Next airgun Taipan Veteran or ???

I am thinking about picking up the Veteran long in either .22 or .25 cal, but couldn't find any info on what barrel was being used in each one. I have heard the CZ barrels are better than the LW barrels. From what I can tell there are few complaints about them, with most individuals having only positive things to say (minus the stock). 

For those that own one or both calibers, what would you suggest for caliber? Or is there another airgun option that might be better with similar price range?

What slugs have you tried in the different calibers, max energy of each, and other things that might help me make a good decision. 

Thanks
 
Own a .22 long cz barrel. I think you can get .25 only in LW here in us. Veteran is really a pellet gun and to make it shoot slug decently requires a lot of work. Veteran long is not a light gun, mine weight just above 10 lb full setup, do consider the weight in your decision making. Price wise it's not bad if you get it at 1400$, but there are many other good gun cost less. Wildcat is another popular option at the price level, if you fancy the fx brand. There are 10 million wildcat video on YT you can check out. 
 
Get the caliber you prefer and don’t let CZ or LW be the deciding factor. Both make great barrels and it’s a coin toss on which one might be better. I have a .22 long with the CZ barrel. I shot it over the weekend and my best group measured .29” at 42 yards which is about as far as I can shoot until I take down some trees this fall. I just today ordered a .25 compact with a LW barrel and I’m not one bit concerned about it not being a laser. 
 
I have a Taipan Veteran Long in .25 in Beech (saved some $$$) and 'painted' the stock with black bedliner. It's the only gun I take pesting and I have a laser BSA R10 TH that I love shooting but the .25 makes such a nice sound on critters!!!

As stated above it's heavy but I don't notice that anymore.

The CZ v.s LW barrels is just more internet rumor, I suspect.

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I love that bedliner'd stock. Really well done.

Thank You Sir!

I think I'm gonna do that to my shorty


Have you ever tried grip tape?

It feels great and peels off clean anytime you want.

Bed liner looks pretty cool but it's a one way trip no going back.

I KNEW that I didn't want to go back so it was an easy decision that I do not regret. Seems like grip tape would help in many situations but not this one and especially mine.

No amount of polishing or shine would make a boring piece of wood look pretty.
 
Thanks everyone! This definitely helped. I suspected the barrel was possibly just a perception thing, but after having the Mrod with bad barrel, one is inclined to ask, especially when the barrel I bought many years later from Crosman still didn't perform well.

I have a Taipan Veteran Long in .25 in Beech (saved some $$$) and 'painted' the stock with black bedliner. It's the only gun I take pesting and I have a laser BSA R10 TH that I love shooting but the .25 makes such a nice sound on critters!!!

As stated above it's heavy but I don't notice that anymore.

The CZ v.s LW barrels is just more internet rumor, I suspect.

starboard.bow.1624366545.jpg


GS.17022020.twin.oaks.1624366592.jpg





I believe I came across your OP in a forum when you were considering this airgun, which provided some help also.

I ordered the .25 Long Beech version from Utahairguns.com (out of Grey laminate) today, so it should ship by end of the week, as they test and prepare it for me. I was fortunate to have met the guys from the shop at the 2019 Pyramydair cup, with a bunch of others from AGN as well, so I know there was no issues dealing with them. 

My only concern now is waiting for JSB pellets to become available again. I did order some H&N Barracuda and Barracuda hunters, FX hybrid, and NSA 29 gr to test in the mean time. I also purchased a 1/2 -20 unf adapter, so I can put my Tatsu on it.

I like the bedliner look, but don't think I would do it to mine. Are the stocks slippery? Or is the grip tape more for looks, with benefit of increased grip?




 
New to this site and have been pondering and looking g at these forums for a while now.

Does anyone have any negative co.ments on the Taipan shorty (compact)....?

I had a .177 Shorty that had a leaky regulator. Simple o-ring fixed it and it shot single hole groups at 40 yards. Only other "negative" comments from people tend to be that the beech stock is not high grade wood (but the laminate stocks are quite nice) and the cocking is in the rear.