N/A Where to begin

[Tohopko]

I'm thinking of getting started with PCP. I've got fairly extensive experience with powder burners and reloading, and I've played around with pumps and break barrels since I was a kid, but I know very, very little about PCP. Just reading through the forum tends to make my eyes glass over and my head spin. I'm retired military, pilot by trade, so I can handle the technical aspects as long as I can get a good foundation started. Any suggestions on where to begin the knowledge quest?

 

[Vana2]

I can only talk about what I like and why, you'll have to extract what applies to your interests.

Plinking, pesting and a bit of squirrel hunting are my thing though tuning and precision shooting are gaining interest. Most of my shooting is done at less than 50 yards. That puts me in the moderate caliber, moderate power category - .22 is my caliber of choice as it is economical from the ammo and air usage cost. The "standard power" (30-33 fpe) PCPs suit my needs well.

Since getting into PCPs I've discovered that I like to be able to fine tune the airgun to the pellet of choice. I have several fine PCPs that are not adjustable (without substantial disassembly), I now see that as a serious deficiency.

I prefer to use good quality equipment (more enjoyable, less frustrations). I'd rather wait and save to get what I want rather than buy something that I know I will be selling at a loss later. Buy once, cry once. I like flexibility in an airgun.

OK, rambling aside and straight to the point. My .22/500mm FX Crown MK2 is my favorite all around PCP. A close second is my. 22/700mm FX Impact (if you like the "tactical style") for a bit more power.

A decent compressor is a valuable asset if you shoot a lot.

Cheers and good luck with your choice!

 

[IndyDurtdigger]

I discovered that I am the opposite of Vana2 in the tinkering department. Started out with FX because of how tunable they are and the myriads of accessories available. Found out I don't have the time and sometimes the patience to nurture such air rifles. Currently very pleased with the RTI P-3 I purchased earlier this year. Regulator can be adjusted both ways without degassing or disassembling the thing, adjust the hammer spring tension by ear, fire a mag or two of pellets to settle things in, then switch to the slugs I use for critters and fine tune it a few clicks one way or another over a chronograph. I can try a different tune with the RTI not like it and put it back the way it was in minutes.

Just remembered. The Air Force PCPs. U.S made and the two smaller offerings don't cost an arm and a leg if you don't mind single shots. They aren't regulated but aftermarket regulators are readily available and super easy to install. I've got a Texan in .457 and love the thing.

 

[Tohopko]

I discovered that I am the opposite of Vana2 in the tinkering department. Started out with FX because of how tunable they are and the myriads of accessories available. Found out I don't have the time and sometimes the patience to nurture such air rifles. Currently very pleased with the RTI P-3 I purchased earlier this year. Regulator can be adjusted both ways without degassing or disassembling the thing, adjust the hammer spring tension by ear, fire a mag or two of pellets to settle things in, then switch to the slugs I use for critters and fine tune it a few clicks one way or another over a chronograph. I can try a different tune with the RTI not like it and put it back the way it was in minutes.

Just remembered. The Air Force PCPs. U.S made and the two smaller offerings don't cost an arm and a leg if you don't mind single shots. They aren't regulated but aftermarket regulators are readily available and super easy to install. I've got a Texan in .457 and love the thing.

Thanks. I'm trying to resist the urge to buy until I learn a little. I always hate buying, then acquiring a bit of knowledge and realizing I could have done better. Recently went through a whole string of dual sport motorcycles in that process!

 

[Tohopko]

@Tohopko A couple of threads to review.

N/A - Great Pcps for under $600

for fun list one gun under 600 retail that does damn good even though it may not be higher tier 2 rules list just one gun ... and 600 retail is the cap, a 601 dollar gun does not qualify im curious even the higher end gun owners had to have come up from the minor league ill go first...

www.airgunnation.com

Good Out of the Box Shooters (PCPs) - Share Your Experiences

After reading many threads where members ask questions seeking advice concerning which gun to purchase for hunting/pesting, a first PCP for backyard plinking, or wanting to tryout benchrest styled shooting I saw several posts where tinkerers, competitors, and mechanically inclined members are...

www.airgunnation.com

I had read through the first link already. The second is very informative as well. Much like firearms, there are always better options if you are just willing to spend a little more!

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Have fun reading & such but, "where to begin the knowledge quest?" = In person with other airgunners and hit an airgun store. Someone 3.5 hr from you posted, likely very well worth the drive to share & learn if everyone is willing.
Air in CDA, yes. If using an scba DO make sure you can get a Full 4,500psi fill.

You background will help greatly in shooting (if you get the right gear).
Not a thing going lower budget to start, actually many reasons to do so. This week you could get a Walnut Marauder w/adjustable cheek for $380 NIB. NOT the latest greatest - whic hyou do not actually need-. The 6oz (with 5 minutes work) two stage trigger -a mirror of the Theoben trigger- makes it worth it to me, now that was i the .25 cal only but firearm folks seem to like to go that way sometime. Still plenty of "adjustments" and the 1st airgun to offer such, 5 year warranty, LOW cost poarts w/$5.00 shipping if needed but you wont need as Ace had the orings and everything is so simple But applies to all airguns. A Great starter you may well want to keep.
Raw is a great make, true heirloom quality and some will say heavy. Personally would have Martin in TN build one to my sepcs & preferences. And still well under the latest greatest prices.
Do you think Colville is a long drive?
It's not : https://www.airgunnation.com/thread...n-retailer-in-colville-wa-today-pics.1300031/
and keep in ind I take crummy pics & write poorly. Indoor test range for Customers (buying) but they are happy to have to punt finger prints on everything -hint do Not buy the umarex hammer they will had you, not The best airgun perhaps-

Nothing fancy here, at all. Heck some need work but... 20 miles short of Colville I do have an scba you could at least see (the colville store will fill) and a bosster I fill that with. The darn gauntlet never seems to fail, AirForce Escape (purchased only due to concerns of the .22rf ricocheting) is Light & not bad at all for it's purpose. The misses had a 20+ year old AA410 that never changes zero and has need on o-ring ever (perhaps something to keep in mind for you?). Benjamin Maximus with mods, the DAQ .452 pistol is fun for 1-2 shots anyway. And I'm sure a few under the bed.

Find some folks with airgun experience and get together with them.
Then shop.
And, do NOT fall in love with the 1st one. Too many excellent choices.

Keep us posted.


John

 

[Patrick1]

Initially, I bought an Air Venturi Avenger .22.
Very accurate and inexpensive! However, it is a bit unwieldy for my uses. With a moderator it’s 47 inches long!
Sooooo, I soon upgraded to an FX Maverick compact, and it has been great for me. It is versatile, very accurate out to 75 yards(with the shorter barrel , changeable barrels, calibers and ammo AND power galore cuz of the large plenum.

The Use of a compressor is necessary, IMO! Just makes things easier and faster. Gotta have the right one with proper moisture reduction, in line, which means a molecular sieve-containing, pressure tube. You don’t need $2000-3000machine though!!! GX CS makes reliable equipment for $300-500, and you can repair easily if needed.
The aftermarket accessory portfolio is what sucks you in! Lots of stuff you can add to make your shooting experience better!

 

[Gerry52]

There's an FX Royale 500 (.25 caliber) for sale in Classifieds. A straight out of the box GREAT shooter. Simple, no tinkering, incredibly accurate, quiet & VERY low maintenance. No slugs, pellets only due to its Original Smooth Twist barrel but a fantastic introduction to PCP guns. A much loved & virtually never complained about piece of kit that are hardly ever seen for sale. Why not start out with a positive & enjoyable experience for your 1st pcp? Watch the video "FX Royale500, a Fantastic all purpose PCP" on YouTube (the arrow shooting option is NLA).

 

[rcarlisle]

There's a lot more to choose from than when I got my first PCP rifle 10 years ago. I started with a Marauder due to its reputation as a solid mid-range gun. Regulators were a thing I wasn't really into, but then I learned to drive on a manual transmission. This was sorta the same. 2 of my 3 PCP guns are unregulated. I still think the Marauder is a great starting gun. If I were buy a new one today, I'd get it from Airgun Revisions.

 

[jerryd]

I've now got four rimfire suppressors, something I wished I'd got years earlier. Got into PCP's same reason as you are, not comfortable shooting a rimfire on parts of my property. Now it seems I prefer shooting PCP's over firearms.

A Benjamin Marauder was my second gun, had some issues, but Crosman (owns the Benjamin brand) customer service was really good and took care of everything on their dime (to include shipping both ways). Good place to start, if it's all I had to shoot today I'd be ok with it. Mine was a .22 cal. Later got a Taipan Veteran Long, was a bit heavy for packing around hunting (a 2 pound scope didn't help) and now I've got the Compact version... never had a lick of trouble with either of them, can be tuned for shot velocity - accuracy using the hammer spring, never felt the need to adjust the regulator (these were the 'original Veterans, not the Veteran 2). The Taipan Veteran 'Standard' would be my choice for an all around gun . A Lot of positive reviews/recomendations for the Taipan Veterans. Pretty much a buy used, though Talon Tunes has some of the 'original' Veterans left.

Not a huge fan of the bullpup ergos, But I feel two things are the enemy of the PCP hunter if he feels that he needs 'magnum' type power,... weight and length. a conventional rifle can get quite long, which is where the bullpup's shine.

I have a SCBA tank, used it for years, there's a couple of places that fill them here, but it's about an hour round trip plus the wait. Later I got a Rov Air Nomad compressor (fine for filling a gun, but not for filling a tank)... Now the tank just sits, I would be happy if it was small enough to take it into the field or to tote over to my range, but it's way too bulky and heavy. The Nomad compressor (as well as some others) can be used with house AC or it has battery clamps to hook it up to your truck battery, which is a big plus for me at my range.

To summarize my advice...
Probably no matter what you get (even a high end air rifle), you'll most likely find that you'll want something different once you get some experience, so I'd just get a fairly inexpensive Benjamin Marauder to get your feet wet, and see what it is you are looking for in an airgun. In .22 caliber for economy of shooting and it sounds with your game, all that you'll need. And Pick up a reasonably priced compressor that has good reviews (forget the tank, unless it's a small one to take on extended hunts).

Jerry

 

[rangur1]

Well, I can’t really go in on budget pcp. Once I went tier 1 which is about $1400 and up. But you FEEL how smooth they operate. If that’s steep, maybe a BSA R10 , it’s older style, but smooth center bolt cocking. Also a CX-4 compressor for about $480 is so far a decent, reliable filler of air tanks and guns.

 

[Justaguy]

Buy a used Air arms or Brocock. If it isn't your thing, you can resell them without much/any loss. If air guns are your thing... you probably won't stick with the first gun you buy. As soon as you get 1 gun, you will probably want another.

 

[IndyDurtdigger]

Might check this guys channel out. He says he won't do a vid on a gun that's junk and he does all types and price points, also does compressor and accessories. Some are his, most are sent to do vids on from dealers.
https://www.youtube.com/@AirgunChannel

 

[MongooseV8]

Do plenty of research but I can tell you from experience you will save thousands by starting out with a good setup the first time.

FX Maverick Compact or Wildcat BT, Hunting range with slugs will be 100-150yds
Omega Trail Charger
Arken EPL4 or SH4J in a decent set of rings

If you dont choose to afford that much I would recommend the fantastic
Gamo Coyote in 177, will max out speeds in several light slugs and shoot any pellet. Hunting would be limited to about 80yds.
GX CS4
Arken EPL4 or Athlons

 

[rcs9250]

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

Good luck with your journey.

Will never understand why they call it a rabbit hole. Here’s reality.

 

[Rizz01]

IMHO getting a regulated gun is paramount for shot consistency. You'll have to adjust your POI with relation to the pressure drop in the tank as you shoot an unregulated gun. Budget guns aren't necessarily all that inaccurate. Just gotta find a "tried and true" gun by looking through forums and take a look at "Boob Tube". Also, pay attention to deficiencies in what you may be interested in through forums like this. The retailer you order from also makes a difference in your experience. I now purchase my guns from AoA. They test all the guns they sell to eliminate getting a "lemon".

JTS Airacuda Max $419, Arken SHJ-4 6-24X50 Scope, JTS Dead Center 18.1g pellets. Out of box this rifle is shooting 895 FPS. I get this accuracy out to 80 yds with these pellets in 6mph winds.

 

[Peashooter]

I like to hit small things far away, but by small i mean like a tennis ball or something, and by far i mean 100 of your favorite distance units or more.
Hitting ultra small things up closer dont really do it for me.
My current target is to be able to very often hitting a dice at 100 M, but i am only down to hitting a table tennis ball just about every shot at 86 M, so some way to go.
It would probably also be hard hitting a 1 X 1 foot plate at 300 yards, but i do not call 1 X 1 foot small it only become so far away.
But my brain just will not deal in that very natural metric i accept the math on.

Also shooting short distances, well my friends very cheap air rifles do that pretty much just as good, so having paid what i have for my rifles that is pretty depressing.
Shooting just some way past 50 M, and my firend have no chance with his cheap stuff, and at 80 M he is totally out of the game, and i reign supreme.

 

[Hammer]

I'm going to go against the grain a little. You could get a Notos and a $50 hand pump for very little money. This would give you a "taste", and if you decide you want to get deeper into it, you'll have a neat little carbine, and a hand pump for backup. Plus the Notos should be easy to pump. If you decide it's not really for you, you don't have much invested.

Hand pumps are not my bag of tea for lengthy shooting sessions, but ideal for a small reservoir gun, and shooting a couple of mags at home, when you don't have time, or don't want to do the lengthy session.

 

[Tohopko]

Have fun reading & such but, "where to begin the knowledge quest?" = In person with other airgunners and hit an airgun store. Someone 3.5 hr from you posted, likely very well worth the drive to share & learn if everyone is willing.
Air in CDA, yes. If using an scba DO make sure you can get a Full 4,500psi fill.

You background will help greatly in shooting (if you get the right gear).
Not a thing going lower budget to start, actually many reasons to do so. This week you could get a Walnut Marauder w/adjustable cheek for $380 NIB. NOT the latest greatest - whic hyou do not actually need-. The 6oz (with 5 minutes work) two stage trigger -a mirror of the Theoben trigger- makes it worth it to me, now that was i the .25 cal only but firearm folks seem to like to go that way sometime. Still plenty of "adjustments" and the 1st airgun to offer such, 5 year warranty, LOW cost poarts w/$5.00 shipping if needed but you wont need as Ace had the orings and everything is so simple But applies to all airguns. A Great starter you may well want to keep.
Raw is a great make, true heirloom quality and some will say heavy. Personally would have Martin in TN build one to my sepcs & preferences. And still well under the latest greatest prices.
Do you think Colville is a long drive?
It's not : https://www.airgunnation.com/thread...n-retailer-in-colville-wa-today-pics.1300031/
and keep in ind I take crummy pics & write poorly. Indoor test range for Customers (buying) but they are happy to have to punt finger prints on everything -hint do Not buy the umarex hammer they will had you, not The best airgun perhaps-

Nothing fancy here, at all. Heck some need work but... 20 miles short of Colville I do have an scba you could at least see (the colville store will fill) and a bosster I fill that with. The darn gauntlet never seems to fail, AirForce Escape (purchased only due to concerns of the .22rf ricocheting) is Light & not bad at all for it's purpose. The misses had a 20+ year old AA410 that never changes zero and has need on o-ring ever (perhaps something to keep in mind for you?). Benjamin Maximus with mods, the DAQ .452 pistol is fun for 1-2 shots anyway. And I'm sure a few under the bed.

Find some folks with airgun experience and get together with them.
Then shop.
And, do NOT fall in love with the 1st one. Too many excellent choices.

Keep us posted.


John

John, outstanding information, thank you!

 

[cavedweller]

IMHO getting a regulated gun is paramount for shot consistency. You'll have to adjust your POI with relation to the pressure drop in the tank as you shoot an unregulated gun. Budget guns aren't necessarily all that inaccurate. Just gotta find a "tried and true" gun by looking through forums and take a look at "Boob Tube". Also, pay attention to deficiencies in what you may be interested in through forums like this. The retailer you order from also makes a difference in your experience. I now purchase my guns from AoA. They test all the guns they sell to eliminate getting a "lemon".

JTS Airacuda Max $419, Arken SHJ-4 6-24X50 Scope, JTS Dead Center 18.1g pellets. Out of box this rifle is shooting 895 FPS. I get this accuracy out to 80 yds with these pellets in 6mph winds.
View attachment 471088

Can you share info about the target hanger?

 

[dgeesaman]

You are correct on my "needs". I have several suppressed rimfires, but there is still a concern with how far the projectile will/can carry beyond the target.

I haven't checked to see if there is a scuba shop associated with diving in Lake CdA, Pend Orielle, or Priest, but there is some possibility. Definitely something to check before I get too far along.

What is in/near CdA is arguably the best PCP airgun tuner in the world, Allen Zasadny. He’s a busy guy and a tremendous resource. So once you get a good pcp or two you’ll want to reach out and introduce yourself.

You will read about both slugs and pellets. I suggest you avoid slugs because you’re looking for downrange safety and slugs are barely better than 22LR in that regard. Also getting awesome results from slugs is much more difficult.