GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => European/Asian Air Gun Gates => China/Asian AirGun Gate => Topic started by: lizzie on June 14, 2011, 09:32:02 PM
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I'm new here, and my experience with air rifles is pretty limited. When you guys refer to Chinese air guns, are these Chinese brands, or American (or other) brands, made in China? Just wondering, because I'm looking for a good, accurate air rifle that will hold up to time. My impulse with other products that I want reliability and good craftsmanship in is to avoid Chinese. Is there something about Chinese air rifles that I should know?
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Hi Lizzie and welcome to the GTA.
China has copied or been contracted to make a bunch of American and German guns so as to closely equal performance and design. The price however, reflects the china labor rate, they are 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of the original in most cases. If you are buying a crosman, you are buying a chinese rifle in most cases. Lots and lots of guys like the china guns too, not only because of cost but because they like to tinker with their guns and inexpensive chinese guns are perfect for tuning, refinishing etc. They are often impressively built with no plastic on them. Try one or two and you would soon agree that they are pretty nice. Here is a link to a site that sells "china" guns..
http://bestairgun.stores.yahoo.net/xixsairri.html (http://bestairgun.stores.yahoo.net/xixsairri.html)
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Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the information. So, they are the well-known brands, just manufactured in China? If the quality is the same, then I guess I need to check into the subject more.:D
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More or less if it's less than $200.00 it's made in china or spain. Most folks start out with guns like these and they work pretty well. Jump up to $200 and up guns and you start finding them made in the US or Europe. I try hard to buy American but in the case of pellet guns you have to look outside of the US so as to not limit your choices too much. ;D J
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More or less if it's less than $200.00 it's made in china or spain. Most folks start out with guns like these and they work pretty well. Jump up to $200 and up guns and you start finding them made in the US or Europe. I try hard to buy American but in the case of pellet guns you have to look outside of the US so as to not limit your choices too much. ;D J
Ahhhhh- good point.;D
It's probably similar to buying power tools these days. You're lucky if you can find any at all made in the US.;D
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Hello again Lizzie,
I have several Chinese AGs as you can see by my signature and actually want to get rid of my German gun so as to buy an additional china gun. I like them they are a tinkerers dream as they cost far less and hurts less if you mess up. I have a B28 .177 that will shoot a ragged hole at 35 yards shooting 930 fps with an 8.6 grain pellet I paid less than $125.00 for the gun as it was a display gun. Added 100 in parts and it is still less than the RWS 350 it is cloned after. There are quiet a few very good Chinese made guns out there, you just have to read the posts by the users here on the forum.
Here is the link to the Clone list so you can see what gun is cloned from another.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/library/clonelist.htm (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/library/clonelist.htm)
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Thanks DMike- obviously, lots of you guys love your Chinese guns;D. If I don't intend to tinker with a gun, is Chinese still a good option? I'm a tinkerer, but I already have plenty of wood projects to keep me busy, lol. The primary reason I want a really accurate gun is because I'm a bird enthusiast, and I build bird houses and feed birds here on my place. I want to control starlings and sparrows, which are aggressive at dominating my blue bird and purple martin houses. Aside from that, I have found, via shooting my little cheapy Crosman pump-up, that I actually LOVE target shooting, and I want a gun that will hold up to regular and frequent use- not abuse- just regular use by someone who takes good care of her stuff.
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I know u would love a HW30, maybe a little more money then $300 but well worth it.
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Cant talk bad on chinese guns I have a tf89 in the stable hehe.
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Thanks pjw- who makes the HW30 that you're referring to? I googled it earlier, and if I remember correctly, two different manufacturer's names came up, so I didn't know for sure which one to read about.
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Cant talk bad on chinese guns I have a tf89 in the stable hehe.
You have a freakin stable for your guns, lol.:D
(just kidding with you) Now- what's a tf89?
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They are made in germany by Weihrauch and have been sold under the beeman name.
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They are made in germany by Weihrauch and have been sold under the beeman name.
Okay- that makes perfect sense now. Those were the two names I was seeing, and I didn't realize that it's the same gun, lol.
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Techforce contender 89 a gun that will reach out and put a beatdown.but since your small might be a issue.if you have a mad cashflow the beeman r9 is a winner.do your research also .
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Techforce contender 89 a gun that will reach out and put a beatdown.but since your small might be a issue.if you have a mad cashflow the beeman r9 is a winner.do your research also .
Thanks.:)
No mad cashflow here unfortunately. I do want to keep it under 300 dollars if at all possible.
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Have a look at the spanish made Cometa guns. I think they are a good buy. This is my .177 cal Fusion Star.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t193/turbonoma1998/Airgunning/776859119_Z4oBH-M.jpg)
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Hi Lizzie, was just thinking about your purpose for the AG and wondered if instead of a spring gun like all the ones we've been talking about, you'd be lots better off with a spanish made gamo, which cocks easier and can be had in the 5-6lb range instead of 7-8+ for a typical china gun. Or, maybe an American made(i think) crosman pumper, a classic like this one.. https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206)
or a lightweight gamo like this one: https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985)
Just mentioning it as most chinese guns are a bit harder to cock and are heavier, plus they tend to be long and by the time you add a nice scope, you have a 10lb 45" long gun that might not be comfortable for you to carry and shoot.
Just a thought. J
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Have a look at the spanish made Cometa guns. I think they are a good buy. This is my .177 cal Fusion Star.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t193/turbonoma1998/Airgunning/776859119_Z4oBH-M.jpg)
Thanks Turbonoma- she's a beauty.:)
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Hi Lizzie, was just thinking about your purpose for the AG and wondered if instead of a spring gun like all the ones we've been talking about, you'd be lots better off with a spanish made gamo, which cocks easier and can be had in the 5-6lb range instead of 7-8+ for a typical china gun. Or, maybe an American made(i think) crosman pumper, a classic like this one.. https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206)
or a lightweight gamo like this one: https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985)
Just mentioning it as most chinese guns are a bit harder to cock and are heavier, plus they tend to be long and by the time you add a nice scope, you have a 10lb 45" long gun that might not be comfortable for you to carry and shoot.
Just a thought. J
Thanks- I will certainly check them out.:)
Is the Sheridan accurate? I've seen them sold in a couple of stores in the city nearest me, and I've thought about buying one, but I didn't know much about them. I have a little Crosman "toy" (the one that Walmart carries called Remington Airmaster 77). I absolutely love it, and it's accurate as ****, it just doesn't have much power for knocking down birds at 75 feet. I want something that will do the job well and quickly.
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LOL, now you are seeing what all is out here Lizzie(Hi again), I have two of the older "original" Sheridans and they still shoot great after 30 some years, worth checking into, just takes alittle more to scope them(and pump them). And just think you have not even checked out Co2,HPA,PCPs yet!!!
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Hi Lizzie, was just thinking about your purpose for the AG and wondered if instead of a spring gun like all the ones we've been talking about, you'd be lots better off with a spanish made gamo, which cocks easier and can be had in the 5-6lb range instead of 7-8+ for a typical china gun. Or, maybe an American made(i think) crosman pumper, a classic like this one.. https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206)
or a lightweight gamo like this one: https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985)
Just mentioning it as most chinese guns are a bit harder to cock and are heavier, plus they tend to be long and by the time you add a nice scope, you have a 10lb 45" long gun that might not be comfortable for you to carry and shoot.
Just a thought. J
Thanks- I will certainly check them out.:)
Is the Sheridan accurate? I've seen them sold in a couple of stores in the city nearest me, and I've thought about buying one, but I didn't know much about them. I have a little Crosman "toy" (the one that Walmart carries called Remington Airmaster 77). I absolutely love it, and it's accurate as ****, it just doesn't have much power for knocking down birds at 75 feet. I want something that will do the job well and quickly.
The Sheridan is a great gun. Mine is from 1977 and is still fine.
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LOL, now you are seeing what all is out here Lizzie(Hi again), I have two of the older "original" Sheridans and they still shoot great after 30 some years, worth checking into, just takes alittle more to scope them(and pump them). And just think you have not even checked out Co2,HPA,PCPs yet!!!
LOL:)
Until recently, I thought an air rifle was what I could buy at Walmart- I had no idea how many brands, options, and types there were.
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Hi Lizzie, was just thinking about your purpose for the AG and wondered if instead of a spring gun like all the ones we've been talking about, you'd be lots better off with a spanish made gamo, which cocks easier and can be had in the 5-6lb range instead of 7-8+ for a typical china gun. Or, maybe an American made(i think) crosman pumper, a classic like this one.. https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/benjamin-397?m=206)
or a lightweight gamo like this one: https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-nitro-17?m=985)
Just mentioning it as most chinese guns are a bit harder to cock and are heavier, plus they tend to be long and by the time you add a nice scope, you have a 10lb 45" long gun that might not be comfortable for you to carry and shoot.
Just a thought. J
Thanks- I will certainly check them out.:)
Is the Sheridan accurate? I've seen them sold in a couple of stores in the city nearest me, and I've thought about buying one, but I didn't know much about them. I have a little Crosman "toy" (the one that Walmart carries called Remington Airmaster 77). I absolutely love it, and it's accurate as ****, it just doesn't have much power for knocking down birds at 75 feet. I want something that will do the job well and quickly.
The Sheridan is a great gun. Mine is from 1977 and is still fine.
Thanks. What I really wish I could find is an old air rifle that someone has taken good care of, but wants to sell.
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It gets mind boggling Lizzie with all the brands and clones of brands out here, then toss in all the power systems for launching a simple pellet an it can make your head spin for months just figureing them all out!!! About the best answer at present is keep asking questions(maybe find a member near you an shoot their guns so you get a feel for what you want). Oh, an WELCOME to your new ADDICTION, just try an stay away from the Dark Side(we DO have cookies though). P.S. Saw your post, just keep an eye open they come up every now an then, I got my 79 Silver Streak from a guy at "Berkeley University",like new condition just a month or so ago.
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It gets mind boggling Lizzie with all the brands and clones of brands out here, then toss in all the power systems for launching a simple pellet an it can make your head spin for months just figureing them all out!!! About the best answer at present is keep asking questions(maybe find a member near you an shoot their guns so you get a feel for what you want). Oh, an WELCOME to your new ADDICTION, just try an stay away from the Dark Side(we DO have cookies though). P.S. Saw your post, just keep an eye open they come up every now an then, I got my 79 Silver Streak from a guy at "Berkeley University",like new condition just a month or so ago.
It's already an addiction, lol. I guess I should check and see if there are any shooting clubs around here for air guns.
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Watch out for that PC77...! If you look more into them, you'll be up to your eye balls with modded guns and you will really be addicted....
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Watch out for that PC77...! If you look more into them, you'll be up to your eye balls with modded guns and you will really be addicted....
Thanks for the warning.:D
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And down the rabbit hole he goes..........
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hi Lizzie maybe this would work perfect for what you need it for http://bestairgun.stores.yahoo.net/xs660.html (http://bestairgun.stores.yahoo.net/xs660.html) the 22cal would be deadly on birds out to 35yards or more depending on you,and it can stay ready.good luck ;D
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I just got into airguns myself and after doing tons of research all over the net I went with a TF87.That at first went pretty bad but like others have said these rifles just ask to be tinkered with and thats just what I've done and I couldn't be happier with my results. This is a link to a bit of what I've been doing --->>> http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,16276.0.html (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,16276.0.html)
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Lizzie..Remington/Crosman make a couple of versions of a gas ram powered rifle. They're called the NPSS. They're chambered in 22 and 177 caliber. Light weight, easy cocking and very
accurate. I have one of each for pest control and my method is this: I keep a pellet loaded in the chamber but NOT cocked! When a target appears, all that's necessary is to cock the rifle and I'm ready to fire. Another feature of a gas ram over a spring powered gun is if your target flys or runs away before you can shoot, the gas ram won't take a "set" over time like springers will. You may leave the rifle cocked until a target returns.Another great thing about these rifles..they're made in the U.S.A.
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Lizzie,
My Ruger Blackhawk and both of my Crosman Nitro Venoms are made in China and I think the world of them. They are immaculate in craftsmanship and extremely reliable and accurate. Quality is usually controlled by the corporate name put on the gun, usually by their own engineering and designs, statement of manufacturing standards and quality control. There are some darn good stuff coming out of China. Try to buy a major kitchen appliance or high quality power tool that isn't made there.
I think so much of my Ruger Blackhawk (a 100% knockoff of the German RWS34) that I have ordered a Ruger Air Magnum (a 100% knockoff of a German RWS 350 magnum).
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I found out, with a bit of sadness, that my Stoeger X20 is Chinese. As others have said, some of them are great guns.
I comfort myself by looking at my Crosmen and seeing "Made in the USA." I can't wait to see if my Daisy 953 is US-made "from domestic and foreign components" also. Hehehe.
The thing is just to do a bit of research before buying a Chinese-made gun. To me, if there is an American or European company that is putting its name on it, it is a safer bet, as then, one would have some recourse in case of problems.
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Smaug you should really just sell your X20, wouldn't want it to soil your reputation of owning American made guns. Sheesh!
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Lizzie asked... What are Chinese guns?
Real easy answer... The best BANG for your buck!
You can get a top shooter out of Chinese AG with a tuning all under the price of a German or PCP.
Plus you get to feel connected to your AG because you saw it become it's best.
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Smaug you should really just sell your X20, wouldn't want it to soil your reputation of owning American made guns. Sheesh!
Well, I don't know about all that. I just try to buy domestic when I can, so as not to hurt our ailing economy any more.