Best Air gun under 500 dollars

[Hercule]

Got 500 dollars. Already have a nitro piston, and I like it, but am looking to go bigger and badder.
It is pretty simple, best air gun under 500.
PCP is ok. Just looking for the best one.

 

[cahil_2]

Unless you have a source of air, $500.00 won’t go far. If you get a gauntlet and a pump, you won’t have much left for a scope. Get a HW 95 and a scope. Should be about 500.

 

[Brian10956]

Look for a used Marauder a Stock one once turned will give you .5 “ at 50 yards and there are other add ons for that rifle that will make it good at 100 yards without spending a lot. You need an air source and that can be costly. 

 

[Xbowsniper]

Hercules,

I can safely say that a Benjamin Marauder is one of the better bets. There are a few more out there, that have a few kudos to their name, but they haven't been out in the market for any length of time, to have a lot of feedback. I'm a WFTF PCP competitor, and, with an almost stock Marauder, I can give the top shooters a run for their money. I've installed a regulator in it, and, mechanically, that's it. The support equipment for PCP's, is the killer, it'll cost you just as much for an Air tank, filling source, travel to a filling source if you don't have your own, over the cost of the gun.

Hope this sheds some light,

Tom Holland 
[email protected] 
Assistant Match Director 
Eastern Suffolk Competitive Airgunners Association (ESCAA) Long Island NY escaaclub.com 

 

[Blackthunder]

Spring; HW97/77, TX200, LGV. For more oomph; HW80 or the new Walther Parrus (I own an LGV but I am not familiar with the Parrus).

PCP; CZ s200 or the AA S400.

The S200 is deceptively cheap, because when you start upgrading it, it gets a lot more expensive. 

 

[dodge3500]

Man if you don't mind a refurbished ? check out hatsan USA refurbished deals.
i got a nova .22 and love it for 500$ give or take 5 bucks I think.
heres 100 shots on the same fill at forty yards.The other groups are before I turned down the fps ,she was shooting crosman 14.3 hollow points to hot.

 

[c_m_shooter]

HW97 ordered from Krale. Best value in airgunning. 

 

[JeffDodge]

For a spring gun I would probably suggest the Hatsan Sniper Vortex 125 in .22 and a UTG 30MM Swat 10x50 with glass etched reticle or a Gamo Magnum .22 with this scope. The Gamo won't get as warm a reception but I have done some tuning to mine and am getting outstanding results - 27.5FPE and 1/2" at 36yds - and it's quite a bit lighter than the Hatsan. The Gamo really likes H&N 5.51 and 5.52mm pellets (i've tried about 25 pellets). If you go this route, you would still have some money left over for all the other miscellaneous costs this sport demands - pellets, shooting bags, chronograph, cleaning supplies, chamber lube, targets, bipod/shooting sticks, etc.

If you want a PCP, which is almost universally better, I would save up more money. For $500, unfortunately, you'll probably be disappointed.

 

[Keyman62421]

I'm afraid that $500 will barely supply you with an air tank and fill regulator. Not to mention you'll have to find an air source for refill of tanks!
​Really, quality pcp is a big step that you don't realize until your over your waders!

 

[Blackthunder]

I just checked prices on the s400 and cz s200 and they have gone way up. Less than two years ago, you could get an S200 for €350 or an s400 for la little over €400 ...... I was quite surprised to see that.

https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/BSA_Scorpion_SE_PCP_Air_Rifle_Synthetic_Stock/3162 This BSA is not sub $ 500, but well worth it. BSA is renown for amazing accuracy. 

IF you want a springer; I would just order from Europe; https://www.krale-schietsport.nl/en/guns/air-rifles.html?manufacturer=262. If you go with Krale, call them! They have messed up several of my on-line orders. 

 

[2D1C]

I'm with Dodge.
The Hatsan is a great gun.The NOVA is probably one of the most under rated PCP's out there. The.25 is getting over 90 usable shots per fill. Be patient, save your money. Buy a CF 80cuft tank and fill station first. Then the PCP air rifle world is your oyster. I am speaking from just one year of experience.

 

[joek]

from kral 
HW85 with a scope
HW80 with a williams FP-AG sight
HW95 std.

Walther
LGV no scope 
Parrus with a scope, trigger is the same as the Terrus. It's big and heavy

Benjamin 
Rouge NP2 with a good scope 

 

[Saltlake58]

For $500, look at the 2000 PSI fill Maximus with hand pump. If you want to go really cheap on the pump, look at eBay, some Chinese cheapies going for under $60 and the reviews I've seen were OK. Reviews are good, though the trigger isn't the best.

​There's a new Crossman called the Fortitude, though I have no idea what it is like. It's a 3000 PSI fill, so you can fill it with a pump, but since it's a small air cylinder, should be easier than something like a Marauder.

​Air will be the Achilles Heel on an inexpensive setup. I would buy a Maximus before I'd buy another spring gun though.

On paper, the Fortitude has some really good specs,

Small air cylinder, but regulated so gets lots of shots. They claim 90 shots per fill. You will be limited to whatever pellet Crosman used to set the regulator, but it's a heck of a start. It is magazine fed, ready for optics and comes in at $300 or so for the gun, then add a pump and optics.

​The Maximus can be had on the Crosman site for $220, then use the AGNATION discount code for a 25% discount means it's $165 and free shipping on Fridays. That's a darned cheap PCP, and leaves lots for upgrades.

 

[checkpoint12]

Hatsan Flashpup QE with one of those Chinese Pumps from Ebay and you'll be set. Trigger pull is adjustable, and filling it up takes about 15 minutes. You can get about 3 to 4 14 round mags with each fill depending on the grains you're shooting. 



Mine's a .177 caliber , and I'm ranging from JSB Exacts 8.4 - JSB Exact Monster's 13 gr 



Amazing gun for hunting small game and target shooting, you can easily put shots through the same hole. I'm a fan of Diana, but it beats out the Diana Outlaw bang for buck, if I decide to upgrade the next upgrade will be an FX Dreamline.