N/A Time travel, to buying your first PCP

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I got into PCP's around 2016. At that time the best selling, entry level PCP airguns were the Benjamin Discovery & Marauder. I started with the Disco, moved on to a Marauder (both .22). Loved the concept but was never really knocked out by either one of those. Got a Hatsan AT44, .22, A Hatsan BT65, .25 & worked with those for a couple years learning the ins & outs of airguns & shooting techniques till I could get the best out of those guns & myself. 2017 I bought a new FX Royale 500, shortly after, an FX Boss (used). A couple years ago was gifted a .22 Bobcat. I wouldn’t change ANYTHING about my progression & journey! The move to higher tier guns was seemless after the work I did with lower quality guns. I'm still overjoyed with what I own & shoot now & I lust for nothing. Nope, wouldn’t change a thing. (Picture, front to back: Bobcat .22, Royale .25, Boss, .30) 20220430_141943.jpg
 
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I got into PCPs in 2020 with a .357 Benjamin Bulldog and I wouldn't change that. I think my first small bore was a Brocock Bantam Sniper HR. I actually bought it for my father and he didn’t want it. So considering that I didn’t buy it for me, I think if I could do it over with small bores, I may have tried by starting with a Taipan Vet Standard or an original EDgun Leshiy in .25 caliber.
 
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Florida_Man said:
1. What do you wish you bought at the time? Try and remember the year.

2. If you had all the knowledge you have since entering the PCP universe, what would you buy now if it was your first PCP.
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1) I bought a P-rod in 2019.

2) If I could do it again I would go back and buy just about any PCP much sooner. My foray into adult airguns started with a Gamo gas piston that apparently had a particularly bad case of dieseling. I was so unhappy with that rifle I assumed airguns just weren't for me and didn't get my P-rod for years after that.

I'm not sure when the Leshiy Classics came out but with hindsight I should have bought one as soon as they hit US shores. But I had no clue they even existed.

A couple of other thoughts.

I should have purchased an HW30 or HW50 the day we moved into our last house (early 2005). I probably would have never even looked into PCPs if that had happened.

Sometime after 2010, somebody on another forum I frequent posted a picture of his FX Verminator. I was intrigued and looked up the price and said that was absolute madness to spend that kind of money on an air rifle. I had known what PCPs were for a while at that point but didn't know the cost of entry.

Needless to say I now have five PCPs that are much more expensive than that, even when accounting for inflation.
 
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November 2020 bought my 1st PCP - Umarex Gauntlet .177. The 1st pellet I tried in it was Crosman 10.5g. The barrel loves that pellet (shot 196-198-197 consecutively in 30 Yard Challenge with it this year). My 1st 5 shots all hit a 1” splatter target dot at 28 yards… I was astonished by the accuracy… and instantly hooked.

If buying my 1st PCP today (knowing everything I know now) I’d buy an RTI Prophet Performance V1 in .22 - it might have to be used cause RTI now makes the Prophet V2 and V3 - but I’d still want a V1.

It seems I really like the shooting ergonomics of bullpups - and I change calibers. The LW polygonal barrels (.22 and .25) are simply the best - and were reasonable cost from RTI (as well as the LW .177 and .30 with traditional rifling). Trigger on the Prophet was easy to adjust down to 4 ounces. Its an easy rifle to shoot accurately.

I’m having a blast shooting air rifles. Learning all the time and meeting lots of new friends. Its a great hobby!

-Ed
 
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My first pcp was a Theoben MFR made by Ben Taylor in .25cal doing 52 ft/ibs....and thats 19 years ago. I felt it was a bit heavy with the 500cc steel bottle. The barrel was made by BSA and shot home cast .25acp 50grain leadbullets quite well. It had a 24" barrel and a 18" spare barrel. 4 years I sold it(regrets). Love to have a Theoben again. H&N baracudas was the longrange pellets back then. I think I would have kept it if it had had a carbon bottle. It was the Mercedes Benz of pcp`s 20 years ago.
 
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Florida_Man said:
Most of us went down the PCP trail and haven’t left. We just buy more.

I see a number of posts about people inquiring about certain rifles and it being their first PCP. How about a thread where we say what we wish we bought first, it might even be what we bought.

1. What do you wish you bought at the time? Try and remember the year.

2. If you had all the knowledge you have since entering the PCP universe, what would you buy now if it was your first PCP.
Click to expand...
Been thinking about this and I would do exactly what I did but I should have kept some of the originals rather then chasing newer ones that came later.

2006 :


Very first PCP was a Shin Sung Career Ultra .357 ( love that gun and later got a few in smaller caliber and should have never sold them )

2nd was a Sam Yang 909S .45

3rd was an Evanix Rainstorm I in .22 cal ( I must have had over 25 Evanix after that and love the guns, never they let me down )
 
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It all started in the early 90's in an article in the Airgunner Magazine.. There was this thing Called the Rapid 7 PCP.
The specs look impressive, this PCP thing was intriguing. No more Pumping or break barrels....
Then around 95, the Internet was starting to mature a little... So Theoben had a website..
So now there was a source of photos and specs on this Rapid pcp thing...
Also New Airgun forums. started to pop up..Another source to read about PCP's more!!

Around 98, Next step, rather than a rebadged Rapid from Beeman's, I downloaded all the paperwork to do a personal import of the Rapid.
I was about to pull the trigger on it.. Then on Theoben website, The introduced the world to the MKII. Better Specs and announced
they would also have dealer in the US.. Finally in 2002 I got my hands on my First Theoben Rapid MKII..

After a couple of years, from the forums, there was the gunsmith Allen Zasadny...Specialize in PCP's.. Rapid and Target rifles.
After few talks with him. He was going to do a full make over.... Snail Fart Shroud, Enhanced elevation turret, and QF bottle.
Also I would let him use my MKII as a test subject, and convert the old Sporter trigger to the Mark 4 trigger..
case2_1_.jpg


So after 2 more Rapids, and an Enhanced Titanium receiver and airtube Rapid.. Alkin's Compressor and Airhog tank.....
Would I have done anything different.....
No.... or maybe Buy one more Rapid. a MFR.....
 
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2016, benjamin discovery that I tuned to shoot half inch groups at 50 yards with a 20 fps spread. I'm sure it was the best barrel that came off the line that month and made it to me. Later a p-rod that I tuned for 16 shots with about a 15 fps spread at 17.5 fpe and was dead accurate. Money was tight and I sold them both. I love the looks of high end pumpers however I love to tinker. Still buying cheap pcp's and making them shine but the bulldog is calling my name.
 
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I am just getting my feet wet with PCP. I started with two backyard guns, a Hatsan Blitz .22 and a Beeman 2028. I am enjoying both greatly, Buck rail had the pieces to quiet the Beeman, the Blitz is tolerable but I will print something too. So far so fun. My friend from Japan is coming to visit, he loves to go shooting, a pleasure most Japanese citizens never get. He has requested I bring my big boomers, I shall, and surprise him with the Blitz. He posts his targets above his desk in Tokyo, that is a statement there. We have been good friends for a long time. I can shoot video this range trip, last time I was unsure having him handle guns, he had never touched one in his life. Turns out video games can apparently teach pistol skills, he did GREAT.
 
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My first was a Daystate Pulsar. Wonderfully accurate gun. Loved the electronic trigger.
Unfortunately it was as dependable as a drug addict. Electronic problems plagued it.
I remember thinking at the time that the market will be led by electronic guns or the infinitely variable FX. I went the FX route and have really enjoyed all of them even the Maverick I cut my teeth on. Power gun did not deserve what I put it through.
I recently bought an old FX Cutlass due to its looks and and my first unregulated gun. It won’t be my last. I am finding myself appreciating the simplicity, old school wood stocked, blued steel and standard rifle platform. I may be going backwards but enjoying the ride.
 
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