by Tex Force
You want to buy a high-quality air rifle. You like accuracy, good triggers and guns that are well made. Power is secondary to quality in your book. Well, pardner, you’re in luck, because the Beeman R7 (sixth rifle down) is probably just the air rifle for you.
Not a magnum
Not everybody wants the absolute last bit of velocity from an airgun. Instead, some like a smooth shooter that they can spend delightful hours with. It’s not too much fun to cock a breakbarrel that takes 50 pounds of effort, but one that only takes 18 pounds is no work at all. Where most spring-piston air rifles weigh at least eight pounds, the R7 comes in at just over six. The stock is correctly proportioned for an adult, and you will really enjoy shooting this delightful little rifle.
Two calibers to choose from
The R7 comes in both .177 and .20 caliber. In .177, it reaches to 700 f.p.s. with lightweight pellets, and the .20-caliber gets up to 550. A good .177 pellet is the Gamo Match (third pellet down), and the RWS Superdome (sixth pellet down). In .20 caliber, try the Beeman H&N (fourth pellet down).
Rekord trigger
At the heart of the rifle, a special trigger called the Rekord controls the action. The Rekord has been produced continuously since the mid-1950s and is the one all other airgun triggers are compared to. It’s a fully adjustable two-stage multi-lever trigger that can be set to break cleanly at less than three pounds. It has an automatic safety that disables the gun every time it is cocked until the safety button is pushed in. Once the safety is off, the barrel must be broken open all the way to re-set it.
Weihrauch accuracy
All the Beeman R-series air rifles are made by the Germany firm Weihrauch. Beeman specifies the shape and length of the stock, and in several cases the power level of the guns. The R-7 looks very much like its larger brother, the R1. Everything is scaled down on the R7 except for the length of the butt, which is practically the same as the one on the R1. Weihrauch is famous for making high-quality target rifles, and that skill carries over to their airgun line. All HW barrels are considered very accurate, and the R7 is a delight because it is so lightweight and easy to shoot.
A rifle worth scoping
Although the R7 comes with an excellent set of open sights, it accepts scopes just as easily as all other Beeman R-series rifles. Because of the smaller size, I recommend getting a scope to match. The Tech Force 2-7×32 scope (fifth scope down) would be a perfect match to this rifle’s power and accuracy potential. Since it has a 32mm objective lens, you could use the B-Square fixed airgun rings with a built-in scope stop. Yes, there are cheaper scopes and rings, but the R7 has the quality and accuracy that merits spending just a little more.
Fun targets
If you want to have more fun with your new rifle, take a look at the Gamo rocker pellet trap (top of the page) and the Gamo metallic rat and squirrel field targets (third item down on the same page). Shoot at any of these targets, and you’ll see the results right away! The rat and squirrel targets are used in the exciting sport of field target, so this could be the start of something new for you.
The R7 is acknowledged as a classic spring air rifle. It has Weihrauch quality that you will still be proud of 20 years from now, and Weihrauch accuracy that you can use anytime. Just look around and see how many used R7s you find for sale. People usually don’t part with them. You won’t, either.
