Hi, I'm new, I came looking for classifieds but I see I have to engage, haha. I'm a Pennsylvania farmer shooting airguns for backyard plinking and pest control (pigeons, rats, starlings). The pest control has had limited results, as I haven't had a ton of success sighting accurately with my crosman 1377. I got a Hatsan 95, and while its fun to shoot and I have it on target, it will blow holes in my barn roof so I can't use it for pigeons and starlings as intended. Also in both cases follow up shots and preserving sight picture are not in the cards. I would not consider myself an airgun hobbyist so the minimum effective equipment is my target. So I'm either looking for a cheap regulated PCP that I can put optics on, or somehow making the 1377 more reliable in this respect; I have heard that they are modded to hell and back.
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- Thread starter tacodetector
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@tacodetector Good to have you join us. From what distance(s) do you intend to shoot? What’s the maximum distance? Which caliber(s) interest you?
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Welcome aboard. If ONLY it were as easy as "I'm going to buy an inexpensive PCP"!!! It takes time to find the pellet or pellets it prefers, you need a source of high pressure air to fill it, either tank, compressor, hand pump or dive shop nearby & a hundred other things you might not be aware of YET! Buying a GUN is probably the easiest part of equation. Plenty of good help here if you research. Good luck!
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Tacodetector,
Welcome to the forum, good to have you here. My stock reply to those seeking an inexpensive (regulated) first PCP would be the following, in order of preference, JTS Airacuda Max, DAR Generation 3 or a (wood-stock) Air Venturi Avenger. (The Airacuda isn't available for sale yet but is expected to be by October 24.) I'm a big .25 caliber fan but a .22 would work, as well. The Umarex Gauntlet and Benjamin Marauder are both good, but they're long, heavy and of an aging design. The JTS Airacuda Max, @ $420, is about the best bang-for-your-buck "starter" PCP a person could own, IMHO. WM
Welcome to the forum, good to have you here. My stock reply to those seeking an inexpensive (regulated) first PCP would be the following, in order of preference, JTS Airacuda Max, DAR Generation 3 or a (wood-stock) Air Venturi Avenger. (The Airacuda isn't available for sale yet but is expected to be by October 24.) I'm a big .25 caliber fan but a .22 would work, as well. The Umarex Gauntlet and Benjamin Marauder are both good, but they're long, heavy and of an aging design. The JTS Airacuda Max, @ $420, is about the best bang-for-your-buck "starter" PCP a person could own, IMHO. WM
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Thanks Folks,
I would be shooting normally around 25 yards or less, high maximum of 40 but I dont think I'll need to get that far away. The crosman is a .177 and the Hatsan is a .22. I don't have a preference except I want pellets to be available everywhere, for the round to be lethal for these pests, at a ft-lb that won't damage metal roofing. The crosman barely chips the paint, but I know it kills rats and pigeons. If I can't dial the muzzle energy down to near that level on a PCP (looking at the AV Avenger) I'll need to keep looking for solutions.
I would be shooting normally around 25 yards or less, high maximum of 40 but I dont think I'll need to get that far away. The crosman is a .177 and the Hatsan is a .22. I don't have a preference except I want pellets to be available everywhere, for the round to be lethal for these pests, at a ft-lb that won't damage metal roofing. The crosman barely chips the paint, but I know it kills rats and pigeons. If I can't dial the muzzle energy down to near that level on a PCP (looking at the AV Avenger) I'll need to keep looking for solutions.
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The PCPs are 50-plus yard accurate powerhouses, doubt dialing down to prevent roof damage is the ideal solution. There are very accurate low power break-barrels, CO2 power and pumper guns that I'd look into first. Try searching the archives for information, I know preventing damage to barns and equipment has come up before. Best of Luck, WM
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Why would it not be a good solution? As I game it out the 7.9 grain .177 pellets I have on hand only exceed 12 ft-lb at 825 fps, and the Avenger has a max velocity for that caliber of 1000 fps. That's the muzzle energy I've seen named as a good limit for preventing damage. Is that likely outside the range of adjustment? The noise and excess movement of pumpers and break barrels make targets more likely to flee in my experience, and disrupting the sight picture so much for every shot is much less enjoyable. Also I think I'm allergic to disposable CO2 canisters.
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If you're comfortable with tools (living on a farm that's probably a given) you can mod your 1377 with a steel breech from Crosman, that will give you dovetail grooves for mounting a scope. If you don't already have a shoulder stock for it they're available from Crosman. Take some time to find the pellet it shoots most accurately. The 13xx platform is solid and you can adjust power by the # of pumps. Or you could fall down the PCP rabbit hole as I and many others have done. Enjoy the ride whichever way you go!
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Tacodetector,
In England, unless you have an FAC (Firearms) License, citizens are limited to 12 ft-lb. air guns. Springers and PCPs are provided for sale in this configuration, the PCPs, in my understanding, are physically internally restricted. In your shoes, I'd look into one of these rather than try to throttle down a full power Avenger. I guess you could try the Avenger, even if it didn't work out, you'd still have a nice PCP. Most members are interested in adding power to the PCP but some, like yourself, need lower power options for farm pesting. Search the forum archives for related threads, I know they exist. Best of Luck, WM
In England, unless you have an FAC (Firearms) License, citizens are limited to 12 ft-lb. air guns. Springers and PCPs are provided for sale in this configuration, the PCPs, in my understanding, are physically internally restricted. In your shoes, I'd look into one of these rather than try to throttle down a full power Avenger. I guess you could try the Avenger, even if it didn't work out, you'd still have a nice PCP. Most members are interested in adding power to the PCP but some, like yourself, need lower power options for farm pesting. Search the forum archives for related threads, I know they exist. Best of Luck, WM
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I found this article - https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/air-venturi-avenger-hand-pump-tune/
- that appears to show sub-800 fps easily achievable on an AVA, though a .22 it seems like theyre only a few percent slower at the same PSI (according to factory tuning of each caliber). I will do my best to confirm this feature but as I think about it more I really, really do not want to mess with hand pumping and break barrels during a pesting session if it wont cost an arm and a leg. Likely spoiled by US gun laws where even bolt action feels antediluvian.
- that appears to show sub-800 fps easily achievable on an AVA, though a .22 it seems like theyre only a few percent slower at the same PSI (according to factory tuning of each caliber). I will do my best to confirm this feature but as I think about it more I really, really do not want to mess with hand pumping and break barrels during a pesting session if it wont cost an arm and a leg. Likely spoiled by US gun laws where even bolt action feels antediluvian.
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I don't even like nor accept the premise that it is hard to hand pump an Avenger to its full psi rating.
It isn't that hard having blown a 4500psi burst disk on a Nova Vista Freedom using a hand pump.
It really all depends on how low you let the pressure get before you pump it back up.
Again, even 4500psi isn't really hard to do with a good hand pump or 2. Even the cheap Chinese hand pumps can do it. That's all I have! (smile)
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Before modding a 1377 to "hell and back" I'd check out the Crosman 362 first. Bud's Gun Shop has them on sale right now for $84 and free shipping https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/134208/cros+c362+cowboy+350+bolt
The 362 is a rifle version of the 1322 which is the .22 version of the 1377. The 362 can produce upwards of 15+ fpe and are pretty accurate as well. Of course you can just pump it just a few times and produce lower power so you don't punch holes in the barn roof. Add a steel breech and it makes it possible to mount a scope with standard dovetail mounts and it also makes it possible to use the GravMag https://www.ebay.com/itm/264831559154
Throw a TKO on the end of it and they are real quiet too https://ssl.tko22.com/Section1.html.
The plastic stock on these is actually pretty nice. Much nice than I anticipated anyhow,.
If you aren't an air gun enthusiast this maybe an option without having to get into PCP's that need some additional support equipment.
If you want to get into PCP's the Avenger might be suitable for you. lots of adjustability so you should be able to tune it down to a modest power level. There are others that can do this as well in the same price range. The JTS Aracuda maybe one to look into. It has an adjustable transfer port where you can power it down or down as you desire. From what some bata testers has said its a nice rifle for the price. all metal construction. no plastic. nice wood stock. There was a post about one yesterday that might be worth looking at https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/jts-airacuda-standard-22.1275249/
The 362 is a rifle version of the 1322 which is the .22 version of the 1377. The 362 can produce upwards of 15+ fpe and are pretty accurate as well. Of course you can just pump it just a few times and produce lower power so you don't punch holes in the barn roof. Add a steel breech and it makes it possible to mount a scope with standard dovetail mounts and it also makes it possible to use the GravMag https://www.ebay.com/itm/264831559154
Throw a TKO on the end of it and they are real quiet too https://ssl.tko22.com/Section1.html.
The plastic stock on these is actually pretty nice. Much nice than I anticipated anyhow,.
If you aren't an air gun enthusiast this maybe an option without having to get into PCP's that need some additional support equipment.
If you want to get into PCP's the Avenger might be suitable for you. lots of adjustability so you should be able to tune it down to a modest power level. There are others that can do this as well in the same price range. The JTS Aracuda maybe one to look into. It has an adjustable transfer port where you can power it down or down as you desire. From what some bata testers has said its a nice rifle for the price. all metal construction. no plastic. nice wood stock. There was a post about one yesterday that might be worth looking at https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/jts-airacuda-standard-22.1275249/
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I don’t own one but with your parameters I wouldn’t hesitate to look at a p-rod(Benjamin Marauder Pistol)which can also be modded to death,maybe some of the guys with them will pop a couple pics in give you an idea..I hear they are hand pump friendly too.
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Welcome to the forum , You might just like an "instantly " changeable power level ? The Seneca Dragonfly is a multi pump accurate pellet rifle . NO tanks , no compressor . Pump it 4 times for closer range or 8 times for longer range. AND it isn't a lot of cash .
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