Though classified areas of the internet are good places to look, I run into problems sometimes when I find an item I like. First, I don't know the seller, what they look like, their reputation, whether or not they've described the gun in question accurately.....just lots of little things that make me hesitate sometimes before buying. To alleviate that problem, I often look for remanufactured airguns from the factory.

Airgun Depot has a category for just such items. Here is the link:

http://www.airgundepot.com/airguns-remanufactured.html 

When you go to the above link, you'll find different selections of goods determined by the availability from week to week. Remanufactured items are factory-checked, and often are a result of a customer changing their mind about their purchase. Since the gun has been sold at retail once, it is now considered a used gun. But the factory checks it over, runs it through the same criteria the new guns have, but must sell it as used. Quite often, such guns have never been fired, and are great deals if you run across one.

Right now in Airgun Depot's remanufactured section, you'll find guns for fun plinking, guns for hunting, and guns for target shooting. Each one is offered at a great discount.....for instance, the Benjamin 392 in there this week is over 20% off, $40 less than the suggested retail price. These are great savings, and many come with the manufacturer's warranty still in effect, or with a limited warranty for the used product. Benjamin, Crosman, and Daisy all have offerings in this week's remanufactured guns section, so check them out and stretch your dollar as far as it will go with this great deals from Airgun Depot.

Some of the best airguns I've ever owned have been used guns from individuals, as well as remanufctured guns from the factory. I have no problems buying these gems, and you should rest assured that the same attention to customer satisfaction for the used/remanufactured guns is the same as when you buy at full retail from Airgun Depot. 

Airgun Depot has many CO2-powered guns that suit a variety of needs. I even use CO2 guns in my hunting pursuits, finding it an adequate and easily obtained power source for small game and pest control shooting. Since that is the majority of my hunting, it gets used quite a bit at my house for such endeavors.

Consider some of the following guns as useful choices for plinking and small game/pest control shooting:

Benjamin Discovery - yes, that's right....the lowest cost PCP on the planet is also useful as a CO2 gun, made so that it can be used with either powerplant. You get quite a few shots from a fill of CO2 compared to a fill of air, and though the power is lower, for many shooting pursuits, power is not where it is at.....it is accuracy! And the Discovery delivers in that department!

RWS/Walther 850 Magnum - This bolt-action repeater is a fantastic gun for hunting and pest control, offering quick follow-up shots and adequate power for small game and pests. The bulk-fill design allows you quite a few shots before having to refuel, and the accuracy of this gun is up to par with many entry level competition guns.

QB-78 - this classic bolt-action design emulates many firearms, and is great for practicing, hunting, and plinking. Amazingly accurate, this gun allows shooters to enjoy a wood and metal gun that delivers in the pleasure category quite well. I use it for squirrel hunting, pest control, and informal contests with my kids and friends. It always delivers, and is one of the most suggested guns for the new airgunner. 

Crosman pioneered the use of CO2 as a propellant, and they still make a plethora of guns in this category. If you follow the manufacturers link in the left hand menu on the home page of Airgun Depot, you will find a great selection of CO2-powered airguns that are designed to fit the needs of the plinker, hunter, and competitor.  

So don't overlook the usefulness, availability, and economy of using CO2 as your powerplant.....and be sure to look around Airgun Depot's website for a fantastic selection of these types of air guns. 

We'll go in reverse this week, and start with the more expensive airguns that work on the spring-piston powerplant. The first gun in this category is the .22 caliber Beeman R-1, known as the workhorse of the Beeman line. This gun is responsible for the surge in interest of quality-made airguns from Europe being introduced into the United States. With a well-known pedigree, and a price of $599.00, this gun is one of the more expensive models that is offered by Airgun Depot. Rich in heritage and a known performer, you can't go wrong with one of Beeman's R-1's. 

The Beeman R11 and the Beeman HW77 Mark II also fall into the  $500+ category. These guns are German-engineered and built, with a focus on quality that is hard to beat. Fine craftsmanship, in both the metal and the wood, add to the value of these guns. They are heirlooms that you will be proud to hand down to your family members in years to come. Handsome on both the wall and the shooting range, the Beeman line of spring-piston guns from HW are top of the line.

 RWS imports a line of Diana guns, also from Germany, and the Model 54 and Model 54 scope combo both top the $500 mark. Immensely popular and well-made, the Diana guns are proven performers that are sturdy and robust. I've used Diana-made guns in many of my hunts, and am well-pleased with the results I receive from them.

Another maker in this category is the Webley line of airguns. The Webley Longbow is a fine addition to this price-point category, with its stylish looks, robust stock, and excellent finish. Of English design, these guns offer excellent quality and performance one would expect of a storied maker, and you will be well-satisfied with the offerings from Webley that Airgun Depot offers. 

RWS also offers several other guns that fall in the $300 to $500 category. The Model 460 is a fine choice for an airgun that delivers excellent power and accuracy, as well as good looks, in this category.  And the Model 350 Magnum brings high performance and power to an even lower price point.

In this price-point area between $300-$500, Webley also has some offerings. There is the Webley Stingray and Xocet, both guns which balance superbly and offer great firing behaviors and precise pellet placement on target. I have a personal fondness for the Stingray, having fired one at an airgun show, and plan to add one to my arsenal in the near future.

Gamo has some nice offerings in this category as well. The Hunter Extreme rifle and the stylish Stutzen both fall in this price point. I have a Stutzen on the way, and hope to post a review of it in the near future. 

When it comes to the more budget-minded shooter, take a look at the RWS/Diana Model 34 and Panther series, as well as Gamo's CFX, Whisper, and a few of the Hunter series of rifles. Economy-priced, yet still feature rich, these guns help the budget shooter enjoy the sport just like the shooter who buys the more expensive models.

These are a few of myh pics for spring-piston guns, seperated by price point. So pick how much you want to spend, and search out these great values here at Airgun Depot.

PCP's are, of course, pre-charged pneumatics. They are powered by compressed air that is held in a container of some kind that is integral to the gun....either a tube or a bottle. An example of a PCP airgun with a tube is the Benjamin Discovery. Bottle guns are well-represented by the Air Force brand.

 
Within the world of PCP's, there are the economy guns, the mid-level guns, and the more expensive models available. Suffice it to say that you can spend just about as much as you want on a PCP, but there are some very good offerings in the budget and mid-level tiers as well. Let's take a look at a couple of offerings from the budget and mid-level categories.

For the budget-minded buyer, you're going to find it hard to beat the offering from Crosman Corporation, with their Benjamin Discovery. This gun can be had, WITH A PUMP, for $379.00. This is practically unheard of in the airgun world, but Crosman has managed to make PCP guns affordable and fun once again for the budget minded.

For the medium-range level of cost, you can find some excellent offerings from Air Force. The Air Force Talon can be had for less than $500 dollars, and it is a well-made, unique-looking gun that has gained quite a bit of fans over the last few years. It is an accessorizers dream, with rails just about everywhere on the gun, allowing you to hang scopes, lasers, bipods.....gadget after gadget for the airgunner who enjoys adding to his or her base gun. The Air Force Talon can also reach into the more expensive range of PCP's due to all the add-ons that are available.

One of the PCP's that Airgun Depot carries that pops up into the upper, mid-level price category is the Evanix AR6. This gun, coupled with a scope, manages to break the $700 figure quite easily. This gun is a powerhouse of a .22 caliber pellet gun, and I've enjoyed using it for medium-sized game on two different continents. It will perform marvelously on game, power through targets that lesser airguns simply splatter against, and bark like a big dog!

These are just some of the excellent selections that Airgun Depot offers the PCP airgunner, so look around and choose the airgun of your choice. And don't forget your pellets and other accessories, as well.  

The Gamo Whisper comes with an ambidextrous, synthetic stock that is comfortable, and great at reducing the weight of the gun. The barrel is enclosed in a polymer substance, so you lose that metallic clank when you bump against something.

The muzzlebrake on this gun is permanently attached, and as mentioned above, does a fine job of reducing the report of the gun. It's not fully silenced, but it is softer on the ears.

The Gamo Whisper comes with a Gamo 3x9 AO scope that is clear and quite useful. I had no problem getting on target, and one juvenile starling in my neighborhood will no longer pester my bluebirds and woodpeckers!

I tested the Gamo Whisper over my chronograph, and noted that the advertised velocity is right on par with the results I achieved. PBA ammo from Gamo does go almost 1200 fps. A five shot string averaged 1156.8 fps, so close to 1200 that you could round up without feeling guilty about your claim!

I tested 7 different kinds of pellets in the Whisper. Below is a list with the average velocity of a five shot string:

PBA - 1156.8

Gamo Match - 927.2

RWS Meisterkugeln - 878.8

RWS Superdome - 876.6

RWS Super Hollow Point - 967.2

Gamo Hunters - 927.2

Chinese Domes - 844.4

The best accuracy at 20 yards was achieved with the Gamo Match pellets. They gave me sub 1" patterns from a new gun with only about 200 warm up shots through it. As the gun wears in, I'm sure the patterns will tighten up as well. Other pellets ranged from almost as good to dismal patterns of 1.5 inches at 20 yards. The juvenile starling you see above met a pellet from the Far East, one of the Chinese domes, at 26 yards and never made a twitch as he fell over. The gun is an excellent candidate for pest control and small game hunting.

The scope and rings that come with the gun work very well. It's interesting that there is a rail that attaches to the grooves already cut into the gun. Then the scope mount, a one-piece unit from Gamo, attaches to that rail. But it works, and works well. You get 3 allen wrenches included with the scope to make sure you can tighten everything down well.

The safety is located inside the trigger guard, as is common on many airguns these days. The trigger guards is plastic, but the trigger and safety are made of metal. 

For the price of $224.90 at the time of this review, you get a gun that is quieter, easy to carry, plenty accurate for pest control, and easy to cock.  The price is a bargain these days as the dollar loses value against European currency, so give the Gamo Whisper a chance in your arsenal. And instead of getting attention, avoid it with the Whisper!

Here in Kentucky, the season begins in early June and runs for two weeks. Tennessee also enjoys a spring season, and Louisiana's season is going on as I write this entry. Now how many of you have actually taken the time to check whether or not your state has a spring season? Huh? And if squirrels aren't what you are after, have you considered other animals that are legal to hunt during the spring season? Check out the bullfrog season in your state. It's challenging, and if you've never had a plate full of delicious froglegs, then you've not lived yet!

Groundhogs are in season year-round in Kentucky, and in many other states as well. Coyotes are also in season, though your normal airgun may not be up to the job. Consider the purchase of a new bigbore for those elusive song dogs and make the most of the pleasant weather in the spring to cull back the population in your area.

Starlings are nesting and raising a new brood of their rapacious younglings, and bringing their numbers to a much lower level is the desire of every state in the continental U.S! Those things are an ecological disaster, and bringing them down is a service to every cavity-dwelling bird that is native to the U.S. In like manner, the English sparrow is in need of culling if you wish to enjoy bluebirds and other desirable species.

In the spring time, use the mating tendencies of the animal you are pursuing to good advantage. If culling starlings, search for desirable nesting sites and wait on the birds to come searching for housing accomodations. And food sources that they use to feed their young are also good choices to target. Groundhogs will be busy stoking up on food since they are recovering from the winter hibernation. Catch them away from the den hole and you've got a good chance of getting one before he heads underground upon your approach. Coyotes can be called in with puppy sounds as they are territorial near their den during the mating season.  

As you can see, there are any number of animals that you can hunt and enjoy during the springtime months. And Airgun Depot has a great selection of guns and ammo that can have you out in the field, rather than sitting wishing it were the fall season. So check your local DNR rules, find a useful and legal target for your airgun, and go hunting! You'll be glad you did!

http://imageevent.com/varmintair/videos?p=69&n=1&m=-1&c=4&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=2

As in all disciplines of airgunning, it is the accuracy that counts. With a good rest, a brief comment about the wind, and a target of opportunity, this air gun hunter enjoys a shot at a resting groundsquirrel at a measured 59 yards. In the slow motion replay, you can watch the pellet home in on the killzone, which isn't much more than an inch or so in size.

Can you make that shot? The way to find out is to simply try it on a target, and realize that keeping your shots in the desired killzone is a matter of technique and practice, practice, practice. My rule of thumb is an 80% success rate, or 4 out of 5 shots, in a 1" area before I'll take the shot at a live animal in the field. This urges me to practice and become a better shot, and also serves to hone my stalking skills so that I can get within an effective range that I am comfortable with.

I was pleased to try out a prototype of the Benjamin Discovery, and have since had a production model go through my hands on its way to a new owner as well. It's a handsome gun, light, yet powerful and effective on small game.  Be sure to view Airgun Depot's video on the Discovery, as well as my review of the prototype.

And price? Once again, you can't beat the price on the Discovery. There isn't another PCP airgun on the market that gives you the bang for your buck that the Discovery does. So grab one, practice, and send us a pic or video of what you can hit at 59+ yards with an airgun! 

Here is a link to the PDF file that addresses the issue:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/docs/LeadInformation.pdf

If you'll take a look on page three, you will see that airguns are exempt from this ban as they are not considered firearms by the laws of California. The PDF file referenced specifically states that airguns and their projectiles are exempt from this ban. This is good news for those of you who use airguns in the area affected by this ban. However, I would caution you to carry a copy of the PDF file (print it out for yourself) so that any over-zealous official who may jump to a conclusion not specified by this new law can be corrected before costly fines and court procedures come about.

For many hunters, this law will adversely affect their sport and enjoyment of the outdoors. However, if you hunt with an airgun, you still have the ability to get out and enjoy some prime ground squirrel hunting this summer without fear of the lead ban affecting you. But as mentioned, carry the information detailed in the above link in case you are stopped by a game warden or other law enforcement official and questioned about the use of your lead pellets. Fore-warned is fore-armed! 

Gamo has produced a series of animal silhouettes to liven up the down time some of us experience when we can't get out into the field. Also, these silhouettes will make your Field Trial practice more enjoyable as you can change what animal you wish to shoot at. (Note: This set is not interchangeable with the old squirrel target, but will interchange with the newer squirrel target that is available since March of 2008).

The advantage that this set of silhouettes has over other versions is that you can change the size of the kill zone. Once you've mastered hitting the largest killzone available, you can then reduce the size to sharpen your ability by using the bullseye reducer to go to the next smaller size. There are 4 reducers, so you can work on your marksmanship at 4 different levels of difficulty. These silhouettes are made to be used at the 25-yard mark or further out, and remember that lead pellets are the only suitable ammo for shooting at these targets. BB's are steel, and they will ricochet with undesired results, so keep safety in mind and use the appropriate ammo for this discipline.

If you've already bought one of the new squirrel targets, you can vary the animal shape by using one of the six others included in this item:  pigeon, pig, turkey, rooster, rabbit, or ram. These targets are made of a solid metal alloy, and should provide hours of fun for young and old alike.

So if you have aspirations of competing in Field Trial Events, this set will allow you lots of practice time on different-sized targets. It will help you gauge range to the target, and keep you from getting in a rut by shooting at only one shape. The varying difficulty levels will keep you in shooting shape for your next pursuit. So click on the links above and check out this new offering from Gamo. 

PCP airguns use a reservoir of pressure for their power source. And if you are shooting an unregulated PCP, then your  gun will have what is called a "sweet spot" in the bell curve of the fill pressure. For instance, I have a PCP gun that fills to 3000 psi. The first 5 or 6 shots of the fill are slower because the pressure in the tube is slightly greater than what the ideal pressure is for the valve to close the same speed each time, thus allowing the same amount of air through for each shot. As the fill pressure nears the "sweet spot", the velocity goes up and is constant for a series of shots. And eventually, the velocity begins to slow down as the pressure is less than is optimum for repeatable performance from the valve.

How do I know this? I tested the gun over a chronograph. It shows me where in the shot count I should be able to expect repeatable performance for a known pellet weight, for a known number of shots. This is especially crucial to the competitor, and it also has a use for the hunter as well. Competitors need to know that their shots will go exactly where they want it to in order to score well. Hunters need to know the limits of their gun, how many shots they have to bag the game, and how powerful the gun is to begin with.

With a chronograph, you can measure the speed of the pellet, plug it in to a ballistic calculator and find the footpounds of energy your gun delivers. And the level of energy is different with each kind of pellet due to the different weights they are offered in by the manufacturers. Knowing that your airgun puts out 30 fpe, you can feel confident in taking that shot at a groundhog. If your airgun is putting out 6 fpe, you need to pass on the groundhog and get a more powerful airgun.

I often cringe when I hear politicians and gun control proponents claiming that an airgun shooting an 8 grain pellet approaches the power of a .45 caliber centerfire cartridge because it shoots as fast. All they looked at was the velocity. If velocity killed, then we'd all be dead because we are bombarded each day with rays of light that are going at almost inconceivable speeds. It is a combination of the weight of a projectile, coupled with the velocity, that gives it the power to harm. And there is a world of difference between an 8 grain pellet and a 200+ grain bullet!

Chronographs work by measuring the shadow of a projectile as it passes over the sensors. The best way to get a good measurement is to make sure you have an adequate light source (don't use fluorescent bulbs....the flicker they give off makes it impossible to use them with a chronograph) and that you shoot your gun from a common distance each time. This can be done inside if you have room and an adequate backstop, or outside. I've found cloudy days to be especially useful when shooting outside. The clouds diffuse the direct sunlight, and you get some very good readings. If shooting inside, you need to position lights over the sensors, and often need to place diffuser panels between the light and the sensor itself. Take a look at the chronograph selection and you will see some examples of different chronographs, the diffusers, and some light sources.

So use a chronograph for research, honing your skill, and determining the power level of your gun. But be careful....you can get addicted to your chronograph, and you will become a slave to it. I use my chronograph to check my gun's performance if I haven't shot it for some time, to remind myself of a particular pellet's performance from that particular gun, and to test new equipment. But I don't live behind one, and neither should you. So go enjoy your air gun shooting! 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/414006/

In the interest of full disclosure, this is a forum that I own and run. The reason I make reference to it here is that Airgun Depot is one of the sponsors, indirectly, of this forum, providing me assistance and air guns to use and comment on. This help is invaluable to the members and visitors of this forum, as we can actually test a gun rather than rely on the manufacturer's claims about the performance a gun puts out.

The forum is heavily moderated, and the rules help keep things polite, while leaving room for honest opinions to differ. But the main appeal to this forum is the dissemination of information to the hunting public about what can be accomplished with an airgun. You'll find advice on ammo, guns, places to hunt, how to approach land owners about using their property.....just lots of useful information.

You'll also find that there are several younger hunters just starting out in the world of airgun hunting, and many of the members take time to give sage advice, as well as encouragement to our younger members. Several members have taken big game with airguns, and we all have a great time competing against each other in trying to see who can eradicate the most starlings from our respective areas!

A big thank you goes out to Airgun Depot for their support of this forum, and for their contribution to the airgun world. They offer great service, a great selection of quality airguns, and one of the best retail websites that is both interesting to visit and purchase from. So take some time, drop by the hunting forum at the above URL, and then drop by Airgun Depot for the items you need to join the airgun hunting forum as a contributing member. We look forward to hearing from you. 

There is of course, the hunting discipline that so many enjoy. However, not everyone is inclined to shoot animals, but that doesn't mean that you can't hunt anyway. Here's an example:

Next to my property is a large drainage ditch. It serves to funnel water away from the higher ground and fields behind my property (which are rapidly turning into subdivisions). An activity I enjoy doing with my kids is to take our pellet guns and "stalk" the cans and debris that litter the ditch after every rain. Once a can or piece of trash is suitably ventilated with pellet holes, we pick it up and put it in our trash bag. Sometimes we have slowly moving targets, if the wind is blowing, of a piece of paper or plastic sack caught on a bush. Needless to say, opportunities for shooting abound.

This idea can be transferred to the lake when you pick up debris along the shore, in ditches alongside country roads, any place that needs a little litter control. The kids love it, and getting to pop a can or bottle, then picking it up and properly disposing of it, is a great combination of shooting skills and environmental awareness.

Another game that you can play with your kids is to enjoy a game of tic-tac-toe. I make targets with the tic-tac-toe frame printed on the paper. I also include a large bullseye, and a smaller bullseye. My kids have to hit the larger target to claim the square, and I have to hit the smaller bullseye to claim my square. It is challenging, fun, and the kids get a big kick out of beating old Dad at a game that is older than dirt! You can make the targets yourself using several different kinds of computer programs, and a handy box stuffed with rags or a dirt bank serves as a handy backdrop. This game can even be played inside with lower-power air guns.

Balloons are popular targets, especially for younger kids. A good reactive target is always a winner with the younger crowd. Blow them up, attach them to a good backstop, and let those little ones enjoy themselves. And for the grownups.....set them out about 75 to 100 yards and test your skills with a little more challenging distance involved. You'll find yourself jumping and giving high fives just like a kid again when you hit a 100 yards target with an airgun!

So use your imagination, come up with a game or activity that allows you to shoot and shoot often, involve the kids and the rest of the family, and you'll have a wonderful time that builds memories and hones skills, all at the same time.  

There are several kinds of forums out there. Some are general info, others are personal in nature and are little more than blogs of an individual's air gun usage. But you can learn something from all of them in you take the time to peruse through the contents. You'll need to take some of the commetns by forum members with a grain of salt, but you'll still learn quickly enough who knows what they are talking about.

Some of the things I've learned over the years just reading on the net are:

 1. Speed isn't everything! Accuracy is!

 2. Yes, there are air guns bigger than .177 and .22

 3. So that's what parallax really means! Now I understand!

 4. Starlings really are hated by just about everybody who shoots an airgun.

 5. English sparrows run a close second to starlings on the hate meter!

 6. Pigeons are rats with wings.

 7. CO2 may have been around for awhile as a propellant, but it still does amazing things in the right gun!

 8. Spring-piston airguns CAN be accurate.....you just need to learn how to shoot them.

 9. You really can hunt big game with an airgun. You just need enough air gun.

10. I can outshoot some of my rimfire friends with my airguns! It really bugs them!

11. I can, with enough time, take my airgun apart and put it back together....and it will still work.

12. There are magicians out there....we call them tuners....who can make my airgun shoot totally different than it does in stock form.

And the list goes on.....you just have to read and experiment.

Another great benefit of hanging out on the forums is that you learn who to trust, and who is blowing smoke out their ear. And the deals you can find by buying used airguns can allow one to build up a collection that simply can't be done any more economically.  

So take some time and hang out on a forum or two. There are specific forums for hunting, target shooting, competition, and general information on how to build your own air gun as well. So take advantage of what is out there and learn more about airguns. It's great fun, and you'll meet some wonderful folks. 

Gun case

Cleaning supplies

Ammo pouch

Sling

Chronograph 

Targets

Target trap or backstop

CO2 powerlets (for CO2 guns)

Scope and mounts

I've been guilty of buying a gun, going home to shoot it, and after my initial session of shooting with it, realizing that I don't have a way of wiping it down to protect the finish (I need a cleaning rag!) Then when I try and put it up for the evening, I don't have a place for it to go (I need a gun case!) If I go hunting tomorrow, where am I going to carry my ammo? (I need an ammo pouch!) I wonder how much power my gun is delivering, and if it is powerful enough for my intended prey? (I need a chronograph!) I really need to sight it in before I go out with it tomorrow into the field (I need some targets!) I can probably do some more shooting in the garage tonight after supper. (I need a backstop!) Uh-oh....I used up all my CO2. I need more gas for my gun! (I need more CO2 powerlets, or a bulk-fill system to allow me to shoot more!)

See? There's lots of "stuff", extra gear, that can enhance your shooting pleasure. If you drop by the home page of Airgun Depot and click on the "airgun accessories" tab on the left, you'll see many of the things we just discussed above, listed for your convenience. You can click on each category in this section and find the extra things you just have to have!

Be safe, and introduce someone else to the great sport of airgunning! 

First and foremost, I believe that scopes make me a better shooter. At my age (early 40's), and with my history of vision problems, a scope simply makes sense. And if I have a gun that allows it, you will find a scope on that particular gun. That is because fewer things thrill me more than being able to hit the target I'm shooting at, be it a spinner, paper target, or live game animal or pest. I want to hit that target.

Because I use a scope more often than not, I am more conscious of the movement my body makes as I sight in on my target. Small things like breath control, muscle relaxation, and eye position behind the scope become very important all of a sudden. It's not that I don't pay attention to these things when I'm using open sights, but when I look through a scope, I see the effect all these things have on the wandering crosshairs of my scope. I don't see this as much when shooting open sights. I sort of like to be able to call my shot into the "O" in Coke on the aluminum can, rather than just hitting the can itself someplace. Likewise, when targeting a squirrel, I can call the shot into a specific place, rather than just hitting the squirrel somewhere.

When I shoot an open-sight gun, and I have a few, I can't quite call the shots as accurately as I can when using a scope. Part of it is my eyesight simply isn't up to the challenge of being that precise. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy my open-sight guns, but I sometimes hesitate to take a shot that, if I had a scope on the gun, I would normally take. It all comes down to being sure of the shot placement on the target.

I've met some truly wonderful shots in my time shooting airguns, and some of them have made some incredible shots with both types of sighting systems. Most of the target shooters in competition today will spend nearly as much, if not more, on a quality scope than they will spend on the airgun they choose to use. The sighting system is that important!  Likewise, I know hunters that always bring home game with an open sight airgun. They are accustomed to, and know how to use, the system that works on their gun.

One advantage you will find open sight shooters enjoying is the quick target acquisition when in the field. This isn't such a concern for the target shooter, but hunters often find it handy to be able to quickly draw down on their prey, getting in a good quality shot before the target gets nervous enough to head for cover or fly away.

If you have several airguns, try a comparison yourself. Take two of your guns out, one of each kind, and start shooting them side-by-side. The advantages and disadvantages of each system is quickly noticed, and it is up to you, the shooter, to decide what works best for you. And be sure to fill up your target, ammo, and optics needs by checking out the great bargains available here at Airgun Depot.