u/Bawtzki

I'm a beginner, and only really started shooting air rifles about a week ago. I had no idea what I was getting into, and ended up buying Gamo Swarm Magnum gen3 (.22, 25J) as my first rifle.

The first time we were on the range I had a chance to test out a Diana 21 in .117 at 7,5J - I thought it would be really weak, based on what I heard in the store where I got my rifle, everything led me to believe this type of rifle is useless beyond 10m. Imagine my surprise when I was consistently hitting an inch sized target at 40m with manual adjustment for range because the scope wasn't even zeroed in for that distance.

And that had me look into getting a fun lightweight rifle of my own - I only shoot at targets, hunting will never factor in, so I was looking for something under 3kg and in .117, low powered. My selection quickly narrowed down to HW30 S F, and after going to the shop today, I had a chance to try it out. But, it was just a little too compact for me. But they also had a HW50 S, which is basically the same rifle, both are .117 and 7.5J, same barrel length (other versions are also available, depending on the country), just with slightly longer stock.

And that thing fit me perfectly. I never really bought into things being 'balanced' etc, I thought you'd have to be really advanced to feel those nuances. But the moment I picked the rifle up and started looking through iron sights I knew that this was it. The sights were clear, and I could easily hold the rifle steady in a standing position. I could never do this with Gamo, which has inherently higher weight, plus moderator and scope on top. The cocking is so much easier and smoother, the trigger feels like a dream, it's one of those things in life that you pick up and just instantly click with it, like it was custom made for you. I briefly tested it out today and had no issue hitting a tight group at ~20 yards, and this was out of the box setup with no adjustment.

Can't wait to go out again and put some more hours in. I'm really struggling with the idea of putting a scope on this thing, it feels like it was meant to be shot with iron sights. I also have a stronger spring on the way for it, but I'm not sure I'll convert it, as it feels just about perfect right now.

In any case, I'm a Weihrauch convert going forward it seems :).

I've been wanting to get into sports shooting/target practice for a while now, and ended up buying my first rifle and gun last week - I was and still am a complete beginner, I walked into the store expecting to walk out with one of those fancy PCP rifles, and when I said my goal is to eventually shoot targets at 60-100m they steered me towards Gamo Swarm Magnum Pro Gen3 5.5 (due to legal limitations re power) - I really like the rifle and the scope that comes with it is ok, though I'm still struggling with eye relief but it's rapidly getting better. And the rifle is a real beech to cock, shooting a full 10 round mag is quite a workout. But I digress.

I walked out the store all excited, drove somewhere remote and started shooting. And this is where my troubles began. I can't hold a rifle steady without a support. I planned on getting a bipod but the store didn't have parts so that's scheduled for next week (due to rifle's stock type it will also require hole drilling so I'm more than happy to let them take care of that part). But damn it, I want to shoot in the mean time. After trying to improvise various supports I realized I will need the following:

- a rest (or a bipod)

- some kind of shooting/camping table that isn't a beech to lug around

- a chair (already bought)

- >!optionally steroids to continue cocking the gun, because I'll end up looking like Schwarzenneger by the time the break in period is over!<

And then during downtime I started looking at reviews of the rifle I bought, mostly out of sheer curiosity. Turns out it's a pretty decent rifle, but watching various videos I realized I will also need/want

- chronograph

- lots of different types of ammo to see which fits the rifle best

- proper target stand

- trigger conversion kit (rifle specific)

- rangefinder (got that somewhat covered with another measuring laser tool)

- eventually a better optic for when I start shooting longer distances.

And when (yes, when) I eventually switch to PCP (after building up my muscles cocking the monster I own), also a pump/compressor, etc.

Fortunately I at least had the foresight to buy a carrier bag, cleaning kit, and enough ammo to get me through initial enthusiastic frenzy (cocking the rifle is still a bottleneck here, gotta admit).

Tongue in cheek "complaints" aside, I'm really happy I dove into this and I'm really looking forward to each new session, even though finding remote areas without people where I live is a bit challenging. But I am curious what other essentials besides the listed ones you would recommend to beginners that are just starting out.

She's 2 and we already went through two Ruffwear Front Range harnesses - I like them overall and she's comfortable in them, but the 'fabric' part is literally falling apart and coming off at the seams after a little over 6 months, both times - none of the parts where the damage is occurring are under stress from pulling or anything, it's just materials breaking down. First one was replaced under warranty, I could probably get a replacement for second as well but I honestly can't be bothered, because either the harness is not meant to be used in such an environment or the quality is poor.

In any case, we live by the river and she goes in multiple times every day, so I'm looking for some quality recommendations that could withstand such use.

Many thanks in advance