Beginner 1k budget... PCP or Break Barrel?
- Thread starter dcimonline
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$1000 is enough but it limits you to a rifle $500 or less if you go PCP and do not want to be limited to a handpump. I hand pumped at first and it was not fun to pump the gun back up but it was still fun to shoot it. I like bullpups so I would get a SPA P35 or a Stoeger BullShark - I think they are the same other than the stock. Regulated bullpup in 177, 22 or 25. Under 30 inches long, a little over 5 lbs weight.
I would plan to spend about $200 on a scope. A Hawke Vantage would be less and I really like the 2-7 on my Prod. But 7X is a little low for target work. I have a Primary Arms 4-16 on my P35-177 and it's a nice scope for about $175. I have an Athlon Talos 6-24X on my P35-22 and you can get it for $200 but you might have to find a sale. It is a better target scope than a hunting scope IMHO. Eye box is tight at higher power. But it's still a nice scope. I'm not sure I can recommend the West Hunter 4-16 I have on an Avenger. POI seems to wander but it could be the rifle. I got the Primary Arms 4-14 on my P35-25 for about $200 but that was a couple years ago, I think you'd need to find a sale to get it for $200 now. It has noticably better glass than my other scopes.
If you don't want to handpump you will need a compressor which will take essentially all the remaining money - maybe leave enough for pellets and miscellaneous. I use a Yong Heng to fill a used SCBA tank and I really like that setup but I don't think you have the budget for all that. But you could get a YH and it will fill your gun much faster than the pumps which will work on 12V. But the much smaller pumps you can run off your car or your house will let you fill either at home or away from home as long as you have a vehicle available.
I would plan to spend about $200 on a scope. A Hawke Vantage would be less and I really like the 2-7 on my Prod. But 7X is a little low for target work. I have a Primary Arms 4-16 on my P35-177 and it's a nice scope for about $175. I have an Athlon Talos 6-24X on my P35-22 and you can get it for $200 but you might have to find a sale. It is a better target scope than a hunting scope IMHO. Eye box is tight at higher power. But it's still a nice scope. I'm not sure I can recommend the West Hunter 4-16 I have on an Avenger. POI seems to wander but it could be the rifle. I got the Primary Arms 4-14 on my P35-25 for about $200 but that was a couple years ago, I think you'd need to find a sale to get it for $200 now. It has noticably better glass than my other scopes.
If you don't want to handpump you will need a compressor which will take essentially all the remaining money - maybe leave enough for pellets and miscellaneous. I use a Yong Heng to fill a used SCBA tank and I really like that setup but I don't think you have the budget for all that. But you could get a YH and it will fill your gun much faster than the pumps which will work on 12V. But the much smaller pumps you can run off your car or your house will let you fill either at home or away from home as long as you have a vehicle available.
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How about the new DAR Gen3? Cost is 500 bucks. It will shoot standard JSB pellets .22 18,13 in a 3/4 inch group at 50 yards. Nice side lever action and 40 shots per fill and is regulated. No power curve to deal with. Fill is only 3000 psi, so a hand pump is manageable. Thing is a good hand pump is not cheap either so might as well go with a small compressor.
Air? Take a look at the TwoAuto compressor. 400 bucks and from Amazon or Walmart you can get a 4 year extended service for like 40 bucks. Of course it takes two months to get it fixed, so just buy another one when you have to. Overall this works out way cheaper than any other alterative. Air source and supply is the main consideration with a PCP.
So there went 900 bucks and you still need a good scope. A decent scope is also 4 to 5 hundred bucks. One that is not bad is the UTG line of scopes. They are OK, they do have kinda large crosshairs and crude mildots. So add 400 bucks and get a good Hawke or Vortex scope.
The JSB 18.3 pellet is now 20 bucks a 500 tin, soon they will equal rimfire price. The H and N Hornet is now already there. 28 bucks for 200, yep I can buy rimfires cheaper.
I am a springer shooter myself. However I appreciate a good PCP and I stay up with all makes and models and all new products. The DAR is all metal, has side lever action , nothing fancy just a good functional and accurate gun.
Now if you do not mind spending a week learning, go get an HW95 and a good scope and enjoy. That and a couple tins of pellets all just under 1000 bucks. Some enjoy springers, some get frustrated and sit them in the corner for good. However the 95 is a cut above, easy to master and some pellet suggestions to start are the cheap domed 14.3 Crossman, the H and N 14.66 Field Target Trophy and the expensive 11.75 GTO. No extra expense for air required.
This is a loaded question......lots of choices tried to point both ways the best route.
Cheers
Kit
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Benjamin Akela or Marauder, Yong Heng, use the change for whatever Athlon scope and rings you have left in your $1K. Although I have nicer guns, the Akela I got for $425 sits by my backdoor and does most of the pesting around the garden.
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A year in and I'm at about 4k. I was mad about .22lr scarcity and prices so I decided to make sure I didn't have to worry about it again. As a pistol shooter I decided on an Ataman and a Yong Heng compressor and 5000 pellets. Great, then I decided I wanted a rifle but wanted a Springer so I wouldn't be dependent on the compressor so I got a HW97k and sent it out to John Thomas and threw a Hawke scope on it (totally in love). So now I wanted a PCP bench gun so I could just shoot forever so I got an HW100 and a really nice Hawke Airmax on it and it is AMAZING. So now I've got it all, right? I'm happy as a clam but now I want a cute little HW30s in .20 to play with since my needs are met. Fun and costs never end, imagine if I'd just bought 4k worth of .22lr and never got an airgun? Happy to be in air gunning and selling off most of my centerfires to focus on air, let them have the politics and ammo shortages and primer and powder shortages and all the crap that goes with it.
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Marauder 300ish used. A100 for a decent scope. A Vevor pump 180
Some cans of crossman premiers and you are good to go for around$600.
Some cans of crossman premiers and you are good to go for around$600.
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A cheap Chineese gun and an unreliable cheap Chinese pump. Or an R9 and an R7 with scopes. I'll take the High quality German stuff (If a friend shows up you have 2 guns). You want nice PCP set up you gotta spend more than $1000 . You'll never stop shooting that R7. And the ladies love them too.
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Lots of good advice … lots of options, which is great but makes your eyes roll around a bit.
If pcp get a gun you like of the cheaper Budgeted ones that way smaller loss if or when you sell it. Then get a cheap chinese pump assuming you able to pump youngish/ok with short heart pounding workout(great pump just shorter than a Hill)
The scope is one thing you could spend more on as that is one item you could keep forever, use it with new guns or springer if you decide to go that route. So get springer rated scope from a maker that has a great warrenty not sure but heard good things about Athlon’s warrenty
Others can help with that as I’m not familiar with springer rated scopes it is the reason I switched to pcps
Scope rings, pellets, and 1/2x20 adaptor and a moderator to help make it backyard friendly(er)
Instore get one of two bags of rubber mulch from big box store and a plastic bin/container to put it in plus a brick or two of the duct seal. Research it here
After liking it(pcp) you might get more stuff like a chronygraph to help tune you gun for power and consistant speed. Extra orings and 100% silicone grease. A compressor, my favorite purchase yet. Maybe a tank if you travel or shoot alot on one sitting or place.
I bet most of us started on springers or red riders but turned to the dark side as its called (pcp) in the end. The rabbit hole is as deep as you let it with better airguns and compressors or scopes.
Good luck and let us know how it works out
If pcp get a gun you like of the cheaper Budgeted ones that way smaller loss if or when you sell it. Then get a cheap chinese pump assuming you able to pump youngish/ok with short heart pounding workout(great pump just shorter than a Hill)
The scope is one thing you could spend more on as that is one item you could keep forever, use it with new guns or springer if you decide to go that route. So get springer rated scope from a maker that has a great warrenty not sure but heard good things about Athlon’s warrenty
Others can help with that as I’m not familiar with springer rated scopes it is the reason I switched to pcps
Scope rings, pellets, and 1/2x20 adaptor and a moderator to help make it backyard friendly(er)
Instore get one of two bags of rubber mulch from big box store and a plastic bin/container to put it in plus a brick or two of the duct seal. Research it here
After liking it(pcp) you might get more stuff like a chronygraph to help tune you gun for power and consistant speed. Extra orings and 100% silicone grease. A compressor, my favorite purchase yet. Maybe a tank if you travel or shoot alot on one sitting or place.
I bet most of us started on springers or red riders but turned to the dark side as its called (pcp) in the end. The rabbit hole is as deep as you let it with better airguns and compressors or scopes.
Good luck and let us know how it works out
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Go to Krale. Search up Walther Rotex RM8…comes in .22 only and it’ll give you good power enough for medium game and with the reputable Walther quality. The rifle will cost you $520 total with shipping. Then, make a WTB ad on members classified for a scope and FX no limit rings (should run you $200). Lastly, get those compressors mentioned by the generous members prior to this message…or just make a WTB for an air tank and fill up at a local dive shop.
ORRRRR SAVE yourself the darn hassle of an air tank and a hefty compressor that you can’t take hunting with you…and buy a Weihrauch HW90 also sold on Krale for cheap. Buy Diana lockdown mounts on eBay, some threadlcoker loctite for the stop pin, a $150 scope and bam you’re set. Medium game all day at 25-30 yards. Will run you about $585 for the rifle, $40 for the mount, and done. Save some money for quality pellets.
Regards
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Was in your shoes many years ago, opted for pcp, and regret going budget on everything.
Got quickly frustrated with cheap-end pcp going busto, tired with pumping, cheap compressor spitting air, underwhelming glass, etc.
Imho you need at least 2x (better 3x) your budget for a decent pcp set-up. And then still things will go sideways sooner or later.
If you can't save-up i will also put in my vote for a good springer and advice you to invest in good quality glass. Athlon all the way here.
Straight fun out of the box and a lot less hassle. Enjoy learning how to shoot first without all the prices and frustrations that come with pcp guns and its endless rabbit hole of accessories and tuning.
Got quickly frustrated with cheap-end pcp going busto, tired with pumping, cheap compressor spitting air, underwhelming glass, etc.
Imho you need at least 2x (better 3x) your budget for a decent pcp set-up. And then still things will go sideways sooner or later.
If you can't save-up i will also put in my vote for a good springer and advice you to invest in good quality glass. Athlon all the way here.
Straight fun out of the box and a lot less hassle. Enjoy learning how to shoot first without all the prices and frustrations that come with pcp guns and its endless rabbit hole of accessories and tuning.
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I have 5 pcps that all cost under $500 (each). All but one wears a scope that you can buy for $200 or less. I think I only paid about $200 for that scope but it is about $300 now. I am happy with them and I have not had serious issues with them. I use a YH and a used SCBA tank to fill them but I started with a Benjamin and then a Chinese hand pump. The Chinese one is nicer in most ways. I thus do not agree you can't get something fun and useful for $1000. I have. I bought my first PCP, a Prod, about 3 years ago. I've killed 57 squirrels with my PCPs so far and I have posted a few scores on the 30 yard challenge I am not ashamed of with my relatively inexpensive equipment. I have no doubt guns and scopes that cost 2 to 3 times as much are nicer but I don't think they are necessary to have fun.
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I cast my vote for a high end springer and a quality mid range scope and mount in the $200-$300 range. Right around $1,000 just add pellets.
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Just an example;
The new JTS Aircuda Standard, for 300 bucks you get a well built rifle ( no plastic anywhere not even the magazines )
You get a 5 points transfer port adjustment, an easily adjustable hammerspring, so you can take your rifle from full power to backyard plinking power in seconds.
The rifle is slim and light, butter smooth sidelever and two magazines.
The one I have in .25 is very very accurate.
300 bucks fot the gun, 50 for the pump, 150 for an LDC if you want to, 100 bucks for a scope ( even with a budget scope the PCP will be way more accurate at 50 yards then the best springer with a grand scope on it
)
So for a total of 600 bucks you will have a gun that will always hit where you want and more then dounle the power of a springer,
......No brainer
The new JTS Aircuda Standard, for 300 bucks you get a well built rifle ( no plastic anywhere not even the magazines )
You get a 5 points transfer port adjustment, an easily adjustable hammerspring, so you can take your rifle from full power to backyard plinking power in seconds.
The rifle is slim and light, butter smooth sidelever and two magazines.
The one I have in .25 is very very accurate.
300 bucks fot the gun, 50 for the pump, 150 for an LDC if you want to, 100 bucks for a scope ( even with a budget scope the PCP will be way more accurate at 50 yards then the best springer with a grand scope on it
)So for a total of 600 bucks you will have a gun that will always hit where you want and more then dounle the power of a springer,
......No brainer
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I stared with Benjamin and Sheridan pumpers while a buddy had some break barrels. I never grew fond of the break barrels, and figured Id never get into pcp. A few years went by and I got an Airforce Talon SS and I've never looked back. I have a stable of pcp guns now. You can definitely get started pretty economically these days.
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