The other day, I thought about the Red Ryder of my youth and decided to get one on Amazon. I put it to the test, and was pleasantly surprised by its power and accuracy. Here's my hands-on review.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Daisy Adult Red Ryder Rifle
Highlight: You get Daisy's year-long warranty.
Helpful review: This may be my favorite cheap pump-powered air gun. Its power is excellent, its reliability is spot on, and its accuracy is better than some of the more expensive air rifles I own.
The open sights are on the money, and I like them more than the scope that can be mounted on this air gun. I have read that some folks have difficulty adjusting the rear sights. I found no problems changing them and may have a better method than others. I have the bore-sighting stuff in my shop that helps me make quick work of this adjustment.
This air gun is so powerful that it should have a warning label. This would ensure that parents know what they are buying and that kids do not do things kids do with air guns. I attribute this to the parts chosen for this air gun and the skills used to assemble the air rifle correctly. There is no slop in this little rifle; the internals are tight and hold the pressure when charged.
Sometimes the kit includes a Daisy 4x scope. This is neither a world-class optic nor sold as one; they throw it in the box for the same 70 bucks. Even at that price, the scope still has windage and elevation adjustments. The adjustments work well. They don't click in or have an audible adjustment but move the reticle smoothly and hold the zero. When the scope is mounted, the open sights are blocked, as anyone would expect, so make sure the scope is the choice for this rifle, or just take the scope off.
Eye protection is a great inclusion, but they're not always included. The six-dollar safety glasses are simple but come with an air rifle. This may be the thing that reminds folks to use the gear, and the worst ones about eye protection with air guns are the adults. The included pellets are suitable for hitting targets and will take a critter out of the nuisance business if they come out in the light of day.
Dirt is the number one thing that will kill an air gun. Keep the lubrication up to speed after keeping it clean and working to keep it clean out. Get a bottle of Prolix and put the drops everywhere; things move past each other, including the seals. — Gary Anderson
Get it from Amazon now: $64.99 & FREE Returns
