Checking airgun performance?

[roshanfriends]

How to check the power and accuracy and overall performance of an air gun before buying them? Kindly guide....

[essdee1972]

No chance.... unless you have enough experience in airguns to understand by the trigger "feel", the sound on dry firing, balance, etc. No shop I have seen in Mumbai / Kolkata will allow you to fire a pellet inside their premises (mostly too small an area to fire anything), nor do they have any open area for tests. At the most they will let you cock the gun and dry-fire it. You have to make your judgement based on that only.

Cheers!

EssDee

[airgun_novice]

How to check the power and accuracy and overall performance of an air gun before buying them? Kindly guide....

Though a novice myself, 2 cents worth from me for choosing a springer break barrel air rifle/ pistol -

1. Heft the gun and feel the balance in one hand - typically, I hold it an inch or two ahead of the trigger guard on the four fingers of left hand (being right-handed). "Feel good" factor is must - "balance" is naturally registered. That is the way you shall balance anyway for actual shooting.

2. Go for the barrel test - break open the barrel and peep through the breech end. If barrel is straight then you should be able to align it with the bull's eye center, or some other viewable "dot".

3. Dry fire once or twice (appear "reluctant") and then ask for two-three pellets (Do *not* be greedy ) and test them out. The vendor will usually take you seriously upon observing how you handle the gun, your posture etc. My personal experience from one place in Mumbai, I was "allowed" to shoot at the target which was in a cramped place about 5m away. Another dude was refused point blank, after his "loose" talking style and ability to actually bang the rifle against the shop's counter, albeit lightly!!! Thankfully, I had undergone a refresher course at a range at Dadar, Mumbai from a shooting champ who had drilled "handling" into my brain.

4. Decide on a place on the target (e.g. 6 o' clock on #7 ring) and shoot all the 3 pellets at the same spot - *irrespective* of where they hit on the target. They ought to group in if the rifle's OK. Do not bother to zero in there itself as you shall not get any idea of the rifle's performance. That would get you the consistency of that rifle with that pellet. In any case, to give a gist from the Forum Gurus' guidance - the rifle ought to sing better after the first 100-200 shots.

5. It's actually easy to determine power and accuracy without even touching the gun first or stepping out of your house with your wallet for the pellet pop - do lots (and I mean LOTS) of research on internet and forum like IFG on the gun you have set your heart on - dig up the info from the mine available, ask questions etc. You probably ought to get published info on "fps" or Chrono-tested data for power. Also use the experience of different vendors by asking any and many of them about that gun (rifle or pistol). To share my experience while buying an Indian .177 springer AP was that I was insistent on "Will it surely and accurately go for 10m spot target?" and the vendor(s) had to answer that the pistols they had were good only for "timepass" (probably meant short distance plinking). Only IHP .22 AP could go the distance (IHP .177 AP simply was not available any place then) as per them and was "somewhat accurate" - so I purchased it. Ah the wonderful experience with it ! Anyway, make sure the vendor does not palm you off a lemon.

6. A slight digression from the title but in tune with the quest - Other area where they will try to pull out a fast one is the price - after quoting you one, the very next week or month when you actually go for the purchase they (on seeing that you are serious) will jack up the price and claim "recent increase in prices". Unless you are The REAL GUY - walk in, negotiate a price and walk out with the piece after paying the price. But hold - the vendor can have a card up his sleeve - he can simply tell you that the piece is only the demo piece available and that you should check again after X Days - ah - then the tune of prices having recently gone up can be sung! Purely first hand personal experience from not one but THREE vendors (across the city and state boundaries) in my pursuit of IHP N25. Howz that ?!

There was simply no PCP available with anyone in Mumbai for me to "view" - the reason I put "view" in quotes is that they did not have even a picture for me to see! So if interested in Indian PCP - a forum like the IFG will give you as much information, including pictures posted by actual owners as can be had. Same goes for foreign PCPs. There are many experienced folks on the forum to guide us.

Hope it helps - good luck choosing and purchasing an AP/ AG and happy shooting.