I have been asking these questions because I want to buy a air rifle next summer for hunting. I live in Idaho so plenty of small game. My main targets would be nothing a whole lot bigger than a raccoon. The quarry will mostly be pest birds, grouse, squrriels, and rabbits. My budget is $1500 for the gun but I will go up to $2000 if necessary. Although that is for the gun and upgrades. Any good alternatives to FX guns for tuning, accuracy, power, quietness, lightness, and good shot counts. The range I am going to be shooting is 20-100 yards with a couple in the 125 yard range. The two calibers I am looking at are .22 and .25. the power range is 14-16 fpe all the way to 55-65+ fpe. That high for the .25. More of 45-55 fpe for .22. Also a scope suggestion would be good as well. I mostly shoot with MOA scopes and I want it to have a clean reticle. My scope budget is $500 dollars but if I get the gun for less I am putting a bit more into the scope. The compressor I picked out is the one on Mountain Sport Airguns. The detachable lithium ion batteries.
Any other guns tunable as or a little less than FX airguns
- Thread starter Tonyo155
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When I was in your position and wanted a higher end PCP I started reading all I could. I did also visit one of the few airgun shops within driving distance to lay hands on a few of them.
The entire FX line really fascinated me and a couple of them were on my short list, but in the end. simple won out over lots of adjustment options and I bought my RTI Prophet. Not the Prophet II because I actively avoid version 1.0 of anything.
I have been nothing short of impressed with my RTI. Very easy to tune. Extremely accurate with the .22LR barrel and has not skipped a beat since I got it and I shoot it a lot!
Nothing against FX, in fact, I will probably have one by this time next year, but for now, I have no regrets in choosing the Prophet.
The entire FX line really fascinated me and a couple of them were on my short list, but in the end. simple won out over lots of adjustment options and I bought my RTI Prophet. Not the Prophet II because I actively avoid version 1.0 of anything.
I have been nothing short of impressed with my RTI. Very easy to tune. Extremely accurate with the .22LR barrel and has not skipped a beat since I got it and I shoot it a lot!
Nothing against FX, in fact, I will probably have one by this time next year, but for now, I have no regrets in choosing the Prophet.
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I might suggest looking at the Cricket Tach II 60. Love mine in .25. Hangs with my modified .25 Impact at any yardage to 100. The only external adjustment is the rear hammer wheel. I had this shipped to Charley @ Georgia Airguns. He set the velocity and the trigger where I wanted, among other things. Worth the extra time and money going this route for me. I have FX's and get tired of tinkering LOL.
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Dennis
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Dennis
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If you want a good hunter, slug shooter, with high power capability, ease of tuning and adjustment, and the bonus of being a semi auto i would suggest looking at a Huben in .25 cal.
My Limited Edition is an Outstandingly accurate gun shooting the ZAN 33gr and 38gr slugs, 3/8 groups at 50 yards is the norm .. A simple turn of the power wheel and it becomes a powerhouse hunter.
Very comfortable, Ergonomic gun as well.
Top is the .25 Limited Edition
Bottom is a .22
Love both of them
My Limited Edition is an Outstandingly accurate gun shooting the ZAN 33gr and 38gr slugs, 3/8 groups at 50 yards is the norm .. A simple turn of the power wheel and it becomes a powerhouse hunter.
Very comfortable, Ergonomic gun as well.
Top is the .25 Limited Edition
Bottom is a .22
Love both of them
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Out of curiosity, are you the main guy that does the Edgun leshiy that shoots the backyard bullies on YouTube?
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An airgun you can tune increases it's resale value.
Well, I disagree partly.
I think many would like to tune their gun somewhat from what their gun does out of the box. That may be a power increase for maximum whack or a power reduction for increased shot count or quieter operation.
I don't think many constantly tune their airguns after getting their gun to where they want.
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You make a good point @N2 Shooter. I want adjustment so one day I can shoot pigeons at a dairy on a low power. Then if I go grouse or raccoon hunting I can dial up the power.
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That is where the Maverick shines. With its 7 step power wheel, I can shoot at a constant 930 fps on 7 or down to around 790 fps on power wheel setting 1.
Moving my wheel to any of the 7 setting results in very repeatable velocity adjustments because each number has a detent, unlike some other airguns that don't.
Another benefit is the ability to change calibers, but not necessarily for you, but if you ever decide to resale. A simple barrel and pin probe swap changes calibers for a would be buyer, opening up resale opportunities with someone looking for a .30 cal when you have a .22 cal.
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I agree with N2shooter. I have a Maverick in 25 and the power wheel serves me as he describes. I only shoot pellets from it but I can dial the power back and shoot in places where I don’t need or want the 890 fps.
I also have 2 M3’s. The power wheel works basically the same. I have one tuned to shoot 24,8 gr slugs at about 965 and if I want to switch to pellets i just dial it down to where it is shooting 18.13’s at around 880 when I don’t need the extra terminal performance of slugs.
The Maverick is just as accurate as the M3. I love my M3 but believe dollar for dollar the Maverick is a better value and easier to work on should you decide to do your own work.
I also have 2 M3’s. The power wheel works basically the same. I have one tuned to shoot 24,8 gr slugs at about 965 and if I want to switch to pellets i just dial it down to where it is shooting 18.13’s at around 880 when I don’t need the extra terminal performance of slugs.
The Maverick is just as accurate as the M3. I love my M3 but believe dollar for dollar the Maverick is a better value and easier to work on should you decide to do your own work.
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I like the FX Maverick but it looks not as durable as the FX Wildcat Mk3 BT. This is going to be a hunting/truck gun. I want a gun that can take a slight beating as well.
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In that case i would look at Airgun Technology or as others have suggested Kailbrgun. Those East Euro rifles are build like tanks, are great shooters out of the box with plenty of fpe, amazing accuracy and hardly fail.
Had an FX Maverick that lost POI when a mosquito sat on the barrel (and about all the leaks this rifle can have but thats another story). FX's are like sexy, sophisticated yet delicate women and need to be treated as such. They beast out when they are in the mood but you don't drag them into the woods lay them on the backseat of your truck and expect them to be happy.
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Brococks, dependable, slightly tune able with the TP adjustors or a deeper tune via HS and regulator adjustments. Solid lineup of guns out the box. And the new BRK Ghost offers all that and caliber changes too.
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The Maverick and Wildcat are the same gun. They are dual regulated with the same AMP regs, same 89cc Plenum and the power wheel and IHS are the same. I believe the safety may be slightly different but it is located in the same poorly placed position on both guns. The safety position is my only gripe with both models.
Many people prefer the Wildcat stock over the Maverick configuration..
Both my M3 600mm slug shooter and Maverick serve as truck guns at the ranch we manage. I prefer the Maverick for a truck gun because it is in the Compact configuration and is easier to manipulate. Neither gun has suffered any ill effect from riding around loose in my truck on the ranch. I don’t beat the crap out of them, but I don’t baby them either. They are not nearly as fragile as some would have you believe.
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They are absolutely identical, save for the Maverick having a 20 MOA scope rail. Barrels, liners, air tanks are completely interchangeable between the Maverick and Wildcat MK3 BT .
I even did a two point sling modification for my Maverick to make it the perfect woods walker.
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I will never, and I mean never, drop bank on an airgun that does not have an externally adjustable regulator. I bought that sexy Kalibr Argus, and trying to adjust the regulator for a very moderate 25 fps tune was an absolute nightmare. I literally, must have degassed, disassembled the airgun and the regulator over 50 times, with no success.
I even left messages for two popular Kalibr resellers to pay them to tune it, and they never got back to me! You couldn't even pay them to work on that crap! Who puts a plastic trigger and safety in a +$1500 airgun? Thank God for Krale having a liberal return policy!
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I think the want for tuneability stems from its use.
Paper shooter and novelty long distance airgunners need that tuneability to do so, or the die hard competition guys that are excellent at their craft. Most people I see hunting, that isn't so much the case, only a select few hunters do I see tuning their guns all the time.
I built an mk2 impact .22 and documented it here on AGN shooting 30.5 zan slugs at 1055 fps making 75fpe and hitting wiffle balls at 265 yards.... I soon found out that shooting airguns at that distance is merely a novelty even though the action was very repeatable , I would never take that shot on a creature. The loss of energy and other factors that could push that slug out in the field made me think twice about all the youtube hablaaa
Since that rifle and experiencing and defeating a goal of mine (making a 265 yard shot with an air rifle) I have realized that most of the high end air guns will all shoot fantastically out to 100 or under out of the box with maybe a HST adjustment at most (at least the rifles I chose). Its all about choosing the tool for the job... if that job is to chase youtube results then buy a "tuneable rifle" with accessories and add this and add that...
All of my rifles out of the box will out shoot me and that gives me perfection in my skills to strive for.
disclaimer : not saying airgun kills can't ethically be made past 100 yards , just most hunters here realize thats extremely far and few between (except for the guys out west with those long flats shooting those texans out far far on coyote and such, you guys definitely are a different breed of airgunner)
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I live in kellogg Idaho, and have many airguns. if you live nearby you could shoot any of them.
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What Motohead said....some I chose...no muss no fuss no hassle...Just feed regularly...mostly JSBs.
.22 Veteran, .177 Wolverine, .20 Huntsman, .25 Bobcat Mk2, pick anyone of them and you would be satisified with the accurarcy...never messed with the regs on any of them from new.
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