Air Venturi PCP setup for iguana problem

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floridaman

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Mar 25, 2024
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I have a Gamo .22 Swarm break-barrel that I use for iguanas. I want something both stronger and with the benefit of rapid follow up shots, so a PCP is my next purchase. I called Palm Beach Air Guns who were super helpful, and they suggested the Air Venturi Avenger in .25. Just want to get your opinions before I go pick one up. I have a UTG Bugbuster scope on the Gamo which I assume I can swap over to the Venturi without issue?

My property and my neighbors are infested with iguanas. Dozens of 5+ foot with tail iguanas on any given day. It's absurd. Even while I was hunting them, it barely put a dent in them. I need to bring in more manpower.

I also have a coyote problem but I don't think a .25 is adequate in that regard, and going to a .30 seems excessive for iguanas, so I'll have to figure out something else for those.

Anyway, I am debating .22 vs .25 and also the pump system. I assume I'll need to budget about $300 for a Yong Heng or such compressor? I do have lower back problems so I don't really want to be pumping by hand. Is this the best option for an air pump? And this Air Venturi Avenger sounds like a good option for me? Appreciate the help all, I don't know much about Airguns to be honest.

Alex
 
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the avenger .25 and yongheng should be fine, the yongheng is loud though and needs a good outlet, so mindful of that .. coyotes id treat as a seperate issue after you get familiar with your first setup .. id want a .35, youll need a nightscope of some form, and a good strategy .. that will be more involved and expensive to be effective to any positive degree ..
 
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Welcome Alex, always nice to have a fellow Floridian come aboard. For some time, Air Venturi has been a leader in "starter" PCPs, offering up-to-date features with value pricing. Last year they came out with an updated version of the highly popular Avenger, the Avenge-X. Check out a YouTube video from Pyramyd Air's Insyder on a side-by-side comparison of the two. Of course, Avenger costs less, but the video will show the aftermarket must-haves you'll need to purchase for optimum satisfaction. Avenge-X would be my choice as value tends to fall off quickly for early version PCPs. Search archives (upper right page corner) for "Yong Heng," enter "Biohazardman," in member search box, his Fact Sheet is golden. I'm a fanboy of the .25 and .30, .177 and .22 PCPs hold no interest, it's a hotly debated topic around here. WM
 
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floridaman said:
I have a Gamo .22 Swarm break-barrel that I use for iguanas. I want something both stronger and with the benefit of rapid follow up shots, so a PCP is my next purchase. I called Palm Beach Air Guns who were super helpful, and they suggested the Air Venturi Avenger in .25. Just want to get your opinions before I go pick one up. I have a UTG Bugbuster scope on the Gamo which I assume I can swap over to the Venturi without issue?

My property and my neighbors are infested with iguanas. Dozens of 5+ foot with tail iguanas on any given day. It's absurd. Even while I was hunting them, it barely put a dent in them. I need to bring in more manpower.

I also have a coyote problem but I don't think a .25 is adequate in that regard, and going to a .30 seems excessive for iguanas, so I'll have to figure out something else for those.

Anyway, I am debating .22 vs .25 and also the pump system. I assume I'll need to budget about $300 for a Yong Heng or such compressor? I do have lower back problems so I don't really want to be pumping by hand. Is this the best option for an air pump? And this Air Venturi Avenger sounds like a good option for me? Appreciate the help all, I don't know much about Airguns to be honest.

Alex
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WorriedMan​

'the avenger .25 and yongheng should be fine, the yongheng is loud though and needs a good outlet, so mindful of that .. coyotes id treat as a seperate issue after you get familiar with your first setup .. id want a .35, youll need a nightscope of some form, and a good strategy .. that will be more involved and expensive to be effective to any positive degree .."

you could use the iggy's as dead bait for the yotes pile up at a closer distance and use a blind to hide in .
 
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I have a 25 caliber Avenger and a Yong Heng but I've never hunted iguanas. The youtubes I've seen suggest iguanas are mainly taken with head shots. That shouldn't require a 25 but if you want to take body shots then maybe a 25 is indicated. I have not tried 34 grain pellets in my Avenger, it would probably shoot them OK. I have shot the 25.4s at up to 930 fps without going above 2300 psi on the regulator (it can go to 2900). I do not shoot this gun a lot because it is so LONG. Close to 4 feet by the time you put a moderator on it which it needs. I like bullpups better. I have 3 SPA P35s. I tuned the 25 caliber up to 50 fpe with 34s. I had to add a power plenum to get there, however. Krale sells P35s. Stoeger bullsharks are made by SPA and very similar. Might be another option. But in stock guns the Avenger will have more power. It has a significantly longer barrel which helps and it is also much easier to change the regulator. My Avenger is accurate, I would think it would work fine for iguanas.

In powder burners, 22lr is considered to be too small for coyotes and most airguns have less fpe than a 22lr. There are some people including one you can see videos from in the hunting session that take them with head shots with PCPs around 50 fpe. So it can be done but for body shots you definitely need more fpe than most if not all 25 calibers can generate.

I like my Yong Heng fine. It is loud and I use it to fill a SCBA bottle and fill the bottle about once a month. But I filled the guns with it before getting the bottle. It needs additional moisture filtration and more cooling helps if you want to fill bottles. The GX CS2, 3, 4 series are also recommended by others. They are much smaller compressors which are more portable and can work on 120V or 12 volts. They are mostly for filling guns but the 4 can reportedly fill bottles if you are willing to wait over an hour. Filling a gun takes a minute or two with my Yong Heng and would take around 5 times as long with the GX compressors.
 
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floridaman said:
I have a Gamo .22 Swarm break-barrel that I use for iguanas. I want something both stronger and with the benefit of rapid follow up shots, so a PCP is my next purchase. I called Palm Beach Air Guns who were super helpful, and they suggested the Air Venturi Avenger in .25. Just want to get your opinions before I go pick one up. I have a UTG Bugbuster scope on the Gamo which I assume I can swap over to the Venturi without issue?

My property and my neighbors are infested with iguanas. Dozens of 5+ foot with tail iguanas on any given day. It's absurd. Even while I was hunting them, it barely put a dent in them. I need to bring in more manpower.

I also have a coyote problem but I don't think a .25 is adequate in that regard, and going to a .30 seems excessive for iguanas, so I'll have to figure out something else for those.

Anyway, I am debating .22 vs .25 and also the pump system. I assume I'll need to budget about $300 for a Yong Heng or such compressor? I do have lower back problems so I don't really want to be pumping by hand. Is this the best option for an air pump? And this Air Venturi Avenger sounds like a good option for me? Appreciate the help all, I don't know much about Airguns to be honest.

Alex
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Welcome aboard brother! I use my regular Avenger 25 mostly for large groundhogs tearing up my property and damage from digging up the foundation around my sheds. I was recommended the Orcair Thunder compressor off Amazon by Airgun Shootist and couldn't be happier with it. Take care man!
 
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floridaman said:
I assume I'll need to budget about $300 for a Yong Heng or such compressor? I do have lower back problems so I don't really want to be pumping by hand. Is this the best option for an air pump?
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Consider buying a 4500psi bottle that you can have filled at a local scuba shop over buying a cheap compressor. The air will be drier, you won’t have another item to maintain and it is cheap ($4/fill near me).
 
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Treks said:
Consider buying a 4500psi bottle that you can have filled at a local scuba shop over buying a cheap compressor. The air will be drier, you won’t have another item to maintain and it is cheap ($4/fill near me).
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70cf minimum if you shoot a lot. I agree, I understand that drve shops are on every corner next to Startbux's in Floor-uh-duh so I agree with letting them fill the tanks.
 
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Price is expensive when compared to your original compressor budget, around $540 and up for a new 4500psi 75cu ft or larger tank. They will pop up on the classifieds here from time to time, but know that they need to be hydro tested every 5 years and will be sent out to pasture by fill shops at 15 years.

Shot count will vary depending on the air rifle you end up with and the associated tune. Here is a calculator from AOA’s website that will give you an idea though https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/Tanks/FillCalc.html
 
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How many fills is dependent on the size of the bottle, the size of your gun, and the pressure you want to fill it to. There are on-line calculators. I fill my guns at least 10 times to their 250 bar limit from my 45 minute SCBA tank filled to 300 bar by my Yong Heng. None of my guns stores more than about 225cc of air, however. Some store twice that or more. But you can also fill many more times when the bottle pressure falls below 250 bar. I don't normally refill until the bottle gets down to around 3200 psi. As long as it can fill the gun above the regulator setting you can still get shots but you get less shots when you fill your gun to a lower fill pressure. There are also bigger bottles than my 45 minute one which would give you more fills.
 
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You will want to use the YH compressor to a bottle. Then use the bottle for the rifle. The YH is too much trouble/time to set up for direct pumping. I have a couple of SCBA bottles and a small field bottle that I use my YH to fill to 4500 psi.

A .25 should be fine for the lizards. A strong .25 might be okay for coyotes with head shots. I do not think .30 is overkill on the lizards.
 
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A Gamo Urban is a nice low cost PCP . The .22 is plenty for iguanas and the Urban will do headshots all day long.. Under $300 for the rifle and a $200 for a pump. My compressor is around 2 years old and I'm surprised it's still working., I like it enough to have a second new one still in the box . No water needed and runs on 12v as well. I've never needed a spare tank, just fill straight from the pump .

It's first 10 shot group at 25y .
20230122_133918.jpg


20230321_153558.jpg
 
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I am in Naples and have a spare Omega 75cu ft tank. If you are just needing something short term to thin the iguana numbers you are welcome to borrow the tank for a month. Leave me a deposit for the tanks value and I’ll give it back on the tanks return. I just ask that you only use dive shop air. Might not be the ideal solution, but it’s an option.
 
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3Crows said:
You will want to use the YH compressor to a bottle. Then use the bottle for the rifle. The YH is too much trouble/time to set up for direct pumping. I have a couple of SCBA bottles and a small field bottle that I use my YH to fill to 4500 psi.

A .25 should be fine for the lizards. A strong .25 might be okay for coyotes with head shots. I do not think .30 is overkill on the lizards.
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Oh ok. In that case, I live near Scuba shops, so filling air isn't a problem. I thought I could get away with going straight from the pump to the rifle. If I need a bottle anyways, I'd have to buy one and could just go to scuba shops to fill.
 
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floridaman said:
I have a Gamo .22 Swarm break-barrel that I use for iguanas. I want something both stronger and with the benefit of rapid follow up shots, so a PCP is my next purchase. I called Palm Beach Air Guns who were super helpful, and they suggested the Air Venturi Avenger in .25. Just want to get your opinions before I go pick one up. I have a UTG Bugbuster scope on the Gamo which I assume I can swap over to the Venturi without issue?

My property and my neighbors are infested with iguanas. Dozens of 5+ foot with tail iguanas on any given day. It's absurd. Even while I was hunting them, it barely put a dent in them. I need to bring in more manpower.

I also have a coyote problem but I don't think a .25 is adequate in that regard, and going to a .30 seems excessive for iguanas, so I'll have to figure out something else for those.

Anyway, I am debating .22 vs .25 and also the pump system. I assume I'll need to budget about $300 for a Yong Heng or such compressor? I do have lower back problems so I don't really want to be pumping by hand. Is this the best option for an air pump? And this Air Venturi Avenger sounds like a good option for me? Appreciate the help all, I don't know much about Airguns to be honest.

Alex
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You can use anything .177 and .22 without a problem, so long as you can group better accurate than the head of a small iguana. I take iguanas out with everything from .177 to .30 and with as little at 10fpe out the muzzle. You just gotta hit their off switch. This is more so the case with iguanas under 3ft, larger ones sometimes need a bit more but not a lot more. I took around 3000 iguanas with my akela .22 when I had it, before I sold it buy an impact mk2. Even now I prefer to use my .177s primarily I shoot .177 slugs since they shoot really well and expand even better and are quieter. As for an air source, I wiuld definitely suggest an air tank. You can get used SCBA tanks for cheap, or you can drop money on a brand new one. Either way like @Treks Mentioned, fills are not too expensive, in southeast Florida the orice is anywhere from $8-$10 a fill
 
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