# Air Rifle......?



## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Hi, 

Looking at getting an air rifle as i have always wanted one. Mainly for target shooting but also powerful enough for the occasional rabbit.

Any suggestions on what to get?

Cheers


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## vs380kw (Mar 17, 2007)

22 or go all out with the 303


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## nightowl (Mar 17, 2007)

http://www.beeman.com.au/rx-2.php


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## nuthn2do (Mar 17, 2007)

Go for .22 cal BSA or Webley, the 177 really hasn't got the pellet wieght for rabbits. Even so you'll still be looking at head shots under 40-50 metres. 
I've got an old Norica .22 (spanish) air rifle here at the moment that will bowl a rabbit over but anything over 25 metres is pushing it.


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## slip_phreak (Mar 17, 2007)

mmm 243's are awesome but if you dont want anything too loud or overly powerfull go a 22magnum. You can take down kangaroo's with them and because they arent as noisy as a 243 for example, you can miss while say spot lighting in a paddock and not have to worry about scaring everything away.


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

gammo shadow .22 they are 1000fps so they are a good gun and they are fixed barrle and they go for around $400-$500 with a variable scope on them and a silencer


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## dmx69errulz (Mar 17, 2007)

how hard is it to get ur gun licence i would love bb gun


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## moosenoose (Mar 17, 2007)

nook171 said:


> and a silencer



serious question, and not being smart at all, but aren't silencers illegal?


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## phantomcat (Mar 17, 2007)

yes


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Are all these .22's air rifle's or gun's that fire bullets? May sound like a stupid question but i am very new to this and i do not want a rifle with bullets as such, just one of the air rifles that fire pellets but that is powerful enough to do a rabbit.

Thanks for your help


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## nuthn2do (Mar 17, 2007)

DrOsteo said:


> Are all these .22's air rifle's or gun's that fire bullets? May sound like a stupid question but i am very new to this and i do not want a rifle with bullets as such, just one of the air rifles that fire pellets but that is powerful enough to do a rabbit.
> 
> Thanks for your help


Air rifles, just .22 are larger pellets and pack more thump than the standard .177 caliber
You will need a firearms licence for one in any case.


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Ye OK. I was aware that i need a firearms licence and will be applying for one soon. I was told that anything that fires 1000fps is good enough to kill a rabbit etc. is this the case?
I also want one that is quiet, as i will be using on a farm that has horses and i do not want to scare them, or the rabbits i'll be trying to shoot for that matter. Is a .22 air rifle quiet? Also what is a good price range for a new .22 rifle? I would prefer one that dioes not have to have a gas cylinder as well.


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## slip_phreak (Mar 17, 2007)

yes air rifles are quiet but a 22 like i mentioned before does fire real bullets however, there are bullets you can buy called Z's that dont use gun powder but rather a explosive jelly. These bullets are silent all you hear is the hammer click and whatever the bullet hits. Z's are great for bird hunting and rabbits too i guess. I wouldnt bother with an air rifle seeing as you are going to get yourself a fire arms lic anyway so you might aswell just get a regular 22 or 22 magnum but thats IMO.


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## nuthn2do (Mar 17, 2007)

Most common air rifles are spring powered single shot units, you break the barrel to cock the unit. They do make noise because of the piston and also require a decent scope to handle the shock transmitted. Depends how flighty the horses are but they are no where near as loud as a 22 rimfire. 
Probably $500-$1000 for a decent quality rifle plus a at least $150 for the scope.


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## Jonny (Mar 17, 2007)

Osteo,

definately go for a beeman. They are top quality. Also u should consider .20 caliber as it will be flatter shooting trajectory and still able to take down a rabbit.

The higher powered air rifles that shoot 1000fps still make considerable noise. My mate has powerful spring air rifles and that make a comparable noise to my .22 with subsonic ammunition.

Pre charged pneumatics are very quiet but you are looking at upwards of $2000.

you maybe better off going for a conventional .22 with subsonics rather than an air rifle. It will be more accurate, powerful and cheaper than an air rifle that will be adequate for what you want.

cheers

Jonny


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Hi Jonny,

by subsonics are you referring to a silencer? And are they illegal?

I am really keen on the whole air rifle idea, and less on a conventional 22.

Why go the .20 rather than a .22 air rifle? Why would it have a lfatter trajectory?

cheers to everyone for their help


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## inthegrass (Mar 17, 2007)

it might be worth your while contacting the sporting shooters association of australia at st.marys nsw. they willgive you plenty of info, they also conduct firearms courses which i think you have to do in order to get your license. i think you will also need to join a shooting club/hunting or a permission to shoot letter if want to hunt. 
you will also need a safe storage cabinet for any firearms you buy.

ph 02 88890480 7 days.

www.australianshooter.com.au.
cheers.


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## inthegrass (Mar 17, 2007)

forgot to add i have a bsa meteor .22, it most probably needs new seals now but it could do a rabbit at about 40/50 metres using hunting pellets.
cheers.


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Cheers inthegrass,

are you saying that you have a bsa meteor for sale? PM me.

thanks for the contact, will give them a call.


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## inthegrass (Mar 17, 2007)

nah sorry dr osteo not for sale. go to horsley park gun shop to druel and get plenty of info on guns.
cheers.


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## cris (Mar 17, 2007)

How much do you want to spend?


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

dunno as i have only just started to research. I spose no more than a grand. I want to get something that is good, and something that will last and is right for what i want.


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## Craig2 (Mar 17, 2007)

go the .22 cal with subsonic rounds or z's it wont annoy the horses 
but be prepared to go bigger cause its only a matter of time 

any high power .177 or .22 cal air rifle will be as noisey as a .22 with low power ammo as you can here the spring as you fire they are great for birds ( neighbours cat) not sure about killing rabbits but 

while spotlighting rabbits with .22 i have never had any problem finding one to shoot at even after firing a few rounds you will find it alot more fun to as you get 10 shots without having to crack and load it all the time..


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## cris (Mar 17, 2007)

I would go for a .22(air rifle) since you want to hunt rabbits, beeman air guns are really good but are a little over priced IMO. Diana/RWS air gun are also very good and generally cheaper.

For a bit under $1000 you should be able to get a high powered airgun that can cleanly take foxes and cats aswell.

The only downside of more powerful guns is the extra noise and potential for the pellets to go further. 
Another thing to keep in mind is that they are classed as firearms and the same legal restrictions apply for their use.

Go to Horsley Park and also check out www.beeman.com.au and contact them for some info. If you google you will also find alot of info.


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## -=Surflifesaver=- (Mar 17, 2007)

22.Lr Bruno is what i shoot with, great range and packs a punch, very suitable for rabbits,pigs,foxes


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## cris (Mar 17, 2007)

The "Z's" in a .22 are also great although not actually as effective as a high powered airgun they are quieter. There is also another ammo company making hollow points in a similar low velocity load.
If you plan on getting a .22 instead of an airgun get one with a tube style magaizne as "Z's" wont funtion in standard magazines reliably.

It also depends on how much you plan to use it Z's cost about 15-20c a shot while an airgun pellet costs a couple cents.

A pump or lever action .22 would be heaps more fun to use than a airgun IMO, it also allows for follow up shots if needed.


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

moosenoose said:


> serious question, and not being smart at all, but aren't silencers illegal?


 

i was talking about the gammo shadows you get in n.z they sell them with a silencer but the aus ones dont lol


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Ye i will have to look into it. I just like the idea of an airgun rather than a "real" gun. I am not going to be doing masses of hunting, more targets and the occasional rabbit, rat, other pest species. I had a look at the beeman and they aren't cheap.


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

http://www.gamo.com/


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

OK thanks. What would be the minimum fps that i would need to be able to shoot rabbits, foxes, etc?


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## nuthn2do (Mar 17, 2007)

-=Surflifesaver=- said:


> 22.Lr Bruno is what i shoot with, great range and packs a punch, very suitable for rabbits,pigs,foxes


 
Shooting pigs with a 22LR? 
I thought the 22-250 was a bit underpowered for the job :shock:


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

i would go 1000fps


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

i like the look and sound of the beeman rx-2 so far. however i think they are about $1200 bucks, and then there's all the extras that need to be bought.


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## Jonny (Mar 17, 2007)

DrOsteo said:


> Hi Jonny,
> 
> by subsonics are you referring to a silencer? And are they illegal?



No, you can get .22 ammunition that travels under 1000fps therefore not making the "crack" when it breaks the sound barrier. Winchester makes them.



> Why go the .20 rather than a .22 air rifle? Why would it have a lfatter trajectory?



It is a lighter faster moving pellet. With a heavier .22 pellet, misjudging a target by as little as 5metres at 45m may put you out of the kill zone for a rabbit.

email Lewis at Beeman with the budget you are looking at spending and he will be able to sort you out.

I have seen Gamo brand air rifles and honestly they arnt worth S%#T compared to beemans. Beemans are reliable and repeatably accurate. The cheaper brands tend not to produce repeatable velocities and therefore not as accurate.

cheers

Jonny


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## DrOsteo (Mar 17, 2007)

Thanks heaps jonny. Will do. From what i have read so far id tend to agree with you.


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

the gamo are a good a start off gun for a good price and you can get your custom made ones but it's not the preformance of the gun it's the shooter


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## nook171 (Mar 17, 2007)

but the air rifle i use is the LG300 Dominator made by walther
i keep it in n.z cause i shoot more often in n.z but this is gas operated you will get around 200-250 shots out of one 12oz co2 tank this shoots 1000fps


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## cris (Mar 17, 2007)

DrOsteo said:


> i like the look and sound of the beeman rx-2 so far. however i think they are about $1200 bucks, and then there's all the extras that need to be bought.



Theoben makes better airguns if you are going to break you budget, we cant have the silencers here but they definately make the best airguns IMO. http://www.theoben.co.uk
Also Beeman is an importer not a manufacturer of airguns so airguns they sell can sometimes be purchased cheaper under their manufacturers name.

A scope will also set you back a few hundred dollars as you will need a special aigun scope.


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## tan (Mar 17, 2007)

nook171 said:


> gammo shadow .22 they are 1000fps so they are a good gun and they are fixed barrle and they go for around $400-$500 with a variable scope on them and a silencer


 
I have one of these - nice gun, pretty powerful for a little air rifle. Hubby bought it for my anniversary one year:shock: . Dad and i went out one day to give it a burl, kept telling him it was a ripper yeah, yeah, he knows guns (has heaps and kept em for many many years) but this lil rifle hit a bank (rock or something) and ricocheted back and got him in the leg (from a fair distance too):lol: :lol: :lol: I laughed and said "told ya so" he saw the funny side and said "ooh, don't tell mum!" - just a graze, but funny
My point is ripper lil rifle, not to be underestimated!


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## nuthn2do (Mar 17, 2007)

http://www.ssaa.org.au/OFFICIALREVIEWS/Giant air rifle/giant air rifle review.htm#Cometa50177

Cometa Fenix 400 .22 Cal sounds right up your alley[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], scores well heaps of punch and reasonable in price
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## DrOsteo (Mar 18, 2007)

OK so after a bit more researching the Beeman RX-2 is now illegal to import into Australia due to a "twitchy trigger", so it seems i have narrowed my choices to:

- Theoben Eliminator (however am not sure of price yet)
- Weihrauch HW90 .20
- Beeman R1
- Cometa Fenix 400 .22

What do you think? 
I really like the sound of the gas spring, but ultimately being such a newby to this would not really know one way or the other.


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## DrOsteo (Mar 18, 2007)

bump


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## nook171 (Mar 18, 2007)

try the walther they are an comp grade target air rifle and a good shooting rifle


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## DrOsteo (Mar 18, 2007)

But then i have to carry charge cartridges or scuba tanks etc.

I like the simplicity of just being able to carry some pellets and the rifle and not eed anything else.

Thanks for your suggestion though.


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## nook171 (Mar 18, 2007)

it last around 300 shot's and most local dive shops fill them for free and you can get 20oz tanks they last you almost 1000 rounds


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## nvenm8 (Mar 18, 2007)

when you get your license, why not go to the range at St Marys i think and inquire about a test shoot. That way you will know what is best for you, rather than someone else.
Phone 02 8889 0480 this is the St Mary's membership contact number


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## DrOsteo (Mar 18, 2007)

I tried calling this number today and they seem to have been disconnetected???


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