Hey all,
I require some recommendations, given some "boundary values."
Some background: I purchased a Daisy 880S w/ scope kit for last season, sighted it in, and had a fair level of success. Last season was my first out here near Austin, so I had to be quick to reduce the HOSP threat to my new colony site. I was rewarded with three nesting pair and almost all of the young fledged!
Now it is time to upgrade my pellet rifle platform from the cheap Chinese pumper to something more efficient. I've also up-armored my PM housing so pellets won't dent the aluminum.
With all of that said here are the boundary conditions under which I am going to be operating:
1) The pellet rifle must be accurate and accept a scope. The perches on my PM housing are a level shot at a distance of 45 - 50 feet. Targets range between 45 - 70 feet (when on the fence).
2) The pellet rifle must be quiet. Since I have neighbors on either side and I back up onto a golf course, discretion is very important. My current rifle has a very distinct report so my shooting opportunities are very limited. A "spit," and not a loud "POP!" is the goal.
3) The rifle should be quick to reload.
4) Ease of maintenance / durability of design is also important. Looking for something that will last me many seasons.
5) The rifle should come in under $400 (if possible). I don't want to break the bank, but I understand that I "get what I pay for."
6) Pellet velocity to be subsonic if possible. A quiet rifle with subsonic ammunition = yes please!
7) Icing on the cake would be a muzzle that can be threaded to accept a suppressor.
Right now I am looking very closely at the Beeman R-7, but I would greatly appreciate any other recommendations you folks might have.
Thanks!
Quiet Pellet Rifle Work, Need Recommendations
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Sandy - NC
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:40 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount, NC
R-7 in .177 cal is what you are looking for, but you can forget the suppressor as they are illegal in the US, even on an air rifle. You can get a muzzle break for one, but it is not a suppressor. You must find the right pellet for your gun, and domes are the best all around for accuracy, wound channel, flight characteristics.
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Guest
Thanks for the info regarding suppressors. Let's strike that one off the list! 
As for the ammunition, yes, I am using dome-head pellets. I purchased a small tin of Gamo "Hunter" DH pellets, and they are a significant improvement over the current load of...poorly made stuff I've been using.
As for the ammunition, yes, I am using dome-head pellets. I purchased a small tin of Gamo "Hunter" DH pellets, and they are a significant improvement over the current load of...poorly made stuff I've been using.
I have an air rifle that sounds nearly like a 22 going off but I shoot from a rest inside the house out through a cracked open window...so almost all the sound stays in the house...the lead goes merrily on it's way and comes to a quick stop in a black bibbed imposter :>)
2004 3pr 13 f 2005 18pr 80 f 2006 36 pr 138 f
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
opps, double post
Last edited by jonkertb on Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2004 3pr 13 f 2005 18pr 80 f 2006 36 pr 138 f
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
Which Golf course in Round Rock? I live on the Forest Creek Golf course in Round Rock.
The R7 is definitely a fine gun. You will not regret the quality of this weapon.
Personally; I have no problem killing Starlings and Sparrows at 40 to 50 yards with my vintage Crosman 766 with Scope. It shoots .177 pellets around 650-700fps at 10 pumps. Pretty quiet, especially when I shoot from within my garage. I think I paid around $70 for it, back around 1980. Any air gun or air rifle that shoots over 1000fps will make a sharp crack or report. Some sound almost as loud as a regular 22 rifle.
Other airguns here are a Benjamin 347, which is much louder. Crosman vintage .22 medalist and Crosman 1377.
All of the airguns have been modified and "accurized "with tips and tricks I got from the Crosman airgun forum here; http://www.network54.com/Forum/275684/ it is amazing how accurate you can make a cheap crosman with a little work.
As you may be aware; both Austin and Round Rock outlaw firearms, bb guns, and pellet rifles. Use at your own peril. I do a lot of target shooting with the guns, usually outside the city limits.
Dave, RRTX
The R7 is definitely a fine gun. You will not regret the quality of this weapon.
Personally; I have no problem killing Starlings and Sparrows at 40 to 50 yards with my vintage Crosman 766 with Scope. It shoots .177 pellets around 650-700fps at 10 pumps. Pretty quiet, especially when I shoot from within my garage. I think I paid around $70 for it, back around 1980. Any air gun or air rifle that shoots over 1000fps will make a sharp crack or report. Some sound almost as loud as a regular 22 rifle.
Other airguns here are a Benjamin 347, which is much louder. Crosman vintage .22 medalist and Crosman 1377.
All of the airguns have been modified and "accurized "with tips and tricks I got from the Crosman airgun forum here; http://www.network54.com/Forum/275684/ it is amazing how accurate you can make a cheap crosman with a little work.
As you may be aware; both Austin and Round Rock outlaw firearms, bb guns, and pellet rifles. Use at your own peril. I do a lot of target shooting with the guns, usually outside the city limits.
Dave, RRTX
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LarryMelcher/KY
- Posts: 675
- Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
- Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville
I second your choice for the Beeman R-7, and "third" Sandy's choice for the R-7. I have an RWS german gun and it shoots great, now that I listened to Sandy's advice and got a pellet sampler... Now my gun hits the target nearly every time.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Guest
If you are getting a loud pop, quit putting oil down your barrel. A little bit of oil goes a long way. I didnt believe it either but apparently you can get a "diesel" effect from oil. My air rifle is very loud after a shot of wd40. It doesnt help accuracy either. Forget the silencer before you get a friendly visit from the SWAT team. They dont play well with others. I shoot from inside my garage and just make sure the muzzle is a foot or so inside the window frame. Sniper style. My neighbors swear they cannot hear a thing. They are martin lovers too. That is the key. Get the neighbors involved. Hard to complain about a neighbor when you are doing the same thing!!!!!
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Leverett Doehring/Mo
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2004 12:04 pm
- Location: Villa Ridge, Mo
- Martin Colony History: 1st birds 1990. 1 12 room metal house, colony started.
current 2 tr14s, 1 tr18, and 56 gourds, usually average @ 70 pair. 102 rooms available.
above mounted on 4 structures..
I just bought a new air rifle, the old crosman seemed to be loosing its edge and I got tired of pumping it up. I decided not to buy a spring gun, I have an older Beeman r1 but I have never mastered the shooting of a spring gun. Benjamin (made by crosman now) has a new pcp on the market now, its called the "Marauder". It is a 10 shot repeater, (.177) bolt action. at subsonic speed the noise is 85 db, check it out at Pyramyd Air. Email me if you have questions. Rifle is some higher priced than you stated, not fooling on the noise, its about as loud as 2 people talking in the same room. I should mention at the distance you stated, after 10 shots there will only be 1 hole in the target.
itsjustLEV
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Guest
My understanding is that most of the noise from airguns doesn't actually come from the barrel of the gun but from the internal firing mechanism (usually a spring). Further, I have read that the ATF laws concerning suppressors do not cover air rifles and that they are legal (most likely). You should Google "air rifle suppressor" and see what you find.
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Guest
Thanks all for the input! I feel reassured in my top pick(s).
Might not be the cheapest, but hey, I think of it as more of an heirloom!
Might not be the cheapest, but hey, I think of it as more of an heirloom!
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electraglideman
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 6:45 pm
- Location: Arkadelphia, AR
Here ya go:
http://www.gamowhisper.com/
http://www.gamowhisper.com/
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Guest
I'm 48 years old and I've currently own 5 air rifles. A Air Arms TX200, A Beeman 97 a Beeman R9 a HW 50s and a HW30s. I've owned and shot others but those are the "keepers" . For what you describe you need a HW30s. Its the exact same as a Beeman R7, same barrel and spring but simpler non-checkerd stock and iron sights. Its very quiet and deadly. Plus it is a whopping $100 bucks cheaper AND it has high qualilty iron sights.
Straightshooters.com is a GREAT place to buy from and they have a killer deal on them this month only. $299 and free shipping through April. Thats cheaper than the other places online. Get it in .177. Do NOT get the Gamo. Poor trigger and so so reputation. Too much power for what you need. The R7/ HW30s is the precise killer with plenty of power out to 40 yards for starlings. Beeman was recently bought out by a buyer and they are no longer going to sell the German Weirauch rifles.
Silencers for air guns are regulated same is firearms in this country. For a obvious reason, you could just un-screw it from your .22 pellet gun and screw it on a .22 rifle. Forget the silencers.
My HW30s is VERY quiet. Just a "thunk". No report at all. The HW50s is a bit more money and ever so slighty louder. Quite a bit more power. If you were simi-rural I would say for for it but since your at your location stick with the HW30s. Don't get suckered into wanting lots of power, the HW30 will kill anything with feathers up to a pigeon at 30 yards. Remember Beeman never made a rifle, they just imported the HW30s, specked out a checkerd stock, and called it the R7.
They sell a R7 with scope and rings. However it is over $500 and the scope and rings are not worth the extra $200. Better to buy them individually rather than as a package. Shouldn't be that way but it is. Call up Straightshooters and talk to whoever answers the phone. If your wanting a scope you can get a Bushnell 4x12 banner with Leapers rings.
Shooting advice. NEVER shoot "offhanded". Always use a rest or a stick to help steady your pellet gun. Shooting a sparrow at 60 feet offhanded is tricky at best. And I'm the Kentucky state champion in Rimfire Silhouette.
A HW30s will have very good resale value and I would imagine if you ever decide to "move up" or just sell it you won't lose but a few bucks on it. Quality holds its value. Your on the right track, now just "pull the trigger"!
p.s. I had 34 martins on my TV antenna today and that was just the ones in back of my house!
Straightshooters.com is a GREAT place to buy from and they have a killer deal on them this month only. $299 and free shipping through April. Thats cheaper than the other places online. Get it in .177. Do NOT get the Gamo. Poor trigger and so so reputation. Too much power for what you need. The R7/ HW30s is the precise killer with plenty of power out to 40 yards for starlings. Beeman was recently bought out by a buyer and they are no longer going to sell the German Weirauch rifles.
Silencers for air guns are regulated same is firearms in this country. For a obvious reason, you could just un-screw it from your .22 pellet gun and screw it on a .22 rifle. Forget the silencers.
My HW30s is VERY quiet. Just a "thunk". No report at all. The HW50s is a bit more money and ever so slighty louder. Quite a bit more power. If you were simi-rural I would say for for it but since your at your location stick with the HW30s. Don't get suckered into wanting lots of power, the HW30 will kill anything with feathers up to a pigeon at 30 yards. Remember Beeman never made a rifle, they just imported the HW30s, specked out a checkerd stock, and called it the R7.
They sell a R7 with scope and rings. However it is over $500 and the scope and rings are not worth the extra $200. Better to buy them individually rather than as a package. Shouldn't be that way but it is. Call up Straightshooters and talk to whoever answers the phone. If your wanting a scope you can get a Bushnell 4x12 banner with Leapers rings.
Shooting advice. NEVER shoot "offhanded". Always use a rest or a stick to help steady your pellet gun. Shooting a sparrow at 60 feet offhanded is tricky at best. And I'm the Kentucky state champion in Rimfire Silhouette.
A HW30s will have very good resale value and I would imagine if you ever decide to "move up" or just sell it you won't lose but a few bucks on it. Quality holds its value. Your on the right track, now just "pull the trigger"!
p.s. I had 34 martins on my TV antenna today and that was just the ones in back of my house!
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Guest
I don't know all the particulars on the rules, but I know many folks that shoot AR-15s have suppressors on them, so they aren't illegal. They're expensive, and I hazard a guess you have to have the right paperwork to own one, but they are out there.
Most people think fully automatic "machine guns" are illegal, but for 250 dollars, you can get the federal paperwork to own one. Of course, there are only 25 thousand or so legally transferable automatic weapons in the country, so you have to have tons of money to buy one because of the scarcity... I was at a gun show once and saw a table full of automatic weapons; SAWs, BARs, Tommy guns, M60s, fully auto M16s. The asking price on the cheapest one was over 20 grand...
I don't know if anyone has put a suppressor on an airgun, but I'm sure it can be done. If GAMO is making one that comes stock on their gun, somebody else out there must know how to rig one up. It's probably just question of paying enough money.
As far as being quiet shooting around people, any airgun is going to make a distinct noise that can be heard if people are close enough. Snipers in war can be heard, they just don't sit in the same spot shooting over and over again so people can figure out where they are (at least not when they're by themselves behind enemy lines). If you're going to be shooting at starlings and sparrows, you'll get one shot. In 20 years of backyard hunting I've only had one instance where I shot a starling and was allowed a second shot at what must have been it's mate who, instead of flying off like every other bird you don't shoot, flew over and stood above the fallen bird, long enough for me to reload and take the shot. If you shoot a pellet gun, hitting a bird or not, it's going to be a long time before you get more birds to shoot at. Unless you're peppering the backyard with fully automatic air rifle fire, I don't think the noise is as big of an issue as some people make it out to be.
Most people think fully automatic "machine guns" are illegal, but for 250 dollars, you can get the federal paperwork to own one. Of course, there are only 25 thousand or so legally transferable automatic weapons in the country, so you have to have tons of money to buy one because of the scarcity... I was at a gun show once and saw a table full of automatic weapons; SAWs, BARs, Tommy guns, M60s, fully auto M16s. The asking price on the cheapest one was over 20 grand...
I don't know if anyone has put a suppressor on an airgun, but I'm sure it can be done. If GAMO is making one that comes stock on their gun, somebody else out there must know how to rig one up. It's probably just question of paying enough money.
As far as being quiet shooting around people, any airgun is going to make a distinct noise that can be heard if people are close enough. Snipers in war can be heard, they just don't sit in the same spot shooting over and over again so people can figure out where they are (at least not when they're by themselves behind enemy lines). If you're going to be shooting at starlings and sparrows, you'll get one shot. In 20 years of backyard hunting I've only had one instance where I shot a starling and was allowed a second shot at what must have been it's mate who, instead of flying off like every other bird you don't shoot, flew over and stood above the fallen bird, long enough for me to reload and take the shot. If you shoot a pellet gun, hitting a bird or not, it's going to be a long time before you get more birds to shoot at. Unless you're peppering the backyard with fully automatic air rifle fire, I don't think the noise is as big of an issue as some people make it out to be.
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Guest
After some research, I went with the HW30s in 0.177 cal (the German equivalent to the R7). The money I saved went into an upgraded scope and mounts.
Thanks for the info, everyone!
Thanks for the info, everyone!
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Sandy - NC
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:40 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount, NC
Very good choice. You won't be disappointed.
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Guest
Good choice. I've got the R9 and I love it. I just hope you did your research and made sure the scope you bought for the gun will fit; your gun won't take some of the big ones. The gun is only so long itself, and the place where the barrel breaks is the limiting factor in how long your scope can be, since you have to have so many inches for proper eye relief.
I don't know why folks put such big scopes on air rifles anyway - something made me slap a 6-18X40mm on mine. I guess it's just a bug that bites you; you get a cool gun and you want a cool scope. You'll have tons of fun with that gun... Enjoy!
I don't know why folks put such big scopes on air rifles anyway - something made me slap a 6-18X40mm on mine. I guess it's just a bug that bites you; you get a cool gun and you want a cool scope. You'll have tons of fun with that gun... Enjoy!