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Hello, new here need advice

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Ramg66

Ramg66

Member
Aug 4, 2017
12
0
Idaho
I recently became interested in air rifles. It all started when I moved to the country and started to have problems with whistle pigs (ground squirrels, these are the worst they dig holes in my yard), birds, squirrels, etc. I first started using my sons pellet gun Winchester 1000 very old, could not hit anything with it, I then purchased a Hatsan 95 Vortex with UTG 4-16X44 30mm Scope, I found myself killing more than 50% of my shots. I really liked it but left it cocked with muzzle pointing up for 3 weeks and has no power now, it will cost 60% of the original cost to fix. My question, I wanted to buy the FX Impact and now I want the Crown (I know I have to wait), is this a mistake or should I start with something else? I have read and watched videos on air tanks and everything but I am a newb, but I like to buy the best. Any advice is appreciated, any suggestions on scope and air tanks too. Thank you in advance.

 
Hi there & welcome! I do not have experience with the FX impact/crown but they are highly adjustable guns with possibly a lot of parts (potential for things to go wrong) Some here are really good at fixing things themselves (I'm not) and can trouble shoot a lot of minor to medium issues. Keep that in mind. If anything goes wrong with your gun, you will be shipping it at your expense to the retailer, unless you live near. 

Do not underestimate the cost of getting air. Make sure you have a solid source of air. It gets expensive and complicated. Easiest thing is to rent a large 6K psi bottle from a local welding supplier. It's Nitrogen (air without the oxygen) it will be clean and dry and easy. 

Hope this helps in some way. I'm sure others will chime in with different and hopefully better advice. 
 
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Welcome. Well you went straight to the top. If you can afford the gun, scope and air tank then I would say yes. But make sure you have a local place that can fill your 4500 psi tank because it gets addicting especially with an awesome gun like that. I will let someone smarter than me give you advice on scopes and air tanks. I have a hawke scope and like it a lot. I only have a small 90 ci 4500psi tank that I keep filled with an air venturi compressor. So I don't need a bigger tank yet but will get one eventually for traveling. How long is the wait??? Good luck! 
 
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Welcome ,once you enter theirs no turning back,,lol,,you will soon see what i mean ,so the Crown has a waiting list , the Impact is in stock at Utah airguns ,i just talked to them ,they have 5or6 left, snatch one up ,they wont last ,Joe wayne Rhea does awesome scope vids price and quality comparisons ,,,,imho, SWFA has the best scopes and deals ,,on sale 3 times a year,....air youll need lots ,i think Joe Brancato has the best tanks and guages ,, remember each gun fills to a different pressure, so look for it ,the Marauder fills to a lower pressure the,impact much higher,,good luck pat
 
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welcome to the forums there will be lots of posts likely. better off going to local place to see in person if possible. iv had many top name guns fx daystate brocock clibrgun they all are good so just personal preference. hope you get what you want keep an eye in the used sections sometimes youll see a whole set up that's usually really nice and priced right
 
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All above good advice.

The Crown would be my choice, also. There are several experienced air gunners on this forum that are buying or just got a crown and could give you assistance if needed.

While it is very early to judge the reliability of the Crown, I think that if you were to get one, READ the book on it, and follow the procedures you would probably have a reliable gun.

If you were to get something less expensive, you would probably still be waiting for the day when you could get the Crown.

Go for it, you'll probably only need that one gun.

Don't buy a Crown if you are thinking about hand pumping, get a 4500 psi tank, but first know a place where you can get it filled, preferably buy a the tank and a compressor.

I only have Marauders but i have a Daystate 2 compressor. But they are accurate and i have all the air i need without ever going out to get it.

Having your own air is a big deal, much more enjoyment, shoot whenever and as much as you want.

 
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You have already enjoyed shooting airguns. No matter how cheap they are they are still airguns and I believe buying a pcp airgun will make you even happier. I am a firm believer that you usually will like what you see, unless you get something not advertised. So based on this, I think you should go ahead and pull the plug on buying a high end pcp air rifle. I can also tell you shooting an springer is an entirely different experience from pcps. Usually, at least for me, my accuracy on hitting my targets has increased by Five times! This is due to the artillery hold that one needs to learn when shooting springers. In summary, shooting form is of utmost importance for shooting springers. I find it similar as shooting compound bows. With PCP rifles however, your form still affects the accuracy but not as much as springers. Its basically point and pull the trigger, an evolution from 175$ springers found at Walmart and hunting stores. You should keep your mind open to other PCP options and buying a used gun. With used guns, at least you know from the seller, what kind of groups the gun is shooting, and you are paying close to what you would want to resell it for. You also can look at pictures and tell what kind of gun you are buying. Some used guns are in mint or near new condition, unmistakable from buying them new from the manufacturer. So its worth to take a look at the classifieds section on this forum. I think if you wait patiently enough, a Fx Crown, or definitely, at least an FX Impact will show up soon enough ;).

Here are some things you may want to purchase when buying a Crown, Impact, or other high end PCPs. Using an handpump for a 500cc bottle like these, might make your experience worse(but bearable I assure you). I highly recommend going ahead and buying a 75cuft. Carbon Fiber tank right from the getgo. 
  • 2000$ for Fx Impact
  • 450$ for Carbon Fiber tank
  • 200$ for handpump
  • 100$ for Pellets
  • 200-500$ for scope
  • 20-100$ for bipod
  • 250-1200$ for air compressor
  • 20-75$ for scope rings
 
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Thank you all for the warm welcome, this is exactly the advice I needed. I have contacted a place to fill air tanks, he said he can only fill to 4100 psi. I think I'm going to stick with the Crown unless I see something come up, I will wait for it hopefully before the spring when whistle pigs come out again. I have been a gun collector for 35 years, I find myself shooting my air rifle more than all my firearms combined. My wife said I could get whatever I want as long as I sell from my collection, and I have no problem with that. I am also a retired technician so tinkering with it will not be an issue, I think. Thank you all again for the great advice, I will purchase Crown or Impact, carbon fiber tank, and pump to begin with. Will use UTG scope until I figure which one I really want, and I use a Primos trigger stick.

​I do have another question, I have plenty of high end scopes, do I need to get a special one like for the springer? Like the UTG that can handle heavy recoil?
 
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Why wait and spend top dollar on your purchase. Ground squirrel eradication is great fun for air gunners. I use a Vulcan Tactic .25, FX Wildcat .25, or a FX Royale .22 for my go to guns. All are great shooters. I have the Vulcan zero'd at 70 yards and the other 2 at 50 yards. PCP air guns are easy on scopes so your choices are expanded. You might consider a FFP - front focal plain scope as your hold over points stay the same when you change magnification levels. http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Athlon_Optics_4_14x44_Talos_BTR_Tactical_Rifle_Scope_FFP_Ill_Mil_Reticle_0_1_MIL_30mm_Tube/7833


My targets are usually between 40 - 90 yards and I use a range finder to determine the distance.
 
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Welcome :)

The impact is truly a bad to the bone rifle. After lusting over it for 10 months I just ordered a silver .30 from AOA and am waiting...seems like forever, but it's only been a few days now. It'll be here next week for sure.

Also in the stable is 
AA S510 Carbine .22 w/ Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Mil, Huma Regulator
FX Streamline .25 w/ Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Mil
Artemis PP700S-A .177 w/ Vortex Venom Red Dot, Tuned, LDC

The S510 has been my goto for a while now, really like it. It's a tack driver out to 75yds and just feels good in my hands. I'm hoping I like the Impact as much.

The FX is everything they say it is and has the capability of reaching 100yds w/o any problems.

Right now, the pistol is problematic, but am working on that, it's fun for sure, but needs more love before it's really ready for anything beyond 10-15yds.

The Athlon glass is very nice. There aren't many options out there that have FFP and will focus at 10yds, have illuminated reticles and all that. Putting another one on the Impact.

There's a nice thread here on the high capacity Impact magazines you ought to take a look at. Picked up a couple myself. Nice quality stuff.

I charge w/ a scuba tank which might be a much less expensive alternative for you if you have a Scuba shop around. No it won't do 4500 psi, a steel tank will do 3440 and that's enough for quite a few charges. As long as the scuba shop isn't too far away this is a really nice alternative. Also scuba shops usually rent tanks for $6-$8 if you are going to an event and need more than one tank will provide.

Have fun, this is one seriously addicting hobby.
 
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I am now considering the Taipan Veteran standard, I'm always doing research and these seem to be a very interesting. People who own them love them and people who sell them regret it. The trigger system is as good as it gets, they are accurate, compact and very easy to work on. I can get this and a tank for the price of a higher end FX. I found reviews that rate the Taipan Mutant as the best bullpup. Your thoughts?
 
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Ramg66
Most PCP rifles today (except the really cheap ones) are accurate, and of good quality. I have an entry level Marauder in .22. Highly adjustable and accurate. The Taipans have an excellent reputation.

If I were buying, and within driving range, I'd drive a couple hundred miles with the goal of holding one of the guns before I buy. To be honest, I was determined to buy an Impact because the specs are FANTASTIC, until I drove about 60 miles to a dealer that happened to be out, but let me hold and shoulder his personal Impact. Hated the feel. After shouldering a couple more rifles on the shelf, he let me shoot his personal FX Royal (You guessed, and FX Dealer). Felt like a dream. I'm holding out for a Crown now, hoping it feels as good as the Royal

Point being, if you can hold the gun before plunking down $2000, you really should invest a day and go hold your soon to be new baby to make sure it fits well.

Good luck whatever you do.
 
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