Hi I have the opportunity to purchase a spring powered Gamo P900 Air Pistol. Told they are better for prepping than CO2 which I have got.
Any one got any suggestions on best Air Pistol or Rifle for that matter..
Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
-
Jamesey1981
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:46 pm
- Location: A Postbox on Baker Street.
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
What are you planning on doing with it?
I'm going to assume hunting if TSHTF.
I would say an air pistol is very little use, the legal power limit is half what it would be for a rifle, and you're going to struggle getting a clean kill on anything bigger than a very close rat, not too tasty. You also won't be able to get any practice in, no one is going to let you hunt on their land with an air pistol, they don't want wounded rabbits running around, and you shouldn't be hunting even on your own land unless you're equipped and have the skills to kill an animal cleanly.
Doing a bit of research into that particular pistol, it puts out less than 3 ft.lbs of muzzle energy, and that wouldn't be suitable even for killing rats, its closer to an airsoft pistol than a full power air pistol (<6ft.lbs), and compared to a good air rifle, (<12ft.lbs) it's a toy.
A survival situation would be different if it's hunt or die, but in that case you'd be much better off with a decent catapult, a Barnett black widow can be had brand new off eBay for a tenner, and can be converted to a sling bow for survival hunting (wouldn't be legal otherwise) of larger game.
For a spring powered rifle, you have lots of options, just make sure it's as close to 12 ft.lbs as possible, some of the BSAs are nice, but if you want to spend a bit more the kings of the springers are the Weirauch hw97 and the air arms TX200, both under lever rather than break barrel and both a damn sight more accurate than the person holding it, I prefer the Weirauch, I don't like the loading port on the TX200, I find it too small.
I'm going to assume hunting if TSHTF.
I would say an air pistol is very little use, the legal power limit is half what it would be for a rifle, and you're going to struggle getting a clean kill on anything bigger than a very close rat, not too tasty. You also won't be able to get any practice in, no one is going to let you hunt on their land with an air pistol, they don't want wounded rabbits running around, and you shouldn't be hunting even on your own land unless you're equipped and have the skills to kill an animal cleanly.
Doing a bit of research into that particular pistol, it puts out less than 3 ft.lbs of muzzle energy, and that wouldn't be suitable even for killing rats, its closer to an airsoft pistol than a full power air pistol (<6ft.lbs), and compared to a good air rifle, (<12ft.lbs) it's a toy.
A survival situation would be different if it's hunt or die, but in that case you'd be much better off with a decent catapult, a Barnett black widow can be had brand new off eBay for a tenner, and can be converted to a sling bow for survival hunting (wouldn't be legal otherwise) of larger game.
For a spring powered rifle, you have lots of options, just make sure it's as close to 12 ft.lbs as possible, some of the BSAs are nice, but if you want to spend a bit more the kings of the springers are the Weirauch hw97 and the air arms TX200, both under lever rather than break barrel and both a damn sight more accurate than the person holding it, I prefer the Weirauch, I don't like the loading port on the TX200, I find it too small.
Last edited by Jamesey1981 on Thu Apr 21, 2016 1:06 pm, edited 10 times in total.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
-
preparedsurrey
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 9:33 pm
- Location: Area 3
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
The air rifles I've borrowed that use the co2 sparkler cartridges tend to depressurise over a few days, ie you put a cartridge in then there are no wood pigeons for a few days, next time you grab it it needs another cartridge and the pigeon is gone...
If guns are outlawed then only the outlaws will have guns....
-
poppypiesdad
- Posts: 1379
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
- Location: Area 11
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
Don't. Pistols 6ft/lbs Max
Rifle 12ft/lbs Max
If you do go for spring , getting hold of co2 bulbs post shtf may be impossible
And don't try and face anyone down with a air pistol , anyone knowing anything about guns will spot it miles away .
J
Rifle 12ft/lbs Max
If you do go for spring , getting hold of co2 bulbs post shtf may be impossible
And don't try and face anyone down with a air pistol , anyone knowing anything about guns will spot it miles away .
J
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
-
Hamradioop
- Posts: 2089
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:21 am
- Location: Area 1: north wessex
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
i would not bother, good for nothing . you better off with a pcp air rifle and a stirrup pump.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” ― Edward R. Murrow
"Remember Politicians are like babies diapers they both need changing often for the very same reason" - Mark Twain
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.
"Remember Politicians are like babies diapers they both need changing often for the very same reason" - Mark Twain
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
as said above,don't was your time with a low power/short range pistol or co2 dude,
Although having said that, it doesn't mean you have to go with a 'springer' either! times have moved on of late, My new rifle has G.R.T(Gas Ram Technology) now I'm not gonna bang on about this brand, and that brand and this price etc.. no need for a pi**ing contest but do some research yourself
Generally the benefits of GRT are:
Smoother cocking, smoother shooting, no spring torque, no spring fatigue (even if you leave it cocked for hours), functions perfectly in cold weather and
lasts longer than a metal spring too.
Have you been to a range and observed the c02 guys gassing up every 5 minutes? The gas is expensive so they end up buying in bulk and lugging this great big tank around, the type that can be refilled, how practical is that in shtf? do you want to store any volume of pressurized gas
no to mention the noise of filling up would most likely frighten any potential prey away
Many options available, hope my 2 peneth helps
OM
Although having said that, it doesn't mean you have to go with a 'springer' either! times have moved on of late, My new rifle has G.R.T(Gas Ram Technology) now I'm not gonna bang on about this brand, and that brand and this price etc.. no need for a pi**ing contest but do some research yourself
Generally the benefits of GRT are:
Smoother cocking, smoother shooting, no spring torque, no spring fatigue (even if you leave it cocked for hours), functions perfectly in cold weather and
lasts longer than a metal spring too.
Have you been to a range and observed the c02 guys gassing up every 5 minutes? The gas is expensive so they end up buying in bulk and lugging this great big tank around, the type that can be refilled, how practical is that in shtf? do you want to store any volume of pressurized gas
no to mention the noise of filling up would most likely frighten any potential prey awayMany options available, hope my 2 peneth helps
OM
-
Jamesey1981
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:46 pm
- Location: A Postbox on Baker Street.
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
The gas in the divers bottles isn't CO2, it's compressed air, the CO2 air guns use the little 12g cartridges.
I do agree with you that spring or gas ram are the most practical, which is better depends which one you buy, there's good and bad of both, they have far fewer parts that can wear out, and you can take them apart easier for servicing.
Most PCPs that use the compressed air will give you many more shots than you would need to secure food though, the BSA ultra that has a pretty small tank in the scheme of things will give you over thirty shots before needing to be refilled, and they can also be filled from a pump rather than a bottle, that would give you even more parts to wear out though, and the bottles don't last forever, they need testing every few years.
I do agree with you that spring or gas ram are the most practical, which is better depends which one you buy, there's good and bad of both, they have far fewer parts that can wear out, and you can take them apart easier for servicing.
Most PCPs that use the compressed air will give you many more shots than you would need to secure food though, the BSA ultra that has a pretty small tank in the scheme of things will give you over thirty shots before needing to be refilled, and they can also be filled from a pump rather than a bottle, that would give you even more parts to wear out though, and the bottles don't last forever, they need testing every few years.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
-
poppypiesdad
- Posts: 1379
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
- Location: Area 11
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
Yes they do last for ever , however to be legal they need a visual inspection every fill and a 5 year strength Test , interior inspection and ultra sound scan .Jamesey1981 wrote:, and the bottles don't last forever, they need testing every few years.
J
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
-
Jamesey1981
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:46 pm
- Location: A Postbox on Baker Street.
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
Fair enough, knew they needed testing, didn't know they were likely to pass all the time.poppypiesdad wrote:Yes they do last for ever , however to be legal they need a visual inspection every fill and a 5 year strength Test , interior inspection and ultra sound scan .Jamesey1981 wrote:, and the bottles don't last forever, they need testing every few years.
J
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
Re: Spring V CO2 Air Pistol
There are advantages to a PCP rifle - easy to silence because of very little mechanical noise, easy to shoot because they are much less fussy about good technique, multi-shot capability allows reloading for a second shot without too much movement or noise. I've hunted with both spring and PCP rifles, and the PCP is a lot easier.
However, if I had to choose one air rifle to take with me on an extended trip it would be a springer because it doesn't need the external pump / air source. My choice is an Air Arms TX200 - reliable, accurate, easy to maintain.
One thing to remember if you are thinking about packing a springer - you need to practice ! they're not as easy to use as PCP or CO2 rifles.
However, if I had to choose one air rifle to take with me on an extended trip it would be a springer because it doesn't need the external pump / air source. My choice is an Air Arms TX200 - reliable, accurate, easy to maintain.
One thing to remember if you are thinking about packing a springer - you need to practice ! they're not as easy to use as PCP or CO2 rifles.