Ideas for next rifle, FX line.

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Kruiseri

Member
Mar 10, 2021
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Etelä-Suomi, Finland
Hi everyone, this is my first post here so please excuse me if I ask something stupid ;-)

I am rather new to airgunning, I just started a few months ago by purchasing a Sig Sauer MPX (CO2) gun. I pretty soon realized that this is for backyard plinking only, not for serious target practice. So then I bought a .22 Gamo Replay 10 Magnum Gen 2, This has some serious power and is way more accurate than the Sig. However due to significant recoil and the effort it takes to cock it, I am now considering the leap to PCP.

The first relatively inexpensive step I thought is to order the conversion kit for the Sig to make it an HPA gun. That would also include a scuba tank to take care of the refills. The point here is to get familiar with the PCP tech this way.

But I have now really set my eyes on the FX line of rifles. That's just me ;-) I always make the same mistakes. I first buy the entry level stuff, than upgrade a to a bit better and finally end up wanting the best. That's also the reason I have three Canon DLSR cameras the latest one being the EOS 5 Mk3 ...

So I am looking at FX Dreamline Classic, FX Maverick VP and FX Crown II, all in .22 caliber.

The thinking points:

General: I have a 30 yard range on my backyard. I would like to see pinpoint accuracy there, but also at longer ranges although that is much more seldom that I get to try that.

FX Dreamline Classic: I like the pricepoint and the form factor, but I am a bit concerned about the shot count. I'd like to avoid a refill while shooting if possible. Does it have the power to be accurate to 50-80 yards ?

FX Maveric VP: Pricepoint is OK, but I am not sure about the form factor. I like to tech specs though, especially the ability to push the power all the way to 90 joules. In my backyard I would like to dial down the power to maybe 30 or so joules, but for longer distance and/or heavier pellets I could push the envelope. I am mostly concerned about the location of the safety, that feels like a really weird place for it (but I get the engineering reason for this location).

FX Crown : Like the form factor, but dislike the price point. Lacks some of the features the Maverick would have, particularly the high power which I am not so sure I would actually need ;-).

So do you guys have any insigth to help me make my decisions ? In particular I'd like to hear Maveric users thoughts about the safety location. Also any insight on any of the above guns is welcome !



Thanks !
 
Questions to you?

1. How is your patience?

2. How are your mechanical skill sets? Like to troubleshoot?

the reasons I ask these two questions are, like for #1. These FX guns are built to either shoot out of the box like most guns, but offer features to allow custom tuning which a lot of guns don’t. Look at all the FX guns coming out lately- power wheel adjustments, valve pressure adjustments, barrel liners for different types of ammo, etc., etc. Let me reword the part about “which a lot of other guns don’t”- all pcp’s can be custom tuned, but then that brings us to question #2, which is about skill sets and troubleshooting-

#2- if you’re planning to be an out of the box shooter(nothing wrong with that I want to add), you’ll be styling with an FX or any other top tier pcp. But, with every pcp gun comes maintenance due to o ring failures, regulator adjustments, reg failures, etc., etc. Part of answering to #2 also is if you are or decide you want to take the gun to the next level of tuning( say for more power, shot count, ammo types) you have to be willing to take apart the platform, tweak, re assemble, and troubleshoot what your tweaking did(if it didn’t meet your expectations). I hope you like taking notes, and investing in good tools. PCP gun’s fit the saying “ you get out of it what you put into it” for sure. Quality in = Quality out.

Food for thought- Keep a look out for FX posts about folks asking about a particular gun, a particular ammo, and you’ll see them asking others to share the settings on their guns for what they call “a base line to start with”. In all honesty, you’ll see the majority of the replies back pretty much say “all platforms, even though identical, will perform differently and it’s up to the shooter to go thru tanks and tanks of air, tins of pellets and/or slugs, to find what works best for that particular gun”. Basically, do your research and homework. The replies back to these common inquires aren’t meant to be ruthless and to leave a newbie hanging out to dry, but that’s just the way it is when a company designs a gun with all external adjustments to be made by the consumer. One man’s regulator setting combined with a power wheel setting won’t necessarily work exactly the same in the same model gun that someone else has. Keep in mind also, some things get left out such as “the heavier hammer weight” or “hammer spring shim” that your new impact won’t have. It’s not meant to be deceitful, it’s just that some of the folks have done so much to their guns(truly custom)that it can easily be forgotten to make mention of. 

Now having said all of that, an FX as a purchase for a first pcp is a great choice! They truly are engineering marvels in the pcp world, and if I could afford it, I’d love to own one each of every model they ever made, and for the wildcats and impacts, own each version ever put out. Your three choices are all good ones, I want to add. Never owned a crown but have worked on one enough to know it’s a jewel of a gun. The maverick is very close to the wildcat which I own two of, and also partially resembles the impact in a couple of features which I also own. I am constantly “refining” the performances of these guns, especially when better parts come about from Ernest Rowe, Huma, and a couple of others.

Hopefully my reply has offered you some feedback in “preparing” to buy an awesome platform.
 
Upvote 0
Questions to you?

1. How is your patience?

2. How are your mechanical skill sets? Like to troubleshoot?

the reasons I ask these two questions are, like for #1. These FX guns are built to either shoot out of the box like most guns, but offer features to allow custom tuning which a lot of guns don’t. Look at all the FX guns coming out lately- power wheel adjustments, valve pressure adjustments, barrel liners for different types of ammo, etc., etc. Let me reword the part about “which a lot of other guns don’t”- all pcp’s can be custom tuned, but then that brings us to question #2, which is about skill sets and troubleshooting-

#2- if you’re planning to be an out of the box shooter(nothing wrong with that I want to add), you’ll be styling with an FX or any other top tier pcp. But, with every pcp gun comes maintenance due to o ring failures, regulator adjustments, reg failures, etc., etc. Part of answering to #2 also is if you are or decide you want to take the gun to the next level of tuning( say for more power, shot count, ammo types) you have to be willing to take apart the platform, tweak, re assemble, and troubleshoot what your tweaking did(if it didn’t meet your expectations). I hope you like taking notes, and investing in good tools. PCP gun’s fit the saying “ you get out of it what you put into it” for sure. Quality in = Quality out.

Food for thought- Keep a look out for FX posts about folks asking about a particular gun, a particular ammo, and you’ll see them asking others to share the settings on their guns for what they call “a base line to start with”. In all honesty, you’ll see the majority of the replies back pretty much say “all platforms, even though identical, will perform differently and it’s up to the shooter to go thru tanks and tanks of air, tins of pellets and/or slugs, to find what works best for that particular gun”. Basically, do your research and homework. The replies back to these common inquires aren’t meant to be ruthless and to leave a newbie hanging out to dry, but that’s just the way it is when a company designs a gun with all external adjustments to be made by the consumer. One man’s regulator setting combined with a power wheel setting won’t necessarily work exactly the same in the same model gun that someone else has. Keep in mind also, some things get left out such as “the heavier hammer weight” or “hammer spring shim” that your new impact won’t have. It’s not meant to be deceitful, it’s just that some of the folks have done so much to their guns(truly custom)that it can easily be forgotten to make mention of. 

Now having said all of that, an FX as a purchase for a first pcp is a great choice! They truly are engineering marvels in the pcp world, and if I could afford it, I’d love to own one each of every model they ever made, and for the wildcats and impacts, own each version ever put out. Your three choices are all good ones, I want to add. Never owned a crown but have worked on one enough to know it’s a jewel of a gun. The maverick is very close to the wildcat which I own two of, and also partially resembles the impact in a couple of features which I also own. I am constantly “refining” the performances of these guns, especially when better parts come about from Ernest Rowe, Huma, and a couple of others.

Hopefully my reply has offered you some feedback in “preparing” to buy an awesome platform.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for your insights !

#1 I am reasonably patient ;-) My idea was to shoot it with out of the box settings for quite some time to get familiar with the gun. But I wouldn't rule out tweaking and tuning in the future. But I think there is no point in tuning if you have no clue what it is you are doing, hence the familiarization first.

#2 I'd say I have decent tech skills. I can manage most of the maintenance work on a 30ft powerboat, so I would think the gun would be no problem once I have studied the subject.

You mentioned you have a Wildcat. What are your thoughts on the safety location on that ? With my current guns I like the ability to flip the safety with the same hand I would use to pull the trigger...




 
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Big ragu knows FX far better than me , point though is the dreamline is set at your lower power range desired , not really sure how much you can "pump them up" for slugs or 90 joules as you want. For the power ranges you seem to want , the one gun that screams that is the FX Impact - although that is NOT in your desired price point. I also noticed that the FX wildcat did not make your list. most likely either not liking the form or safety design. Given that you appear to like either a traditional rifle or AR style look. I would suggest to you to consider the Crown MK2 , maverick with the CF bottle , or a used Impact MK2 

I am aware these are way up in your desired price point , but as you said , you want the good stuff. You will eventually get to these 3 , might as well be sooner than after buying/trying out several guns only to realize , you wished you went for these. good luck with your pursuits.
 
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As an entry level PCP purchase, if I were limited to an FX product, I would choose the Royale 400. The older Royale platform uses the solid, Smooth Twist barrel, and avoids most potential maintenance and reliability issues sometimes found in their newer rifles, most of which are focused on a high level of adjustability. If you are an owner who enjoys tinkering, the newer line of FX rifles might suit you well. If you want a rifle that is almost guaranteed to shoot well out of the box, and, which will probably never present tuning or cleaning issues, the Royale platform might be your better choice. It is simple, robust, accurate, virtually never needs cleaning, all attractive features in an entry level PCP. You asked about accuracy at 50-80 yards. That is stretching the practical effective range of a standard power PCP. If a lot of your shooting is over 50 yards, you might want to consider one of the HP rifles that are offered by many of the makers.
 
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Isn't Royale 400 a discontinued product ? At least it is not available on the FInnish distributer website.

I's suspect that 90% of the time 30-45 Joules would be more than enough power. But I'd like to make sure that I wouldn't have the buyers remorse once I start to shoot longer range.

Used guns in this prize range are not really an option. There is no significant market for them in Finland.
 
Upvote 0
Questions to you?

1. How is your patience?

2. How are your mechanical skill sets? Like to troubleshoot?

the reasons I ask these two questions are, like for #1. These FX guns are built to either shoot out of the box like most guns, but offer features to allow custom tuning which a lot of guns don’t. Look at all the FX guns coming out lately- power wheel adjustments, valve pressure adjustments, barrel liners for different types of ammo, etc., etc. Let me reword the part about “which a lot of other guns don’t”- all pcp’s can be custom tuned, but then that brings us to question #2, which is about skill sets and troubleshooting-

#2- if you’re planning to be an out of the box shooter(nothing wrong with that I want to add), you’ll be styling with an FX or any other top tier pcp. But, with every pcp gun comes maintenance due to o ring failures, regulator adjustments, reg failures, etc., etc. Part of answering to #2 also is if you are or decide you want to take the gun to the next level of tuning( say for more power, shot count, ammo types) you have to be willing to take apart the platform, tweak, re assemble, and troubleshoot what your tweaking did(if it didn’t meet your expectations). I hope you like taking notes, and investing in good tools. PCP gun’s fit the saying “ you get out of it what you put into it” for sure. Quality in = Quality out.

Food for thought- Keep a look out for FX posts about folks asking about a particular gun, a particular ammo, and you’ll see them asking others to share the settings on their guns for what they call “a base line to start with”. In all honesty, you’ll see the majority of the replies back pretty much say “all platforms, even though identical, will perform differently and it’s up to the shooter to go thru tanks and tanks of air, tins of pellets and/or slugs, to find what works best for that particular gun”. Basically, do your research and homework. The replies back to these common inquires aren’t meant to be ruthless and to leave a newbie hanging out to dry, but that’s just the way it is when a company designs a gun with all external adjustments to be made by the consumer. One man’s regulator setting combined with a power wheel setting won’t necessarily work exactly the same in the same model gun that someone else has. Keep in mind also, some things get left out such as “the heavier hammer weight” or “hammer spring shim” that your new impact won’t have. It’s not meant to be deceitful, it’s just that some of the folks have done so much to their guns(truly custom)that it can easily be forgotten to make mention of. 

Now having said all of that, an FX as a purchase for a first pcp is a great choice! They truly are engineering marvels in the pcp world, and if I could afford it, I’d love to own one each of every model they ever made, and for the wildcats and impacts, own each version ever put out. Your three choices are all good ones, I want to add. Never owned a crown but have worked on one enough to know it’s a jewel of a gun. The maverick is very close to the wildcat which I own two of, and also partially resembles the impact in a couple of features which I also own. I am constantly “refining” the performances of these guns, especially when better parts come about from Ernest Rowe, Huma, and a couple of others.

Hopefully my reply has offered you some feedback in “preparing” to buy an awesome platform.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for your insights !

#1 I am reasonably patient ;-) My idea was to shoot it with out of the box settings for quite some time to get familiar with the gun. But I wouldn't rule out tweaking and tuning in the future. But I think there is no point in tuning if you have no clue what it is you are doing, hence the familiarization first.

#2 I'd say I have decent tech skills. I can manage most of the maintenance work on a 30ft powerboat, so I would think the gun would be no problem once I have studied the subject.

You mentioned you have a Wildcat. What are your thoughts on the safety location on that ? With my current guns I like the ability to flip the safety with the same hand I would use to pull the trigger...



Click to expand...

The safety location sucks. I still-hunt holding my WC in my hands with the safety on. When I see a squirrel, I have to bring the gun up half sideways to see the safety lever. I try to fumble around trying to take the safety off with out tilting the gun, but it’s frustrating. BUT, I wouldn’t trade the WC for any other rifle.
 
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I went through a lot of the same thought process you are going through. If you want both the back yard accuracy with light pellets and the 90 joule power for longer range hunting I think you will need a rifle that can switch between .22 cal and .30 cal. For .30 cal a power plenum will be necessary. I have the Maverick and it meets those criterial. I think the Maverick is less involved in tuning but provides the full range of potential. After you add a decent scope and bipod the gun ended up at 11 pounds witch is not ideal for carrying around but it certainly is accurate. With 18.1 grain pellets shooting at HS setting 1 for 30 yard back yard shooting works well. 25 grain pellets and 20.2 grain NSA slugs shooting a HS setting 5 for 50 yard and 100 yard work very well. I have not changed calibers yet but clearly the potential for .30 caliber high power is there.
 
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I went through a lot of the same thought process you are going through. If you want both the back yard accuracy with light pellets and the 90 joule power for longer range hunting I think you will need a rifle that can switch between .22 cal and .30 cal. For .30 cal a power plenum will be necessary. I have the Maverick and it meets those criterial. I think the Maverick is less involved in tuning but provides the full range of potential. After you add a decent scope and bipod the gun ended up at 11 pounds witch is not ideal for carrying around but it certainly is accurate. With 18.1 grain pellets shooting at HS setting 1 for 30 yard back yard shooting works well. 25 grain pellets and 20.2 grain NSA slugs shooting a HS setting 5 for 50 yard and 100 yard work very well. I have not changed calibers yet but clearly the potential for .30 caliber high power is there.
Click to expand...

In my case I have no real interest for larger calibers. .30 would require a firearms certificate which I am not interested in getting. Also hunting with air rifles in Finland is forbidden, so it is for target shooting only. The Gamo I currently use on my back yard is 45 joules, and it is clear that less would suffice for the back yard. Occasionally (during the summer) I have the opportunity to shoot longer range and that's why I am wondering to have the power reserve. My understanding is, that in order to be accurate longer distance you also need a heavier pellet, hence more power.
 
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I now have some ownership experience with Dreamlines (including the Classic), Crowns (both Mk1 and Mk2), and most recently with the Impact ('similar' to the Maverick).

Based on your stated needs and price preferences, I would go with a Dreamline Classic as your first rifle for a few reasons.

1) My wife 'stole' my Classic (.22, black pepper laminate) after she shot her first group with it. Very inherently accurate rifle, and very easy to shoot accurately. Smooth, pleasant shot cycle, smooth cocking action and excellent trigger. We've found it to be very backyard friendly without needing a moderator. And adding an FX Power Plenum (or even 2 stacked PP's) is really easy to do, which will immediately give the gun more power (muzzle velocity), or allow you to bring this new found power level back just a little with regulator adjustments, and provide more shots per fill. With my wife's gun, I have the reg set at 100 bar and it easily shoots JSB 18.13's in the 880 fps range on medium power (over 30 FPE at the muzzle).

2) You likely know that this won't be your last PCP rifle purchase!😉 But although we have purchased different rifles (my wife also has her own Daystate Wolverine), we have never even thought about parting with the Dreamline Classic. It is one of those rifles which is so traditional in format (air cylinder instead of a big bottle) and just works so well that it will always have a place in our air rifle collection, and it definitely never sits in the air gun carousel very long without being taken out and shot.

3) The Crowns are fine rifles, no doubt, and at the higher price point you mention. I wasn't overwhelmed with the increased power of the Mk2's (although I like all of the other design changes they made to it), so I ended up selling mine when I had an over-abundance of rifles in that caliber. Having the hammer spring as well as the power wheel and reg all easily adjustable is very convenient. Necessary? For some shooters changing up things all the time, yes. For me, not really. I pretty much get to a point where I get the performance I want out of a chosen projectile, and then leave the gun alone. I will say that one of my Mk1's is currently my favorite little rifle and was the first one where I truly experienced what I believe is the state of 'harmonic tune'. I bought this rifle used in .30 cal. Bought a .25 cal pellet probe and installed the spare 380mm barrel from my Continuum kit. Now in more experienced hands this configuration could reach out farther, but in my hands I can hit anything I choose within 50 yards. So you have to ask yourself, do you want to pay the money for a rifle which can be more easily re-tuned for shooting many different pellets and/or slugs, or do you think you will find the pellet/slug of your choice, adjust the rifle to optimize performance with that projectile, and then enjoy your time shooting instead of tuning? If the former, buy once, cry once with the Crown. If the latter - Dreamline Classic.

4) Maverick. I've chosen to wait out a Maverick purchase (had pre-ordered one on the day it was announced, but later cancelled that order) to see more folks' experience with this new platform 'in the wild.' However I do have some recent experience with an Impact in .22 cal, so it may be somewhat applicable to your Maverick questions. The first thing about these guns as compared to the others is their light weight. Really nice if walking and shooting. Not really any detriment if shooting only off the bench, although I think that it is easier to shoot a heavier gun accurately off the bench. Easily tunable like the Crown (but are you going to have your fun tuning, or shooting?). High shot count like the Crown because it has the bottle, and is likely more efficient in air use due to the large plenum (and likely much lower regulator setting as compared to the Crown for similar muzzle velocity). I would say to not purchase the VP model unless you are thinking of spending the cash immediately to upgrade the metal bottle to a CF one. Those metal bottles look fine in the photos, but in reality they are really heavy and upset the balance of the gun when shooting off-hand. O.K. I guess if just shooting off the bench, but it think it is something you will want to replace soon if you buy one in that configuration. Finally, I haven't been shooting air rifles as long as most of those who commented above, but at my current shooting level I find a traditional stocked rifle easier to shoot accurately than one with a chassis like the Maverick/Impact. Not to say that I can't be as accurate with my Impact, I just need to work harder at it. That is a nice challenge sometimes. At other times I enjoy being able to just go out and pleasantly shoot one-hole 10 shot groups at 25-35 yards without having to work too hard for it.😁

Bottom line is, as others above have said, you can't really go wrong with any of the rifles you have pre-chosen as your first PCP. But they all excel in slightly different ways and you need to ask yourself what is most important in how you intend to use this rifle.
 
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I have the Impact Mk2, 700mm sniper ed in .25 and a Dreamline Saber Tac with 700mm barrel. They are both great guns but, cost of acquisition and use are high. They can be extensively tuned. I do love them both but, if I were going to pick a “one size fits all” option, I think the Maverick is the best choice. Less complex than the Impact, more power than the Wildcat at a similar price. Warning, if you expect to be really happy with FX be prepared to drink the Koolaid. You’ll see all the reasons why you need expensive accessories, ammo, etc
 
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All awesome replies back. But, its looking like a bunch of trade offs that you will have to either be okay with with what you’re wanting now and possibly looking ahead(30 yard power to 100 yard power).

if I were KRUISERI I’d be pulling what hair I had left out about right now while my index finger was hovering around the “buy now” button, lol.

me personally, regarding the wildcat safety, I have no problem with it as I’ve mentally made note as to when its time to engage/disengage as a series of steps. Looking back at all the safety locations on both powder burners and air guns that I own, I’ve just made mental note of their locations and adjusted my moves to suit them.

i think the best safety location and functionality ever designed has been on the Beeman RX/HW90 gas ram. Directly in front of and outside of the trigger guard. The trigger finger easily engages and disengages the safety with no other movement to any other fingers, and without having to take your eyes off of the scope.

I never liked the safety within the trigger guard like in a Marauder, hatsan, and a few others. It’s personal preference, but I think it’s a smart move to have the trigger finger apart from the trigger and outside of the trigger guard when turning on/off, but not so far away that it gets forgotten or overlooked, like in the wildcat. On my wildcat, Not everyone is going to make the same mental note of the safety and its design as the owner of the gun. One of my buddy’s was chasing down a squirrel with my wildcat and when the squirrel got away, he accidentally pulled the trigger while the muzzle was pointed down. I gave him $hit about it, as he knew better, but in his defense, one, he’s not as familiar with the gun as I am, and two, where is the natural hold point on a bullpup style gun but on the hand grip, which can easily put your finger within the trigger guard while carrying. 


 
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I’ll add an addendum at the risk of being labeled a heretic; if I were doing it all over again I would have brought this before either of my FX guns. While I only have a couple of weeks experience with this rifle, it’s proven every bit as accurate as either of my FX and adjusting power is beyond easy. When I got my SK19 it was shooting 28gr NSA slugs at 875fps. Turned the power wheel up 4 clicks, now at 1050fps and stable. 3 year warranty, with an expected MBF rate of 10K rounds. No airgun has impressed me as much as this one:
7446F5D2-4545-4F10-B7DB-3C6516F004EE.1615476720.jpeg

 
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...Warning, if you expect to be really happy with FX be prepared to drink the Koolaid. You’ll see all the reasons why you need expensive accessories, ammo, etc
Click to expand...

It is truly amazing when one looks at the cost of accessories in comparison to the cost of the rifle itself. Seems like in the airgun market, accessories is the place to be if you want to make the real money!

I know that it will be difficult, but try not to doll up your new rifle with expensive accessories for a little while. You will be be pleasantly surprised at how much money you have saved towards the purchase of that next new rifle if you don't over-accessorize your first one!

No way to get around the cost of the ammo you will burn through though.😁
 
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Completely agree. Looked at the AccuTac bipods and laughed at the prices. I did buy extra magazines and thought WTF?! This much for plastic? Nexus scopes are beautifully made and excellent but, wha... the bargain SFP version costs how much?! I love all that stuff but, I had to come to some kind of conscious realization that something that costs 10 times as much isn’t always going to deliver 10 times the satisfaction, at least for me.
 
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