I don't think you need to spend on a march scope unless you plan on doing Ft competition. Three to four hundred dollars is enough to spend on a scope, there are disadvantages with both first and second focal plane optics; If you hunt longer ranges, get a range finder and stay away from high power scopes over 16x, for most air gun shooting. the field of view gets tiny; you will hate trying to find your target. "Fat" cross hairs,(reticals) like the UTG scopes use, are also annoying when they "hide" the target. Side wheel focus (paralax) adjustment type is far easier to use too. finally, scope weight adds considerably to the total gun weight, so consider that. I hate heavy guns for anything but Field target and bench rest, (competition).
My main complaint with PCP guns is that there are only two kinds; the kind that leak air and the kind that are gonna leak, so you will eventually need to deal with it.
I have owned 2 FX impacts, in .25 and .30., and was not terribly impressed with the accuracy I got from either one; I did better with my FX Wildcat and even my Marauder grouped better. Remember that these guys that do the reviews are getting the best examples available to test and they are expected to provide good reviews, just like with any product. My current Impact needs constant attention; they have many parts and O-rings and are difficult(for me) to work on, compared to simpler guns. I have not been able to shoot it for weeks because of a gradual power loss issue that requires major disassembly work, that I am not confident doing myself. You will need a Chronograph also, to take advantage of all the tuning options, to get the most from this gun.
Compressors are getting really cheap, in the last couple years, and I have owned a couple of those 300$ "blue" Chinese units that do get the job done, although my second one had a faulty relay for the auto-shut-off, that took weeks to figure out and delete. these compressors are very inexpensive and easy to replace. If you shoot much, they will easily pay for themselves in a year or two, in trips to your local Scuba or Paint-ball store; FYI, I have found that Fire Stations and paint ball stores (in So California at least) will not fill your bottles or guns for love, beer or money. You will also need to add a real dryer(moisture separator) to these little compressors, (about 75$), for air gun use. I would recommend getting a cheap/used carbon fiber bottle with about a 60 Cubic foot capacity. this size will not over tax the cheap compressors but still will fill your gun a great many times. Recently "expired" bottles, in good condition, can be commonly had under 100$; they just can't be legally filled at commercial places. They can be reasonably expected to remain serviceable for 30 years if not over filled and moisture is kept out. "Fill station assemblies" for the bottle, with a gauge and bleed valve, run about 50$ for Chinese versions....again, they work fine if not abused.
Don't waste time/money testing every pellet brand under the sun.....JSBs are nearly always the best and worth the extra cost in my opinion. There are lots of very good PCP guns now, some popular ones are Daystate, FX, RAW, Edgun, and Cricket to name just a few. I would not waste time looking at the "box-store" brands like Gamo, Crossman, Umerex, etc. however, the Benjamin Marauder is a really good PCP, even at twice the price, but it is very heavy for hunting use. if you know that you're serious about getting into the sport/hobby. Save yourself the time and waste of money working your way up to what you really want; get the best you can afford, then keep it. That's my philosophy about everything though. If you just want to get rid of the neighbors nasty cat, then a 100$, suitably quiet break-barrel or Co2, will get'er done. (Be sure to throw it in the street and let traffic flatten it good, so they don't find the entry wound).
My main complaint with PCP guns is that there are only two kinds; the kind that leak air and the kind that are gonna leak, so you will eventually need to deal with it.
I have owned 2 FX impacts, in .25 and .30., and was not terribly impressed with the accuracy I got from either one; I did better with my FX Wildcat and even my Marauder grouped better. Remember that these guys that do the reviews are getting the best examples available to test and they are expected to provide good reviews, just like with any product. My current Impact needs constant attention; they have many parts and O-rings and are difficult(for me) to work on, compared to simpler guns. I have not been able to shoot it for weeks because of a gradual power loss issue that requires major disassembly work, that I am not confident doing myself. You will need a Chronograph also, to take advantage of all the tuning options, to get the most from this gun.
Compressors are getting really cheap, in the last couple years, and I have owned a couple of those 300$ "blue" Chinese units that do get the job done, although my second one had a faulty relay for the auto-shut-off, that took weeks to figure out and delete. these compressors are very inexpensive and easy to replace. If you shoot much, they will easily pay for themselves in a year or two, in trips to your local Scuba or Paint-ball store; FYI, I have found that Fire Stations and paint ball stores (in So California at least) will not fill your bottles or guns for love, beer or money. You will also need to add a real dryer(moisture separator) to these little compressors, (about 75$), for air gun use. I would recommend getting a cheap/used carbon fiber bottle with about a 60 Cubic foot capacity. this size will not over tax the cheap compressors but still will fill your gun a great many times. Recently "expired" bottles, in good condition, can be commonly had under 100$; they just can't be legally filled at commercial places. They can be reasonably expected to remain serviceable for 30 years if not over filled and moisture is kept out. "Fill station assemblies" for the bottle, with a gauge and bleed valve, run about 50$ for Chinese versions....again, they work fine if not abused.
Don't waste time/money testing every pellet brand under the sun.....JSBs are nearly always the best and worth the extra cost in my opinion. There are lots of very good PCP guns now, some popular ones are Daystate, FX, RAW, Edgun, and Cricket to name just a few. I would not waste time looking at the "box-store" brands like Gamo, Crossman, Umerex, etc. however, the Benjamin Marauder is a really good PCP, even at twice the price, but it is very heavy for hunting use. if you know that you're serious about getting into the sport/hobby. Save yourself the time and waste of money working your way up to what you really want; get the best you can afford, then keep it. That's my philosophy about everything though. If you just want to get rid of the neighbors nasty cat, then a 100$, suitably quiet break-barrel or Co2, will get'er done. (Be sure to throw it in the street and let traffic flatten it good, so they don't find the entry wound).
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