Air rifle question

P

pyscodog

Active member
Our gun club has built a new building,(30x75') to accommodate rifle shooting in inclimate weather and also 10 meter silhouette air rifles indoors. So I have been looking at air rifles. My choices are Benjamin Marauder, Diana Outlaw, both in PCP and a Air Arms TX200 springer. The AA TX200 requires no air tank and is single shot, while the PCP's will require a filler tank. Both PCP rifles are repeaters with 10 or 11 shot clips. Problem with the Air Arms is it is out of stock and won't be available until March if then. The building isn't quite finished so waiting isn't a problem. I just can't really decide which way to go. Any thoughts? Also if you have one of the three for sale, I could be interested in purchasing.
 
Had the Marauder but liked the Discovery better! Easy trigger work + 2000 PSI fill makes it user friendly with a pump. Some spring rifles are accurate, but do require a new set of holds to master.. If you decide on one, get a air cylinder not the spring powered. (springs set! Use to make them) My last PCP was Hatsan AT44/10 in 22 cal, as was the Discorey & Marauder.. The Hatsan shot 18gr pellets @ 900 FPS & was the fastest of the 3 PCP's I owned.. Both the Marauder & Disco can be made to shoot harder if ya wanta to hunt with it.. The Disco is by far the lightest & mine would shoot 15gr pellets around 800 FPS & was very accurate.. Downside to the Disc was the plastic trigger! but you can get aftermarket steel. Didn't care for the ergonomics of the Marauder myself! The Hatsan was very heavy but a nice rifle..
Not sure where all you have looked, but check out air guns of Arizona..
 
A of A seems to have the best prices. I like the PCP because they are quieter but the springers don't require the additional cost of an air tank. My thought was the money saved on not buying an air tank would be better spent on a higher quality spring powered air rifle. But on a flip side, we shoot 20 rounds per stage and thats a lot of cocking. LOL!
 
You get the best accuracy from around 700 FPS from my experience.. I had a cheap Dual cal Beeman spring powered that would (after I got my hold down + a few mods) shoot as good as any out to 30 yrds. Also had the Benjamin trail air piston that was the worst shooting airgun I have ever owned! One thing for sure, if ya go into it with PCP & tank, regulator + mods, your gonna have alot of $$ in it.. With the Disco, you can try out the PCP world & still save a ton by using a hand pump.. Using Only 2000 PSI is not much of a chore to pump & the disco is very accurate.. IMO, Hill is the best hand pump! But there is nothing wrong with air ventura pumps neither. Another option (you may or not considered) just for indoor target that will get ya by much cheaper is CO2 powered.. These can also be very accurate as well.. Just not much good for hunting IMO.

I believe you have the right idea! If your going spring/air piston, get a quality rifle.. You wont regret it..
 
I have an old RWS 45,.177. I have been looking at PCP air guns for a while, I don’t want another springer.
I see mention of expensive. No brass,primers or powder needed. Take that into consideration even when things were what we called normal.
I would have an air tank if I ran across one. However, their are some quality compressors around for a decent price.
I figure to spend around $12-1800 on a .22PCP rig, excluding glass. All things considered for the long run, I see that as pretty cheap inertainment.
 
I looked at scuba tanks yesterday. A new aluminum tank was $174. Lots cheaper than a new carbon fiber but also heavier. But if you don't plan on dragging it with you all the time, the weight isn't a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: Coyote#1Had the Marauder but liked the Discovery better! Easy trigger work + 2000 PSI fill makes it user friendly with a pump. Some spring rifles are accurate, but do require a new set of holds to master.. If you decide on one, get a air cylinder not the spring powered. (springs set! Use to make them) My last PCP was Hatsan AT44/10 in 22 cal, as was the Discorey & Marauder.. The Hatsan shot 18gr pellets @ 900 FPS & was the fastest of the 3 PCP's I owned.. Both the Marauder & Disco can be made to shoot harder if ya wanta to hunt with it.. The Disco is by far the lightest & mine would shoot 15gr pellets around 800 FPS & was very accurate.. Downside to the Disc was the plastic trigger! but you can get aftermarket steel. Didn't care for the ergonomics of the Marauder myself! The Hatsan was very heavy but a nice rifle..
Not sure where all you have looked, but check out air guns of Arizona..

Good advice
The TX200 has a good history.
Some guys have a hard time consistently getting the so called military hold for a springer.
Consistency is important in all phases including seating the pellet, and you must be specific about cleaners and lubes, also to prevent dieseling.
Springers can be scope killers and require attention to quality airgun rated stuff with proper install and maintenance.
I have fried expensive scopes in as little as one shot.
PCP's are expensive with tanks and fillers, pumps(hand and power) or finding a shop(air gun or scuba) to fill the tank.
Some places charge for certified tank inspection and have a liability release form.
A friend at the fire station can help out.
Pcp's can also be very accurate with point and shoot repeat.
Not so hard to hold or as hard on scopes/mounts.
I used to shoot Korean pellets or get cases of crosman premiers from the same die lot.
My pcp will group .329, and ran about 20,000 pellets before requiring a new exhaust valve which in part may have been caused by overcharging air pressure.
You will quickly learn how many full power shots available per fill.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3Originally Posted By: Coyote#1Had the Marauder but liked the Discovery better! Easy trigger work + 2000 PSI fill makes it user friendly with a pump. Some spring rifles are accurate, but do require a new set of holds to master.. If you decide on one, get a air cylinder not the spring powered. (springs set! Use to make them) My last PCP was Hatsan AT44/10 in 22 cal, as was the Discorey & Marauder.. The Hatsan shot 18gr pellets @ 900 FPS & was the fastest of the 3 PCP's I owned.. Both the Marauder & Disco can be made to shoot harder if ya wanta to hunt with it.. The Disco is by far the lightest & mine would shoot 15gr pellets around 800 FPS & was very accurate.. Downside to the Disc was the plastic trigger! but you can get aftermarket steel. Didn't care for the ergonomics of the Marauder myself! The Hatsan was very heavy but a nice rifle..
Not sure where all you have looked, but check out air guns of Arizona..



Good advice
The TX200 has a good history.
Some guys have a hard time consistently getting the so called military hold for a springer.
Consistency is important in all phases including seating the pellet, and you must be specific about cleaners and lubes, also to prevent dieseling.
Springers can be scope killers and require attention to quality airgun rated stuff with proper install and maintenance.
I have fried expensive scopes in as little as one shot.
PCP's are expensive with tanks and fillers, pumps(hand and power) or finding a shop(air gun or scuba) to fill the tank.
Some places charge for certified tank inspection and have a liability release form.
A friend at the fire station can help out.
Pcp's can also be very accurate with point and shoot repeat.
Not so hard to hold or as hard on scopes/mounts.
I used to shoot Korean pellets or get cases of crosman premiers from the same die lot.
My pcp will group .329, and ran about 20,000 pellets before requiring a new exhaust valve which in part may have been caused by overcharging air pressure.
You will quickly learn how many full power shots available per fill.

Crossman pellets! yea I had forgotten about them.. good advice there.. It's ridiculous what they ask for lead! So when you start buying premium pellets, you will be looking for alternative way to practice cheaper.. If its paper punching, you may want the wad cutter! they are cheaper (can be weighed) and leave nice rnd hole that's easier to see... Also, he's not kidding about springers! The Benjamin trail I mentioned ruined 3 scopes that was supposedly rated for spring piston.. The Beeman dual cal though was relatively easy on scopes... I've been out of the airgun world for about 5yrs now, so don't really have any suggestion as far as scopes..

Best of luck..
 
Originally Posted By: rkiteProbably not an option for target shooting but a PCP with a built in pump --> Seneca Aspen PCP Air Rifle.

Like you, not sure how the Aspen would be for target shooting. Its a timed event and not a lot of extra time for pumping but for a hunting rifle I think it would be great. No tank to haul and the accuracy looked really good as well. And at $300, it looks like a decent price also.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogOur gun club has built a new building,(30x75') to accommodate rifle shooting in inclimate weather and also 10 meter silhouette air rifles indoors. So I have been looking at air rifles. My choices are Benjamin Marauder, Diana Outlaw, both in PCP and a Air Arms TX200 springer. The AA TX200 requires no air tank and is single shot, while the PCP's will require a filler tank. Both PCP rifles are repeaters with 10 or 11 shot clips. Problem with the Air Arms is it is out of stock and won't be available until March if then. The building isn't quite finished so waiting isn't a problem. I just can't really decide which way to go. Any thoughts? Also if you have one of the three for sale, I could be interested in purchasing.


I have really nice TX200 walnut stock mint condition....But I live in UK England so posting would be out of the question.

That said I would go PCP every day of the week, quite recoilless super accurate.
I run FX Impact and Dreamline I have Theoben Rapid Seven and Daystate all PCP.
The effort of cocking springers lost it's magic for me in 1986 when I bought Galway Field Master one of the first pcp's available in England at the time made by Ken Galway of Leicester.
Hope this helps.
 
If I was going springer the TX200 would be on the top of the list. And it still might be. LOL, as slow as they are working getting the new building built it looks like there's no hurry. But the PCP sure makes it a lot easier on an old fart like me.
 
Go with a pcp.
Look at the Air Arms pcp rifles.
There very accurate.
But a Maurader with a luther walter barrel is no slouch either.
Airforce also shoots great.
Buy a used scott carbon tank off of evilbay and get a compressor.
Check out pyramid air.
Shoot Jsb pellets and you will be golden.
 


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