which .22 to buy under $200?

[buddyb]

Any  recommendations on a .22 gas piston break barrel rifle that actually shoots Crossman Premier Hollow Points 14.3 grains at least 800 or more fps accurately? This will primarily be a squirrel rifle.

I've purchased 2 Benjamin Trail np2 elites in the last 2 weeks and both had to be sent back so I'm looking for a new rifle.

[joek]

there is a thread in the bargain gate on the Walther Parrus spring piston you'd have to look up the specs, I have one in .177 and its a large rifle. there's always Hatsan and Gamo but with my past experiences   I can't recommend 

[Roadworthy]

I feel your criteria are too tight for a realistic recommendation.  On top of that much of the accuracy of a spring piston air rifle is dependent upon the shooter and a LOT of practice.  Do you have a distance in mind for your squirrels?  A springer is only accurate out to about fifty yards or so in the hands of a practiced shooter.

[subscriber]

Buddy, you need to specify the range at which you want to hit a target assumed to be 3/4" in diameter...

From time to time, there are interesting airguns for sale posted at the Bargain Gate: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?board=7

Something like a RWS 34 should meet your needs. The question is if any are selling at your price point right now...

This may be close enough, considering delivery is free: 

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/diana-34p-air-rifle-synthetic-stock?m=1041
https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/rws-model-34-panther-.22/https://www.airgundepot.com/diana-rws-34p.html

[Arch_E]

Buddy, you need to specify the range at which you want to hit a target assumed to be 3/4" in diameter...

From time to time, there are interesting airguns for sale posted at the Bargain Gate: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?board=7

Something like a RWS 34 should meet your needs. The question is if any are selling at your price point right now...

This may be close enough, considering delivery is free: 

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/diana-34p-air-rifle-synthetic-stock?m=1041
https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/spring-piston/rws-model-34-panther-.22/https://www.airgundepot.com/diana-rws-34p.html

Most of us have our favorites; hence, opinions will vary. The German made break barrels have seriously impressed me (I have two) but they are more expensive. I've bought and tamed a Gamo and a Crosman--rather I've bought and kept these two but have returned several others due to "issues or problems."

However, you did a great job of specifying what you want: a .22 cal., a cheap reliable pellet break barrel (Neither my Gamo nor my Crosman prefer or shoo the best with a CPHP), and a gun that shoots well enough for killing squirrels. I practice weekly with my break barrels and can now consistently eradicate pests out to 28 yards--with any of my break barrels. So, yes, you should be able to get one and do what you want. I recommnend that you contact Mike Melick at Flying Dragon Air rifles (http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/) and get him to spec out one of his guns. Otherwise, get in the required number of posts to access the classifieds and see if a member here might sell you one used. I've gotten solid deals on great guns used from people here. The forum has really nice folks to interact with.

Best of luck,

Archie

[avator]

Virtually all springers new from the box will require some level of cleaning/lubing/tuning and  break in period.... as well as the shooter.

[c_m_shooter]

A used RWS 34.

[DanD]

Hi, Buddy,

As far as cheap gas ram guns that make that kind of power (20 fpe), there's various Hatsans, Crosman/Benjamin NP and NP2, maybe higher powered Gamos or Chinese Beemans. Be sure to buy from a place with a good return policy, as cheap rifles may have QC issues.

Requiring any gun to be accurate with a certain pellet, especially a cheap pellet, is unrealistic, IMO. Sometimes it happens, but often it doesn't. You could have two identical make and model guns that have two different pellet preferences, and not many of mine shoot that great with CPHP .22. I've found H&N Field Target Trophy to be a goto pellet, especially in .22.

I understand your desire to get a powerful gun, but most experienced springer squirrel hunters, myself included, will advise you that accuracy is much more important than power. Mid power piston guns tend to be less jumpy and easier to shoot accurately than heavy hitters.
Consider .177 for its flatter trajectory and equal killing ability.  Don't let yourself believe that a hot .22 will make up for poor shot placement- it won't.  I would also recommend dropping the gas ram requirement. The only thing I like about rams is thier twang free shot cycle, but the same can be achieved with springers if you like to tinker.

My personal choice for a squirrel gun is the Beeman R9/HW95 in .177. It's well worth the extra expense in quality, accuracy, and handling.  It's an investment to pass on to your children and grandchildren. If a lower budget must be adhered to, the highly regarded Diana RWS 34 gives excellent accuracy for the dollar. Keep an eye out for refurb deals.

I should note that there are some magnums that shoot very accurately, like the Diana 350/460/48/54 variants and the Weihrauch HW90, but they are not cheap, and are big rifles to drag through the woods.

In the end, buy what looks good to you. Sometimes the only cure for magnumitus is experience with magnums. Sounds like you are already 2 guns into the journey.

Good luck and thanks for reading!

[Mole2017]

Some recommend .22 for hunting etc, but I wouldn't get hung up on it. Others quickly point out that sub 12 FPE guns do squirrels and rabbits in both .177 and .22.

So, being a new airgunner, go for the easy to use and well behaved and highly recommended guns. If I may add my experience, my CFX was never a high power rifle. It might have been launching 9.3 gr .117 wadcutters in the mid 800s at one time, but when the spring broke, I estimated low 700s and I still easily took squirrels with head and neck shots to my normal ranges of 25 yards. Chest shots were a little trickier because of the arm bones and upper shoulder "toughness". (It actually took a while for the broken spring to manifest itself--it was weird that it still worked even in that condition! Once the velocities got down to 600 something and it was making noises when I cocked it, I knew it was time to take a look...)

The flatness of the trajectory was sufficient at even those speeds. Of course, I didn't have a zero point, let alone two zeros, set...but that's another story. Suffice it to say I seem to like my point of impact set at about 1/2 mildot low in the 20 to 35 yard range and that makes everything happy, though it seems none of the software tools can cope with it.

Like the others are saying, long range accuracy will have to grow on you. Seemed like mine came in stages. At first I was happy with 20 yards (which still took some doing), then I found I could do 25 reliably and then came 30 yards. Seemed like there was a time when 30 yards for me was like dart throwing--a big maybe. I wouldn't even attempt it for the longest time. Not any more. Rested and practiced, that CFX/wadcutter combination even drilled squirrels at 45 yards, but it took me time to get up to it.

[Xraycer]

Any  recommendations on a .22 gas piston break barrel rifle that actually shoots Crossman Premier Hollow Points 14.3 grains at least 800 or more fps accurately? This will primarily be a squirrel rifle.

I've purchased 2 Benjamin Trail np2 elites in the last 2 weeks and both had to be sent back so I'm looking for a new rifle.

You never mentioned why you sent the Trail back. Were there defect issues or was it just not shooting well for you? How are you at shooting piston/spring guns?

I've got two Trail NP2, one in .177 and one in .22, and they both shoot very well with CPHP. As a matter of fact, that's essentially all I shoot through them. I can consistently hit a 55yd 3" steel target off the knees. It produces a very loud, solid ding, so I know it's hitting hard, even at that distance. I'm sure there's more than enough energy there to take out any tree rat at that distance. Mine has been untouched, straight out of the box.

[subscriber]

I blew right over the gas piston requirement.  Here is the menu at under $200:
https://www.pyramydair.com/air-guns/rifles/gas-piston-rifles

[DanD]

Just shot a couple test groups.
Seems you might not find anything to shoot CPHP accurately.
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=162803.msg155814932#msg155814932

[Big Rick]

My Crosman Phantom is very accurate and was like sixty bucks. The thing is the sights were such garbage I had to buy a red dot sight for it. Everyone who shoots it falls in love with it. What ever you decide on you might want to budget for a scope or red dot sight.

All of the .22 listed below shoot the Crosman CPHP very well. It is my go to pellet.

[19Sheridan57]

  A friend on mine has a Hatsan 95 Vortex QE that is a sweet shooting rifle under $200. Whether or not ANY rifle is going to shoot THAT certain pellet at THAT speed , will just be determined by trial & error. Did you send the other 2 rifles back just because they didn't meet those requirements  ??
If so, you will probably be sending more back.

[buddyb]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'm trying to stay under $200 for budget reasons 

I was looking at the gas piston break barrels because I heard/read that the springers had an issue if left cocked for too long (not sure how long that is) but it worried me while hunting and it was cocked for an hour or more.

i would hope to be able to shoot a squirrel up to 30 or 40 yards if needed, most will be closer though and I'm looking at the .22 because there will be the occasional ground hog or racoon thrown in.

I returned the other 2 rifles for defects, the 1st gun the safety lever broke and the 2nd gun I think it was the scope but Pyramid Air wanted me to return the whole gun. I was able to shoot nickle size groups at 25 yards with the first gun and did with the second gun until about 100 shots then the groups really spread out. I was using the CDHP 14.3 grains so that's why I posted it that way. I'm totally open to other pellets and just didn't have a chance to try any out yet.

I'm also open to any advice or words of wisdom on shooting these guns because I am new at shooting springers/gas piston guns. I did use the artillery hold though and it seemed to work.

[anti-squirrel]

The last 87QE I used absolutely loved Crosman domes.

If I was going to buy a squirrel-specific .22 gas-piston springer at this moment for under $200, I would purchase either a Hatsan 87QE or the 95QE.  Unfortunately, there's no guarantee any gun will excel with a particular brand of pellet.  Since we have internet and delivery works, I wouldn't concern myself too much with only one particular pellet.  I order from Amazon and have zero problems.  A lot of folks order from the big A but they get multiple things and have them shipped together- when this happens a pellet tin loses.

Though the Diana 34 is good, it is not gas-piston.  I'm not sure why people are still recommending it since you stated the gas-piston requirement.

Another solid possibility are the Norica gas-piston guns.  They use hammer-forged barrels and couple I've been lucky enough to use were not pellet-picky- and plenty accurate.

[avator]

Scopes bundled with springers are 'give aways'. If you got 100 shots out of one on your springer, you did good.

[Xraycer]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
I was looking at the gas piston break barrels because I heard/read that the springers had an issue if left cocked for too long (not sure how long that is) but it worried me while hunting and it was cocked for an hour or more.

This has been greatly exaggerated. I've read accounts of people forgetting and leaving their Springer's cocked for months, and to find out they had only lost about 20fps.
You'd be fine leaving it cocked for an entire day of hunting.

I returned the other 2 rifles for defects, the 1st gun the safety lever broke and the 2nd gun I think it was the scope but Pyramid Air wanted me to return the whole gun. I was able to shoot nickle size groups at 25 yards with the first gun and did with the second gun until about 100 shots then the groups really spread out. I was using the CDHP 14.3 grains so that's why I posted it that way. I'm totally open to other pellets and just didn't have a chance to try any out yet.

I'm leaning towards the cheapo stock scope as the culprit. The double recoil of spring/piston guns are very hard on scopes.

[Relentless Holiday]

"I understand your desire to get a powerful gun, but most experienced springer squirrel hunters, myself included, will advise you that accuracy is much more important than power. Mid power piston guns tend to be less jumpy and easier to shoot accurately than heavy hitters.
Consider .177 for its flatter trajectory and equal killing ability.  Don't let yourself believe that a hot .22 will make up for poor shot placement- it won't.  I would also recommend dropping the gas ram requirement. The only thing I like about rams is thier twang free shot cycle, but the same can be achieved with springers if you like to tinker."

This was spot on.

...and why stress a gas piston system out by leaving it compressed long term?  Could or can do it doesnt mean should do it.

And one last time so you get it 100% clear . No one can predict what pellet will shoot well out of any model of gun. Quite the opposite is what happens. You'll need to test a bunch of pellets to find what is: best, acceptable for the needs, or lousy when shot out of each gun you ever have.  It's just the way it works.

Good luck.

IMO Skip $200.00 springers go multi-pump pneumatic and for accuracy on your prey size out to 35 yards, in a new gun that could sit by the back door ready to fire, I'd say a Benjamin 397S or Seneka .177 Dragonfly. My Dragonfly is at the speed (you think) you need and is scope ready...but seems more pellet picky and some need a very easy transfer port clean up in the bore. The 397S Is ready to shoot and can sit indefinitely, pumped and ready to fire, but it would want a scope mounting adapter. Both are recommended as being stored with at least one or more pumps in them, and are not to be stored with no pumps.

[mac]

I like shooting my Crosman Vantage NP more than my Trail NP2. Both are .177 and I find the older NP gas piston to be smoother and less harsh to shoot than the NP2 power plants. It may not apply in .22 cal or even another .177 but mine shoots the CPHP 10.4 really well.