PCP for Offhand Practice

Pumps, pre-charged, springers and everything else pneumatic.
Post Reply
TomJ
B Poster
B Poster
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:14 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by TomJ »

I'm relatively new to shooting metallic silhouette and consequently buying a lot of equipment, meaning spending lots of $$$. I'd like to purchase a PCP rifle for backyard offhand practice, no formal competition at least at this point in time. My main goal is to perfect and ingrain the basics of good shot mechanics, consequently iron sights would be acceptable initially, however, I would like the ability to mount a scope in the future. The cocking motion of, for example, the FWB 600 series rifles aggravates shoulder and elbow problems. I'm looking for "relatively" low cost rifles, if that's possible that would serve the purpose. I'd appreciate your help. Thanks, Tom
richard
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:22 am
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by richard »

There are lots of options but first consider shooting air rifle silhouette. It's as good as any silhouette discipline. If you want to go cheap maybe a co2 rifle like a QB78 would work for you. If you want something better then a 10 meter target rifle is the way to go. They are not super powerful but they are very nice and very accurate. If you want to keep cost on lower end look for a used FWB 300 or an old RWS 75 or an old Walther. They do require effort to cock. The next step up is a current PCP rifle. Crosman makes an inexpensive one. If you want a really nice one then all the top makers have nice rifles but make sure you can mount a scope on them, most you can. Also PCP requires a tank or a pump to charge the rifle.
My 10 meter gun currently is an Anschutz 8002 with laminate stock and I use a hand pump to charge it. Previously my target air rifles have been a Gamo 126, Walther LG, last was an Anschutz 2002.
Air rifles are not just for practice for other stuff, but shooting them will help with your other shooting.
Good luck.
Richard
thauglor
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 628
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:18 pm

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by thauglor »

Tom, I bought a PCP for exactly this reason. I will bring be bringing it to this sundays highpower match (I will show up towards the end).

richard, is there a reason you went to the 8002 over the 2002?
User avatar
dustinflint
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1519
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 12:13 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by dustinflint »

richard wrote:Air rifles are not just for practice for other stuff, but shooting them will help with your other shooting.
Word.

Dustin
richard
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:22 am
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by richard »

FYI. Moved on from the Gamo and Walther because they were hard to use on rams (rams were my last animal to get for my grand slam). The 2002 was probably the best rifle I ever had for silhouette out of all of my rifles including smallbore and high power but I did not like it for 10 meter. FOR ME, the 8002 is a much better rifle for 10 meter. It actually has a better trigger than the 2002 which I thought was not possible until I got it.
Richard
SqHunter
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 514
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:39 am

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by SqHunter »

Mr. Tom, somebody on here has a Benjamin Marauder in a Wayne Merrier silhouette stock. I think that would likely be the best "practice" gun you could get as far as mimicking a small bore rifle goes. I like Wayne's stocks, but I would worry about the trigger quality on such an inexpensive rifle. They might be alright but I would sure want to try one first.

I was all fired up to to get a practice rifle too, but have been disappointed in the few I have tried personally. What I really want is an Anschutz sporter air rifle with a match Anschutz trigger, but they don't make one. To get the good triggers it appears you have to go to the 10m rifle, and a 16 pound rifle with different ergonomics is not what I am looking for.

The closest factory air rifle I can think of is the Air Arms S510, but again, that is not an Anschutz trigger.
Varn
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 197
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:46 pm

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by Varn »

A Walther LG 300 Hunter is a great choice as well. They weigh about 8.5lb with scope and have an excellent trigger. They were introduced in 2006.I'm sure Dustin may have shot Tureau's. https://airgunaccuracy.wordpress.com/th ... or-rifles/
lg300.png
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
thauglor
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 628
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:18 pm

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by thauglor »

richard wrote:FYI. Moved on from the Gamo and Walther because they were hard to use on rams (rams were my last animal to get for my grand slam). The 2002 was probably the best rifle I ever had for silhouette out of all of my rifles including smallbore and high power but I did not like it for 10 meter. FOR ME, the 8002 is a much better rifle for 10 meter. It actually has a better trigger than the 2002 which I thought was not possible until I got it.
Thanks Richard! I have a 2002 alu I recently aquired, am planning on a few 100 matches per year.
SqHunter
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 514
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:39 am

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by SqHunter »

Varn wrote:A Walther LG 300 Hunter is a great choice as well. They weigh about 8.5lb with scope and have an excellent trigger. They were introduced in 2006.I'm sure Dustin may have shot Tureau's. https://airgunaccuracy.wordpress.com/th ... or-rifles/
lg300.png
The ergonomics and trigger on the Walther are vastly different from the Anschutz sporter .22LR, so how does it help practice for smallbore? Just look at the trigger guard to forearm relationship. That is not a duplicate of the Anschutz stock profile by any means. I understand people like 10m rifles for what they are, but that was not the question.

The more air rifles I see the more I think the only way to practice is to dry fire your match rifle.
richard
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:22 am
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by richard »

SqHunter,
Your feeling is not unusual. I have several friends that feel the way you do. They don't even like to shoot rifles with different trigger weights of pull. Lots of people dry fire for practice and that is a good way to practice.
Other people believe as I do. I don't care for dry firing and I find it boring. It does not produce any actual result. It is not impossible to replicate a rifle for practice but I never felt that that was necessary. The process is the same no matter what rifle one uses. I shoot lots of different rifles and I think they are all practice for each other. The process is the same when I am shooting a lever action with iron sights and a heavier trigger as it is shooting a match type rifle with a better stock and light match trigger. The really important things are that the rifle must be fun to shoot and it must be accurate. You certainly cannot tell how you are doing if the gun is not accurate and if it is not enjoyable to shoot you won't shoot it! Target air guns are not the only ones available and my first suggestion was an inexpensive CO2 gun. I do however like target airguns because they are fun to shoot AND they are accurate within the proper range and are low powered. Perhaps in a perfect world matching rifles for practice and match shooting would be nice but I believe practice is practice regardless of the rifle used. I hope that I answered your question.
Richard
Varn
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 197
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:46 pm

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by Varn »

SqHunter wrote:
Varn wrote:A Walther LG 300 Hunter is a great choice as well. They weigh about 8.5lb with scope and have an excellent trigger. They were introduced in 2006.I'm sure Dustin may have shot Tureau's. https://airgunaccuracy.wordpress.com/th ... or-rifles/
lg300.png
The ergonomics and trigger on the Walther are vastly different from the Anschutz sporter .22LR, so how does it help practice for smallbore? Just look at the trigger guard to forearm relationship. That is not a duplicate of the Anschutz stock profile by any means. I understand people like 10m rifles for what they are, but that was not the question.

The more air rifles I see the more I think the only way to practice is to dry fire your match rifle.
I was actually answering the OP's question. It's a great choice because it only weighs 8.5lb and has a great trigger which can be turned up to 2#. And for ingraining the habits of offhand shooting it does not need to duplicate the Anschutz by any means. ANY practice with any gun that even remotely resembles a silhouette rifle is of value
SqHunter
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 514
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:39 am

Re: PCP for Offhand Practice

Post by SqHunter »

I can appreciate the attractiveness of trying other shooting disciplines. Enjoy the journey, as they say. I still wish Anschutz would make a sporter air rifle with the 5022 trigger though.
Post Reply