FX Which FX

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olsenjb

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Aug 21, 2023
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Richfield, Utah, USA
I'm looking to purchase my first PCP rifle. I want a .25, and I've narrowed it down to an FX Impact M3, or a used FX Maverick or a used FX Impact MK2. Both the Maverick and the MK2 come with scopes and a few accessories and are in the $1500-1600 range. The M3 would be bare, and in the $2000ish range.

99% of my shooting will be at birds, squirrels, rabbits with the occasional rock chuck or racoon. I probably wouldn't stretch it much beyond 100 yards and really intend on just sticking with pellets.

Is the M3 that much better that it's worth spending the extra money? Or am I better going used with the MK2/Maverick and getting a few accessories?

Thanks.
 
I've got several Impacts (M2 and M3) and a Maverick in calibers from .177 to 35. I tend to stay under 100 yards and some light pesting and hunting, but generally I'm plinking at spinners usually inside 65 yards.

For my purposes, I've not found a dollar worth of difference in the M2 v M3, let alone 500 bones.
 
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Also, all of my Impacts and Mavericks were *edit* USED save for two. If you look at the classifieds and buy from an established seller who hasnt hacked it up, you should be just fine in buying used.

Edited post. I originally said all were NEW save for one. I mistyped. All were USED save for two. An M2 in 25 and an M3 in .35. The other 4 were bought used.
 
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I bought a lot of used pcp's over the years and from what I come across, about half of what I bought had problems caused by users who didn't know how a pcp worked. Most of the problems were minor and was an easy fix but 2 or 3 of them were so jacked up, pcp tuners like Derek and Chuck had a hard time fixing/replacing parts to get it to shoot right.
Most of the minor problems I had were bent barrels, bent or stripped shrouds, leaks and moisture inside the pcp.
For a first time pcp buyer, I would suggest buying new from an established business or buying from a turner who will stand behind the pcp. SPAW is another trusted dealer to buy new or used.
 
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olsenjb said:
I'm looking to purchase my first PCP rifle. I want a .25, and I've narrowed it down to an FX Impact M3, or a used FX Maverick or a used FX Impact MK2. Both the Maverick and the MK2 come with scopes and a few accessories and are in the $1500-1600 range. The M3 would be bare, and in the $2000ish range.

99% of my shooting will be at birds, squirrels, rabbits with the occasional rock chuck or racoon. I probably wouldn't stretch it much beyond 100 yards and really intend on just sticking with pellets.

Is the M3 that much better that it's worth spending the extra money? Or am I better going used with the MK2/Maverick and getting a few accessories?

Thanks.
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Stay away from the fx rifles or you’ll be sorry! Do a search and you’ll read all the fx impact posts like myself crying about a leaky impact or some kind of problem. Not even had my M3 30 days and it’s broke from just regular operation 🤬
 
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As much as I like my Impacts, I can't say that they are an ideal choice for a first time PCP buyer. Tuning them to their full potential takes time, patience and some degree of knowledge. Just my opinion, but an FX Wildcat might be a better option for you.
 
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hawkeye69 said:
As much as I like my Impacts, I can't say that they are an ideal choice for a first time PCP buyer. Tuning them to their full potential takes time, patience and some degree of knowledge. Just my opinion, but an FX Wildcat might be a better option got you.
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This is a good point. I have owned 4 Impacts with good experiences. That being said, one of my first PCPs was an Impact and I had no idea what to do with all those features. I bought it used and it wasn’t set up great, and I ended up trading it instead of messing with all that stuff.

I learned how to tune on a simple Leishy and that helped a lot for later rifles. I later picked up an Impact set up by SPAW and never had to worry about the settings. I only sold it because it was .30 and I was looking for less power and more shots. I miss it and am looking for a .30 again.

Since then, I have owned a couple more Impacts and a Crown and have had great luck with them. I actually like the Crown more and it is simpler to adjust.

Buying new, properly let up for what you want to shoot, or buying used from someone that has it setup well is a good idea. Just because it has all the adjustments, doesn’t mean you have to use them!!!!

As far as MKII or MKIII, I would be happy with a MKII. The III isn’t tons better, and I wouldn’t pay $2k for a used one either. You can get them cheaper than that, unless it has significant addons that you want. To spend $1500-1600 on a II, it would need significant addons too.
 
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My Impact MKII was my second FX (after a Crown). Frankly, I see no reason why it could not be a fine first PCP. You do not HAVE to tune it. If you buy it from a reputable dealer (I got mine initially from SPAW) it will come set up ready to use. Just use it. As you get more comfortable then you can start buy adjusting things just a little, until you feel comfortable.

FX sells thousands of Impacts each month. They would not be doing this if it was nearly as finicky and trouble prone as some people seem to think. I have owned 4 of them over the last 3 years (two MK IIs and currently two M3s). They all worked flawlessly from the get go. I have changed calibers from .22 to >25 and up to .30, changed barrel lengths from 500mm to 600mm to 700mm. Never had a problem. Tuned them up and tuned them down. Never had a problem.

Can you screw it up? Of course you can. Can it arrive broken? Of course is can. Is either of these likely? Nope.

Frankly, all the FX guns are tuneable to pretty much the same extent. I have Crowns, Wildcats, Impacts and even an old Verminator MKII (Not as tuneable). The main difference with the Impact is the granularity of the tuning, and the ease, which can lead some people to mess around perhaps a bit too much.

I think you can feel quite safe getting just about any of the FX rifles. You seem to be looking at the Bullpups, so feel free to go for the Impact, Maverick or Wildcat. With the Impact, in my opinion, for a first gun you can feel free to save some cash and get a lightly used MK II. For the Wildcat, the MKIIIs are the way to go. I lean towards the Wildcat BT, simply because of the greater shot count. I found the tube guns needed refilling a little too often for my liking.

Right now I am looking at a FX Dynamic Express 700, since I really like the power. However it’s so long (rivaling my Crown Mk II 700) that I probably will wait until the dynamic valve shows up in the Impact M4. That will be a killer gun.
 
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I have a Maverick, never shot a Impact. I’ve owned a few PCPs over time. If I wanted an FX as my first PCP, I’d go with a Crown or Royale. As a matter of fact I wish I bought a Crown instead of my Maverick. And in hindsight, I probably wouldn't buy an FX. My reason is them going to propriatary size o-rings that can only be purchased through them. If I did my homeword ahead of time and knew that, i would not have bought a FX. I just paid 12 dollars for 6 o-rings.
 
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The Maverick is, I think, a bit of a sleeper in the FX line-up. It doesn't make the big headlines of some other FX guns, but boy does it do its job well.

I had a rocky start with Mavs, with the first one I purchased being bad out of the box (leaker) and returned. Fairly early in series production of the gun as a new model.

I didn't try them out any further for a while, but when I did, I became really impressed with the guns. I currently have .22 and .30 Sniper models, and they are some of the most powerful + accurate guns I have in those calibers. And I love me a powerful .22 which shoots the Monster RD's without even breaking a sweat.

But of course, with its 'claim to fame' big plenum (at least at the time it was introduced), the Mav's are really the best for bigger caliber pellets, like starting with the .25 cal the OP wants. The Mav would be my pick for the OP.

I've got nothing against Impacts - I have a MkII which was built just before the M3's were launched, and I've had M3's (although earlier ones - no power block models). And they were all fine. But for my use (and, it seems to me, the OP's intended pesting use with pellets), the Impacts really have more external adjustability than is necessary (or good for early in one's shooting/tuning career). Unless maybe you are changing barrels, calibers or pellet weights a lot.

I say go with the simpler Maverick tuned for Hades or Atomic hollow point pellets, and you will quickly be doing some serious pesting.
 
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I love my M3. They aren't difficult to fix if someone has any sort of mechanical abilities. Plus, there is a ton of you tube videos supporting the platform, along with great customer service. With that said, there are other decent brands out there too. For example, the vulcan and uragan guns get great reviews.

Since this is your 1st pcp, I would suggest also making sure you have a good way to fill it with "dry" air. A scba tank and a fill source goes a long way toward enjoyment. In my personal opinion, pumping sucks and I will never again fill my high dollar guns with moisture ridden hand pumps, no matter what anyone else claims. I have seen what moisture can do to the internals of a gun's parts and it isn't for me.
 
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Jez said:
Just wondering why the FX Dreamline does not get mentioned, is it because its not considered a power house in the US, I'm in the UK so look at things a little different here. Love my Dreamlines 😎
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I think for 177 and 22 they are good, but 25 is kinda stressing the system. You are pretty much limited to only the 25 grain pellets. And the shot count isn't great.
 
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Florida_Man said:
I have a Maverick, never shot a Impact. I’ve owned a few PCPs over time. If I wanted an FX as my first PCP, I’d go with a Crown or Royale. As a matter of fact I wish I bought a Crown instead of my Maverick. And in hindsight, I probably wouldn't buy an FX. My reason is them going to propriatary size o-rings that can only be purchased through them. If I did my homeword ahead of time and knew that, i would not have bought a FX. I just paid 12 dollars for 6 o-rings.
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Would you care to share which of the o-rings is propriatary? I'd love to find this little tidbit of information out. I've yet to have an issue finding sources other than FX.
 
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wyshadow said:
I bought a lot of used pcp's over the years and from what I come across, about half of what I bought had problems caused by users who didn't know how a pcp worked. Most of the problems were minor and was an easy fix but 2 or 3 of them were so jacked up, pcp tuners like Derek and Chuck had a hard time fixing/replacing parts to get it to shoot right.
Most of the minor problems I had were bent barrels, bent or stripped shrouds, leaks and moisture inside the pcp.
For a first time pcp buyer, I would suggest buying new from an established business or buying from a turner who will stand behind the pcp.
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I would agree with you 100%, buy a new Maverick, then buy a used one. IF one is lucky the previous owner didn't hose it when they dumped it. Pictures available upon request. The saga of my project gun is floating around the forum somewhere. That gun now is a ground squirrel driller, just had to replace 50% of the gun to do it...thank you FX and your warrenty and customer service..
 
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HogKiller said:
Would you care to share which of the o-rings is proprietary? I'd love to find this little tidbit of information out. I've yet to have an issue finding sources other than FX.
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The o-rings on my 177 are not standard sizes. The sources i've looked at don't have them. And from reading the forum i see similar posts.
19958 O-ring 6,02x2,62 NBR 70
2529 O-ring 4,3 x 1,5 NBR 70
I've looked at the two major o ring sources in the usa and they don't have them.
 
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