Interesting thread. The first "adult" air gun I shot (a few years ago) was an FX Impact M3. A dude at the range had it. (I was there shooting powder burners.) I was super-impressed. It looked cool. He let me shoot it. I put 5 pellets in one hole at 25 yards. Super-quiet. I thought, "I want one!"
Then I learned it was $2100 just for the rifle! It's not that I can't ever spend that on a rifle. But I can't justify it as my first air rifle. That's almost as much as I paid for my FNH SCAR-16S.
A few years later and a couple of weeks ago, I got my first grown-up air rifle, the Marauder F&T (Lothar barrel). For about $2100, I got the rifle ($780), a good scope, a fill tank, some extra magazines, and several tins of pellets.
I've seen the "your mileage may vary" reviews of the FX rifles. And I've had my Marauder at the range only twice so far. I'm still learning how to "air gun." It's definitely different. And fun. But given that I have done nothing to the rifle, and I'm still figuring out which pellets it likes... I've been very impressed with the performance (and "bang for the buck") of the Marauder. I really like it!
Some "cherry picked" targets on my 2nd range outing ever with the Marauder. I figure I'll get even better with it.
So.... I think I still eventually want an FX. Or do I???
But I also don't want to be disappointed.
For that much more money, I'd expect that much more performance. How much better will it be?
One thing I've learned in the precision powder burner world, is that a good shooter with an economy rig will do better than a not-so-good shooter with the "best" rig money can buy. My Ruger Precision Rifle (very much an "econo" precision rifle),
in my hands, will consistently shoot sub-1/2 MOA out to 300 yards with factory ammo. Here's a 1/2-MOA group WITH the "flyer!"
.
I've said this on this forum before but I'll say it again, they are so practical/functional along with the versatility you can't beat them. Anyone who had taken a shop class (they still have them?) in school can work on them
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