Where to go from here

[Mike in Virginia]

I got excited about airguns when the starlings invaded my small property.  I despise those noisy creatures and their evil behavior and their filthy lice-ridden bodies. 
So, I bought a .177 single-cock air pistol for $64 at WalMart.  Group size was about like a grapefruit.  Took it back and got a Crossman .177 Co2 gun that looks like a Colt Python.  Again, after sighting it in, I realized the group size was way insufficient to take a starling at 25 yards.  Gave it to my son to plink with.
Next, I bought a scoped Gamo Silent Cat, which has a muzzle break that reduces the noise to nothing but the sound of the spring.  Very powerful.  Had to be careful of my backstop to sight it in.  Cost me $160.  Tried numerous pellet configurations from a bench rest.  Found out the cheap plastic scope will not adust adequately, and when it did, it would not hold a zero.  Took off the scope and tried the open sights, which are very visible, but still, the groups were far less than satisfactory.  I killed one starling with it and missed about 25.  Took it back. 
How much cash must one put out to get target grade accuracy from a pellet gun?  If you wanted a rifle or pistol that would put all pellets  fired from sandbags into a 1" group at 30 yards, what would you buy? 
I don't suppose I'll ever rid the county of starlings with a pellet gun, but I'd sure like to let 'em know that my songbird feeders are off limits to the screeching filthy birds from hell.  They fly into the backyard in large groups driving off the cardinals and sparrows and doves and some exotics that come to feed.  I really hate a dern starling.  I researched starlings and found that they are not native to the U.S., and in the early days of America, they blackened the sky with their numbers. 
I can't shoot them regularly with a regular .22 where I live.  Too much chance of a stray shot not staying in the yard.  I need a very accurate scoped pellet rifle.  I'd like to take them out at long range.  All the companies advertise their guns as the most accurate and powerful.  Is it a matter of price? 
Recommendations very much appreciated.
 
 
 
 
 

[Victor3]

 Unfortunately, for the most part you've got your cheaply made toys and your high dollar 'real' air rifles without a whole lot of (what I'd call) good models in between. Some of the cheaper ones can be made a lot better with work and aftermarket parts if one wants to go that way.
 
 I've had luck with some of the Chinese copies of european spring air rifles but it's a crap shoot.
 
 One Chinese model that's pretty good out of the box, reasonably priced and grooved for scope mounting is this one; a copy of the old Crosman 160. Fit and finish on recently produced ones are better than my original Crosmans. Has a good adjustable trigger too..
 
http://www.archerairguns.com/QB78-Deluxe-Chinese-Air-Rifle-p/ibqb78d.htm
 
 I'm not going to say that you "can't go wrong" with it because there are reports of a few dogs being delivered (as with other Chinese airguns). For $100 though, it's a good gamble IMO. I'd buy another if I were in the market. Repairs and upgrades are easy DIY operations and aftermarket parts are plentiful from multiple suppliers. It's very popular and well established, unlike some Chinese air rifles that are here today, off the market tomorrow.
 
 For starlings at longer ranges I'd go with the 177 rather than 22. Shoots flatter. Spending another $100 on a reasonably good scope will help a lot.

[rdlange]

 Anything cheap is just that - junk, no accuracy because they are inconsistent.   

Good spring guns are expensive - very, or you have to pay an expert to 'tune' them.  They destroy most regular scopes because the recoil is harsh and in both directions so it shakes the insides loose.  Leapers has a good reputation for spring gun scopes.  Springers are also 'funny' to shoot and you gotta hold them a 'special' way, light in hand rather than firmly.

Only Crosmans I use are 1377 and 2240 based guns, then put on a steel breech.  You can use any scope on them because the recoil is different.  All mine are VERY accurate and easy to modify.

 Check out 'Crosman Airgun Forum', or just 'Airgun Forum' for good info.  And in their classifieds you can find some deals.

Finally, ammo is critical as usual with most guns.  You gotta find something your gun likes.  Wally world stuff is usually inconsistent and gives you inconsistent performance-accuracy.  The Crosman premiers usually work best for me.  Also the Polymag predators are at my Academy are very consistent, but expensive. 

Took me alot of years and money to figure out about springers.  If you want a good one you gotta pay.  That's why I stick with the Crosmans... mostly 2240-2260 models and add the steel breech so I can scope them.  But the 1377 is the cheapest at Wally world and usually very accurate right out of the box with the Premier canned pellets.

LUK

[Mckie Hollow]

Fairly new to this stuff but have done a lot of research. This is the route that I would go. Get rid of what you have. forget about the pistols. The Crosman Titan NP .22 gets very good reviews and a refurb can be had for $115. I chose The RWS 34P .22 springer ($176, T06 Trigger - very good). After thorough cleaning , deburring & polishing the spring ends, moly where it is supposed to be, clean the bore with JB paste, and about 400 rounds, & learning how to hold a springer, I've shot 3/8" groups @ 30yds. from the bench with RWS Match. The Hawke scopes are air gun rated and get very high reviews. You have to find the pellets that the gun likes.