AEA Is the AEA Challenger Buildup .357 too much for a first air rifle?

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S71ppy

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Dec 3, 2024
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Long time reader, first time poster. First off, thanks for all the info you've all provided this far into my research and interest in the hobby! I've been interested in air gunning for a while, and I think I've narrowed down what i would like for my first one!

Overall goal with this would be the thinning of several incredibly large and problematic packs of coyotes. They are some sneaky muts though, and love to break up to hunt in smaller packs of 3-5 in hopes of getting deer in my area. That being said, a quiet shot with a relatively quick follow up is a must. Gonna need power enough to drop them with a body shot at a significant distance (100+ yards), and stout enough that I can carry it afield with some relative ease of movement.

Long story short, as stated in the title I've picked out the AEA Challenger Bullpup .357 as my desired armament. It seems like it's got everything I want but this being my first rodeo I wanted to ask the experience of the group here if this would be a tough gun to start with? I've been shooting powder burners for decades, so the practice of shooting isn't a concern. I just don't want to jump in having bitten off more than I can chew.

Thanks in advance for the advice! I'm really looking forward to getting to know the community here!
 
Hello and welcome.

My 2 cents: a 357 AEA will not be quiet even with a good moderator; 357 ammo cost is high, ammo variety is very low, ammo availability is low. Depending on how big the coyotes are in your neck of the woods I think a 30Cal or even a stiff 25Cal would be my choice. The other issue you will run into is you should expect 3-6moa with slugs and an AEA. At 100yds I think you will probably be even worse off than that so the bore size doesnt really help you any if you miss.

If you really must go with the AEA I think the 25/30Cal bullpup would be my choice. I have a regulated 25Cal version that makes about 75fpe with the slugs I have tested and the accuracy is ok. I would trust it on a coyote out to about 60yds, maybe further but I havent spent much time with it. The AEA rifles are a mixture of build quality and performance. The magazines are awful, the trigger isnt amazing, accuracy is a lottery, and they are on the heavy side. However I like how simple the design is and there is no denying they produce the fpe. These are throw away pcps though at the end of day. You will need to be able to repair/reseal them and expect no part support down the line. In my opinion its better to save up some more money and start with something you can use for many years to come. Some brands and models have a healthy aftermarket allowing repairs and upgrades years after your warranty expires.

Have you looked at the AirForce rifles? They are single shot but laser accurate, stone cold reliable, and make a lot of fpe if you need it.

Also make sure you check your local laws, as many states do not allow use of air guns to hunt bigger critters. You might have fpe/Cal restrictions too.
 
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Most of us shoot our airguns a lot. I just got delivery of about 3000 pellets yesterday and will need more in a few months. Any big bore air rifle will be challenging to keep full of air and ammo. Accuracy, especially with guns that cost hundreds and not thousands of dollars, depends on finding ammo they like. You could get lucky and your 357 likes something readily available and not real expensive. Or you could spend what the gun costs on ammo and still be disappointed in accuracy. And have to refill very often to do the testing.
 
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My suggestions for a reasonable priced repeater that could be used on coyotes come from Snowpeak. Often called SPA. A Zellos in 25 caliber, possibly with a bottle conversion from Airgun Archery Fun, or a 25 or 30 caliber M60b from Airgun Archery Fun. Or a 25 caliber P35X. The 25s seem weak for body shots on coyotes but I've seen youtubes where it worked. 25 caliber ammo is available in a lot more variety than larger calibers. The 30 caliber seems more appropriate but there is not as much ammo variety and it will cost more. SPA and AEA are both made in China but AEAs reputation is not as good. I have 3 SPA made guns and all are accurate.
 
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Thanks all for the great feedback!

Just to reiterate, I've been shooting guns for the past 25 years, so something being a bit overpowered isn't a fear of mine. Our current coyote gun is a monster 12lb .223 ar-15. It gets the job done, but it's designed for extreme long range (400-600 yards) and due to that it's just incredibly heavy. Shedding a pound or 2 would be amazing!

The coyotes we're talking about are some of the biggest I've ever seen in person (I'm in MN, maybe they're bigger elsewhere) and we regularly take 40-45lb dogs. Unfortunately the rifle crack only gets us a single shot before the others are seeking deep brush. It's incredibly rare to see them in the open, always with a quick getaway and incredibly weary animals around here. Local restrictions are that they are completely unprotected, meaning if you were so inclined you could literally poison them! Just no running them over with a motor vehicle, which is specifically called out in the regs for some odd reason.

I'll take a look at the G2 and Texans, I guess I'll need a bit more research! Thanks again for helping me on my journey!!
 
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S71ppy said:
Thanks all for the great feedback!

Just to reiterate, I've been shooting guns for the past 25 years, so something being a bit overpowered isn't a fear of mine. Our current coyote gun is a monster 12lb .223 ar-15. It gets the job done, but it's designed for extreme long range (400-600 yards) and due to that it's just incredibly heavy. Shedding a pound or 2 would be amazing!

The coyotes we're talking about are some of the biggest I've ever seen in person (I'm in MN, maybe they're bigger elsewhere) and we regularly take 40-45lb dogs. Unfortunately the rifle crack only gets us a single shot before the others are seeking deep brush. It's incredibly rare to see them in the open, always with a quick getaway and incredibly weary animals around here. Local restrictions are that they are completely unprotected, meaning if you were so inclined you could literally poison them! Just no running them over with a motor vehicle, which is specifically called out in the regs for some odd reason.

I'll take a look at the G2 and Texans, I guess I'll need a bit more research! Thanks again for helping me on my journey!!
Click to expand...

Hey, fellow Minne-snow-dan!

We have yotes all around us on Lake Mille Lacs, centerfire is the way to go for sure but like you found, 1 shot and the coy-dogs don't come back to that spot.

I'm working with my son to get some night hunting on the big WMA.
 
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A Benjamin bull dog in 357 is also worth a look. It's a relatively powerful 357 with a 5 round magazine. Parts at least historical ly have not been an issue and they can be for the Chinese made guns. You have to look up the number on their diagram and give them a call with your credit card handy but then you have your parts a few days later. There is after market support too. You'd want to teather a bottle for ammo testing but 5 shots for hunting is probably not a big problem. Still only a few hundred fpe but at least it's not 22lr level of fpe. They've been used successfully on deer so a coyotes should not be a problem.
 
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Truth be told, air use isn't a huge concern of mine. I understand a limited supply, but as long as I can throw 5 shots out, I'll be content. Right now we're lucky if we even shoot once per outing.
Overpowered fpe is another non-concern. This is rural area we're hunting. I would rather smear the grass with the mut than have him run off and get lost. Goal is to remove the population, not keep feeding them (and yes, they will absolutely eat their own dead, at least around here).
MrP, do you have any good resources for casting? I've never shied away from a little bit of work for a quality product! Homebrew takes weeks, I'm keen to dedicate a couple hours for some dead brush-dogs.
 
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Hey Gerry52!
I appreciate the feedback! Do you have a suggestion of a better introduction for me?

I should also state that this isn't my first experience SHOOTING air rifles so much as my first owned and maintained personally. My retired father likes to drop squirrels from his woods with a break barrel, though I'm not sure what it is exactly. I've shot that more than a few times at his request when at his place, though it has been a few years.
 
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Subsonic airgun has a lot of slug drop over 100 yards, which will be a big difference with your .223. Also at 100 yards coyote would even have a split second to jump or lean when the gun shot sound reaches his ears and the slug still travels, which does not add to shot accuracy.

Big bore AEA is fine, if you are able to fix it :) I had two bent barrels, for example. Also at this long range you would need a good regulator, luckily Huma-Air does them now even for bigger calibers (.50+). It is not lightweight. My .51 + 16x scope weighted 19 lbs.
 
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Noe makes good molds. But just because the mold is good and you use good technique casting there is no guarantee your gun will like that slug or pellet. I have a 25 caliber noe pellet mold that makes pellets more consistent in weight than JSB pellets but neither of my 25s likes them very much. I wish there was a way to buy some rounds from a mold before buying it.
 
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