I'd eventually like to have a .22 air rifle for rural plinking and target practice as the per-shot price is considerably less than that of a powder-rifle. I have shot a pellet-pistol at 25yd at a target stuck on a pressurized piece of lumber, and the Pb-free pellets shot from it imbed themselves in it, and with the rifle I cannot see the pellet, just the hole. If bears are cowards, and I'm not standing between a mama-bear and her cubs, I still feel carrying will leave me with a better chance than just being on a stroll w/o a projectile weapon. I'm not saying I'm banking on it saving my life, but I have taken a walk and seen a bear within 125m that was staring down at me, a family member, and a family pet, and stalked us for some time on our immediate return to shelter... an 8-round, semi-auto, sub-500fps .177 pellet pistol and/or single-shot rifle .177 ~800fps has to be better than say, a safety whistle, or carrying around some generic yellow mustard container to squirt on them as they dig their claws into you and/or a loved one.
Whether I choose or have available such a .22 air rifle with a CO2 tank or break-barrel (I do not like the idea of a single load+shot with any caliber...) is a question for available funding for a purchase and actual use enough to warrant a purchase. I just did a mildly-thorough cleaning on my mock-mp45 pistol, and when I have time in a month or two will do the same with my .177 rifle.
The kit I purchased came with what I consider a rifling-damaging brush, so I used a couple cotton pads and pellets as well as powder-based-grade cleaning/lube oil to clean the barrel. I had some time (rural vacation spot) to look at the accompanying literature, and I am unsure whether to get a nylon brush attachment for cleaning the rifling on both my pistol and rifle, or the (relatively; mucho expensive) looped-type cleaning brush. In either case, am rather sure the cleaning I did was not effective toward cleaning out the rifling.
Is GAMO the leader in .22 >900-1000fps rifles? I'd like something with a good weaver-rail to mount a green laser I already have, and possibly a dot-sight mount.
As I mentioned, though I feel it requires re-iteration: I DO NOT aim or shoot my air guns at anything living.... I do recreational target practice and plinking at suspended Al cans, hanging/applied paper adhesive targets, and/or a steel spinning zombie target I got for cheap at Walmart. I follow proper handling procedures, enforce the same on adult guest-users, and handle each of my air-guns as if they were loaded powder-based guns. I respect them as projectile weapons, and use them as a means to develop my skills/practices, and reserve their use as intervention in a situation in which myself or a loved one is in immediate danger. I do not store them loaded/CO2 primed, nor to I brandish them in public, or pass them off as actual firearms. That being said, I enjoy taking (safe) trick shots that impress myself and other with everything from my Daisy Buck to my mock mp45 and air rifle.
<u>Question</u>: what is a ballpark for cleaning for an airgun/rifle when using Pb-free ammo vs Leaded shot? I feel like the deposits from using lead-free ammo is considerably less than using lead ammo. I cleaned my airgun (pistol) after using about > a dozen C02 cartridges, but have not kept track of the shots taken on my air rifle. It is actually a replacement for an identical model air rifle that failing; I either did not maintenance it well enough, or over-charged the pump...
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