Choosing an air rifle for 3-P

[Jason]

I don't have a car so I find it difficult to make it out to a range to shoot .22. If I can wrangle some space in my building, I'm thinking about buying a match air rifle to learn 3-P (I just shoot prone now).

Would it make more sense to go with an older, wood or laminated stock air rifle, or go with an ALU stock rifle? Which stock offers the most flexibility, or is most easily adaptable for prone (in particular)?

Does anyone shoot 3-P with their air rifle (other than a Daisy)? Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.

Jason

[mikeschroeder]

Hi

We have one boy who just got an Steyr air rifle for 3-P. If this is a new sport for you, I wouldn't suggest you put that much into it in the beginning. The good Air Rifles are over $1,200. I would suggest getting the Daisy 888, or Avanti Valiant also from Daisy. The Valiant is just under $500 and uses air, the 888 is a CO2 gun. The 888 is under $300. Don't buy the various pump guns, you have to get out of position to cock the gun. Our coach trainer mentioned that getting out of position made it more likely that the shooter would NOT use a consistant position and would shoot poorly.

In my limited experience, he's right. Air Rifle is a good way to practice for your other rifle sports.

Mike
Wichita KS

[Jason]

Mike,

My .22 is a 1413, so I wouldn't consider downgrading to a Daisy 888 or Avanti.

Would it make more sense to consider an older, used standard rifle-stock CA air rifle, or save my pennies and go for an ALU stock CA (to match my free rifle)?

Jason

[pdeal]

Jason: I have an air rifle that I am going to sell. It is an anschutz 2002 pneumatic. A local girl bought it new shot it a little then quit the game. I had a bit of extra money at the time so I bought it thinking it would make a good loaner for our jr. program. It has not been much use to us though since most if the kids in our program that don't have their own equipment are in the 10-11 age range and the thing is too big for them.

Cocking the pneumatics is no problem in standing, ok in kneeling, and a bear in prone. If you are a decent prone shooter it is unlikely that you will spend much time working on prone with an air rifle anyway.

If this interests you contact me and maybe we can work out a deal.

[Oren]

I have shot quite a few air rifles and and my opinion is buy the best gun you can afford. The gun I am shooting now is a new p-700 from FWB which has an aluminum stock and I like it better than a wood stock. I also shoot an avanti valiant and i would not suggest buying one. It is designed to be a sporter gun and it is not a good enough gun to be comepedative in precision.

[Oren]

Also an aluminum stock has a lot more adjustments than laminated.

[TWP]

The aluminum stocks have a lot more adjustments, but we've found with Juniro shooters they spend a lot more time fiddling with adjustments than they do shooting.

I think almost all the shooters in our smallbore club have a P70jr. (we ordered them through CMP which doesn't carry them anymore they now have a Walther.) We like the P70jr because it is easy to scale them up to the adult size and weight.

[mikeschroeder]

Mike,

My .22 is a 1413, so I wouldn't consider downgrading to a Daisy 888 or Avanti.

Would it make more sense to consider an older, used standard rifle-stock CA air rifle, or save my pennies and go for an ALU stock CA (to match my free rifle)?

Jason

Ah, didn't know how serious you were. I don't know exactly what a 1413 is, but I know about Anschutz and have even shot one. If you intend to practice air rifle in order to do better in smallbore, buy an air rifle as much like your smallbore rifle as you can. Same for Highpower or Rifle Silhouette. David Tubb mentions using an air rifle to practice your hold for both sports, and he's been National champion in both more than 5 times.

In short, if you have an aluminum stocked .22, buy an aluminum stocked air rifle. Matching Anschutz(s) would look nice. When it's snowing outside, and your local range doesn't provide any way to shoot in the prone or kneeling position, the 888 is still better than watching re-runs of MASH.....

Mike
Wichita KS

[deleted1]

I think that the auminum stock is NOT the gun for a beginner---too dam many adjustments which will make you crazy---you will also spend your time making adjustments rather than concentrating on the fundamentals. Get a laminated or wooden stock I think you are much better off---also notice that a lot of your current top shooters seem to be using wooden stocked AR instead of the aluminum stocked models. Better to adjust the cheekpiece and then the butt fixtures slowly you wil also have to learn about the handstop position and the use of the sling---all these fundamentals take time so the simpler your gun the better your approach. At my age of 73 after shooting pistol since 1962 after droping out of small bore due to knees and eyes---my recent cataract surgery left with a desire to return to AP shooting and I am looking for a 2002 laminated stock AR. "The Ole Coach"

[Jason]

If you intend to practice air rifle in order to do better in smallbore, buy an air rifle as much like your smallbore rifle as you can. In short, if you have an aluminum stocked .22, buy an aluminum stocked air rifle.

My Anschutz 1413 free rifle is as plain as they come, except that I use Walther rear sights and a System Gemini free rifle buttplate. It's a great heavy brute with the standard full thumbhole stock and adjustable cheekpiece. There aren't any air rifles on the market with stocks that match this set-up -- it's either a standard rifle stock or ALU, but neither of these are optimal.

Going on the presumption that any shooting is better than no shooting at all, is it worth the effort to locate, set-up and then practice on an air rifle knowing what my smallbore rifle's like? Or am I just opening myself up to forming habits that don't cross over well? BTW, buying two new rifles is definitely out of the question!

Jason

[Bob]

You can't go wrong with compressed air rifles from Anschutz, FWB or Walther. Don't mess with pneumatic for three position.
You may find that the AL stocks make it slightly easier to adjust for similarity to your 1413. AR is a good training vehicle and also will provide match opportunities for you.

[topshot]

Going on the presumption that any shooting is better than no shooting at all, is it worth the effort to locate, set-up and then practice on an air rifle knowing what my smallbore rifle's like? Or am I just opening myself up to forming habits that don't cross over well? Jason

The skills can crossover but not always. It depends upon your positions and the rifles.

You definitely want a CA rifle for 3P. Trying to cock a pneumatic in P or K is just not worth it.

However, unless you plan to compete in air rifle, you would be better off just dry-firing smallbore in the other positions. Spend the money on a home trainer. You'll get far more out of it than shooting air.

When I actually do train, 90% is on the Scatt.

[mikeschroeder]

Hi

Topshot has a GOOD point. The trainer is about the same price as a good Air rifle, and it does show you more.

Mike
Wichita KS

[(guest)]

Hello

I think that the knobs and all of the different types of crazy adjustments on an aluminum stock could drive oneself mad. Stick with a laminated wood stock. A P70 would probably be the gun for you.

[Guest]

i am a junior shooter and have shot both a wood fwb p70 jr and now i shoto a Ans. alu 2002 ca. i love my anschutz i like it alot better then the p70 jr because i feel there is more gun there to shoot. i have a 2012 anschutz .22 and i find that my kneeling and standing positions cross over from air to sb. since i started shooting air first it wasnt verry hard to adapt to sb. i think thtat my sb traing helps my air since i compete in high school and any matches i can drive to. there are quite a few air rifle matches if you want to get into competing in 2 disaplins. well its personal preference but i have a wood sb and alu air and dont find a problem swicheing in between rifles.