For me, one was a Romanian trainer .177 springer, bought new, yrs back for $15. Clocks only abt 500 fps, and u can cock it with ur pinky finger...
Still, all wood/steel and grouped quite well. Shot it alot, managed 3 cottontails and one VERY unlucky squirrel with it.
Still shoot it from time to time
I bought a Daisy 880 in the late 1970's when I was 11 or 12 years old. I shot mostly BB's with it so I never determined it's true accuracy. I still have that gun collecting dust in a closet, but it needs a reseal.
Fast forward to a few years ago and I found one (late 1970's model) in a pawn shop for $20. Surprisingly, it still pumped up. While the trigger leaves a lot to be desired, I am amazed at the accuracy of that rifle. Boy, that pawn shop find brought back some good ol' childhood memories...
I bought one of these little gems about 35 years ago. It's a Record Model " F ". It's got fully adjustable sights, a rifled barrel, it's very accurate and a joy to shoot. $30.00 back then. Still have it. Still love it.
Another great pistol for cheap is the Beeman P17. You simply won't find another gun that performs like this for $30.00. Amazing little pistol!
I tuned a .177 Ruger Air Hawk a few years back for one of my repeat customers who basically likes to try at least one of everything in the world of springers. It took a whole lot of work to get it to what I considered 'good enough', including doing some trigger work, like you mentioned. I used a Maccari spring or kit-- don't remember which. The Air Hawk I did also needed a new piston because the cocking rod in the first piston I got was very loose and I didn't trust it not to let go. The replacement piston was just fine, though, and not expensive at all. It came out being both accurate and powerful. My customer gave it to one of the ladies at his shop who enjoys shooting, and as coincidence would have it I saw her only a week ago or so. She said she still uses it when she goes camping and it still 'hits the whole row of cans'.
I want to add that I don't normally do tunes on air rifles that need that much work, unless it's for myself where only the finished product counts. I know I can't justify what it would cost to someone for me to do all that work on such an inexpensive rifle. If it's for me, though, cost doesn't enter into it. Sometimes I like a challenge, and the Chinese and other off-brand rifles certainly offer me that.
Regards,
Ed
Daisy/Winchester Model 600 Break-barrel -- ((The Brazilian-made model)). I bought one from Gander on Closeout for $30. Trigger was horrid, but with a little work became very nice. It was very accurate and well-made. I went back and bought the remaining 5 on the shelf!
'Same Gander. I got two British Webley Tempests on close-out for $70 each.
I miss that store.
Right now, the Diana 240 and Tech Force (Mendoza) M12 are pretty sweet deals.
Another one is the Daisy 953 or 853 from CMP. Not sure what they were new but the CMP offers the 853 for around $120 total shipped. These are used guns but resealed. I have the 953 (non LW barrel) in a 853 stock. It’s still an accurate rifle but low powered. It is a very fun close range rifle. I had fun popping yellow jackets with it at around 20 feet this past summer. They like to raid the bee hive and steal honey.
I would have to say a Walther Falcon Hunter, .25 cal, gas ram, and honed internals, reworked trigger group, for 185 shipped, at 31 fpe, and quarter sized groups at twenty-five yards. Second would be my Walther Parrus, bought very lightly used, at the same price, clocking in at 875 fps with CPUM and 780 with JSB 18.13, and a nice go-to gun for dove hunting.
The $100 AirMax Plinkster certainly deserves mention in this company!
I concur. These things blow the QBs out of the water as far as value for the dollar.
I also concur on the P17. It still amazes me that they can make such a great air pistol for such a small price. If you don't have one yet, get one! They ARE that good.
I have one of these also. Like you, I purchased it for my older daughter to learn on, when she was about 8. Probably close to 18 years ago. Both of my girls called it "the magic gun," because it always hit what they were aiming at. Horrible trigger, but surprising accuracy. I cut the stock off at the middle crossmember, to make it fit them better when they were small. I saved the cut-off, and reinstalled it with some long carriage bolts. I still shoot it from time to time in the basement. It has extreme sentimental value, and reminds me of when my girls were little. They're 23 and 26 now, grown women. They both sort of lost interest in the shooting sports, but I'll never get rid of that gun! Reminds me of great times with my little girls.
I remember at GI Joes here in Oregon when I first saw the 2250 and 2240. 89 bucks and 49 bucks respectively. For the money the 2240 has probably been the coolest little thing I've bought in a long time and capable of all sorts of upgrades. I am probably going to have to blame those guns in combination with all the maxzbulk craze on the yellow in early 2000's and rat hunting pictures from Hawaii for my airgun problems nowadays. Unfortunately for me bulk CO2 has fallen back (since I now have all the supplies...) and now I've got a PCP logistics situation on my hands...
Varmint!!! For me this gun in .22 is the ideal squirrel hunting rifle in my neck of the woods. I reside in New England....Rhode Island to be precise. Small game / squirrel season runs from October 1 thru the last day of February. We've got a healthy population of both grey and red squirrels. Daily bag limit is 5. With that in mind the relatively small air capacity of this rifle is perfectly acceptable. I get at least 25 very consistently powerful and very accurate shots. Hovering around 6lbs with scope included, this gun begs to be toted along for a day long adventure. If I can't kill 5 squirrels with 25 available shots I need to rethink my hobby choice. I'm totally in love with this rifle and for more than any other reason it's because of the aesthetics. It looks and feels exactly like a quality American rimfire. With the addition of a decent , aftermarket moderator it becomes more than backyard friendly...more like in the next room while she's tryin' to sleep friendly.
Ir took me awhile to get the accuracy where I was satisfied but for me it was worth the extra time it took to recrown the barrel and fiddle here and there with the action. So much to enjoy in a $200.00 rifle.
A BAM (Best Airgun Manufacterer) B19 I took a chance on at Gander Mountain for $49. Turns out to have a serial number in the 700's, maybe the first production run? I dunno but with a simple "shrink tube" tune it's turning in 900+ fps over the beta chrony with crosman premiers and is quite accurate for what it is. It has become my go-to gun in spite of the HW35L calling to me from the gun safe. Besides, it's a springer and they don't call me "springernut" for nuthin! It is a disease, maybe an epidemic, but I can't shake it.
I want not to forget about the lowly Crosman Model 760. One accidently jumped into my cart at Walmart about a year ago. Mine came unscoped, no big loss as that 4x15 scope is horrible. I put a decent 4x32mm AO scope on mine. it only shoots well with one pellet, and that one is the Crosman Premier Super Match wad cutter. It is sighted in to shoot rats at night at 7 yards. For a smooth bore it does just fine. I'd say I have about 2000 pellets shot in it with zero problems. BB's? Forget it.
Webley Stingray II built in Turkey. Bought it for approx US$140. Cannot believe how well it shoots and works. Just a nice thud and some of the best accuracy I've seen from a springer. And it is light with a walnut stock to boot. It needed some (easy) trigger work after which it is as good as anything out there. I never expected this level of performance ... it is my go to springer and I have several much more expensive ones.
RG
