Functional versus Superior Quality: Finding Value in Airgunning

[rootdude]

Hello Airgun Nation community,

I recently embarked on the exciting journey of airgunning and have been thoroughly enjoying every moment. As a newcomer, I find myself constantly weighing the merits of investing in higher-quality equipment versus starting with more affordable options. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic.

From the outset, I’ve been inclined to spend more money and time learning to use the best-manufactured equipment available. My reasoning is rooted in a few key observations:

1. Quality and Reliability: In my short time in the sport, I’ve found that lower-end equipment often comes with questionable quality and reliability. Issues like inconsistent performance, frequent malfunctions, and a lack of precision can detract from the overall experience and learning process.
2. Long-term Value: While the initial cost of superior equipment can be daunting, the lasting value they provide seems to justify the investment. High-quality airguns and accessories not only perform better but also tend to have longer lifespans, reducing the need for frequent replacements or upgrades.
3. Learning Curve: Starting with better equipment can also enhance the learning experience. Precision and consistency in performance allow for a more accurate assessment of one’s skills and progress, making it easier to identify areas for improvement without second-guessing if the issue lies with the equipment.

However, I understand that everyone’s situation and preferences are different. For those who started with more affordable equipment, what were your experiences? Did you find that upgrading to higher-quality gear significantly improved your enjoyment and performance? Or did starting with budget options help you appreciate the nuances of superior equipment later on?

I’d also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the veterans of this sport on these forums. Your wealth of knowledge and willingness to share your experiences have been incredibly valuable to newcomers like myself. Your insights and advice help shape our understanding and appreciation of airgunning, making it a more enriching and enjoyable pursuit for all.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on balancing functionality and quality in airgunning. Do you think it’s worth investing in superior equipment from the start, or is there value in beginning with functional, inexpensive options?

Thank you!
rootdude

 

[Ranchibi]

When I was in your shoes starting out into airgunning, I was told to purchase the best one can afford as it will usually have better quality parts, trigger and barrel making for a better experience while shooting, I found this to be true in my case handling many different airguns from entry level to the most expensive PCP's. You do pay for what you get and in service needed plus parts availability. But, this all depends on ones budget, the overall deciding factor in one's purchase.

 

[.177Guy]

Hello Airgun Nation community,

I recently embarked on the exciting journey of airgunning and have been thoroughly enjoying every moment. As a newcomer, I find myself constantly weighing the merits of investing in higher-quality equipment versus starting with more affordable options. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic.

From the outset, I’ve been inclined to spend more money and time learning to use the best-manufactured equipment available. My reasoning is rooted in a few key observations:

1. Quality and Reliability: In my short time in the sport, I’ve found that lower-end equipment often comes with questionable quality and reliability. Issues like inconsistent performance, frequent malfunctions, and a lack of precision can detract from the overall experience and learning process.
2. Long-term Value: While the initial cost of superior equipment can be daunting, the lasting value they provide seems to justify the investment. High-quality airguns and accessories not only perform better but also tend to have longer lifespans, reducing the need for frequent replacements or upgrades.
3. Learning Curve: Starting with better equipment can also enhance the learning experience. Precision and consistency in performance allow for a more accurate assessment of one’s skills and progress, making it easier to identify areas for improvement without second-guessing if the issue lies with the equipment.

However, I understand that everyone’s situation and preferences are different. For those who started with more affordable equipment, what were your experiences? Did you find that upgrading to higher-quality gear significantly improved your enjoyment and performance? Or did starting with budget options help you appreciate the nuances of superior equipment later on?

I’d also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the veterans of this sport on these forums. Your wealth of knowledge and willingness to share your experiences have been incredibly valuable to newcomers like myself. Your insights and advice help shape our understanding and appreciation of airgunning, making it a more enriching and enjoyable pursuit for all.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on balancing functionality and quality in airgunning. Do you think it’s worth investing in superior equipment from the start, or is there value in beginning with functional, inexpensive options?

Thank you!
rootdude

Same here,
had springer few years,
not a hunter at all, only backyard plinking,
just got on to pcp wagon like full on…
no holding bars like at all,
to me it was few things that got me burn all my savings on pcp buying frenzy,
reliability,
user experience,
brand,
weight,
shot count,
and somewhat looks,
buying experience,
customer service.

 

[orangeokie]

After a couple of years I am in the high quality camp. Daystate (mechanical and electronic), BSA, Air Arms, FX and American Air Arms are my top most reliable, out of the box trouble-free and enjoyable rifle brands. Both of my Daystates (Airwolf and Huntsman Regal) were purchased pre-owned for about 50% off new retail. Bought my BSA R10 brand new but my Defiant bullpup and Scorpion preowned at 50% or more off retail. My Air Arms S510 is pre-owned (like new) and bought for a 50% discount over new. My single FX is the Crown Continuum which I bought brand new and is 100% worth every penny. Also brand new is my AAA Evol Paradigm. I also have a brand new Air Maks Caiman X which I do not shoot much but so far is just as good as any of my top rifles. I have had to "work on" my other brands - Benjamin and Zbroia to keep them up and running. My British made rifles are some of my finest and most trouble-free.

 

[.177Guy]

After a couple of years I am in the high quality camp. Daystate (mechanical and electronic), BSA, Air Arms, FX and American Air Arms are my top most reliable, out of the box trouble-free and enjoyable rifle brands. Both of my Daystates (Airwolf and Huntsman Regal) were purchased pre-owned for about 50% off new retail. Bought my BSA R10 brand new but my Defiant bullpup and Scorpion preowned at 50% or more off retail. My Air Arms S510 is pre-owned (like new) and bought for a 50% discount over new. My single FX is the Crown Continuum which I bought brand new and is 100% worth every penny. Also brand new is my AAA Evol Paradigm. I also have a brand new Air Maks Caiman X which I do not shoot much but so far is just as good as any of my top rifles. I have had to "work on" my other brands - Benjamin and Zbroia to keep them up and running. My British made rifles are some of my finest and most trouble-free.

Hey man,
mind sharing where u get all that 50% off deals from???

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Quality > quantity if at all possible. I've had a number of airguns over the years, some crosmans, daisys, a gamo nitro piston (surprisingly good with a trigger upgrade), a norica, couple hatsans.

If at all possible, I'd choose to wait for a bargain on a nice gun, or save for full price. If saving is needed at all. Currently have two older fxs, a mk1 continuum, and a ranchero, an older brocock grand prix/s6 hybrid, couple snow peak pistols (an exception here because they have such good barrels), 2 1322s, one pcp, both with LW barrels. Still have a hatsan that I have a love/hate relationshp with with HW and LW barrels (one .177, another .22), Oh, and I have an HW as well. So, my guns at LEAST have to have quality barrels if not more. But generally, the takeaway is that I am ALWAYS more happy with an expensive, proper gun. (you can still spend a lot on lousy guns) It's a rare case, in my experience, that I find as much value in a cheaper gun than I do a high end one, but one of my snow peaks is one, if not the only one I've ever had.

Nice guns have vastly refined character, the parts are fit and finished well, the structural rigidity is there. You dont feel like a bump will knock it out of zero, or break the thing. And they are just easier and more pleasant to use in most aspects. The quality is there so you feel even better about whatever you paid for it, even if the price was obscene.

It's hard to really express just how many aspects are affected by all of this, because it is a surprisingly long list. The best investment is doing your homework on what you intend to purchase. Ask questions, listen to other owners. Some "nice" guns are just ok, some are pretty lousy, and some are worth every penny. And there's plenty of good deals on really good guns if you don't mind buying an older model. A lot of the older ones still have extremely impressive performance and some have even better quaility in terms of construction and robustness.

 

[rcarlisle]

I was able to get started with a $1000 budget. I bought the best equipment I could afford, which was a .177 1st Gen Marauder, a Hill MKIII handpump, a BSA 4-14x44 FFP scope and a CHRONY (yes, I knew I would need one). I had plenty of good .177 ammo I had been feeding to my MSP guns. That was 10 years ago. I still have and use all of that equipment today with the exception of the Hill hand pump which needed to be replaced about 3 years ago. I have 10's of thousands of shots through that Marauder and I just shot her yesterday. I've modified a lot of things over the years and this is what she looks like today:

 

[dgeesaman]

There is definitely a trade off to be had.

1) If accuracy and target shooting is your pursuit, this could be much more costly.

2) If you want a gun to carry in the field and have minute of squirrel accuracy, a good springer will take you where you want to go.

3) If it’s whacking tin cans or knocking spinners with the grandkids, a big box store gun will do fine.

For use case 1), you will want a tuned German- or English-made springer or any number of high end PCPs. Your pellets probably won’t be coming from wal mart. The German made springers come from HW (Weihrauch) and Diana and English made are from Air Arms. Theoben and FWB have also been in that market in case you’re looking at used guns.

For use case 2), I still recommend a German- or English-made springer for reliability and accuracy or a low end PCP. On a budget, a worked-over Cometa from Jon at Keystone.

For use case 3) you should be fine with a Gamo or other big box store airgun.

I’ve caught a lot of heat for recommending against the cheaper airguns brands because they aren’t all junk. They’re not all junk of course. But it’s hard to know which individual copies are the junkers and which are the shooters and I don't have patience for that.

In the high end pcp market there are many options but they tend to separate into the highly adjustable/ highly featured variety and the less complicated/simpler variety. My own tastes are quickly migrating toward the latter.

 

[Chief Ten-Beers]

For Me I always ask Myself: "Functional or Fancy" and go from there.

 

[Treefrog]

As mentioned above, it comes down to what you seek to accomplish. Benchrest or field target competition means you're gonna be dropping some cash into gear. Hunting or plinking gear costs a bit less.

I guess it comes down to the purpose of the exercise for each of us. I like to turn sow's ears into silk purses when possible, then enjoy the results by hitting steel targets at a distance or insects a bit closer.

Cheers,

J~

 

[.177Guy]

Come on man,
leave the poor

As mentioned above, it comes down to what you seek to accomplish. Benchrest or field target competition means you're gonna be dropping some cash into gear. Hunting or plinking gear costs a bit less.

I guess it comes down to the purpose of the exercise for each of us. I like to turn sow's ears into silk purses when possible, then enjoy the results by hitting steel targets at a distance or insects a bit closer.

Cheers,

J~

Come on man,
leave the poor insects alone would u!!!!

 

[orangeokie]

Hey man,
mind sharing where u get all that 50% off deals from???

All of my pre-owned deals came from Airguns of Arizona or right here in the classifieds.

 

[.20calguy]

The value of an Airgun to me is measured by its entertainment value. You can see the value in a gun when the stocks are hand polished from handling.
This concept occurred to me when I considered the entertainment value, per dollar, that I got out of a cheap junk airgun.
A guns value can be considered this way regardless of its use. If a gun fails to entertain, down the road, or the closet it goes.
Even if you never shoot one, pride of ownership can give one its entertainment value.

 

[357cal]

Regarding your situation, the question arises: will you be hunting or target shooting? In either case, having good and reliable equipment is essential, but it doesn't have to be expensive or top-tier. Basic shooting skills are paramount; without them, the quality of the equipment is moot. I've seen individuals with high proficiency and moderately priced gear outperform those with the finest equipment but lesser skills. When skill levels are equal, superior tools often make the difference, particularly in precision target shooting. In hunting, however, reliability and familiarity with one's equipment are more important. A slight miss can still yield a successful hunt, while in competitive shooting, it could be the difference between winning and losing. As a hunter who has upgraded but not to the highest-end gear, I consistently hit targets over 200 yards with my Texan .308 or AEA Big 9, and I've taken woodchucks at 144 yards. I aim to extend that range this year. These are just my personal views, not necessarily the definitive approach. P.S. In reality, all my equipment is low to mid-end, from my compressors throughout, except for my ammunition. I hope this helps in some way.

 

[L.Leon]

When I was in your shoes starting out into airgunning, I was told to purchase the best one can afford as it will usually have better quality parts, trigger and barrel making for a better experience while shooting, I found this to be true in my case handling many different airguns from entry level to the most expensive PCP's. You do pay for what you get and in service needed plus parts availability. But, this all depends on ones budget, the overall deciding factor in one's purchase.

Randall, was instrumental in the purchase of my second PCP, an unregulated Brocock Compatto. That gun started my love affair through performance of the BRKs… As for “ Functional versus Superior Quality: Finding Value in Airgunning”? Somewhere there is a middle ground, its understood that it depends on the individuals’ intended use for their airgun.

 

[klentz]

I think what is often overlooked and this discussion is the resale value of quality gear versus entry level.

There's no question that selling online has become a little more complicated but nonetheless if your equipment has decent resale value moving up in this hobby is less painful.

I've been in this air gun game for almost 25 years and I have learned cheaper equipment is fun to work on but the resale value is nil so it either is given away or tucked away.

Early on I learned that quality air guns hold their value better and allowed me to trade up into something else that I wanted to experience.

 

[JimD]

In order, my PCP purchases have been Prod, Avenger, P35-25, P35-22 & 177, and Caiman X. I've owned the Prod the longest and it has needed zero repairs. I still enjoy shooting it. I shoot the Avenger the least mainly because it is so long. It leaked initially and was fixed under warranty but that cost me $40 to ship it in for service. But no more issues. I've replaced a few O-rings in the P35s but have had no other issues. The Caiman cost about what all three P35s cost and came with a terribly tuned trigger, and a non-functional regulator. I fixed these issues and it functions well now. The trigger just needed reasonable tuning, it is actually a well designed trigger. The regulator did not initially vent properly and was assembled with gobs of grease in the washer stack and none on the O-ring for the adjuster.

Measured by 30 yard challenge scores the most accurate of these is the P35-22. The P35-177 and the Caiman are tied for next. The Avenger might be more accurate if I shot it more and got more used to it. The Prod is not really a bench rest gun but it's give me a low 190s score. All my guns have shot over 190. The P35-22 gave me my one 200 last year. Are CZ barrels really better than barrels made in China? My experience isn't very consistent with that.

I like the Caiman and it may end up tying the P35-22 for most accurate as I shoot it more. But it is heavier than the P35s and likes 18 grain pellets the best so the power level is not any higher than the P35-22. The cocking of the Caiman is less "sloppy". Adjusted triggers are pretty similar. The Caiman is obviously machined to tighter tolerances but I enjoy the P35s more because of their light weight and possibly because I am very used to shooting them.

I can afford any airgun I want but my Caiman experience does not make me want to change out my inexpensive airguns for expensive ones. Unless I want a really short barrel there are no expensive guns with weight similar to my P35s. I'd rather stick with a 450mm barrel (or longer).

I wonder if some people with relatively expensive airguns are somewhat like the BMW owners who drive under the speed limit. They like having the premium brand but don't really use it to it's potential. I want guns that shoot accurately and are reliable. In my experience that doesn't require spending $1000+. Look at the under $600 thread for plenty of examples.

 

[rootdude]

I think what is often overlooked and this discussion is the resale value of quality gear versus entry level.

There's no question that selling online has become a little more complicated but nonetheless if your equipment has decent resale value moving up in this hobby is less painful.

I've been in this air gun game for almost 25 years and I have learned cheaper equipment is fun to work on but the resale value is nil so it either is given away or tucked away.

Early on I learned that quality air guns hold their value better and allowed me to trade up into something else that I wanted to experience.

I genuinely believe I overlooked this fact which I learn more about each day. It seems the resale market is quite vibrant.

I wasn't prepared to see premiums charged for older equipment because of availability of the original is no longer sold.

But it does seem to be an important consideration now that I’m aware of it.

Once again, learning from vets… thanks @klentz

 

[RM100GUY]

Hello rootdude...Welcome to AGN! Your first requirement "quility and reliability"...You asked...I will suggest...Do a ""search" of threads here on AGN forum for everything you can find concerning Tiapan Veterans. Just going
through my posted stuff will keep you busy for hours. Note the "original" rear cocking Veterans have been supercede by a Mk 2...The originals are my choice and some are still available new...Mine was purchased here from a quility member years ago. I'm very opinionated concerning Taipan Veterans but I quilify that by shooting these things (PCPs) since '04...and having an extensive manufacturing background...I know "quility" when I see and shoot it. No doubt lots of good airguns out there but of the ones "I've" held in my hands and worked with none are in the same league as the Veterans...I shot an older RAW once...it was up there too...but big as a telephone pole. Do your due diligence and read up on the Veterans. I'm Including a recent 10 shot group I shot off my knee at 30 yards and one at 51 benched...been doin' that for 5 years and never replaced an oring yet. You'll thank me later...Good luck!

 

[rootdude]

How very sinister of you to put that bug in my ear.