RWS and H&N Barracuda

[GunnyMack]

Are just about the perfect combo!
My RWS 350 is an honest 1000fps gun, it will break speed of sound with light pellets. However I don't use light pellets( under 8 grains). These H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme's are 9.57 grains, a cross hatch hollow point that are devastating on tree rats.
I noticed a rat on the bird feeder this evening and sent the girls out to chase it off but being very close to sitting down to eat they weren't keen on squirrel duty... typical Labrador bottomless stomachs! Anyhow I went out and chased the rat off but it came back by the time I got in the house.
Get the airgun from the closet, open the kitchen window as easy as a casement can be opened and the squirrel was none the wiser as I took a nice quartering away right behind the shoulder. Upon impact it crumpled but hung on to the bird feeder perch by a couple toes. A couple seconds later it fell, kicked twice or three and DRT.
I finished eating and took Sage out for her first dead squirrel. She was a bit standoffish until she worked up her nerve to mouth it but wouldn't pick it up. That's ok by me as those rats are flea and mite magnets!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’m really interested in getting back into air rifles

[GunnyMack]

I want to get a big bore but i can't decide on a 25,30,35,45 or 50 cal...

[Scott Tschirhart]

I want a high quality, slim, light 177 rabbit gun.

No need to shoot 1000 fps.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

A Beeman R-7 might fit that category Scott. No where near 1000fps, more like 650fps, but I've harvested a lot of Cottontails with mine.

Also have an R-1, which is more like Gunny's velocity wise, but it's not slim and light.

And a TX200 that is a great air rifle, but not light and slim.

All are 177 and I've shot Cottontails with all of them and even a few Wyoming Jack Rabbits with the R-1.

[CowboyTutt]

The Barracuda's seem to have a good reputation for accuracy. In most cases, 850 fps is the best maximum velocity for accuracy with pellets. The manufacturers advertise more velocity as a selling point but again, best accuracy is keeping pellets sub transonic. Airgun "slugs" are a different story but the barrel has to be properly set up to shoot slugs.
-Tutt

[Walt]

ywaltz, great minds think alike. I also have an R-7 and an R-1 as well as a Chinese Beeman. Yeah, right.

That R-7 is the sweetest little airgun that I've handled. The velocity is around 650fps as you say; much less than the larger R-1 but just as accurate and much more fun to carry around the woods on a lazy day.

[Bill in Oregon]

I've been impressed with the Cometa I bought here. These guns are from Spain, but Cometa has built rifles for the Diana brand. They are very good and very affordable for the quality.

https://keystoneairguns.com/collections/all

[GunnyMack]

Good shooter ya got there Bill!
I always wanted a Beeman Crow Magnum in 5mm.
I often thought the 5mm guns were the best of both worlds, more pellet weight than 177 and better velocity than a 22 but sadly I must have been the only one who thought that as the pellet selection is poorer for 5mm.

[Scott Tschirhart]

That R7 might be just what I’m looking for. I had an R1 years ago but I always thought it was too much for what I wanted and way too bulky and heavy.

[stretch]

I favor pointed pellets in both my RWS and my Chinese Beeman;
and towards the heavy end of the pellet spectrum at that.
The pointed pellets seem to give quicker kills on squirrels and
give more consistent entry AND exit wounds.
HP pellets in the big RWS expand impressively, but they don't
seem to exit. IMHO, there's not enough energy in a 22 pellet - even
a heavy for caliber 22 pellet - to cause the internal shock and destruction
we always hear about with HP projectiles. They also aren't carrying
enough energy for through-and-through wound channels.

Pointed pellets ONLY on woodchucks!

-Stretch

[Scott Tschirhart]

This looks like just what I am looking for.

https://youtu.be/i3X6qxjKrKA?si=cwvTyTFRVTm8oKQK

[CowboyTutt]

My two favorite videos so far on air gun ballistics that explains everything very well. This one starting about the 12:30 minute time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur6iIcVhHmM

And ALL of this one as it pertains to powder burners/bullets, airplane flight and pellets/slugs in air guns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpDKxVuRWto&t=13s

-Tutt

[GunnyMack]

These Barracudas in 177 go through every squirrel I've shot, except for head shots. They expand well. Granted they are moving faster than 22 pellets.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I find it interesting that folks now think a 700 fps pellet rifle isn’t powerful enough to hunt small game.

I killed a pickup bed full of cottontails and other small critters with a pump up Crossman air rifle and cheap pellets that I doubt came anywhere close to 700 fps.

Of course I killed lots of rabbits with a wrist rocket sling shot too!

[Bill in Oregon]

Scott, you cannot go wrong with anything from the Weihrauch factory.

[Mark in MO]

I have an old FWB 124 in .177 that runs in the 830-850 fps range and kills squirrels and rabbits cleanly. It prefers JSB Exacts at 8.44 gr. In my humble experience, faster velocities gets you flatter trajectories but if the shot is well placed it really doesn't matter.

[AJMD429]

I want to get a big bore but i can't decide on a 25,30,35,45 or 50 cal...

Me too.

Scuba tank versus not is one other decision…

[CowboyTutt]

Doc and Gunny Mack, I think it depends how far you want to shoot. Non PCP guns are pretty much designed and limited to pellets which tends to limit distance. If you want to shoot longer range with accuracy and more terminal energy, you want a PCP that is set up to shoot "slugs". I do have a Senenca PCP in 45 caliber that I really like, but its limited to about 6 shots on its on-board tank. While it was originally only about $700 I have about $1500 in it after having it "hot rodded" and custom iron sights put on it. It now shoots a 195 grain bullet at about 800 fps for 5 shots measured at 10 feet from the muzzle with power on "high". I have a small electric air pump to charge it, and also a "retired" fireman air tank for it which I have yet to use.

I went with the 45 as it has a longer, flatter trajectory than the 50. Problem is the bore size is .456 so the usual 45 Colt bullets are not sized correctly and too heavy also most of the time, which limits me to buying bullets from Robert aka "Mr. Hollow Point" who is an air gun bullet maker specialist.

The smaller 30-35 caliber PCP rifles seem a good choice for number of shots on a full on-board tank, flat trajectory and lethality if you ask me.

I do enjoy my 30 caliber Hatsan break barrel Model 135 Carnivore though. It shoots slow and heavy pellets and I have a whole range of pellets and slugs to try in it this week after I just fire-lapped the barrel some today.

-Tutt

[GunnyMack]

Yes, the whole compressor, tank thing has been what has kept me out of the big bore game. So has the moderated/suppressed barrels- they are VERBOTEN here. Stupid demoncrats and their ignorance.
I've been looking at the break barrel springers in 25 and 30 cal.

[CowboyTutt]

I spent a few hours in my back yard today with my 30 break barrel. Almost have it perfectly sighted in with the 50.15 grain pellets at @ 500 fps with its Tru Glo iron sights at 20 yards. I only have less than 100 rounds through it so far and they recommend about 150 before you start shooting for groups. However I think my lapping process helped some, as it does seem to be shooting a little better??? It does hit with a resounding thump and will go right through 3/4 inch plywood at 35 yards from previous experience in Ukiah. After 20 shots or so, you even start to notice the bidirectional recoil more than you think you would. After the iron sights are dialed in, I will work on the Vortex 2 MOA red dot sight already on it for longer distance (I'm thinking iron sights for up close and red dot for longer range? What do you think Gunny??). Hatsan QC is spotty as most things Turkish but mine is starting to settle in nicely. No better looking airgun rifle out there for $300. -Tutt

[GunnyMack]

The issue I have with red dots is the general size of the dot, 2,4,6 moa can be a hit or a miss. They are fast for sure.
I'll be interested in your long distance results!
What was your lapping process? Did you use lapping compound?
Through 3/4 ply, that is something! 3/4 pine is normally the airgun test bed.

[CowboyTutt]

Regarding the lapping, I decided to make do with what I have handy as most of my gun supplies are still buried in the garage. I used some Turtle Wax Polishing Compound paste light to medium and my 50.15 grain pellets which are perfectly shaped to smear some on the flat shaped waist of the pellets. I couldn't find my bore paste in the garage but I know J-B Bore paste is about 1000 grit, pretty darn fine, and the TW stuff also appeared to be pretty fine from what information I could find on the internet. I cleaned any excess off each pellet after seating it in the chamber so as to not get any in the transfer port. The barrel rifling is very shallow, like Marlin's old Micoro-Groove rifling was. I ended up shooting 20 pellets this way. It may not have done much if anything but it certainly did not hurt anything either. The rifling is so superficial I did not want to risk smoothing it over too much.

As to the red dot, I agree most of the time the dots are just too big except for up close and personal relationships LOL The 2 MOA dot seems about right and I could not find a 1 MOA at a reasonable price. The 2 MOA dot is even smaller than the front fiber optic sight that comes with the rifle (which is thankfully one of the very thin ones) so it seems a natural for longer distances when the target will appear smaller. The rifle is almost too heavy (like 10 lbs) as is to put a scope on it, so a red dot seemed like a good compromise.

I'll post a pic of the 45 caliber Seneca later today. I bought a Hatsan Spark portable compressor for about $400 years ago so while expensive, much less expensive than they used to be. I'm also told you can often pick up a retired air tank from your local fire department for a donation and as long as you are not using one of the very high pressure PCP rifles, it would work fine and also save you some money.

-Tutt

[GunnyMack]

Tanks are a good way to go but then you are stuck trying to get refills. Having a compressor is the way to go, and if you can also fill a tank even better.

You are right, it didn't hurt to lap it.

I was hoping you were going to say a 2moa dot!

Personally I don't like fiber optic sights, mostly because of the 40 years of shotgun shooting and not looking at the bead my subconscious just tunes out those glowing orbs... I'd probably be snap shooting at stuff and not aiming!

[AmBraCol]

I find it interesting that folks now think a 700 fps pellet rifle isn’t powerful enough to hunt small game.

I killed a pickup bed full of cottontails and other small critters with a pump up Crossman air rifle and cheap pellets that I doubt came anywhere close to 700 fps.

Of course I killed lots of rabbits with a wrist rocket sling shot too!

The brits hunt everything up to fox with SUB-12 fpe rifles. That'd be an 8.44 grain pellet under 800 fps. That's what my competition rifle is adjusted to, depending on altitude (the curse of the spring gun). Actually, I'm running just under 11 fpe the last time I chronographed it. But with a sub-4 SD on the velocity - better than some regulated PCP's for consistency.

Was out shooting today with my Cometa Fusion and Hatsan Vortex Striker 8.4 grain pellets. Didn't stretch past 35-40 meters, but it was putting the pellets where I wanted them - as long as I did my part.

[AmBraCol]

Tutt, every Hatsan springer I've messed with needed a tear down, smoothing up and relube from factory. They seem to think that a bucket of axle grease is the way to go and (in the ones I've had pass through here) they always get a bunch in front of the seal - which leads to dieseling and is hard on springs/seals. Don't know what it does with the gas rams as I've only had one and sent it down the road in exchange for something else "more better".

As for fills take a look at some of the portable PCP compressors coming on market now. I picked up a Tuxing 12 volt thanks to a dear friend's generosity. It's just the thing for filling up to 500cc's of air tube on a rifle. You can plug it in the wall or connect to your vehicle battery. This one was under $200 shipped to Coffee Country.

[Scott Tschirhart]

The brits hunt everything up to fox with SUB-12 fpe rifles. That'd be an 8.44 grain pellet under 800 fps.

I’m actually quite fond of reading stories about British airgun hunters and their sport.

https://youtu.be/uN7aGPaveQM?si=KlAK9czuNr-AqrCG

[CowboyTutt]

Ambracol, yeah Hatsans are spotty, like an older Rossi where substandard parts were made to work by hand-fitting lol. I have not experienced what you describe with mine, but maybe I got lucky.

Here are pics of my custom Seneca 45 made in South Korea and customized by Will Piatt, one of the best airgunsmiths in the country IMHO. I just learned he died of a sudden heart attack in June 2022. What a collasal loss!!! He worked with McPherson to install the Twilight apertures into the stock. So bummed, what a special rifle!!!

-Tutt

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[Bill in Oregon]

It's great that we have some serious airgunners here. I had a Hatsan 95 in .25 that, while hard-hitting, was a bit of a challenge -- for me -- to shoot well. I believe it is now on gopher and possum patrol in a suburb of Portland, Oregon. The Benjamin Marauder in .25 was an absolute dream to shoot -- nearly silent, accurate, great trigger and power -- but using that Hill pump to keep it juiced was hard on a guy who had just had back surgery. I dabbled with PCPs --a JTS Airacuda, a Benjamin Kayden and an Artemis PP700 -- but the compressor I bought died after just a half dozen fills and I gave up on the PCP stuff. Too frustrating despite the spectacular performance. Bill, certified old fudd ...

[marlinman93]

Some years ago we were sitting in the living room watching a movie one afternoon when we suddenly heard a big boom right outside our front door, and the power went out! I jumped up to see if the transformer on the pole at our driveway had blown, and saw feathers floating down in front of my deck! I looked up to see a blue jay hanging upside down from the bare wires on the input side of the transformer. The jay had apparently landed just fine, but his head was high enough to contact the other phase of the power line and took his head right off.
The power reset, but the jay was still swinging back and forth underneath the wire, so when it reset his body was close enough to make the electricity jump, and break the automatic resets every so often. I went to the closet and grabbed my scoped air rifle, and went out and set it over the deck railing and aimed for his leg and took a shot. I clipped his leg off, and moved to the 2nd leg and took it off also. Wasn't a long shot at only maybe 20 ft. from our 2nd story deck, but the jay dropped and we had power back. I was a hero to the wife and kids for getting the problem solved.
I've always had a pellet rifle, and prefer .177 calibers. I do have an air pistol that .22, but only because it was cheap and used and that's what it is chambered in.