Best Target rifle under $500?

Sounds like you want a 10M match rifle.

The Daisy Avanti line is popular, but they say the trigger needs "work":

http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/show.pl?cmd_rifles=show_guns_manufacturer&Manufacturer=Avanti

And then there's the brand new Crosman Challenger. I haven't read anything about this rifle yet, except it's based on the Discovery platform but uses a Marauder trigger and Lothar barrel:

http://www.pyramydair.com/p/crosman-challenger-pcp-air-rifle.shtml

And then they start to get expensive.

Or you can try to find a good used match gun like a FWB 300.

Look for a good used target rifle like the FWB-300 (springer) or some of the single pump pneumatics. I got a Walther LGR-U left handed (very rare) from a reputable dealer of used fine air rifles -- Jim Edmundson. He imports a lot of high-end used ir rifles from Germany that might fit your budget.

The Daisy 853 Avanti is plenty accurate, but is comparatively light (under 6#) and has a very heavy trigger pull. It's diopter sights are also not the highest of quality. It does have a Lothar Walther barrel. The trigger can be fixed and you can upgrade the sights, but you will end up spending as much as if you buy a good, used Olympic style 10 Meter air rifle, like an FWB, Anschutz, or Walther.

Here's an alternate suggestion. Do you like to shoot pistols? Look for a new IZH-46M single pump pneumatic target pistol. Great fun to shoot and nothing else comes close in the price range of $350 or so.

Or, if you can find one, look for a Slavia CZ-634. Fine shooting springer with a hammer forged barrel (!! don't see that in any other air rifles) and breech lock-up mechanism that makes them a very fine, accurate shooter. I picked up a new one for $175 a little over a year ago, but I don't believe they are imported new into the USA any more.

If you can handle the size/weight, I'd suggest an FWB 300s. This was THE CLASSIC match rifle for years and years and years. They are wonderful. $500 will easily buy you a decent used one. In fact, I've never seen so many for sale for such reasonable prices. Seems like the economy is bringing them out of the closet.

Here's where you'll find one:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79574/

http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/classifieds.php

Jim Edmundson is pretty much the go-to-guy for these great old rifles. You don't have to wait more than a couple of days for him to post another almost-irresistable 300s for sale. Jim typically posts his for sale on Brad's American Airguns site (the second link I gave you). You might just look at one of his ads and then give him a call. He may have other specimens available.

I can't stress enough what a joy these are to shoot. We're talking the pinnacle of precision, one-hole shooting! They are designed from the ground up for 10 meter paper punching.

Another you might look for on the used market is the RWS 75.

ETA: One other point about these guns. Current falling prices aside, they are a rock solid gold investment. You'll always be able to get your money back out of it. Also, they're really solid machines. The FWB 300s has a steel 0-ring instead of a plastic piston (another sign of precision) and that seal almost never needs replacing. There is a synthetic seal in the chamber and a bumper at the head of the piston but these last a long, long time as well. Worst case scenario is that a complete overhaul of a 300s with new parts costs $150. It's unlikely you'll ever need this but it's good to know if you're the type who's leary of used guns. Generally, though, these things just shoot and shoot and shoot . . .

Here's a review of the FWB 300s:

http://www.airguns.net/reviews_fwb300s.php

Also, factory manuals and take-down instructions:

http://www.pilkguns.com/tenp/spfwb300.htm

The 300s isn't the only option. Walther and RWS/Diana both offered competition quality match rifles. Also, years ago these companies offered sporters and club-level match rifles that are ideal for basement target shooting. Basically, you want to avoid any "magnum" air rifles or anything that was or is sold by touting high fps stats. A few of the better options are the old Weihrauch HW 55 and HW50 (Beeman R8), the Diana 27, the various Walther LG rifles (LG55, LGV, etc.).

If you absolutely have to buy new, look at moderate powered guns like the Beeman/Weihraugh HW 77 (or HW97), the Air Arms TX-200, the Beeman R9 or RWS 34. These have more power than what you're looking for but that's pretty much the state of the industry these days -- it's all about power. One option would be the Beeman/Weihraugh HW50s. It's a little light but should be a good shooter.

Be aware, if you're going to do any position shooting (prone in particular) the break-barrel guns will force you to lose position to recock. The side-lever guns like the FWB 300s will work better for this.

Finally, all of my recommendations are spring guns. If you've never shot one of these, they can be tough at first. Follow-through and proper technique is much more critical than when shooting a gas gun or a PCP. If you can shoot a springer well, you can shoot anything.

Personally, I think a RWS 34 or equivalent is way to much gun to shoot in the basement or a small back yard.

If you are going the new basement springer route, your really only have two choices, the HW30S or Beeman R7. It's basically the same gun with different stocks:

http://www.pyramydair.com/p/beeman-HW30-air-rifle.shtml

http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/model.pl?model_id=572

That was the fear with a springer, that I would spend as much time trying to learn how to shoot them and that the style would be different enough from everything else that I shoot that it wouldn't translate to either rimfire or centerfire.

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That's what I found. My only springer is a .177 RWS 34 Panther. Great fit and finish, but I hate that thing with a passion: It's long, heavy and twangy. It can be accurate, but I have to shoot it in just the right way with just the right grip which I don't find fun since with my pumpers I just aim and shoot to hit something.

Part of my problem is that I really don't need a 850 FPS air rifle; the 600 FPS R7 is actually a much better fit for my shooting needs. Since it's not so highly strung like almost all other new springers it shouldn't have the girth, twang and hold sensitivity problems I dislike with the 34. Maybe someday I'll give a HW30S a try.

DoogieB said:

Part of my problem is that I really don't need a 850 FPS air rifle; the 600 FPS R7 is actually a much better fit for my shooting needs. Since it's not so highly strung like almost all other new springers it shouldn't have the girth, twang and hold sensitivity problems I dislike with the 34. Maybe someday I'll give a HW30S a try.

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Agreed. The whole magnum thing has killed a lot of really great air rifles. The old HW50 and HW55 were a joy to shoot. They are perfect basement/backyard guns. The only thing you can find in about the same power level today is the R7/HW30, but that gun's stock is just too light for my tastes.

The RWS 34/36 are a nice size, IMO. Not too big/heavy, and not too light. The twanginess is cured with a Maccari kit. That also tones down the power just a tad, too.

I am fortunate to have several of the old low-powered springers (the HW55 and an HW50 in an aftermarket stock), but honestly, 9 times out of 10, I'll pick up the FWB 300s. It is just a shooting machine! It is heavy -- about 10 pounds, IIRC, but man, oh man, does it shoot! The trigger is so good you just have to THINK about firing and the shot goes off.

ETA: after doing the Appleseed thing, I've really come to appreciate the side cockers. THe break barrel thing doesn't really work very well when you go prone. I don't shoot prone with airguns a lot, but it sure works better with the side cockers.

OK, how about this one: Walther LGR for $550. This is not a springer. It's a single stroke pneumatic . . .

http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=12372&adSort=&StartingAd=0&NumberOfPages=4

Image is from Jim's ad:

Springers are fine. Springers are better. They seem to fit the noise issue much better and there seems to be a lot of good quality springers out there for under the $500 price range. I must say the exoticness of the PCP is what draws me to it. In my head I have the image of the cheap Gamo break barrel and then the large bore hunting PCP which is truly why I feel a draw to the PCP world. I have never experienced a quality springer which is I'm sure why I lean away from them a bit. I do want to stay away from break barrel springers as most of my position work will be from prone and the break barrel doesn't seem very well setup for prone shooting. I know this is going to sound weird but how hard it is to switch from aperture sights to a scope on that walther? I shoot in a couple leagues and one allows only irons/aperture sights and the other is open to any scope you choose which I am using a 6.5-20x. That is at 25 yards and I plan on mostly shooting at 10 meters with the air rifle. I figure with the change in distance that 8x magnification will give me roughly an equivalent image to shoot at with magnification. I planned to scan and reduce the iron sight targets to 40% which should equate to the distance change. I was hoping to get a bit of both irons and scoped shooting in over the winter though the scoped shooting is what I seem to have a little more fun with so being able to take scope mounts is a big key.

EDIT: I don't want you to think your comments are falling on deaf ears bladeswitcher. The one thing I have realized about air rifles is that you can either follow the suggestions of those with experience and be happy or you can follow your heart, buy what you think looks fun, and then end up buying a second time what was suggested from the beginning. With firearms and even more so optics I have found it is better to buy once, cry once than to buy cheap and replace with nice. I have untill the end of the month to make sure the cash that looks like it will be available is actually available so I just want to check every avenue before I punt. Used rifles look like a great idea. I know certainly in the firearm world that you can get some amazing deals on some really nice equipment if you buy used, you just have to know how to spot a lemon. It sounds as if air rifles are no different.