FX Are expensive PCPs worth it?

[The machine]

All I can say is FX gets a lot of press. There are quite a few out there in the same/less price range that will do the same thing out of box. In a lot of cases better IMO. Then you'll be spending more money on the FX after the initial purchase to get it to perform as well as the others. Of course, to each their own.

like a Brk ghost or day state same thing there no better.
then all the hype with the new skout which used fx liners at one point and electronics great for video games no place for air rifle imo.
don't see those skouts just work out of the box we have 3 guys in our group with them they have their glitches
been in this hobby now for 20+ years seen alot of guns come and go.
fx spent some money in advertisement across the board and they have some issues as all do, the whiners rather complain than just move on
don't like it sell it buy another brand that simple,
all these higher end guns have their own different quirks i have found over the years.
in reality the 2k guns should be 1200 but in today's world it's all about that dollar.
how i see it the 2-500 guns work fine even modded i have 3 notos and 2 pp750 in all configurations there all fun to shoot for their purpose.
its when you want to turn up the wick to the tune of 60 70 80 + FPE that where the more expensive guns shine due to the quality materials and machine work on top of being built to handle it.
yes the less expensive guns can do what the higher priced guns can when modded, problem is they just don't last and cannot handle those power levels long. one of my umarex notos and a pp750 Snow peaks with a 380mm barrel maxed out will fly a 25g jsb at 980-990 fps with over 52fpe but i would not want to shoot either gun much at that level, it would just be a matter of time before they self-destruct, vs having a gun that can, all day long.
I'm new here on the forum but far from new at the pcp, powder burners and break barrels this is just my opinion in what i see.

 

[phoenix_cow]

I want to thank everyone that voted on this and all the comments, way more of an outcome then I expected when I posted this.

I ended up getting a maverick compact (along with a DonnyFL Koi mod). I looked at quite a few guns and this checked all my boxes. I haven't had the chance to shoot it just yet so not much to say about it. But I can say a few things.

The case it came in, while well constructed, doesn't seem big enough to fit the gun in while it has a scope on it. A bit of a downer.
Gun itself seem well made, at this price I would expect nothing less though.
It is very well balanced. Never held a bullpup before and I was quite surprised how different it really is. Having the weight more in the back does make the gun feel light.
The mags are going to takes some getting use too. Nothing really to hold onto (to keep it from spinning) when loading the first pellet. I'm sure with practice this won't be an issue.
The safety is in a very awkward spot. It is located on the right side behind your head when it is shouldered. I normally take off the safety on guns while the gun is shouldered, where it is on this gun makes that difficult to do.
Might do a real review after I shoot it a bit.

I ordered it from The Pellet Shop. They did a 24 hour leak test and a 7 shot string (great string; max dev: 3, SD: 0.9). They did this for free, some other places charge for this service. They also threw in some Jolly Rancher gummies and a little tape measure keychain. Ordered Wed morning and got it Fri morning, so shipping was fast. I'm not really into "selling" retailers but they really did do a great job.

 

[6gun]

I want to thank everyone that voted on this and all the comments, way more of an outcome then I expected when I posted this.

I ended up getting a maverick compact (along with a DonnyFL Koi mod). I looked at quite a few guns and this checked all my boxes. I haven't had the chance to shoot it just yet so not much to say about it. But I can say a few things.

The case it came in, while well constructed, doesn't seem big enough to fit the gun in while it has a scope on it. A bit of a downer.
Gun itself seem well made, at this price I would expect nothing less though.
It is very well balanced. Never held a bullpup before and I was quite surprised how different it really is. Having the weight more in the back does make the gun feel light.
The mags are going to takes some getting use too. Nothing really to hold onto (to keep it from spinning) when loading the first pellet. I'm sure with practice this won't be an issue.
The safety is in a very awkward spot. It is located on the right side behind your head when it is shouldered. I normally take off the safety on guns while the gun is shouldered, where it is on this gun makes that difficult to do.
Might do a real review after I shoot it a bit.

I ordered it from The Pellet Shop. They did a 24 hour leak test and a 7 shot string (great string; max dev: 3, SD: 0.9). They did this for free, some other places charge for this service. They also threw in some Jolly Rancher gummies and a little tape measure keychain. Ordered Wed morning and got it Fri morning, so shipping was fast. I'm not really into "selling" retailers but they really did do a great job.

My shooting partner has a 500mm mav in 22. You didn't mention your caliber, but if it's 22 I can give some tune pointers.

If it's like his gun you may run into a couple minor issues that are really simple to handle.

If you have cocking issues, the linkage can loosen and just needs to be adjusted and the grub screws tightened midway down the gun. Super simple. Maybe put a fine sharpee marker line where it's at now.

Leakdown to a lower pressure but not dead empty. The bottle adapter and foster fill nipple just had to be tightened up. Don't go over crazy high on the reg pressures, he went to 190bar and it popped out an o ring. Ez rebuild that seemed scary but was very very ez.

I forget who makes it, maybe Saber but the big top rail that has a barrel clamp is pretty cool for barrel rigidity and poi hold.

The hammer changes are a piece of cake on the mav and make getting where you want to be sooooo simple vs an impact. Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions and I can ask him if I don't know off the top of my head, we also have lots of tune notes from getting his 500mm to shoot 23 grain slugs in the high 900 fps range with decent efficiency and low noise. Iirc he's using the same donny you have as well.

Happy shooting, enjoy!

 

[phoenix_cow]

My shooting partner has a 500mm mav in 22. You didn't mention your caliber, but if it's 22 I can give some tune pointers.

I got it in .30. I don't have it in front of me atm but I believe it came in with the reg at 110-120 bar and the HS is set at 7. I'm likely going to get the quick tune kit. Seems like a much better system for fine tuning then the power wheel that is on the mav.

I did hear about the problems with the top rail giving poi shifts and that the saber rail fixes this. I'll probably get it if I have problems or not. I like using an over-bore bipod and the current rail is not long enough to do that.

I am curious about the power slug kit. Says it is mostly for heavy slugs with longer barrels. I don't really plan on using heavy slugs but I do wonder how much of an impact this kit has on other projectiles. For the shorter barrel that I have I don't see it making that much of a difference. But what do I know.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[SpindleB]

No

 

[1handwill.gc]

shooting short range with my M8 shooting rock bottom brand / model rifles,,,,,, lets just say doing that i am not at all happy about my much more expensive rifles,
But the moment we get past the 50 M mark / papers, and my M8 throw in the towel, though i must say his Snowpeak M30 did seem to shoot 10 grain slugs to 120 yards pretty damn well, so i am not looking forward to testing that again.

I will say overall, say with 5 different pellets and a few weights of slugs, my rifles are far more capable, but i am starting to question things i have to admit.

I voted yes but 2K is pushing it, that is also just about what i get in pension every month.
I would for damn sure never be able to justify 3K this side of a lotto win.

Me too 2000+ is more than my pension

 

[6gun]

I got it in .30. I don't have it in front of me atm but I believe it came in with the reg at 110-120 bar and the HS is set at 7. I'm likely going to get the quick tune kit. Seems like a much better system for fine tuning then the power wheel that is on the mav.

I did hear about the problems with the top rail giving poi shifts and that the saber rail fixes this. I'll probably get it if I have problems or not. I like using an over-bore bipod and the current rail is not long enough to do that.

I am curious about the power slug kit. Says it is mostly for heavy slugs with longer barrels. I don't really plan on using heavy slugs but I do wonder how much of an impact this kit has on other projectiles. For the shorter barrel that I have I don't see it making that much of a difference. But what do I know.

Thanks for the advice.

I wouldn't buy anything or change it until you run into a problem or a wall for performance and you've had it for a while and know for sure that's the end of the road for that setup. My buddy and especially I had to learn the hard way that most of the aftermarket and videos on YouTube are marketing wank and the part benefit is minimal return on investmen(of mostly time). You could fall into the perpetual tuning and re zeroing hole I lived in for almost 2 years.

 

[SpiralGroove]

I've been looking at .30 cal to take down some of the yote population I hunt at along with other pests (groundhogs mostly). And I'm really on the fence about what gun to get. I'm really thinking of getting an FX Maverick VP, seems to fill in everything I would want. Short, great aftermarket support, slug shooter, isn't super heavy, accurate (from what I heard), and more then enough power for me. But the price is a lot to take. I'm really worried about buyer remorse.

I've had 3 PCP rifles now, all under a grand (Avenge-X, Notos, and an AEA Element Max). And I have been happy with them. Are +1k guns really worth it? For that matter are +2k guns worth it? You guys/gals that bought these higher end guns, do you feel you got your money worth?

The Yes answer …… in your case is depends on “The Importance“ of getting rid of the Yotes?

For me, it’s nice to have at least one accurate, dependable, nice looking shooter.

In PCP’s (for the last 10 years) I’ve worked my way up from a BAM B50, QB78’s & QB79’s, AT44-10, BSA R-10 and then RAW HM1000x’s.

I’ve taken all these guns apart and modified them, understanding their differences as quality/price go up.

On most less expensive guns, you spend more time refining manufacture shortcuts needed to keep costs down, parts don’t fit as well or the design is over complicated as they couldn’t find a simpler way to build it. If you look at Weihrauch springers or RAW guns they are very cleverly designed, simple and bullet proof. Less expensive guns almost seem to have a planned obsolescence much like modern washers, refrigerators or dishwashers.

So if you need a gun to solve a specific problem, want it to be accurate, and stand the test of time, you must spend more for the design, materials, craftsmanship and accuracy these guns offer.

For folks that prefer not to tinker with their guns, getting a quality one right off the bat seems the most reasonable approach.
DO YOUR RESEARCH.

That said, if you buy a gun and have buyers remorse, you can always sell for a reasonable price ……. if you take care of it.

I look at my Airguns as if they were coins or another valuable asset and take the utmost care of them. I wouldn’t take any less that 75%-80% of the cost upon resale.

So yes, airgun’s can be well worth $2K or more depending on how good they need to perform …..
or … buy something less expensive and spend your time modifying it to perform.

 

[JimD]

I agree with "the machine" that more expensive guns will more easily give you a lot of fpe for the caliber but I don't think it's the quality of the materials or machining as much as it is the size of the air passages through the gun. My experience is limited to one >$1000 airgun and 5 <$500 but I was surprised the first time I had my Caiman X apart at how much bigger the valve and ports were than my P35s or Avenger. The Caiman made almost exactly the same fpe at a 100 bar reg pressure as my P35-22 makes at 145 bar. It just flows better. For pellets the Caiman did not need to flow better, it's favorite is an 18 grain and it easily pushes them 900 fps or more. But I've been messing with slugs a little and I turned it up to 120 bar for that and may go higher. I don't really need to shoot slugs but it's fun to see what it takes and what I can do.

While I agree more expensive guns tend to generate higher fpe more easily I also wonder whether that is necessary or wise. I mostly shoot in my yard and I don't really need more than 20 fpe for that. Slugs from my Caiman X will carry 1200 yards so I cannot sensibly shoot it without a good solid backstop. I need a deeper pellet trap too. Mostly I shoot 20-32 fpe airguns that use less air, make less noise, are just as accurate, and do nearly everything I want to do with an airgun. If you think that way, the extra fpe from more expensive guns just is not necessary. I often think of the guy that injured a motorist shooting at squirrels with an airgun. I don't know but I would be very surprised to learn it was a 20 fpe airgun. Especially as the power and range increase we need to be extra careful.

 

[1handwill.gc]

OK, my response to the OP’s question: Are expensive PCPs worth it?

Answer: It is highly dependent on your Use Case for the rifle. Generally, I’d say they are not worth it. The law of diminishing returns certainly applies to PCPs.

Rationale for answer: If your use case is competition shooting and you require the highest accuracy and performance available, then an expensive PCP may be “worth it” to achieve your goals.

If your use case is backyard plinking or pesting or squirrel hunting, then the performance, accuracy and reliability of many modestly priced PCPs will be more than adequate.

Support for rationale: I must have 15+ “expensive“ PCPs (FX, Daystate, RTI, Taipan, Weihrauch, etc.). My 1st PCP was a .177 Umarex Gauntlet. I still have it. I paid $199 for it from Pyramyd Air.
I filled it with a $50 hand pump from eBay. I still have it. The regulator and hammer spring are NOT adjustable. It shoots inexpensive Crosman Premier 10.5g domes amazingly well. It has still never leaked. In 2023 I put a Sightron target scope on it one afternoon and shot consecutive Thirty Yard Challenge cards of 198, 196, 197 with the $199 rifle and Wal*Mart pellets. The 10-ring on the TYC target is .125” (1/8”) diameter.

How much more accurate is a PCP costing 10x more ($2,000) than my .177 Gauntlet going to be - and do you absolutely require higher performance? Very diminishing returns here...

Summary: Expensive items such as PCP air rifles, cameras, cell phones, watches, autos, etc are “worth it” if you get the level of enjoyment that you were hoping for… but they are often not “worth it” from a pure performance perspective.

Just the opinion of a guy who now has so many PCPs that he has lost count (truth).. but who is enjoying the heck out of them, lol - so “worth it” to me.

-Ed

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That’s awesome. You’re ready to get some of your old pants and be home. Let me know. I can tell you take care of your stuff whether there is expensive or cheap

 

[6gun]

Hey I'm gearing up for yotes and turkey myself. Stock 380mm 25 dreamtact at 43 fpe for the turkeys and close stuff pellets only. Money pit 700mm impact at 72 fpe in 22 slugs only. I feel really confident about predator hunting headshots with it since it shoots thru 1 1/8 cdx plywood and aluminum signs ez pz. 30 should be able to do it with pellets no problem I'd think.

The magic number I keep running into on my guns and my buddies' mavericks (500mm 25 and 22) my impact my dreamline. 150 bar plenum preesure. I dunno why it seems like the magic number for us. 15g hammer in the mavericks(home machined brass and cored with tungsten end mill shanks pressed in) stock spring rates.

Now that you've bought, people get mad about having to tune or getting stuck at a point or the liner barrels. All non issues if you can problem solve and find the source.

These guns have excellent quality machining and parts finish (i used to be in aerospace machining too) they work out of the box but the way I see it you are buying high quality components with all the POTENTIAL in the world for you to make it exactly what you need and tune for precision. Fear not, it will be easier to grasp as you go and I think you'll be happy. My fx airguns have made my 22 250 coyote gun and competition built 10/22 safe queens that just get cleaned oiled and admired. I really hope it is a great fit for you!

 

[phoenix_cow]

Hey I'm gearing up for yotes and turkey myself. Stock 380mm 25 dreamtact at 43 fpe for the turkeys and close stuff pellets only. Money pit 700mm impact at 72 fpe in 22 slugs only. I feel really confident about predator hunting headshots with it since it shoots thru 1 1/8 cdx plywood and aluminum signs ez pz. 30 should be able to do it with pellets no problem I'd think.

My state is odd when it comes to hunting with airguns. You can hunt almost everything with them except deer and turkey. Turkey here is only legal to hunt with shotgun, no clue why.
There was talk about letting airguns into deer season but they couldn't figure out what part of the season they should be part of (musket, muzzle loader, or rifle). And of course there are people that don't believe airguns are powerful enough . The talks apparently never came to anything.

 

[Perle]

The Yes answer …… in your case is depends on “The Importance“ of getting rid of the Yotes?

For me, it’s nice to have at least one accurate, dependable, nice looking shooter.

In PCP’s (for the last 10 years) I’ve worked my way up from a BAM B50, QB78’s & QB79’s, AT44-10, BSA R-10 and then RAW HM1000x’s.

I’ve taken all these guns apart and modified them, understanding their differences as quality/price go up.

On most less expensive guns, you spend more time refining manufacture shortcuts needed to keep costs down, parts don’t fit as well or the design is over complicated as they couldn’t find a simpler way to build it. If you look at Weihrauch springers or RAW guns they are very cleverly designed, simple and bullet proof. Less expensive guns almost seem to have a planned obsolescence much like modern washers, refrigerators or dishwashers.

So if you need a gun to solve a specific problem, want it to be accurate, and stand the test of time, you must spend more for the design, materials, craftsmanship and accuracy these guns offer.

For folks that prefer not to tinker with their guns, getting a quality one right off the bat seems the most reasonable approach. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

That said, if you buy a gun and have buyers remorse you can always sell for a reasonable price ……. if you take care of it.

I look at my Airguns as if they were coins or another valuable asset and take the utmost care of them. I wouldn’t take any less that 75%-80% of the cost upon resale.

So yes, airgun’s can be well worth $2K or more depending on how good they need to perform …..
or … buy something less expensive and spend your time modifying it to perform.

80%…….

 

[HeyU]

Not not really, My 22cal Hatsan Fl
ashpup can kick a$$ . Keep it simple brother. No r egret.

 

[SpiralGroove]

80%…….

Yeah, on Springers. …. Since prices have gone up, you get 100% +
If you bought smart .

 

[6gun]

Not not really, My 22cal Hatsan Fl
ashpup can kick a$$ . Keep it simple brother. No r egret.

That depends on our definition of worth it too. For me in airguns or pb, mediocre machining or wood isn't worth it to me anymore. I enjoy the upper level of craftsmanship on machines these days(and saved for them since I'm not loaded) after a lifetime of cheap glass and budget guns.

No I'm not saying that this is doctrine, just my personal tastes. My aea is the last mistake. I wouldn't buy an aea for myself with YOUR money. That's just my perspective

 

[67olds]

Is there a definitive answer, or is it just user preference like most things in this world?

 

[Avator]

Is there a definitive answer, or is it just user preference like most things in this world?

IMO this is the correct answer. I hit what I aim at and still have money in the bank.

 

[6gun]

Is there a definitive answer, or is it just user preference like most things in this world?

Heck no, it's ONLY subjective. The things I gripe about today from my garbage rod aea to my fx stuff is a level of performance I would have killed to have as a kid with a benjamin 392, which other kids would've killed for.

If all you can get is a Walmart springer that shoots 40 inch groups at 50 yards.... Its better than no shooting. Life's too short to suffer in your free time for enjoyment if you can get something a little better.

 

[6gun]

IMO this is the correct answer. I hit what I aim at and still have money in the bank.

That's how I justify not having a leshiy 2 .