Air Gun Home :: View topic - Need help in deciding what rifle to choose.

one shot · Member

I've had the ruger air hawk with the 4x32 scope for around a year now and I've fired it around 200 times. I'm missing a lot of pests that are usually only 15-20yds away. I have to dial in the sights after every 10 shots or so since the sights keep adjusting from the recoil, plus one ring screw is stripped due to the soft metal made in china. I've seen in reviews that the scope and rings are not good and need to be changed.

I'm not happy with this after paying $125 for it. I can either change those which could be $100+, or I can just get a compressed air/co2 rifle. I'm leaning to the latter since I don't care for the ruger being a single shot, break barrel, springer design rifle that requires the artillery hold to fire it accurately. My questions to start off with are:

1. Can I find a good one with multiple shot ability and a 4x32 or better scope for around $125?

2. Can they be left permanently charged so they can be shot instantly when desired?

Thanks in advance for any help.

oddtodd · Silver Status Member

Well, from my personal experience, any CO2 gun that is accurate enough to shoot worth a crap is a lot more than 125 bucks. There is the nightstalker by crosman but there is no scope mount on it. it's about 100 bucks.

There are others too, but to give you an example, the only difference between my storm 1000 XT and a quest 1000 is the scope there was about a 30 dollar difference between the two when I bought mine, and the color of the stock and the variable power scope on the quest were the only differences. same innards same barrels, everything.

My honest advise is to just buy a better scope that is airgun rated for your ruger. If I am not mistaken the ruger has the same innards as my crosman.

If you want something that is accurate at a decent price, you will have to spend a lot more than 125 bucks. My custom 2400 was 200 by the time I got finished with all of my gizmos including a 3x9x40 AO scope. My money, I would buy a decent leapers, centerpoint, or hawke scope and get it scoped in using the artillery hold. If you don't know what that is search this forum and you will find out how to do it. Good luck!

EDIT: one other thing I forgot: CO2s can be left charged but it is really hard on the seals. I have to replace mine every other year or so just take that into account when you buy one.

one shot · Member

I had that crosman nightstalker plastic piece of garbage years ago and it was a waste of $100. Regardless of the pellet brand that I tried the pellet clips would either not hold the pellets well where they came out of it or they would hold the pellets so well that they were trapped halfway in it and the barrel where the rifle would jam. The cartridge cover on the stock was loose fitting which made it rattle and come off a lot as well. Shame because I liked the looks of it and when it worked right it was actually a neat rifle. It just didn't work right very much so I got a refund.

Thanks for your reply. I'll look into those scopes just in case I do in fact decide to keep the ruger. Yes I'm familiar with the artillery hold and I'm not fond of it since any slight firmness that presses onto the rifle by your hands/shoulder/arm/face results in a miss, and this is a 8lb rifle too.

Jr. Squirreler · Veteran Member

I have been told by many people that the Air Hawk is actually a pretty good Air Rifle for the price. If you look on Amazon, there is a Hammers 3-9x32 Scope with a one piece mount for about $60-70.

As for the CO2. If you are trying to take out the Pests i your Yard. Personally, I would not do that with a CO2 Rifle/Pistol. Most of them simply do not have enough power to take out Pests bigger then i would say a Sparrow, or a Big Rat. If i were you, i would just go with another scope. But if you really want a new Cheap Rifle, I would go for maybe A break barrel such as the Crosman Quest 1000x (About $100) or a pneumatic such as the Remington Air Master 77 (about $65-70)

Gippeto · Member

Best rifle bargain is the QB78....get the deluxe if you can...much nicer IMO. Had a nightstalker and a 1077 .... gave 'em to my brother in law cause I have "better" stuff to use...and I needed the room in the safe. Wink

A bit of "cleaning" and the QB in .22 is a decent 40 yard pest gun. Twisted Evil

(15.8 Exacts @ 600+fps) Pretty accurate too...paintballs are not a challenge at 25yards.

$90 @ Archers.

http://www.archerairguns.com/qb78-airgun-family-air-rifles-s/27.htm

Al

BBgunNoob · Veteran Member

yea qb 78 is a very nice gun, what are you killing mice or something big, and for the record it will only work above 60 degrees fahrenheit anything below its not going to do , but yea 2200 / qb 78 are the best your gonna have at this price for the money, sounds as if you just don't want a spring, a benji 392 is a pump but is an amazing gun , and from your post i can definitely tell you do not want to spend the money on precharged

Korak · Member

Take a look at this gun. Great guy to deal with.

http://bestairgun.stores.yahoo.net/xs660.html

one shot · Member

I hunt birds and squirrels(I call them tree rats or rats). Most of the rats are small to medium size and could be killed with my Daisy 880S. Rarely are they full size where the Ruger would be best to use because I have depopulated the area over the last couple years(currently over 120 confirmed rat kills).

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll look into every suggestion.

Mark5043 · Silver Status Member

one shot · Member

After researching all the mentioned rifles and scopes and reading their reviews I'm leaning toward the Hammers 3-9x32 Scope. I'm guessing it will fit my rifle but I'm not sure so I want to make certain it will before buying it online. Can anyone confirm that it will?

One reviewer said he had to buy shims so it would fit his unspecified rifle. My rifle supposedly has 11mm dove tails even though they look much closer to 1/2" when measured and the scope says it fits 3/8" rails & grooves. However another reviewer of the scope said that it's on his RWS 460 Magnum rifle which after some looking into I found it also has 11mm dove tails like my air hawk supposedly has, and he did not mention having to buy any shims.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Mark5043 · Silver Status Member

Jr. Squirreler · Veteran Member

one shot · Member

one shot · Member

Btw how long will it take to break in my ruger where it will finally get settled in? It's been shot around 500 times. Some shots are in the kill zone but mostly I'm shooting 3-5" groups at just 20yds despite using the artillery hold in a standing lean position and my scope being freshly dialed in.