Considering a new .25 lever operated rifle. My hunting is frequently a "shot of opportunity". I don't always have time to fire off a few blank shots to get the gun to shoot close to where I last left it. What brand/model have you owned that was best in that regard?
Your most accurate PCP rifle for first shot accuracy
- Thread starter cmatera
- Start date
Most of the Edgun Matadors I've ever owned never had a shift in POI on the first shot. I could leave them in the safe for months at a time (which is typically the case), pull them out at any time and know that I'll hit that squirrel's head out to 50yds no problem at all. My Leshiy 2 - forget out it . . . first shot after resting is almost an inch high.
I could not say that about most of the Impacts I've owned . . . except for the two MkII w/ Power Plenum that are currently in my safe.
I could not say that about most of the Impacts I've owned . . . except for the two MkII w/ Power Plenum that are currently in my safe.
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BSA R10 TH .22 AND Taipan Vet Long .25
First shot is consistent, in both guns, with the rest of the following shots and predictable.
I mean shoot it, go to sleep and wake up the next day and it's the same.
First shot is consistent, in both guns, with the rest of the following shots and predictable.
I mean shoot it, go to sleep and wake up the next day and it's the same.
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Pick your poison. Either one of these. Az tuned Rapid mk ll .20 and Charlie tuned cricket compact.22. Both shoot lights out. 
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My Bantam HR has been first shot accurate, which is why I get excited to go ratting with it.
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As long as your tune has enough hammer spring tension to open the valve with whatever pressure is behind it from the air reservoir (non regulated) or plenum (regulated) your first shot should be accurate. If you have reg creep then like you said you must fire off a couple of shots. Too much pressure without enough HS tension then the valve will not open far enough thus less velocity until there are some shots fired off to drop the pressure enough for the valve to open fully. Your tune will let you know thru a chronograph (velocities) ascending or descending strings or flat (regulated tuned correctly or letting it sit then shoot to see if the POI changed.
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My airforce condor is so accurate that I can go from 3000 to 1500 psi and my kills are always on target. My backyard is only 20 yards at its longest place and 10 yard shots are really all I do but at that distance there is zero difference between shot to shot.
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Taipan mutant is mine. It hangs on a peg, and I can take it down at any time, and with the first shot, get a .22 pellet inside a .325 ring without touching the ring, at 25 yards.
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My Benjamin Maximus is my personal favorite first gun I grab that's always dead on first shot no matter what no excuses. No ifs ands or butts. Super light 5 pound rifle plus with a hair over one pound Leupold 6.5-20x40 AO EFR scope. No I didn't pay the typical $750 price for the Leupold I paid under $600 by shopping smart with additional discounts it's a perfect scope for the Maximus to keep it light weight and shoot 90-100 yards.
Speaking of Leupold EFR 6.5-20x40 AO and If anyone too lazy to search deals here's one and it's the LAST ONE!
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018025051
OH it's not a side lever.
OK Ok one of my Unregulated Daystate Renegades or Brocock Bantam HiLite unregulated oops not side lever my Unregulated Air Arms HFT 500 and Benjamin Akela (so far) then.
I own many guns but probably the only regulated guns I trust 100% not missing the first shots are the HW100 and 110 and RAW brand and Brockock Bantam sniper HR and Huntsman Regal HRs and mostly all old school unregulated guns and the Chinese unregulated P12 anything unregulated thats made in Korea too.
Speaking of Leupold EFR 6.5-20x40 AO and If anyone too lazy to search deals here's one and it's the LAST ONE!
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018025051
OH it's not a side lever.
OK Ok one of my Unregulated Daystate Renegades or Brocock Bantam HiLite unregulated oops not side lever my Unregulated Air Arms HFT 500 and Benjamin Akela (so far) then.
I own many guns but probably the only regulated guns I trust 100% not missing the first shots are the HW100 and 110 and RAW brand and Brockock Bantam sniper HR and Huntsman Regal HRs and mostly all old school unregulated guns and the Chinese unregulated P12 anything unregulated thats made in Korea too.
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Forgot to mention none of my Steyr regulated guns have their first shot miss either. Probably Steyr is what I would trust most for first shot accuracy if I were absolutely forced at gunpoint to choose a regulated gun but I'd grab an unregulated Maximus first before any Steyr.
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Unregulated PCPs.
+1
Regulated guns will have some sort of reg creep which will effect POI. Unregulated guns dont have that problem. if you dont have a leak in your gun, your POI shouldn't change for months or years.
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If only this was true. The Impact is about 4x this price point and most of the ones I've owned had reg creep to some degree.
I know Carl (the OP) has many fine rifles over $500 so if he's asking the question, he's likely seen some issues with them as well so it's not as simple as just buying a more expensive rifle.
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My Vulcan tactic has never changed POI....always verify before I go hunting and always dead on at 50 yards.
Tony P
Tony P
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I keep 2 rifles handy for the invading squirrels. The HW100 and the LGU. Both are reliably first shot accurate.
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The two most common causes of an errant first shot are inadequate barrel support and poor tuning. I’m saying that to say looking at a particular make & model usually only gets you half way there.
The first one deals with possible POI shift from day to day. It usually shows up after the rifle has been stored propped up in a corner or in a gun case with lateral pressure on the barrel. Or if it gets bumped against something. Free-floated barrels are notorious for it but it depends on whether the barrel tenon is adequately beefy and well secured in the receiver. If it’s a sloppy fit secured by one grub screw, the POI is going to wander. Common solutions may include adding a barrel band or adding more grub screws to secure the tenon more positively…or both. Or in the case of a platform like the Marauder which has some clearance in the barrel band, filling that space with something compliant like craft foam.
For this ^ the make and model tells you something.
Tuning is the other half. Firstly we don’t want viscous lubes that settle. That’s always true but it’s doubly important if you did your testing at 75F and then plan to head out into freezing temperatures. Secondly, if it’s regulated, you want the hammer spring tension adjusted in harmony with the regulated pressure. Otherwise it will exhibit wild velocity fluctuations any time there is a slight change in pressure, whether that change in pressure is due to temperature or regulator creep or regulator linearity. Regulated rifles get a bad rap for 5-10 bar of pressure creep. Meanwhile we all know a conventional (unregulated) PCP will hold a tight ES over a range of at least 30 bar. What is the difference? One is tuned properly and the other is not.
For this ^ the make and model tells you something only if it comes tuned by someone that gave it the proper level of care and attention.
There’s a pretty big gradient separating the pocketbook solution to it versus the DIY solution. What are you looking to spend?
The first one deals with possible POI shift from day to day. It usually shows up after the rifle has been stored propped up in a corner or in a gun case with lateral pressure on the barrel. Or if it gets bumped against something. Free-floated barrels are notorious for it but it depends on whether the barrel tenon is adequately beefy and well secured in the receiver. If it’s a sloppy fit secured by one grub screw, the POI is going to wander. Common solutions may include adding a barrel band or adding more grub screws to secure the tenon more positively…or both. Or in the case of a platform like the Marauder which has some clearance in the barrel band, filling that space with something compliant like craft foam.
For this ^ the make and model tells you something.
Tuning is the other half. Firstly we don’t want viscous lubes that settle. That’s always true but it’s doubly important if you did your testing at 75F and then plan to head out into freezing temperatures. Secondly, if it’s regulated, you want the hammer spring tension adjusted in harmony with the regulated pressure. Otherwise it will exhibit wild velocity fluctuations any time there is a slight change in pressure, whether that change in pressure is due to temperature or regulator creep or regulator linearity. Regulated rifles get a bad rap for 5-10 bar of pressure creep. Meanwhile we all know a conventional (unregulated) PCP will hold a tight ES over a range of at least 30 bar. What is the difference? One is tuned properly and the other is not.
For this ^ the make and model tells you something only if it comes tuned by someone that gave it the proper level of care and attention.
There’s a pretty big gradient separating the pocketbook solution to it versus the DIY solution. What are you looking to spend?
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Edgun Lelya. It's usually left leaning in a corner and I pick it up by the moderator frequently. It doesn't matter if it's been days (haven't gone weeks without shooting it yet) the first shot is always where it needs to be.
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