Im new to this forum so I believe an introduction is expected.

I have got back into Air Rifles after a significant interval and I am very surprised and the absolutely amazing developments in this sector. PCP's wow this tech is just mind blowing.

Anyway, I started my early air rifle years running around the African bush shooting everything from field mice, cane rats to monkeys, I once even took out a porcupine.

The rifle I used was an old Diana that was passed down to me, but I cant say just which one it was, did the job though.

After the my time in the army I made the move to full on hunting rifles and did many trips around Southern African and was privileged enough to hunt most of the big African game.

After making the shift to New Zealand back in 2008 I have not had the chance, until now, to get back into air gunning. 

In early 2021 I purchased my first NZ air rifle from Gun City, a BSA Silentium .22 since then I have added to my collection. I now also have a GAMO Swarm Magnum 10x Gen2 .22, Crossman 1322 .22 very modified, Air Chief CR600W .22 CO2. 

Yes, it has become a bit of an obsession, but I and both of my sons are loving the time we spend together working on the rifles and hunting small game around the Auckland region.

I have been very lucky with getting several permissions from land owners around Auckland to shoot small game on their properties and man it brings back so many memories of my younger years. I am so happy that I can share this with my sons and that they now also get to experience what I did as a kid.

I look forward to sharing with this forum as well as learning from the many skilled members who are willing to share their skills.

Happy Plinking

 

 cheers mike

I see by your rifle choices a solid bias towards .22

cheers for now

I have the earlier Gamo Magnum Replay 10 and use the H&N 1.2 gramme Barracuda Hunter Extreme pellets.

It certainly appears I have a bias to the .22 calibre and I have now just purchased a Crosman 2250b

as a project gun.

I have placed my orders on GMAC in the UK for so many parts  but its going to be fun.

I have finished the upgrading of the Crosman 1322 and man it is awesome, so quiet with its new silencer from Youngs Airguns and with the new GMAC flat top valve kit installed, its pushing a 14.3 gr Crosman Premier Hollow Point to nearly 700FPS, very happy with that.

I have also tuned and modified the GAMO Magnum and it maxed out with the same 14.3 gr hollow point at 1840FPS which is just nuts, made a hell of a crack. I am now only running heavier 25.39gr JSB Exact Jumbo Monster's to slow things up to around 950-960FPS. I may even try the H&N 30gr Slugs and see how they perform.

Anyway, I will give updates on the new project gun as it progresses. 

Stay well. 

 cheers mike

To answer jwabfrog regarding the tuning.

*High polished piston cylinder 

*High polished piston body

*Drilled out transfer port (4.5mm)

Regarding the high fps, I have had three readings of of crazy high fps.1840 / 1723 / 1630.

After further investigations, I am putting it down to residual oil / grease in the piston chamber, so this shows you just the effect of dieseling.

Saying all of that, I am still blown away with the consistently high fps increase I have managed to get from the pretty basic tuning done to this rifle.

 cheers mike 

Regarding my GAMO Swarm Magnum .22, it can be an accurate rifle but it certainly is very hold sensitive and pellet picky. 

So far my best results have come from the heavier 25 grain pellets.

I must admit, I have also removed the swarm x10 system from the rifle as it was consistently spitting out the heavier pellets from the mag on almost every shot as well as not feeding the pellets into the breach chamber all that well. 

So I am back to a standard single load per shot. It don't bother me to much.

This rifle has also killed two GAMO scopes with its recoil, even though Im using the GAMO recoil reducing rail. 

I have just bought a new Crosman 2250 .22 and ordered a whole stack of upgrade parts from GMAC in the UK so this will be a fun new project gun. This past weekend I did some valve and transfer port mods to this gun and it has given it a decent boost in FPS, so looking forward to the new parts to go on it.

I will post some pics over the developments.

http://https://gmaccustomparts.com/" rel="nofollow - http://https://gmaccustomparts.com/

By the way, I am considering Gamo Magnum, 1300fps with lead pellets. I just learned that 1300fps is too high that too much air behind the flying pellet. 700-900fps is the sweet range. To slow down, may need some .22 pellets over 30grain?

Hi, the Gamo Magnum will only approach 1300fps with super light lead free pellets. With normal lead pellets 14 to 21 grain is fine. (Even the review linked from gamo's own website has 16gr pellets doing 803 fps). I would choose whatever pellet is the most accurate to use.

BTW, I think there are better made and better value choices than the gamo magnum available.

I have a Air Chief Stalker Junior with 4x20scope, how is that rifle doing?

I really want to try some air rifles that can penetrate easily through skulls according to the YouTube reviews. Cannot find any one to lend me one, so hesitating to buy one but yes it is too expensive and wont be useful to me.

I have seen some wild rabbits like a dog big. Sure the wild adult rabbits has some temper especially when you try to kill them? Still I think they are cute species and if you raise them when they are baby, they will be mild. So I still just want target shooting...LoL

That's the longest way I got from my landlord's yard

any where for air rifle target shooting play around Auckland?

Some tell me that I can try softair war game, but I don't think my air chief stalker jr. can do that? Though according to youtube reviews, it cannot penetrate skull but I think it will still hurts people in softair game.

I just thought I would weigh in here about some of the questions and thinking on what air rifle is best for what you say you are keen to do with it.

Stay away from the GAMO Magnum if all you want to do is target shoot, it is not suited to that and will damage your scope. 

I have killed two scopes with my GAMO Magnum even though they were rated for springer airguns.

Look, the thing with getting into air gunning is, what is your main driver?

*Plinking -(Basic target & object shooting)

*Pro-Target - (Target shooting with the aim of adjusting distances and developing high-accuracy shot placement) 

*Pest Control / Hunting - (Shooting those little creatures you love so much)

There is such a range of rifle options ranging from cheap and nasty to top quality German manufactured.

I personally have gone for units that I was keen on modifying and adjusting for better performance, just because I am a tinkerer. (Crosman 1322, Crosman 2240 & 2250B, Crosman 362, Aircheif CR600w and the GAMO Swarm Magnum Gen2)

All were bought as .22, but I have since converted some to .177 just for fun. My mods have achieved some crazy power and speeds, but not all were for the better.

Ignore the flashy advertising for high FPS, as it is useless if you are shooting the diablo style pellets, as they are extremely unstable once they go transonic/supersonic. (950 - 1352 FPS)

Around 8ftlb (foot-pounds) is enough to kill a rabbit humanely if it's a headshot. ( I prefer higher ftlb as it gives certainty of kill) but that gives you an understanding that you don't need a whole lot of speed from your rifle to pest control.

It then comes down to your budget and what you are willing to spend on an airgun. 

The next option is what action do you go for.

*Break Barrel - Too many to list

*Under leaver - Air Arms TX200,Air Arms Passport, Weihrauch HW97

*Side leave(if you can still get your hands on one) Diana Mod 56 TH Target Hunter

*CO2 - too many to list, but I have the Air Chief C600w and Crosman 2240 / 2250B

*Pneumatic Multi pump - Crosman 1322/1377, Crosman 362 and several others 

*PCP - but only with a firearms license.

Each action has its positive and negative points, but that is a whole new subject matter for discussion.

I am happy to help with any other questions or guidance you may require.

Chat soon.

I have used quite a few HW97 and each time I was like, man I need to get one of these as soon as.

Thinking about to upgrade to a full-size. I won't be exhausted with my Stalker Jr. but not sure with a full-size one, may need to work out hardly?

Stoeger Air Rifles are manufactured by BAM in China

I have however had good feedback on the Stoeger range of Airguns.

In that case, if Steoger try to produce guns in China, their staffs will end up in jails???

you mean Cannabin?

I think there used to be a lot 2K in dairy shop when I was working at one about 10 years ago?

30 - 35 fpe, gee that must kick like a mule? Must say I've never fired a magnum springer. mine are all around 12 fpe.

He showed me a second hand Crosman Benjamin Trail Stealth, .177, NP2, 1200fps?

Just, when I find Hatsan M130or135(old version) is the only break barrel with 7.62bore, really want to put it into my collection someday.

But yes, I may choose a .177 rifle for daily plinking. .177 pellets is much cheaper. Can't afford too much

But yes, I may choose a .177 rifle for daily plinking. .177 pellets is much cheaper. Can't afford too much

Some say it won't help for hunting because never get a second chance.

However for target shooting you don't need to rush?

so ...