.177 Magnums (I'm no longer in love)

[Atchman2]

I love magnum spring air guns! However, I find that I'm not as enamored with the .177 magnums.  As most of the time I'm using them for hunting, the .177s are just so hard to shoot, are so difficult to shoot easily, and so heavy, I don't want to carry them into the woods.  On top of that I have to order the heavier pellets for them.  Part of owning a .177 gun is cheaper pellets, that kinda goes out of the window when you are dealing with magnums.  

Anyway, I think I'm going to sell or trade the .177 magnums and get "normal" .177 guns. I find I gravitate to my RWS 36C and my older style Gamo Whisper for .177 hunting.  They aren't magnums, but they are VERY accurate, light and easy to shoot.  They both have slings, so I can carry them long distances without too much strain.  

The .22 magnums are a different story. While they have some of the other problems, the trade off (to me at least) is worth the weight.  I have three big magnums, a TF Jet, a TF 89, and a RWS 350.  All of them hit hard  and are laser accurate.  Only the Jet needs anything other than normal weight pellets, and the TF 89 doesn't seem to care WHAT pellet it shoots, as it shoots everything I've shot out of it very well.  

[LAalex]

I agree with you Atchman.  I bought a refurb Ruger Air Magnum awhile back and tuned it with a Vortek spring and seal.  It's alot smoother than stock but really requires technique to shoot well.  It hits very hard and is capable of good accuracy but its big and hold sensitive.  My Crosman Phantom is a featherweight compared to the RAM and is a tackdriver.
 
Scotty

[Nathan]

That's exactly why I traded my .177 RWS M350. Although the weight did not bother me, as it weighs ~ what my .22 M350 does, the difficulty shooting it ( it was accurate but with only certain pelets and technique had to be exact) and being limited to heavier pellets turned me off. A lot of people find this fact out too late after they've bought their "super blasto .177 magnum". Manufacturers continually hyping higher and higher muzzle velocity numbers contributes to the effect more and more.

Nathan

[thekid]

I love my 350 .177, And if I find I want it tamed a little more i will add a maccari soft kit, Now that would be a sweet shooter although still heavy.

[Onebaddj]

Man do i love my vortek 350's in both 177 and 22! The 177's take some gettin uzed too but man the power and accuracy is crazy! If i had the extra cash id buy another "for my kids". 

[northern lights]

I,ve never been a fan of mag guns to heavy to enjoy an no fun to carry. I enjoy shooting 10 - 30 yd,s the most. An 4-6 power scope work great that those distance. Plus they cost less an weight less. My favorites weight 6# an less. But still do some 50 yd shooting with my bigger guns.

[Smaug]

On top of that I have to order the heavier pellets for them.  Part of owning a .177 gun is cheaper pellets, that kinda goes out of the window when you are dealing with magnums. 

How heavy of a pellet do you find that you need for your .177 magnums for them to be accurate and sub-sonic? The ones that are advertised to run at 1500 fps are more like 1100 fps with 7 gr. pellets. Going up to 8.4 to 8.8 gr. seems like it would do the trick. Even so, the 10.2 - 10.6 gr. pellets are nowhere near as expensive (per 500 pellets) as .22. Did you ever try the really heavy pellets in your magnum .177 springers? The ones that are over 13 gr.? Just curious how that works out.

However, I do agree that a springer that is muzzle heavy is no good.

[RedFeather]

Atchman2, you've hit the nail squarely on the head.  The current "magnum" .177's are best suited for the heavy pellets.  In fact, I would go even further and say that they are designed with the heavier pellets in mind.  As speeds approach MachI, the diabolo pellet's flight becomes erratic, so there is a need to keep velocity in check.  Resistance in the breech is less with standard weight pellets, resulting in some of the heavier spring's energy remaining in the compression tube, either the piston or spring, itself.  (Some energy is absorbed by the pellet in overcoming inertia [I guess].)  This can result in more vibration (the retained energy has to go somewhere) and shortened spring life.  And what about the down range effect?  A light pellet driven at high speeds will shed energy more quickly than a heavier pellet, making it less effective at longer ranges.

"Uber magnums" (and, BTW, that 36 is a magnum, at least, in my book) are fine for hunting and occasional short bench sessions.  What comes out must first go in.  I just picked up a used RX and, boy, is that thing a bear to cock.  No, it's not in .177 but .20.  Shooting these uber magnums off the bench is like a session with a .375 Holland and Holland.  

[EJB]

I like the magnums because they feel like a rifle is in ones hand not A cap gun.  They do take some getting use to but they are heavenly and lovable after that.  I had BB guns as a kid but now in my 70's and just got back into them last November.

[PhantomF4E]

Your choices of the 36 and the Whisper for hunting (provided the Gamo is properly equipped trigger wise)  are excellent.  Being able to hit well, with certainty, is always better than a harder hit.

[DMikeM]

hmm, well I own 3 mag class AGs now, and all 3 are very shootable and accurate. My B28 .177 has a custom Vortek soft kit in it and shoots RWS SDs right at about 920 FPS. My B28 .22 has a full power Vortek and shoots CPUM 14.3 at 720 FPS and is VERY accurate. The RAM has a full power Vortek kit in it and shoots CPL 7.9s at 1025 FPS and I am shooting 5 shot groups under and inch at 35 yards. I shot all 3 of these guns pretty much all weekend and only have some slight left shoulder discomfort and a sore thumb from pushing pellets. Not sure why other seem to have such a hard time with the MAG class guns. I really like them. Oh all 3 are chopped tuned and have muzzle brakes on them too which really does sweeten things up.
But I will not be buying any more MAG class guns as I have enough. My next gun will be either a PCP or an AA fixed BBL. Then I will be done.

[Bullit]

Refeather  LOL!
Like to prove them, just don't look forward to morning.

[kf9vh]

I feel about the same way about all springers. I have a HW50S tuned by Rob Hawkins which has the best balance of power, weight, recoil and accuracy of any springer I have ever owned. However after picking up a .177 and .22 Disco I have fell out of love with it. The weight, power and accuracy of the Discos are unbelievable. I would much rather shoot them than the HW.

[RedFeather]

Yeah, the Disco's have good power but, if caterpillars can become butterflies, why can't Crosman make a gun like the Disco look at least as good as most all springers (early Chinese excepted)?  By that I mean, I find them sort of 1950's ugly.  C'man, Crosman, did you have a bunch of 140 stocks left over or something?  I simply cannot fall in love with that gun.  Even my Mossberg .22's are more stylish, and that's saying something.  

[kf9vh]

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I was just outside shooting walnuts at 60 yards with the .22 disco. I could never do that consistently with a springer. Personally performance is more important to me that appearance. That being said I would not mind having a FX Royale.

[Wee Hooker]

I just sold off my 177 350 mag for the same reasons. It was beautiful, very accurate but a handfull to lug around, cock and shoot offhand ( for me.). Just starting into PCP with a Disco and Marauder. Both have their advantages but come at the cost of limited field shots and allot of pumping when I get home. There is something to be said for carring the power plant onboard. While I own others, I find the Benjamin NP series hard to beat for the "all round/field work" I do. Comes slinged, mid weight/ size, not so hold sensitive and I like the quietness. I'm getting VG accuracy and about 16fp ME too.

[Smaug]

hmm, well I own 3 mag class AGs now, and all 3 are very shootable and accurate. My B28 .177 has a custom Vortek soft kit in it and shoots RWS SDs right at about 920 FPS. My B28 .22 has a full power Vortek and shoots CPUM 14.3 at 720 FPS and is VERY accurate. The RAM has a full power Vortek kit in it and shoots CPL 7.9s at 1025 FPS and I am shooting 5 shot groups under and inch at 35 yards.

Mike, from those numbers, I would argue that only the Ruger Air Magnum is truly a magnum class springer. I have an X20 which shoots SuperDomes at about the same speed, and I consider it "high power" but not Magnum. 1025 fps with the same pellet weight qualifies though.

I am shooting 5 shot groups under and inch at 35 yards.

(assuming near an inch, rather than WELL under an inch)

I was just outside shooting walnuts at 60 yards with the .22 disco. I could never do that consistently with a springer.

...in other words, double the accuracy.

I like my springers and pump-up pneumatics for some of the same reason the others do. But I'm looking forward to the accuracy and recoilless operation of my Marauder.

[Onebaddj]

Sub 1 in groups at 35 yds are very easy with a well tuned 350 or clone and lots of practice to get bonded with it. I had mine zeroed at 35yds for picking off grackles and starlings and if my shots didnt touch i was not happy. Granted after a day of fartin around and target shooting in the swamp you knew you had been shooting. Mostly in my elbows.

[DMikeM]

Actually Smaug, I will have to call you one that one. The RAM would be a super mag and the other magnum class. I live at 7,000 FASL giving me a near 20% loss in power for any of my guns. If I were to take them to around 1,000 FASL or so I would be producing more FPS than most of the claims the manufacturer states. Remember all 3 guns are the same gun/clone just stamped differently, only the B28 .177 is detuned at all. 1 inch or less on the group.

[EJB]

I would love to have a PCP but I think the cost is prohibitive.  Because of the pump or tank.  It would be great if they would include the pump right in the rifle for the same cost.