Impact M3 VS Panthera w/Double bottle

[Stretchearstrong]

I'm struggling to decide between a .30 Impact M3 or a .30 Panthera.

The only reason I'm leaning twoards the Panthera is because of the cross-compatability with Wildcat/Maverick magazines which I have several of already.

I like the range of modifications for the Impact, as well as the bullpup style action vs the Panthera's traditional style action that's directly above the trigger.

I'm primarily a benchrest shooter but do a little bit of hunting too. I've never owned a dedicated .30 airgun and I'm just interested in shooting slugs, not pellets. My desired FPS is ~900fps for hunting over longer distances.

If you were buying a new PCP which would you choose and why?

 

[Ranchibi]

The Panthera will be longer, great for bench rest. I think the M3 would be for better field use, both are great platforms!

 

[Stretchearstrong]

The Panthera will be longer, great for bench rest. I think the M3 would be for better field use, both are great platforms!

That makes sense. I got a Wildcat over a Maverick last gun I bought, because everyone seems to have a Maverick, but there's probably a reason WHY everyone picks the Maverick

 

[Chukar60]

Tough choice. I own both and am very happy with both.
I do not like the Panthera for hunting near as much as I do the Impact. Just too much overall length unless I am using it for ground squirrels where I am not moving much.

 

[MongooseV8]

No denying the Panthera with its enormous 156cc plenum and bigger valve/reg has a much higher top end. The downside is shot count when turned up in 30Cal is in the 10-20 range per 300cc bottle. And the Panthera doesnt really have a sound deadening shroud and a moderator is likely a must. That adds another 6-8" to the alread 49" length. Between the two Id take the M3, or better yet an MK2 all day. Find a used MK2 Impact and do some upgrades for max speeds. The single reg system when paired with a Huma High Pressure reg allows much higher settings when compared to FX dual reg setups.

 

[Stretchearstrong]

Tough choice. I own both and am very happy with both.
I do not like the Panthera for hunting near as much as I do the Impact. Just too much overall length unless I am using it for ground squirrels where I am not moving much.

That makes sense, I think using it in a blind would be the best bet. I think I just want to push slugs as hard and fast as I can. I can't make up my mind as to which would do that the best. The plenum of the Panthera seems like it would lend itself better.

 

[Stretchearstrong]

No denying the Panthera with its enormous 156cc plenum and bigger valve/reg has a much higher top end. The downside is shot count when turned up in 30Cal is in the 10-20 range per 300cc bottle. And the Panthera doesnt really have a sound deadening shroud and a moderator is likely a must. That adds another 6-8" to the alread 49" length. Between the two Id take the M3, or better yet an MK2 all day. Find a used MK2 Impact and do some upgrades for max speeds. The single reg system when paired with a Huma High Pressure reg allows much higher settings when compared to FX dual reg setups.

I would definitely add a front 580 or 700cc bottle to the Panthera, even in .22 the shot count is silly.
The moderator adding length is a consideration I didn't take into account. The single reg system isn't any harder on its internals vs an M3 is it?

 

[MongooseV8]

I would definitely add a front 580 or 700cc bottle to the Panthera, even in .22 the shot count is silly.
The moderator adding length is a consideration I didn't take into account. The single reg system isn't any harder on its internals vs an M3 is it?

Well as they say there is no free lunch. But the Panthera Amp II reg is supposed to be much beefier than the "old" original Amp. Paired with a beefier valve assembly I wouldnt worry about over working a Panthera. I think they have some minor quirks but FX did a pretty good job building a slug gun with the Panthera.

The dual reg system design found in the Impact/Wildcat/Maverick has its ups and downs, but the whole setup is smaller and a bit more fragile. That really only matters if you decide to overclock a rifle or dont understand what you are doing tuning. You can wreck any rifles valve or reg seat immediately if you make the wrong decision. That being said every platform has its limits; and most of us that have pushed passed those limits have learned to keep things in a zone where they are going to last a long time while providing performance. So for the Impact specifically I think its best to run a single reg so you can set it higher for max performance.

If you have a two reg system there has to be at least a ~20Bar difference between the first and second. And every reg has a designed operating range where they are the most consistent and the most durable. You can go outside those ranges but will suffer less consistency and shorter service life. Matt Dubber and others sort of quietly allude to this in a few quick seconds of video time while promoting the highest level fpe available in different platforms. So with a single reg you can safely operate at a higher setting. My 25Cal Impact MK2 with Huma high pressure reg is designed to have a happy range of about 130-180Bar. Mine is set at 150Bar and making about 85fpe in a balanced durable kinda way. There is no way you can do that with a factory dual reg setup. As long as you keep your expectations grounded in some reality you will be happy with your rig. And I think you are taking a wise approach getting into this adventure. You want a level of performance that is well within the realm of a stock or mostly stock 700mm rifle, be it a Panthera Impact Maverick etc.

As an aside, another time tested and proven option is the AirForce Texan. They are single shots but have been going strong for decades with a stellar reputation for reliability and accuracy...and power.

 

[Smok3y]

This is tough because there are positives and negatives. I still haven’t owned a Panthera, because I have slowed down the last couple years and also purchased shorter rifles lately, although I prefer traditional. I have owned 4 Impacts.

1. Length. The Panthera is much longer and you have to account for that in your safe, or travel bag/case, etc. Impact is much shorter in the safe if you have a top shelf.
2. Barrel protection - The Panthera should be less prone to POI shift due to hitting the barrel on the Impact. Depends on how you handle the Impact, but I didn’t have many issues with that as I was careful and wasn’t hunting or carrying it places. They have addons to protect from that (tensioning systems, sleeves, etc).
3. Addons - While the Impact does have a lot of addons, I believe you have to buy addons for an Impact to get the best out of it and the Panthera already has them all. Extended butt, cheek riser, extended bipod rail. All needed (personally) and a much bigger expense to improve the Impact.
4. Rifle vs bullpup - I think a rifle platform is easier to shoot off a bench (your primary reason), because an impact can get top heavy. A good bipod is very necessary to help with that.
5. Mags/shots - It is nice having the big mags of the Impact to shoot for longer periods without reloading! But you said you are shooting slugs, so mag size might not be important depending on how much power you are going with.
6. Power - Both can handle slugs perfectly fine, but again people do add backbones to an Impact to help it handle the power.

I guess I would pick the Panthera.

 

[Vana2]

I have a .22/700mm Impact MK2 and a .22/700mm Panthera (dual botle configuration) and agree with Smok3y - he sums things up pretty well.

You say bench shooting with a bit of hunting, I'd suggest the Panthera.

 

[Chukar60]

I would definitely add a front 580 or 700cc bottle to the Panthera, even in .22 the shot count is silly.
The moderator adding length is a consideration I didn't take into account. The single reg system isn't any harder on its internals vs an M3 is it?

When I got mine I never shot until I dropped the rear bottle and added a 480 up front.
I am not a bench shooter and hunting was all I had planned for it. So the 300 on back and another up front was too much bulk. What I was after was more of a Crown MKIII. I go what I wanted.
As for a moderator, you are going to want one if you are pushing slugs fast. Mine is shooting Zan 25 cal 33 gr @ 1010 fps out of an 600mm barrel and without the moderator it is noisy. I have an Impulse Air 1350 on mine and it works very well.

 

[Stretchearstrong]

When I got mine I never shot until I dropped the rear bottle and added a 480 up front.
I am not a bench shooter and hunting was all I had planned for it. So the 300 on back and another up front was too much bulk. What I was after was more of a Crown MKIII. I go what I wanted.
As for a moderator, you are going to want one if you are pushing slugs fast. Mine is shooting Zan 25 cal 33 gr @ 1010 fps out of an 600mm barrel and without the moderator it is noisy. I have an Impulse Air 1350 on mine and it works very well.

I had considered the crown also, but I didn't want to drop money on the tactical chassis, which I feel is almost a must for it for some reason.

 

[Stretchearstrong]

I have a .22/700mm Impact MK2 and a .22/700mm Panthera (dual botle configuration) and agree with Smok3y - he sums things up pretty well.

You say bench shooting with a bit of hunting, I'd suggest the Panthera.

I went insane and I'm buying an Impact. The length of the Panthera with moderator is just too much for me.

 

[Stretchearstrong]

Well as they say there is no free lunch. But the Panthera Amp II reg is supposed to be much beefier than the "old" original Amp. Paired with a beefier valve assembly I wouldnt worry about over working a Panthera. I think they have some minor quirks but FX did a pretty good job building a slug gun with the Panthera.

The dual reg system design found in the Impact/Wildcat/Maverick has its ups and downs, but the whole setup is smaller and a bit more fragile. That really only matters if you decide to overclock a rifle or dont understand what you are doing tuning. You can wreck any rifles valve or reg seat immediately if you make the wrong decision. That being said every platform has its limits; and most of us that have pushed passed those limits have learned to keep things in a zone where they are going to last a long time while providing performance. So for the Impact specifically I think its best to run a single reg so you can set it higher for max performance.

If you have a two reg system there has to be at least a ~20Bar difference between the first and second. And every reg has a designed operating range where they are the most consistent and the most durable. You can go outside those ranges but will suffer less consistency and shorter service life. Matt Dubber and others sort of quietly allude to this in a few quick seconds of video time while promoting the highest level fpe available in different platforms. So with a single reg you can safely operate at a higher setting. My 25Cal Impact MK2 with Huma high pressure reg is designed to have a happy range of about 130-180Bar. Mine is set at 150Bar and making about 85fpe in a balanced durable kinda way. There is no way you can do that with a factory dual reg setup. As long as you keep your expectations grounded in some reality you will be happy with your rig. And I think you are taking a wise approach getting into this adventure. You want a level of performance that is well within the realm of a stock or mostly stock 700mm rifle, be it a Panthera Impact Maverick etc.

As an aside, another time tested and proven option is the AirForce Texan. They are single shots but have been going strong for decades with a stellar reputation for reliability and accuracy...and power.

I'm gonna go with the Impact. Shorter overall, user swappable barrels is doing the trick for me.

 

[coastal drifter]

how about an Impact M3 with an 800mm barrel. thats a slug slinger and you could buy another barrel for hunting

 

[Stretchearstrong]

how about an Impact M3 with an 800mm barrel. thats a slug slinger and you could buy another barrel for hunting

That would be sweet but I think I'll try the 700 first. Might be worth trying to do a liner swap for the heavy liner myself.

 

[Vana2]

I went insane and I'm buying an Impact. The length of the Panthera with moderator is just too much for me.

I'm sure you will be happy with the Impact as a bench/slug gun, it's very capable.

I initially bought my Impact for testing/trying slugs before reverting it to a pellet/hunting rifle. Then the Panthera showed up to take that duty.

Have fun!