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22 Air Rifle?

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Not a rimfire, but please provide thoughts on a good 22 caliber air rifle to think about purchasing...

 

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Without knowing your criteria, I can tell you I have an Xisico (Chinese RWS rip-off) that’s pretty accurate and can put a .22 pellet clear through two steel soup cans

 

i would have sprung for the real RWS but I knew I’d shoot it so rarely I couldn’t justify

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One reason to consider .22 over .177 is that the pellets are easier to pick-up, handle & load, especially if you are considering a single shot air rifle.   Pyramid Air is an excellent online resource for investigation/purchase of your air rifle.  After much research I purchased a PCP (Pre-Charged Pneumatic) rifle that uses a 10 round magazine in addition to single shot.  PCP air rifles have a cylinder that holds compressed air (or CO2 if they use cartridges) and can fire multiple rounds on a single charge.  They will be more expensive than pump type air guns.  If you want to have maximum fun plinking, I recommend you check-out PCP air rifles.  More shooting, less work pumping and with a magazine, less time loading.

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I am thinking a self-contained pump.  Scorpio, I already have a .177 caliber one.  Just looking to expand the toolbox.  I don't remember exactly what it is, but I'm going to say Gamo Big Cat.   I have seen ones that are convertible between the two and that is a little interesting to me.  Shocker, thanks for the advice.  I don't think it would be used too often, either.  Just something else the kids can plink with.   I have an Ithaca Model 49 and it is a fun gun in .22LR for them to shoot.  Heck, I like shooting it, too, single-action and all, but a scoped pump .22LR pellet gun would be nice.    I never thought I would enjoy the Ruger Wrangler as much as I do as well.   Sometimes it is just fine to take your time.  

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Air rifles are one of my "things", so I have quite a few. I collect mostly older models, but also hunt small game with one. My current favorite for hunting is a Benjamin Trail NP XL in .22. (~ $200). Benjamin is now made by Crosman. The NP stands for "Nitro Piston", which means it uses a compressed gas piston instead of a spring. Less vibration, and no loss of power when it's cold outside. Be careful when selecting - many of the newer high power air guns have an integrated suppressor, and that's illegal in NJ. 

Gamo also makes a decent air rifle, although they can be "plasticky".  Both Gamo and Benjamin are available from Cabela's in Hamburg. 

If you decide to scope it, make sure you purchase a scope designed for air rifles. The 2 direction recoil of a spring air rifle will make short work of a standard .22 scope. 

CO2 guns are fun, bit cannot achieve the same power as a good spring-air rifle. They are also next to useless when it gets cold outside. 

PCPs are also nice, but you will make a significant investment in both the gun and a pump.  For casual plinking a single shot spring air is the way to go. 

Good luck and let us know what you end up with. 

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Don't do it, run, run away as fast as you can. Airguns are an addiction. Once you start there's no going back.

  You may think you can quit but many before you have failed. Oh you say you just want back yard plinker and pest rifle. Suddenly your back yard will taken over by tin cans and spinner targets. Then you need several air pistols, one won't do because shooting with a buddy is better. What ever you buy first, you'll end up wanting something better as you learn more about airguns. Special tools, spring compressors, tune kits, 200 bar air compressors, bullet molds, there's no end to it. Slowly you'll turn to the dark side, PCP yes PCP as seductive as the drug. Once you shoot one you never want to pump a crappy crosman again. Carbon fiber air tanks will be coveted like Gollum and his presious. The quest for power will take hold. You will seek larger calibers, .25, .308, .458 and .50 cal. Your friends will shake their heads in disbelief and point to their temple as tell them about lunching 400gr slugs with air, not gun powder. No one will believe what you paid for them. You will get the  " you could have bought real guns" line and you won't care. You'll seek larger quarry, make hunting trips to states that allow air gun to be used for deer and hogs. Anybody can shoot a deer with a shotgun, boring. You may get drawn to competitve airgun shooting or collecting antiques from the past, airguns have been around since the 1600's. Your powder burners will be evicted from the safe because the airguns are more valuable. You'll be penny less because there's always a shiny new or old and crusty one to buy. It never ends.   : )

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