Have tried both the .177 and the .22...prefer the .22.
Two Reasons:
1. The .22 isn't that far behind the .177 in speed but the pellets are nearly twice as heavy. Not much differnce in trajectory, the .22 is just as accurate, and the .22 just gets more power.
2. The bolt probe o-ring on the .177 tends to wear faster than the .22's 0-ring.
These rifles do tend to addict you to CO2. have kept the rifles non-bulked as it suits my shooting style (many short range sessions). The best local pice for 12gr. cartridges is running $15.43 per 40, which is pretty cheap...still, it does add significantly to the cost of shooting 1000 pellets.
You SHOULD do a bit of smoothing right out of the box. Internally, the rile's internal edges are a bit sharp and will cut the seals when the gun is dissassembled...so just spend the $, order a seal set, and play on taking it apart, smoothing, replacing the seals, and reassembly.
You will also have to clean the bore; it will be coated with an earwax looking preservative (it's a long boat ride from China) that will have to be cleaned before the rifle can ruely shoot well.
Probably too much attention has been paid to temperature...if it's above 50-60degress and below 95-100, the gun will work fine. Temperature just doesn't change all that much during most shooting sessions...will notice a differnce in power and scope zero from season to season, but during a given day, it stays pretty stable.
The first few shots from a new co2 charge gnerally shoot a bit off...tehn there is a sweet period of 45-55 rounds....then it falls off and groups drop lower and lower. The more accurate the rifle, the eariler you notice the pressure fall-off...and teh faster the rifle shoots, the more gas it will use, and the lower the shot count.
Accuracy has been first rate. Not really up to full match gun standards, but almost.
Been posted before:
Added to the base gun:
Scope and mount (the scope was $69 and the rings $8 or $12...can spedn less, or a whole lot more...or spend nothing as the apature sight rear it comes with is pretty good))
Adjustable butt ($20 and 90min. fitting)
Stock refinishing( probably $2 of stain and finish, and about 7 hours of work...but there wasn't anything wrong with the stock finish, i just wanted a lighter color)
Stippling the pistol grip ( 4 hours of work, zero cost)
Muzzle atachment (about $.50 of materials and a couple of hours work...proably not somthing you'll need to do)
Dissassembly and smoothing all internal cuts/edges (cost nothing, but took a couple of hours)
Now that one is a .177, and has been tuned slightly to get to 650fps. That rifle is my "bird gun" and doesn';t need to go any faster to take care of pest birds out to 50yards.
