Anyone shooting PCP air rifles? Looking to get started with one.

[longrange2]

I am thinking about picking up a mid range PCP like a Benjamin Marauder or Kratos, thinking .22 cal for the first one. The big hurdle for me is the air tank. The better air tanks can cost more than the rifle. Anyone shooting PCPs and have any tips on tanks and recharging the rifle without spending an arm and leg? Any places that can fill a 4500 psi tank? With the ongoing ammo shortage I don’t want to dip into my stockpile but pellets seem very available and not very expensive. I’ve got a few acres so I’ve got room to shoot, plus plenty of various varmints to whack.

[DFBrews]

Short reply on phone and moving about.

Paintball and scuba places can fill to 4500 same day turn around they also hydrostatic test tanks you bring in and sell used tanks. A 10 dollar full of a tank will fill your gun multiple times best part of pcp rifles is shooting pellets that weigh the same as a .22lr above 1000 fps

[BPTactical]

I have a Hatsan Gladius bull pup and a FX Dreamliner, both .22.
I can usually get 5 magazines through the FX before I recharge the tank. I can’t even remember when I filled the tank last. Don’t shoot the Hatsan much since I got the FX, probably going to sell it.
A buddy of mine has a compressor and fills my tank but like I said, it has been a long time.
How you tune the rifle has a lot to do with how much air you go through. Maximum power does not equate to maximum accuracy.
Careful, air guns are a deep and sometimes expensive rabbit hole to go down, especially if you like tinkering.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I have a handpump -- sort of like an overbuilt bicycle tire pump -- as well as an adapter that lets me fill cartridges from a scuba tank.

https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Air_Venturi_MK5_Pump_by_Hill_Hand_Pump_Up_to_4500_ PSI/9654
https://www.pyramydair.com/images/thumbnails/acc/PY-A-9654_Air-Venturi-MK5-pump_1599072911_d_400x300.jpg

[Irving]

What's the effective range on something like this? Sounds like a pretty awesome small game rifle.

[JethroBodine]

Pellet guns have come a long way since I was a kid and as BPTactical said it's a deep Rabbit hole if you choose to follow it, lol. One forum to look at would be GTA - Gateway To Airguns, another is Airgun Nation, both have a lot of info. As far as effective range it all depends on what you decide on, there many different calibers available and pellet choices, some even look like bullets instead of pellets. I've seen some youtube videos showing guys killing hogs with 22 cal PCP's. Granted it takes a while for them to die and shot placement is critical. There are some PCP's that have a hand pump built into the forearm like the Nova Freedom. You can pump up to 3000 psi with it and shoot up to 10 pellets before needing to pump again.

I've been away from air guns for a while but the Marauder has been around a long time. Which is a good thing, there are many improvements and replacement parts.

[00tec]

Anyone dieseling with them as well? Curious how it changes velocity as compared to dieseling a air piston rifle.

[BladesNBarrels]

Okay, you got me started down the rabbit hole:

https://i.imgur.com/bqVUTq9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mIK8oSL.jpg

[bradbn4]

Ok, I will bite

What is the cost of the compressor?

I have an old PCP setup with a small re-fill tank that I use to use on the farm.

I figure around 300 - 400 price range?

[O2HeN2]

Just in case no one knows, there's an air rifle specialty place just down I25 from most of us in Walsenburg called RL Airgun Supply (https://www.rlairgunsupply.com/).

Extremely knowledgeable folks, I've been buying locally for years, that's where I got my Air Force .25 caliber PCP rifle.


Sounds like a pretty awesome small game rifle.

Heck, you can go for larger game with an air rifle, the Air Force Texan (https://www.rlairgunsupply.com/AirForce-Texan-with-Carbon-Fiber-Tank-457-or-50-Cal-by-AirForce_p_47.html) is available in up to .50 caliber!

O2

Ps. Not all SCUBA shops can pump to 4500 PSI, but paintball shops can, and they're far more familiar with high-pressure and fiberglass/carbon fiber cylinders, too (which the SCUBA industry doesn't use).

[colorider]

I’ve been a PCP addict for a while. Started with a scuba tank. That lasted about a few months. Pain in the ass. Got a carbon fiber 4500psi “great white” instead. Much better. I’m down to one gun now. Hatsan Bullboss in 22cal. These things are a kick in the pants. Cheap to shoot, ungodly accurate, quiet, and they pack a serious schwack on small game. BP, hit me up when you want to sell your Gladius.

[longrange2]

I was initially looking at picking up a Benjamin Kratos in .22 but I am already down the rabbit hole! I am now considering an FX Crown or Impact in .22. The they both allow changing to .177, .25 and .30 cal as well with a simple barrel swap. Might as well go big and have a more versatile platform I can customize and tinker with. Great tip on the local vendor, thanks.

[newracer]

Compressors have come way down in price lately.

I have an older Marauder in .22 and it doesn't shoot very well, this was a known issue but I took a chance anyways. Hopefully a barrel replacement will correct it. The new ones shoot better, especially the model with the Lothar Walther barrel.

I have both SCUBA and SCBA tanks for filling. Filling is limited up here but in the metro area it shouldn't be a problem.

[O2HeN2]

I am now considering an FX Crown in .22.

I have a regulated FX Royale 500 Synthetic (https://fxairguns.com/rifles/the-royale-500/) in .25. Awesome rifle.

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/images/products/fx-roy500syn25.png

[longrange2]

Do the paintball shops typically have used carbon fiber tanks for sale? I know these tanks are typically only good for 15 years and some places won’t refill after that. I don’t know if the carbon fiber tanks can even be re-certified. Just looking to pick up a 4500 psi 70 to 80 cubic foot tank that doesn’t cost too much, although I’ll buy a new tank if I have to.

[XJ]

My bank account hates informative threads like this.

[oinco]

Anyone have a lead on a place that will charge scuba tanks for this?

[BPTactical]

Whatever you do DO NOT GO TO THIS WEBSITE https://utahairguns.com/

[newracer]

Another one to stay away from https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/

[longrange2]

Those are some radioactive links if you don’t want to spend money lol! Unfortunately I had already uncorked the containment on those.

[colorider]

Welcome my friends. It only takes one hit. http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?action=forum

and here is a wallet drainer.
https://www.pyramydair.com/

[Hoser]

I have an Anschutz 9003 and a small-ish scuba tank. I just shoot paper with it out to 20-25 meters so for me a scuba tank isnt a big deal.

It is scary accurate with good and bad pellets.

And shooting it with a suppressor makes it pretty damn quiet.

Getting in a little standing tripod practice in the basement.

https://i.imgur.com/FSBW720.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DnumGx1.jpg

[colorider]

If anyone is looking for a tank, I highly suggest this company. http://experthpa.com/cart/cart.php?m=product_list&c=12
Don’t mess around with cobbling up your own with crap off eBay. 4500psi isn’t something to go cheap on. Dangerous things can happen.

[longrange2]

I’m thinking I am going to purchase an FX Impact MKII in .22 cal. Easy to swap barrels to different lengths and cals.

[BPTactical]

I’m thinking I am going to purchase an FX Impact MKII in .22 cal. Easy to swap barrels to different lengths and cals.

That is one thing I like about the FX, easy barrel swaps.
One of my coworkers is an air gun guru, he played with mine and tuned it a bit. It is unbelievably accurate, at the old house the Mrs didn’t believe me I could nail a prairie dog in the eye.
Freaked her out that I called the shot.
I am running a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8 for an optic, it has done well.
Optics for air guns can be troublesome, air guns have a weird recoil impulse that can destroy an optic rated for a .50 BMG.
Make sure your optics are rated for an air unit.



Edit- I need to heed my own advice. I am trying to resist ordering a FX Dreampup but I am having a hard time with it.

[saltydecimator]

freakin obama tried to get me into these, since i alreayd have a shotgun, c-men xiden has me talked into a decent air rifle... starlihngs arent gonna suiced themselves!

B TAC, how many shots until you destroy the optic? i put like 5-10 shots through a crossman nitro fury with a nikon 1-4 uptop and it wouldn hold zero. rings mayb have slid, or it was destroyed...? thoughts?


also, deep money pits are ok right now with traditional arms/ ammo bein so expensive, i assume/hope? airstuff isnt so proportionally high?

[longrange2]

Well I jumped in with both feet and have an FX Maverick sniper .25 and Brocock .22 sniper HR on the way. Now I just need to find a good 4500 psi bottle and somewhere to get it filled. Looks like I have a bit of a learning curve to get over with PCPs.

[O2HeN2]

Paintball shops fill to 4500. Many SCUBA shops do not.

O2

[colorider]

A nitro piston will probably shake the guts out of a Nikon in a few dozen shots. Maybe more. Maybe less. It will happen.

[colorider]

Well I jumped in with both feet and have an FX Maverick sniper .25 and Brocock .22 sniper HR on the way. Now I just need to find a good 4500 psi bottle and somewhere to get it filled. Looks like I have a bit of a learning curve to get over with PCPs.

http://experthpa.com/cart/cart.php?m=product_list&c=12 (http://experthpa.com/cart/cart.php?m=product_list&c=12) TE. Get the Great White tank setup. Worth every dollar. I got one from them and never looked back. Scuba shops will fill the tank. Call first. Also try your local fire station. Many of them fill their scba tanks there

[longrange2]

I picked up a 98 cu ft tank, 4500 psi. I found one scuba shop off Santa Fe and Belleview that can do 4500 psi, especially early in the day after they have run their compressor and topped off their holding tank. They are not the cheapest but they did make sure I got the full 4,500 psi. It was $25. I will eventually get my own compressor.

[HunterCO]

Not an airgun guy but edgun leshliy youtube videos make me laugh table for one and he hammers the bastards. I understand if your in a city you have to resort to that but in my case I will just shoot them with a real gun. Hell he has more money in airguns than I can even imagine. 2k on a airgun? nope I will just build another ar.

[walkerwv]

They are Fun BUT Like a BOAT

[Hoser]

2k on a airgun? nope I will just build another ar.
Yeah but shooting a 223 in the basement would piss of my lovely bride and most likely get the attention of Law Enforcement.

[HunterCO]

Yeah but shooting a 223 in the basement would piss of my lovely bride and most likely get the attention of Law Enforcement.

I was going to say put a can on it but that would still not eliminate the fumes and lead hazard. I get the airgun thing and understand I have a couple of break opens one is rated at 1200 fps and that is bullshit it pushes about 850 on my chrony and if I diesel it i can hit 1100. The big bore guns are amazing watched videos of people taking big game with them. I can shoot out the window all day so I just dont have a use for airguns.

[longrange2]

Might not have a use for air guns now but when you can’t get ammo and primers the air guns will keep shooting. A pellet mold and some lead will keep you in ammo for a long time and also put food on the table if things get bad. I’d rather shoot powder burners but don’t mind having a few good air guns too.

[encorehunter]

I have a .22 break open that is very accurate. I hit a 75 yard gong that is 2"?4". I am getting ready to order 3 of the Daisy Avanti's for my boys. I trained with the Avanti's while growing up in 4H. After thousands of pellets, I can atest to training benefits of them.
One bad thing about my .22 air gun, even with the brake/suppressor or whatever it is, I may as well shoot a .22lr for as loud as it is.

[Hoser]

One bad thing about my .22 air gun, even with the brake/suppressor or whatever it is, I may as well shoot a .22lr for as loud as it is.

Yup. That is why I use a rimfire suppressor on mine.

[colorider]

My Hatsan bullboss with a custom “lead dust collector” and a de-pinger in the air cylinder is silent. All you hear is the hammer fall