Good Lightweight Hunting Rifle - Recomendations?

[Marc]

Looking for a new field gun for bunnies and squirrels.  Features I'd like are:

Lighter Weight
Iron Sights prefered (but not mandatory)
0.22 Caliber

Anything else is fair game!

Thanks Guys!

[Mark 611]

I think the newer Hatsan Striker 1000X or S would be a good candidate its in the 6lb range and fiber optic sights! I just purchased one and waiting for it arrive! should have been here today but I think the MO storms last night slowed its arrival time down! those rifles produce pretty good power for a gun that size, and the reviews I've read are very good! and those rifles are different then the rest of the HT line of rifles, I think someone else is making those rifles for them! theirs another company in Turkey that makes those B18/19 clone rifles and the Strikers look to be a heavy duty version of that design JMO

[Marc]

Ahhhh - never looked that direction - thanks for the info!

Before someone asks I'll add - price range under $400.

Thanks again guys!

Marc

[rsterne]

Discovery PCP with pump.... Power and accuracy supreme and no hold sensitivity....

Bob

[jonnnyboy]

Bob beat me to it!  And, the Disco is a modder's delight.

joe

[OleTomCat]

Gamo Silent Cat, but it is only available in .177, but that works well for TreeRats and Cotton Tails...

[Bullit]

Hammerli 850   Very accurate and lightweight.  The gun can be modded up easy enough for good power in Co2,  and can also be modded up to HPA.

[UCChris]

Wanna go really light? Crosman 2400 with Williams sight. Shoots 14.3 g pellets at 570 fps for just over 10fpe. Sub $150

[Marc]

Disco sounds very attractive.

What kind of FPE do you usually see with one, and can you shoot some of the really heavy .22 pellets in them?

[UCChris]

The Discovery easily gets over 20 fpe. Which will drop tree rats and wabbits no problem. I guess you just have to decide at what range you are hunting. I wanted a light hunting gun and I hunt inside of 30 yards. So the 2400 was perfect for me. Super light, and can drop rabbits in .22 cal. The Disco can reach much farther than the 2400 and still have the power to humanely dispatch game.

[rsterne]

You can use any pellets in the Disco, and the heavier ones will deliver a bit more FPE.... but in stock form I wouldn't go over about 21 gr. because the velocity drop is more than I like.... Like any airgun, it's a matter of finding the most accurate pellet for your particular gun.... The JSB Exact Jumbo series is a good place to start.... 14.3 gr. Express, 15.9 gr. Exact, and the 18.1 gr. Heavy.... Mine liked the 15.9 gr. the best when stock, but when I leaned on it a bit, it then preferred the heavies.... True round-nosed pellets will generally work the best at the longer ranges the Disco is capable of.... and have superior Ballistics Coefficients so they retain the most velocity and energy downrange....

Bob

[HatsanPhantom]

Hatsan Striker 1000s or 1000x with a centerpoint 4-16x40 AO mil dot scope   .

I use mine almost DAILY  for pest control in my boss's neighborhood and i take nutters,chippers,and bunnies with ease...often with complete pass throughs

[UCChris]

Also, how quiet do you want it to be? CO2 is inherently quieter than a springer. PCP is less fuss than CO2. If you want it light and compact, quiet, and PCP, then I would get a pistol marauder with a shoulder stock.

[Mark 611]

My Striker showed up today! and I ran about 50 pellets thru it on paper and then thru the crony! I'm very impressed with the rifle accept the trigger it is horrible horrible horrible! need I say more? but the gun is absolutely beautiful! and has good power and is accurate even tho the trigger not worthy! but it can be fixed! the 2 flyers are not the fault of the rifle it was my hold!

[Geoff]

thanks for the images and thought Mark

[thekid]

A light weight springer with good power, is usually more hold sensitive.
If looking to keep it lite, accurate and powerful, then a PCP is the best way to go. As stated the discovery would be your best bet.

[lillysdad621]

RWS 34 in .22, and get a decent scope. or a HW50s... and decent pellets.

[donw]

for a springer/NP...Benjamin NP in .22...you'll have to do a few mods, but they're easy and inexpensive and in the end, it's a powerful accurate hunting rifle.

[FNG54]

Looking for a new field gun for bunnies and squirrels.  Features I'd like are:

Lighter Weight
Iron Sights prefered (but not mandatory)
0.22 Caliber

Anything else is fair game!

Thanks Guys!

Weight ~5.5 lbs
Length ~36 inches
Iron sight > Check
.22 Caliber > Check
up to ~12 ft lbs. stock ( variable )
ADD: not hold sensitive
ADD: self contained no separate pump, no air cylinder
ADD: no CO2 to buy


price range:
Off the shelf Benjamin 392 $160.00 + Peep Sight ~$40.00
Need more fpe then go to MAC1 Steroid 392 ~$310.00 + Peep Sight ~$40.00


Greg

[Marc]

The Benji 392 is a tempting gun, but quality on the current ones really has me hesitating.  It does have a lot of the features I like. 

I also wish it was a steel barrel gun, as I do like to shoot the H&N green pellets around the house, and they are harder than lead.  I don't know that they'd be a good mix in the brass barrel.