Gun flexability, or gun numbers...which?

[rangur1]

This only generally if you are one that shoots both pellets and slugs. each has a generally preferable tune to achieve best grouping. But this question can apply to different power setting for pellets as well. So, would you be content to set a flexible power gun for all needs, or do you acquire a gun for the purpose? I guess money would dictate this. For example, I have a vet 2 in 22 that can be adjusted fairly quick between 18-44 foot pounds energy. but I would prefer to set the vet high and get , say , a BRK atomic or similar for the low power applications. I maintain money is the overiding factor in the decision, but if not, what would you chose?

 

[manabeknives]

I think a balanced valve is the main feature you are looking for ..allowing for fast, simple changes to fps without having a degree in tuning
I have a RTI P3 that has one of the easiest ways to adjust FPS in my rifle with just the regulator and not have to search for a balance point with my Hammer spring adjustment.
If i want to use a light pellet, I just slowly turn down the reg (while pressurized) in 1/4 turns, taking a dry shot in between turns to adjust the gauge. The hammer really doesn't need to be adjusted at this point..can be done for more efficiency, but not required. I take note of the pressure on the gauge..that's it
To switch to a heavy slug, all i need to do is turn up the regulator to adjust for speed.
My reg pressure for pellets is around 110. I boost it to 165 for pellets in a minute.
Specific tunes for the changes can be done with slight adjustments.
I believe i can also change calibers...but not positive on that
Not sure what other companies use these types of valves...i know Skout Epoch does, maybe Daystate
it's new tech, i think there will be more companies using a balanced valve in the future

 

[dgeesaman]

I can't shoot at home, and I don't love filling my trunk with multiple rifles on my range days. So I lean toward one rifle that has multiple tunes, assuming they're easy to convert back and forth. As a bonus I don't need multiple cases, bottles, scopes, or mounts so I can put better accessories onto that one gun.

I don't love changing tunes constantly with the reg pressure, but for major changes in tune that's just a given.

Now if a dual-tune setup isn't really excellent at both, I suppose I'd go back to separate guns.

 

[rcarlisle]

I have two PCP air rifles: A Marauder and a DreamTac, both in .177. The Mrod can really only shoot one projectile efficiently, so it is tuned for JSB Monsters at ~900 fps. The DreamTac is formally tuned for JSB Monsters as well, but with all of the external adjustment, I've found good tunes with three additional pellets going all the way down to 6.25 fpe. Note that I am just a backyard plinker, not chasing extreme efficiency for competition or long range shooting, so there's some slop in the lighter tunes. Nothing terrible for my purposes, but it is there.
To my thinking, it all depends on what you are after. If you need tip top efficiency and consistency, you should consider multiple guns. If you're a more casual shooter, less can be more if you can accept the tradeoffs.

 

[brawler1588]

It will always always be best to have a specific tune for a specific pellet or task BUT I love pcps that do exactly what you are saying and I think it can achieve on a hunting/pesting mentality for sure. The new hammer less systems like the OG huben k1 is my go to for that because the regulator stays in place amd set and you use the power wheel to adjust power in that range. I can shoot my .22 at 450fps or 1200fps with just that wheel distance and ammo will determine its accuracy. So the western airguns line will achieve something similar in terms of adjustment. That said this hobby is so addictive I do have multiple pcps set for different purposes including an atomic in .177 set at 10fpe, huben k1 .22 at 20fpe, huben k1 .25 speed undetermined but thinking of making it a high fpe slug gun, a custom original vet .25 set at 50fpe that's my tank beast that I never need to worry about, and my longer range was my ghost but going with a v3 now I think.

 

[Dairyboy]

I went through this a few years back. Had a gun to do 2 jobs. My normal 30fpe pesting and turned down to around 12fpe for barn pesting. As nice as that was to have it was a pain going back and forth honestly and forgot sometimes about switching power back between the 2 separate jobs. Yes it's more money but now have 2 dedicated rigs for my needs and never have a problem. I also got 2 guns that shined a each job. One at 30fpe and one at 13fpe.

Edit: Also wanted to clarify I used an Umarex Notos as my low powered gun for a year before upgrading to the Uragan Compact which I picked up used to save some money. If money was an issue, low powered guns are easy to come by in the budget category. Then you can also get a feel if you enjoy the 2 gun thing without dropping a bunch of money.

 

[Contndr35BB]

I went through this a few years back. Had a gun to do 2 jobs. My normal 30fpe pesting and turned down to around 12fpe for barn pesting. As nice as that was to have it was a pain going back and forth honestly and forgot sometimes about switching power back between the 2 separate jobs. Yes it's more money but now have 2 dedicated rigs for my needs and never have a problem. I also got 2 guns that shined a each job. One at 30fpe and one at 13fpe.

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I'm w/you on the two ( or three ) guns tuned for specific tasks . Granted , what $$$$ 's you lay out for a brand / power level gun dictates the quantity of arms . But , the amount of tinkering / tuning is also a big factor , do you want to shoot or twist knobs , wheels & or screws ? I,ve miffed shots because of the wrong power level a few times . I'm at the point now that I have a low powered pest/ rat/ bird gun , a medium pest / bird gun , and a med/ high pellet- slug gun for ground hogs & longer range pigeon . I set out with two guns in car most of the time & I'm close to the vehicle most of the time to switch out if needed. It works for me .

 

[rcs9250]

I’d almost want to say multiple tunes on one rifle is a total waste of time, but either because of budget constraints or the joy and challenge of tuning my statement is wrong. Lots of guys thoroughly enjoy tinkering to achieve perfection and that of course is fine.
I prefer a dedicated rifle, primarily because Murphy’s Law dictates if I got the itch to go hunting, the gun would be tuned for the wrong thing, and unless it’s a Daystate Red Wolf it means a range trip to dial everything in and adjust the scope. I hunt with my Paradigm… period. All my other PCP’s, springers and pistols are for target/plinking. Even with being retired I have limits as to how much time can be dedicated to “playing” as my wife puts it.

 

[dizzums]

pends on what your doing ..id love to have a fancy adjustable high dollar gun that shoots the wings off a gnat at 150yds to play with ..my opinion though is that gun is pretty worthless late at night when im staking out a pest and the adrenalin is pumping .. all that adjustability is just more to eff up, and that space age looking stock dont work on frickin nothin lol .. its too complicated .. so yeah, ive found almost every gun has something its best at

 

[bucketboy]

years ago when pcp’s first became popular, most did not have a regulator, over filling the buddy bottle or having a weak hammer spring and weak valve return spring gave a power curve like a rainbow. Having a lower fill pressure and stronger springs gave a much flatter curve. There was a gun about 30 years ago (and I can’t remember what it was) that had a two stage hammer system, pull the bolt back and it gave low power, pull it back further it gave high power. Because it didn’t have a reg, these two power levels could be set independently and were consistent.

Regs were introduced to increased shot count but it is more difficult to quickly swap between power levels as the reg will have to be optimised for the higher power resulting in inconsistencies at lower power. Guns that have variable transfer ports help but there still is a little bit of a compromise.

Personally I would go with multiple guns rather than one or at least have a spare reg and barrel with different sized transfer ports set to different power levels.

Bb

 

[cmatera]

I have zero budget constraints (thankfully). I got my first air gun in 1997. I faced the same dilemma as you do now. I will say two things. First, although most of the high end PCP's can be retuned thanks to easy access to the regulator,it is recommended by most manufacturers not to do so frequently. Second I will bring in the issue of caliber changes. While it can be done, if you want to spend more time re-configuring and re-tuning than shooting it is an option, but the option of last resort.
I currently have what is for me my perfect battery of air guns. The total number due to want, not need, is 9. I could easily cut that number in half (4-5) and be covered for all my needs which are 75% hunting and 25% target shooting. A number of guns that cover multiple uses, set up and left alone to be picked up and used when needed is what works for me.

 

[WorriedMan]

No fan of switching parts around to make one gun do everything, besides one gun per task is only way I can justify another purchase. WM

 

[Arzrover]

I want it all... and I want it now...

My Delta Wolf is my overall favorite and I have 177, 20, 22, 25, and 30 cal setups for it. Takes less than 5 minutes to swap probe and barrel, and if I need to , shroud. Punch in the preset tune or velocity in Factory mode and ready to go.... fully tuned rifle. Interesting side note is that the scope is most always near the same zero.

Our Red Wolfs are similarly caliber and projectile swappable...

That said, I really like to shoot different rifles just because they're different... so I'll generally have a couple somewhere close that are just great to pick up and shoot...

Bob

 

[Ranchibi]

I purchased my RAW HMx .22 for that purpose, to shoot both pellets and slugs on the same tune. It took some time to accomplish this but once set I am one happy camper! Your Vet would be a wonderful platform for this.

 

[LDP]

I have 5 pcp rifles that could be quickly switched to do something else and 4 that are not quick change type rifles. I dont do quick switch setups on the 5. I build them for a specific purpose and leave them. I tried the one gun for everything. It just doesnt work as good as it sounds...... for me anyway. The rifles that can be switched easily get setup for a specific purpose and if that purpose changes at some point or I want to try something different with it I will do a caliber swap and or power change. If it works for the new purpose then it stays. I have rifles for lower power pesting around structures and pest setups that are standard power for caliber and high power slug tunes for ground squirrels, prairie dogs and rock chucks. I like having multiple setups so I can just grab what I am going to need and not worry about if the tune is perfect or re tuning for that particular day.

 

[Arzrover]

As an interesting side question: if you have a quick change rifle, what caliber does it spend most of its time as?

For my DW, it's a 20 most of the time, the 13.7s are the go to for lower power or FT and the 15.89s reach out to 100 reasonably well, then the 18.9 slugs are for 100 and even farther.

On the RW, they spend most of their time in 22, but 177 not far off.

Bob

 

[bdzjlz]

Interesting question that prompted some interesting replies.

My experience over decades of time with airguns (I am getting old....) is that every gun has a favorite or "Best" performance tune/projectile combination. And while I have certain rifles that are not "projectile picky," they will have their optimium tune/projectile combination. I really don't know why one would want to settle for anything less, just to have variety.

Answering the question while consideration one other factor, all of the air rifles in my collection are super accurate, to the point that one can only shoot each so long before getting bored. As a result, I have allowed the number of rifles to grow to 20+ just to provide variety. Each has its own personalities and capabilities, just like people. The only difference is they don't talk back, which is often a good thing. Across the spectrum are rifles that fit just about any conceivable need, atmospheric condition, or target requirement. I can't imagine attempting to this with one rifle, changing projectiles and tunes.

 

[Vetmx]

I have always been very adamant that all my guns must be set at the best settings for a particular projectile. Yes, some of my guns can have the hammer spring turned way down or up to shoot a different projectile, but how the gun sounds or performs across a full fill bothers me. So I’ve always treated my guns like golf clubs. I’m not going to tee off with my EVOL mini and I’m not going to putt with my .30 Prophet. But that all started to change as I grew tired of traveling quite a few times a year to my hunting camp and having to take multiple guns.

My P2 with its balance valve is a gun I now take because I can jump from a .30 pellet to a slug by just changing my reg from 110b to 115b. But like @cmatera said, playing with a reg will only aggravate it. And I started seeing the signs of messing with the reg too much. So I finally just built a gun that will shoot 25-33gr pellets and a slug without touching the reg or moving the hammer spring outside of the window of the optimum setting. Basically floating between 2.5-5%. It took a lot of work. To the point of it could be considered insane.

Briefly, I had to balance quite a few things. A slug that would work in the barrel at the reg setting that the pellets like while adjusting the speed with the barrel length. I planned to do it with a barrel around 600mm but wound up at 505mm. 600mm just gave the pellets too much runway and I had to back the hammer down too far when the slug was happy. The gun is still in the final testing stage but I already know it’s good. I just need to pull it apart and clean up some things that I didn’t make perfect because the barrel could have wound up in the trash can.

Bottom line, I don’t know if it can be done with a factory gun or just bolt on parts. It might be possible to find a gun and a setting that lets you shoot a heavy pellet and a lighter slug without touching a thing. I just didn’t feel like buying a bunch of guns in a bunch of calibers trying to find it. The gun I built would kind of do it with a factory barrel but for my standards the slugs were always lacking compared to a pellet.

 

[Frozenspyder]

I prefer to have multiple guns with each set up in a specific way for a specific purpose. It's much more convenient for what I do with them.

However, there is that old saying. "Beware the man with one gun; He knows how to use it." If you only have one gun with multiple tunes, you should be more familiar with that gun. That translates to faster, smoother operation, more comfort, increased confidence, and potentially better accuracy.

 

[L.Leon]

I like the multi tool I carry in my back pocket, but prefer to use tools intended for a task. The idea of a do it all gun has never appeal to me. @rangur1, the little BRK is calling you or maybe a RAW Micro? Beware of letting these little carbines into the safe, mine simply lorded over the others through “outsize” performance…