Air gunner "Newb" saga of my affliction/addiction

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LIVIT

Member
Jan 5, 2017
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NC
Back in Nov 2016 I started getting interested in purchasing a pellet gun to treerat hunt with. I did shop a bit, but did no true research. I came a across a sale on the Sportsman Guide for a Gamo Fusion Mach 1 IGT .22 that claimed to be shooting 1100fps "woooo" being an avid archer, I fell for the fps claims like a lot of newbies do. Tried to shoot it in using Gamo pellets, don't laugh to hard :) ..... So I did some research and found AGN. After some reading I realized what my problemS were. One its a Gamo, second I was shooting too light of a Gamo pellet to get the accuracy I was expecting. Also the included scope was not able to focus at 10 yds. So I ordered more pellets, heavier and better quality and also ordered a new scope. I got a hammers 4-12x40 with AO. Wow what a difference, half dollar groups at 40 yards and several treerat dinners.

The Saga continues, I kept reading and learning. Found out that those groups were not so great ! Good for a Gamo but not what could be achieved and I was envious seeing all the pictures of others shot groups ! The more I read the more I became interested in FT competition both rifle and pistol. Yup the addiction has begun. In the mean time I had bought a Crossman vigilante .357 .177 co2 revolver, which is a lot of fun and accurate at close range hand gun. So 2 months in and I now own 2 pellet guns and have a stupid long list of "I wannas" So tks to members of THAGC like my buddies Jimmy (fussel) and Dwight plus AGN members like Joe the gun stock burning pirate dude :p and many others my addiction has been fueled. I now own tks to my friend Dwight a fully tuned XS46U that I have put a UTG 3-12x44 IR w/AO and added a 80mm side wheel. That makes 3 in less than 3 months. oh boy here we go ! I am determined to tame the springer, even after being told that I would have to spend around $1200 to get a gun and scope combo springer that would be good enough to be competitive in FT. Or get a PCP ! Challenged the wrong man :)

Does it stop there, NO. I now have on order a Caldwell G2 chrony and found out with it that my LG phone wont do the Bluetooth so new smartphone has been added and I liked my simple LG phone ! So now lots more pellets ordered to test, plus multiple types of pellets and pop up targets and other paper targets. Cleaning kits, ...... Now with me being the anal type I just have to get a good quality digital scale and pelletgage and dies. Yikes !

Now, a PCP has actually caught my eye ! I am starting an 800 help line for my fellow air gunners who like me are truly on the road to addiction 1 800 pass air
 
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I definitely can sympathize with your situation, back in 2010 all I really wanted was a few dozen dead ground squirrels. Now I'm known as 'the airgun enabler' in my neighborhood! I have been making an effort to shoot what I have and not have a zillion guns, but I'm not succeeding all that well- 2 springers, 2 multi pumps, 3 PCPs, 2 pistols....
Will definitely call the help line as soon as I finish this Airguns of Arizona order.
 
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Good read Dale. I'm so happy that Dwight, Joe, myself and the rest of the AGN community could help you spend your hard earned money on this addiction! I predict you will be swayed over to the "Dark Side" by the end of this year if not sooner!!!!LOL
I've seen two very hard core, good shooting THAGC members come over to the Dark Side just recently, not to mention a couple that I had a slight hand in swaying last year and year before!
Getting the great Ed Canoles over to the Dark Side will be the highlight of THAGC membership history! I don't see it happening but one can dream!

Hope to see you by the end of the month or at least in April.

Enjoy your new toys, there are many more to come ;-)

Fuss

 
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I know that when I get into PCP, that a hand pump is out and so is having to haul tanks to get refilled and pay for air. A compressor will be a must. I have read about some guys using the less expensive compressors from china that they are having very good results with. This dealer is getting very good comments from AGN members and his prices are very reasonable, just another option I found https://www.aliexpress.com/store/2305020?spm=2114.12010108.0.0.MYIrug He has a new twin cylinder, water cooled. That does up to 4500psi for around $800 shipped that I am interested in.
 
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LMT, I know exactly what you're talking about.

My saga began in around 2012 with a Ruger Blackhawk .22, had my fun with it, sold it,
Then I bought some kind of springer "magnum" air rifle - jarred my teeth overtime I shot it - can't even remember the make - sold it.
Then I bought a .25 Marauder PCP, went through air like you wouldn't believe (I only had a hand air pump). sold it.

But, the die was cast - i was hooked on PCP air rifles.
Bought me a Marauder .177 PCP, had fun with it, sold it.
Bought me a Marauder .22 PCP, great shooter, Gen 1, too. I still have it.
Bought me a Marauder .22 air pistol, novelty item for me, sold it.

I had a hand pump for a little while - don't know what I was thinking, that thing took forever to air up my Mrod .22
So, I got in touch with Joe Brancato of airtanksforsale.com and he set me up with a Shoebox 4500 psi compressor and a 66 cu.ft. carbon fiber tank, so I sold the hand pump.

Now, at that point I only had one PCP rifle, the .22 Mrod, and the 4500 psi compressor, with air tank and I was HAPPY.

Skip forward to present:
The Shoebox died, so about a week ago my brand new Omega Air Charger 4500 psi compressor arrived. Wow, that thing is nice, fast and quiet, too.
During the month of Feb, 2017, I bought two more PCP rifles from AoA - an FX Wildcat .25 and an FX Royale 400. That Royale is shooting the same sized pellet as the Mrod, but about 200 fps faster. And the .25 Wildcat is an accurate, powerhouse air rifle. I have a spinner type target that I shot with my .22 Savage (.22 long rifle) - that .25 Wildcat spins it with authority, like the Savage does.

So, currently, I'm set. And with the Air Charger, I can air up my own HPA tank myself.

Right now, my stable contains
1- the Omega Air Charger 4500 psi compressor.
2- a 66 cu.ft carbon fiber tank.
3- a 2013 .22 Mrod.
4- a 2017 FX .25 Wildcat PCP air rifle.
5- a 2017 FX .22 Royale 400 PCP air rifle.

I'm done buying air rifle stuff for awhile

All the Best 
Bobby
 
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I wish they made a "stock class" for field target. 

1) Choose an affordable 8.4 gr. pellet, in tins of however many are needed for a match

2) Choose a low cost springer, scope, side wheel and rings

3) no support gear allowed (rigid jackets, harnesses, robot-like appendages on the gun)

everyone competes on equal footing, with equipment costing under $500 total. 

By the way, welcome to airgunning. Set yourself a budget, like any hobby here, it's easy to spend too much.

nothing wrong with half dollar-sized groups at 40 yards from a budget springer, IMO. Careful not to get snobby as your gear gets nicer. Remember this time; we all start somewhere. 
 
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I feel your pain. It also doesn't help that I have a friend who is an enabler who taunts me with his expensive and beautiful Wolverine and Impact. 

I started out with a .22 mrod and a hand pump. Now I've got a new streamline and even though I've only had it for a week I'm already thinking to myself "for only $300 more I could have gotten a wildcat" and "this pump thing sucks, I need a compressor"

I love that I can shoot these in my backyard without hearing protection. All my "real" guns are gathering dust. 

Help me! lol 
 
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I have meet alot of elitist types in other shooting disciplines, they were not the crowd I hung with. Smaug, well said brother, never forget your roots and that you like I am now were once the FNG or Newb. I like that OEM class, now that would be fun. I think it would draw more newbs into FT, they would not feel intimidated. When is the next air gun show, maybe would could do a group therapy session there :p Bobby no more ? how about those pellets and that scope you were looking at ? Good fun and great responses y'all. I look forward to reading more of others addiction. Dale
 
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I think they basically already have that and it is called hunter field target. Scopes are limited and you shoot off of bucket and shooting sticks.
im trying not to buy anymore guns, but I want better scopes and Huggett and etc. as far as a compressor is concerned, I bought a shoebox and it does a great job. I have an 88 cu ft tank and it fills it from 3000 to 4500 in just under 2 hours. My addiction has led to 2 spring guns, an S510' 2 day state regals and an FX 400, an 88 cu ft tank and a freedom 10 compressor. That's half the fun the anticipation of new toys.
 
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"Smaug"I wish they made a "stock class" for field target. 

1) Choose an affordable 8.4 gr. pellet, in tins of however many are needed for a match

2) Choose a low cost springer, scope, side wheel and rings

3) no support gear allowed (rigid jackets, harnesses, robot-like appendages on the gun)

everyone competes on equal footing, with equipment costing under $500 total. 

By the way, welcome to airgunning. Set yourself a budget, like any hobby here, it's easy to spend too much.

nothing wrong with half dollar-sized groups at 40 yards from a budget springer, IMO. Careful not to get snobby as your gear gets nicer. Remember this time; we all start somewhere.
Click to expand...
Smaug, a few of the FT clubs run a 'basic break barrel class' at some of their competitions. If you're interested you may want to check out this FT forum.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/451309
An aside: From reading posts there it would seem to me that after shooting the next most popular activity is arguing about the rules, lol! 
 
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