N/A Why PCP airguns are so expensive?

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Nomadic Pirate 66 said:
A the moment I have 4 generic 50 bucks China pumps from Amazon, in the Past I had 8 HILLS and 2 FX.....never again, the Cheap China pumps are just as good if not better,

All you guys must be doing something seriously wrong or your pump is defective, once again at 150 Pounds I have no problem getting to 5000 psi
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Yeah, I don't think it should be that difficult either. I'm 195lbs, and my buddy who is 180 but taller, he can't get it passed 2200s psi without serious effort.

It is an older pump I have, maybe I should break out the spare pump... or just keep using the YH compressor lol.
 
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Caliber 22 said:
My first and only 6 year old pcp can only do about 80 shots per fill and I only shoot pellets with it. For now, my range is set to only shoot 144 meter / 157y, I still need to make a frame for targets up to 185 meter which is the limit I can go. I don't have a need to buy expensive pcp's so I look to buy a Avenge-x in 5.5m. It is still expensive for the SA economy but that is it, we don't have a choice.
I made a decision to only shoot once a week as it can get out of hand quickly and the other things I need and want to do get behind. Also I restrict myself to shoot one fill / 80 shots and that is it, otherwise I just shoot "aimlessly" and empty a tin in no time.
As for hunting, I don't shoot the small game around the house where the animals are not to afraid of humans, I like them here. When I go out to hunt elsewhere it will mostly be with the .22LR and / or centre fire rifles.
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Good for you and your discipline i guess?. I have a farm and a negligent farmer next door, so i have a rat and coyote problem on the regular. I dispatch of anything needed and never bother my dogs.
 
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Scotay42 said:
....22 match ammo is Spensiveand higher calibers even mkre so .lol. Each of my rifles at current tune get 80 and 120 shots per fill respectively. If you can't hunt whatever the hell it is with that, you just should not at all.
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Best price for Ely Tenex I can find is $.35 a round. NSA 27.5gr run $.08 a round.

Both do 1 MOA at 100y consistently with no wind.

My Apperation cost me more than my Maverick, they are both ammo picky, both will eat cheap ammo and post 1 MOA groups at 50y but I have yet to see a PB do a 20 shot string without opening up!

Airguns simply don't get hot and experience the shot string blowout.
 
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I sold off all my 22lr save one marlin 60. It will one hole at 50 yards with remington target ammo, which is .10-.15 a round. It rarely sees daylight. All of my pcp rifles will shoot circles around it, and do so without ear pro and costs much less. Added bonus, I can step out of my house and start blasting.
 
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Firewalker said:
Best price for Ely Tenex I can find is $.35 a round. NSA 27.5gr run $.08 a round.

Both do 1 MOA at 100y consistently with no wind.

My Apperation cost me more than my Maverick, they are both ammo picky, both will eat cheap ammo and post 1 MOA groups at 50y but I have yet to see a PB do a 20 shot string without opening up!

Airguns simply don't get hot and experience the shot string blowout.
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True. But again, to some extent. Look at the shot string of my unregulated AEA before I fixed it: https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/shot-my-510-challenger-bullpup.1297761/#post-1575731 I don't have a similar picture of 10/22 Takedown, which is less precise than a regular one, but out of the box it was way-way better. It also cost me a couple of hundred bucks less than AEA.
 
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PCP (Pre-Charged Pneumatic) air guns can indeed be more expensive than traditional firearms. Let’s explore the reasons behind this:

  1. Quality and Precision:
    • A quality PCP air rifle typically features a match-grade barrel, an adjustable trigger, and a high-quality action.
    • Some models even boast spectacular wood for their stocks.
    • To achieve comparable precision in a rimfire rifle, you’d need a firearm made by a reputable company like Anschutz.
    • When you factor in the cost of a match-grade barrel and trigger for a rimfire rifle, it can be on par with or even exceed the price of a high-quality PCP air rifle.
  2. Quiet Operation:
    • PCP air rifles operate extremely quietly compared to firearms.
    • This makes them ideal for scenarios where noise reduction is crucial, such as pest control or backyard shooting.
    • The quietness also contributes to their appeal.
  3. Ammunition Cost:
    • PCP air rifles use inexpensive match-grade pellets compared to equivalent .22 rimfire ammunition.
    • This cost advantage can add up over time.
  4. Safety and Convenience:
    • Operating an air rifle is far less dangerous in close environments than handling a firearm.
    • You can safely practice shooting with an air rifle at home without disturbing your family or neighbors.
    • For tasks like pest control in barns or granaries, air rifles are both effective and safe.
  5. Improved Shooting Technique:
    • Due to the longer travel time of pellets in the barrel, proper shooting technique is vital for accuracy.
    • Using a PCP air rifle can make you a better shooter overall.
    • Regular practice with an air rifle hones your skills and translates to better performance with firearms.
  6. Comparing Apples to Oranges:
    • It’s essential to recognize that air rifles are not mere “toys.”
    • They offer 1/2 MOA accuracy at reasonable ranges, making them serious tools.
    • Comparing them directly to traditional firearms is like comparing apples to oranges.
In summary, while PCP air guns may seem expensive, their precision, quiet operation, safety, and cost-effective ammunition justify their price. They serve specific purposes and provide unique advantages that set them apart from regular rifle
 
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Well some for sure have become very expensive, and it do not add up at all CUZ one of those do absolutely NOT shoot 2 X better than a air rifle half the price.

Hell i do not like shooting 25 - 50 M much CUZ my friend do that pretty much as good, with what at least on price are toy guns.
So i shoot longer like 80 + Meters, that my friend can do too, but he require a taget 10 X larger to hit it and have horrible groups, where i shot 2" targets and get on very well.
 
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To the OP, maybe to keep out the riff raff?! Who knows? High, exacting quality, in “low volume” is muy expensive, no matter the product. To us in the airgun world it seems that their are many other like minded shooters and product. But worldwide? Or, within the U.S.A.? A very small market with mucho players across the price points. Your question is simply moot and “too” general.🙏
 
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jmohme said:
Do you have facts to back that? I have no doubt that there is a decent mark up, otherwise there would be no dealers, but I reall doubt it is 100-200 %.
My guess is that the mark up is much smaller than you think o the guns themselves and the majority of profits come from accessories and ammo where the cash flow continues well after the major purchase is made.

That is how it worked in the resale world that I have experience with.
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Yes I do but this forum does not like us discussing things that may rock the boat. Since the info is already here I'll tell you the wholesale price of an impact, around $950 came to light as the result of legal action. If we continue on this topic the thread will likely be locked so let's not mess it up for others.
I have a great deal of business experience and can tell you this is not high mark up when you consider units sold per retail outlet.
 
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Caliber 22 said:
Bigger center fire maybe, depending on the barrel, caliber, the load, and rate of fire you can shoot more. The big problem is barrel life time, also determined by a few factors.
Rimfire not a problem unless you really rapid fire which few shooters do anyway, even with pcp.

This discussion went from cost of pcp to practical comparison to PB, not the question of the OP. If someone insist on comparing, we can bring in real long distance shooting like Mark and Sam is showing and real power like big game hunting at 600 meter and more as well. Each has its place and at the extremes cannot replace each other. Which one do you prefer going to war with? It really became a useless discussion. It is like comparing a 2 seater sports car to a 18 wheeler truck.
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If you say so....
 
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It is useless to compare a firearm with an air rifle. I got rid of 99% of my firearms in favor of airguns more than 20 years ago. It is a frequency of use thing. I'd rather pay more for something I use all the time than have a bunch of stuff I can't use but once or twice a year. I'm a small game hunter anyway. As hobbies go, airguns tend to be on the cheap end of the scale. I look at the money my uncle has invested in his classic cars and realize there is no way I could possibly spend THAT much on airguns even if I had the funds. At the end of the day, PCP airguns cost what people will pay for them. Just like anything else.
 
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vtl said:
1. No powder, but a source of high pressure air. A scuba tank, a hand pump or electric pump (+ truck engine running to operate it). I have a hand pump, which my 200ish lbs of weight is not enough to charge a big bore to even 2/3 of working pressure. And $572 I spent on air pumps is 9500 rounds for 10/22 or 460 for .308, cheapest of course. Cheapest .510 slugs I got was like $0.30. The one I liked was $0.57. .22 pellets are dirt cheap, agree here.

2. Can't shoot the big bore on my back yard either. Well, legally I can, but someone will call the cops.

3. Need ear plugs for the big bore :) Not for .22LR. 9 mm is a stretch, but still tolerable. But boy that .510 AEA barks loud and kicks hard.

4. I buy cheap guns. My AEA had 0.043" of run out out of the box, wasn't able to hit a large paper target at 100 yards after zeroing the scope at 50. Notos I haven't even tried to shoot, it is that bad.

But I get your points. Plinking a .22 airgun on backyard is both cheap and tolerated by neighbors.
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If you find the big bore is too loud you can get a moderator just as easily as you buy the pcp. Try to get one for a firearm. I have had a modified 25 cal Avenger, 2 Airforce Texan 257,308 both modified, and Aea 357 big bore, all would out perform a standard 22 firearm and more so after 100 yards. The 25 cal was deadly at 110 yards and the rest of them, hitting 10-inch steel at 200 plus yards, no problem but, it also much safer than firearms. Your firearms shoot 2-3 miles in most cases, how often is your game that far away? Where is that bullet going if you miss is more worrie some than a pcp. I do think firearms have their place, Moose,Grizzly and even then, a pcp can be used. I would defiantly carry 44 mag as back up!
 
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No real way to compare the costs of a PCP to a PB.
PB’s are a relatively simple design. You have a steel tube that holds a cartridge. Then you have the trigger, magazine and stock.
I will grant that a precision PB has some refined machining involved but it still remains a simple mechanism. All the power is provided by the ammunition. Nothing in the way of power is built into the rifle itself.

PCP’s store their power within the system. You have a vessel to hold and contain high pressure air. Then the HPA needs to be transferred to the barrel. Depending on the PCP it can be unregulated, single regulator or two regulators. Add a means to adjust the air pulse to the barrel and things get far more complex than a PB’s firing system.

The amount of work required to build the PCP and make them function at the current level is more complex and require far more parts than a PB does.

We have all chosen to shoot air powered guns for one reason or another. The cost of them is provided up front and we all know what they are up front. Complaining about the cost of them is pointless. You either pay the price or keep shooting just your PB.
 
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heavy-impact said:
Yes I do but this forum does not like us discussing things that may rock the boat. Since the info is already here I'll tell you the wholesale price of an impact, around $950 came to light as the result of legal action. If we continue on this topic the thread will likely be locked so let's not mess it up for others.
I have a great deal of business experience and can tell you this is not high mark up when you consider units sold per retail outlet.
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As do I. From product concept, to design, development, production, and sale to the end user, but not with air guns.
I cant imagine it being all that different, but with no actual data, it is all meaningless, so agreed, just we should just drop it.
 
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