How many are in your "collection" and when do you decide to stop?

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

I constantly find myself looking at this airgun and that airgun.... I always wonder why

I've got the perfect sub 60 yard plinker and ratter which is my .177 compact impact

I've got the ever reliable .22 compact taipan that is for rabbits, pigeons, plinking

And I've got my .22 Impact MK2 slug gun hitting wiffle balls with ease at 265 yards shooting 30.5 zan at 1045 fps.

The impact is topped with a sightmark wraith 4k mini, The taipan is soon to be topped with the same (MAYBE), and the slug gun is topped with an ATN w/ABL so all three will be day and night capable (although I do really miss my regular high quality glass).

With that said I keep looking at more, not that im not happy with what I have , I FINALLY am happy with what I have. Why do we do this? I am thinking if I build a dedicated bench gun thats "blinged" out and topped with nice optics that might do it for me as my .22 slug gun I plan on using over the winter for some larger pests.

Why do you guys keep looking? why have you guys stopped looking? If you were to build a long range bench gun that wasn't an impact , what would you build? To me its a shame the Evols won't shoot slugs because thats where I'd head.... I dno, just some morning thoughts from an Airgunner before the start of his weekend gets here.

 

[madeintheuk]

I ask myself that question every day!
My problem is I get bored with what I have, and being on these forums, and having friends in the sport, I find myself wanting to try other things. I have a few guns that will never go anywhere, but I rotate others out quite frequently. For now, I’m at a point where I have what I want, but who knows what will happen next month. Or next week lol.

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

I ask myself that question every day!
My problem is I get bored with what I have, and being on these forums, and having friends in the sport, I find myself wanting to try other things. I have a few guns that will never go anywhere, but I rotate others out quite frequently. For now, I’m at a point where I have what I want, but who knows what will happen next month. Or next week lol.

That is how I think, and with people like Tom and Matt willing to send stuff to try , Travis as well, lmao it makes it easy to get sucked into another, Tom and Travis are the reason I have both my impacts and my night optics. I do not actually see any of these 3 going anywhere, I think its a perfect little group but it doesn't mean I won't make the group any larger lol

 

[brawler1588]

I ask myself that question every day!
My problem is I get bored with what I have, and being on these forums, and having friends in the sport, I find myself wanting to try other things. I have a few guns that will never go anywhere, but I rotate others out quite frequently. For now, I’m at a point where I have what I want, but who knows what will happen next month. Or next week lol.

Thats exactly it why why everytime my mind is idol I need to check the classifieds when i have a decent rounded collection that will covers everything. It really is an addiction I have had addictive hobbies, pew pews, hand made swords from Japan, knives, flashlights, but airguns takes the lead. But yes the good thing about Tom, Travis, Myself and there are others on here wiling to let you try stuff is something that one you don't get in the other hobbies and two I wish there was someone out there like that when I first started I would have saved some money and stuff of not having to buy and test not like and try and sell. Ask Andrew we talk daily and even when I text you its to chat and kind of scratch that itch. We all have moments of weakness but reach out to your friends and talk it over. I let Andrew take my veteran for at least 2 months to test and try offered the same with my crown if he wanted to try it out. As for a bench gun or a larger caliber for winter stuff with our weather it really does affect how an airgun operates so on that is less likely to be affected by those changes is something to think about.

 

[madeintheuk]

I ended up unloading my vet, but not because I wanted to. I actually figured out I just suck at shooting bullpups. I know it was accurate cause Matt could shoot it that way.
I replaced it with a dreamline that I’m setting up as my low power setup. My bench gun is on its way in the style of a crown .22 600mm, and my 2 leshiy 2’s do most of the hunting duties.
I think that’s a nice setup, but as I said, it could change next week. Lol

 

[L.Leon]

The guns you own and have setup awesomely.... Maybe you're bored? Seems to me your covered with rifles. As for the perfect sub 60 yard ratter? That would be my Atomic XR with a mini Wraith atop.... Light handling, not cumbersome. And fiercely deadly on rats and small pests. Don't get another rifle... I suggest a mini carbine... If you do you won't want to heft any porkers thereafter. Good luck!

 

[Keyman62421]

1 uh, 2 uh, 3 uh, 4 uh, 5 uh, OMG. STOP ME!

 

[d3vnull]

I do it because my mind needs to dream, and airguns let's me do that. I can dream about winning in field target or EBR/RMAC, or disappearing into the mountains, etc.

As far your collection and a bench gun how about a RAW?

 

[Ezana4CE]

@CTairgunner1288 My Evol shoots slugs. Why do you think they don’t? Wishing to try out improved technology or designs is sort of a product of natural curiosity. Also I think that sometimes we want to see what the hoopla is all about when others hype up other products or a new trend takes hold. Could be fear of missing out. I’m sure it differs for different folks.

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

The guns you own and have setup awesomely.... Maybe you're bored? Seems to me your covered with rifles. As for the perfect sub 60 yard ratter? That would be my Atomic XR with a mini Wraith atop.... Light handling, not cumbersome. And fiercely deadly on rats and small pests. Don't get another rifle... I suggest a mini carbine... If you do you won't want to heft any porkers thereafter. Good luck!

So I take it you are liking the Wraith mini?! glad to hear it, I think theyre an exceptional day night scope for the money especially!

@CTairgunner1288 My Evol shoots slugs. Why do you think they don’t? Wishing to try out improved technology or designs is sort of a product of natural curiosity. Also I think that sometimes we want to see what the hoopla is all about when others hype up other products or a new trend takes hold. Could be fear of missing out. I’m sure it differs for different folks.

Is your rifle a .22 or .30? before the alpha wolf I was going to purchase a .30 paradigm but the outfit selling it to me could not get it to group well at 100 yards with slugs and they are rather good at what they do so I shied away at the time, I long for an evol regardless of what it shoots , I just want one at some point and that hasn't changed since I started looking into them.

 

[L.Leon]

@CTairgunner1288, the Wraith mini is enroute from @Redtick12, who so generously is letting me try it out... Full after action ratting reports to come.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@CTairgunner1288 Mine is a .30 and I’ve shot them at 100 yrds. Some slugs I shot grouped well enough for me to feel confident enough to kill an animal. I’m not a precision shoot so take that with a grain of salt. The first shot is the one I count on amd the only other shot that is really important to me is the second. Dana or others may be able to tell you the details of how it shoot slugs I simply wanted to know if it could and then answer I came up with is “yes. My Evol .30 can shoot slugs.”

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

@CTairgunner1288 Mine is a .30 and I’ve shot them at 100 yrds. Some slugs I shot grouped well enough for me to feel confident enough to kill an animal. I’m not a precision shoot so take that with a grain of salt. The first shot is the one I count on amd the only other shot that is really important to me is the second. Dana or others may be able to tell you the details of how it shoot slugs I simply wanted to know if it could and then answer I came up with is “yes. My Evol .30 can shoot slugs.”

Very well then, this may be something to consider when the time comes. I mean my MK2 fits the bill right now and honestly, its setup so perfectly but I don't want to "bling" it out as its going to see field use.

All 3 of these rifles get bench shot and get used "in the field" , I take care of them but also understand they will get some "battle marks"

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

Thats exactly it why why everytime my mind is idol I need to check the classifieds when i have a decent rounded collection that will covers everything. It really is an addiction I have had addictive hobbies, pew pews, hand made swords from Japan, knives, flashlights, but airguns takes the lead. But yes the good thing about Tom, Travis, Myself and there are others on here wiling to let you try stuff is something that one you don't get in the other hobbies and two I wish there was someone out there like that when I first started I would have saved some money and stuff of not having to buy and test not like and try and sell. Ask Andrew we talk daily and even when I text you its to chat and kind of scratch that itch. We all have moments of weakness but reach out to your friends and talk it over. I let Andrew take my veteran for at least 2 months to test and try offered the same with my crown if he wanted to try it out. As for a bench gun or a larger caliber for winter stuff with our weather it really does affect how an airgun operates so on that is less likely to be affected by those changes is something to think about.

Man, I am surprised, every time I talk to certain people they tell me to shy away from the L2 , I almost traded for Daves 600mm L2 .30 but was warned against it.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@CTairgunner1288 I don’t have a lot of experience shooting long-range with airguns. I still have guns that I haven’t stretched out like I had intended when I bought them because I have others that shoot so well that I enjoyed shooting them and just haven’t gotten around to further testing. Several FX guns seem to do well at long range and I have no idea how an Evol would stack up against an Impact.

Back to your original question. Another reason I look at other guns is because I’m also curious about other calibers and platforms. Take for instance a .257 or .307/.308 long-range gun of the Airforce variety. I don’t have a lot of experience with them and I enjoy seeing what others do with them. I’d like to try hunting with one seated from within a blind someday. I also want to try to hunt with a Zeus or another gargantuan and extremely powerful big bore. So again I guess our reasons differ.

 

[_CTAIRGUNNER_]

@CTairgunner1288 I don’t have a lot of experience shooting long-range with airguns. I still have guns that I haven’t stretched out like I had intended when I bought them because I have others that shoot so well that I enjoyed shooting them and just haven’t gotten around to further testing. Several FX guns seem to do well at long range and I have no idea how an Evol would stack up against an Impact.

Back to your original question. Another reason I look at other guns is because I’m also curious about other calibers and platforms. Take for instance a .257 or .307/.308 long-range gun of the Airforce variety. I don’t have a lot of experience with them and I enjoy seeing what others do with them. I’d like to try hunting with one seated from within a blind someday. I also want to try to hunt with a Zeus or another gargantuan and extremely powerful big bore. So again I guess our reasons differ.

Yes for the time being but thats because I have never hunted. I have a fascination with the AEA Zeus .72 as well, but also the .257 intrigues me, I stopped researching it thought because so many successful guys were casting their own ammo. I know how to cast and have cast, its just not for me, I felt some sort of accomplished though shooting my rifle, hitting my target, with ammo I produced but the time invested wasn't worth that little bit of gratification (again this is in relation to me) .

 

[rcs9250]

When I started in airguns about two years ago I started with a .25 Marauder and an Air Venturi carbon fiber 100 cubic inch tank and a Hill hand pump. My use was pretty much just squirrel hunting. I always took along the cf tank in a backpack. I upgraded to a Wildcat .25 compact, I wanted a Sniper (longer barrel but they were forever on backorder). I tired of the cf in backpack and sold everything and went to suppressed rimfire. Then covid ammo rape program arrived. Swore off powder burners except for a select few for hunting and defense. So then I bought an FX Impact in .22 with 700mm barrel. I chose .22 for economy of ammo and higher shot count. The impact of course has an awesome shot count compared to a .25 Wildcat. Couldn’t stop myself. Bought a 700mm .25 barrel and shroud for it, barrel tuner, and a spare 480cc cf and 500cc aluminum bottle, speed loaders.
I had an awesome rig. Not good enough. I couldn’t take my eyes off the FX camo laminated Continuum in .22. Got that and just recently bought a 700mm slug liner for it. And despite the awesome laminate stock I also really like chassis’s so I HAD to buy a Saber Tactical folding chassis.
Not good enough, I bought a Huben, a RAW HM1000x, an Air Arms S510X, an AEA HP and I believe that’s it. I read a review or 30 and jump on it. But something keeps me very focused on FX. I know it takes time to tune them to perfection and that was part of the plan with retiring that during the buying spree was on the close horizon. I akin it to reloading for powder burners as there’s a lot of tinkering to do to squeeze out the last bit of accuracy.
So at this time I’m left with my Impact, Crown and Wildcat. The others were sold after just a dozen or two pellets through them. They all worked as reviewed but my FX fetish always left me wanting more till I finally got the Wildcat Sniper a couple weeks ago.
Since then, I haven’t really looked or thought about anything new. With all the accessories and add ons I have for the FX’s there’s no good reason to want more. How naive.
What’s next? At the moment, maybe an 800mm barrel for the Impact but I haven’t even opened the slug liner yet so I think I’m safe for now.
FX is releasing those Halo’s soon so we’ll see how they do with the elusive single hole groups.
Randy

 

[dizzums]

i have 13 mid range cost guns and now have moved the focus onto learning machine work .. i still guard my chickens religiously and have one ready by the window .. im just not putting thousands into buying high end guns which i dont need to hang on the wall .. im sure most will be happy to see me move along haha .. i'll still be dropping into haunt ya now and then though lol ..

 

[beerthief]

only have one left to buy , a Mac1 or Thomas . Ans thats it done .
I went the collection route with PB's , 38 pistoles and 28 rifles , not again .

Sorry typed b4 first cup . spelling brain not connected .

 

[Treefrog]

My decision about collecting came when I worked at a rifle range as an instructor and range officer. One of our clients was a WWII Marine Vet (Pacific Theater) named Richard. (He offered me a LOT of wisdom while I was there.) I'd noticed that he was out-shooting the vast majority of bang-makers and mag-dumpers that the average rifle range attracts, so I asked him about it. He told me that it's best to have one or two guns and master their use as much as you can. That way you make the shot when it comes down to it (and he always did). (Semper Fi, Richard!)

Then I overheard an old guy at a vintage car-show as he was telling another old guy that "a collector is someone that waits around for the other guy to die so that he can buy and enjoy the prestige that owning their stuff offers".

Between those two bits of wisdom, I decided that it would be better to learn to be able to best use what I had instead of spending my time and money adding more that I wouldn't be able to use as well.

And I have three Crosman 760s, a gifted Quest, a Blue Streak and a QB78.

Ride on,

J~