Don’t get the pcp pushback. A notos and a cheap China pump won’t be much over that 300 price and the OP will end up being soooooooooooo glad they didn’t get the 200-250 dollar 
Y spring gun.
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Please help this newbie
- Thread starter NedPreston
- Start date
Given how little shooting is involved in the OP's stated use, if he decides to resort to pumping there is an excellent argument for an air rifle with the pump built in, at 2/3 the cost of one that requires a separate pump to function.
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I have two pump up airguns and 6 PCPs. I own no gas piston or spring guns but I did shoot my son's gas piston some to try and get it sighted in for him. As you can tell from what I own, I much prefer PCPs. But I am mainly using ones that cost $300-500 so a little above the OP's price category. I doubt if I had to spend a little less I would want to use a gas piston or pump up. A possible exception is the Seneca Aspen, it is discontinued but you might find one. It is kind of a cross over between a pump up and a PCP. If you pump it up you can get 20 shots or so before having to pump it up again. The pump is built in like a pump up.
A drawback of a pump up and a spring piston gun is the single shot. On animals you do not generally get more than one shot but sometimes you need a follow up (if it is not quite dead yet). Waiting to pump a gun 7 times or so to take that next shot is not preferable. It is more of an issue shooting targets. I also find spring piston guns noticably harder to shoot accurately. It could be my limited time with them but I do not see the same sort of scores on the 30 yard challenge from the spring piston guys. I think most of us shoot PCPs more accurately. I do not think a pump up is less accurate than a pcp except for what pumping the gun up does to my heart rate.
Hand pumping a PCP can be done anytime in advance of shooting it. The gun should hold air for weeks. It's really nice to sit down to shoot (or stand up to shoot) knowing you have 20-100 shots before you have to refill.
A drawback of a pump up and a spring piston gun is the single shot. On animals you do not generally get more than one shot but sometimes you need a follow up (if it is not quite dead yet). Waiting to pump a gun 7 times or so to take that next shot is not preferable. It is more of an issue shooting targets. I also find spring piston guns noticably harder to shoot accurately. It could be my limited time with them but I do not see the same sort of scores on the 30 yard challenge from the spring piston guys. I think most of us shoot PCPs more accurately. I do not think a pump up is less accurate than a pcp except for what pumping the gun up does to my heart rate.
Hand pumping a PCP can be done anytime in advance of shooting it. The gun should hold air for weeks. It's really nice to sit down to shoot (or stand up to shoot) knowing you have 20-100 shots before you have to refill.
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Great points with regard to follow up shots, not needed if I use a burst....... 
Well I reckon the follow up is happening at the same time.
Break barrel or pump up make a quick follow up shot impossible, bolt or lever or semi auto keeps you on the sights. Vermin deserve a quick painless departure from this world, a follow up shot is often the right thing to do. For pest elimination C02 or N2 would permit a much quicker 2nd shot when needed. I'm leaning more to advise PCP for this reason, with a hand pump. I am not up on the energy delivery for C02 and N2. .22 PCP has enough snort for larger small critters needing removal.
Well I reckon the follow up is happening at the same time.Break barrel or pump up make a quick follow up shot impossible, bolt or lever or semi auto keeps you on the sights. Vermin deserve a quick painless departure from this world, a follow up shot is often the right thing to do. For pest elimination C02 or N2 would permit a much quicker 2nd shot when needed. I'm leaning more to advise PCP for this reason, with a hand pump. I am not up on the energy delivery for C02 and N2. .22 PCP has enough snort for larger small critters needing removal.
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