Advice on what air gun

[longshooter]

Iam getting back into the air rifle scene after being out of it for 15 years. Grew up with crossmans sheridans and benjamins.  Right now Iam looking for a long range pellet gun to shoot pigeons in my area. I will be putting the top of the line scope on it as well.
 
What gun and caliber do you guys recommend  for long range (censored word) on pigeons ? would like to keep it under $500 for the gun and scope
 
thanks

[keith44]

Welcome to the board, and welcome back to the addiction.
 
In your price range, with top of the line scopes going over $200.00 I'm gonna say you need to do some serious research.  On the budget end any springer that makes 800 fps with lead pellets is plenty for pigeons out to 50 yards, if the grouping is there.  Advertisers are promoting ultra light weight pellet velocities, which are harmful to most spring powered guns.  CO2, and scuba tank powered guns are easier to shoot well, but the CO2's are not as powerful, and the scuba powered guns are quite costly.  Out of the box all guns need some kind of tuning, tweaking, or at least a professional cleaning.
 
So the questions to ask when looking at a gun are What is the power source, How far am I really going to try to shoot, Can I afford to send this gun in to have it tuned for the best accuracy. 
 
I chose a Beeman model, here's a link to pyramid air and the model I am shooting.  When I bought it they called it an RS-2, now the RS-2 model is made differently, and this carries the same specs that my gun has. 
 
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/beeman-1090-ss1000t-air-rifle.shtml
 
good luck with your search
 

[Victor3]

 Don't know what you mean by top of the line scope, but the Leupold 3-9 x 33 ultralight EFR (AO) has been considered by many airgun guys to be one of the best scopes for an air rifle for years. Leupold quality and guaranteed to stand up to spring gun recoil. AO focuses down to 10 yds.
 
 I just got one for $300 to my door, considering free shipping and $20 off coupon code. Hard to find a better air rifle scope for less than that (scroll down page for available models)...
 
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Leupold174-Ultralight-Riflescope/748793.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dleopold%2Bultralight%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D19%26y%3D9&Ntt=leopold+ultralight&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[longshooter]

Thanks for the info. I'm pretty serious when it comes to my custom rifles and archery stuff so I dont mind spending and doing what it takes to get the job done.
 
I would prefer a spring gun
 
22 cal
 
and yes I can afford to send it in to get dialed in if thats what it takes .
 
 
Are these guns a little on the cheap side for what iam looking to do ? http://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-trail-xl1500-air-rifle.html

[longshooter]

Good Idea on the leupold scope. I have a leupold 3x9x40 compact scope I took off a 25-06 a few years back thats just collecting dust in the gun safe. I well have to pull it out and get some new mounts for it.

[Victor3]

 If you've got a few bucks and want a springer that's high quality and will last (German made by HW), very accurate, great trigger and needs nothing out of the box, get a Beeman R9. In .20 cal. It will knock down your birds well with flatter trajectory than a 22.
 
 You can spend a lot more than an R9 + Leupold 3-9x33 package but it's really hard to beat the quality, value and hassle-free-ness of it.
 
 Might want to post your questions on a dedicated airgun forum like http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/ to get more opinions.

[toddx]

I agree with Victor3
The Beeman R9 platform is hard to beat.  If you prefer a fixed barrel you can move to a HW97 or Air Arms TX series of guns.  I own a HW95 AKA Beeman R9 .20.  I bought it tuned with a crappy scope for $475. It shoots 17fpe smoothly and is insane accurate.  I have owned more than 30 PCP ( scuba powered) and spring guns and have found the R9 to be the best for power to weight ratio out there.  Many spring guns weigh 9lb UNscoped.  My 95 weighs 8lb 10oz scoped with a Burris 4.5x14x32 Timberline scope.  Great package. 
The Luepy 3x9 is a GREAT scope but you may want mil dots for more aim points as the pellets falls.  The Burris is a ballistic plex and has hashes/mil dots and is a hundred cheaper.  For 50 yard work you may not need a luepy.
Don't forget that the Beeman / HW series guns have VERY nice triggers.  If you buy the lower end guns you will get so so triggers and a more twangy shot cycle.
Good luck.

[Rescue912]

I really like my fixed barrel RWS 48 also. I put the hurt on pigeons, HOSPs starlings, squirrels and bunnies out to 50 yards with it. It is a .22 I picked up used and with a $19 Leapers mildot scope on it. Anything under 75 yards is fair game.

The Beeman R9s are definitely sweet but those will test your budget. A PCP like Benjamin Discovery would do what you want and with a pump are in the $350 range.

[longshooter]

Thanks for all the replies. Seriously looking at the beeman R9 .

[Bugflipper]

I would also recommend a pcp over a springer. If you are wanting long range, I'm not so sure a springer would be the best choice. I use a R9 off the porch to pop critters in the garden. It's hard for me to hit anything at long range with a springer. Due to them being hold sensitive it's usually awkwardly leaning on a post for support or just shooting offhand.

My hunting rig is an airforce condor in .25 rated at 1100 fps. You can shoot it rested on anything and it maintains it's poi. If the wind is not going. 200 yards on cans is generally doable. Under field conditions squirrels are yours out to 75 and rabbits to 150. My vote in your price range would be the already mentioned discovery or the BAM b-50 or b51, both with a leapers scope. If you can increase the budget, then of coarse the leupold. But I would add the money to an airforce over the Bam and Benjamin and forget the leupold. This of coarse is a biased opinion. 

BTW I have taken squirrel out to 50 with my r9, but it is more likely than not that I miss over 40 yards on little critters.

[Victor3]

 Hmmm....
 
 I have a Daystate Huntsman in .22 @ 25 ft lbs that should do pretty well against your Condor methinks. I'm a pretty fair shot with it at 100 yds but can't hit a pop can 100% at any 200 yds with it. Only got a 20x Leupold on it though.
 
 You must be a darn good shot. Or have a large can. 

[dks7895]

Kind of a trick question.  $500 budget for an airgun with "top of the line scope".  It really depends on your definition of top of the line.  You could easily spend $500 on really good glass.  But is that necessary to pop pidgeons?  I have a $100 Crosman Storm/Quest from Walmart with a Centerpoint 3-9x32 on it.  The stock is nice, trigger is ok, and can drill bunnies/squirrels out to about 40 yards.  Like others have said, you have to master the springer hold to get them to shoot straight.  My buddy has a $300 Beeman.  The stock and trigger are way better than mine... but shoots about the same.  If you are really wanting something nice, I would go PCP with a decent scope.  If you are set on a springer, Beeman or RWS are fine choices.  However, if you want to drill pidgeons and test the springer waters... the $100 Crosman is hard to beat.

[Bugflipper]

Hmmm....
 
 I have a Daystate Huntsman in .22 @ 25 ft lbs that should do pretty well against your Condor methinks. I'm a pretty fair shot with it at 100 yds but can't hit a pop can 100% at any 200 yds with it. Only got a 20x Leupold on it though.
 
 You must be a darn good shot. Or have a large can. 

And how is a 25 ft lb gun comparable to a 55 ft lb gun?  Don't mind the uncertainty, check out youtube for further shots than 200.

[Victor3]

For starters, mine will be more accurate.    You're not going to consistently get <1.5 moa (required to hit a pop can 100% of the time @ 200 yds) at that distance with an airgun pellet going that fast, and certainly not out of a mediocre rifle like a condor. 
 
Talk is cheap, youtube is free...

[keith44]

Beeman springer at 50 yards, everytime.
 

[Victor3]

 I see that Bugflipper has now modified his post (with no edit time visible since moderators can do that sort of thing    ) to read that 200 yds on a can is "generally doable" rather than something he does "100%" of the time.
 
 Commendable move, BF. More in in tune with your sig line at least...

[keith44]

I see that Bugflipper has now modified his post (with no edit time visible since moderators can do that sort of thing    ) to read that 200 yds on a can is "generally doable" rather than something he does "100%" of the time.
 
 Commendable move, BF. More in in tune with your sig line at least...

and perhaps I should modify mine to read everytime I fire from sitting position and hold the gun just so...