PCP air rifle or .22 rimfire for benchrest?

[Grey Kiwi]

Currently I'm using a CZ457 .22 rimfire, Oryx chassis, and Sightron Slll ED 45 x 45 scope.
I only shoot 25 yards indoor benchrest.
Yes, the CZ is fine...but ammo is a PITA here in NZ. Find that your gun likes SK Rifle Match for example 'and then there is none available in the country' sort of thing.
Been buying a few thousand at a time but that only helps for a few months and then go searching for the next best thing.
So...I thought about a PCP air rifle instead. Looking at an Anschutz 9015 Benchrest START (.177).
https://www.anschuetz-sport.com/en/...ziplinen/basismodelle-9015-disziplin-auflage/
Our air rifle competitions use .177 nationally so that determines the choice.
Just how accurate is the Anschutz (if any of you have one)?
I really do want to pop a pellet in the dead centre each time (or fire a group and get pellet on top of pellet accuracy).
Our target cards are 1 shot at each of 10 targets. My CZ has shot 100.7 a few times. We get 10 points for a bull, and an extra .1 for a dead centre hit on the central 1mm dot. Top score will be 100.10 (one hundred point ten we call it).
Here's my latest target with the CZ457...it's 100.7 (the middle rectangle is for sighters).
Can the Anschutz do that, or am I looking at the wrong rifle?
Yes, I could just keep on with the CZ. I know that.
But I think a PCP is the way to go...and don't want to give away points by picking the wrong rifle.
Plus we have very little choice here in NZ, so something that is abundant in the US is probably not available here anyway.
Thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.

 

[steve123]

I suggest getting a Thomas PCP air rifle.

With his 22 cal slug gun you can buy a swage kit that puts out 38gr slugs for the cost of lead wire. A 25lb spool will run around $165 here in the states so thats around 4600 slugs.
I know a guy selling one so if you want his contact info just message me.

You can order a 17 cal pcp in 12 to 20 fpe or a HPX in 22 cal and get up to 60 fpe.

These are all top contenders in any standardized benchrest comps in the airgun world.

 

[Grey Kiwi]

Thank you.

 

[jps2486]

If you are shooting 25 yards indoors, then a .177 cal rifle will work well. If you intend to expand your range to 50 or 100 yards, then I would recommend a .22 caliber. I've used an old FWB 300s and lately an Air Airms HFT 500 at 25 yards. Most any 10M .177 cal air rifle will work well there. At 100 yards, I use an FX Crown Saber Tactical with 25.4 grain JSB KO slugs.

HFT 500 Target

FX Crown Target at 50 yd.

FWB 300S at 25 yards

 

[PJC]

I can’t speak for a specific benchrest capacity but I have a BSA super 10 in 22 cal. It is astoundingly accurate and fun to shoot.

PCP air rifles are an excellent way to supplement any regular firearm training. I can shoot everday out in the backyard if inclined to do so.

 

[hafejd30]

Pcp air rifles will most always outshoot a 22 in this scenario. A pcp where you can tune the gun is almost like hand loading for a 22. The biggest factor in 22 is available ammo and lot to lot or even within the same lot variations

With a pcp you can easily change barrels, calibers, pressures etc and tune to specific pellets or slugs.

If you plan to go longer ranges then you’d have to start looking into slugs and what not. Skirted pellets just don’t fly well past 50 compared to 22 rimfire at least in my Benjamin’s (22 and 25 cal) vs my rimfires

 

[Grey Kiwi]

Thanks folks.
I am only shooting 25 yard indoor benchrest, and .177 will probably be the better option for me as NZ Target Shooting competitions are .177 (but locally I can get away with .22). But...my $$ buy more .177 pellets than the .22 pellets!
My CZ457 .22 shoots just fine, but figure I may want 'something' cheaper to shoot (Match ammo is near to $NZ40 a box now and probably will get dearer too).
Yes, I like the idea of 'tuning' the rifle and pellets.
Cheers.

 

[beetroot]

Thanks folks.
I am only shooting 25 yard indoor benchrest, and .177 will probably be the better option for me as NZ Target Shooting competitions are .177 (but locally I can get away with .22). But...my $$ buy more .177 pellets than the .22 pellets!
My CZ457 .22 shoots just fine, but figure I may want 'something' cheaper to shoot (Match ammo is near to $NZ40 a box now and probably will get dearer too).
Yes, I like the idea of 'tuning' the rifle and pellets.
Cheers.

What PCP are you looking at?

Im in NZ also and considering getting into the PCP game for pest control and cheap target shooting.

 

[Grey Kiwi]

@beetroot my BR needs are probably not what you need...but I'm now seriously looking at an Anschutz 9015 'Benchrest Start'.
Can buy it with no sights (cheaper), and will just plop my Sightron 45x45 scope straight on to it (shares the same 11mm dovetail as my CZ457).
Price is ~$NZ3600 to $NZ4500 depending on with sights or not.
https://buinger.com/Anschuetz-air-rifle-model-9015-Benchrest-Start

 

[beetroot]

@beetroot my BR needs are probably not what you need...but I'm now seriously looking at an Anschutz 9015 'Benchrest Start'.
Can buy it with no sights (cheaper), and will just plop my Sightron 45x45 scope straight on to it (shares the same 11mm dovetail as my CZ457).
Price is ~$NZ3600 to $NZ4500 depending on with sights or not.
https://buinger.com/Anschuetz-air-rifle-model-9015-Benchrest-Start

The 9015 Field target looks pretty sweet, maybe a bit over kill for shooting myna birds though...

You looking at getting one through TSNZ?

 

[Grey Kiwi]

The 9015 Field target looks pretty sweet, maybe a bit over kill for shooting myna birds though...

You looking at getting one through TSNZ?

Yes. But have been warned of the delay between ordering and actually getting one into NZ.
I think (for me) that the .177 is the right choice. I might shoot out to 50m at most.
Mainly I'm shooting indoors, at 25 yards.
No...I think it would be great for those pesky Myna birds.
Would you go .177 or .22 or....?

 

[beetroot]

Yes. But have been warned of the delay between ordering and actually getting one into NZ.
I think (for me) that the .177 is the right choice. I might shoot out to 50m at most.
Mainly I'm shooting indoors, at 25 yards.
No...I think it would be great for those pesky Myna birds.
Would you go .177 or .22 or....?

Probably 177, like you said above for cheaper pellets.
Cheap target shooting and safer high angle shots would be my main reason for an air rifle. If competitions are all 177 in NZ then I'd say that's the safe option.

I've I want more energy I'll use a rimfire.

 

[tangolima]

A regulated PCP will do very well at 25yd. BTW does NZ have the 12fpe limitation as in UK?

-TL

 

[Grey Kiwi]

A regulated PCP will do very well at 25yd. BTW does NZ have the 12fpe limitation as in UK?

-TL

I don't think so. Have seen some listed (new, at a dealer) as 18fpe.