Reply With QuoteThere’s a very nice one just been listed for sale on the UKGSER forum.
After a bit of advice from the forum collective regarding air rifles. There's a rifle range very close to where I live and I'm wanting to take my 14y/o daughter there to try it out. Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, they no longer hire rifles out so you have to bring your own. Seeing as we don't actually own any air rifles, and this might be something we try once then give up on, I'm after advice on buying a couple of second hand rifles (one adult and one suitable for my daughter) that we could sell on if required. I've had a quick look into it but getting lost with the amount of rifles available and all the bits that go along with them.
Which rifles would be suitable, where's the best place to purchase used, spring, CO2 or PCP, which pellets, do we need scopes etc etc?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks all.
Last edited by Toddy; 23rd November 2021 at 15:12.
There’s a very nice one just been listed for sale on the UKGSER forum.
Hop over to https://www.airgunforum.co.uk/ - there's probably a few members local to you who could help with trying out etc
Have you got a local gun shop? It was pre covid when I bought my last rifle. The shooting ground I use has a shop which lets you handle the guns and I'd assume most gun shops will let you do that (and wipe them down). Best advice is get to a shop and handle a few for the weight and feel. Most shops have a selection of second hand rifles, not much in it price wise so ask about 'buy back' if you don't like it or you get addicted and decide to upgrade.
Springers are the default option, but your daughter may prefer a co2 for the ease of use. PCP are brilliant, but an expensive option for a beginner.
I had something similar with a nephew a few weeks back, but with shotguns.
Our local clay pigeon range did not have hire/loan guns, but they put me in contact with a local coach who had a selection of guns which would fit and the cost was included within a 1hr coaching session/lesson.
Buying and then reselling a couple of rifles would probably be an expensive way of doing it, as you would most likely want something different if you were to take up the hobby for the long term, ie to upgrade your simple beginners gun to a PCP as mentioned above.
If you don't have anyone nearby who can help you out with a loan, then it may be worth thinking about coaching?
Thanks all, the range is run by a gun shop owner which is 5 mins away from me in my local town. Has a good reputation so I think I'll have a call in and talk to him to see what he recommends. Just didn't want to spend a fortune if my daughter, and myself, don't get into it.
You may find he might loan (hire) you a used one for trial if he may get a sale out of it.Originally Posted by Toddy
Worth asking (again..)!
Air rifles can be quite heavy (not being sexist by the way) and it is always best to try before you buy. I found that my local rifle shop was very good in this respect (obviously not shooting in store but checking the weight and operation). The modern compressed gas guns can be much lighter than spring guns and have far less kickback. Good luck with the search. Enjoy.
Just called into the gun shop to have a chat with the owner, was very helpful. Taking my daughter down to try out some rifles as he said we may be able to get away with just buying one for the both of us. Thanks for all the comments and advice👍
Actually your best option is to phone the Club Secretary and ask him that question directly and you will find that he probably has a freakishly good knowledge dating back decades and could easily list all your best options right down to small details
Try to visit the club before buying as they may give better advice or even have members with guns for sale. I bought mine from the club sec'y who sold me a belter for a fraction of the shop price as he wanted to buy a top notch scope at the time!
Imo if you are going to buy probably best to just get the one and share it for now. Buy second hand if you can, everything depreciates.
Sounds like a result there. He might even have a second hand section.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
with pcp /co2 rifles once the scope is zeroed in correctly they get boring pretty fast as they are so accurate unless you have a severe case of the Dt's you cant really miss anything with them.
That’s why I love to shoot my TX220 gives me far more satisfaction than any of my PCP rifles
As said springers are good but can be heavy, I got my lad a Weihrauch HW30 S which is a smaller break barrel and puts out quite a bit less power than the legal 12ftlb, even so they are still on the lumpy side for a child and can be difficult to load/cock even after I tuned it.
I have lots of airguns and they are all springers, several Air Arms TX200's, lots of Weihrauch underlevers/break barrels, Feinwerkbau 300/300S 10m target guns which put out half power (or 6ftlb) and regardless of power they all weigh a lot and take much more effort when compared to a PCP.
Thats why I own springers rather than PCP's, different for a 14 year old though, I would sit them on the range and let them load/cock a springer on their own (under supervision) to see how long they last before it gets too much, a PCP they would sit there most of the day accurately knocking over targets, building confidence and actually enjoying the shooting rather than feeling its too hard.
Hope you both enjoy it, I would love a range near me..
Just to echo a few others bits of advice above. I used to shoot air rifles a lot, from about aged 10 to when I was about 25, including a bit of competing.
I would suggest a second hand springer is the best place to start. I went through dozens of air rifles, and when I wanted really good fun I always went back to my ageing underlever with open sights. It's also the absolute cheapest, so if it begins to lose appeal you've not tied up £1k+ on a PCP set up.
A half decent springer with open sights is dead easy to set up, and doesn't require charging etc like a PCP would. It also requires you to be quite a good shot to hit what you're pointing it at! If desired, a basic scope (e.g 4x32 or 3-9x40) would make life easier. Don't scrimp on the mounts though, especially on a springer. You wouldn't need more magnification or more light unless you started shooting at dusk/ pest controlling etc.
You can't really go wrong with Weihrauch: https://www.theairguncentre.com/weihrauch-hw-99-s
Or underlever, which I learned with (less finger pinches) and preferred to break barrel: https://www.theairguncentre.com/weihrauch-hw-57-k
After a while using springers I did move to PCP. I tried Co2, but at the time options were limited and I found it far too inconsistent - worse than the springer for accuracy.
I then went to multi shot PCP, and having no recoil was a game changer. With a half decent scope I was putting pellet on pellet at 30yds all day long. Add a bipod and you can't miss, so much so I'd say it became a bit less entertaining.
I then went to a gas ram (Theoben Evo at the time) which was cracking fun. Simple to use, no PCP charging gubbins but still a bit of recoil so a bit more challenging.
I ended up using a PCP for Hunter Field Target competitions, which is simulated hunting, so targets with very small "kill" zones (knock downs) positioned at varying heights, ranges and so on, so you had to give some thought to trajectory, wind, etc. Actual hunting was never my thing but HFT made shooting a bit more 3 dimensional than just blatting targets down range.
It may be worth trying the AirgunBBS forum for good second hand guns and tons of advice.
Thanks mate, have joined AirGunForum and done a bit of reading. Have narrowed down my choice of first gun to the HW99S. On the look out for a decent used version with hopefully bag and scope thrown in as well. I don't mind loading it for my daughter and the range has booths with rests for the gun so weight and breaking it open shouldn't be an issue. Looking forward to getting on the range and learning more about target shooting.
Thanks again for the advice.
I may have an HW100 with a scope and bag for sale, comes with silencer
Nr Oxford so not exactly convenient for you
Not sure on price - I need to look at the market
Weihrauch are amazing. I bought a HW98 that has been tuned from on here last year and it really is an amazing rifle.
At least you don't need a licence like we do up this neck of woods,it was a right pain when they first brought that in.
They are great fun,I set my loft up with targets for my lad a good few years ago.
If any of the air gun enthusiasts are serious field target shooters could you help you help me value a scope.
I have an air gun built for me by Simon Gibbon the designer for Daystate. It’s fitted with a Leopold parallax scope modified by premier reticles to 50x. I think it cost me around. £1600 with a range finding wheel.
I’m tempted to sell both together but think it may be better to separate.
You will probably get more by separating them Joe. Leupold scopes have a lifetime warranty and sell well with box and docs, for value check ebay completed sales. Get a cheaper scope to put on the Daystate as rifles usually sell better scoped.
Thanks. Not sure my daystate would suit a cheaper scope and reluctant to buy any more air gun kit.
Thanks mate but probably over my budget as I'm only looking at spending around £300 to start off with.
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Just need somebody to sell me one😁
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