New to air rifles and need some help with selection

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midohiowoodsman

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Dec 13, 2018
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Looking at getting into air guns for target shooting and hunting / trap line dispatches. I have a budget of $300 (pushing $350 max) for a gas piston .22 or .25.

Ideally be well enough power and accuracy to hit targets at 50 - 60 yards. I’m talking paper and critters. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, and coons on the trap line with potential to dispatch red foxes as well. 

Considering:

Umarex Octane Elite

Benjamin Trail NP XL

Hatsan 135 QE

Out of budget (woman would go ape $hit) but I like the Diana AR8 N-TEC

So, if you would buy any of these for what I would use it for which would you choose and why? They all seem like they are great so maybe I’m overwhelmed? 😂

Thanks!






 
Can I ask you why your dead set on a gas piston? Also, making any kind of humane kill or any kill at all on coon or fox sized critters (at 50-60 yards) is probably asking too much, I would say, for any of the rifles you listed. If you lower your expectations, those rifles would do ok. There are also quality springers that fall in your budget that are probably of better quality as well.
 
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Looking at getting into air guns for target shooting and hunting / trap line dispatches. I have a budget of $300 (pushing $350 max) for a gas piston .22 or .25.

Ideally be well enough power and accuracy to hit targets at 50 - 60 yards. I’m talking paper and critters. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, and coons on the trap line with potential to dispatch red foxes as well. 

Considering:

Umarex Octane Elite

Benjamin Trail NP XL

Hatsan 135 QE

Out of budget (woman would go ape $hit) but I like the Diana AR8 N-TEC

So, if you would buy any of these for what I would use it for which would you choose and why? They all seem like they are great so maybe I’m overwhelmed?
1f602.svg


Thanks!





Click to expand...

Ruger 10:22 comes into play here
 
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Coons and foxes would be at pb range in leg hold traps. Range would be squirrels and birds. 

PCP is out of my price range. I’m not opposed to springers, just read the overall accuracy is better with gas. 

Any suggestions I should consider in springers? 

Thank you
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Do not waste your money on the Benjamin Trail NP XL.

I own one. This rifle would probably miss the coon or fox with the barrel placed one foot from the animals head.
 
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If you drop that to 30~40 yards, then the Hatsan 135 or the 125 sniper in .25 would have plenty of power. There is also a .25 version of the Benjamin, I forget the model maybe VTR 725 or something like that.

Shooting an ultra-magnum springer takes a lot of practice and a perfect hold to shoot past 40 yards accurately enough for a head shot. Probably several months of practice. A .25 PCP with a hand pump would be much more humane at 50 yards with an average shooter and most will say you want 40 FPE of energy vs a springer @29 FPE for big coons and coyotes. Maybe watch the Flashpup review on the main page as an example.
 
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If you drop that to 30~40 yards, then the Hatsan 135 or the 125 sniper in .25 would have plenty of power. There is also a .25 version of the Benjamin, I forget the model maybe VTR 725 or something like that.

Shooting an ultra-magnum springer takes a lot of practice and a perfect hold to shoot past 40 yards accurately enough for a head shot. Probably several months of practice. A .25 PCP with a hand pump would be much more humane at 50 yards with an average shooter and most will say you want 40 FPE of energy vs a springer @29 FPE for big coons and coyotes. Maybe watch the Flashpup review on the main page as an example.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the input! 
 
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Coons and foxes would be at pb range in leg hold traps. Range would be squirrels and birds. 

PCP is out of my price range. I’m not opposed to springers, just read the overall accuracy is better with gas. 

Any suggestions I should consider in springers? 

Thank you
Click to expand...



1544740585_19433100375c12dee9e6b3c2.11855848_Tight Group.jpg


One example of two five shot groups with a springer. This can be duplicated over and over.....quality springers are very accurate. But then, user error comes into play lots of times. There are a lot of guys here that shoot extremely well and at range with springers. So don't believe everything you have read. The rifle I shot these groups with is an RWS 34. It's a German made springer and is good quality that will last many years and is also within your budget. So, just keep your options open.
 
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I second looking at the Diana line. I own a Diana 350 Magnum in .22 and although it is not a gas piston, I think this rifle would meet most, if not all, of your needs. It is very high quality, very accurate and very powerful. Beautiful stock as well. It has the T06 trigger, which is precise and crisp. It has a 5 star rating with 117 reviews @ https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Diana_RWS_350_Magnum/396#9413 and is currently selling for $299 (which I think is a steal). You can put the extra $$ into a nice scope. The sights are removable and you can put a Beeman universal muzzle break on the end, which is what I did. Don't be fooled by some of the FPS claims out there. These are usually obtained with very light pellets that you would not want to hunt with. If you do go with this or another high powered break-barrel, make sure you get a Droop compensating mount. The Diana 350 (like many other break-barrels) has a fair amount of barrel droop and needs a good adjustable one-piece mount to center the scope with minimal adjustment and to keep it from sliding back.
 
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Agree with all of what they all said. Except the part about shooting skunks within 30-40 yards from the house. A death spray is their last revenge. If they are close enough, best to put a nozzle on the hose and spray them. Oddly, they don't spray back and just kinda run off. Although I've never actually done it, just what grandpa told me to do when I had a skunk living under the porch. Played loud country and rock music instead. Guess he liked classical.

As far as airguns, at your ranges and needs, I'd get a cheap 22 or 25 cal pcp and a cheap hand pump. Aren't the Diana stormriders on sale now for $150? Throw a scope priced at half that and add one of those $45 pumps and you are set. The springers you are talking about are huge, heavy, often lose their zero, and generally sensitive to how you hold them. I've got a Hatsan 125 Sniper in .25. It's got plenty of power and is accurate enough, but also heavy enough that I need a rest for it, which brings up the hold sensitivity. Tires me out just thinking about cocking it over and over to sight it in. Of course, the pcp guns gotta be filled with air, and there's quite a bit of effort in that part of it too.


 
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