Compact hunting rig
- Thread starter addison
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It depends on how much you want to spend but 5 of my 6 PCPs are 30 inches or less long. The 3 P35s start out at about 28 inches long and 5 lbs in weight. I need more LOP and my wood stocks add a few ounces and I had to slide the shroud out an inch and a half or so for an in shroud moderator. But they are still about 30 inches and under 6 lbs before you add a scope. They have no provision for a sling but I add a pic rail on the front and a "Uncle Mikes" style recessed sling attachment in the back. I have the 25 at about 40 fpe now, I have had it higher but it takes work. I think the 22 is a better idea for most. About 32 fpe which is plenty for small game including out to 50 yards. The 177 makes about 19 fpe and I think it would not be great for 50 yards both for energy and wind drift.
The Stoeger bullshark is about the same gun as a P35 but it has a heavier stock and a 40 mm longer barrel. Still only about 6 lbs.
My Prod is very light and about as powerful as the P35-177 but I wouldn't consider it a 50 yard gun.
My Caiman X is amazingly short considering it has a 510mm barrel. Easily under 30 inches. It's heavier but still not heavy. The Caiman has a shorter barrel and is even more compact and lighter. But these guns cost several times as much. But it would be hard to find something more compact. You could tune the Caiman X up over 40 fpe in 22 caliber but mine likes 18 grain pellets so it is about to get tuned back down to about the same power as the P35-22. Plenty for small game including out to 50 yards. I think a Caiman would do what I have done and plan to go to again with my Caiman X. It will just not get as many shots due to both the required regulator setting and the more limited air storage. I get at least 50 shots from my Caiman X at 33 fpe. Might get 60 if I filled it to 300 bar.
If you shoot from your right shoulder you also might want to consider a P15. It cocks in the rear which is not generally preferred but is especially "bad" for us left shoulder shooters. It is about the same as the P35 except for the cocking and is lighter and I've seen it significantly cheaper recently. It has a wood stock, the P35 and Bullshark come with plastic stocks. The Caiman has a laminated wood stock.
The Stoeger bullshark is about the same gun as a P35 but it has a heavier stock and a 40 mm longer barrel. Still only about 6 lbs.
My Prod is very light and about as powerful as the P35-177 but I wouldn't consider it a 50 yard gun.
My Caiman X is amazingly short considering it has a 510mm barrel. Easily under 30 inches. It's heavier but still not heavy. The Caiman has a shorter barrel and is even more compact and lighter. But these guns cost several times as much. But it would be hard to find something more compact. You could tune the Caiman X up over 40 fpe in 22 caliber but mine likes 18 grain pellets so it is about to get tuned back down to about the same power as the P35-22. Plenty for small game including out to 50 yards. I think a Caiman would do what I have done and plan to go to again with my Caiman X. It will just not get as many shots due to both the required regulator setting and the more limited air storage. I get at least 50 shots from my Caiman X at 33 fpe. Might get 60 if I filled it to 300 bar.
If you shoot from your right shoulder you also might want to consider a P15. It cocks in the rear which is not generally preferred but is especially "bad" for us left shoulder shooters. It is about the same as the P35 except for the cocking and is lighter and I've seen it significantly cheaper recently. It has a wood stock, the P35 and Bullshark come with plastic stocks. The Caiman has a laminated wood stock.
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RTI Prophet early version is nice and short. Plenty of shots for several hunts and when you add some daystate baffles to the shroud of the compact, you won't even need an extra moderator.
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@addison Kinda tough to answer because I’m unsure of what you want to shoot Unless I missed something in the thread. As someone mentioned, the Edgun Lelya 2.0 in .25 is a great compact hunter if you can find one in good shape at a reasonable price. I think they stopped making these. A reasonable price to me is $1500 or less. It seems steep, but this is a damn good compact air rifle. Do you have a budget/limit? I’m comfortable shooting my Lelya within 50 yards. I’ve taken animals the size of squirrels to medium sized raccoons. I have several hunting threads over the past few years with this rifle as the star of the show. It slings easily via a single attachent point as seen below.
However, I don’t like the metal on metal sound in the woods so I braid or loop paracord through that attachment point and hook into the loop as seen below. You can also see the entire sling below I wear it across my body, over one shoulder and under the opposite armpit.
The Benjamin Maurader pistol (Prod) is another option in a low powered .22. I wouldn’t shoot raccoons with it. I’d stick to squirrels, rabbit, and small to medium sized birds within 30 yards. If I find pics of it slinged up I’ll edit this post.
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Sorry if I got verbose. For a under $400 gun, a P15 in 22 would be my choice. For an under $500 gun a P35 or Bullshark (Stoeger) would be my choice. Krale is a source for the P15 and P35. Stoegers are more widely available. A 25 would also be OK but it will not have a whole lot more fpe than a 22 - but will make a bigger hole.
If you can spend over $1000 a Caiman or Caiman X would be a nicer gun and be tunable to higher power levels. A Caiman would be very short at 575mm, less than 24 inches. With a 400mm barrel. The Caiman X is almost 700mm long or about 28 inches with a 510mm barrel. Both lengths include the build in moderator.
These are all bullpups which I like but not everybody does.
If you can spend over $1000 a Caiman or Caiman X would be a nicer gun and be tunable to higher power levels. A Caiman would be very short at 575mm, less than 24 inches. With a 400mm barrel. The Caiman X is almost 700mm long or about 28 inches with a 510mm barrel. Both lengths include the build in moderator.
These are all bullpups which I like but not everybody does.
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I hardly see any for sale anymore. I sold my .25 years ago and regret it but the .25 I had was loud.
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if you want something great for under 300$ get ya one of these. Sling studs factory installed, about 8 lbs withought scope and 33inches without mod which isn’t needed if woods ridin
www.airgunrevisions.com
Bargain Block - Airgun Revisions
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Thanks, Troy, I never thought about attaching a sling to the airtube (or air bottle).
I have picatinny attachments for both my tube and my bottle PCP's, so I can try this out right away. Seems quite doable.
It's simple — but it's a great idea, and it requires a great mind to have great ideas.
Matthias
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