Airforce Texan Carbine

I hunt deer and hogs with the .457 Carbine CF with the TX2 valve. I'm getting about 470 foot pounds with a 300 grain Mr. Hollowpoint round. I like the rifle, but there are a few things I have noticed.

1. You are going to need to keep it oiled on the outside. Of course any gun should be cleaned - that's a given. But I was a little disappointed to have had it less than a week and some of the exterior screw heads and pin joints were already rusting. I got the rifle in August and went stalking hogs with it in the south Georgia swamps as soon as small game season opened last August 15. Needless to say, there was copious sweating involved in stalking the swamps in August, and though I wiped it down when I got home, that sweat had started the small screw heads and pins rusting by the following morning.So keep a little oil on those.

2. While it is wonderfully light and maneuverable in the thick stuff, the ergonomics on the Texan are just horrible. It just feels weird. The handle is too small, making it uncomfortable to get the tip of your finger on the trigger, so I end up often pulling the trigger with the middle of my finger. My range instructor in basic would have chewed me a new one for shooting like that, but it pretty much forces you to do so. The "stock" is both too short and too high. You have to use extra high rings or a riser on your scope if you don't want to be cocking our head sideways to get your eye to line up, and the length of pull really needs about another 3" for me - and I'm only 5'8". I can't imagine how awkward it would feel to a much taller person.

3. Effective hunting range on large game is going to be about 80 yards max. Sure, you may be able to hit something farther out, but killing it may be another story. I have my scope zeroed in at 50 yards, and with the scope magnification cranked up to 9 it is a 3.6 mill drop between 50 and 80 yards. It's a big, slow bullet with a trajectory like a soft ball out at range. The good news is that it will punch right through leaves and twigs at closer range in the thick stuff.

The accuracy seems to be good. I know where it is going to hit at the ranges I hunt. The power is there for an air rifle, though sometimes I wish I had the extra 10" of barrel for deer. Altogether a good gun for hunting in tight, but badly in need of an aftermarket stock with a better handle.
 
Yep the screw heads show rust quickly. I have a Maddog stock to install on my carbine when I get a chance that should improve the handling . I run a Wraith scope on mine for night time hogs. Set mine up for 50yd zero and shoot it at 75yd to see how much drop. Pigs are out to 50, yotes and coons are shot out to 75. Haven’t had a chance to take any deer with it yet.