The reason I asked was something you talked about in another post. The falling dollar value against the Euro makes all these guns go up in price. I got my RWS 460 .177 a little after you got yours and just recently got a 350 in .22. For now I'm leaving the 350 New In the Box just to see what prices do. If I can't make a killing soon, I'll just shoot it and enjoy.
The dollar angle sure is another good excuse to buy a new Diana though.:D
If these Walthers are European, they'll probably get more expensive too.
I can't say for sure but I do have a Spanish made Walther. It's a Walther Jaguar side lever entry level target rifle that I bought over a decade ago. On the rifle itself it still has "made in Germany" stamped on it but the owners manual is for a Norica model. I have seen the actual Norica rifle it is based on and the only difference is the stock and sights. Maybe it should say "assembled in Germany". I remember when the Crosman Quest rifles came out and some people argued that they were made in the US because someone at Crosman told them so, but we all know they are made in China.
I highly doubt for $266 and that kind of power that they are made in Germany.. and with an illuminated scope? No way. I 'll bet $ on it. I would also subtract the customary 150-200fps to get more realistic velocity #'s. They 're probably made in the same factory as the Ben Sheridan break-barrel springer. The advertised .22 velocity is pretty similar
I think this will all benefit Dianas (or RWS) since are one of the very few that still make guns in Germany.
Your right Harry, because of the Euro, and the Yen, compared to the dollar, a German gun would have to cost considerably more than a gun made elsewhere. A good equivalent quality gun from China, costing $266.00 would be more like $400.00 from a German manufacturer. $266.00 is rather high for a Chinese gun, this must be one of quality. Maybe of the class of a Bam 40 compared to the TK200. Now you really have my interest up. Seems like a gun worth looking into. Just curious, but do you remember the velocities of the Bam 40, compared to the TK 200? I think that number will give a good indication of what this gun might perform at the stated range. I will try and look that review later today.
Thanks
I think Benny is right, this looks like a Hatsan, makers of great shotguns. It looks like a model 125. Also of interest is their model 70's,. This gun has a very great potential. I hope so. It would be nice to start seeing quality at more reasonable prices.
HATSAN is one of the self adequate factories of the world in firearms industry. The production within the border of HATSAN includes, machining of wood, machining of metal parts, heat treatment, coiling, finishing like honing, different types of plating, injection molding, metal injection, mold making, welding, engraving etc. Only raw material comes to HATSAN and the end product is the high quality gun.HATSAN has 10000 m² production area, 300 workers and a machine park of total 260 machinery including Computer Numerical Controlled Machines. HATSAN is the unique air gun manufacturer and the best known shotgun manufacturer of Turkey since 1978.In design and engineering stage of production late...
Wow- seems like you cats follow the "where-made" scheme of things as well. I too called Pyramyd the other day but got no real answers of where they were made... although it looks like someones figured out they're made in the UK. Very very interesting indeed. An affordable .22 with 1100fps(minus the 200 or so to bring it back down to realistic figues) still doesn't sound half bad. Once they come out we get to see if indeed they pull what they say they will. The production of ANY new model air rifle always have bugs to work out and then they evolve. I'm gonna wait until the first few hundred hit the shelves and wait to see what's said about them.
That's the gun i've been looking at for awhile kinda been wanting one of them 25 cal. gun it's pretty lite for a long gun.Like the camo on it.http://airguns.ro/Hatsan-Air-Rifle/Hatsan-MOD-125-99.html This is the 177 version the exact same gun.
Here is a chrony on the 22 version dont know what language.eveet, uzun bir aradan sonra, "kontrpuan" olarak, "benim" meþhur mod125 5.5mm test sonuçlarýna devam.
sýradaki testimiz hýz testi
crosman competition 14.3grain palet ile, fps olarak;
863-902-914-906-846-897-968-902-905-906... ort.=900.9 fps
crosman competition, genelde namluya gevþek oturuyor, bence hýzlar arasý fark bundan kaynaklanýyor.
gamo magnum 16.9grain palet ile, fps olarak;
842-842-844-844-835-835-838-841-841-841...ort.=840.3 fps
gamo magnum da hemen hemen namluya sýkýþarak oturuyor.
I found this info on the Talon and It say's contact UMAREX, price listed is $250.00, and a .25 later on, no country of origin
warren
and remember "It's 30% the gun and 70% the shooter"
November 16, 2007
Air Time: Five Pellet Guns Reviewed Head to Head
Editor’s Note: Dave is out of the office today, and so I thought we’d post something a little different on the blog. The air rifle reviews below also appear in our latest issue (the December/January double), in the FieldTest section.
Why get an air rifle? Because in a time when places to shoot are growing scarcer, these guns are quieter than .22s, and their pellets travel only one-quarter the distance. Because a box of 50 .22 Long Rifle rounds costs around $6.60, but a tin of 500 .177 pellets goes for $2.30. Because good .22s now cost as much as big-game rifles did a few years ago, but good pellet guns can still be had, with scope, for less than $300. Because you need the practice, and an air rifle can give it to you.
The Test
All five guns tested were hunter-plinker models, not target air rifles, which are a different breed altogether. I shot them from a benchrest and offhand at 15 yards. Most air rifles require that you run 500 to 1,000 rounds through them before they really start to shoot, so I’ve omitted anything specific about accuracy. I used a variety of pellets; just like powder-burning rifles, air guns are particular about what they eat. There is no shortage of pellet types, either. RWS alone makes five varieties.
Hammerli Storm .177
($180; $225 with 4X scope)
THE LOWDOWN: This comparatively inexpensive model comes in .22 as well as .17 and has a synthetic stock with an ambidextrous cheekpiece, praise be! It’s a single-stroke break-barrel, with the usual fine fiber-optic sights that one comes to expect from Hammerli. The Storm requires a bit less cocking effort than the other guns tested, and therefore isn’t quite as powerful.
HITS: It’s very, very, accurate. At 15 yards, shooting offhand, I put five shots in a group you could cover with a nickel.
MISSES: It didn’t have the greatest trigger pull of the guns tested, but on the other hand, so what?
CONTACT: Umarex USA (pronounced OOM-a-rex); 479-646-4210; umarexusa.com
Hammerli X2 .17 and .22
($275; $315 with 4X scope)
THE LOWDOWN: Now here is a good idea—a switch-caliber air rifle that lets you swap back and forth between .17 and .22. The X2 is very well made, with a hardwood stock, open sights with fiber-optic inserts, and lots of power. To change caliber, you flip down a locking catch, unscrew the muzzle weight, drop out one barrel sleeve, drop in the other, screw back the weight, and flip up the catch. It takes 45 seconds and it works.
HITS: The X2 has lots of power, a top-flight trigger that’s very reminiscent of the Savage Accu-Trigger, and excellent iron sights.
MISSES: It’s kind of on the hefty side for a kid to use.
CONTACT: Umarex, yes, the same people as above.
RWS Model 34 .17
($250; $295 with 4X scope)
THE LOWDOWN: This single-stroke break-barrel comes in both .17 and .22. It’s a wood-stocked rifle with good iron sights (not as easy for my geezer eyes to use as the ones with fiber-optic inserts). The Model 34 is a solid gun, from a highly respected name.
HITS: It has lots of power, and it’s accurate.
MISSES: To cock it, I had to smack the barrel on something hard; after that it was easy. I’m told that this was one of a batch of stiff-opening rifles, and not normal for a Model 34. It all comes from the German love of screwing guns together tightly.
CONTACT: Umarex
Sheridan Blue Streak CB9 .20
($190)
THE LOWDOWN: I’ve owned a Blue Streak since 1958, which is just about as long as the gun has been made. It’s a multistroke gun, which means that you can pump it for as few as three strokes or as many as eight, depending on how much power you want. It’s a good design that has been continually improved over the years. The weight is 6 pounds, the stock is hardwood, and the sights are open.
HITS: Of these five guns, this is the best bet for a small or young shooter because of its compact dimensions and its ease of cocking. If I haven’t had a problem with my Blue Streak in 49 years, you probably won’t either.
MISSES: It’s not quite as accurate as the other guns, and its iron sights are primitive compared to theirs. You will shoot much better if you get a Williams peep sight, or a scope.
CONTACT: 800-724-7486; crosman.com
Walther Talon Magnum .17
($250 with 3X–9X scope)
THE LOWDOWN: Brand-new from Walther, this is a spring-powered single-stroke model, and the one I shot was the first to make it to the United States. It’s large and very serious, with a muzzle velocity in .177 of 1250 fps (there will be a .22 and a .25 later on). The black synthetic stock has a recoil pad that is adjustable for length of pull. If you’re looking for an air rifle to hunt with, this one is tough to beat.
HITS: The Talon has excellent open sights, with fiber-optic inserts. It comes with a terrific little scope. The accuracy is good, and the overall quality is very high. It feels like a full-size big-game rifle. Did I mention that it’s powerful?
MISSES: Cocking required considerable effort. Where do you think all those feet per second come from? Also, the trigger pull is long and mushy.
