Spring or Co2 Air Rifle?

[the mad cyclist]

I’m going to replace my very old spring powered air rifle. I’ve been lent a cheap Chinese co2 rifle that has changed me from being mediocre, to quite a reasonable shot. Problem is, which type would be best in a PO world?

[lancasterlad]

I've got a precharged pneumatic - an Air Arms S410 which is a lovely gun. I use a stirrup type pump to charge it, my brother-in-law uses a scuba tank. For ease of repair I suspect a springer would fair better though.

[phobos]

one you can get parts for... I have a Weihrauch HW35, heavy but powerful and accurate, superbly made, they have been making the 35 for at least 25 years.

[Catweazle]

I'd recommend the Weihrauch HW80, it's the most over-engineered long lasting air rifle I've seen, and I've seen a few. If you want to buy British, then an Air Arms TX200 will do nicely.

Calibre is your choice, .22 does hit a bit harder but it's more difficult to hit what you're aiming at, 0.177 flies faster and hence flatter and will kill anything you need for vermin control or the pot.

I have several PCP rifles which I use for hunting, but in a survivalist scenario a spring rifle would be my choice.

A good .22 rimfire will cost £300 plus £38 per 500 bullets. The rimfire has twice the accurate range and is 10 times as powerful, it will stop rabbits, hares and foxes that an air rifle can't reach - something to bear in mind when every man and his dog is trying for a rabbit and they're getting very shy.

I think that if you had a HW80 in 0.177, a .22 Rimfire, and a 12b shotgun you've got most bases covered, as far as putting meat on the table is concerned.

[the mad cyclist]

Thanks for the replies.
I’ve been looking at the Weihrauch HW77 and HW57 which both have rigid barrels. Am I wrong in thinking that rigid barrel rifles are more accurate and better engineered? The hinge on my old Webley turned out to be its achilles heel.

[Catweazle]

Thanks for the replies.
I’ve been looking at the Weihrauch HW77 and HW57 which both have rigid barrels. Am I wrong in thinking that rigid barrel rifles are more accurate and better engineered? The hinge on my old Webley turned out to be its achilles heel.

The HW77 is a very good rifle, popular with competition shooters once it's been tuned. It's very similar to the TX200. In theory the fixed barrel should offer better accuracy, in reality the HW80 is so well engineered that any wear is very slow and easily adjusted out with telescopic sights. J
If you use iron sights they are fixed to the barrel anyway. It has a long, long reliability record and will give years of service with minimal maintenance. It also has one of the best triggers on any spring rifle, which helps.

The main thing with spring rifles is practice, they are more difficult to shoot than PCPs, it's worth having a mental checklist to ensure you are holding the rifle consistantly. A little checklist might be as simple as ; Shoulder, foregrip, breath, breath, squeeze. Just to make you mount the rifle and squeeze the trigger consistantly. Once you learn your own checklist you won't get "buck fever" when you get a rabbit in the sights.

[kenneal - lagger]

I’m going to replace my very old spring powered air rifle. I’ve been lent a cheap Chinese co2 rifle that has changed me from being mediocre, to quite a reasonable shot. Problem is, which type would be best in a PO world?

There will be loads of CO2 around for the next hundred years, but not in a form that would suit your air rifle.

[MacG]

Have a look at these Korean things:

http://www.airgundepot.com/shinsung-air ... 50cal.html

.50 cal "Dragon Slayer"

[featherstick]

I would love to show one of those to a Firearms Officer "...just my air-rifle..."

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

Have a look at these Korean things:

http://www.airgundepot.com/shinsung-air ... 50cal.html

.50 cal "Dragon Slayer"

Anything over 12ft/lb is a firearm in the uk, friend of mine has a black powder .50 rifle made by Ruger which would be very sustainable in a PO world.

[Catweazle]

Have a look at these Korean things:

http://www.airgundepot.com/shinsung-air ... 50cal.html

.50 cal "Dragon Slayer"

Anything over 12ft/lb is a firearm in the uk, friend of mine has a black powder .50 rifle made by Ruger which would be very sustainable in a PO world.

A useful pot-filler in Mad Max world, provided you have a supply of sulphur.

Personally, I would buy a load of shotgun primers and smokeless powder instead.

[the mad cyclist]

Once you learn your own checklist you won't get "buck fever" when you get a rabbit in the sights.

Catweazle, ever since you mentioned Buck Fever, I have not been able to get ‘that tune’, from the film Deliverance, out of my head.

As soon as I’ve half a day spare I’ll go to my local gun shop and have a look at the Weihrauch. I do fancy keeping the QB78DL, it’s so easy to handle I think it would make a very good ratting gun.

[Catweazle]

Have a look on www.airgunbbs.com or www.airgunforum.net . Both have "For Sale" sections where you can buy a used rifle that has been run in and sometimes usefully fettled.

Airgunbbs.com has a policy of waiting until you have a few posts before allowing access to the for sale section, but it's worth the wait as it's the biggest airgun forum in the world.

Airgunforum.net is a lot smaller, but you'll get all the advice you need there, the average member is IMHO more knowledgeable there, less kids and wannabees.

[phobos]

yes theres http://www.GunStar.co.uk too

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

A useful pot-filler in Mad Max world, provided you have a supply of sulphur.

Personally, I would buy a load of shotgun primers and smokeless powder instead.

the nipple is for percussion caps, so it would need modifying.

There's a gunsmith who mods black powder pistols to use shotgun primers and nitro, all legal. You could probably mod the Ruger that same.

Also, don't knock those cheap Chinese air rifles, or even the Russian ones, some of them use the same tooling and steel as for firearms. Especially from the Norinco factory, so they may be rough, but they're built to last. Cheap enough you can buy one to use and one stored in grease.