Disappointed with my magnum springer...what PCP to buy?

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Very well reasoned reply Bigragu and SqrlHntr, I completely agree. The Mrod is a great learning platform. I've had mine apart so many times, I can't count. However, to the OP I would say that the Mrod is very heavy (for me at least) and when I got mine, there were not many affordable PCP options. Today, I think one of the Dreamlines would be a great choice. Simple enough and light weight.
 
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I've seen the argument for the Dream line as a cost-worthy and simple but well-performing PCP. I agree. I have a maverick coming in, and I have an impact. If you're looking for something on the cheaper end I highly suggest looking into the Dreamline, I've shot one, helped take it apart, tune it and it's a very good PCP. A lot of modifications are available too.
 
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I have one of the longer dreamlines .25s with the 600mm barrel. Its a lot of gun. The tactical rail on the front is ok, but i usually hold it in my hand. not terribly comfortable...

The revere is lighter, better balanced, shoulders like a dream, and it a lot easier to hold and shoot.

if i set them on a bag on the table, they are both as accurate, shooting tiny round holes for groups at the 25 yards i have. when i move to my "hunting chair" and shoot off my knee, the revere is easier and smoother to use every time. It also feels sturdier and more suited to carrying in the woods than the dreamline.

That said, my dreamline is a .25 slug shooter, and the revere is a .22 pellet shooter, and they really fill different roles for me, so it's not like its a straight comparison. But for grabbing a gun and a mag or two for some back yard plinking, the revere is just phenomenal.
 
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After seeing one million what PCP should I buy topics, I have come to the realization that without personally knowing someone, it’s hard to make recommendations. On one hand, a more complicated PCP will force you to learn how to work on it, but that could be a plus or minus depending on the person. On the other hand, a more simple gun is less expensive and not as intimidating to work on and tune. It also educates you on what you evolved to need out of your next more expensive purchase. I would safely bet that at least half of Impact owners don’t need that gun. They just jumped head first into the go big or go home pool. Many have been aggravated with the gun but refuse to take a step back and finish high school before going to college. I started with a BSA Ultra. Then I installed a reg in it. A couple years later I dove in head first and had my sister bring me an original Impact back with her from an overseas business trip because none were available here. Sold that thing within 6 months. The BSA’s grab it and shoot simplicity spoiled me. I wanted to shoot, not constantly never be satisfied with my settings. I evolved over the next few years and many guns and got another Impact. The difference this time is, with slugs, I set the gun up, spent one day on a tune and haven’t touched that tune since. The knowledge I gained over the years gave me the ability to set up a complicated gun quickly and have no desire to constantly be F’ing with it. Now that I bragged about it, I will probably be starting a big problem with my Impact topic within a week.
 
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I would go with the FX Dreamline or a T12. You save some weight over a Marauder. But you also spend more.

Since I am also a powder burner, I have to appreciate the fact that my CZ 452-2E American cost $430, is sub MOA accurate with match ammo, and is air rifle quiet with Aguila SSS 60-grain that hits with about 100 FPE (without adding a suppressor). And the new CZ 457 with several upgrades over my rifle retails at $515. With a beautiful Turkish walnut stock. You get stained beechwood on an air rifle that sells for more than the CZ 457 (aka my BSA Lonestar .25 that cost me $595 over 10 years ago), and if it's walnut then it's probably twice the price or more.

When is CZ going to start building some world class air rifles like they do their world class rimfires AT REAL WORLD PRICES???
 
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I have had a pump up air rifle and powder burners for decades but bought my first PCP last year, a Benjamin Marauder Pistol (Prod). I got it in May and enjoyed spending several months, amongst other hobbies, getting it set up and tuned to my liking. It has taken 12 squirrels in my backyard so far. I found a little more power necessary to reliably anchor squirrels with one pellet. My current tune shoots 14.3 grain pellets over 700 fps for 17-18 fpe and about 20 shots per fill. I made my own stock and it weighs less than 5 lbs with the Hawke Vantage 2-7 scope it currently wears. Very nice trigger and accurate.

I bought my second PCP, an Avenger 25 caliber, earlier this year. I want a dreamline, probably a lite initially in 30 caliber. But I also want a Yong Heng pump and air tank and my reasoning is that I could buy the Avenger plus the other items for less than the dreamline costs. Dreamline will probably wait for next year. I had to send the Avenger back for a leak but it came back less than a week ago and is not leaking. The trigger is not nearly as good as the Prod even after adjustment but it is if anything more accurate. But it wears a Primary Arms 4-14 scope and higher magnification probably helps. Much more powerful. The Avenger also cost about what a caliber change would cost on the dreamline. I like target shooting (informally only so far) but also like hunting. The Avenger is powerful enough for much longer shots than the Prod and possibly has the power for a brain shot on a hog if I stumble on one. Even with my current 1600 psi regulator setting it will shoot through 3/4 plywood.

My logic for the dreamline is a 30 caliber is more indicated if I ever want to shoot a larger animal and also apparently used for long range target shooting due to less drift in the wind. I plan to add a 177 barrel for Hunter Field Target. I will need to spend more on the scope than the ones on my other PCPs so it is not just the rifle that will cost more. Not sure what scope I want, I was thinking a Element Helix but may go another way. I want side focus parallax, like my Primary Arms has, and also FFP - which the Primary Arms also has. But my Primary Arms only goes to 14X which would be an handicap. So regardless of brand I am thinking of a 6-24 with side focus, FFP.

I don't want this to sound wrong but the expense of the FX is not a big issue. But I've found that spreading out my purchases is actually more enjoyable than just buying everything on my wish list all at once. I can get overwhelmed with too many new things to play with. Having a loaner for when kids and grandkids visit was also part of my Avenger purchase logic.
 
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These are some of my top priorities. 

#1 is getting a rifle that doesn't have a barrel liner system, but instead a solidly mounted standard barrel in a stout receiver.

#2 the above ^^^ will help avoid Point Of impact Shifts/POI shifts. This aspect of pcp air rifles is extremely annoying and quite prevalent among flimsy systems.

#3 is if you can find something that doesn't have a regulator too, either fail, or creep, and you can live with a smaller shot count before the rifle needs to be filled, you'll be happier in the end.

All these reasons, both positive and negative, are why I've sold a bunch of pcp's over the years and kept the ones I did. If I were to bet, these are most of the reasons for everyone else as well.

A good old used FX Royale 400 has been one of my favorites even though mine has some reg creep which I've neglected to fix. I don't think the 1st gen had a reg which is the gen I wish I had?? That'd be my #1 budget choice.

RAW has a good rep too. I saw one that sold used for $1000 a couple weeks ago which is a screaming deal.

An old BSA Scorpion that I used to have was a good one, I don't think it had reg?? 

Although the Taipan has is a rear cocking bullpup it has a good rep. A solid barrel mounting system but has a reg I think.

A knowlable friend says the Daystate Wolverine is a great rifle.

IMO, although a single shot, if you found an old non reg MAC1 USFT, there is no better rifle for the top #1 and #2 requirements. It's more of a target rifle but the carbine version isn't too heavy. 




 
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#1 PRIORITY NEVER buy a Disposable-Consumable gun (and disposable compressor).

#2 PRIORITY NEVER buy a gun with repeated complaints from MANY DIFFERENT END USERS about LEAK issues that the dealer-company don't even have a replacement part # available.

#3 PRIORITY NEVER buy a gun that has the same known failure issue that uses the same parts prone to fail previously sold under a different brand label manufactured in the same factory.

#4 PRIORITY DUE DILLIGENCE SEARCH FUNCTION WORKS B4 SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED CASH TO AVOID ANY SURPRISES (THE BAD SURPRISES OF COURSE).

#5 PRIORITY PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORUM DAILY AND WATCH OUT FOR FAILUE ISSUE POSTS LIKE YESTERDAYS FOR EXAMPLE.

#6 REALIZE HOW MUCH DOLLARS YOU ALLOW TO THROW AWAY INTO THE TRASH OR FLUSH DOWN THE TOILET BY NOT DOING DOING THOROUGH DUE DILLIGENCE.

#7 REALIZE LEARNING THE HARD WAY WILL COST YOU MORE MONEY AND CANT EXPECT VENDORS TO ALWAYS PAY FOR YOUR SHIPPING BACK GUNS FOR WARRANTY. WHICH ENDS UP ADDING TO THE COST OF INITIAL PURCHASE.

#8 SEE #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7.

#9 ALWAYS REMEMBER WHO EXACTLY MADE YOU BUY IT AFTER IT FAILS OR IF ITS JUST PLAIN JUNK.


 
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I keep on the fx wagon personally as they are always there to answer the phone, provide parts or service. Often that is a hard thing to come by in this industry. Although they recently sent back my Maverick with a completely puckered up tune on it they did remedy the original problem in a timely manner all under warranty. Nice piece of mind to have.
 
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I have both an Mrod and a Dreamline. Both .177. I bought the Mrod (my first PCP rifle) in 2014. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't the most expensive thing out there back then by a long shot. I learned a lot with it and I am glad I started there. My Dreamline Tactical was my second PCP air rifle. There's a level of refinement and quality of the Dreamline you really don't have in the Marauder. Of all FX's current offerings, I suspect the Dreamline might be the least complex to service yourself, but still more complex than a Marauder. That said, I've got waaayyy more money wasted on the Mrod and made a lot of changes to it to get it the way I like it. I have spent around $30 and shipping for a CF sleeve to slip over the barrel liner on the Dreamline and I find it unbelievably accurate. I've spent roughly the same amount of money on both at this point, not including consumables and support equipment.
Looking back over that entire PCP journey, I would have no trouble recommending a Dreamline as a first PCP. It does most of what its more expensive and complex sibling FX products do plus some stuff they don't. It has been reliable and trouble free for about 3 years now. I keep the Mrod as my short range yard gun and now sports aperture sights. This has improved the Mrods handling, but reduced its effective range to how far I can see the target. The DreamTac covers things farther out with a scope.
 
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