What to Shoot At?

Shooting is a great past time that requires a minimum of equipment.....your air gun or bb gun, some ammo, a power source if it is a CO2 or PCP, and of course.....a target.

Now my personal favorite target is a self-renewing, year-round legal target called the European starling. But lets face it, that little avian pest isn't always present when I want to shoot. So I do shoot at inanimate objects quite often to hone my skills for when the starlings do come by the house and deserve my attention.

For the first couple of years of my air gun addiction, I shot in the basement of my house into a metal trap I bought at Compasseco. Click this link to view the product I am referring to:

Metal Trap

This trap is great for medium-to-light powered airguns. And Compasseco also carries a pre-cut, already-sized insert for this trap.

Precut target

This combination of products allowed me to practice in the dead of winter, with snow on the ground, or when the wind outside made it fruitless to attempt any accuracy trials when testing a new air gun.

Now if you are into reactive targets, targets that move or shatter when you hit them, you have several options available to you. Gamo offers several items that allow the airgunner to practice inside or out, with targets that respond to your accurate shooting skills.

Gamo Rocker Pellet Trap

Gamo Moving Target System

Gamo Metallic Squirrel Field Target

The last target link you see above is a neat item in that it gives you an animal target to shoot at, with the ability to reset it without trotting out to it, and helps train you in the discipline of Field Target Shooting, which is a growing competition that allows shooters to shoot at metallic animal targets with varying degrees of difficulty based on how big a kill zone is provided for each target. There are area and regional shoots, and national-level shoots each year that have airgunners coming from all over to participate. It is a great way to enjoy the airgunning fraternity with some good wholesome fun and fellowship.

For kids, don't forget the Shatterblast targets from Daisy. Watching a target disintegrate into dust is a big kick for young shooters (and some old ones, as well), and these targets give an instant gratification to the shooter who is on target.

So don't let the oncoming winter that is just around the corner keep you from your shooting enjoyment. Grab some of these targets that would work inside and keep the shooting instincts honed and sharpened so that you can really wring the most use out of your bb guns and air gun enjoyment.

Umarex's Colt 1911 Air Pistol

Everyone who has been born since the last century, and who has even a passing interest in firearms, will recognize the Colt 1911 pistol. It is a classic that has been copied so many times that I'm not sure there is an accurate count as to the number of variations on this gun. And if you enjoy shooting airguns, you now have a very good copy that is powered by CO2 that allows you to practice inside the house or in your yard with a realistic copy of the firearm version.

Umarex has been putting out quite a few firearm copies lately, and they serve a purpose for the shooting enthusiast. Just imagine, in the dead of winter, with snow on the ground, you can practice your drawing and shooting disciplines with a very close copy of the firearm this gun copies from the comfort of your own home.

With an 8-shot revolver-style magazine, the Model 1911 will copy the shot count of the original firearm. All the safety and magazine buttons are present, though they do different things. The slide release on the CO2 gun actually opens the slide for the magazine to be released. The magazine release pops off the right-side pistol grip, allowing one to insert a new CO2 cartridge.

In the kit that I received to review, there was a mock suppressor included, as well as a Walther reddot sight. Batteries are included for the sight, and the mock suppressor screws on like a real one, giving a military/special forces look to the ensemble.



The velocity readings on the gun I tested were in the mid 300's, though the manual states that pellets will approach the low 400's. With lighter pellets and a warmer day, I see no reason to disbelieve this claim. I was shooting outside in cooler weather with mid-weight .177 caliber pellets.

The reddot sight was useful. I prefer open sights on pistols, but this one came installed, and it worked just fine. This gun isn't meant for target shooting, but for quick plinking and practice. Accuracy is reasonable for such activities, but I wouldn't use the gun for anything but practice. It is a little low in power for pest control and small game hunting, so refrain from using it for those purposes.



So all you Colt 1911 fans out there....here's a good copy you can shoot indoors with minimal fuss to stay in good shooting condition for the competition season, or for practicing self-defense scenarios. And for the rest of us....well, it's just plain fun to shoot!

Beeman R-7: Air Gun Quality in a Small Package

The Beeman R-7 is perhaps the ideal gun for those who dream about an easy-to-cock, extremely accurate, loads-of-fun air gun. It's size lends itself to the smaller shooter, such as most women and teenagers, and the cocking effort addresses the smaller shooter as well. It is around 5" shorter than the behemoth R-1, but still sends the a .177 pellet down range at 700 fps at the muzzle. Available in .177 and .20 caliber, this little gem of a pellet gun will satisfy most shooters in the accuracy department as it comes with the famous Rekord trigger that lends itself to being adjusted to the shooter's preference, enhancing accuracy.

I picked up my R-7 a few weeks ago and began a side-by-side comparison with its larger sibling, the Beeman R-9. The R-7 is easier to cock, smaller is size, and shoots about 200 fps slower than the R-9. The result is that I can stay on target while looking through the scope and watch the pellet go down range with the R-7, while the R-9 tends to make me lose the sight picture with the sharper recoil it generates. And it shoots a variety of pellets quite well, though each kind has a different impact point. Set the gun up for the pellet of your choice, and you'll be able to put the pellet on target with ease in a very short time.

The R-9 deluxe I own enjoys a better finish and comes with some nice checkering on the forearm and grip, compared to the plainer R-7 that has checkering only on the grip area, but if I want a truly nice stock, I can always go custom. I bought the R-7 for the "fun factor", as well as a small pest and small game airgun. The accuracy of both guns is all I could ask for in a sporter air gun, and I seriously doubt I'll find two more accurate guns without going to a match-type rifle at 10 meters. And my smaller children will enjoy shooting with Dad in the backyard with this scaled-down springer which is closer to their needs in size and cocking effort.



To get the most out of this quality, German-engineered and built Beeman air gun, a good scope is called for. At 20 yards, I can spin the small chicken on my metal spinner target most of the time, and that target is about the size of the end of my thumb. Larger targets such as a metallic ram, or a soft drink can have no chance at all against the accuracy that is delivered by the R-7. I like a 3-9x40 scope, or something of similar size, mounted on secure rings. The recoil is less than the R-9 as mentioned above, but it is still possible to have the scope mounts shift if you don't use the scope stop thoughtfully built into the top of the receiver. But if you prefer open sights, a nice globe-type front sight is provided, as well as a fully adjustable rear sight.

Though the R-7 is less powerful than the R-9, it still does a great job controlling pests. Sparrows and starlings fall easily to its accuracy, and I plan on doing some closer-range squirrel hunting and rabbit control later in the year when the season opens up.



Currently retailing for $325.95, the Beeman R-7 will fit nicely into your airgun collection, filling that niche of an easy-to-cock, short-but-accurate sporter airgun that we all find a use for when plinking or ridding the property of small pests.

Compasseco's TF-40 - Techforce Top Performer

Written by: Randy Mitchell

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then this Techforce air gun is an excellent form of flattery indeed. The TF-40, imported by Compasseco, is a clone of the venerable TX-200 from Air Arms. However, the original costs over $500, while the TF-40 comes in at a 40-50% discount, retailing at just under $300.



The TF-40 you see in the picture above is a .22 caliber version, and I had the opportunity to try several different pellets while warming it up. All of the pellets fit very tightly, and the only complaint I have with this gun is that the loading end of the barrel is slightly undersized. You can get the pellets in, but you have to press some of them with a little attitude to get them in. Opening up the breech end of the barrel just slightly would facilitate easier loading and do wonders for the enjoyment of a long shooting session.

I tried Crosman Premieres, Gamo Hunters, RWS Superdomes, Beeman Ramjets, and JSB Exacts in the TF-40 during the warm up, and then shot for accuracy. The Beeman Ramjets came out on top, followed by the Superdomes. And the advertised velocities are actually accurate, with the Crosman pellets going an average of 730 fps over a 5-shot string. Below is a pic of one of the slower shots.




Beeman Ramjets provided the best accuracy in this particular gun.

The fit and finish of the TF-40 is quite excellent. If you are used to the normal finish on many Asian guns, then you will be pleasantly surprised at how nice the TF-40 feels in the hand, as well as its firing behavior. The cocking handle is machined, not pressed and rolled, and the cocking behavior was very smooth on the example I was given to shoot. The beartrap release worked smooth and positively, and the blueing was among the best I've seen on guns from this manufacturer.



I mounted a Tech Force 3-12x40 in simple two-piece mounts for my test firing. I was concerned that it might creep, but during my testing I didn't experience any scope creep at all. However, there are scope stop holes milled into the top of the receiver for rock-steady mount if you are so inclined.



The TF-40 is an excellent contender for your shooting dollar. If you want an accurate gun that won't break the bank, is a joy to shoot, and delivers the accuracy needed for target shooting as well as hunting, then put this air gun on your list of possibilities.