Chinese Springer gurus

[Stonechucker]

I have a question. If you were to pick your favorite / most accurate chinese Springer,  with no tunning  which one would it be?

[El Greco]

I just picked up a Ruger impact Max Elite .22 a couple of weeks ago, that with a little work shoots amazing at 25 yards. I will start a separate thread so that it doesn't get burried here. Cost was 148$ from Walmart

[Stonechucker]

Sounds like a fun gun at a good price. How is the trigger and shot cycle?

[Back_Roads]

 The bear River Black Ops Sniper the one with adjustable trigger , not sure if they have changed it on the gas ram version, it did take some shoot in time, but for a magnum springer they are accurate.
 I also have become a fan of some of the Ruger offerings, pretty sweet right out of the box compared to the Black Ops.
 Another diamond in the rough IMO are the Chinese Beemans, my first higher powered break barrel, seasoned out to be a smooth accurate shooter, but was crunchy as heck at first.

[Blowpipe Sam]

My experience is limited but I have to say that my Ruger Impact Max is very accurate out to 30 yards, but you need to be good at estimating range because of the trajectory.  The Winchester 1100 is darned accurate for around $60.00, but you better be a master of the artillery hold.

[Stonechucker]

I was always very intrigued by the Bam line of guns especially the B-26. I don't think they are made anymore. It's too bad I hear they are pretty nice shooters. I wouldn't  mind finding a nice used one some day.

[GumpIsrael]

I’ve heard tales of the glorious B40, a TX200 clone. Never had one though.
Best stock Chinese gun I’ve had was my Steiger X10, basically a very upgraded B19.

[lefteyeshot]

Yep. My .177 B40 is a tac driver but it was tuned by the guy I got it from. My .177 B26-2 shoot good also with it's MM tune. I have two pawn shop Crosman Storms that are great shooter. But both have GRT triggers--one's in a Benjamin T.H. stock. Crosman Optimus is the same gun or a Quest if you can find one. Optimus looks out of stock most places.

[Roadworthy]

If you're shopping for a Chinese gun with a decent trigger you should look at the XS-25 at Flying Dragon which is the same gun as the Ruger Air Hawk and Black Hawk sometimes found at Walmart.  It's a clone of the Diana 34.  Most parts interchange with the 34.

[SteveP-52]

If you're shopping for a Chinese gun with a decent trigger you should look at the XS-25 at Flying Dragon which is the same gun as the Ruger Air Hawk and Black Hawk sometimes found at Walmart.  It's a clone of the Diana 34.  Most parts interchange with the 34.

Thomas said what I was thinking...lol. I had one in .22 but with Mike's full tune. Basic rifle is $130: http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=51

He also has the SFB version which is $50 cheaper and gives you the choice of .177 or .22: http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=67

Only thing I'd suggest should you decide to get one is ask him to at least do his second screw trigger mod so you get a nice adjustable 2 stage trigger.

[swoab47]

My Stoeger X20S2 .22 is a decent gun out of the box.  A few mods and a tune later and it is a sweet shooter.

XS46U from Flying Dragon is a decent gun, but the trigger is just not very good on mine and it is in an uncomfortable position for me.

My Umarex Octane that I converted to .25 with a MM barrel is a beast to cock, but does shoot nice and is accurate.

All were decent out of the box, but give them a little love, do your part to learn how to shoot them, and Chinese air rifles can shoot right along with other higher priced guns.

[Stonechucker]

Thanks for all the replies guys. You have given me a lot to think about. I do have a Xisico XS12 on the way. It has not been tuned, but I am really curious to see how it shoots stock. If it is horrible I might use it to learn a little tunning myself. I have loved airgunning for many years but never got into tunning. This looks like a good opportunity. 😁

[Matchstickshooter]

  For me, it has to be the Winchester 1100.  I'm actually on my second! 
 I got one for Christmas 2018, and went through it ,stuffed the hollow stock, did the trigger mod,and the "Tune in a Tube".
   Parted with it last summer  (money) and missed it.
 Got another for Christmas 2019!
  It's my only break barrel.  Does wonderful with Crosman 10.5 domes.

[lillysdad621]

my vote goes for the now unavailable b26. with a mild tune you cant differentiate from other more germanic springers that may or may not have played a part on its inspiration... the b40 is another one that with a little love it can shoot the doors off more expensive hardware. But if i had to get one still made now it would be the b25, with a flying dragon tune.

[Septicdeath]

My Xisicos are by far the best.

[darren]

MY b40.

[nced]

I have a question. If you were to pick your favorite / most accurate chinese Springer,  with no tunning  which one would it be?

The main issue I have with Chinese "mechanical stuff" is the poor quality control where some are well made and some "not so much".

Years ago I bought a B26 and the gun wouldn't cock straight from the box. I disassembled the gun and found that the "end plug" was so undersized in the receiver tube that the safety button was binding. I was able to "adjust" the "end hole plug" diameter so the safety wouldn't bind and I could cock the gun. The second issue came when I pressed the safety button to take a shot and the gun fired with the "safety button push". I never did get to accuracy test that B26 because it was pretty difficult to shoot a good group using the safety button as a trigger. That B26 was trashed but I did keep the barrel because the bore LOOKED good and I was hoping that the supposedly "HW95 clone" would fit my HW95. Nope, evidently the B26 barrel pivot geometry was "too far off" to get a proper latch-up..........


I also bought a Crosman Quest 1000 (a Chinese Gamo220 copy) and that gun did shoot the normal way, but the groups which were pretty good would orbit around the aim point every half dozen shots or so. Breaking down the Quest I found another "Gamo design" Chinese QC issue. The pivot bolt geometry had a sleeve inside a hole in the barrel pivot block with the pivot bolt inside the sleeve. The pivot bolt had a rather sloppy fit inside the "sleeve" and the "sleeve" had a sloppy fit inside the barrel pivot block. That in itself didn't explain the "orbiting zero" but a close examination of the "sleeve" showed that the hole wasn't concentric with the outside diameter. This caused the loose fitting "eccentric sleeve" to rotate every few shots which moved the poi.

I tried one more Chinese offering, a Remington  Express and I had the same orbiting grouping as the Crosman Quest..........
 

Anywhoo.......I've read about "Chinese springer shooters" getting good results and years ago when shooting hunter class field target at Damascus, MD a shooter would shoot good scores with his B26 so they "ain't all bad"........only the ones I bought.

[mikeyb]

I have a question. If you were to pick your favorite / most accurate chinese Springer,  with no tunning  which one would it be?

Are you focused on made in China only, or is the focus more on lowest cost?

If lowest cost then my vote goes to one NOT made in China...
https://hatsanairgunsusa.com/product/edge-spring-gun-only-no-scope/?attribute_pa_caliber=177

Many new ones can shoot well right out of the box, but refurbs are a gamble. All of them will shoot well with a little lube, tune, and trigger adjustment. I don't think you can get a better air rifle in that price range.

If it has to be made in China then the XS-25 rifles and other D34 clones are on my favorites list.

[Lt. Dan]

If you're shopping for a Chinese gun with a decent trigger you should look at the XS-25 at Flying Dragon which is the same gun as the Ruger Air Hawk and Black Hawk sometimes found at Walmart.  It's a clone of the Diana 34.  Most parts interchange with the 34.

Tom I have to agree with you and what Steve's said in his post that followed yours. The XS-25 Steve gifted me is smooth as silk and at 25 yards rivals the Diana in every way. Mike at Flying Dragon Air Rifles can transform the Xisico into a Diana as far as action and accuracy.  Of course his two screw modification that Steve speaks of idefinitely helps even more.

[Lt. Dan]

I have a question. If you were to pick your favorite / most accurate chinese Springer,  with no tunning  which one would it be?

I just noticed that the original post states with no tuning.  My Browning Leverage and My Ruger Air Hawk are both exceptional Chinese rifles and after thorough bore polishing and a decent break in period have proven to be extremely accurate air rifles and both are a  pleasure to shoot.
For example look closely at the target below, a Chinese underlever,  a Browning Leverage .177 at 20 yards. And that's with the cheap Chinese scope that came with it. At only  $99.00 minus the Coupon code and free shipping.  Total $84 to my door.