The Daystate Huntsman Regal XL is a very friendly gun even for foot pumping. it's around $1000.00
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PCP Rifle Recommendations
- Thread starter elock49
- Start date
Man don’t overlook the Kral line. Beautiful walnut, rugged, accurate and affordable. Your budget would allow you to buy a Troy Hammer tuned gun and put a good scope on it. You could also get a bone stock Kral which will serve you well, and a yong heng compressor to go with it.
Beau
Beau
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Eric,
On scopes for your shooting scenario here's my thinking (and those more practiced with squilling [squirrel-killing] please correct me!).
(A) Magnification and Field of View (FoV)
(A1) The squirrel kill zone is small ➔ You need some magnification, not just a red dot or a 4x, probably 9x or 12x top end
(A2) How old are your eyes? Eyes that have had 4 or 5 decades of run time can use some help, usually ➔ Same as above: 4x is a bit small.
(A3) Shooting only close range —25y as you state — won't require much magnification. ➔ You only need a pretty low top end magnification, say 9x or 12x top end
(A4) Your shots will require rapid target acquisition
➔ A large field of view (FoV) is necessary.
Every scope is different, you can't just assume that a 4x does or does not have enough FoV for you — you need to review the specs of each scope.
This is an issue of both personal preference and proficiency, but I would want around 30ft of FoV (@100y). Better 35ft. And with 25ft I would not be satisfied with.
(A5) And your quarry is a quick mover ➔ Again, you need a large FoV
(B) Reticle, Focal Plane, and Turrets
Foundational question:
(B1) Will you often have to adjust your point of aim (PoA) because your quarry will be outside of your point blank range (PBR)?
➔ If NO, the question of first or second focal focal plane, of holdoff reticle, and uncapped turrets is pretty unimportant to you. Usually, if your gun is a mid-powered PCP (30FPE for .22cal, or 45FPE for .25cal), your PBR is going to be quite extensive and you won't have to worry much about this.
➔ If YES, see (B2).
(B2) How are you planning to adjust your POA?
● Will you adjust POA using holdoff with the reticle? ➔ You will probably want a reticle that works well for you:
•Thick enough to see it against the sometimes dark squirrel woods.
[With evenly spaced hashlines or dots for the holdoffs.
• A first focal plane scope (FFP) uses always the same holdoffs (holdovers) — no matter what magnification you are at. So, only need to carry and memorize one dope. (However, at very low magnifications the hashlines are too small to see.) ≠ A second focal plane scope (SFP) requires different holdoffs depending on the current magnification you're using.
An FFP scope should probably have thick outside posts in the reticle so that the reticle is well visible even at low magnifications.
● Will you adjust POA using the elevation turret?
➔ Then you'll probably want a scope where the turrets track reliably, consistently. $100-scopes probably are not the best for that, but my $200 Discovery has beein doing well since 3 years of dialing the turrets.
Capped turrets seem to be the manufacturer's way of saying: "Set your turrets once, and then leave them alone — they are not well-enough made for dialing." So, exposed turrets make more sense.
● Will you want to use both to adjust your POA, depending on the situation?
Well, then get a scope that fulfills both requirements. There are lots of them.
(C) Other
(C1) Illumination of the reticle is nice when you're shooting in real dark woods.
(C2) Sometimes it pays to pay a little more — to get life-time warranty.
(C3) Front or side parallax: The side parallax seems to be easier and quicker to adjust, especially for offhanded shots.
(C4) It makes no sense to have turrets in MOA while the reticle is a MIL reticle. Consistent MOA/MOA or MIL/MIL is logical.
Scope Specs Table 3-12x/ 3-9x
Below I'll attach a Scope Specs Table for airgun-suitable scopes (meaning, they have a 10y or 15y parallax, a holdoff reticle, and finger-adjustable turrets). These are mostly 3-12x and 3-9x scopes (I have other Specs Tables for other magnifications), and scopes that are particularly short.
Happy scope shopping!
Matthias
Scope Specs Table:
Short and 3-12x
View attachment SCOPE Specs Table. For SHORT Scopes -and- 3-12x (3-9x) Scopes.pdf
On scopes for your shooting scenario here's my thinking (and those more practiced with squilling [squirrel-killing] please correct me!).
(A) Magnification and Field of View (FoV) (A1) The squirrel kill zone is small ➔ You need some magnification, not just a red dot or a 4x, probably 9x or 12x top end(A2) How old are your eyes? Eyes that have had 4 or 5 decades of run time can use some help, usually ➔ Same as above: 4x is a bit small.(A3) Shooting only close range —25y as you state — won't require much magnification. ➔ You only need a pretty low top end magnification, say 9x or 12x top end(A4) Your shots will require rapid target acquisition ➔ A large field of view (FoV) is necessary.
Every scope is different, you can't just assume that a 4x does or does not have enough FoV for you — you need to review the specs of each scope.
This is an issue of both personal preference and proficiency, but I would want around 30ft of FoV (@100y). Better 35ft. And with 25ft I would not be satisfied with.
(A5) And your quarry is a quick mover ➔ Again, you need a large FoV (B) Reticle, Focal Plane, and Turrets Foundational question:
(B1) Will you often have to adjust your point of aim (PoA) because your quarry will be outside of your point blank range (PBR)? ➔ If NO, the question of first or second focal focal plane, of holdoff reticle, and uncapped turrets is pretty unimportant to you. Usually, if your gun is a mid-powered PCP (30FPE for .22cal, or 45FPE for .25cal), your PBR is going to be quite extensive and you won't have to worry much about this.
➔ If YES, see (B2).
(B2) How are you planning to adjust your POA? ● Will you adjust POA using holdoff with the reticle? ➔ You will probably want a reticle that works well for you:
•Thick enough to see it against the sometimes dark squirrel woods.
[With evenly spaced hashlines or dots for the holdoffs.
• A first focal plane scope (FFP) uses always the same holdoffs (holdovers) — no matter what magnification you are at. So, only need to carry and memorize one dope. (However, at very low magnifications the hashlines are too small to see.) ≠ A second focal plane scope (SFP) requires different holdoffs depending on the current magnification you're using.
An FFP scope should probably have thick outside posts in the reticle so that the reticle is well visible even at low magnifications.
● Will you adjust POA using the elevation turret?
➔ Then you'll probably want a scope where the turrets track reliably, consistently. $100-scopes probably are not the best for that, but my $200 Discovery has beein doing well since 3 years of dialing the turrets.
Capped turrets seem to be the manufacturer's way of saying: "Set your turrets once, and then leave them alone — they are not well-enough made for dialing." So, exposed turrets make more sense.
● Will you want to use both to adjust your POA, depending on the situation?
Well, then get a scope that fulfills both requirements. There are lots of them.
(C) Other (C1) Illumination of the reticle is nice when you're shooting in real dark woods. (C2) Sometimes it pays to pay a little more — to get life-time warranty. (C3) Front or side parallax: The side parallax seems to be easier and quicker to adjust, especially for offhanded shots.(C4) It makes no sense to have turrets in MOA while the reticle is a MIL reticle. Consistent MOA/MOA or MIL/MIL is logical. Scope Specs Table 3-12x/ 3-9x Below I'll attach a Scope Specs Table for airgun-suitable scopes (meaning, they have a 10y or 15y parallax, a holdoff reticle, and finger-adjustable turrets). These are mostly 3-12x and 3-9x scopes (I have other Specs Tables for other magnifications), and scopes that are particularly short.
Happy scope shopping!
Matthias
Scope Specs Table: Short and 3-12x
View attachment SCOPE Specs Table. For SHORT Scopes -and- 3-12x (3-9x) Scopes.pdf
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My buddy has a like new .25 Cricket with synthetic stock with scope for sale with a nice scope for around 1000. I bought his .22 Cricket. Very well made accurate and easily tunable airgun.
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For a new airgunner I think you can't do any better than the Craftsan line either so .25 that would be a Kratos. The JTS Airacuda also looks very promising as well. I like the adjustable power on the Kratos and 5 yr warranty, sling studs, lever action. gauge in PSI it's hard to beat under $700.
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The Aea brand seems to be a solid choice from what I've seen and read. Good luck and work lots of O.T...lol
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