Air gun practice help

[Trent]

Dee, your Steyr is amazing but I am having to stretch the budget to get into the FWB 300* range of rifles. My gun fund is limited so I have to manage how much I can spend in each area.

Do you think a FWB 300SU is worth $525 if it doesn't come with any sights? I would be mounting a scope on the rifle anyway, but the sights do have an added value when buying the rifle. The 300SU is a little more rare, but shooting a rare rifle in my basement doesn't make it worth any more to me.

I hear you on the PCP and using a pump. I figure that I shoot 40 shots maximum in a session of silhouette practice, so if I pump it up after I practice then it would be ready for me the next time I practice. I haven't shot a Marauder and I appreciate your input on the stock and trigger.

How loud is that Steyr compared to your FWB 300s?

[Trent]

Well, I just put a bid on a FWB 300s for $395. If I don't win that auction then I am also seriously considering an Air Arms TX200.

Dee, how would you say that your TX200 compares to FWB 300 in the noise department? I am looking to use this in the basement and quiet is good. I've shot Kevinbear's 300s and it was very quiet. Liked it a lot.

I think I am going to pass on the FWB 300SU that I found locally. He won't take anything less than $525 (excellent shape, but no sights). It might be worth that, but for my purposes I don't need an adjustable cheek rest and isn't worth the extra cost (for me anyway).

[Dee]

Trent, I would have to say the TX200 is going to be louder than you may want for indoor shooting. It is 2+ times as powerful as the 10m rifles, I've shot mine inside a few times and it is definetly louder inside of course than outside and mine has been tuned so a lot of the mechanical noise from the piston slamming home has been removed compared to a stock TX. As for the Steyr compared to a 300 it is about the same but a different sort of noise really. Again with the 300 you have mechanicals that make noise and the slight sound of the pellet leaving the barrel but it is not bad at all, with the Steyr being precompressed air released it is more of a sharp PIFF when you break the shot, a lot of guys have put delrin baffles in their bloop tubes on the SSPs and that makes them almost silent for the most part. I bought some delrin rod to turn some on my lathe awhile back but never got around to it since I shoot real guns on my property the sound of my airguns is not concerning . With high power PCP rifles if you have one shrouded or with a good LDC the impact of the pellet smacking the target is louder than the shot going off to most people. This is one area the Marauder does shine I must say, it is very very quiet almost to the point you think, did it shoot the pellet?

The prices you noted on the rifles you are looking at sound about in the ballpark. With that particular rifle MANY were made over a long period of time and with several variations so pricing them can be very difficult to the unknowing. They are classics and one in great shape with nice bluing still and a well cared for fancy figured stock can easily go for $800+ but they seem to hover in the $450-550 range and usually come with the older match sights included for that price.

Have you shot a TX before or had any experience with Springer rifles? They are a breed all their own and take special hold attention and repeatability to shoot really accurately. This can take some time to learn and has frustrated more than one airgunner into selling it and getting a PCP.

From the sounds of things you will be well served by a good 300. While still a springer it is not hold sensitive like the TX etc. If you can get one for what you bid you will have done well especially if it has sights, I think they ask around $75 for those old sights used alone.

Good luck with whatever you get.


Dee

[Trent]

Awesome! Thanks Dee!

The only air rifle I have shot in the past 20 years is a FWB 300s that Kevenbear let me shoot about a month ago. Prior to that my only experience was with BB and pellet rifles as a teenager and they were absolutely of the lesser quality (but still fitting of a kid in Oregon knocking around the forest).

Alright, with your input I think that I will steer towards the FWB 300 series. I've shot Kevinbear's and I know it will fit my needs, and feels nice. It will be nice to be able to shoot paper silhouettes and actually see if I am hitting instead of guessing while dry firing my smallbore rifle.

Thanks!

[Trent]

Well, someone just used the buy-it-now option on the 300s auction I was bidding on.

[thskeer]

Jim Edmonds (spelling) imports used air rifles from europe. I got a FWB 300 from him and use it 3 to 5 times per week in my basement. I just got a 6.5-20 EFR on it and I can see huge improvements in my hold since starting the airgun practice routine.

Jim E can get just about any price range, used but not abused, and was very up front and easy to work with. I forget the website, but if you google his name and air rifle you'll get hid email, which I think id troutmd at something.

If he could find an asnschutz 380 for me I'd be in heaven!

Tom

[Trent]

Jim Edmonds (spelling) imports used air rifles from europe. I got a FWB 300 from him and use it 3 to 5 times per week in my basement. I just got a 6.5-20 EFR on it and I can see huge improvements in my hold since starting the airgun practice routine.

Jim E can get just about any price range, used but not abused, and was very up front and easy to work with. I forget the website, but if you google his name and air rifle you'll get hid email, which I think id troutmd at something.

If he could find an asnschutz 380 for me I'd be in heaven!

Tom

Funny! I was just looking at this add on American Airguns. Turns out it is an auction from non other than... troutmd!

I might have to check in with him on a FWB 300s. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Jeaux]

Anschutz LG380 is a great gun that is very scope friendly. I had one and sold it to another guy in the local club when I bought a PCP Walther LG300. The FWB 300 does theoretically put some stress on the scope you mount on it, so I would be careful of what scope you put on one of them. The Steyr SSP that Dee has on the marketplace is a very good shooter. The only reason he is selling it is that he just bought a Anschutz 8002 PCP 10m gun from another shooter in our club and will probably never shoot the SSP again. The PCP 10m guns shoot forever on a fill or air and over the given distances that you will shoot air rifle silhouettes, the ballistics and wind effect are much more like shooting smallbore than the higher power air rifles. Three of used Dee's Steyr this past weekend to shoot a match and it shot better than we could. It is a very accurate gun and in very good condition. If you are even thinking of maybe using the gun indoors, then do not consider a full power PCP or TX200 spring gun. They are way too hot to safely shoot indoors in my opinion. The vaporized lead from the pellets hitting anything like a pellet trap would most likely put a lot of lead airborne in the air that you could breathe in. The 10m target guns with the much lower power while still flattening the pellets out pretty good, don't vaporize them as much. One warning on buying a used 10m gun from someone you don't know is that many of them are getting pretty old. It is very likely that if you buy one that you could possibly have to spend up to a couple hundred dollars getting it re-sealed by the time you pay a shop and the freight to send it and get it back.

Any of the new or old olympic class 10m guns is an invaluable training tool for rifle silhouette shooting. I shoot my 10m rifle more than any other. Another thing, if you get one, locate and try JSB Exact 8.4 grain pellets in it. They are a premium grade pellet that is the most popular brand with the airgun field target crowd and perform better than flat wadcutter pellets at the longer ranges. If you are only shooting indoors at 10m then the walmart daisys will probably do all you need.

[old sparky]

Well I finally took the bait and ordered a Walnut Air Arms 400 in 177. I will pick it up this weekend. I need to find a air tank and some pellets. I will put a old Weaver T10 on it for now. Any recommendations on some 177 pellets to try? I didn’t want to spend this much for a BB gun but what the heck. I found some, for pretty good prices so I figured I better jump on one. I have to be out of town for work for a week or so but I guess that’s what buys the guns. Can’t wait to put it together. And get in the garage and play. Thanks for the help, Sparky

[Trent]

Thanks for adding info to this thread Jeaux. That is helpful!

There is a ton of info out there about air rifles, but it is nice to be able to talk to silhouette guys that already know what works for the purpose.

[daisy]

Well I finally took the bait and ordered a Walnut Air Arms 400 in 177. I will pick it up this weekend. I need to find a air tank and some pellets. I will put a old Weaver T10 on it for now. Any recommendations on some 177 pellets to try? I didn’t want to spend this much for a BB gun but what the heck. I found some, for pretty good prices so I figured I better jump on one. I have to be out of town for work for a week or so but I guess that’s what buys the guns. Can’t wait to put it together. And get in the garage and play. Thanks for the help, Sparky

JSBs are always worth a try as are Crossman Premiers

Daisy

[Bob259]

Well I finally took the bait and ordered a Walnut Air Arms 400 in 177. I will pick it up this weekend. I need to find a air tank and some pellets. I will put a old Weaver T10 on it for now. Any recommendations on some 177 pellets to try? I didn’t want to spend this much for a BB gun but what the heck. I found some, for pretty good prices so I figured I better jump on one. I have to be out of town for work for a week or so but I guess that’s what buys the guns. Can’t wait to put it together. And get in the garage and play. Thanks for the help, Sparky

Good choice, you'll love it. Mine likes the Crossman Premiers 7.9 but like a .22 you'll have to try a few to find out what it likes best.

Also, see this months Target Shooter http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/ There is a good article on Pellets in it. It's a great one to subscribe to and it's an on line monthly magazine.

[BCloninger]

Has anyone tried an Air Force Edge? The only reason I haven't tried one is a concern that it won't be accurate at Silhouette ranges.

[Shandy]

Here is a pic of some Air Arms walnut. This is pretty standard on most of them.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/me ... +SL+**Pics**

I've also seen some exceptional pieces.

[Trent]

Ended up getting a FWB 300s off of Gun Broker for $450 shipped. Hopefully I didn't get beat up too bad. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =168867291

Now to figure out where to buy pellets from, and which ones to buy.