Thread: Help me pick a plinker!

So I'm looking for an air rifle, and my budget is like, $100ish. MAYBE more... as always, I'll pay a little extra for quality. Any suggestions? My target ranges are 10-60 ft (back yard/deck area), and 200 ft (the gorge...). So... won't be spending enough to hit the two hundos, but anything less is fair game.

My big issue is .177 cal @1000-1200fps, or .22 cal @ 700-800 fps. I know that for things like cans, the .177 @ high fps is gonna have a flatter trajectory, but if I feel the need to take out a varmint or two that is eating our garden, will it be enough? Or to ask the reverse, if I got the .22 for varmint reduction, will it be as accurate for plinking?

I would get a .22 LR but the guy at Dick's won't sell me one because I am an immigrant (no joke).

Buy a Livi and plink those hairs right off your face!

Have you done the KE, penetration, wound size, and blood loss calculations yet (come on, get busy with matlab) to see which is actually better for killing varmints yet? As an engineer you should be able to figure that one out yourself ;-p

The issue is when you get close to speed of sounds (+/- 1100fps) many air gun pellet become somewhat unstable... and therefore less accurate. I wanna know the diff between the .22 and the .17 in accuracy pretty much. I know the .22 packs roughly 20% more punch lol.

Depending on the varmint, a 177 with the right pellet should be more than sufficient. I have fired tons of higher end air rifles, (not crazy high end, though), and have always been more pleased with the 177 accuracy wise. BUT, at tin cans at 60 feet...the difference shouldn't be too bad. Out at 200 feet, you'll be struggling regardless. I'll admit to not going out that far with my airguns.

Now, this guy at Dicks. I don't know your status, but if you have a green card, I am pretty sure FEDERALLY you are allowed to own a firearm. I don't know NY state law, though. If you ARE legally allowed to own a firearm, you might wat to consider a transaction elsewhere.
Then again, I don't think bringing a .22 to the Gorge is a good idea.

BTW, one of my best friends just moved to a new place right accross the street from one of the gorges with the huge waterfall...it's fantastic.

If you are a legal permanent resident, you might want to look somewhere other than Dicks, guys working at the big box sporting good stores are never well trained in the law. And look up the laws you NY yourself.

As far as air guns go there are abunch of god ones out there I really don't know much between the brands though I doubt a hundred bucks is enough. Anything from Gamo for instance would double that as wold, I expect, any of the adult oriented and sized airguns out there.

Smoke law, he doesn't happen to live near a bar? Cus I think he literally lives down teh street from me lol. And there's no where else in Ithaca to buy real guns so.... I know I'm allowed to own one, they just don't want to do the paper work so they said no.

Hi,

If you can find one at the right price, I would suggest an AirArms TX200 in 0.177.

I have the MkII, and it is an fine air rifle.

If you want to look at their products, please use the link:

Air Arms UK - Developed by www.itsmyweb.co.za 26/09/2008

Best regards

Russ

$100 should be fine to buy a used 22 rifle

there are all sorts of low power ammo on the market

these are great plinkers and super quiet (turn your head and cough)
Aguila Super Colibri Ammunition 22 Long Rifle 20 Grain Lead Solid Point Box of 500 (10 Boxes of 50) - MidwayUSA
here is a review
"These things are the cat's meow! Fed through the magazines of both my Marlin 25 bolt action and my Ruger 10/22 factory mags. Of course I had to cycle the action by hand. Definitely much quieter than a high powered pellet rifle from both of these. Both gave about 1/4" groups at 10 yards or so. Marlin was about 1" low but the Ruger was right on. Plenty of power for smaller critters. Much more enjoyable than a pellet gun and much faster for follow up shots. Will definitely buy more; don't think the brick will last too long! "


these are the best killers, but not as quiet (clap your hands loudly)
Aguila SSS Sniper Subsonic Ammunition 22 Long Rifle 60 Grain Lead Round Nose Box of 500 (10 Boxes of 50) - MidwayUSA
one went completely through a large opposum shot in the rear
(bullet shattered a hip and traveled diagonally through exiting the neck behind the ear, slug not recovered)

been shooting these in the garage as a party game
CCI Ammunition 22 CB Short 29 Grain Lead Round Nose Box of 500 - MidwayUSA
they offer excellent accuracy from a Ruger MkII target and we've gotten .25 groups @ 10yds from a bench
very quiet from a rifle length barrel and are often locally available
Wal-nart @ $8

can't help with air rifles
all I can say is that the high power stuff is louder than some 22 ammo
I have a China barrel ****ing type but I prefer the 22 due to noise/accuracy/power

try a private sale for a firearm

Originally Posted by khaos

Smoke law, he doesn't happen to live near a bar? Cus I think he literally lives down teh street from me lol. And there's no where else in Ithaca to buy real guns so.... I know I'm allowed to own one, they just don't want to do the paper work so they said no.

I didn't see a bar by the new place, and I'm sure I would have.

I wonder if they are allowed to do that? GWH had some great suggestions, by the way, an inexpensive bolt action .22 with those rounds gives you a TON of options, from quieter than an air rifle to louder and a LOT more effective. Of course, you need to buy the gun! If you're OK with a drive, I can recommend a shop about an hour from you... not sure which town it's in, but I found it within 10 mintues or so from Geneva when I lived up that way.

I'm not sure if you'll manage to get an Air Arms TX200 for that sort of money, but like Phatman, i'm also recommending that.
I've used .22 since my first air rifle 20 years ago, & had a few, including the TX200. A couple of years ago i went into a shop for some pellets & managed to come out with a .177 TX200 in walnut. What a gun! So much more effective for hunting & ridiculously accurate over varying distances due to the flatter trajectory. I can knock a rabbit over stone dead at 40 metres with it. It'd no doubt manage more, but i'm not sure i could. I don't shoot enough to trust my ability further.
This is a gun worth saving a bit for. They are heavy, but that helps the accuracy.