Air rifle for practice

[NorthWinds]

As a few of you might know, I'm very, very new to all this. I actually bought my first tactical/target (read as more accurate than my old hunting rifle) a few months back. Due to time and financial constraints, I'm not able to shoot even a quarter as much as I would like. I'm looking for recommendations on a decent air rifle I could use to home my skills at home in between range sessions, but the few air rifles I have owned in the past were rather disappointing, both in accuracy and in trigger quality. The air rifle needs to be under 500 FPS to comply with moronic Canadian gun laws. I just need an idea on where to start.

 

[Garryzgarage]

Hello Gary here, i'm very new to this form also and so were kind of in the same boat, but I have been doing the same thing I use a air rifle to keep myself in tune, I have at home a range in my back yard which I am able to shoot sixty yards, I us small bore fifty feet targets, this helps me in practice.
The problem that I see is a 500fps air gun, most I have seen in Ca. Is a low 8-1000fps, up 1200fps, I shoot a Finewerke made in Germany, chf barrel, back when I purchased it I found it to be affordable for me, you mite want to look a the Daisy (I think it's a 856) single shot BB, not much help, Garry

 

[lachoneus]

Garry, go to the Civilian Marksmanship Program sales page (Rifle Sales - Air Rifles and Air Pistols) and buy yourself either the Daisy 853M or the Daisy 888 air rifle. These rifles are also sold under the brand name Avanti. The 853 is a single pump pneumatic, while the 888 has a CO2 cylinder which is good for about 300 shots, and which can be filled inexpensively at a paintball shop or a welding supply shop. Both rifles have excellent sights, and are extremely accurate. Unless you go on to very high level competition, you will never exceed their accuracy potential. I have both, and have learned more about marksmanship fundamentals from them than from any other rifles. Shooting prone at 10 meters, you should be able to put every pellet into the same hole. If you don't, you are doing something wrong, and you can check your fundamentals to see where you are falling short. You need never blame the rifle. My rifles shoot well with every wadcutter-type pellet I have tried, but the most consistently accurate of the "affordable" pellets have been the RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle pellets. Send me a PM if you have more questions, but this approach will give you excellent results without requiring an exorbitant investment.

 

[lachoneus]

Oh, and both rifles shoot under 500 fps, so should be legal under Canadian laws.

 

[NorthWinds]

Iachoneus, my younger brother used a Daisy 853M for Cadets marksmanship competition, I just didn't know the name of it. Thanks or the detailed reply, I'll have to look into one.

 

[steve123]

You didn't mention how much you wanted to spend or what power plant you'd prefer???

There are PCP's, multi pumps, single pumps, springer or gas rams or Co2. There is also a wide range of quality and price available.

One thought is you can manipulate velocity with pellet weight. I hate stupid laws, how idiotic, - 500fps pfff!

If you are looking for high quality in "every aspect", lower power and incredible accuracy coupled with convenience, then look no farther than the FWB600,601,602 series of Olympic match rifles. They can be had for $600 to $900 range and are worth every penny. These rifles are great fun at longer distances out to 50Y as well.

 

[Trapshooter12]

I read on old article about using your Air Rifle for thousand yard shooting. You placed 9mm cases at 25 yards.

I drilled the primers out of empty 9mm cases and then put a string through them and then hung them on another string between to form stakes.
I placed it at 25 yards as the article said I then placed a card bored box behind them so I could learn better wind calls. Hanging on the sting made it a great reactive target.