Bang(s) for the Buck?

[johnwoitalla]

I’m a “best value to price” kinda dude. I like the good stuff. Sometimes I break down and buy top of the line things(like pellets/ammo). But over the years I’ve found that once a certain level of quality is achieved, from there, slight to minuscule are the increments of improvement that come with exponential increases in price. That being said, I’d like to know some of your opinions…not on what’s the very best, but on what gives the best bang for the buck,for- pcp’s, scopes, ammo, and other related airgun products. 

 

[boscoebrea]

Wow ,matter over $$$$....great questions.I was just thinking this myself....

Let my start with this.....Springer or air.......Great Springers are all about the same price...say under $600....and you have many choices,narrow it down to made in Germany or England and leave it at that...

Air....OK I have a RWS850 .22,I get over 80 strong shots off a "can"...the rifle is accurate and powerful enough to be a great under 50yd,hunter..The more compact Gamo Urban is a Great beginners rifle...also easing to hand pump and change cocking level from right to left.....and the Crosman Challenger PCP .

I love pistols.....The PCP Prod can be great and so many options for it,like make into a carbine....the Crosman 1720T also the 1701 are both super accurate,not that expensive and Fun to shot..

Scopes.....now that is a "can of worms"....in that the differences in peoples perception can be so magnafied,lol

I want a simple light scope that has clear vision for the ranges I will be using it for.

I notice that a lot of the newer brand scopes are heavy...and a lot of them are made in the same factories with different names....I like Leupold,Burris the higher end Bushnell and Nikon......ok a really good deal..Simmons Aetec scopes.....some of the Discovery scopes,but they are heavy and crowded.

Actually this is my hobby for the last 50 years,getting the best for my needs for my money....have plenty more suggestions,but realize I am just an opinion based on my experiences.

My best advice in such matters,Form your own opinions based on "long" term experience from what you have learned and from other people advise that Fit into your own needs.

 

[DonC]

I recently got a Stoeger XM1 Camo thumbhole and optional bi-pod. Around $250.00.. Very accurate and decent trigger. Probably made by Snowpeak. I had a small issue and customer service was very good. It likes cheap Crosman Hollow Points. Bi-pod is also nice. Has sling attachment points. Check out U-Tubes alot of bang for buck. The shot count is low only because the reservoir is small.

Another good value is a Daisey rear peep sight. Allows short eye relief. Crosman used a identical one on their CO2 10 meter Challenger.

Gamo cone trap is cheap and effective for 20 ft/lbs and less. Trick is to stuff a old sock in the trap where the pellet hits.

 

[CyberDyneSystems]

Benjamin Craftsman series, covers best bang for buck in two categories, because both on mine (in .22) love the affordable Walmart Crosman tins of pellets. One hole @ 35 yards, penny sized at 50.



Best affordable scope I have (sub $300.00) are the Cabelas Covenant series when purchased on sale. Really good value.

 

[Batman2]

I like digging into optics and pay attention to every thing related to scopes and deals.

Try to see through the b.s hype of new scopes via paid advertised you tubers pretending to actually like the scopes.

Are they actually using it permanently on their own gun? 

Long term reliability is more important than initial impressions everything supposed to work when brand new right?

Or did they receive a free bee from the company to do a good review?

Read optics forums from actual users who aren't affiliated with the brands.

Beware be mindful of new start up companies you really don't know what the life time warranty is if out of business pack up and leave with the profits after a couple of years. This way no need to lose already profited money exchanging new scopes for warranty. The more warranty exchanges the less the profits. Unless you are a big company such as one example Vortex where the regular prices are super inflated for what you get they can afford to keep on exchanging warranty scopes and still earn a huge profit since the scopes were really cheap for them from China to begin with. 

Buy Vortex when they are half price sale. $299 for $699 Strike Eagle 4-24x50 minimum 20 yard focus as of right now Euro Optic.

I think they are worth about that. 

Don't pay regular price don't get ripped off.

Keep an eye out at DVOR sale prices notice what brands pop up sich as Element.

Bummed I missed out on the $999 Nexus sale. At least it's made in Japan so it can't be all that bad.

Unlike the Titan and Helix also was in sale at DVOR. Don't feel bad about missing on those sales. Helix was $299.

All other dealers still selling at regular retail price during the same time.

I don't have the luxury of paying $1499 for it like how other more fortunate air gunners can. That is a $500 profit cushion on the Nexus. DVOR was still profiting selling it for $999. 

Waiting for the Athlon Ares ETR 4.5-30x56 to go lower than $849 to buy it. Retail $1199. It is the most expensive Chinese scope that I am aware of. Followed by the $909 Tac Vector Continental 34mm 5-30x56 $449 at DVOR right now better than half price.

Missed out not buying the Cronus 4.5-29x56 when on sale for $1000. Retail $1999. 

Making compromises on 25 yard focus scopes that are best in class with no b.s. life time warranty.

Athlon is a better brand with better warranty than Element as per Optics Trade in you tube review.

Air guns good to pay attention Amazon some times dirt cheap on some guns.

Same with Ebay and AoA. Even spring guns.

Learn to keep informed like the stock market. Cherry pick between the Ebay and Amazon rip offs. Wal mart too. Sometimes really cheap so good to know what you want. Remember $7 Berman P17 pistol couple years back?

$20 Chinese hand pump free shipping Amazon? It's the $50 pump now.

Years before Covid you see stuff like Benjamin Armada for under $300 Wal Mart and Gamo Urban $170 Amazon.

RWS Umarex sale a lot of guns and stuff was half price last year. Weed through the rubbish stuff only buy the top end guns for half off. Was it $200 for a new RWS 54? $10 for RWS droop compensating lock down mount? They still sell for $30.

I got my new Maximus for under $150 last year from Midway by reading the forum.

Read the forums and pay attention.

Need a new 177 Fortitude gen 2 for $249 Sportsmans guide with $10 trial membership. They are great in 177 and not so much for 22 unless you can live with 22 caliber spring gun power levels.

Field supply had the Gauntlet for $180 or $190 year and a half ago.

Benjamin Akela was $350 last month direct from Crosman.

Nova Vista Liberty $200 some where I read about it just recently. It is the rifle right before the Avenger that has more metal instead of plastic 

If you are a tight wad and a real deal seeker never buy any thing at regular retail price. 

You are likely going to have plenty of money right before you die to give your kids or pets.

If you are normal American then cave into your got to have it now disease that's why people living pay check to pay check having a hard time. Just put it on your credit card pay back next 30 years.

If you are well to do and earn a great salary or collect a sizeable monthly pension plus social security and don't know what to do with so much extra money then by all means buy every thing right now and buy in to all the hype and pay full price. Don't need to bother to shop around. Spend your money when ever where ever pay who ever you want at what ever price. Doesn't matter.

It's some thing going on when it comes to brand and equipment loyalty paying full price for inferior products that not every one is happy with and accessories that negatively affect accuracy. 

I paid $200 for a brand new in box Avenger from a disgruntled former twice warranty swap owner and was not happy with it at all so I traded it for a $200 half price Alpha 6 scope $400 regular retail. Probably best bang for buck under $600 scope. Bud K.com got it $201 on sale. Life time warranty.

Have the $80 LR312SFT2 Center point Crosman 30mm 3-12x44 regular $140. Ebay still got them. Probably best bang for the buck 30mm side focus scope with decent glass for $80. Sure keep up with the better Leaper UTG side focus scopes. This Center point seems wider field of view and brighter. Life time warranty.

The Tac Vector Veyron 3-12x when it on sale at Optics Planet $130 good price for a new scope. Just lack of life time warranty is worrisome.

The Hawke 2-7x32 AO $70 when on sale at DVOR nice scope even if it's a Hawke brand.

Athlon Argos 6-24x50 FFP $250 decent scope just back the power down you be okay. It's a better buy than the Helix.

Athlon Helos better buy than Element Titan. 

Arken 4-14x44 and 4-16x50 SH4 at the $100 off sale price seem to be good if you don't get lemons to send back and if the company still around in a couple of years to honor all the Life time warranty exchanges. The 6-24x50 not as great compared to the 4-16x50 seems to be right at the edge of perfect. Don't expect a life time warranty unless you are a fortune teller or can predict the future. Are they still operating from a forclosed or fixer upper house purchased a few years ago right when the company just started? Interesting to see a you tube walk through of the company. Any body welcomed to become a dealer. You don't get the $100 off buying from the dealer though rather than buy direct from Arken. If you still do get the $100 off through the dealer then the scope must be really cheap to manufacture since the dealer going to get his cut plus all of the affiliate you tube reviewer click hit links pay offs.

Have to admit the you tube reviewers have to say good things about the items they review other wise no other company is going to want to sponsor them with free stuff to review or give them commission on affiliate links on their channels.

Hard to trust paid advertising no matter how convincing they look. 

Read the forums there are names thrown out who people reviews they can't trust.

It's all about the Benjamin's. 

Air gunning supposed to be a fun hobby not for business or profit.

Once it turns into profit air gunning hobby not so fun any more.

Athlon Midas Tac 6-24x50 Amazon under $500. Still on.