Air Venturi Kid's X-mas gift sanity check

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d72hemi

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Nov 8, 2023
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Colorado Springs, CO, USA
I am about to buy my 14 year old his first PCP air rifle, and would like a sanity check before I purchase everything for him. This is also my first adventure into PCP air rifles but I have been lurking and reviewing PCP rifle information for a few months. Please let me know if I am missing anything, or if I should look at other items; used is OK as well. I intend to buy:

1. Air Venturi Avenger .25 cal, synthetic stock, everyone has them for $350, so will probably buy it from Amazon (easy returns if it is a lemon)
2. Cheap hand pump. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LPL57WD/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=A1IT8HXUSEZV5U&psc=1
3. DISCOVERY HD 3-12X44 COMPACT SFIR IR-MIL FFP. https://airgunopticsplus.com/collec...focal-plane-illuminated-reticle-with-sunshade
-Nearly all my rifle scopes are FFP mil dot
4. JSB Diabolo Test Pellets, 25 Caliber, Assorted Weights, Round Nose, 160ct. To find out what pellets the rifle likes. https://www.amazon.com/JSB-Diabolo-...fix=Pellets+.25+Caliber+,sporting,225&sr=1-11
5. DISCOVERY OPTICS 30MM TUBE SCOPE RINGS DOVETAIL MOUNT 11MM. https://airgunopticsplus.com/collec...g-and-hunting-rifle-scope-with-illumination-1


Thank you in advance.
Ian


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Another option for Avenger with quality scope and rings plus a case:

www.pyramydair.com

Air Venturi Avenger Kit | Hawke Scope & Case | Pyramyd AIR

We've got a great price on the AVA and Hawke Scope & Case Kit. Get a great price and expert advice at Pyramyd for your next outdoor adventure!
www.pyramydair.com

PA is $350 for Avenger alone, but Black Friday discount is 13% off that (~$305) and free shipping. Discount applies to combo above as well.
 
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I would highly suggest not getting the gun from Amazon.
Pyramid or Airguns of Arizona would be my pick.
I have the .25 with wood stock and love it.
I would also suggest getting some form of barrel band to help make the gun more stable. The barrel and air tube can move independently of each other if you grab it like you would a normal rifle, the band can minimize that movement.
And a moderator for noise level. You'll need hearing protection otherwise.
Mine is not too picky about pellets or slugs, you just need to adjust the scope for whatever you pick and go. I shoot mostly H&N slugs and Hunter Extreme pellets in mine with good success.
I'm a hunter and use SFP so I can't help on the scope.
I agree the kid will get a workout with the pump. But hey, he's 14, it will serve him right to work for it.
 
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I would buy the gun from pyramid. They have a 60 day return policy. Skip the pellet sampler and just buy either jsb or FX 25.39 pellets. The gun will shoot either excellent. I would also spend just a tad extra for the wood stock. It’s so so much nicer. The plastic on the original avenger is literal junk. Everything else sounds good. Yes a hand pump will be work but I used to hand pump my avengers. I personally like the 25 cal over 22 but he will be pumping more wit the 25 but hey not bad for a 14 yr old. Keep him working. Also the avengers used to come factory with extremely high reg settings. Totally unnecessary esp if shooting 25.39 pellets. I would first drop the reg to about 2100 psi. Great spot for those pellets. Adjust hammer spring until you are around 880 fps. For the hand pump get some extra 006 orings off Amazon. They are for the check valve in the very bottom of the pump and tend to go bad. Only take a cpl minutes to change.
Edit: forgot one thing. If you are going down the pcp rabbit hole, especially with the adjustability of the avenger a chronograph is an absolute must.
 
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Wow, this is an awesome community! I thank all of you for the information.

@Richely , I bought that combo set, thank you for saving me a lot of $$$.

@AmosBurton , Great suggestions. I will let my son buy the upgrades so that he learns how to research and the value of taking care of and upgrading what will be the most expensive item he owns. Do you think a moderator could get it quiet enough to ever shoot in a basement without disturbing the misses upstairs, or is that unlikely? I will try your recommended ammo later. Do you recommend any specific weights for hunting?

@WorriedMan Thanks for the video, it was helpful. Had the budget allowed, I would have gone for the Avenge X.

@Trucker3573 I selected a few 25.39 pellets, and the o-rings. I know I will eventually have to teach my son pump maintenance.

Ian
 
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I don't think you'll get to basement levels with a .25 without a huge moderator, even then you'll need a box to shoot through. Quiet box
As to ammo weights, I set up a tune around 25 grain pellets/slugs. I got lucky and found a tune that seems to work for both?! I guess I have Steve Scialli of AEAC on YouTube to thank for that. His videos will help you and your son tune the gun to it's maximum potential.
 
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AmosBurton said:
I don't think you'll get to basement levels with a .25 without a huge moderator, even then you'll need a box to shoot through. Quiet box
As to ammo weights, I set up a tune around 25 grain pellets/slugs. I got lucky and found a tune that seems to work for both?! I guess I have Steve Scialli of AEAC on YouTube to thank for that. His videos will help you and your son tune the gun to it's maximum potential.
Click to expand...
The quiet box will be a great project for my son and I! We could shoot/test inside (can't shoot air guns outside in the city limits), before driving to where we can shoot at distance. Shooting from the basement into the crawl space will give us nearly 65 feet, so not bad. For the backstop I will try boxes with rubber mulch (there is an article on that somewhere) with a steel/scrap lumber backplate (should be over kill) to keep the pellets from impacting the concrete foundation wall. Maybe a quiet box around it if needed. I will probably need another light in the crall space to illuminate the target.

Thanks again to everyone.
 
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If you havent ordered already I strongly encourage you to get the wood stock. Its a totally different rifle in the wood stock, and less of a toy. And as others have suggested the hand pump is going to be a waste of money after you try it once and throw it against the wall hahaha. They work well for lower pressure pcps with smaller air cylinders like the Gamo Urban.

EDIT: Just noticed the scope mount. You might need the upgraded Saber Tactical rail since many of the Avengers are pretty crooked from the factory. Mine was so bad I couldnt mount a scope on the stock rails. The Avenger has a picatinny/11mm rail combo thing. The dovetail is a weak mount to begin with, and for sure not the way to go on the Avenger. So get some picatinny style rings. After upgrading the scope rails, the DonnyFL muzzle adapter, and the wood stock its probably better to buy a wood stock Avenge-X instead.
 
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