$1200 Air Gun VS $299 Air Gun (Accuracy & Quality Testing)

I have seen Southern Air Gunners video. I have some of the mods he has done. But I haven't opened up my ports on my gun. I did increase my regulator pressure. Mine shoots almost the same FPS as his. And is very accurate. 5/8" to 1" groups at 67yrds. Haven't shot it at a 100 yards yet. But I did kill a bunch of squirrels the season with it at around 30 to 40 yrds. I love my Guntlet! 
Dave

This isn't an apple to apple comparison with two out the box rifles. If people think they can buy a $299 rifle and out of the box it will equal the accuracy of an out of the box Daystate, they are going to be sorely disappointed. Quality isn't just about good looks, it also means reliability, consistency and longevity.

Hey hawkeye69. Wo t you reach out to southern gunner he also has a stock .177 and stock 22 gauntlet. He will definitely meet up with you and do a head to head shoot out with any gun of your choice for $2000 per 5 shot group. He just tore me a new but hole with a 177 gauntlet straight out of the box with my fc royal. I lost 2000.00 and my gun. Then I asked him how did he do it. He is a retired USC sniper. So there is nothing he cant shoot. Be careful who judge this guy can shoot flies off a post a 100 yards with anygun. So if you think this isn't a Apple's to Apple's video. Go ahead and hit him up and he will definitely show up. He sure took my gun and 2000.00 at 100 yards with a stock .177. And I know you may ask how do I know it was stock because he ordered it and had it shipped straight to my house.

My point was and is that an average person who thinks they can buy a $299 gun that will equal a Daystate is going to be disappointed. A retired Nascar driver would certainly beat me in a road race with a much lesser car than I drive, but that doesn't mean that anyone could.

hawkeye69 -
I think quality is in the eye of the beholder. I used to do Quality Improvement and it was never easy to define quality, because everyone had a different definition of what was important to them.

My definition will be very different from yours or Kaylaindy. Kaylaindy is more into hunting so the toughness, and "good enough" accuracy is the quality he's looking for. Me, I'm a bench shooter, so the "Good Enough" accuracy at 30 yards really kills me at 100 yards. I have a Marauder that I can shoot quarter sized groups at 75 yards, and that's not good enough for what I want. I suspect that Kaylaindy would be more than willing to accept the quarter sized groups at 75 yards for his purposes.

I understand the argument for the Gauntlet, but for me, my definition of quality is different. The Gauntlet holds no allure because it isn't designed for what I want.

Actually, I'm watching the Crosman site to buy a Euro Maximus. Everyone knows the Maximus is an inexpensive PCP, with severe limitations, but this model has two things I want, and that's sub-12 fpe and incredibly cheap at $165 (using the discount). To me, the Maximus will be adequate qualities for what I'm buying the gun for. It sure won't hit 100 yard dime sized groups, but that's not the quality I want in this particular gun. I want something low powered for backyard fun.

Oh well, enough pontificating. We all have different views of quality, that's why we have so many gun choices. And I agree, anyone buying a Gauntlet, Maximus, Fortitude, or other less expensive gun, expecting to out shoot Ted at Extreme Bench Rest with his Impact will be sorely disappointed. The gun has to match the purpose, so you buy the qualities that fit.

Maybe we should view our guns like a bag of golf clubs. I've want a pitching Wedge for close up shooting (sub 12 FPE), and an driver for the long shots (Impact), like the 100 yard shots. Just more excuses to buy more guns, after all, you gotta fill that golf bag.

If you think the price tag of an air gun determines value, performances and potential then you're OUT of your mind. An air gun's primary component that determines its accuracy is its barrel, barrels are ~100$ items at most....second component is either the valve(unregulated) or regulator...3rd its tune, then there is YOU.

The average pcp air gun can out shoot the average shooter. Period. Take the human element out and certainly electronically controlled EVERYTHING would out perform anything else.

Just because something is expensive doesn't make it the best. Not sure why capitalism tends to have this effect on people, theres the saying 'you get what you pay for', but that certainly does not mean there is a 1:1 comparison...for that argument to be valid the 300$ rifle would have to have groups 5x worse than a 1500$ rifle...when in fact I bet its more up to the shooter than the rifle because the least consistent factor in a proper air gun is the shooter. At the end of the day thats the rifles job, to put lead to paper/prey/pests...and tbf with the absence of poor quality control they all do the job very well because we have the basic components designed optimally for MOA/SUB-MOA performance especially at an indoor range.

Any good shooter knows the elements we deal with (wind/mirage/ect) and the shooter are a much bigger factors in our performance than our equipment...you can't buy your way into moa/sub moa groups especially at 100 yards +.

-Matt

I see everyone's point on this, but I'd like to get back to the original topic, a $1200 versus a $299 airgun. The title does seem misleading, since Southern Airgunner compares a $1200 Daystate to a heavily modified Gauntlet. Its certainly not a $299 Gauntlet.

Not sure how much he has into the gun, but the additional air flask, mods/upgrades to the action, upgraded stock, etc., raise the price considerably, especially if it were done by a gunsmith if the owner were not mechanically talented like Southern Airgunner. I'd like to see an e-mail or video describing all of the modifications that were done to this "299" air rifle... Not putting it down in any way, lets just call it what it is, a totally stock Daystate versus a heavily modified Gauntlet. How many of you know people that have bought Marauders and modified them to the point that they had more $ into it than if they had just bought a "better" air rifle from the start? Yes, it is fun to do the upgrades and modifications, I agree...

Did I miss the Daystate at 50 yards at the end, since all I saw was the Gauntlet group (great group btw)? One thing I don't think was mentioned is the velocity difference between the two guns. Those of us that shoot JSB 18.1 know there is a distinct point above 900 or so (925? 940?) that the JSBs become much less accurate and somewhat unstable. Shouldn't make much of a difference at 25 yards, but it does for sure at 50 and longer. 

​PS., if his Gauntlet is really that good, and as @davidg says, such an incredible shooter (and I have no reason to doubt that), there is $5000 on the line at EBR this year, and it would be awesome to see a Gauntlet take first place in the PRO division...

Centercut - I hear you about modifications. I was faced with a decision to keep my Marauder stock and buy a new gun to achieve some personal goals, or just buy a new gun. I chose to keep the Marauder stock for now and buy the gun. Don't have time to work on the action and experiment enough to get it right, so bought a gun that's already there.

I could have upgraded the Marauder, and probably met my goals, the gun is capable, but the cost of parts and time just didn't make sense. The incremental gains from each new component like a regulator, hammer, valve and other upgrades drove the price of my 100 yard Marauder to the price of a used Streamline or Daystate. It's an addiction I tell you!

Someday I'll have the time to upgrade the Marauder, but for now, it's cheaper to buy a new gun that already does it.

As said before, anyone that buys a $300 gun and expects to out shoot a $1200 gun, right out of the box will be sorely dissapointed

Only mods on the gun is a bottle new transfer port and regulator shims only 32.00 spent in gun. No heavy mods

Sg doesn't have heavy mods on the gun he only spent 32.00 on the bottle and reg shims
.gun is still pretty much stock. He's just a great shooter. 

OK, gotcha. How about if SA describes what was done? So he didn't polish the ports, modify the trigger (oh yeah, he did say he did that), lap and polish the barrel, check and /or modify/correct the crown, polish/lap regulator when he shimmed it, do most of the upgrades described by @hajimoto, etc., etc.? And had he actually paid someone to do this, what would it have cost? That was my point.

When I installed a breakfast bar in my home, it "only" cost me $350, and that included a granite countertop, but would have been at least $3,000 had I paid to have it done without doing all the labor myself. To truly have an apples to apples comparison, take both guns out of the box as is and shoot them side by side. That would be a great $1200 to $299 comparison would it not? And since he's shooting both guns, it would be a totally fair and accurate comparison...

When I watched the video I knew a bunch of people would get butt hurt, lol. Isn't stoning a poor trigger just standard procedure? It's not rocket science either.
Hell even if he spent $300 on mods it would still be half the price of the Daystate, $600 will buy a bunch of pellets. BTW, if anyone else steps up to his challenge, please video it so we can all watch the ass whoopin.

2000.00 and my gun. Then I asked him how did he do it. He is a retired USC sniper. So there is nothing he cant shoot.

I didnt know "USC" had snipers..  

This is an interesting thread..it does appear he can shoot.. no question.. I am willing to pay for certain things for sure..what I don't want is to buy a rifle and then have to work on it..i'd rather just pay and get something ready to shoot.
I'd like to meet him in person.. Not to compete.  

I have no doubt that he would beat me shooting under most any condition. But for the record he isn't just taking a $299 gun out of the box and finding that it shoots as good as a Daystate. Aside from any work he may have done to the rifle, he states quite clearly that he does not just go out and sight in at 50 yards and make a range card. He says that with every gun he gets he goes through a very tedious educational process, and it is shot over and over and over again to educate himself on every aspect of the gun.

It would be interesting to see him shooting his $299 rifle at EBR this year...

I did some research on the gauntlet when i was looking for a 177.. It appears to be a great rifle.. the cost was really attractive..
this guy is like the guy that comes over and beats you at basketball on on you own back yard court.. so embarrassing.
I did learn one of my PCP rifles so well I could cut squirrels tail off at 20 yards,,I called "shorty" and they had rights in my yard. Never to be shot. Neighbors asked me about it.. I said don't know, most be predators doing it..

Southern Gunner here. You guys are throwing this all out of proportion. My goal is not to make any airgun look bad my goal is to show the people who can't afford a high end gun that a low end gun will get the job done. I own high end and low end and none of them is no different to me. I shooting skills comes from 8 years old nonstop to rotc tournaments on the drill team and high school with over 200 championships then on to west point military academy then in to a sniper in desert storm. I have shot many years back in the day in competition so i am not interested in ebr. All competition does is bring a lot of economies. As far as my gauntlet very minor mods have been done to it. My purpose for the my videos is targeted to the little guy who can't afford high dollar not to fx and daystate owners. If I don't give the little guy hope who else will. I don't see anyone else doing that. So the next time you see me doing a comparison remember it's not to make a high end gun look bad by the way I do own some it's to show the little guy that you don't have to buy a gun you cant afford. That's why 8 give away over 10 pcp guns a year out of my pocket because the airgun works says if it's not high end then its bo good. Calm down it's just a gun

Oh and by the way I truly appreciate people putting up my videos for others to see. But I would kindly appreciate that you wouldn't. And the reason is because it usually sends the wrong message to people who don't understand my purpose. I'm into YouTube to give the little guy something that no one in the airgun world gives. I'm not trying to draw a mass crowd to my channel so it doesn't matter if 1 person see it or 1000 as long as the little guy gets something out of it. I'm fortunate enough to be able to buy as many airgun as I want no matter the price so if I can show the little guy that you don't have to go big to have fun why cant others. All of this back and forth is the main reason I think about taking my channel down sometimes. If it weren't for the little guy that needs a new airgun which he cant afford and I send him one or the guy who's new and wants the truth I would leave YouTube behind. Better things in the world to bicker about. 

SA (@kenney36): I for one certainly, and as a 27 year Navy veteran, didn't intend to disrespect or put down your video, or your comparison. It was educational and entertaining. What I would have liked to see is what mods you did, and how you did them to make your Gauntlet into the shooter that it is. I know @hajimoto has done similar with his videos, and another take on how to "tune" the Gauntlet so that it shoots acceptably would be greatly appreciated. I didn't take what most said as a put down, more as constructive criticism since the title was $1200 vs $299, but should have been $1200 vs $299 (modified and tuned/upgraded). I've subscribed to your channel since I'm interested in what you have to say. The little guy that can only afford a Gauntlet would be surprised when he took it out of the box and it didn't shoot as well as yours. Showing him how to do these minor modifications would greatly benefit him and the other little guys that would buy the Gauntlet. 

Hey Centercut. I do appreciate you sharing the video and I know it wasn't any disrespect it just when you are trying to show positive people will always find negative. The reason I don't show mods is that I showed a mod years ago and someone did not do in order what I said and seriously injured themselves I was sued for medical expenses and had to pay. So if some one like hajhimoto wants to show mods that's on him. But I will never show another mod again. I replaced my transfer port. Polished everything added a bottle and regulator shims and spent around 35.00 total. And I did do a shot string and group with the gun straight out of the box with both calibers and they both shot hole in hole before the mods. All I did was give it a little more power . So straight out of the box the gun is still a good shooter. Nothing major. Sorry I don't show mods but I found out that you can be held liable if someone gets injured off of you instructions.