first airgun

Jump to latest Follow Reply
I started at 14 years old, mowing lawns. To get my first crosman pump up gun 22. Killed alot of stuff with it. Open sites. I started shotting at 8yrs old 22 long rifle then moved into NRA Compition. I didnt buy another air gun till I was 48yrs. It is a daisey brake barrel sping gun .177 very acc. At 61 I bought a gamo maxin gas piston .177, 139.99 at waly world. Put a UTG 3x9x44 on it and cleaned all the squires out at house. Then i saw a video of Matt Duber in SA. I was bit. I have 4 pcps now. All im saying is this sport is addictive. I go for the gas piston quality guns first new or used, get your feet wet and go from there.
 
Upvote 0
Gotta agree on the More guns will follow. I don't buy very often, but am already looking 2 or 3 guns into the future. I'll need airguns for multiple purposes including hunting, bench, teaching grandkids to shoot, which means lower powered kids sized guns and such. Guns for my daughter to shoot, and for folks to borrow when I espouse the magnificent world of airgunning.

​Whenever I look ahead, I feel like a 4 year old at Christmas. An Impact for me, a Maximus for Jill to learn, a Gauntlet for Jenny to hunt with me, a Air Wolf for David and a Wildcat for Tyler, and Oh, and a Dreamline for me to tinker with, and such.

​Oh, and don't forget pistols as well. I do have a couple pistols. The Beeman P17 at $30 is a great single Stroke for those of us too cheap to buy a real nice $300 gun, and the Crosman 1701p is no slouch as a 10 meter gun (though it is HEAVY!). I have a 5 meter indoor range setup and get a few shots every night. Repetition does wonders for your accuracy. Ammunition is cheap!

​The important thing is to pick and buy that first gun so you can get shooting and enjoy the sport. Too much time doing analysis means you aren't shooting!
 
Upvote 0
"1BadDart"If you shop smart there are deals to be found on quality rifles. My 34 came from Midway USA and was listed as blemished for $219. When it arrived the only thing wrong was the box was beat up some, the rifle was perfect.
My advice is to save up your money and buy a quality rifle in the beginning.
Click to expand...
I agree 100%. How does that old saying go - Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.
 
Upvote 0
I'm in the same boat. Looking to get my first air rifle. Been shooting and hunting with regular firearms for years. My budget for rifle only is $400-450. Mainly for hunting and target from bench. Since hunting small game will be my main purpose, accuracy and knock down power in a .22 is most important. Don't want to start off with a cheap gun and be disappointed . Learned my lesson long ago with powder burners. Also want a rifle that should last many years. Was going to go with a RWS 34, but am now leaning towards a RWS 48 or 52. From what I understand the learning curve is long with those magnums but, that's part of the fun.
 
Upvote 0
"Locker50"I'm in the same boat. Looking to get my first air rifle. Been shooting and hunting with regular firearms for years. My budget for rifle only is $400-450. Mainly for hunting and target from bench. Since hunting small game will be my main purpose, accuracy and knock down power in a .22 is most important. Don't want to start off with a cheap gun and be disappointed . Learned my lesson long ago with powder burners. Also want a rifle that should last many years. Was going to go with a RWS 34, but am now leaning towards a RWS 48 or 52. From what I understand the learning curve is long with those magnums but, that's part of the fun.
Click to expand...
I can't speak for anyone else's rifle but my poi changes with it resting on a bag opposed to on my hand on a bag. They are heavy, mine with a scope is well over nine pounds.
 
Upvote 0
The problem with PCP's is the cost of the support system. You can buy a hand pump, but I hate pumping and it's not easy to hit 2800 PSI. Takes a lot of work. In the case of my Marauder, it's 3 pumps per shot.

​Bottles cost about $350 for the 98CI version, then you've got to have a place to fill it, like a paintball shop. That $350 is most of your budget.

​So, the $450 budget puts you in one of two camps. Entry level PCP, which the Maximus in a kit including pump, or a higher end break barrel. There are some good break barrels out there, but firing rate is slow. 

​The Maximus is a small cylinder, with a only 2000 PSI fill, so easily hand pumped. Check out the reviews. Crosman has a kit including a pump on Crosman.com that can be had for $265. That gets you up and shooting ASAP. $350 kit, -25% using the AGNATION code and free shipping on Fridays. Check out AEAC's reviews.

​The maximus will last for years, and the learning curve of a PCP is, well, minimal. No recoil at all, so that harsh double recoil of a break barrel isn't there. Also means you can put any scope on the market on the gun and the recoil will never damage the scope, 'cause there isn't any recoil.

​Having had break barrels and a couple PCP's, I can't go back. I'd take an inexpensive PCP over a break barrel any day, but everyone has to make their own choice.

​Higher end break barrels are out there, but I can't speak to them. Others love their guns, but I'm into PCP's

​The problem is that it doesn't matter which you buy, you'll be bit by the bug and want more (don't we all?) Your budget for the next gun will increase dramatically and you'll want better and better. That's just the way it works.

 
Upvote 0
My 2 cents Go for the Maximus .i went thru 4 springers couldn’t get the accuracy I want At 3o yards . Bought the disco PCP great accuracy to about 50 yards .that was good for awhile but wanted better bought condor ss great accuracy but single shoot .So when all was said in done my go to is the FX Wild Cat and a omega coppresser Moral of story if your gonna get into air guns buy a PCP first time around
 
Upvote 0
Locker50 - that's the whole problem. So many opinions, and so many CHOICES! It does make a decision hard. And, remember, our opinions are worth what you paid for them! Doesn't that just give you all the confidence in the world!

​To me, anyone that can shoot a break barrel well, deserves praise. I never really could. Once I tried a PCP, my shooting life changed, for the better. Now saving for another rifle, then after that, maybe a compressor. In the meantime, my 4 year old Marauder does well. The Maximus wasn't out when I bought. Had it been available, I may have purchased that one instead. AEAC did reviews of the Maximus and it reviewed extremely well.

Whatever you choose, you've chosen well these days. Ya can't really make a big mistake, it's all good.
 
Upvote 0
PCPs are generally more accurate at longer distances in larger calibers .25 .30 probably because of weight not to mention recoil but.... a good quality springer has its advantages (no pumps,compressors and the ones ive owned (RWS DIANA model 34 and 48) have never needed any repairs and shoot great out to 25yrs. after that the accuracy cant touch my 2 PCPs FX BOBCAT and FX IMPACT. Your on a slippery slope with these air guns i never thought id spend 500.00 on a pellet gun but look at me now..........
 
Upvote 0
Good springers I own that are 300$ or less:

Diana 34p .22
stoeger x20s2 .22
game silent cat .177
hatsan 135 we vortex (gas not spring) .25
browning 800 express (break pistol) .22

Pcp’s
disco .22 

300-400$

prod .22
mrod .22

all great accurate guns except for the browning. It’s a loud and clunky James Bond looking thing but it’s powerful for a breaker pistol.

good luck

 
Upvote 0
Sonny - fully agree about the slippery slope. Never thought I'd by a $370 optic for a pellet gun (Athlon 6-24x50), let alone be saving my pennies for a $2000 pellet gun. Talk about an addiction that can take you to the poor house if you aren't careful. 

On the other hand, I know shooting is an expensive hobby, and I've got friends with .50's and .338's that guns cost much more than the Impact or Crown, and ammunition is $5 per round and they reload their own, so $.03 for a JSB pellet sure sounds cheap to me. See, all that information helps justify my spending $3000 or $4000 on guns and ammunition, right???

In all seriousness, shooting can add up, and while airguns are less expensive than the .338's in the long run, there's definitely a cost in getting started and it'll continue to cost as you move through life. That desire for bettter will always be there. Important thing is to eventually quit listening to all of us, buy a gun and get shooting. You can make your own decisions from there as to what line of guns you want to shoot, whether break barrels or PCP's.

Oh, and another pistol to add to the list (Please don't laugh on this one) is the Beeman P17. It's an officially licensed knockoff of the P3 which sells for, I want to say, over $300. The P17 sells for $30. It's a single stroke pneumatic (SSP) so open the top, put the pellet in, close it and it's ready to fire one round. I have one and it shoots very well! If just looking for a gun to plink at short ranges, this thing works better than any other pumper style pistol I've seen. I shoot at about 5 yards right now, using cheap Gamo wadcutters (and they are CHEAP at $5 per 500), but it shoots straight and consistently. What more can I ask?

 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu