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I seek input for a buying choice

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Saltlake58

Member
Apr 9, 2015
2,907
89
Utah, United States
I've narrowed down my choice for next air gun(s) to the FX line. Some of my criteria are no-brainers, but some of the criteria are:

​adjustable with a knob. I have a Marauder, and adjusting is hard - Need simplicity.
Want to end up with .25 and .30 caliber
​light weight. Suffer from a late onset of MS, so need light so I can carry / hold the gun
​Synthetic is OK, Do NOT want Laminate. (personal preference, really despise the plywood look)
Proven tack driver at 50 and 100 yards.
Shots per fill at 40 plus
Regulated
​shorter is better. Marauder is 42 inches, want something a person 5 foot 6 inches can handle easily. Even 38 inches is a big difference
​Quiet, or the ability to make quiet. In this one, I mean Marauder quiet or quieter.
​Cost - for everything, including .25 and .30 calibers, I know it'll be expensive, but lets be realistic. Nothing over, say $2500 for everything

There are more, but that's a quick short list. 
So far, three options seem to be viable.

​Wait a year while I save more options:
FX Crown at around $1700, plus I'd bet $200 for each barrel probe, magazine, and barrel. So buy in .25 and then another $200 or so for the .30 Barrel kit. Comes in under $2000
​FX Impact at $1,999, plus $450 (ish) for the .30 barrel kit. Comes in around $2400
​
In the I can buy the .25 now and the .30 in a year category:
FX streamline in .25 and a Streamline in .30. For the Walnut, comes in around $2200

​Never held a Bullpup, so not sure if that's even viable. Wish more air gun places like Air Gun Depot had showrooms. Only about 15 minutes from where I live, but no showroom. Aur Guns of Utah does have a show room, but over an hour away in Mapleton, UT. I smell a Saturday Trip down there!

Any thoughts on where you'd go on this one? I'm considering these and a couple more options, but just wanted input from others around me.

​Many thanks,

 
You are right ,Take the trip to mapleton ,Justin and Austin ..will not only let you hold the guns, they will make sure you get what you want and need ,theese guys are great ,,you know that, ive been reading your threads ,,youre choice,, but keep an open mind. the criteria you described limits you to just a couple fx guns ,,,,.vulcan or wildcat i want them both it will be my next ,Justin can get me a lefty wildcat not sure on the vulcan , ,,keep us updated and good luck
 
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Yes, right now, the list is pretty tight. Quiet is really big as I'm in a residential area. I do have a covered "Gazebo" thing to shoot from, and have about 40 yards to work with, and there are a couple ranges close by, but they all have lousy hours. Far enough from retirement that these things are all "Musts" for now. Weight is another big deal.

​When I got into PCP's a couple years ago, there were about a third as many choices. Much simpler then. Now, features and choices simply overload the senses, so tried to bring it all down to pretty tight criteria.

​One thing I didn't do was mention Scopes! I have one I'll move forward from the Marauder to whatever I buy, or might save for a Viper Pro with the geared turrets and fancy tapes. still somewhat up in the air. TOO MANY CHOICES ( but that's good!)
 
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i agree with Calbarry ,,, i have a 22 impact due thursday from from Utah airguns ,i asked the owner Justin to send me a picture ,,, he instead ..sent a video of the tuning process i requested ,,,,where he shot a string over a chrony ,,,, so ask justin about shooting,,,, you know, your going to the right place ,theese guys made the expirience fun, thats what it was meant too be ,,, good luck ,,,keep us updated and foremost have fun ,,let Justin and Austin know pat from Boston said hi,,,,ps call before hand and make sure Justins not out field testing ...one more thing look at the crazy camo job on the wildcat ,,its awesome im thinking about getting it
 
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One problem with your #3 option - Streamline isn't available in .30 caliber. Another issue is that you're going to need a major LDC to make a .30 backyard friendly which may make the gun longer than you want. And speaking of backyard friendly, even if you got the noise down to an acceptable level for your neighbors, using those calibers in a backyard with neighbors nearby probably isn't a good idea from a safety standpoint. I've not owned a gun with 2 different caliber barrels but it seems to me that it would be a pain to switch calibers and have to rezero your scope each time. Maybe a Wildcat in .25 and an Impact in .30 which has a bottle for more air? I have a .22 Streamline which I really like but don't have experience with that gun in .25 cal.
 
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The .30 would be strictly range or hunting. Probably only get used rarely. Main calibers I'll use will be .22 (Currently Marauder, though could buy the Streamline in .22 as well), and the .25 for longer range target.

​Toptop - what's the experience with the Streamline? Good, better, Phenomenal? How far have you stretched it for accuracy? Love to get info from people that already have the guns I'm looking for.
 
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Tiptop said - One problem with your #3 option – Streamline isn’t available in .30 caliber

​Now you see why I ask for help before making a major buy. It really DOESN'T exist. Somehow I had it in my head it did. For a .30, it's something like a very mythical Crown, Impact, or Bobcat. That does change the equation a bit, so I'll have to think about it.

​I think that means I need to reconsider the equation, like may be stick with a .22 and .25 for now, with a .30 coming later, like in a couple years. That just might speed things up on my end. OK, off to Mapleton in the next few weeks.
 
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I'm fairly new to PCP so don't have a lot of brands and models to compare but I REALLY like my Streamline in .22. It packs so much punch compared to .177, it's very accurate out to 45yds (that's as far as I've shot it). It gets about 60 shots on the regulator which I think is plenty. Easy to cock, great trigger, light, compact. I got the laminate stock which I think is beautifully understated shades of gray, high quality, smooth as silk satin finish. I know you said you don't like laminate but this is nice. Walnut would be my second choice in this gun. Although the shroud functions as a moderator, I don't think my .22 is backyard friendly without an extra moderator and a .25 would be even less so. I have a 4 piece FX stackable moderator which quiets it down to BY friendly level but I'd bet that a Hugget or similar might be even more quiet. My .22 Streamline is 38.5" without extra moderator and 42.5" with the FX moderator in place. Bear in mind that the .25 cal. Streamline is 4.75" longer than the .22 version. That's easy to miss in the specs. Put a 6" moderator on it and it would be 49.25" overall length. I haven't seen the length specs for the Crown yet but I'm betting that in 30 cal. it's fairly long with moderator added - we'll see. I have a .25 Cricket bullpup and it's so much more powerful than the .22 Streamline - 50fpe compared to 30fpe. I can't see myself ever owning a .30 cal gun due to more expensive pellets, more air consumption. Maybe if I wanted to hunt larger game I'd reconsider. Good luck with your choice!
 
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Tiptop - Guns are personal. If you like laminate, it's YOUR GUN! that makes it good!
Good info on the length for the larger calibers. I missed all of that when reading. The .25 Streamline is about 43 inches before any extra moderator sections. I'd like a shorter gun 'cause I'm not all that tall. Kinda rules out a Streamline at this point. Gotta go to Mapleton and see if they'll let me hold a bullpup and see if I like it. Best bet might be to keep saving for an impact.

I'm completely reconsidering the whole .30 bit. It'd be a rare use, so maybe spend the money on a better gun in .25 and forget the extra barrel. Mostly want a gun that can drive tacks at 50 or 100 yards and the reviews I've seen show Streamlines and Impacts doing quite well. That way, if I miss, I know it's me, not the gun. Decisions, decisions, options, options.

​I think, I'm moving towards .25 as the max caliber and forgetting the .30. Your advice is good. I'd use it so infrequently, just not worth the investment. Heck, maybe in a year when I'd have enough saved for the Impact, they'd actually be available. Might just get lucky on that one!

​thinking through this one is hard.
 
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Hynzie - I'm the research type - to the point of paralysis. Yes, I know this is a personality defect but I'll research something and get fixated on a few items. And while the vulcan looks like it's a tack driver, I want more stuff it doesn't seem to have, like, all the adjustable stuff of the Impact and supposed adjustable stuff on the Crown (we'll know for sure when we actually see one.) The interchangeable barrel system is really quite intriguing and might offer some advantages, so watching that one.

Right now my fixations are (list not in any particular order):
Length (overall shorter is better)
Adjustable
Accurate
.25 Caliber to start
40 plus shots 
Regulated
quiet as possible for the caliber. Mouse fart would be good, but I am being realistic here. Probably have a bit of a bark.

The more I look at it, the Impact fits the bill so far, and I'm only half way there on the $$ side. Another year at least.

The info on the Vulcan is great, but sparse. And since I don't speak Portuguese or Spanish, it's hard to watch and learn from many of the Videos I've seen on the Vulcan.

At this point, I've about decided that I'll wait, pull the trigger on an Impact when I have the cash. Better wait, spend on exactly what I want, than buy something else at this point. The Marauder is good, but left me wanting MORE! This time, not making the mistake of pulling the trigger based on a "Good Deal" for a gun that isn't quite what I want.

Thanks all for the help, still listening, but have decided for now, waiting for enough $$ to pull the trigger on the Impact. Still plan on driving down to Mapleton though, just want to see the store and where it is.
 
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Saltlake, take a ride to AGN ... shoulder 'em, test 'em .....

Another one to consider is the .25 Wildcat. It's 35 inches, light weight, >40 shots, and lights out accurate. It's the only bullpup in my collection and is my go-to gun. If you're after a 30 cal, check the classifieds. AEAC (Steve) has a smoking deal on a Bobcat! The Bobcat has adjustable power..... Good luck!!!


 
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Salt, I've since moved on to RAWs; but if I had to buy another FX, it would be the Crown. I used to own an FX Impact .30 and was generally pleased. (The Crown is basically the specs of an Impact in a traditional rifle configuration.) The power and accuracy was sufficient for small game out to 75 yards, 100 yards if you're a steady shot. (I'm getting a little shaky in my golden years :-(.) The shot count was good at 40 per fill. The Crown has the interchangeable barrels at different twist rates to mix 'n match a variety of pellets. Plus, the Crown is gorgeous. The Impact reminded me of the Terminator after the tanker fire. Put some clothes on, man!

I did have issues with the bottle leaking and frequent o-ring replacement. The whole swappable bottle thang looks good on paper, but I found it to be less than desirable in practice. I solved this problem by buying a pony bottle to re-fill in the field; that way, I can just keep the bottle screwed in all the time.

At any rate, you can't go wrong with any model you buy in the FX line; definitely up there in the rarified air of top-notch airguns :). Please let me know if you go with the Crown; I was an RCH away from pullin' the trigger on that baby!

 
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I think I've been talked out of .30 for now. I like the interchangeable barrel idea, but a single caliber gun isn't a deal breaker. I am seeing the effects of age though. A bit more shaky than I used to be. Like to shoot with supports. What I notice from my long guns ( and I mean LONG) are that it's much more difficult to hold target freehand. Always did like a support for the rifle. I'll go to Airguns of Utah, maybe this weekend, and have a look at a bullpup. that might be the deciding factor.

​As the consummate cheapskate, the question of two Streamlines for the price of one Impact intrigued me. Would the interchangeable barrel be better than two guns custom setup for each caliber? Then someone pointed out, to my disappointment, that the Streamline isn't available in .30. and someone else pointed out the length of the Streamline. I completely missed the length of 43 inches. That's LONG for me. Only 5.6 ish. so want a gun I can handle easily. Theoretically, bullpups fit the bill here.

​Oh well, I guess the best thing to do right now, is finish my back yard range and shoot. The decision will come with time.

​And lastly, don't want to repeat mistakes of the past. I'm the consummate cheapskate, so $$ sometimes get in the way of a good decision, like justifying a pump instead of a bottle. Still regret that one. This time, want to make sure I get what is appropriate, regardless of cost. Being cheap really is bred into me. You should see my father!

​So, all of you that contributed to my therapy to get over being incredibly cheap, thank you! The comments and suggestions are incredibly valuable and helped me decide to wait for an Impact or Crown, preferably Crown.

Who knows, in a year they might actually be available.
 
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