Looking to get a pellet rifle for messing around the woods and zapping squirrels in my backyard.

My knowledge ends with the Daisy Red Ryder BB guns and Crossman 760 I had back in the 1980s.

Think I'd like to keep the budget under $200.

I also think I would like to have it be a break action or single pump kinda thing. No cartridges or tanks.

A lot of my internet searches end at Gamo Wildcat Whisper and Hatsan 95

Input ?

Bejamin prowler. My dad won one years back and we put a Gamo scope on it for like 50 bucks and that thing was pretty accurate, like 15 yard sparrow-headshot accurate. It loved the Gamo red fire pellets and I could take out squirrels and rabbits with it quite easily. Not sure about the .22 version but it would probably be good. Lately it has been inaccurate with the red fire pellets; I haven't figured out why... Maybe gamo changed them up a bit or something. I think the gun goes for like 150 or so

I would get a compressed gas gun over a springer. A Nitro Piston. Most break barrels are springers. When you (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) the barrel you are compressing a spring. With a compressed gas gun you are compressing gas. They both push a piston that forces air out of a chamber and down the barrel. With springers you get back and forward recoil. Due to the spring extending out and then returning to the relaxed position. There is a lot of gun jump with the spring releasing. Staying under $200 may be hard to due unless you think a Red Ryder or something equal would do. I would also go 22 cal not 177. I shot a Gamo whisper and it was not what I would call accurate. I think there was too much velocity for the pellet to stabilize. I never did feel it was sighted in because pellets flew everywhere. I have heard there is no costumer service with Hatsan. That was from reading reviews, I have never tried to contact them my self. I have a Benjamin Predator Nitro Piston in 22 cal and I head shoot gophers out to 50 yards pretty regular. It is no longer made. But they have another model that is a gas piston. Go on Air Gun Depot and you can do a search by all sorts of things. It will give you an idea of what is available.

Check this one put for a pumper.

https://hardairmagazine.com/news/a-close-look-at-the-seneca-dragonfly-mk-ii-multi-pump-air-rifle/

If you're looking for a precharged, aka PCP, two that have caught my eye and have a following are the Stoeger Bullshark, a bullpup, or the Air Venturi Avenger or AvengeX. Just a heads up PCPs are require extra stuff like an air pump or compressor and your garage compressor won't do it. That or search out a local scuba shop and consider buying a bottle.

Compressed air guns seem to be the way to go. I have a friend that has lots of $$$ invested in his outfits. He is making accurate kill shots over 100 yards on fox and coon sized animals. He is shooting 25 and 30 cal I believe.

I have an older Beeman break action. Fairly heavy unit, but is very accurate. It is a 177...if I jad to do it over, I would do 20 cal or mayne 22 cal. It is bad medicine for chipmunk size critters, but you need a very well placed shot on a fox or grey squirrel with the 177.
I would also look at RWS Diana air guns for your price range.

I have a Gamo and like it. I have taken squirrels, grouse. I use it for dispatch trapping also. Haven't found anything it hasn't worked on.

I say skip the pellet gun and got straight to a 22. Bought a Savage Rascal, which is a $150. Super light kids gun. Bought one for my kids, but I really enjoy running around the woods with it myself. Run it suppressed with subsonic hollow points and I’ve taken a handful of grackles this spring between 75-100yds. It so dang accurate, quiet and light. I see no point in pellet guns unless you live in a commie state.

Same question I asked a year ago....I ended up with a Hatsun after hearing good reviews....that thing is extremely hard to (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman), and is heavy as , well, its real heavy...
it was so bad on my shoulder, and difficult to handle, I never even got it sighted in...

I should have just got a plain jane pump up...light, easy to pump, and more than accurate for close in work...

Springers are just a hard to deal with pia all the way around to me. You cant even hold them the same as others and get the same results.

I bought a Beeman Kodiak 25 caliber about 25 years ago. That was when they were first coming out with gas piston break barrels and there weren't hardly any on the market. I opted for the springer, and it is a good gun. Springers are super hard on scopes due to their reverse recoil, you either need an airgun scope designed for it (these can be had fairly cheap) or a high end rifle scope, I've heard that most Leupold's hold up well, but I've never tried one. Went through a couple airgun scopes, even though they are designed for the recoil, my gun was at the top end of springer power and was still pretty rough on them. I bought a "blemish" and never did find the "cosmetic flaw" in it, (it has plenty now, but none I could find new). Heavy gun, with nice walnut stock, looks and feels like a quality centerfire rifle rather than a cheap airgun. Hunting accurate, not a tack driver, but dime sized groups at 25 yards. And it hits hard, that rifle has killed a lot of bobcats back when I used to pack it.

I'll second the RWS rifles also. I'm completely out of date on air guns, but back when I got mine I was looking hard at a couple RWS guns, and they came highly recommended, but so did the Beeman, and while it was usually more, I got a good deal on it and chose it for the 25 caliber. I shoot (shot, I guess, it never gets used any more, although I did take it out and make sure it was sighted in last year and shot a couple dozen rounds through it at a target) 37 grain pellets, and it is very comparable to shooting subsonic 22 long rifle ammo, ballistically.

I have a gamo . 20 yards and closer its ok. After that I'll throw rocks. All of the spring guns I have shot are the same. My kids red ryder shoots better.
I wouldn't waste the $. Buy subsonic ammo for a 22lr

I wouldn’t buy anther spring gun. I’m getting ready to order a Umerex Notos G2, they are over that budget by a little bit. Great reviews on the G1, so why not. It’s only made in .22. I have a Gamo Swarm it’s ok for dispatch but not accurate enough for my liking. Pellet guns can be as accurate as .22lr, I like the fact I can put a folding stock on for packing into businesses to shoot a bird or whatever they are calling about. Nice to have in a backpack.


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I was sighting a friend's springer in for him since he liven in town and it was making a Crack with some shots. I was not happy with its groups bought several pellet types. Got it as good as I could and gave it back to him.

Latter I read spring piston guns need to be held differently for best performance. Is that correct i cant say have not shot one since and have no plans to. But since you own one it may be something you would be interested in looking into.
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Try a Crossman 362. It is a pumper (1-8) strokes. 5 strokes for r.Squirrels to 50' . .22 cal can keep 3 pellets in a nickle sized group @ 50. Comes with a "basic" peep sight, ? weather you can mount a scope on one. $130 at Sportsmans Warehouse with 10% of cupon

I second the Crossman 362 bought one for my grand daughter scoped it out and she shoots dime size groups @ 30yds whisper quiet plenty of power 22cal

Springers work my purposes. You just better watch your fingers when arming them or youll draw your own blood...If you want a pure hunting gun, a PCP is going to be your best bet, and get the biggest caliber you can afford.

My problem with those plastic tipped pellets is that the tips get wobbly which isnt good for accuracy.

they jump forward not back , they have negative recoil
they call it artillery hold , basically you almost float the gun in your grip so it can move as it needs and you are pulling the trigger with as little other influence on the rifle as possible

open palm rest , light grip of trigger hand , not pulling into the shoulder , cheek on wood to line up sights but it is all almost exactly the opposite of what you would do with a recoiling gun