Why did they quit makin' these???

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RM100GUY

RM100GUY

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Jun 22, 2018
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Ceder Key Florida USA
Next to the Taipan Veteran (1st gen) the Daystate Huntsman Regal bolt action is my next most favorite PCP...their size weight looks dependability accuracy, I mean ACCURACY!!! Several interesting points to this thread...Yesterday conditions were WINDY...18 MPH L to R and gusty...but like fishin' either fight it or don't do it...I wanted to shoot...I resolved to do a simple shot count with a Huntsman Regal .20 calber, just for something to do. I shot off bags which is rare for me, had to hold gun to keep it from being blown off the bags! From the start grouping was FAR better than expected @ 30yds using JSB 13.73s running 825ish considering the wind, so good in fact I stopped and cleaned the barrel aired it up to 250b and got serious. Using a freshly opened tin I shot a 30 shot group than a 20 shot group to back up the first group. I have an FX 6x18 scope on it...heavy but nice looking...I always knew this Regal was a shooter...never shot it much being such a hard to find caliber...trigger isn't even tweaked yet...unbelievable...it just kept puttin' them in there...30 and 20 shots and was still going but my eyes were fuzzing out...old age you know...I did shoot a .177 10 group with my .177 Regal in the same conditions for comparison...10.3s at same 825fps same 30yds with predictable results...wind was down to 14 mph. These .20 cal
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groups would be noteworthy on a calm day...Such a shame the .20 Huntsman isn't offered any more...don't get me started on the .20 calber lol! This was a fair accurate test...a testament to a great gun....20 calber pellet in the wind...and pretty fair marksmanship if I say so myself...had a great shoot in spite of the wind...Why did they quit makin' these things????
 
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I have no idea really, I'm fairly new to airguns. I've read allot on this forum in the past month and have been looking a fair amount at used guns at shows and online.

My totally uneducated guess is that the 20 cal is fading away in popularity? It looks to me like it was popular back in the day when Beeman was big in spring guns. Beeman must have been a big promoter of it? That era has passed into history it seems. I Kinda doubt Daystate or anyone else would sell too many 20cal today, and I don't see too many pellet options in 20 either?

Of course, in 10 years if someone offers a new 20 cal it will probably be a hot item, hard to get and overpriced? At least that's the trend in firearms....

Aside from my wild guesses, I like your rifle. I just bought a toggle action Huntsman here the other day, but I would have been just as happy with a bolt action Huntsman.
 
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Slingworks said:
I have no idea really, I'm fairly new to airguns. I've read allot on this forum in the past month and have been looking a fair amount at used guns at shows and online.

My totally uneducated guess is that the 20 cal is fading away in popularity? It looks to me like it was popular back in the day when Beeman was big in spring guns. Beeman must have been a big promoter of it? That era has passed into history it seems. I Kinda doubt Daystate or anyone else would sell too many 20cal today, and I don't see too many pellet options in 20 either?

Of course, in 10 years if someone offers a new 20 cal it will probably be a hot item, hard to get and overpriced? At least that's the trend in firearms....

Aside from my wild guesses, I like your rifle. I just bought a toggle action Huntsman here the other day, but I would have been just as happy with a bolt action Huntsman.
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My guess is that you will love your Huntsman in whatever configuration you have. There has been VOLUMES written about the .20 calber on this forum...those of us who are fans (and there are plenty of us) usually have enough pellets in store to supply the next generation for THEIR live time...lol..
.New .20 cal PCPs are pretty much a mute point these days in any event...I know I like mine!!
 
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The short answer is that .20 caliber and bolt action PCPs don't sell compared to other calibers and action types.

BSA is the only major manufacturer I am aware of that still sells bolt action PCPs. Robert Beeman of Beeman Airguns attempted to popularize .20 caliber spring powered airguns in the 1970's through the early 2000's when the company was sold. .20 caliber was marketed as a compromise between .177 and .22 but it never really caught on. It is somewhat equivalent to 16 gauge as an in between gauge of 12 and 20 gauge in shotguns. There is nothing wrong with .20 caliber but it is just a white elephant in the air rifle market.

As a former owner of a Daystate Huntsman .22 and a current owner of a Daystate Revere .22 I prefer the Revere's features. The Revere is regulated. It's faster and smoother to cock a sidelever than a bolt action. The older Huntsman and Regal have the look of a centerfire rifle which appeals to traditionalists. My Revere is a laser out to 50 yards and the regulator provides a consistent shot string for 40 shots. The Huntsman can be tuned but hammer throw adjustment is not a user-friendly task. The Revere doesn't require any owner adjustment to achieve a consistent shot string. It shoots great right out of the box.

I'm getting long in the tooth. There are lots of things that seem better from my past. But time marches on.
 
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Dairyboy said:
I'd love a good solid .20 cal airgun. One to shoot the newer 15.9gr heavies. You got some nice .20s between that and your Rapid!
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Surprisingly I haven't had much luck with the newer 15.9s...If the power was turned back to 25fp in the Huntsman they may be ok...13s still best in the Rapid, they keyhole with my springers.
 
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the .20 cal pellet rifle can be compared to a rifle like my Cooper .204 Ruger. It is a laser beam that carries potent energy out to prairie dog distances, but commercially, does not compete with .223/5.56 black rifles (ie. .22 FX Impacts) I have plenty of brass and reloading equipment, so I am not concerned. But I am old. Will my boys want to pick up where I left off.
 
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