Have been looking at AEA , because the are an entry level gun. Looking to stay in the .3 to .4 cal range. Looking for recommendations.
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AEA Just looking , new member. Too many choices.
- Thread starter kmbtjm
- Start date
I really did not have a good experience with the guns at all. I was very psyched at first about the HP Max 357 but it was nothing but trouble. ended up exchanging it for another with the same problems and then for a .25 semi auto that holds air at least (but jams up with most pellets and has already had a valve pin failure).
I think this brand would be excellent for somebody who likes to work on airguns because some people have written glowing reports of these and found alternative parts or tricks for getting them to function without repeated failures.
With this brand I would say to go for the lowest caliber/power that meets your needs and avoid semi-auto which is unreliable, very pellet picky and prone to jams.
Also the valves are poory designed so you want to buy a handful of extra valve pins or valve seats (depending on the model) so you don’t have to wait for shipping every time it fails. some models have a metal poppet sealing against a plastic seat. Others have a plastic poppet.
I would say go for the most simple possible gun - unregulated, non-semi - and don’t try to squeeze more power out if it… also get a single shot tray because the magazines are… well… not the best.. you will see if you get one. They are the self-indexing kind and work, but the least thoughtfully designed i have used: no “shots remaining” counter, and it doesn’t stop the bolt when it’s empty, so you either have to count or wait until it dry fires to know when to change the magazine.
Honestly, I’m just getting started but enough is enough. I guess you can direct message me if you have any questions about my experiences.
I think this brand would be excellent for somebody who likes to work on airguns because some people have written glowing reports of these and found alternative parts or tricks for getting them to function without repeated failures.
With this brand I would say to go for the lowest caliber/power that meets your needs and avoid semi-auto which is unreliable, very pellet picky and prone to jams.
Also the valves are poory designed so you want to buy a handful of extra valve pins or valve seats (depending on the model) so you don’t have to wait for shipping every time it fails. some models have a metal poppet sealing against a plastic seat. Others have a plastic poppet.
I would say go for the most simple possible gun - unregulated, non-semi - and don’t try to squeeze more power out if it… also get a single shot tray because the magazines are… well… not the best.. you will see if you get one. They are the self-indexing kind and work, but the least thoughtfully designed i have used: no “shots remaining” counter, and it doesn’t stop the bolt when it’s empty, so you either have to count or wait until it dry fires to know when to change the magazine.
Honestly, I’m just getting started but enough is enough. I guess you can direct message me if you have any questions about my experiences.
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Seen some success and not. Ive had a couple of .25 and they were just fine, no issues and more power than I knew what to do with. I think your options are very limited above .25 anyway. Get one and try it. They aren't too pricy.
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What are you looking to hunt with the gun ? The gauntlet 2 SL .30 would be a far better choice in my opinion than anything AEA. Lots of power and reviews seem to show great accuracy.
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You probably want to go into big bore. It seems AEA makes them more reliable than semi-autos. Once I took my .51 Challenger apart and reassembled it properly, with Loctite on all bolts, it stays together. In fact, it didn't give me a single failure in like 300 slugs shot.
The only real problem was the barrel... https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/shot-my-510-challenger-bullpup.1297761/page-2
The only real problem was the barrel... https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/shot-my-510-challenger-bullpup.1297761/page-2
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The Challenger series, bullpup or conventional are a place to start for a .30 caliber hunting rifle. Power is up to 250 ft/lb with heavy slugs in the 32 inch barrel and accuracy is good with 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards... But the gun needs a little work to get from entry level to good and you'll need to order .303 diameter slugs from AVS since he makes the heavy ones. I recommend the bullpup version with 32" barrel since it would be too long with a suppressor in the conventional stock. I've been working on one of these for my 35 year old son and started a thread about the mods I've done to it to make it better. https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/post-your-aea-challenger-mods-not-pro-version.1303511/
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Just wanted to add that the Challenger.30 cal 32 inch has 2-3 times the power of regulated airguns and makes a good deer gun. The regulated guns are good for small game and head shots on pigs.
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In South Carolina it's .30 caliber minimum with no power level specified. I wouldn't hesitate to take a 100yd shot behind the shoulder on a deer with the challenger .30 at full power using a 100 grain+ slug. For me the .30 is better than the big bores because it has enough power, shoots flatter, is much lighter and more versatile. My son had the .50 bullpup and traded it for the .30 he's much happier with this one.
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Also I don't think the larger caliber challengers have threads for a suppressor. The .30 is threaded 1/2"unf.
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They come shrouded, with 3 baffles inside. Not a real suppressor, but it is definitely not as loud as with the shroud taken off. Still need to protect ears though.
51 is a beast of an air gun. 4300 PSI, 300 gr slug, 950+ FPS.
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I was originally looking at the Gauntlet gen 2 or the 30. But saw the AEA's and they were compact and thought maybe that would be a better fit. They had the power. I have seen some have had issues and others haven't. I see they have a gen 2 terminator .357... Just getting in the PCP and still looking. Maybe I can find a good used one and play with it... Thanks for some insight ..
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Don't do it. If you wonder why I say that, take a look at the AEA Facebook page. It's nothing but people asking about parts to replace what broke on their gun. Those things should be disposable at this point. There's made in China and then there is AEA made in China.
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My AEA HP SS has been very unreliable in semiauto action.
I converted it to bolt action and it's almost ok, but not good enough.
My 2 Notos,, at half the price, are far more accurate, with much longer useable shot strings.
I also had an AEA Challenger Pro .22 cal, a lot of power, with a very bad trigger, an ugly and unbalanced chunk of metal.
I sold the Challenger Pro.
What is the point of extreme power and poor accuracy (very bad/heavy/single stage trigger) ?
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I’ve said it before, but I have gamo, hatsan, airforce, webley, crosman, evanix and kral guns. All of these together over the time that i have owned them have had a faction of the issues that any one of the aea’s i ended up with had within the first month of ownership.
Out of all those together, the only issue was a poorly centered plastic shroud on a gamo magnum that resulted in a baffle strike. My hp max 357 no.1 had the following:
1. A temporary part underneath the gauge was prone to failure and i was told needed to be replaced (a “recall “ if you will).
2. Weirdest crown i have ever seen - rough, deep and shallow angle more like a breach.
3. Leaked from the barrel after a tin or two, due to a deformed/broken plastic valve seat. ordered the part. Replaced it, it worked for a couple of tins. Leaked again. I sent it in. Came back holding air but started leaking from the check valve at the fill port.
That’s gun number one. I had to do an exchange because after I bought it couple of months passed before I was able to shoot more than a mag or two through it. Gun number two was no better.
Out of all those together, the only issue was a poorly centered plastic shroud on a gamo magnum that resulted in a baffle strike. My hp max 357 no.1 had the following:
1. A temporary part underneath the gauge was prone to failure and i was told needed to be replaced (a “recall “ if you will).
2. Weirdest crown i have ever seen - rough, deep and shallow angle more like a breach.
3. Leaked from the barrel after a tin or two, due to a deformed/broken plastic valve seat. ordered the part. Replaced it, it worked for a couple of tins. Leaked again. I sent it in. Came back holding air but started leaking from the check valve at the fill port.
That’s gun number one. I had to do an exchange because after I bought it couple of months passed before I was able to shoot more than a mag or two through it. Gun number two was no better.
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You are lucky, since you trigger did not fail on your AEA.
My AEA HP SS had pellets getting in the trigger area (in semiauto action or with bad magazines).
When my AEA HP SS trigger failed for the first time I had no clue that there is still a pellet in the barrel.
And the result was a hole in a window, and then almost a thousand to replace it,
This is the most dangerous air gun I have ever owned,
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Ended up getting a Hatsan Blitz 30 Cal .... Next will be compressor, scope and eventually a AEA HP MAX .357...
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