New to air guns / Need help

Well first off the inexpensive powerful springer/nitro piston guns, like the Impact Max, are the hardest of all air guns to shoot accurately. They have a very pronounced double recoil before the pellet leaves the barrel. So they must be held consistently in the way and in the spots the individual gun requires to shoot halfway accurately. By halfway accurately we are talking about one inch groups at 25 yards being acceptable. Although some will do a bit better few, usually only the more expensive springers, will approach the same accuracy of a , PCP, Co2 or pump gun at the same range. This recoil also destroys many if not most scopes in short order yes, even the scopes included with the gun. But on the plus side if you can manage to master the gun you will be a better shot for the effort. 

Also on the plus side there is very little maintenance needed in today's break barrel rifles and it will be covered in the owners manual. Maintenance will consist of keeping the screws tight the exterior clean and treated with oil or silicone and a drop of oil where metal to metal contact is made when parts move every few hundred rounds. Being careful not to get any petroleum products in the barrel or compression chamber as the accompanying detonation from doing so can harm the gun internally.

Read everything on this site for a while, even the topics and guns that don't interest you yet and watch YouTube videos. It will be time well spent at first and you will be able to decipher people's advice way easier. The aeac website has good gun review videos that show you quite a lot about all of the other stuff involved too. Matt Dubber's Ballistic's 101 series explains the dynamics of pellet flight. You will be told, repeatedly, to try different pellets. This isn't people blowing you off, or trying to get you to spend money. You most likely will have to try many different pellets to find what your gun likes. You will quickly become familiar with JSB, and H&N. That is just an example. Welcome to the hobby!

Re post from some months back...

welcome to the best place on the net for Airguns We can help you, and we will be glad to. There are hundreds if not thousands of years of Airgun experience shared by the members of AGN. When it comes down to "will this gun work" – there are many options and a range of answers. FWIW there is no "best" answer, only better than average or not so good.



To begin, there are a few kinds of airguns…



CO2 – uses cartridges of CO2, but at a low pressure – less than 1800 psi 



Piston powered guns – with spring or nitrogen filled struts to push the piston (Break open or underlever to cock) – most are single shot, some are magazine fed



Pump guns – single pellet and single or multiple pumps to charge the shot



Pre Charged Pneumatics (PCP) – has an on board pressure vessel – can be single shot or magazine fed. Will need a source of High Pressure Air – generally a SCBA tank or similar – and that will need a method of filling. Either a dive shop, fire department or a compressor of your own. Gun fill pressures will be around 2000-3500 psi.



Airguns can use silencers and not get tangled with the Alphabet org – local and state laws are your responsibility to understand. These are also known as moderators or lead dust collectors.



Caliber is important – but too much gun can lead to problems with over penetration. You don't need to shoot a .50 cal airgun to take out mice and rabbits. A .30 or a .25 gun will easily take a coyote with good shot placement. The larger the pellet or slug, the more the cost.



Airguns take a little getting used to if you already shoot powder burning guns. The shot cycle is different and the ballistics are a lot different. Pellets do not do very well at speeds over 1000 FPS – no matter what the advertisements will tell you. That brings up Ballistic Coefficient – but that will be for another discussion.



I suggest you take a look at the HUTNING sub-forum and soak up some information from there. 

Welcome!

These folks offer a pellet sampler which will give you a bunch of different pellets to try-

http://www.straightshooters.com/

Your gun comes with open sights-shoot a few tins of pellets through it using the open sights. Then mount and zero your scope. 

Find the pellets that group the tightest. and use them. Check the stock screws periodically and keep them snug.

here's a video on mounting a scope-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot5wz_3vZS0

Here's a video on zeroing that I found helpful-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLirsAFpsfE

Shoot your gun a lot, try different ways of holding it and above all, be safe and have fun!

John

CO2 – uses cartridges of CO2, but at a low pressure – less than 1800 psi 

Click to expand...

Yeah much lower, more like 850psi at 70f.

This could be a frustrating experience for you, seriously! My advice is to sell it, or better yet if you have not shot it to send, or bring it back.

Multi pump airguns, and Co2 airguns, both of which have their downsides, are easier to shoot well and there is none of the weird and somewhat violent recoil impulses that the one you bought has.

A PCP is the way to go and is what most of us have gone to for reasons you'll hopefully find out someday

Howdy. I'm new here so my opinion may not be well received.

Welcome to air rifles. I've read reviews on the Ruger, and have to say most were not very flattering. I hope you have better luck with it, or they were expecting something it won't give.

I've shot springers for all of my adult life. I never know anything else until recently, so FWIW, here we go. Springers have some interaction when the trigger is dropped. The gas piston moves and make the air pressure to fire it. People here seem to scoff at this. It does make for some motion of the rifle and since they re usually pretty heavy, doesn't seem to effect me very much. YMMV. I find my springers very accurate to 50 paces. I don't bother with much beyond that for an air rifle. I must say the PCP that I have does little for interaction when the trigger is pulled. It just shoots.

Sighting the scope. If you have a few sandbags or a vice, then you are in business. Start at about 10 yards. Take good aim, shoot. Hopefully your shot will be on paper. If you are blocked in enough to let go of the rifle, Put it on the point of aim, turn the adjustments until the crosshairs are over the hole, making sure the rifle doesn't move. Remember, you are moving the sight picture ONLY. Shoot again and see if you are close enough to make final adjustments. I wouldn't worry about making itty bitty groups. You have a tool that may make it challenging, and the barrel will likely need a shoot in. Sometimes several hundred shots. The thing came with a book that should give you oil and other maintenance intervals. Follow them.

I don't shoot as well as some of these folks. I can't hit a squirrel in the head 90 yards away. I do keep the homestead free of raccoons, possums and other small vermin with it. Practice, and find the pellets the barrel likes. That in itself can be frustrating. Have fun with it. You can get serious later.

Cheers

Take your new gun and shoot it. Start out close and don’t be afraid to play with the scope. Shoot that gun till you break it, and then you will know which way you want to go. A good springer rifle is forever.

They are definitely hard to resist for under $100 SHIPPED.

https://www.fieldsupply.com/ruger-impact-max-22-cal-air-rifle-combo-refurb.html

https://youtu.be/fqMH-6OOrEE

It may or may not be a good first airgun because you need to learn to shoot it accurately using the artillery hold. I had a Springer 177 (Also Chinese made Ruger) version that shot exceptionally well believe it or not once the artillery hold and making sure the scope mount and stock screws were all tight. 

There are Better options within that price point and I suggest if you can't get consistent 1 inch groups at 20 yards with it then return it for refund and buy a German made 22 Walther Parrus on sale that's a $329.99 regular priced airgun at less than half price for only $149.99 from Airguns of Arizona.

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/walther-parrus-.22-wood/

Always hold the barrel securely while loading the pellet with the other hand for safety reasons unlike this guy who shows the artillery hold.

https://youtu.be/0dQ44J6LlTA