- The AGN App is ready! Search "Airgun Nation" in your App store. To compliment this new tech we've assigned the "Threads" Feed & "Dark" Mode. To revert back click HERE.
Cheap vs expensive PCP's
- Thread starter Cody01
- Start date
If you want to know how the less expensive guns shoot it would be worthwhile to review scores at the 30 yard challenge - a thread in this forum. Last I looked none of the less expensive guns had shot a perfect 200 but plenty posted over 190 targets, better than some of the expensive guns. In my experience not every inexpensive gun will do this but it isn't that uncommon either. I have 1 of my 5 over 190 and 2 more up in the mid-180s. Most of these scores were shot with no more than 16X. I just bought a higher powered scope and hope to improve these a little.
I'd rather shoot a 195 with a <$500 gun with a under $200 scope than a 200 with a $2,000 dollar gun with a $500 scope. But I still hope one of my "cheap" guns and scopes gets me to a 200. I'm still learning and I am also at least as much of a limitation as my guns and scopes.
I'd rather shoot a 195 with a <$500 gun with a under $200 scope than a 200 with a $2,000 dollar gun with a $500 scope. But I still hope one of my "cheap" guns and scopes gets me to a 200. I'm still learning and I am also at least as much of a limitation as my guns and scopes.
Upvote 0
Well I aas originally going to focusing on a mix of gopher control in an urban enviroment mixed with somw backyard target practice. Then it dawned on me that many people in my local area would likely get into this as well. People in Montana are heavy on firearm ownership as I am too. BUT, there seems to be an awful lot of missed oppertunity to shoot rodents as well as backyard target practice in general so I am really considering diving in with both feet and doing a part time dealership with absolutely no prior history. I am days from placing my order and will spend about a month getting myself familiar with everything before I actually start advertising. Kind of crazy but I have a good feeling about it. I feel like regulated is a must because unregulated would be too potent for backyard usage.
Upvote 0
That is a huge missconception, unregulated is actually esier to tune down to low speeds in a hurry.
often I turn one of my powerful .25s or .22s ( I have no more .22s ) to low power and usually only have to fill them to 150 BAR
Last edited:
Upvote 0
The Cayden I bought was unregulated and has an excellent shot string. Hell, for most of us, who are just getting into PCP airguns, we can't even tell the difference in most cases.
I recommend the Cayden to anyone for a first PCP as it impressed the heck out of me for accuracy and shot count. I still enjoy shooting it.
Keep in mind, in every hobby/sport, there are the 10% hardcore members who get into the weeds/Minutia, the other 90% are simple end users who may or may not ever get into that 10% and are happy to just enjoy things on a simpler level. And just go out and shoot and have fun.
I recommend the Cayden to anyone for a first PCP as it impressed the heck out of me for accuracy and shot count. I still enjoy shooting it.
Keep in mind, in every hobby/sport, there are the 10% hardcore members who get into the weeds/Minutia, the other 90% are simple end users who may or may not ever get into that 10% and are happy to just enjoy things on a simpler level. And just go out and shoot and have fun.
Upvote 0
Well I am not sure I agree with that. I used to be into RC racing and other RCs too. With a local hobby shop it was very very easy for most people who went through the doors there to end up spending a solid $2,000-3,000 a year there and the cars were junked out within months of initial purchase. Most hobbies will eat money up pretty easy. I don't know many who limit themselves to around $500 on a hobby because that would be almost impossible.
Upvote 0
My Cayden is shooting right at an inch at 100 yards with NSA 17.5 slugs. The only downside is the fact that it's a big heavy gun. That's not actually a downside when it comes to long range accuracy though.
Upvote 0
I used to be into RC cars, way back before I had much of an income. Bought a radio control plane too. Don’t have any of that stuff now…
I don’t have a 22 cal air rifle but I think that‘s a great place to start with pcp’s. It will trump the .177 for the hunting you are talking about but won’t send you to the poor house as quickly as the larger calibers when you want to plink and target practice. It might still get you there (the poor house) but you’ll have more play time until you do. lol I’m working my way back to a 22 but I’m keeping the .25. May get rid of my .177’s though.
Upvote 0
You get a Cayden,$(500) a$100 scope, a $50 pump and $25 worth of Crossman 14.3 gr HP pellets and then come on back here and we'll talk
Upvote 0
@madeintheuk said it best, the barrel lottery is the biggest thing, some are right and good out of the box, some aren't but YOU CAN polish them up manually and there are plenty of tutorials out there
I just bought a brand new Marauder and its proving to be pretty great out to 100 yards so far (thats the max I would shoot this) with just JSB 25.39 pellets.
It lacks things my higher end PCPs don't but, I would never fault it as it cost a 3rd of what some of mine did.
Upvote 0
D
Deleted member 48013
Guest
Having got fed up with critters digging around in my suburban yard, I thought and air rifle might be the ticket and started looking into them. Saw some around $300 or so and thought that's not bad at all. They were springers. Researched some more and decided they looked fragile and accuracy may not be so good. Then I saw PCP's, nice cool looking guns, plenty of power. Decided I may as well get something higher end. So I ended up putting about $2,400 into a Wildcat MK3, scope, silencer, bi-pod, hand pump, and a few other accessories. I don't regret jumping in the higher end stuff. But the hand pump sucks.
Upvote 0
Well as far as unregulated. The Escape ss is very quiet and I can tune it down rather quickly with a roll of the wheel. At just about full power it is quiet. My neighbors don't know I am using it unless they see me with it. without the shroud on it it is loud. But so is my regulated Ataman. That's why I got a silencer on it. now it is extremally quiet. I hear the report of the pellet hitting louder than the discharge of air.
Upvote 0
I've been hand pumping since I got my first pcp over 25 years ago. I currently own 10. I'm 53 and my wife was just complimenting my physique yesterday. A little physical exertion is good for you.It’s such a good upper body work out though!
Upvote 0
My only unregulated PCP is also my lowest fpe PCP, a Benjamin Marauder Pistol (Prod). They are simpler and great fun. The key disadvantage is they will not get as long a string with a given velocity variation. A regulated PCP can give you a longer string with 20 fps variation, in other words. The longer string is certainly useful but it does not mean an unregulated cannot give you a useful string with very velocity variation such as you might want for target shooting. For a lot of purposes, a little more variation in the velocity is not such a big deal and the unregulated gun will give you a nice long string without the additional complication of the regulator.
I own 4 regulated PCPs and only one unregulated so I obviously like regulated guns. I think they are easier to tune. With my Prod, I had to shoot strings of shots to see the results of a change in tune, like a bigger transfer port or a higher hammer spring setting. With the 66cc air capacity of the Prod it was not a long string but it wasn't 5 shots either. With my regulated guns, I know in just a few shots what a regulator change or a hammer spring change has done to my velocity. 1 shot tells me a lot. But on three of my guns changing the regulator means taking the gun apart. I don't think regulated guns are better or worse than unregulated. I bought my Avenger to get a regulated guns but I bought my 3 P35s because I like their size and weight and I find them to be a lot of fun to shoot. I don't mind that they are regulated but I would probably have still purchased them if they were not.
I'm trying to say that regulation is just one factor in buying an air rifle. I prefer regulated guns but I would certainly buy another unregulated gun if I liked other aspects of it. Like if a Turkish supplier ever makes a reasonable weight gun (6 lbs or less) with a pretty walnut stock, it wouldn't have to be regulated to be attractive for instance.
I own 4 regulated PCPs and only one unregulated so I obviously like regulated guns. I think they are easier to tune. With my Prod, I had to shoot strings of shots to see the results of a change in tune, like a bigger transfer port or a higher hammer spring setting. With the 66cc air capacity of the Prod it was not a long string but it wasn't 5 shots either. With my regulated guns, I know in just a few shots what a regulator change or a hammer spring change has done to my velocity. 1 shot tells me a lot. But on three of my guns changing the regulator means taking the gun apart. I don't think regulated guns are better or worse than unregulated. I bought my Avenger to get a regulated guns but I bought my 3 P35s because I like their size and weight and I find them to be a lot of fun to shoot. I don't mind that they are regulated but I would probably have still purchased them if they were not.
I'm trying to say that regulation is just one factor in buying an air rifle. I prefer regulated guns but I would certainly buy another unregulated gun if I liked other aspects of it. Like if a Turkish supplier ever makes a reasonable weight gun (6 lbs or less) with a pretty walnut stock, it wouldn't have to be regulated to be attractive for instance.
Upvote 0
Expensive airguns cost more because the details shine with that money spent, in many cases.
Compare a Daystate vs Air Venturi. Maybe you don't (or do) have that level of experience. If you do maybe you got a bad Daystate
Upvote 0
I would think that there should be with 150% price increase. And that alone can be decieving as sometimes a large chunk of the price increase is simply the addition of a carbon fiber cylinder.
Last edited:
Upvote 0