I seriously hope that "scorlett" doesn't mind. He sent me an IM of information but it's too good to keep to myself.
scorlett, if you don't want this posted, let me know and I'll fix it, but in my opinion, you win the "Best Damn Answer for the Month" of October.
Mordecai,
The types of air rifles available today provide a vast array of choices. I got my start at competitive shooting basically by accident when I bought a cheap air rifle (at age 46!). For the few years after that, I became very involved in the air rifle world, not just the silhouette arena, so I feel like I have a broader understanding of what's what than most of the rifle shooters I know that just happen to have an air rifle to two.
Anyway, air rifles can be an amazing tool. But, start you selection process we need to narrow the objective down to something more tangible. As Jason mentioned, the R1 is a good rifle, but I've never seen any one shoot one in air rifle silhouette in the last 6 years. I have an R9 and think it's a very nice little rifle, but I only shoot it in a match as a whim.
Again objectives are needed. Think of classifying the rifles into several categories:
1) Target rifles (10 meter Olympic type completion)
2) Sporting/hunting rifles
3) Precharged Field Target (FT) rifles
1) Target rifles
a) modern late models - FWB, Walther, Anschutz, Steyr
all of the current generation are precharged pneumatics (PCP) - all are incredible to shoot and make fantastic training platforms. All are fairly expensive. Used models with sights will run from $1000-1500, new ones $1500-2000.
b) single stroke pneumatics (SSP). Most of the above rifle models started development as SSPs, and most continued to have both PCP and SSP versions. The SSP is just as accurate and probably as highly developed. The primary draw back is just the ease of cocking, especially in 3 positions shooting. Often slight older models, FWB 601-603, Anschutz 2001-2002 can be found for $800-$1200. RWS 100
c) early competitive rifles. Generally these were the second generation of target rifles; some might say the first generation of really serious rifles. These were spring powered rifles with some ingenuity involved in hiding or masking recoil: FWB300, Anschutz 250-380, and RWS 75. There are normally marvels of engineering and great shooting rifles. The FWB300 followed by RWS 75 will be the most available. Good shooting rifles can often be had for $400-550, with more collectibles going for $600+.
I have a FWB300SU, my first target rifle. It shoots great and I love it. But, I haven't shot it more that 10 times in the last 5 years, since I purchased my used LG200, a Walter 10 meter PCP. The modern rifles are just so easy to load and shoot.
That covers the target rifles, except I did leave out the C02 guns. They really only were popular for a short time, during the transition to PCPs. I don't have any experience with them.
For a serious rifle shooter, I think a 10 meter target rifle is as much a needed accessory as shooting glasses or a spotting scope. I know there are a few folks that don't use one for practice, but I don't think their names aren't on any national championships.
2) Sporting/hunting air rifles. This category has exploded in the last few years with the advent of the PCP rifle.
a) Entry level