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What does $1,400 get me?

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dreamweaver

Member
Feb 16, 2020
173
78
Ohio, United States
I started getting into the PCP world about two years ago. I primarily enjoy target shooting in my backyard at ranges of up to 100 yards. I have a Bullboss, Mrod, Prod and a few months ago, made the leap to a Brocock bantam sniper HP. All are in .22.

I really love the accuracy of the Brocock and want more of it. I'm considering selling off the bullboss and mrod and putting the money towards a nice .177 rifle. I would use it for target shooting in my yard and possibly some field target. There's a FT club just a few miles down the road from me that I'm very interested in joining. I've never shot ft FWIW. 

I'm looking for recommendations from seasoned veterans on a gun/scope that would be a good choice for hunter field target. My max budget is $1,400. I do have a Shoebox F10 and cf tank, so air isn't a problem. I want it in .177 and will only be for target shooting. Accuracy is the most important quality I want.

There are 2 specific guns I have my eye on. Curious of your thoughts on these or maybe there's something else you think would be better suited. 

AoA has the Brocock Bantam HR paired with the Aztec Emerald 5.5x25 for $1,300. They also have a BSA R-10 for $1,000. I'd need a scope, but I assume for $400 that wouldn't be a problem.



I appreciate any feedback you can offer.



Thank you
 
Wow.... lots of options there.

I personally find there are better scopes for your requirements than the Aztec. I saw an Air Ranger for $800 in the classified ads. Not sure you can really do better than that for $1000. After many years of shooting and working on airguns... both to repair and make more accurate, I can't think of one I like better than my wife's Wolverine R. Incredible accuracy and very smooth to operate plus robust construction and nice balance. I recently resealed optimized and Air Ranger and Wolverine (B I believe ) in 177 20 ft lb form that I would consider right with hers. They didn't have a reg but do not need it. 1 had over 100,000 rounds through it and the other was around half that. Anyway ... I was impressed with the lack of wear and the accuracy of both.

I like the options you presented and an HW 100 might be a good one to add. On AOAs site, sorting by price, the Regal was right beside the BSA and also would be great for HFT. Not sure if you've been following Franklink's BSA Goldstar adventures but that seems like a GREAT little rifle, if a little out of your price range.

The best ranging scope I've run across around $400 is the KonusPro F30 8-32. At 16x, it's better than the Elite 32s I've been using for about 20 years and they're not easy to beat.

Have fun on your journey 

Bob
 
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Aztec scopes are one of the best airgun scopes you can get don't listen to OP who dont know and probably never even used a Aztec which are specifically made for airguns. Scopes come down to personal preference and most scopes will get the job done. It's hard to find a crappy piece of glass even the budget scopes are fine! As far as a pcp I have never used a 177 and never will just no use for the small caliber. I have used at least 1 pcp from just about every manufacturer's and all rifles were accurate for what my uses were. Again comes down to preference and your needs or wants. My advice would be to watch the forum for a good deal on a .177 or post a wtb ad. Good luck on your decision and do your due diligence before making a purchase. Geoff 
 
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Thank you for your thoughts. The Aztec came as part of the package when I bought the Brocock. I haven't really used a scope over the $200 range, so the Aztec looks phenomenal to my novice eyes. I've looked through some results of hft matches and I don't see many of them used. Curious if this is because they're a newer company and many people haven't used them yet, or have they and people just realise there are better options for the money??? Seems like a lot of people use Hawke and Vortex. How do these compare to the Aztec? The Aztec did come with a sidewheel.



Specific to the Bantam and BSA R-10....I also don't see these in many hft results. Is this style of rifle not condusive to hft? Meaning thumbhole stock and semi bulpup in regards to the Brocock? I see a lot of.people use traditional sporters like redwolfs and marauders.
 
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In your budget constraints, the Air Arms S500 is a perfect choice. Many shooters use them for FT, especially in Europe and they are very competitive. Scope wise. I've been using a Hawke Sidewinder 30 in 6-24X. It ranges very well and has a good reticle. Don't get a 4-16 because the reticle is half as big, as well as the Airmax. Scope choice is just as imortant, maybe more so, than choice of rifle. BSA R-10s work well too, but I prefer a sidelever action. Bolt action guns can be a bear to cock.
 
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I second the AA 500. I have used a bunch of guns over the years and in my old age, I really like the 500. It has a big enough opening to get my big thumb in to load it. It is single shot and I like that better than any magazine gun I have tried. You don't need anything over 16 power scope because that is the limit in HFT. On my best day I can't out shoot my 500 and it is capable of winning any FT match in the right hands.
 
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I recommend giving the Jefferson State Raptor a serious look. Manf. on the west coast. Available in .177 choked barrel. "Under 7 lbs." and I think the style has a competition appearance. The built-in 3 mag. storage would be very handy for field target. Extra mags are not pricey. And if you have a DD214 tucked away somewhere there is 10% discount and free shipping.

Have fun shopping.


 
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Thanks for all the advice. Couple thoughts going through your responses....

Gun:

I looked at that Daystate regal for the same price as the bsa r-10. It’s a very nice looking gun for sure and seems to get great reviews. My thought was “so was the bsa and it’s regulated and comes with two mags.” Is this not enough to tip the scales in favor of the bsa, or is there more to the regal that I should consider?

Air Arms S500 looks like a great rifle for sure. Only drawback for me is it’s a single shot. While this may be preferred for ft, most of my shooting will be at home and I want the option of magazine feeding.

I read where earlier versions of the r-10 had chrome flaking off the bolt, but this has supposedly been fixed in the newer models.

I have both side lever and bolt guns. Bolt is not a drawback for me. It’s not favorable either.

I have been reading about the JSR Raptor. Still new and I would be concerned about the long term of the brand, although the guys at JSR seem to be legit and know a thing or two. And I do have a DD214 tucked away, curtesy of the USMC. I never considered a JSR rifle, but maybe I should.

Scopes:

One response was to get a higher magnification than 16x for reticle size(I don’t understand, but there’s probably validity to that). Another response was that there wasn’t any need for higher than 16x. Looking at scopes used in ft match results, it seems most do use scopes with higher magnification than 16x, but not everyone.

Hawkeye must have used the Aztec scopes already, because I completely agree with his points. The reticle is super fine and it is hard to see in dim lit areas. Most of the time I think it’s an advantage, especially target shooting in well lit areas, but then again, I haven’t shot any ft matches, so a valid point. In my limited experience, I do like the Aztec. I very much like the fact that it has a lifetime warranty and that it’s made in America.

One last thought....I was really hoping someone would say that the combo of a Brocock Bantam HR and the Aztec scope that’s currently at AoA for $1,300 would be an excellent choice to shoot ft. Of course, I’d like to hear if someone felt this wouldn't be a good choice and why.

Again, thank you all for your responses.

Eric
 
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I really like the reticle and overall operation of the Aztec but it does not range well, especially at 16x which is the max magnification for hunter. I own one and have used it a lot and the importer and designer are personal friends so Redick's comments are a bit uninformed. My personal scope has poor enough clarity that I can't spot 25 cal shots at 100 yds unless very well lit. My cheaper Athlon Argos can.... on an indoor range even, so that is my reference. Btw, they are made in China just like the majority of less expensive scopes. The Argos doesn't range particularly well either. The KonusPro F30 ranges extraordinarily well and is about the same price as the Aztec. I'm not a Hawke fan but many people have good feedback on some of the models. There are likely other good choices I haven't used as I seem to have a difficult time finding a side focus scope as good as my Bushnell Elites. 

The Brocock is a great rifle and would be just fine for HFT but I know you were focused on it because of the package deal. Not a bad deal at all, just not a competitive scope for HFT, imho. The big attraction of the Regal to me is that it's beautiful in a classic look, typically very accurate , relatively light, and NOT regulated.... and doesn't need to be. I know regulators are one of the current buzzwords like "moa at 100", but I've been to a LOT of matches and wouldn't even have an estimate for the number of people with reg failures. Mostly they're better than they used to be but it's still an added level of risk for little gain on that rifle. The suggestion of an AA 510 isn't bad either.

I just re-read your OP and saw that you did not mention HFT, just FT. Most start with HFT which is why I assumed that I suppose. The main differences are that HFT is limited to 16x magnification and may use a non attached bipod and sit on something as high as a bucket where Open and WFTF can't sit on anything highr than 6 inches and no bipod or other support but may use any magnification. Higher magnification is handy for ranging more precisely. WFTF has a 12 ft lb limit and no body harnesses are allowed. 

Sooo.... fun project !

Bob
 
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I would go to the Field Target club. Field target shooters are like golfers and always want new gear. There is almost always some great deals on used FT gear. And you get to shoot it before you buy. Even if you don’t go that route you will get to see what others are using and what fits you.
Click to expand...

Dream weaver you would absolutely be well advised to do this! Uj
 
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Ffp is my personal preference as I like scopes to be versatile. They make an sfp in the same form but I have no experience with it.

You mentioned looking at magnification stats on some of the matches. You would have to separate the HFT from the Open or WFTF classes for that to be meaningful. 

KonusPro also makes a 16x that's less expensive , but again, I have no direct experience. The Midas Tac 6-24 is my current personal favorite but I really like the reticle on both the F30 and the Aztec a little better.

Too much info, probably , but the earlier suggestion of attending a match to actually handle some of what people are using is a good one. It can be overwhelming , as there is a LOT of good, interesting, fun and usable equipment available now. People tend to migrate to equipment that has some perceived advantage and it seems your OP was trying to tap into that experience. 

Bob
 
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Op If I were you I would follow Arzrover's advice, not only is he a National open FT champ, multiple AZ state champ - lost count he's won so many times. He's practically a genius, if not one, when it comes to airguns of all types. He tries to explain technical things about PCP's to me and I go cross eyed because the subjects are over my head, lol. 

BTW, another one of his hobbies is trying out different riflescopes, so...

Yep, I'm proud to call him a close friend and believe me when I say my high opinion about him, not just about airguns and scopes, "is understated", and far from embellished!!! 

It's an absolute privilege for the airgun community that he even shares his extensive knowledge for us to take advantage of! 

Thanks Bud for everything you've done for us!


 
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