Time for a PCP Rifle

[bsekf]

Looks like 12 cents for primers ($600/5000 + tax) and $50.00 + tax for powder is the new normal and bullets are unavailable. PCP air rifle is looking better and better! $1000.00 set you up, that's what a rifle and one box of shells cost. "we have met the enemy and he are us"

Bill REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER

 

[piie]

Yea, don't forget about the refill adapters and either a high compression pump or a scuba tank that will mean annual pressure tests etc. Before you know it you'll discover that age old truth - doesn't matter what your preferred hobby is - it can still cost you more than your house

 

[JEFFPPC]

The answer is a top end springer. Premium pellets .04 a shot. I shot all winter indoors at 25 yard. It's just like shooting a 6PPC outdoors at 100 yds. Average group at our . 2 or a bit under, a few in .1 or under, and bad groups in the 3s and 4s. Pcp, yout still teathered to the iarsupply plus they shoot ao good that to me it is no challange. If you want any gun advice just send me a pm.

 

[RegionRat]

Airguns can be an addiction....

I'm happy to say I still own my first Daisey 880 Powerline pump gun. It runs BBs or pellets and I am sure it has taken more rabbits and squirrels than my rifles and shotguns combined.

PCP rigs can be amazing, but they do require more ancillary equipment to be within reach. High Pressure air from tanks or a specialized compressor are typical, so if you don't live where folks will charge your tanks you have some homework to do on the pump.

In any case, if you are reading here and don't have a background, expect to do your homework on both the rig and the equipment to feed it.

 

[gambleone]

The answer is a top end springer. Premium pellets .04 a shot. I shot all winter indoors at 25 yard. It's just like shooting a 6PPC outdoors at 100 yds. Average group at our . 2 or a bit under, a few in .1 or under, and bad groups in the 3s and 4s. Pcp, yout still teathered to the iarsupply plus they shoot ao good that to me it is no challange. If you want any gun advice just send me a pm.

pm incoming

 

[Ggmac]

Living the Florida, the hot humid south , Ive prefer the co2 . Less chance of rust. Ive borescoped 2 problem ifles ( decreased accuracy) and both ( different owners ) had badly rusted barrels . Both owners said they were regularly checking the water trap and replacing the filter . Both had different make pumps . Granted they now have upgraded the water trap filters (2) now insted of one and have installed a oil system similar to an Air tool lubricator . I will probably be getting a full auto pcp 25or 30 cal soon , with a factory suppressor. Shipped to my home , no ffl , no paperwork. I hope the bullet mold companies, lee , lyman and rcbs will soon get in on the market needs and make molds for these guns . I love my qb 2078 and the qb78 , now beeman . Excellent trigger , accurate and easy on the wallet .

 

[PracticalTactical]

I've played around with air guns for a while now. Got a couple Diana springers, had a Fienwekbau PCP, then FX Dreamline, then recently switched to Wierauch HW100 (NOT FSB !!!), I got the real solid steel barrel.

The HW100 is as accurate as anything. It is polite to shoot. Major advantage is that it DOES NOT DOUBLE FEED PELLETS!!!

I would recommend the HW100 to anyone.

I would advise that you avoid the FX Dreamline variety or anything with the crappy shrouded barrel junk. The shrouded barrel might shoot small groups in a YouTube video but cannot be relied upon for a consistent point of aim over hours or days.

I have my HW100 in an AREON Chassis and it really makes the rifle.

I have a Diana 54 in 22 cal and a 34 in 117 and they are both super accurate for a springer, but more suited to hunting because they are independent of a charging system.

Me and a buddy both have HW100s and have little 177 PRS matches once in a while only out to about 70 yards, because we don't run them fast to keep the noise down.

 

[Fuj]

If i were to go that route, I'd do a tank lease from Welders Supply
like I do my Argon, Argon/CO2 tanks. I'd get Nitrogen. Every time
you need a fill, they just roll out another cyinder, that way you never
have to bother with tank inspection. I still have my scuba tanks, and
have to have a 5 year hydro test stamped on them to be filled by a
legit scuba shop. At home though, one of my long time diving partners
has the compressor and cascade system......If he still has it, I'll get a pic
of his air rifle errrrrr machine gun. Bought at auction, a 30 cal machine
gun look alike used at Fare arcades. It will spray 500 BB's a minute.

 

[divingin]

If i were to go that route, I'd do a tank lease from Welders Supply
like I do my Argon, Argon/CO2 tanks. I'd get Nitrogen. Every time
you need a fill, they just roll out another cyinder, that way you never
have to bother with tank inspection. I still have my scuba tanks, and
have to have a 5 year hydro test stamped on them to be filled by a
legit scuba shop. At home though, one of my long time diving partners
has the compressor and cascade system......If he still has it, I'll get a pic
of his air rifle errrrrr machine gun. Bought at auction, a 30 cal machine
gun look alike used at Fare arcades. It will spray 500 BB's a minute.

Most European airguns (and likely US made as well) use 200 Bar as a fill pressure. That equates to 2920psi. I don't know what the industrial cylinders are charged to, but ideally they should to be over that to a degree.

Even with a HP (3500psi) scuba tank, you'll be drawing off a bit of the pressure with each fill; you'll get partial fills on your airgun cylinder once your bulk tank drops below the airgun's max fill pressure.

There are newer (non-scuba rated) cylinders that have working pressures around 300 bar (4380psi), but they're small, pricey, and only recertifiable once or twice (at least last I looked.)

The small compressors sold through airgun shops are a little hinky IMO; the few people I know that have bought them invariably have them break. Parts are not exactly easy to find, either.

 

[markT]

Carbon fiber tanks can go to 4500 psi. An a nice pcp with a carbon fiber tank can be filled to 230 bar. Depending on fps/ pellet / slug you can expect 50-70 and sometime 90 shots per (gun) fill.

 

[7315br]

Here's my $.02 worth. There was a long discussion on this forum a while back about air rifles. A lot of good information...(some not so great in my opinion). There are some ways to get "somewhat" around the cost of a PCP set-up. Good springers like Jeff has aren't cheap either. If you stay mostly shooting targets with them...springers are great. They do take more discipline and ability to shoot well than PCP's. I'll give them that. If one hunts with air rifles like I do, then the PCP larger calibers (.25 caliber) are the way to go. I have SCBA (not scuba) 4500 PSI (66 cu ft) carbon fiber tanks I bought surplus. Paid $50 a piece for them. They had nine years left on the (15 year) manufacturer date. I just in the last month or so re-certed three of them for another five years (all passed). When that is over...the tanks are toast. At my age I may not even last that long...Lol! The tank re-cert cost a total of $35/each including a new supply of air. I get right at a 1000 shots on a tank before it needs re-filling. The refills are $18. That cost hasn't changed in four years. I do 2 or 3 re-fills every year. Ya don't necessarily need a compressor or to go buy a new air gun carbon fiber tank for $600 bucks! I hunt Sage Rats, Pigeons, and Jacks with mine primarily. A absolute blast at $.04/pellet! It works well to a 100 yds plus. I always take mine now on GS trips along with my 17 AH, 20 Mink and 20 VT. Also I'm not reloading cf so much anymore! It does make a huge difference in cost and just as much fun. 7315br

 

[snert]

Here's my $.02 worth. There was a long discussion on this forum a while back about air rifles. A lot of good information...(some not so great in my opinion). There are some ways to get "somewhat" around the cost of a PCP set-up. Good springers like Jeff has aren't cheap either. If you stay mostly shooting targets with them...springers are great. They do take more discipline and ability to shoot well than PCP's. I'll give them that. If one hunts with air rifles like I do, then the PCP larger calibers (.25 caliber) are the way to go. I have SCBA (not scuba) 4500 PSI (66 cu ft) carbon fiber tanks I bought surplus. Paid $50 a piece for them. They had nine years left on the (15 year) manufacturer date. I just in the last month or so re-certed three of them for another five years (all passed). When that is over...the tanks are toast. At my age I may not even last that long...Lol! The tank re-cert cost a total of $35/each including a new supply of air. I get right at a 1000 shots on a tank before it needs re-filling. The refills are $18. That cost hasn't changed in four years. I do 2 or 3 re-fills every year. Ya don't necessarily need a compressor or to go buy a new air gun carbon fiber tank for $600 bucks! I hunt Sage Rats, Pigeons, and Jacks with mine primarily. A absolute blast at $.04/pellet! It works well to a 100 yds plus. I always take mine now on GS trips along with my 17 AH, 20 Mink and 20 VT. Also I'm not reloading cf so much anymore! It does make a huge difference in cost and just as much fun. 7315br

What rifle, scope and pellet are you using for the above critters?

 

[justinp61]

I too shoot airguns, mostly older 10 meter rifles, all springers except for a Feinwerkbau 601 single stroke pneumatic. I also have a couple more powerful .177 springers, a Air Arms TX200 and a Diana 34. Both are great rifles and the TX200 is amazingly accurate when you learn how to shoot it.

Magnum springers like the Diana 48 or the 54 are known scope killers, they are also really heavy. I had a 48 in .22 and it was a hammer, but not a rifle that I packed around much.

I like my springers because I can grab the rifle, a tin of pellets and shoot till my little heart's content. My advice would be to check some of the airgun forums, if there are any complaints with the rifle you are interested in they will be posted along with the good. Better yet if there is a airgun shop near go by and check them out in person. Do your home work so there will be no buyers remorse, then have fun!

Justin

 

[CharlieNC]

Love my Diana RWS 54 "recoilless" Springer with the side cocking lever. This was my choice after much research, and it performs as expected. To me dealing with the PCP air charging paraphernalia is like loading, necessary but not the most fun. Freedom!

 

[7315br]

What rifle, scope and pellet are you using for the above critters?

Snert,

Mine is a FX .25 caliber Wildcat with a Discovery FFP HD 3-15x50 airgun scope (I like FFP scopes best for airgunning). I've never shot anything but the JSB .25 caliber 25.39 gr pellets (about 44 ft #'s of muzzle energy). Started with that pellet years ago and have stayed with it. Super accurate. Should work well on GH's and PD's at reasonable ranges in your part of the world. 7315br

 

[beemanjohn]

I charge my pcp with a little Hatsan 12 volt air compressor. It just clamps to a 12 volt battery with jumper cable like clamps. Now i'm not a guy who spends hours at the range in one time, I will charge my rifle 4 or 5 time per range trip, and so far it has worked like a champ. No tanks or bottles to tote around all the time. Takes around 3 or 4 min. to charge my gun. Just another way to go. ( costs around $375)

 

[JEFFPPC]

Sure beats paying insane prices for components if you can find them. Springer or PCP once the initial investment is made it's cheap shooting and just as satisfying as centerfire except I miss the hours spent cleaning guns and turning necks......NOT!

 

[justinp61]

Sure beats paying insane prices for components if you can find them. Springer or PCP once the initial investment is made it's cheap shooting and just as satisfying as centerfire except I miss the hours spent cleaning guns and turning necks......NOT!

So, you're not weight sorting and measuring head sizes yet? LOL

 

[JEFFPPC]

I shot numerous pellets in lots of groups to find what shot best for me. Consensus from what I read sorting and measuring does not come into play with springers even with world class shooters. No need to reinvent the wheel. Same with washing and lubing. No need if you buy quality pellets. Buy Daisy cheapies or bulk pack junk, you will need to at least wash and lube. Don't pick on me because I weigh primers, lol. For that I can make a logical argument.

 

[Adam in WI]

You're gonna have a left arm like Lou Ferrigno after cocking that springer 12 thousand times, Jeff...