Really Fine pellet guns

[Jeff Higgins]

Matt, I know where you are coming from. The afore mentioned Sheridan I just bought my son does not have the look or feel of quality that my 1962 model has. That said, Tim McMurray of Mac1 assures me that the new Sheridans and Benjamins are of better quality mechanically, and material wise, than the older ones. He much prefers the new ones for his Steroid conversions.

They have cut corners in aesthetics, no doubt. My old Sheridan has some of the nicest walnut of any rifle I own. Bar none; including some high dollar center fires. The new one has a hardwood stock stained to look like walnut, and the metal finish is a bit rough. I, for one, would gladly pay twice the price for one with real walnut and a better finish on the metal.

The new one does shoot every bit as well as the old one. It actually does feel more solid when pumping, and has a better trigger. Accuracy is a wash between the two. Velocity, as verified over my Chrony, is as advertised. Actually a bit higher; it shoots into the 680+ fps range with eight pumps. Extreme spread from highest to lowest velocity in a ten shot string was something like four fps. Powder burners just can't match that.

I love the pump up pneumatics. Their versatility is unmatched. Three pumps has you shooting noiselessly in the garage on cold winter nights. Eight pumps has you thinning the local rodent population. In my Steroid tuned Sheridan from Mac1, 14 pumps has it killing pests as big as possums with well placed shots. They are very, very versatile.

Gun Broker always has vintage Sheridans. There has to be a large number of them forgotton in attics, closets, under the stairs; wherever. For anyone looking for an older one, they can still be had very reasonably.

[dzls rok]

i agree that the .22 pellet guns are better for game hunting, but the .177 gets the job done also at 50yrds or under and depending on the pellet and where you hit the prey. there is such a huge variety of pellets. from the traditional round nose and wad cutters to hollow point and polymer tipped ones. i have a gamo shadow hunter that is pretty accurate, depending on the pellet. squerrels and pidgeons dont have a chance. rabbits need a good head shot. this place has a good selection of guns and pellets. www.pyramydair.com

[snowman]

If your going to shoot a rifle inside the city, in your back yard, you need to consider how much damage it can do. A 0.177 shooting at 600FPS is plenty accurate and has more than enough power to kill any pests in your yard without much risk of killing the neighbor. 900FPS and 1200 FPS 0.22 cal air guns shoot at nearly the same velocity as a regular 22 gun and can be very lethal at long range, not a good choice for a back yard gun. I chose the one that I did because it has the same heft as an M1A, is quiet, and I can practice every day of the week at home for almost nothing. The one I chose also dosen't overwork your arm, cocking it. I can also use it indoors if necessary.

For really big pests I use my 45-70, but it tends to upset the neighbors when it breaks all their windows.