Looking to get into the hobby

[Texasproud84]

You have a great source for really good accurate pellet guns in Texas.
Airforceairguns.com
Go to their outlet, .25 Condor.
Accurate and plenty of power.
No worries about scams.

Plus if you decide you need more power, the Condor is the easiest platform to upgrade.

It is single shot and a 25 year old basic, robust design. It does not break and only has 4 orings, all in the Tophat valve. No other rifle has lasted so long.

It just works.

Air Force has been one I been researching on. Didn’t know about the outlet though. Have to check into that. I like the ability to upgrade as I go. I seen prices of some of these being upwards of 5k. I don’t even have a rimfire that costs that much. I know I’m gonna get what I pay for, but if I can start out 1-2k and grow as my interest in this hobby grows I’d be a lot happier than if I dive all in an not enjoy it then I’ll have a larger investment just sitting.

 

[Racer88]

but if I can start out 1-2k and grow as my interest in this hobby grows I’d be a lot happier than if I dive all in an not enjoy it then I’ll have a larger investment just sitting.

That should be very doable. Like you, I wanted to get something nice but not go crazy... and see if I like it.

I'm new to the hobby and after a lot of research settled on a Benjamin Marauder (regulated with Lothar barrel) in .22 (unregulated also available in .25). Very happy with it. It's a bit of a heavy rifle (with real wood stock). Shoots great. The rifle was $780. But then I added a nice scope for another $480. Scope rings for $60 Got a portable fill tank ($430)... an assortment of pellets.... and in the end.... about $2100 for the whole shebang!

Of course, you can also spend a fair bit less and still get some nice stuff and have fun with it (and take out the 'dillos). There are plenty of experts here to help guide you. I'm not really an expert with my experience limited to just the one air rifle, so far.

My "journey" is chronicled in a thread linked in my signature below.

Good luck and have fun!

PS... the "SynRod" (synthetic stock instead of wood) is also available with the Lothar barrel in .25:

Benjamin Marauder Synrod Combo | Small Game Rifle | Pyramyd AIR

Get a Benjamin Synthetic Stock Marauder combo, or a Benjamin Synrod combo, with CenterPoint scope and sling - the ideal combo for hunting at Pyramyd AIR.

www.pyramydair.com

 

[JimD]

You are welcome to spend your money any way you want. My armadillo experience is limited to one I killed with my P35-22. The first shot was in the middle of it's body. It did not die immediately but it wasn't going anywhere. Another couple shots and it wasn't moving. This was from about 20 yards. The first shot went through it. My P35-22 prefers 21 grain H&N pellets and shoots them about 825 fps, about 32 fpe. A Stoeger Bullshark is about the same gun. If you prefer long guns to bullpups, the Stoeger Scout is a carbine and the Ranger is a longer gun. These guns come in 25 too but you won't get a ton more power. Probably low 40s. It's possible to get more but it takes a lot of work. A bigger hole helps, however.

The advantage of these guns is they are reliable, reasonably powerful, accurate, and compartively inexpensive. Airgun Revisions only asks $319 for the Scout, for instance. With an Amazon Handpump you are in for less than $500 before you add a scope. A Hawke Vantage is an inexpensive but good quality scope in my experience. A GX CS2 is $250 and you won't have to hand pump. The Stoeger Bullshark would be about $100 more than the Scout. A Ranger has a longer barrel so it would make a little more fpe. I have 3 P35s, and one bullshark and the worst high score on the 30 yard challenge for these guns is a 197. The 22 gave me a 200. My $1400 Caiman X is no more accurate than these sub $500 airguns. I'm not saying there are no advantages to spending more, I am just saying you can get an accurate and powerful enough airgun for a lot less. I am 100% confident you can kill all the armadillos in your back yard from your porch with one of these SPA made airguns. And throughly enjoy doing it.

 

[Texasproud84]

You are welcome to spend your money any way you want. My armadillo experience is limited to one I killed with my P35-22. The first shot was in the middle of it's body. It did not die immediately but it wasn't going anywhere. Another couple shots and it wasn't moving. This was from about 20 yards. The first shot went through it. My P35-22 prefers 21 grain H&N pellets and shoots them about 825 fps, about 32 fpe. A Stoeger Bullshark is about the same gun. If you prefer long guns to bullpups, the Stoeger Scout is a carbine and the Ranger is a longer gun. These guns come in 25 too but you won't get a ton more power. Probably low 40s. It's possible to get more but it takes a lot of work. A bigger hole helps, however.

The advantage of these guns is they are reliable, reasonably powerful, accurate, and compartively inexpensive. Airgun Revisions only asks $319 for the Scout, for instance. With an Amazon Handpump you are in for less than $500 before you add a scope. A Hawke Vantage is an inexpensive but good quality scope in my experience. A GX CS2 is $250 and you won't have to hand pump. The Stoeger Bullshark would be about $100 more than the Scout. A Ranger has a longer barrel so it would make a little more fpe. I have 3 P35s, and one bullshark and the worst high score on the 30 yard challenge for these guns is a 197. The 22 gave me a 200. My $1400 Caiman X is no more accurate than these sub $500 airguns. I'm not saying there are no advantages to spending more, I am just saying you can get an accurate and powerful enough airgun for a lot less. I am 100% confident you can kill all the armadillos in your back yard from your porch with one of these SPA made airguns. And throughly enjoy doing it.

Obviously the less I can spend and still not get bored the better. I definitely don’t wanna spend 6k that I see some of these rifles going for. Not a fan of the bullpup looks. Most desirable is carbine length/look. Want something that I can upgrade/ tinker/ rebuild myself. Handy when it comes to these kinds of things. Something that is upgradeable over time as to not get bored. If I can get in sub 1k do what I want and have the ability to grow it I’m even more stoked! I’m a father of 3 so extra money for the kids is a good thing. School shopping season is here. I’m gonna look into those that you mentioned. Thanks for the advice

 

[Ratzy]

Air Force has been one I been researching on. Didn’t know about the outlet though. Have to check into that. I like the ability to upgrade as I go. I seen prices of some of these being upwards of 5k. I don’t even have a rimfire that costs that much. I know I’m gonna get what I pay for, but if I can start out 1-2k and grow as my interest in this hobby grows I’d be a lot happier than if I dive all in an not enjoy it then I’ll have a larger investment just sitting.

.25 is $752 on the Outlet
New they are $792
You want the 24" barrel on the condor.
The 19" on the Talon or CondorSS is good but the 24" is great.
The 12" on the TalonSS and others is a bit anemic.

If you want a monster the .257 or .308 Texans are $1007 on the Outlet.
Ammo is a bit more expensive but they will drop a boar at 100 yards easy. 34" barrel so they are Long.

Upgrades are a breeze, heavy hammer, heavy spring, high flow tophat, Huben Power Cricket Max-ATH regulator and carbon fiber bottle. All about $500-600

I can add all of those to a gun in less than 30 minutes and up the power 25% and up the shot count about the same.

Www.trajectron.com
Www.hubenpower.com

 

[RickH]

Welcome to your nightmare. Before you do anything else hand all of your credit cards to a trusted family member who can’t be intimidated. If I understand correctly, you are on 30 acres so no neighbors close by. For smaller pests I would get a .22 or .25. I have a Gauntlet and Gauntlet 2 in .25 that I would feel comfortable using on an armadillo at 50 yards, max. Any further and for bigger animals like a hog and I would insist on a centerfire in 30 caliber or bigger. There are others here who will disagree but my experience with powder burners and more limited experience with airguns makes me want more power than I think I’ll need.

Rick H.

 

[Ratzy]

Welcome to your nightmare. Before you do anything else hand all of your credit cards to a trusted family member who can’t be intimidated. If I understand correctly, you are on 30 acres so no neighbors close by. For smaller pests I would get a .22 or .25. I have a Gauntlet and Gauntlet 2 in .25 that I would feel comfortable using on an armadillo at 50 yards, max. Any further and for bigger animals like a hog and I would insist on a centerfire in 30 caliber or bigger. There are others here who will disagree but my experience with powder burners and more limited experience with airguns makes me want more power than I think I’ll need.

Rick H.

That's where Texans with 34 inch barrels and the big bore AEA come in. The new AIrForceTex-Rex can pump out 1100FPE.

 

[cavedweller]

yes sir. Def found that .25 or even up to a .30. Could use .30 for hogs even from my research. I’ve been scouring the classifieds all morning looking. Trying to get to my post requirements to be able to start dming to make a purchase. Lil nervous honestly about sending someone 1000miles away 1k+ so trying to find someone in Texas or surrounding states I could drive to. A little less nervous about there being an issue in person.

Contact @AirNGasman as he is very knowledgeable and in Clifton

 

[cavedweller]

I'm near Lake Whitney, on 30 acres myself, have a lot of pesting experience, including dillos, and rely heavily on brain shots with airguns on most everything else. Considering the size of their heads, you can extrapolate that to imagine a TINY brain... that typically doesn't stay still more than a second or two when/if approached close enough for a brain shot. That is why I chose to take a chest shot with this AR6 magnum air pistol (18.1 grain .22 pellet at 713 FPS/20.4 FPE).

View attachment 579944

To my surprise he didn't make it more than 15 yards after the shot. But that's an anomaly; dillos are tough and tenacious!

To answer your post with a response about what you're actually asking about, "Hoping to find something in the pcp line to give me more reach and ability to go from my back porch", and considering you're at least inferring body shots, I recommend a .30 caliber PCP; for body or (attempted) brain shots on dillos.

BTW, I host monthly airgun competitions on my place the first Saturday of each month that draw shooters from all around Texas (and several other states). Consider this an invitation to those, or just an airgunning get together on my place.

Welcome to the forum.

View attachment 579946


By the way, my phone number is on that card for a reason. I am an airgun information portal that is not allergic to conversation(s).

View attachment 579947

maggy would approve of this post

 

[cavedweller]

Awesome! Thanks for the invite. Super close to me actually. I’m between Waco and College Ststion. I’ll make my way up there sometime. The competitions would be a blast!

Oooh you’re in trouble now

 

[Dstrac]

Howdy,

Just join the community and looking to get into the hobby. Mainly for pest/varmit control around my property here in Texas plus get the family more involved with shooting. Have a cheap ol .177 I use to rid the yard destroying armadillos around my property now. Only prob with that is gotta get close and head shots only. Hoping to find something in the pcp line to give me more reach and ability to go from my back porch. Been watching a lot of videos and now researching this forum to learn more about this hobby. Glad to be here

Welcome
. 25 or .30 would be a good hunting rifle. Up to Coyotes etc. Ive sold successfully on the classifieds, I was also nervous about receiving the money but everything went smoothly. Take your time doing research. Don't buy too small

 

[Hateful McNasty]

If your Texas proud then just go air force texan .. right ? ...

 

[jps2486]

I shot my big dillo with a 25 cal RAW HM1000x. Shot him in the head at 50 yards, but he started to run. A couple of follow up shots and he stopped. I would not have wanted a single shot rifle for that reason.

 

[.20calguy]

I'm gonna be the devil on the shoulder. Do a ton of research before you buy, consider utah airguns along with airguns of Arizona.

I've learned this lesson too many times.

BUY ONCE CRY ONCE. don't do the equivalent of buying a ruger 1022 and spend a grand taking every part off but the receiver with the serial on it.

I bought two that didn't cut the mustard before I finally put the funds together and got serious.
I bought a used Crown .30 cal from Utah Airguns.

Looks at the difference in how they shoot.

 

[6gun]

Air Force has been one I been researching on. Didn’t know about the outlet though. Have to check into that. I like the ability to upgrade as I go. I seen prices of some of these being upwards of 5k. I don’t even have a rimfire that costs that much. I know I’m gonna get what I pay for, but if I can start out 1-2k and grow as my interest in this hobby grows I’d be a lot happier than if I dive all in an not enjoy it then I’ll have a larger investment just sitting.

I had 1k I to a rimfire and I have 3k Into an fx impact. I can definitely tell where my money went and I shoot farther. My 1500 into a dreamline tactical compact 25 shoots just about the same as my old competition 1022 did on match ammo, with just pellets

I have a lifetime of powder burners and a big chunk of change that sits around because the pcp guns are THAT GOOD AND FUN.

 

[.20calguy]

I have yet to get them together on the same day, but my Kidd 10/22 hasn't produced the accuracy of my FX Crown .30 on paper thus far.

 

[elh0102]

I have yet to get them together on the same day, but my Kidd 10/22 hasn't produced the accuracy of my FX Crown .30 on paper thus far.

Then something is wrong with your Kidd or the ammo.

 

[AirNGasman]

I shot my big dillo with a 25 cal RAW HM1000x. Shot him in the head at 50 yards, but he started to run. A couple of follow up shots and he stopped. I would not have wanted a single shot rifle for that reason.

Missed his brain. Considering their small heads, you can extrapolate that to a TINY brain. Dillos are tough and tenacious; witness it taking three powerful .25s to stop him.

.

 

[.20calguy]

Then something is wrong with your Kidd or the ammo.

My Best group with the Kidd at 100 yards.
My Best ammo CCI standard velocity so far.
The reason I put that caviat saying I haven't shot them together is because that would be a real comparison between the Crown and the Kidd with matching conditions and ranges.


There may be better ammo?

 

[elh0102]

My Best group with the Kidd at 100 yards.
My Best ammo CCI standard velocity so far.
The reason I put that caviat saying I haven't shot them together is because that would be a real comparison between the Crown and the Kidd with matching conditions and ranges.

View attachment 580161
There may be better ammo?

Eley Tenex and Lapua Center-X and Midas are all good in my Kidd. But you have to test by lot #, as they will differ.