newbie looking to buy my first serious pellet rifle

[boonez40]

Ok, so I have been lurking around the boards for a couple weeks, been wanting an Air Force Texan for hunting deer and bear. But was also wanting a 2nd rifle rifle for hunting yotes, squirrel, Coon ect ect but mostly yotes and foxes and squirrels.

So I think I would like to buy a .257 as a second rifle. This will be for hunting only.

So what is a good choice, like I said it's for hunting only, I am not going to enter any target shooting events so I do not need a 2000.00 gun or do I?

 

[Bullwhisper]

Get the Benjamin bulldog 357 it looks sweet and is accurate out to 100 yards
or get a .25 there's plenty of those to look trough I don't have much experience in the big bore department but evanix, Air Force, day state, Benjamin, all have great big bore rifles, or the Sam yang dragon clawin .50 caliber will the job done on 300lb Texas hogs 

 

[boonez40]

Thanks, those are the names I have been researching, but I am leaning towards one of the wild cat .257 for the reason of heavy 68 to 80 grn pills, 900+ fps. That is in the ball park of a 223 wildcat running subsonic with a suppressor.
I remember back in the day, we used Thompson Contenders pistols for big bore pistol competition, the 223 would pass right through a metal pistol target, long story short, a lot of larger heavier bullets where used to slow it down to pistol velocity.

 

[JDShapp]

A good .30 or .35 cal will be your best bet for foxes and coyotes. If noise is a factor you can look at the FX Boss, Bobcat, or Hatsan BT Carnivore in .30 cal. If its not then the Benjamin Bulldog, or Sam Yang Recluse are good choices in .357.

 

[45super]

An airforce Texan could fill both and more, with additional barrels. The 257 is nearly an exclusive with airforce due to the length of the slug and the amount of air required, if you can find a local bullet caster, the 45 caliber semi wadcutters at 200ish grains commonly used for pistols, sized to. .457 makes a much less expensive plinker for the Texan.

 

[boonez40]

45superAn airforce Texan could fill both and more, with additional barrels. The 257 is nearly an exclusive with airforce due to the length of the slug and the amount of air required, if you can find a local bullet caster, the 45 caliber semi wadcutters at 200ish grains commonly used for pistols, sized to. .457 makes a much less expensive plinker for the Texan.

So just so I know what you are saying and to clarify, if I buy a Texan then all I need is an up grade barrel to .257 for what I want to do.
As for bullet casting, I think I am going to do my own. It is something I have always wanted to try. I have been reloading for years, should be pretty simple with the knowledge I possess.
Wonder why the air force did not go with 4500 psi instead of 3000 psi.

 

[bill_dd97]

The only 257 I know of that isn't special order is a barrel and mod kit for an Airforce Condor. I am not aware of any kits to change the caliber of the Texan. Guns capable of firing 357 or 9mm slugs have been easier for me to find than a 257.

 

[Alan]

One comment. All air guns are serious when mishandled. 

 

[Bullwhisper]

You could always go the high end route with a day state .303

 

[45super]

Since the Texan is already setup with huge amounts of air supply, a tophat modification or fabrication and a barrel change should be all that is needed, now that is not an off the shelf proposition, I would shoot Tony @ Talon tunes a message and ask if they have done it yet? RL Airgun sells ready to go .257 barrels for Condor and Talon. I have already seen the Texan made into a 357, so modifiers have already begun.
On the 2nd question, 4500psi is not easy to come by, and would wear out all but the biggest and strongest among us to pump by hand, 4500psi hand pumps aren't easy to find either, but there are tank conversions available to do just that, with a regulator to make operating pressure fit your needs. Talon tunes just started offering carbon fiber replacement tanks that are rated @ 3625psi, but I have no experience with them.

 

[boonez40]

45superSince the Texan is already setup with huge amounts of air supply, a tophat modification or fabrication and a barrel change should be all that is needed, now that is not an off the shelf proposition, I would shoot Tony @ Talon tunes a message and ask if they have done it yet? RL Airgun sells ready to go .257 barrels for Condor and Talon. I have already seen the Texan made into a 357, so modifiers have already begun.
On the 2nd question, 4500psi is not easy to come by, and would wear out all but the biggest and strongest among us to pump by hand, 4500psi hand pumps aren't easy to find either, but there are tank conversions available to do just that, with a regulator to make operating pressure fit your needs. Talon tunes just started offering carbon fiber replacement tanks that are rated @ 3625psi, but I have no experience with them.

Heck no, not a hand pump for 4500 psi. I plan to purchase a compressor, not sure if I am going to go with the 110 volt omega, the shoe box or I know a guy that has a gas powered 4500 psi compressor he has not used in 5 to 8 years.

So my thoughts are, find the sweet spot, what ever psi it shoots the best at, reg it at that psi. 4500 psi tank would give more shots.