PCP Setup for under $1K

[brianr23]

Want to move into PCP rifles. Here are the parameters:
1. .22 or .25 cal
2. 40+ ft/lb
3. Backyard friendly or easy to make that way
4. Must include a way to charge the rifle. Tank or pump ect
5. Accurate to at least 40 yards.
6. Must be availabe to buy. (No "find a used XXXX)
7. shot per fill not important
8. doesnt have to be a repeater
9. No get XX rifle and get it tuned stuff or buy these after market parts and install.

I am asking a lot but if it wasnt I probably would have found it. I am interested in experience with PCPs. Like dont get a pump or you need more than $1k to get a comfortable rifle and fill system. Thanks

 

[JohnKSa]

This won't meet the energy level specification.

.22 Caliber Benjamin Discovery and Hand Pump -- $420
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Discovery_Rifle_Pump/1534/2804

I'm curious about your energy spec. What will you be using the rifle for that calls for more than 40ft/lbs of energy?

 

[gspn]

I bought:

Benjamin Marauder
pump
UTG 4-16x50 scope
scope rings
pellets

All for around $800 I think. It was certainly under $1,000. I've done nothing to "tune" it...just shooting it straight out of the box and it's super accurate and super quiet.

I set up a target at 30 yards one day and just shot until my group opened up. I got 57 shots before I noticed any difference in accuracy from low pressure.

It wasn't cheap...and I'm extremely happy with the "straight out of the box" performance. I doubt I'll ever adjust or "tune" it...it's awesome the way it is.

As for quiet, I had some friends over last week. The husband wanted to shoot the Marauder. We stepped from the kitchen to the laundry room to shoot while the ladies talked...we were maybe 10 or 15 feet away.

We shot a few times and came back through the kitchen to put the gun away. His wife asked "Aren't you going to shoot?" She simply hadn't heard it from 15 feet away during normal conversation. It's a very quiet gun.

I bought the gun to solve a squirrel problem. At 30 yards the pellets will cruise right through a squirrels head and make a heavy impact with the fence another 15 or 20 yards beyond. It's so quiet and effective that one morning on the way out the door to work I killed three squirrels in 15 seconds, all with head shots, at distances ranging from 15 to 30 yards. Very quiet, very quick to the next shot. So quiet the second and third squirrels both stuck around to get their own lead-sandwich.

I use the pump, and have no problems with it. With a little technique it's pretty easy. If I was shooting competitions, or shooting a LOT, then I'd probably get a tank to refill. I shot a whole ton right at first, but now my shooting has leveled off to a very easy pace to handle with the pump.

I own a bunch of guns...everything from .22 pistols to the big end of the magnum handgun spectrum, rifles, shotguns, I hunt everything within 2,000 miles of me...and the Marauder is ALWAYS at the front of the gun safe. I shoot it all the time, everyone loves it.

 

[jmorris]

I have a Discovery .22 (quite loud) and Marauder in .25 and had a .22 marauder for a few days (thought I might get lucky but didn't) Crossman outsources the .25 barrels and they are better by many opinions.

This is an "out of the box" 24 shot group from a single fill with my .25 mrod from 25 yards, along with chronographed speeds and pressures (every 8 rounds).



If it's not too windy it will shoot 1 3/8", 8 shots at 100 yards with Benjamin pellets.

This is a video of it running my small plate rack at 60 yards (while I am holding the camera too) the first 4 plates are 2" diameter, 2nd 4 are 4"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bhr0cGrEa4

Set in a solid rest this is a wire nut hit at 60 yards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1L4EJAcnhY


Looks like a .25 marauder runs just under $460 to your door now without optics and a hand pump will add another $170 these days.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Benjamin-Marauder-PCP-25-Cal-Airgun-with-Synthetic-Stock/29329676

I will say filling a PCP to 2000psi is not a lot of fun with a hand pump and caused me to shoot much less when filling to 3000psi manually.

I have several different means of filling them now but this one would be the cheapest way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVoZzBGBhs

 

[jmorris]

If you just want something quite you won't beat a suppressed .22 for the money or sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srXMYpYFZ8c

 

[redneck]

For $50 you can stick a TKO muzzle brake on a Benjamin discovery and the pellet hitting the target will make more noise than the gun. I put one on mine and accuracy is still great and you can hear the pellet smack a squirrel at 30 yards.

 

[brianr23]

I find that a lot of folks are very happy with their Marauders. I was looking for a little bit more energy but it seems to be the best option.

Cant do a powder burner with suppressor. Also tried aguila colobri .22 but accuracy is terrible past 20 Yards and power is to low.

I have a .22 air rifle suitable for small varmints and nuissance animals (12 ft-lb). 40 ft-lbs is for the coyote or bobcats that will make a lunch out of my dog. There is 120 acres of woods behind the house and we get all kinds of critters including hogs and turkey.

Package doesnt need to include scope and rings. Should have mentioned that.

How about filling? What do folks recommend?

 

[jmorris]

Just my opinion but I would want something with more energy for coyotes myself and wouldn't consider the .25 for hogs either.

The .25 is my most powerful air gun, not counting my bowling ball cannon, so I don't have hands on with any of the other choices but the Sam Yang rifles could be in your budget and bring much more power to the equation.

Might try the question here, lot more air gun folks.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?board=12.0

As for filling you can:

hand pump
Automate a hand pump
Get a tank and have it filled
Get a tank and fill it yourself with a booster or compressor

Prices for the above start around $150 and can go over $1000 depending on what you pick.
This might be the best bang for the buck right now, if you have a local business that fills to 4500psi.
http://www.topgun-airguns.com/SCBA-tank-with-adapter_p_94.html

This place is the best resource I have come across to locate a "filling station".
http://www.warpig.com/forums/fields/index.shtml

 

[Crawfish1]

Marauder is the way to go for a new PCP in your price range. I have no problems with the one I shoot in .22. Mine is very quiet and has been very reliable. The newer models come composite or wood. I have a older wood one with lots of pellets thru it.

If you are going to shoot in volume a 4500 psi steel tank with a Cga adapter comes in handy. I would not get a .25 unless you want to hunt or have a good budget for pellets. I was able to order tins of 500 Crosman Magnums in .22 for around $5.00 shipped this summer. I bought 75 tins at that price.


Most .25 pellets would have cost me three times as much or more. For some reason this summer .177 have been creeping up in cost also. .22 has been the most economical choice for me this summer. Typically it is .177

If quiet is negotiable and you can settle for a high quality used bull pup . Look at the Bobcat by FX. Lots of fun. Oops broke rule number six.
Back to the Marauder they use ten round magazines. Typically you will get 30 to 50 usable shots per fill. It all depends on how you tune yours. I would order four magazines so your air matches your pellet count.

 

[jmorris]

The first marauder I had was a .22 but it was not even as accurate as my 35 year old Benjamin 342 at 25 yards. I really wanted a .22 because that is what most of my other pellet guns are and I have the best selection of pellets in that caliber.

I reluctantly switched to the 25 because of reports it had greater accuracy and that turned out to be the case. I'll pay a few dollars more for the pellets no problem a bigger concern for me is to not pay attention and run out of pellets you can run to Walmart and pick up .25's, have to remember to order them before you need them.

In any case a .22 would be going even further away from what I would want in energy for coyotes.

 

[brianr23]

Well after everything and research I believe that I am going to go with the Hatasan AT-44 Long QE. Quite and powerful and should do the trick.

 

[jmorris]

Post a follow up once you get it.