Pellet Guns

E

ErikD

Joined
Dec 5, 2000
Messages
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I enjoy target shooting, but unfortunately can't really do it on a regular basis. I still live with my parents, and my mom just would NEVER let me buy a gun to shoot with regularly. I am thinking that using a pellet pistol might allow me some practice, and fun around the house.

I am thinkning that a pistol is my best bet, as I would need to be shooting in my basement. A rifle would be to powerful for such a short distance. Any recommendations on a pistol that is fairly accurate, and won't break the bank? I would like to keep it under $100 at first, just to see how it will work out, and see if I will have time to use it on a regular basis. It would also be a really big plus if it is something I could buy in one of the major chain stores, so I could see how it feels before buying.

I realive that for this price I won't be getting anything super accurate, or powerful. I just want something to get me started, and if I am able to make use of it regularly I will upgrade later. TIA.
 
I have a Crosman 1377 single shot pump pistol. I like it because you can vary the velocity to fit your needs. Last month, after my 16 year old female cat was attacked by a young tomcat, I shot the tom with a low velocity shot just to make it feel unwelcome in my yard.

I bought the gun in 1995 for $50 at a sporting goods store. I went to the Crosman site and was directed to an online dealer called airgunstore.com. They have them for $57. Good luck and remember, you can shoot somebody's eye out with that. :p
 
kamkazmoto,
I tried out springer airsoft pistols, and didn't find them to be very satisfactory. The biggest problem I had with them was a lack of power, and accuracy. When I say lack of power I mean that the pellet couldn't reach across my basement, probably around 25 feet. The one I got was not very accurate either, seemed the shot would go just about anywhere. My other problem with them was the target, the bb would begin rolling down as soon as it landed, so I couldn't really tell where it hit.

I was thinking of trying out on of the gas powered pistols, but thought for that money I might as well get a pellet gun. If you, or anyone, has any experience with airsoft being better for target practice I am willing to give it a try.
 
Since I can't get to the range as often as I like with my P220, I bought a Beeman Tempest for the back yard.

Keep in mind though that this isn't anything like you'll find in your local XXXMart. Look and inquire at your favorite gunshop.
 
How long have you had your Tempest and how has it held up? I've been considering picking one up.

Paul
 
I've had mine about 5 years now. It's held up great. I just treat it like any other firearm (cleaning etc). Top quality :)
 
I have been interested in getting a Beeman for a while now. They seem to be just a bit higher than I want to spend right now though. I want to start out on the cheaper side, so if I find I can't make enough time for shooting I didn't waste that much money. Glad to hear that Beeman does make good products though, something to consider when the time comes.:D
 
Erik,

Don't know about the spring powered ones but the gas powered ones are pretty good but they are expensive and can be a little fragil. A pellet pistol is good but remember that a CO2 powered pellet pistol may be a little noisy for indoor shooting, I have been told that the Tempest can be a little hard to shoot. Good luck looking for a gun and let us know what you decide to get.
 
I play airsoft quite a bit and would recommend getting a gas blow back pistol. They're pretty accurate and powerful. They're somewhat noisy, but it's not that bad and since you're going to be shooing in the basement, it shouldn't be a problem at all.

Also, an airsoft pistol might be safer for an indoor environment because those plastic bb's won't puncture anything as opposed to the .177 pellets. I usually shoot at a couch cushion w/o any problems.
 
Well I guess I will have to take a drive to the sporting goods store tomorrow and take a look. I think I am leaning towards a pellet gun, as I know they carry them locally. The only airsoft guns I have seen around here are springers, and I have not been satisfied with them. I was looking at some of the GBB pistols, and the expense stopped me from buying one. But knowing that they shoot harder and more accurate I am more willing to spend the money.

Not so worried about noise, as I am in the basement, and when nobody else is home. Also it is not finished, so don't have much to damage should I miss, or have a ricochet.
 
I have a Daisy model 188 that will use bbs or pellets 177 cal and have had it 25 years and it does the job required. good accuracy to about 50 feet with iron sights will lift a cat out to 65 to75 feet and very quiet for those times when noise isnt an option, using a paper filled box stops all projectiles from leaving the box and it is a single pump model. I keep the leather lubed with BREAK-FREE and no problems so far, keeps the local feral cats on their tippy toes lol:rolleyes:
 
I have a simple Glock-replica airsoft, and it's accurate enough for point-and shoot, and sufficiently powerful to penetrate the paper-target-taped-over-a-hole-in-a-cardboard-box target I use.

It is not accurate enough for any sort of serious target work. I did more research (naturally, AFTER buying) and found that better-quality items come with a "hop-up" kit, which imparts a bit of spin to the little spherical pellet, therby improving accuracy. Or so they say, I've never shot one.

Seems to me you can get any number of good-quality spring-air type pistols with decent sights and triggers for under 100.00.

Back when I was carrying a revolver, I bought one of those Crossman Smith-replica 6-shot gas numbers; it was pretty decent. Good enough for the pull-and-shoot stuff I was practicing in my garage.
 
I have a Daisy 717 and a Gamo springer (discontinued). The Daisy is extremely accurate.

Paul
 
I have a Crosman 1377 too. It shoots BBs as well as .177 pellets, and it costs nothing to shoot BBs since I can recover them from the target. I use a cardboard box loosely stuffed with old clothes for a BB trap; it slows them gradually so they don't get flattened and they usually don't ricochet back at me. I put a couple of inches of newspaper against the back of the box to make sure no BBs will penetrate it. I taped one of those plastic clips you use to close a bag of potato chips to the front of the box to hold the targets. If you have a printer you can print out targets -- bullseyes, silhouettes, whatever you want -- you can download target designs or make your own, superimpose a bullseye target on a portrait of your favorite politician....
 
How do these guns get the air into their chassis?

Do you use a manual pump? It seems like it uses high pressured air (N2?). I play paintball so I understand one way air can propel ammo but I am not sure how these pellet air guns work. Anyone care to explain?
 
Believe it or not napoleon had air guns for his soldiers,best way to imagine it is an air chamber filled with air by a piston pump with a one-way valve to capture the air and a trigger operated valve that dumps a load of air into the chamber behind the projectile and phttt out goes the bb or pellet. If you look up air guns via google you will find the earliest ones look very similar to a paintball gun,they have a large air storage chamber for repeat shooting.
 
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