Pellet Guns & Indoor Plinking

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  • Last Post 23 March 2011
bruce posted this 09 March 2010

Since I sometimes shoot in my basement, and I am also a fairly frugal fellow, I'm wondering if I shouldn't get a pellet gun. About 1961, when I was in the 4th grade, I sent off for the Benjamin catalog. I probably didn't address it right or put it in the mailbox, or something, but for months I'd hurry home from school and ask if it had come. Some fifty years later, I think a pump-up Benjamin might just be the ticket.

Here are a few questions:

.177 or .22?     (shooting bbs is a nice for .177, .22 has more “knock down” power. Bullet drop indoors shouldn't be much of a question.

Has anyone cast bullets for one?

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Vassal posted this 09 March 2010

I have wondered about this a little lately also. I have to drive an hour each way to shoot (and even then I only have 100yds!) I can do little more than pump one into the hilside for a pressure, or velocity check. Sure would be nice to get some trigger time on a daily basis. I hope you get some answers.

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bruce posted this 09 March 2010

Like I wrote, I have some sentimental attachment to a Benjamin pump-up. I also used to really drool over the Sheriden .20 cal pump-up jobs. My uncle had a pump-up pistol, and I think I shot it a few times at age 10 as well.

Would owning one of these babies ever be as cool as the imagination of a 4th grader could make it? Would I be rudely disappointed, or would I be so impressed I would finally stop buying guns, empty the safe and just be the mythical man with one gun? The pearl of great price, so to speak.

This spring weather is great, isn't it!

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tturner53 posted this 09 March 2010

Yes. I have an older Sheridan Blue Streak, it's accurate and has a decent trigger. If it was me I'd look for a used one, lots of stuff available for sights or scope mount. The .20 is a nice compromise. It's not a new monster magnum, but it is handy and light enough to carry. Everyone should have one, or the Silver Streak, same gun, different color. They last forever if you take care of 'em. Casting pellets has been explored by many more determined than me and generally conclude 'why bother'? Ammo in bulk is cheap.   EDIT: You can buy little silhouette targets, rams, pigs, etc. and actually have a scaled down silhouette range for practice in your basement.

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jaguarxk120 posted this 09 March 2010

Go looking for a spring air rifle, single motion of cocking. Very consistant in perfromance. Do a goolgle search for air rifles and look at some of the ones out there, really nice stuff. Check on the local ad's for a preowned rifle. sometimes a used RWS will come up for cheap, they are very high quality guns. you will find .177 is very cheap to shoot and the rifle is more accurate that you can shoot.

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jhrosier posted this 09 March 2010

I bought a Crosman 2240 CO2 pistol for indoor shooting. It works quite well. I had a spring-air gun and found the cocking effort bothered me. 50 cents for a CO2 cylinder is not too bad for occasional use. The 2240 is just about $60 new. I also have a rifle but find the short range indoors to be less challenging.

Jack

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bruce posted this 09 March 2010

Well, I just clicked on the sale off of Amazon for a Benjamin 392 pump-up rifle in .22

I will check back in after it gets here in a few days. I didn't go for overnight shipping.

We'll see!

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tturner53 posted this 10 March 2010

One of the things I like about my Sheridan is I can pump from 1 to 8 times, controlling the velocity for squibb loads. It's also easy to cock.

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gunarea posted this 10 March 2010

Hey Fellas

   We play a mini version of Lawnsteel in our downstairs gallery. The girls are allowed to use “Cheater guns” but guys must use a Daisy Red Ryder. My Forty year old one, chronos at a steady 205 fps. Newer models run around 235 fps, consistency varies from rifle to rifle. Distance is set at 24 ft from muzzle to target area. Play is for nickles or pennies. As you would assume it is extremely inexpensive.

Cheater guns are  the pump up variety of Crossman make. At less than fifty dollars, they are very consistant and accurate with a nice trigger pull and good sights. Only one pump is permitted, it produces 185 fps and the sights must be custom adjusted with a piece of half inch PVC added for elevation.. Although a scope is included with the package it is not allowed for our use.

    B-Bs are generally used, the Daisy ones are zinc coated, Crossman is copper colored and tend to rust much quicker. This particular indoor version is played in several different places here in our area. Over at Vic's you must use a pellet firing pistol due to B-Bs rusting in his pool.  Once they have struck a hard target, B-Bs are done, even the smallest flat spot affects trajectory.

   Shooting is shooting to me, fun is fun. Grandchildren can join in and learn basic shooting and safety skills while they remain ignorant of being taught.

                                                                                                            Roy

Shoot often, Shoot well

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bruce posted this 10 March 2010

The Benjamin 392 .22 Rifle was out of stock and they are returning my money through Amazon. I went to MidwayUSA to order and found out that in Michigan airguns need to be shipped to an FFL!

Black Powder guns, however, need only a notorized letter stating you haven't been jailed for a felony for over three years. Here is the list of no-send locations:

Cannot ship to: D.C., IL, MI, New York City (including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) NY, Philidelphia PA, Johnson City TN

Whoda thunkit?

I went looking at air rifles at the various sporting goods stores last night. One young counter clerk didn't believe that .22 cal air rifles existed. Thus the attempt at mail order. By the time I get an FFL in the deal I think it will be too pricey.

Gunarea, I couldn't figure out how to open the .sig file. I figured it was a signature, and chose notepad. Wrong choice. Any tips?

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tturner53 posted this 10 March 2010

Same here, no open. I'd like to see those pics. Oh, did I mention I really like my Sheridan Blue Streak? Yep, got the Williams receiver sight and a scope base too, tho I don't use a scope on it. I am lusting for one of those new Gamos with the noise suppressor on it. I live in the suburbs, sherriff's helicopter flying over everyday, one shot and somebody will call 911.

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Andrew posted this 10 March 2010

US Patent 4097018 - Rifle pellet casting mold

I found this mold patent a while back but have had no luck in finding out if it was ever produced. It looks like the same setup as some of my old fishing jig molds. I would love to try casting some pellets just to see if it would work. They are inexpensive enough to purchase but the challenge to mold your own intrigues me. Here is a link to the patent description. You have to register to use the site but it's free and there are plenty of interesting patents to look at.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4097018/description.html>http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4097018/description.html

 

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JimmyDee posted this 10 March 2010

gunarea wrote:    We play a mini version of Lawnsteel in our downstairs gallery. The girls are allowed to use “Cheater guns” but guys must use a Daisy Red Ryder. My Forty year old one, chronos at a steady 205 fps. Newer models run around 235 fps, consistency varies from rifle to rifle. Distance is set at 24 ft from muzzle to target area.

Chief AJ ( http://www.chiefaj.com ) sells a grown-up sized Daisy Red Ryder.  He designed a different stock, beefed-up some of the internals (more rugged and ~ 350 fps, I think.), and bought one day's worth of production from Daisy.  He sells 'em on the internet.

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gunarea posted this 10 March 2010

Hey Guys

 Sorry about the sig file, I thought I was being slick and putting several photos together. Here are some pictures one post at a time.

                                                                                          Roy

Shoot often, Shoot well

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gunarea posted this 10 March 2010

Hi

   That was my wonderful wife who kills me at this indoor game. Here is the shooting end of this fun. Yeah, we sit down and even enjoy a beverage during the game progress. Faster and stronger projectile does not translate into accuracy. It does however ricochet harder and sting a bit more. On to the next picture.

                                                                                      Roy

Shoot often, Shoot well

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gunarea posted this 10 March 2010

Number three

   From the shooting line to the targets is twenty four feet. Nineteen of the targets are one and a quarter inch square. Forty six of them are two inch squares. The table in front of the shooters helps cut down on bouncing B-Bs. The gallery walls are lined with sailcloth and old linens to also slow errant B-Bs. The overhead light at the shooting line is a narrow focused bar. The focused light eliminates fudging on the distance because outside the narrow beam it is too dark to see the sights. I'm on dial up, this is really time consuming.

                                                                                                    Roy 

Shoot often, Shoot well

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gunarea posted this 10 March 2010

Last picture

   At least for tonight.     Here is as good a shot of the targets as my little camera will take. The quality is poor but I think you can see a distinct marking on each of the targets. You must play Ministeel the same as Lawnsteel. In Lawnsteel and “MiniSteel", as we call it, hitting the wrong target is a foul and you must give each player a token. As you can see, there is little room for error. But then we play for nickles, so fouls aren't too expensive. Generally we have five shooters on the line for a game.

   Oh boy is target repair easy. A bottle of “White out” and a black marking felt tip pen. Lighting was aslo a snap with the help from a friend who is a professional photographer. We have a bunch more pictures of this and our other shooting facilities, but I am done for tonight. Thanks for your interest and attention.

                                                                                                Roy 

Shoot often, Shoot well

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Brodie posted this 11 March 2010

My Father taught me how to shoot when I was 3.5 yrs old with a crossman pump up .177 cal. pellet rifle and trap.  Now I have a chinese spring gun that shoots .177 pellets and use it to “snipe” grasshoppers in the backyard, shoot gophers, rabbits, and the odd crow that is dumb enough and irrritates me enough.  They are a heck of a lot of fun, accurate, and powerful for small game. also a great tool for practice.  If you think that taking out a hopper at 25 to 30 yds is easy you should try it.

B.E.Brickey

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Vassal posted this 11 March 2010

thanks for the pics. I need to devise an indoor game!

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Clod Hopper posted this 06 March 2011

I just bought a Benjamin .177 pump because the .22 requires a 24 hours waiting period in Illinois! What the logic of this is, I do not know. I love it and the next time I buy a real gun and have to wait, I will pick up one in .22. Kills starlings just fine and wifey can't hear it in the basement. ;-)

Dale M. Lock

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Haretwigger posted this 07 March 2011

When it comes to airguns/pellet guns check out Pyramid Airguns, they have everything and the best prices. They also have a forum that is second to none about anything airguns. Check out the new big bore airguns that they hunt pigs with!

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