1st , I would have kept the Daystae 13mm ! Yes I should have done that rather than letting it get left in a dump. Live and learn.
I couldnt really have started with a compressor as the lowest cost unit was right at $4,000 - I checked-.
Ramble on................
The Daystate was first, tagged Grizzly with it, ODD gizmo !!! SCARY ! NO powder, no real idea and a Bear. But, way cool! Job ended & forgotten.
Needed a Shoulder rebuilt and wanted to keep shooting "rifles" for 100m during rehab, Uncle Al came over with a magazine and said " look powerful airguns you can still shoot them, an airgun cant recoil".
I had a Fire 201 9mm in day's from ARS. , fun, the little misses shot a full six pack of purple soda the first time I left the House and said " this one is mine you need to get another one". Off to a fine start. Oh ya original yellow Hill hand pump. Got the career 707 2 weeks later. Fun. Learned to keep the ES down using the power wheel at 50 yards, NO chrony, a couple of thousand shots to learn it, then solid Pelletman ammo, helium just to see what that did, .... ..... .
Around then the first 2 Internet airgun ( US )forums showed up, joy! Other people, nice. Even met 1 local down in Sarasota. Offered my a springer that you cocked three times ( ??? ) and had extra barrels & such, all for ONLY $1,140. I passed on that Whiscombe only due to ignorance, now that I've used a few, I should have purchased that.
THE thing to do different----------------------
GET TO a MATCH!
MEET others!
You learn more in one day than in years of reading. I have fired nearly every FT/BR and target rifle ever made now, everything from a Park ( Parks?) with chain drive to a Thomas, also others like the D.A.Q. 458, Talon, 100 year old airgun , home made airguns, proto-type aurguns, got to look though about every scope made, heard SOP many correct tips and tricks, lown down on what's coming next, who does exactly what tuning ............ .
It was ALL fun however I very likely would have purchase somewhere around 100 less airguns. Which brings it down to about 25 I REALLY liked and the 6 that are now "keepers"( more or less, might betalked out of one).
I would,
Get to a match.
Go to an airgun show - hopefully with shooting
Get with other people who have been intio airguns longer than ones self.
And,
Buy more pellets.
John