Considering buying a air rifle

Rimfire bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action and self loading rifles. Air rifles.

Considering buying a air rifle

Post by 2freeq » 24 Apr 2019, 11:11 am

I've been considering buying an air rifle for some rabbit and fox hunting.

I know nothing about them but like the idea of the precharged pneumatic ones over a springer. I'm also thinking .22 rather than .177

Any suggestions on where to start looking?

Budget wise i'd like to stick with entry level under $800 for air rifle only.

I also would prefer one that can be pump via hand pump or compressor rather than those CO2 canister you replace.

I really like the FX range of air guns but the price makes them out of reach to me.
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by bladeracer » 24 Apr 2019, 11:28 am

2freeq wrote:I've been considering buying an air rifle for some rabbit and fox hunting.

I know nothing about them but like the idea of the precharged pneumatic ones over a springer. I'm also thinking .22 rather than .177

Any suggestions on where to start looking?

Budget wise i'd like to stick with entry level under $800 for air rifle only.

I also would prefer one that can be pump via hand pump or compressor rather than those CO2 canister you replace.

I really like the FX range of air guns but the price makes them out of reach to me.


Make sure you have access to somebody that will fill a tank for you, it seems lots of places won't without an inspection certificate.
I don't think I could live with a PCP rifle, just seems a pain in the arse for very little benefit. Trying to pump one up with a hand pump is not something most people do more than once I gather, it's quite a work out. An $800 rifle, plus a tank, fittings and a compressor really makes it an expensive exercise. I preferred to buy a gas nitro rifle (uses a sealed compressed gas cylinder as a "spring") and a couple of .22 rifles for my money. Accuracy can be pretty good at close ranges, particularly if you buy the outrageously expensive pellets. I don't know that I'd be confident shooting foxes with a .22 air-rifle though. I think even the most potent .22" air rifles only offer about half the muzzle energy of even subsonic .22LR, and the power drops off rapidly with range due to the very light pellets.

This place was a great resource when I was looking for info. https://www.scubadoctor.com.au/diveshop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=83_490

And here https://www.pyramydair.com/articles
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Hunter257 » 26 Apr 2019, 2:12 pm

Okay maybe I can help here, I run a company servicing and selling HP breathing air compressors.

If you want a PCP gun then you will need a SCUBA (or SCBA) cylinder to decant from and these will normally be 225 BAR.
When buying a second hand cylinder you need to check the neck of the cylinder and there will be a ring of date stamps around the neck.
There will also be a date of manufacture stamp on the neck.
Check the last date of inspection, these last for 12 months.

DONT BUY AN ALUMINIUM CYLINDER MANUFACTURED BEFORE DECEMBER 1991.
These have been withdrawn by OHS after a series of explosions whilst being filled.

Most gun shops worth their money will have a compressor to fill cylinders though some of them are woeful!
Any good shop will have a fast machine in the >100 LPM range and a fill should take no more than 30 minutes.

Specifically the air doesn't need to breathing air standard, nor does it have to be oil free. The cylinder should be marked Propellant Gas though and marked not breathing air. Most places will fill with breathing air because they are a SCUBA facility and don't want to run 2 machines. Most gun shops will claim its breathing air, but generally isn't and they don't have air quality checks every 3 months like SCUBA shops. What the air does need to be is filtered and dried so very low moisture content.

Generally if buying a PCP gun the gun will come with a compatible fill whip, check all gauges, fittings and swage points. A failure of a 200 BAR fitting WILL turn your pants brown. Then you will need a SCUBA cylinder in test, normally around 12ltrs @ 200 BAR. Make sure its a 200 BAR cylinder, they come in 300 BAR too and the 2 fittings are different and not cross compatible. Also be aware you can buy cylinders in sizes from 1.3ltr up to 18ltr. A 3 ltr pony bottle makes an excellent day cylinder to sling on the hip and carry around the fields.

If anybody wants further information feel free to ask questions on the thread or PM.
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Hunter257 » 26 Apr 2019, 2:16 pm

Oh Yes and a 100 LPM compressor in 225 Bar Single phase is around $5,500
the cheaper $300 - $500 "air gun compressors" are pretty s**t with poor filtration. Remember the main job of the filtration is to remove moisture......
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by bladeracer » 26 Apr 2019, 3:44 pm

Hunter257 wrote:Okay maybe I can help here, I run a company servicing and selling HP breathing air compressors.

If you want a PCP gun then you will need a SCUBA (or SCBA) cylinder to decant from and these will normally be 225 BAR.
When buying a second hand cylinder you need to check the neck of the cylinder and there will be a ring of date stamps around the neck.
There will also be a date of manufacture stamp on the neck.
Check the last date of inspection, these last for 12 months.

DONT BUY AN ALUMINIUM CYLINDER MANUFACTURED BEFORE DECEMBER 1991.
These have been withdrawn by OHS after a series of explosions whilst being filled.

Most gun shops worth their money will have a compressor to fill cylinders though some of them are woeful!
Any good shop will have a fast machine in the >100 LPM range and a fill should take no more than 30 minutes.

Specifically the air doesn't need to breathing air standard, nor does it have to be oil free. The cylinder should be marked Propellant Gas though and marked not breathing air. Most places will fill with breathing air because they are a SCUBA facility and don't want to run 2 machines. Most gun shops will claim its breathing air, but generally isn't and they don't have air quality checks every 3 months like SCUBA shops. What the air does need to be is filtered and dried so very low moisture content.

Generally if buying a PCP gun the gun will come with a compatible fill whip, check all gauges, fittings and swage points. A failure of a 200 BAR fitting WILL turn your pants brown. Then you will need a SCUBA cylinder in test, normally around 12ltrs @ 200 BAR. Make sure its a 200 BAR cylinder, they come in 300 BAR too and the 2 fittings are different and not cross compatible. Also be aware you can buy cylinders in sizes from 1.3ltr up to 18ltr. A 3 ltr pony bottle makes an excellent day cylinder to sling on the hip and carry around the fields.

If anybody wants further information feel free to ask questions on the thread or PM.


Why do you want a 200BAR or 225BAR cylinder for 300BAR rifles?
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Hunter257 » 26 Apr 2019, 4:59 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Why do you want a 200BAR or 225BAR cylinder for 300BAR rifles?


Sorry should have clarified here. I thought most PCPs were 200BAR
buy the cylinder and valve you need for the gun, either 200 for 200 or 300 for 300.
your filling whip will dictate the cylinder/valve combination you require.
The difference between 200 and 300 Bar is the valve, the cylinders are the same as their burst pressure is dictated by the burst disc in the valve.
Most if not all cylinders have a burst pressure of 450 Bar and this should also be stamped on the neck by the manufacturer.
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Strikey » 26 Apr 2019, 5:12 pm

Hunter257 wrote:Okay maybe I can help here, I run a company servicing and selling HP breathing air compressors.

If you want a PCP gun then you will need a SCUBA (or SCBA) cylinder to decant from and these will normally be 225 BAR.
When buying a second hand cylinder you need to check the neck of the cylinder and there will be a ring of date stamps around the neck.
There will also be a date of manufacture stamp on the neck.
Check the last date of inspection, these last for 12 months.

DONT BUY AN ALUMINIUM CYLINDER MANUFACTURED BEFORE DECEMBER 1991.
These have been withdrawn by OHS after a series of explosions whilst being filled.

Most gun shops worth their money will have a compressor to fill cylinders though some of them are woeful!
Any good shop will have a fast machine in the >100 LPM range and a fill should take no more than 30 minutes.

Specifically the air doesn't need to breathing air standard, nor does it have to be oil free. The cylinder should be marked Propellant Gas though and marked not breathing air. Most places will fill with breathing air because they are a SCUBA facility and don't want to run 2 machines. Most gun shops will claim its breathing air, but generally isn't and they don't have air quality checks every 3 months like SCUBA shops. What the air does need to be is filtered and dried so very low moisture content.

Generally if buying a PCP gun the gun will come with a compatible fill whip, check all gauges, fittings and swage points. A failure of a 200 BAR fitting WILL turn your pants brown. Then you will need a SCUBA cylinder in test, normally around 12ltrs @ 200 BAR. Make sure its a 200 BAR cylinder, they come in 300 BAR too and the 2 fittings are different and not cross compatible. Also be aware you can buy cylinders in sizes from 1.3ltr up to 18ltr. A 3 ltr pony bottle makes an excellent day cylinder to sling on the hip and carry around the fields.

If anybody wants further information feel free to ask questions on the thread or PM.


No, most air rifles are only supplied from new with either a fill probe or a female foster fitting, it is up to you to source the micro bore air hose and suitable fill adapter for the SCBA/SCUBA tank either K type or DIN. A 200bar bottle is a waste of time as you only get a few fills before the pressure drops below the air rifles fill pressure, steel 300bar bottles are the only ones to have and where are these gunshops that fill them for you??
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by 2freeq » 27 Apr 2019, 8:02 am

Getting a SCUBA tank filled is not an issue as i live on the coast where SCUBA diving is popular so there is a few dive shops around.

Thanks for the advice, Ill go check out what my local gun store can order and go from there. Cheers.
Howa 1500 .223
Marlin XT22SR .22LR
Lithgow .22LR
EMEI Chinese side lever .117 Air Rifle
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Hunter257 » 27 Apr 2019, 12:32 pm

Strikey wrote:No, most air rifles are only supplied from new with either a fill probe or a female foster fitting, it is up to you to source the micro bore air hose and suitable fill adapter for the SCBA/SCUBA tank either K type or DIN. A 200bar bottle is a waste of time as you only get a few fills before the pressure drops below the air rifles fill pressure, steel 300bar bottles are the only ones to have and where are these gunshops that fill them for you??


okay didn't know that.
A big 200 Bar cylinder will give more fills before pressure drop off. And can be filled to around 232 Bar as an operating pressure.
Most 200 Bar valves are actually 232 Bar though some are 207 Bar

And yes a 300 Bar cylinder is better, a lot of dive shops won't fill to 300 Bar though as the banks are usually 350 Bar and a 300 Bar fill will reduce the high end of the bank array meaning they have to run the compressor again.
And yes only steel tanks are rated to 300 Bar. If you see an aluminium tank with a 300 Bar valve in it leave it alone.

We can build and supply fill hoses and when I finally get off my arse and finish it we will have a shooting portal on our web store.
If you're building a fill whip fit a UNIDIN spigot, it's got a flat end like a 200 Bar and 7 threads like a 300 Bar so will actually fit both valves and is very handy, but expensive @$125 inc GST for the spigot only
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Strikey » 27 Apr 2019, 8:31 pm

Hunter257 wrote:
Strikey wrote:No, most air rifles are only supplied from new with either a fill probe or a female foster fitting, it is up to you to source the micro bore air hose and suitable fill adapter for the SCBA/SCUBA tank either K type or DIN. A 200bar bottle is a waste of time as you only get a few fills before the pressure drops below the air rifles fill pressure, steel 300bar bottles are the only ones to have and where are these gunshops that fill them for you??


okay didn't know that.
A big 200 Bar cylinder will give more fills before pressure drop off. And can be filled to around 232 Bar as an operating pressure.
Most 200 Bar valves are actually 232 Bar though some are 207 Bar

And yes a 300 Bar cylinder is better, a lot of dive shops won't fill to 300 Bar though as the banks are usually 350 Bar and a 300 Bar fill will reduce the high end of the bank array meaning they have to run the compressor again.
And yes only steel tanks are rated to 300 Bar. If you see an aluminium tank with a 300 Bar valve in it leave it alone.

We can build and supply fill hoses and when I finally get off my arse and finish it we will have a shooting portal on our web store.
If you're building a fill whip fit a UNIDIN spigot, it's got a flat end like a 200 Bar and 7 threads like a 300 Bar so will actually fit both valves and is very handy, but expensive @$125 inc GST for the spigot only



The only air rifles I know of that run a 200bar fill pressure are Steyrs and Anschutz, happy to be corrected though, most are now 220/230bar. I have a regulated 25cal that I fill to 240bar but its unregulated little brother 177 I only fill to 210bar so you can see why I recommend a 300bar SCUBA/ SCBA bottle, I made the mistake of buying a 230bar one and get a maximum of maybe 10 refills. Can you give us a link to your web store, I am sure the OP may be interested :thumbsup:
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Re: Considering buying a air rifle

Post by Hunter257 » 29 Apr 2019, 10:40 am

Strikey wrote:The only air rifles I know of that run a 200bar fill pressure are Steyrs and Anschutz, happy to be corrected though, most are now 220/230bar. I have a regulated 25cal that I fill to 240bar but its unregulated little brother 177 I only fill to 210bar so you can see why I recommend a 300bar SCUBA/ SCBA bottle, I made the mistake of buying a 230bar one and get a maximum of maybe 10 refills. Can you give us a link to your web store, I am sure the OP may be interested :thumbsup:


Happy to mate

www.divetekoz.com
then click the link for the store.
Gun portal up and running soonish

If anybody needs anything feel free to contact us and we'll help
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