New guy help

[leveractionjackson]

I'm looking to buy my first break barrel. 
I don't know what to buy.  Two many choices.
I'm looking at a Targus.
Octane max elite
Ruger something elite.
Crossman models with the 3-9 ao scopes.
Several of the Benjamin models also.
I have to jeep it below 200.
In the future I'll spend more.
The all have different fps
I want one in 22 or 25
I live in the city have a small range in the backyard.
But I want to be able to put down some critters
Thanks

[Bayman]

I'm not too familiar with any of the guns mentioned. I am familiar with scopes packaged with guns at that price point. Consider any scope you get with the gun a wheel chock. You'll need to spend at least another hundred bucks on a scope and rings that might stand up to spring or gas piston gun.

I went the route of the box store Magnums and was pulling my hair out trying to hit anything more than a dozen times. The scopes and mounts were constantly moving and breaking. I got fed up and choked up a bit more money to get something that worked consistently. After buying and returning a couple cheaply made box store rifles and a separate scope it cost me roughly $300 dollars for complete aggravation. I spent $500 to get something nice and a joy to shoot.

Get something with open sights and you'll save yourself money and the aggravation of cheap scopes.

Good luck to you
Ron

[Hoosier Daddy]

It's safe to say just about everyone here started out just like you Duane.
At that price point it is really "hit or miss" on getting a decent airgun.
 I would recommend a Crosman / Benjamin simply for the Warranty and Customer Service. If you do get a "klunker" they will take care of you.
You might want to watch the classifieds here on GTA and pick up a higher quality used gun from a member with good reviews.

[Back_Roads]

 Take a gander at this one, clone of Diana 35
Great accurate gun from my experience.

[Bladebum]

Hey Duane, my best advice is seriously not to waste your time with guns in that price category. I did not enjoy airguns until I accepted that. If you can save just a bit more money and pick up a diana 34 that will be your best bet. Or, there are some nice PCP options out there like the umarex origin or Air venturi avenger that would fit in the lower price category and still be decent quality. 

Many people like yourself come into this sport exactly the same way as you. They don't want to(or cannot) spend very much and what usually happens is they come back here with disappointment posts on thier new gun. Seriously,  if you really want to get into and enjoy airguns it is worth every penny to spend more. That is my best advice and i hope it helps.

[farrlarr]

What are you shooting currently on your backyard range?  The reason I ask is that it is often very problematic to shoot anything in the city; neighbors complain and cause all sorts of problems unless they buy into the idea of guns. If you are currently shooting and not having problems, maybe the neighbors are okay.  If you have an area that you think will work for a range but aren't yet shooting anything, it might be a very good idea to talk with your neighbors about what you plan to do, to see whether they will have problems with what you are doing.  Of course, whatever you are shooting, be sure that you have an adequate backstop.  Even if your neighbors are okay with you shooting in your backyard, having your pellets penetrate into their property would surely cause problems.  You might want to check Pyramyd Air for any airgun you are considering, since they give loudness information on the guns they carry and the noise of shooting in your backyard could be another issue for your neighbors.

As others have said, the scopes bundled with low priced guns are pretty much junk.  I agree with Bayman that starting with open sights, particularly for short range as you indicate, would be a better place to start.  When you later decide to get a scope, be absolutely certain that it is listed as springer rated.  Break barrel airguns have both forward and backward recoil and they quickly break scopes that are not constructed to handle that.

[ranchibi]

Like said above, keep an eye out for a maybe a used RWS or HW if at all possible.

[Hoosier Daddy]

A couple years ago a Hatson 95 was all the rage.
I got a lemon but many got a nice rifle in your price range.

[leveractionjackson]

My back yard swopes up.  I'm shooting into a small hill.
Currently using a Crosman 140.  It's not dependable.
When I was younger.  My cousin had a Rws can't rembrr the model number.
He committed suicide several months ago.  So when I shot the 140 it brought back some memories.
I figured all the scopes were @$%^.
I have experience behind good scopes.
I found a Benjamin trail xl in 25 for 165 in really good shape
Winchester 425 in 22 it's a Rws fun.  It needs oiled or new seals.  165 also but only shoots at like 500 fps I read on here.
I really like the Crossman valiant
Thanks guys!
One more?
Besides gamo are their other Spanish makes I should look at.  And who sales them?

[Doug Wall]

You want something in the 12 FPE energy range. It's more than enough for any backyard, and small critters you might find there. I would stay away from magnum rated guns. They're harder to cock, usually louder, and generally more than you need. I would also stay away from .25 guns. The ammo is quite a biy more expensive than .177 or .22.

[19Sheridan57]

    I will offer a different opinion than most of the others. I am NOT a springer expert, so this is my opinion, from my limited springer experiences.
   I do agree with Doug & suggest staying away from the high powered , magnum air rifles. Since this is your first " Twanger," [ Springer ], be advised that they are harder to learn to shoot accurately & can be pellet picky. You can become frustrated very quickly when trying to learn to shoot a magnum air rifle. They have more recoil, are harder to cock, heavier , & usually noisier than a standard velocity air rifle. All springers will destroy the cheap scopes provided, but a magnum may do it during the first shooting session. Consider most all of these scopes as junk ! A standard power rifle will help the cheap scope last longer.
   I have grown fond of Gamo rifles & recommend them. Here is one that would fit your needs ;


   https://gamousa.com/product/gamo-swarm-hunter-22-10-shot-wood-stock-pellet-rifle/

[superchikn]

My first jumper rifle I bought several years ago when I fell into this rabbit hole was an Umarex Octane Elite in 22.  Why? because it was a super magnum, high fps etc. etc.  It is the one rifle of more than a dozen I really dont shoot.


That Gamo swarm that Steve recomended above looks like a really nice deal.


I have a Diana 34 177 that comes with a great trigger and once broken in is an amazing shooter and a joy to shoot.  Mine is a panther(synthetic stock) that if I remember correctly I paid less $200 on an amazing sale a couple years ago.  If you can find a gently used one or a similar model that would be a great way to go.  As was mentioned above A used HW would be great too.


Yup package scopes are garbage on a piston gun but can be put to good use on something like a Daisy 880 or a co2 gun that is not seeing heavy use.

[Badduck]

R9 or R7 you wont regret it.

[Hoosier Daddy]

My experience with modern Gamo, is less than stellar.

[Bayman]

R9 or R7 you wont regret it.

Hw30 (R7) is by far my favorite rifle. It's a little weak for pesting past 20 yards. I love my 177 Hw95 (R9) it's a Lazer beam. I smoked a starling at 104 or 108 yards. I forget. Honestly if I could only have one airgun it'd be my 177 Hw50. It's good for pesting as far as I can shoot it in field conditions maybe forty yards. It's the perfect springer IMO. Other than the disproportionate cocking force. It's about as hard to cock as a 95 but makes about three fpe less than the 95. Any half healthy adult won't have a problem with it unless shooting it for prolonged period of time. My wife much prefers a Hw30 to the Hw50 because we'll shoot a tin or two in a session.

[Robert 5mm]

It's safe to say just about everyone here started out just like you Duane.

I started out with my first break barrel different than most - Beeman R1 5mm - never regret buying quality

[leveractionjackson]

I just want to have fun now.  If I get more serious I would buy a lot nicer gun.
It could just be a phase for me
I do enjoy the *(&^ out of plinking.

I like the blue streak style pumps.  The prices are crazy to me   maybe on day I'll get lucky and find one at a garage sale

[lefteyeshot]

You said less than $200. Amazon Crosman Optimus .22 springer with scope $134 free shipping. Best cheap gun on the market. Shoot with the scope comes with it till it breaks and get a new one. Later you can upgrade to a Charlie-Da-Tuna GRT trigger for $35. GRT trigger makes a good gun a great gun. Walmart has Simmons and Center Point scopes for $53 dollars I have had to luck with.

[anti-squirrel]

I own some higher end airguns, and my answer is either get a Crosman nitro-piston or a Hatsan 95QE.  Both are quiet and powerful enough for dispatching pests.  The fancy R-series and HWspringers are nice but not in the price range.  You don't need powerful or expensive to be successful in pesting. Heck, we have more than one member here that has used an 880 pumper with an LDC out to 80 yards on Starlings.  I've used my 760 pumper with RWS Superdomes at a measured 52 yards on HOSPs with a Rocker1 LDC- it's an older model with a rifled barrel from a Crosman MK4-177.

Given how good .22 is as a caliber, plus the options of slugs and hybrid pellets as well as "regular" pellets, I'd be inclined to stick to .22 if I was just getting started in airgunning- especially in populated areas.

[kerplunk]

I just want to have fun now.  If I get more serious I would buy a lot nicer gun.
It could just be a phase for me
I do enjoy the *(&^ out of plinking.

I like the blue streak style pumps.  The prices are crazy to me   maybe on day I'll get lucky and find one at a garage sale

If you like pumpers look into the Crosman 362. Lots of people on here have them and most seem to like them. With some of the leftover money you can get a suppressor to quiet it down for backyard use.

If you end up going with a springer, I'd also say to avoid .25 caliber. Ammo is more expensive and typically not available locally, and the lower velocity results in a less flat trajectory. I think .25 springers are mostly a gimmick, it's a caliber that's a better fit for PCPs. As the addiction grows you may want to pick one up just for fun, but I don't think a .25 is a good first springer. 

As others have said you may want to check the classifieds here. You can probably find some on Craigslist and Armslist, but if you get one from a member here there is a much better chance it has been taken care of (like not excessively dry fired).