Author Topic: Daughter's air rifle on it's way! (Read 3593 times))

limbwalker · « **on:** January 28, 2013, 12:05:24 PM »

So, my daughter (12) has been shooting in the local 4-H .22 rifle project lately. This is her 2nd year in that project, and she really enjoys it. She has her "own" .22 rifle to use, but we live in town, so while we were at Bass Pro yesterday buying pellets for dad's airgun, I let her handle all the air rifles they had on the shelf (quite a few actually!). After hoisting and aiming with no less than a dozen models from Gamo, Crosman, RWS, Stoeger, Ruger, etc., she settled on the Crosman Phantom. Lucky for me it's just $89 right now from Pyrmayd Air! So I ordered it for her last night.

I'm going to set up a three-position area for her on our concrete back patio with a target at 10 yards so we can shoot alongside each other. I can't wait. Should be a lot of fun!

The reviews for the Phantom are pretty good. I'm looking forward to seeing her put it through it's paces. Can anyone recommend an adjustable rear aperture sight for it that will fit the 11 mm dovetail?

Bullit · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2013, 12:33:59 PM »

Pyramid has some that you can look over:
https://www.pyramydair.com/accessories/open-sights/rear

This is a popular match rifle package:
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/daisy-powerline-953-targetpro-target-sights?m=2610

Ol'DeadEye · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2013, 12:52:18 PM »

Are you looking for a target sight or a general purpose/hunting sight ? ?

I use a Williams WGRS-54 on my Benji Disco.
It does not have adjustment knobs, just adjustment screws.
But if you're target shooting at a fixed distance, that wouldn't matter.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=williams+peep+sights
Might be what you looking for...

limbwalker · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2013, 01:39:49 PM »

That williams sight looks great. I'll look into that for her. Yea, I should have probably just got her the single stroke pneumatic target gun, huh? Oh well. Live and learn...

John

mudmobster · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2013, 02:22:36 PM »

it's all good as long as ya'll are together. Be proud of her and your time together.

Kailua · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2013, 02:30:06 PM »

You can call PA and if it hasn't shipped you may change your order. Only problem with the 953 you need to to a trigger screw mod (not really hard) and with some lead seasoning through the barrel it is a pretty accurate rifle.

Ol'DeadEye · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2013, 02:50:43 PM »

Quote from: limbwalker on January 28, 2013, 01:39:49 PM

That williams sight looks great. I'll look into that for her. Yea, I should have probably just got her the single stroke pneumatic target gun, huh? Oh well. Live and learn...

John

Who says she can have only one.!

If she keeps at it, get her another............and another............and another........etc, etc. etc......

Tyrantblade · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2013, 03:42:58 PM »

around here a store will have maybe 2 or 3 break barrel air rifles, if its a bigger store, maybe 5 or 6.

and its always Crosman, Benjamin, and sometimes Gamo.

never anything that really stands out.

limbwalker · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2013, 04:20:57 PM »

I was actually pretty impressed with the selection at our "local" Bass Pro (and I'm not a Bass Pro fan because of all their Chinese junk) - they even had an RWS Diana 34 in there! Along with the pumpers, there were probably 25 air rifles to choose from, as well as 4 types of RWS pellets. So, yea, that was nice to see.

I've enjoyed my springers so much lately that I wanted her to have one. If I do end up getting her a single stroke pneumatic target gun, I'm sure she will still shoot the break barrel. I can see me taking the wife and daughter to the airgun club for a field target round. I described the club and targets to my wife and she thought it sounded pretty cool too. The Phantom would fit her just as well.

John

palonej · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2013, 05:58:32 PM »

In NJ you will NEVER see any air rifles anywhere for sale!!

thekid · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2013, 07:44:18 PM »

Excellent Dude!
My daughter used a daisy 953 target pro I purchased for her at the Cadets. She was really fond of the 853 I believe it was, but at the 200+ they wanted, she settled for the target pro.
Excellent little gun and very accurate, she was very good with it, I used my springers she used that. After a bit she was giving me a challenge.

Our Bass pro has quite the selection as well, but here, you would have a heart attack at the prices.
34's..400 dollars my 350, 600 dolars and change almost 700 dollars for it.
Highway robbery and you need a fire arms license just to hold it, let alone buy it!

limbwalker · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2013, 11:29:07 PM »

Quote from: thekid on January 28, 2013, 07:44:18 PM

Excellent Dude!
My daughter used a daisy 953 target pro I purchased for her at the Cadets. She was really fond of the 853 I believe it was, but at the 200+ they wanted, she settled for the target pro.
Excellent little gun and very accurate, she was very good with it, I used my springers she used that. After a bit she was giving me a challenge.

Our Bass pro has quite the selection as well, but here, you would have a heart attack at the prices.
34's..400 dollars my 350, 600 dolars and change almost 700 dollars for it.
Highway robbery and you need a fire arms license just to hold it, let alone buy it!

That's so sad. What is this world coming to. Right across the border in Alaska, I think it's illegal if you DON'T own at least 3 firearms! LOL!

This whole gun thing is just going to be nuts in a few more decades. Thank God for Texas.

John

ac12 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2013, 07:00:37 PM »

@John
Get her the 953 (or a refubished 853 from the CMP) for her birthday.

But tune the trigger first, so she is not frustrated by the LOUSEY stock trigger. The trigger is an easy DIY fix. There are a lot of info on the trigger mods, including a thread I posted in the Target shooting section.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=39648.0

And put on a decent diopter sight set. The stock light pipe sight is a gimick and is difficult to shoot with any precision. This kit is already setup with diopter sights (although I do not know the quality of the Air Venturi rear sight).
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/daisy-powerline-953-targetpro-target-sights?m=2610
I have the Gamo sights on my 953
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-precision-sight-set-globe-front-sight-w-insert-rear-diopter?a=608
Yeah the Gamo sight costs more than the 953 itself. It used to be only $60 when I got my sights.

Then get ready for a real challenge from her. The 953 being a SSP rifle does not have the recoil/vibration of a spring rifle, so it is much easier to shoot accurately.

You mentioned setting up a 3P setup for her.
I will warn you that the motion to charge the 953 (or any x53) rifle with air is VERY disruptive when shooting 3P, especially in the prone position where you have to break position to charge the rifle. That is why a lot of groups are switching over to the co2 rifles like the Daisy/Avanti 887, Crosman Challenger 2009, and AF Edge. But these co2 rifles are significantly more expensive than the 953 with upgraded sights.
The motion to cock a break-barrel would be similarly disruptive and in the prone position require her to break position to cock and load. You need to help her to SAFELY cock and load the break-barrel. I ALWAYS hang on to the barrel with one hand while I load with the other hand. That will be tricky to do in prone.

Bullit · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2013, 09:09:13 PM »

Heck, a good girl with a nice smooth brain? Just tell them to "not so good it up and settle down" . How many of us have heard that one before?!? ;" They're pretty flexible at that age,,, and a heck of a lot more comfortable in the dirt than us.

1216bandit · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2013, 09:29:58 PM »

so good that you have that in common with her!! As I am sure you will find out, the trigger is not the best, but is an easy and reasonable cost fix with the GRT trigger. The barrel pivot washers are plastic and will wear after a while...another cheap and easy fix with Gene's brass ones. Once the trigger is dealt with, it becomes a very nice and accurate gun!

limbwalker · « **Reply #15 on:** January 30, 2013, 01:39:53 AM »

ac12, thanks for the great advice!

I think I'm going to let her try the Phantom out a few times just for plinking around the yard, and see what she thinks. Her 4-H project right now is .22 rifle, and if she really wants to compete in that, I will probably get her a .22 target rifle eventually so she can be competitive. But she likes shooting. So something to shoot spinners around the yard with would really make her day. She sat and shot her brother's Daisy 499 for quite a while on her own the other day. It was fun to watch. She's like her dad, she kinda gets addicted to shooting after a while.

Guys, I have to say I'm really blessed. I have two daughters that shoot and hunt with me, and both are great students too. It just doesn't get any better.

John

ac12 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 30, 2013, 02:08:26 AM »

@John
If she is going to do 3P, I would try to increase the budget to get a co2 rifle.
As I mentioned the SSP and break-barrel rifles will require her to break position to charge the rifle with air or cock the spring. CO2 or compressed air (CA/PCP) will not require her to break position to cock and load the rifle.

Go to www.targettalk.org, and check out the youth section. There are several coaches that hang out there that you can ask for advice. One is a 4H coach in New Mexico, so he is familiar with the 4H program.

gud luk

Gertrude · « **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2013, 03:04:02 AM »

Sounds like you and your daughters have a great time together. My daughter is 12, second year of 4H (livestock), Man I wish we had a rifle group in our club ! But we enjoy recreational shooting together, and she's doing pretty well. Absolutely the best time spent, is spending it with our kids !

limbwalker · « **Reply #18 on:** January 30, 2013, 10:29:55 AM »

Agreed.

On the 3P - she's shooting that with the .22 rifle. 4-H has air rifle competitions, but they conflict with her archery, so she just shoots .22 - and honestly isn't all that serious about competing in it. She's already competing in archery and will be on the Jr. High tennis and volleyball teams, so she just wants to shoot for fun. So this gun is for us to plink with in the back yard. Even though she may practice her various positions using it, that won't be the primary use. I do like the idea of her having an air rifle that's powerful enough for us to go shoot starlings or pigeons with though

She's totally up for that.

John

Onebaddj · « **Reply #19 on:** January 30, 2013, 12:29:19 PM »

The title of this made me laugh cause thats how i justified the cost of tuning my daughter big cat. Then the other 2 kids had to have thier own air rifles so i built my son a 2250 pcp and my other daughter and custom 1377. They all love their air rifles.

Congrats on your daughters new one. Its always good to see people getting their kids involved in this you can do together.

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Daughter's air rifle on it's way!

Author Topic: Daughter's air rifle on it's way! (Read 3593 times))

limbwalker

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mudmobster

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