Current events, goings-on in Delaware and anything else of interest here.
 #99709  by Kuntryboy816
 
Well, after a few weeks of researching and reading countless reviews, I finally bit the bullet... er, pellet... and picked up our first air rifle. I say "our" because this is a birthday gift for my boys although it'll only be used under my supervision, of course. This way I can teach them and the wife more consistently how to shoot w/o having to get all packed up for the range. Ammo's cheaper too! 8-)

On Friday, I picked up a Ruger Blackhawk along with a plinker target stand and some round tip hollow point pellets. Total cost <$150. Friday night after they went to bed, I pulled it out of the box, cleaned the excess oil off of it and read thru the instruction booklet. Mounted the scope and cased it up. Took it with me on an overnight outing Saturday in order to get it sighted in. Gotta say so far it is a great investment. I didn't quite get the scope zeroed in but it's close enough that the kids won't get bored finishing it up with me.

Sunday was the birthday party. I had not put the case rifle away and it was standing against the fireplace mantle since I had returned. My wife had wrapped up the plinker target and a tin of pellets and a pack of splatter targets. It was meant to be a puzzle for them to solve. 1st they opened the pellets but had no clue what they were for. Next they opened the target and my oldest was thought I was just taking them shooting with one of my firearms. So then I asked my oldest to bring my rifle case over. As I opened the case they thought daddy had gotten a new rifle. Y'all shoulda seen the excitement when I told them it was theirs! Gotta love those moments! As I showed them the location of the safety my chest swelled with pride a little more. Not once did they break their safety training by putting their finger on the trigger. I'll post pictures shortly and then a ranger report after we get to shooting it.
 #99712  by Owen
 
Passing it on to the next generation. Priceless!
:applause:
 #99713  by Kuntryboy816
 
The only "complaint" I have about the rifle is that it does not come with iron sights. I'm guessing I could put some fiber optic ones on in the near future. I want to teach them to shoot traditionally w/o a scope as well.
 #99799  by BigJoe
 
I bought a ruger air hawk about a year or so ago. Found it in the rehoboth kmart for $11.99. The 2 packs of pellets cost more than the rifle. Couldn't be happier. I think you and your boys will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Hopefully they won't be tempted to do some of the stuff I did in my youth with my old 760 pumpmaster. Delaware does have a small game air rifle season so that could get them further into the shooting sport.
 #99802  by Kuntryboy816
 
BigJoe wrote:Hopefully they won't be tempted to do some of the stuff I did in my youth with my old 760 pumpmaster.
:troll: :troll: :troll:

I can neither confirm nor deny any youthful indiscretions.....
 #99954  by LazyFeralCat
 
BigJoe wrote:Delaware does have a small game air rifle season so that could get them further into the shooting sport.
Yes we do! Airguns are legal for the chicken of the tree (squirrels) south of the canal, except at Redden and Blackbird state forests and the public land that borders the southern edge of the canal. :pbjtime:
Kuntryboy816 wrote:This way I can teach them and the wife more consistently how to shoot w/o having to get all packed up for the range. Ammo's cheaper too! 8-)
This sums up why airguns are so awesome. I shoot a Crosman 2100 ($55!) almost every day in my backyard, and am still on the same two 3000 count containers of BBs I bought at walmart last Fall for $12. Granted your airgun is for pellets only, but 500 pellets is only $6, VS 4 times that much for .22lr... but you already know this and that's why you bought it! :D

I could be way off but I think you have expressed an interest in taking your kids small game hunting. An easy way to practice for the rifle squirrels is to hang a soda can with twine (one of those little 5.5 ounce v8 cans would be even better) from a low hanging branch on a windy day, and then wait for the can to sit still enough to shoot accurately. Obviously the target is bigger than the kill zone on a squirrel, but it still kind of simulates being ready to shoot, and then waiting for an opportunity. Wirey little guys.
phlydude wrote:Buy a Daisy Red Rider at Christmas time at Wally World for iron sights...$30
That's a cool airgun to own, if only to bring out (empty) to watch a Spaghetti Western. The stock isn't too comfortable though and the velocity is kinda light, even for shooting at cans and such. In the right light you can actually see the BBs moving through the air, dropping.
BigJoe wrote:Hopefully they won't be tempted to do some of the stuff I did in my youth with my old 760 pumpmaster.
He should tell his kids "You can shoot starlings, but only if you're gonna eat them!" :lol:

The Crosman pumpmaster is the way to go for cheap iron sight practice for a kid. The newer (all black) model has a metal (possibly plastic) post front sight, opposed to older brown model that came with the big green fiberoptic front sight. Daisy also makes something called a Powerline 35, which is similar.

Congrats to the OP for introducing the youth to the wonderful world of airguns. Be careful though so they don't turn into grown-ups with an unhealthy interest in airguns. :oops:
 #99970  by WPCatfish
 
LazyFeralCat wrote:
phlydude wrote:Buy a Daisy Red Rider at Christmas time at Wally World for iron sights...$30
That's a cool airgun to own, if only to bring out (empty) to watch a Spaghetti Western. The stock isn't too comfortable though and the velocity is kinda light, even for shooting at cans and such. In the right light you can actually see the BBs moving through the air, dropping.

Put a scope on it and you can shoot Japanese Beetles off a soybean plant from 20 feet away!


Then explain to dad why there are round holes in the soybean leaves....