Bullet Bob: I feel your pain as I am a new springer guy too. I have a FA's/reloading background and these rifles are confounding to me as well. So this is what I have learned. The new pellet rifle you buy will probably diesel (lube), causing higher velocities than what you will live with. They have to be broken in and that's anyone's guess: 200, 300 pellets? How often do we clean them? The triggers are S*** and the scopes are too, but I have found the basic break barrels (under $130) to be pretty gosh-darn accurate. How much do you have to spend to get something consistent? If you find the answer to that, let me know! Here is what I think I know from using a chronograph. They will start out fast and settle down. The pellets you use will make a huge difference; weight obviously matters.
I shoot ground squirrels as a practical matter and try for the head for humane reasons. I started on the low end (break barrels) with Gamo and then went down the rabbit hole with power. I'm still with Gamo and "tuning" their Magnum in .22 cal. It's a process with different pellets and it is a discovery. They are hard to cock and I don't shoot beyond 26 yards. Ultimately, I can see myself going back to a lower powered rifle and having to adjust to elevation with head-shots and actually become a marksman. Good luck with your endeavor and you have probably already solved your question. This more for the new reader just getting started in this sport.
If I had it to do over again, I would still do the same thing knowing how it works. I would already know that I will end up spending extra $ on a new scope. I will spend $ to have a gunsmith work on my trigger. I would also know that there are lots of opinions and I would hesitate to do anything based on them until you have some experience, mine included.
I shoot ground squirrels as a practical matter and try for the head for humane reasons. I started on the low end (break barrels) with Gamo and then went down the rabbit hole with power. I'm still with Gamo and "tuning" their Magnum in .22 cal. It's a process with different pellets and it is a discovery. They are hard to cock and I don't shoot beyond 26 yards. Ultimately, I can see myself going back to a lower powered rifle and having to adjust to elevation with head-shots and actually become a marksman. Good luck with your endeavor and you have probably already solved your question. This more for the new reader just getting started in this sport.
If I had it to do over again, I would still do the same thing knowing how it works. I would already know that I will end up spending extra $ on a new scope. I will spend $ to have a gunsmith work on my trigger. I would also know that there are lots of opinions and I would hesitate to do anything based on them until you have some experience, mine included.
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