squirrel and rabbit hunting with an air rifle rather than with my shotgun . I've been reading as much information as I can find in the last month . Being in the anti gun friendly state of NJ, I'm limited to only rifles with no silencer or any type of sound suppression system. Also nothing larger than .22.
I've had my eye on a Diana Mauser AM03 but there's so little info or reviews on the web or YouTube . I'd appreciate any help, or any other rifle suggestions. 
 
If you leave a spring gun cocked 24 hours a day for weeks it can cause creep and will reduce your velocity but leaving it cocked for a few hours at a time is not a problem at all. The claim that you cannot leave a spring gun cocked for hunting is a common myth. Here's a link to a long thread on this forum about the spring versus gas debate.
http://www.airgunnation.com/topic/gas-piston-versus-spring/
 
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I would recommend an RWS 34 with a Vortek kit installed. I picked one up a year ago and it is the smoothest cocking and shooting spring gun i have ever shot. The cocking is smooth as silk and the trigger is wonderful. Better than my old Edgun Matador PCP, The accuracy is amazing too for a springer! I hit Sycamore balls 9/10 at 40 yards with it!
Its a good price for a great gun too! You may be able to pick one up cheap on one of the forums.

http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/rws-model-34-.22/
 
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"outdoorman"I would highly recommend a spring piston over gas piston and I would recommend either a Diana or Weihrauch model.
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And out of curiosity, why is that? I've owned a couple of gas piston rifles, like the Diana 340 N-Tec. An absolute joy to shoot! The recoil comes straight back, making it less hold-sensitive and more predictable due to the lack of rotational movement caused by a spring. I agree on the brands, although I would suggest the older Diana models. Quality control since the brand was bought by GSG isn't what it used to be.

Other brands to consider; Walther (LGU, LGV), AirArms (ProSport or TX200), or the Feinwerkbau Sport. These are more expensive than the Diana or Weihrauch rifles, but shoot out of the box like they're tuned. If you plan to tune those Diana and Weihrauch rifles (because they tend to twang) you might end up spending the same amount of money.

The Diana Mauser AM03 uses the N-Tec gas piston, it can be compared to the 340 N-Tec, but with a synthetic stock. The T06 trigger is great (almost match-grade) by the way. In my opinion the best trigger in a non-match air rifle to date!
 
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Filter out all the "I think X is better" or "Y is the best" comments that don't explain why X or Y is better. Those are just opinions, with all due respect.

It's rather simple; both have their advantages and disadvantages. A spring can be replaced more easily, a gas piston is harder to come by and more expensive. If the manufacturer goes belly-up with a gas piston rifle, you might have a problem getting a replacement. In my experience, those things will last for decades, it's proven technology (car industry for instance). Springs can break (metal fatigue) or get weaker over time, where a gas piston won't lose it's power. A spring torques, a gas piston doesn't. A spring powered rifle is easier to tune, that's a bit more difficult with a gas piston, but since there is no such thing as twang with a gas piston, there's not much need to tune it. 

It all comes down to personal preference. Both technologies are good, the rifle around it that makes it great or crap. That's my opinion as a semi-professional gun smith. ;) 
 
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Fixed barrel rifles tend to be more accurate than brake barrel rifles since the barrel is always in the exact same position, so yes there are most definitely accuracy benefits. The 48 is a more refined rifle compared to the AM03, but a bit more susceptible to dirt. If you want a hunting rifle that will see rain, mud and such, I would go for the latter (if the choice is between the 48 and the AM03). If not, the 48 would be my personal choice because of the fixed barrel, and not gas piston v.s. spring.

If you plan to carry it around in the field all day, check the weight of both rifles. Every pound you have to carry around all day is one to many. ;)
 
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Thanks. I was really getting set on the 48 or 52. But are open to suggestions. Wont be hunting all day, especially if weather is crappy. I hunt right down the street from my house, so all day planned trips regardless of weather, is not an issue. I know what you mean about weight though. Decisions seem so much easier with centerfire or rimfire rifles. Lol!
 
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With powder burners, there are other things to consider, but most of it is personal preference, just as with springers. May I ask what your budget is? Have you considered an under lever rifle like the HW97 or TX200? Those are the best choice if you want a powerful (for hunting purposes) fixed barel rifle. The side cocking lever mechanism is a bit more vulnerable.
 
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In that case, a HW77 is the same as a HW97, only difference are open sights and a slightly different stock. Cheaper too. 

This is my personal HW77, next to my TX200 these are the best springers on the market if you ask me!



My current collection:
984eaffc9372593f774b9d280ae02f7f.jpg


And all the guns I've owned:
4babadff742fb96da258523cc6f3b6c1.jpg


There's a reason the HW77 and TX200 are the only springers left in my collection. Guess why. ;)
 
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