Are high end air rifles worth the cost?

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Willie14228

Willie14228

Member
Jul 16, 2015
1,648
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TX, United States
If you search through this forum you will find many a post of people who has taken lower end and cheaper PCP air rifles and tuned and customize them to a point that they can shoot as accurately as many of the high-end air rifles so why would a person go out and buy a high-end air rifle other than the fact that they don't want to actually go through the trouble themselves of customizing their air rifle to improve its performance.

I have to admit that yesterday I drank the Kool-Aid, took the leap, jumped ship, and bought me an FX true it's used but it is still a very good gun that I in this very short time have already fallen in love with but what sets it apart from all the others what's the big deal.

I either own or have owned three or four different Benjamin Marauders, a couple of armadas, the Benjamin bulldog, 45 Texans, 308 Texan, a Kral, and a gauntlet. 

Holding and shooting my FX Wildcat I had a little bit of a revelation. While it's true there are aftermarket parts engineered to fit the lower end air guns on the market that will improve not only their accuracy but their feel these parts have been engineered for the gun and not the gun for the parts.

Okay so that little last sentence you might be saying what is he talking about? Quit talking in circles

The high-end guns both the gun and the parts have been engineered and designed to meld together and as a result you get a higher quality package whereas aftermarket parts being engineered to fit the gun is an afterthought and perhaps the fit of those parts may not be as sleek and uniform.

One of the things that I have realized in holding this FX (and I only state the FX simply because it's the only high-end air rifle that I have other than my big bores. But I believe that this statement applies to any of the higher-end air rifles that are available on the market. ) Is that trying to describe the difference in holding and shooting one of these higher-end air rifles is similar to me cooking a chef's quality meal and you watching it on TV yes you can see it but you don't smell it you don't taste the food or feel texture so you have no real way of experiencing the difference. 

Don't misunderstand me I am in no way saying that you have to go out and buy a high-end air rifle to enjoy this sport & hobby far from it. As a matter of fact I would be the first one to advise anyone who is looking into getting this hobby. To buy a Benjamin Marauder or something in that similar category simply because it is affordable a fairly good platform and is easily upgraded.

But for those who want more then I truly believe that there may become a Time when you should consider buying a higher-end air rifle.

I have never been the type of person to go out and buy something because of a name I do not use snap-on tools to me there are just as high of quality tools available on the market at a much lower price.

So why exactly did I choose go with an FX? 

More than anything else because I support their goals, FX seems to be one of the few manufacturers who has refused to stay in the box they do not believe in status quo.and while I have heard of some complaints about their customer service I personally have not had any issues in contacting or discussing and questioning them about their product. I cannot say that about other manufacturers some of which are in the higher-end spectrum of air rifles.

Yes I know only a few posts away from where I made this one there is a question of why does it seem that this forum leaned more towards FX than any other manufacturer I believe the above statement covers that. 

To be fair and 100% honest when it comes to these high-end spectrum of air rifles I am very much lacking experience. 

But for those who like me who has stayed with the lower end (by lower end I don't mean cheap by the way, just more affordable) and who has decided to take the leap or is questioning themselves about doing so. I will have to say this yes it is worth it. 
 
I agree, I am in this sport for the enjoyment. Hitting the center of the bullseye with a smooth operating airgun gives me that enjoyment. I am lucky enough to have 3 FX rifles and 2 Daystate rifles that get 99% of my attention, even though I have a number of other rifles to choose from. The FX rifles are buttery smooth operating, although the electronic action of the Daystate rifles are another level of perfection.
 
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Yes it is worth it. Do you have too ? No ! Will I always yes always. LoL I tried a few mid level and will just skip it. Will I Never buy a top end pre-built package deal again No, NO, No . To many good used guns out there or I will just buy it new and slowly piece what I want together a little at a time. Saves money in my opinion buying extras used and fills the itch to get something different without breaking the bank haha. Just my humble personal opinion here. To each there own.👍

Scott
 
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All but ONE of my high end stable was purchased used ... serviced and modified after the fact to make them personal to my wants.

Even the one new gun ( RAW TM-1000 ) was a special order configuration and done really stripped down so I could add my own custom touches w/o having to discard any supplied factory parts being replaced.



If your a SERIOUS shooter / Competitive etc .... YES they are worth the investment and come uses end when or if you move on to something else has not suffered the deprecation value that lessor guns experience.
 
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Yea, I'm now in the same proverbial boat. I'll start by saying, I'm new to PCP guns.

I bought a Lelya, because I wanted something to shoot at home. I like the short guns for both obvious and visual reasons, and now I have two others. Three higher end PCP guns in 6 months.

Fast forward to the other day and reading about moisture in the air getting into and screwing things up in the delicate workings. While I'm up there in age, I can still handle a hand pump and have been since buying into this sport about 6+ months ago.

The hand pump and cheaper electric pumps without any sort of drier on the "pressure" side, appears to be the problem. Unfortunately, I do know that compressing air...heats the air. As the air cools, moisture is condensed out of the air. This moisture...is a bad thing for most things that you need compressed air for.

I've made a few calls to people that apparently know much more than I do and unfortunately, they've confirmed everything I note above.

So now what to do. Gotta buy into a way more expensive way to compress the air into the gun than I wanted to do (the hand pump works fine !). And now more than just cheap air filter/"dryers" are required to actually dry the air. While apparently, cheaper dryers work...sort of. Proper dryers are required to actually work properly over the long run, and not just look pretty..!

So now, an electric pump and "properly" designed dryer can be had for...from about $1000 to $3000.

Worth the cost..? I guess so, if you want to keep moisture/water out of the critical workings of your high dollar, air powered gun.

Mike
 
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I don't own PCPs, choosing springers instead. I started out with a Gamo Swarm Maxxim, but pretty quickly graduated to upper quality wood and steel rifles...why? Not certain. Maybe it because like cigars, life is too short to own and shoot cheap guns.

That said, if a less expensive air rifle scratches my itch, yeah...I'm all over it. I have considered getting the Nova Freedom, because all the peripherals typically associated with PCPs are, in the main...unnecessary. That little dealio right there prevented my proceeding to PCPs sometime ago...that plus the challenge of shooting a springer well. 

And speaking of less expensive rifles, after owning two .22 Gen 1 Swarm Maxxims, I am considering buying the Bone Collector Swarm Maxxim in .22 in the near future! The price is right, both of my earlier Swarms were very accurate...so...what the heck? And it has a wood stock! Spanish wood and...plastic...
 
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And the saying goes,"it's all relative"...Hi-end should be better,you pay for it and can afford it,some people do not have the money for it.

One shouldn't have to justify their purchase,"Be Happy",fact not brag.

My Crosman CH2009 PCP is plenty accurate..as are my other "cheap" PCPs; they bring me joy.

I shoot at about 25yds...when I grow tired of one big hole groups I go to my " cheap" pistols,which are much harder to shoot one hole groups with.

No work needs to be done to any of them,butt I am always thinking of making them better,which I properly will do some day,nay I need a compressor for the day I cannot hand pump,then get a more powerful expensive "used" PCP .

Enjoyment does not have to be expensive.....oh I know that old saying," the nicer the nice the higher the price"just ask my girlfriend,lol.








 
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 Oh! you are talking "Gestalt" and yes the sum should be more than the parts,gun is conceived with an objective in mind.

I does help all aboard to be able to use some of the same parts ,interchangeability can help keep prices down and be easier to have on stock.

Some people love to customize it is fun and makes it their own,sometimes it can get away from them and end up costing way more than they first thought,you will never recoup your time nor money....long term satisfaction like marriage should be enjoyable.

You make a great point.Feel is everything.

I
 
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And the saying goes,"it's all relative"...Hi-end should be better,you pay for it and can afford it,some people do not have the money for it.

One shouldn't have to justify their purchase,"Be Happy",fact not brag.

My Crosman CH2009 PCP is plenty accurate..as are my other "cheap" PCPs; they bring me joy.

I shoot at about 25yds...when I grow tired of one big hole groups I go to my " cheap" pistols,which are much harder to shoot one hole groups with.

No work needs to be done to any of them,butt I am always thinking of making them better,which I properly will do some day,nay I need a compressor for the day I cannot hand pump,then get a more powerful expensive "used" PCP .

Enjoyment does not have to be expensive.....oh I know that old saying," the nicer the nice the higher the price"just ask my girlfriend,lol.







Click to expand...

Once again I don't buy a name I have no interest in trying to one-up my neighbor or friend when I buy something it's because I want to enjoy it. I've got setting on my desk a little cheap CO2 pistol but I like to load bb's in step out on the back porch and pop some targets 40 bucks. 

When I look at the cost of what one of these high-end rifles are then I definitely consider the fact that I can buy two mid range rifles for what one of some of these high-end rifles cost 

The only time that I have ever spent more than $1,000 for a rifle is for these big bores. Which are for me not only an investment but also tools for part of my trade those I can justify both to my wife (which is very important trust me) but also financially. 

The small calibers however I don't use in pest control, maybe a 25 caliber that's about it. All of the other caliber guns are for Target and the sport so when it comes to buying one of these 1200 and up air rifles I really need to consider all the ins and outs.

if I start spending money like I'd love to for some of these rifles I'd be dead in the water and most likely divorced, so it takes a lot of saving and a lot of hard work to enjoy the sport and spending that extra money means I have to cut back on something else.

What I have come to learn though is quantity is not quality and that buying an affordable air rifle that I can stick too for a few years saving up money for a higher end air rifle is time well spent. 

Also want to thank Michael and all of the forum members on airgun Nation. 

While some may be put off by the number of topics about these higher-end air rifles this forum has always been open to anyone no matter their financial status their ability or experience.

I would say that 90% of what I learned about the sport and the hobby has come from this forum. When I signed up for the first time on this forum I had a 22 Benjamin Springer that I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with. 


 
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I have always appreciated things that are well made and make a point of buying the best that I can afford.



Considering how much we pay for a car and how quickly it depreciates I think that airguns are a real good deal.



I paid around $200 for my FWB 124 about 35 years ago. Back then that would buy a nice deer rifle - my hunting buddy said that I was out of my mind and that his $30 pellet gun was just as good. Still have my FWB 124; it still shoots great and is worth more than double what I paid for it where my friend has gone through 8 or 10 airguns that were hard cocking, harsh shooting and not very accurate.



Just before I retired, a friend from work dropped in when I was doing a bit of target shooting with my FWB 100, 10 meter pistol. He had never shot any sort of gun and after trying it announced that he was going to buy one for himself. I told him that that model was no longer made, that the current FWB PCP pistols were around $2000, and that he might consider something at a more “entry level”. He said that that compared to his golf clubs and green fees (and many other hobbies) that airguns were inexpensive and $2000 for a top of the line piece of equipment sounded like a good deal. Makes good sense. Anyway, he shoots his FWB P8 pistol in his apartment all winter – at a target box sitting on top of his TV - during commercials!



Since getting back into airguns I have been extremely lucky and through selling stuff and trading I have managed to put together a nice collection of high quality rifles. I thoroughly enjoy shooting my Maximus and do so frequently but it doesn’t hold a candle to any of my high end rifles.



Yeah high end rifles are expensive but it is “buy once, cry once” and if costed off over the years it comes out pretty cheap. Then there is the “smile factor” that happens every time I pick up one of those special rifles – that is worth a lot to me. 



A quality produce is one that exactly meets the user’s needs… then there are top of the line products which have "extra".
 
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i will start by saying IT DEPENDS.

i have a gauntlet, wildcat, and brocock compatto. i dont have much experience with the brocock since i just purchased it. but, if im gonna be shooting birds, or mostly hunting at 60yds and under, my gauntlet is as deadly accurrate as any. yes, the quality is not all there in the gauntlet. but I DONT CARE. my goal is to hit my quarry without suffering. Not to impress anyone with my weapon.

BOTTOM LINE....... if you are plinking, hunting mostly at 60 yds and under, and dont have OCD with tuning, tweaking, and dont have a cow when you have a flyer every now and then, there are many guns $300 to $800 that can be a better BANG FOR THE BUCK. the high end guns are worth it! BUT, for reasond listed above, mid range guns may be all you need to GET THE JOB DONE.
 
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Yea, I'm now in the same proverbial boat. I'll start by saying, I'm new to PCP guns.

I bought a Lelya, because I wanted something to shoot at home. I like the short guns for both obvious and visual reasons, and now I have two others. Three higher end PCP guns in 6 months.

Fast forward to the other day and reading about moisture in the air getting into and screwing things up in the delicate workings. While I'm up there in age, I can still handle a hand pump and have been since buying into this sport about 6+ months ago.

The hand pump and cheaper electric pumps without any sort of drier on the "pressure" side, appears to be the problem. Unfortunately, I do know that compressing air...heats the air. As the air cools, moisture is condensed out of the air. This moisture...is a bad thing for most things that you need compressed air for.

I've made a few calls to people that apparently know much more than I do and unfortunately, they've confirmed everything I note above.

So now what to do. Gotta buy into a way more expensive way to compress the air into the gun than I wanted to do (the hand pump works fine !). And now more than just cheap air filter/"dryers" are required to actually dry the air. While apparently, cheaper dryers work...sort of. Proper dryers are required to actually work properly over the long run, and not just look pretty..!

So now, an electric pump and "properly" designed dryer can be had for...from about $1000 to $3000.

Worth the cost..? I guess so, if you want to keep moisture/water out of the critical workings of your high dollar, air powered gun.

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike, There are cheaper options. My compressor setup ran me $345 total. I fill a large 9 litre tank. You can also simply purchase a tank and have it professionally filled. And never worry about a compressor.

1575691739_14060183075deb25db18e906.41103298_PSX_20191206_230709.jpg


As for high-end rifles. The amount of work and money it takes to get a low end one close (not even that good) is often unreasonable when you compare the actual quality, finish, and function of the end product to that of something nicer.

Don't get me wrong. The nicest trigger I own is in a 1322. But for the most part, you get what you pay for. And you can pay a lot more for something that will never be quite that nice.




 
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My take on this subject-

Using my own guns as the example, what makes a Wildcat by FX cost 2.5 times more than my Benjamin Marauder synrod in 25 cal? Paid $500 for the gun, and dumped another $400 into performance internals. I’m not going to count moderator costs, as that has nothing to do with the performance of the gun, just rapport sound reduction. Although my Wildcat was purchased used, I’m going with the new price of $1400 for comparisons sake. 

On the outside, both guns “look good” . The feel of quality, yes, can be seen in the FX. Side cocking, lighter weight, all good stuff, but is it worth 2.5 times more than the Marauder? I don’t see it yet.

Then, I finally took my wildcat completely apart. Now, I see the difference. The machine work in the internals, the amount of areas needing to be sealed to create the “system” of how it all works. The soft touch feel of the stock. I can’t smudge a fingerprint on the wildcat. The Marauder I had to run a flex hone inside of the air tube along with ball shaped files to smooth and debur all the punched out openings. The barrel band, so many complaints about it, and I can see why aftermarket ones like Tim Hills band are needed. Aftermarket parts for the wildcat? I find that the wildcat doesn’t need aftermarket parts to make it better. The parts I’ve added to my WC are mostly for Bling.

When I look at something and try to compare why one costs so much more than the other, I think of labor involved in making something. How many times was it “touched” in order to produce it. Labor is not cheap. Parts and pieces, if sourced thru the same manufacturer, can be equal in cost depending on how much is bought at one time, but labor is the one that differentiates it all. I can tell the wildcat has had many hours invested to produce it, and get it to shoot with the accuracy it has.

Does my Marauder shoot as well as my wildcat? I used to think so, based on pictures of targets posted up by FX owners, till I finally shot my wildcat. Immediately I realized why FX has a following. With my wildcat, I can call out placement of the shot, each and every time. A flier in a Wildcat is a 1/4” away, whereas a Marauder is 3/4” to an 1” away. 

Do I now think marauders are crap guns? Heck no! If I had to do it over, I’d still buy it as my first, and still dump the $$ in like I did. I made it a better gun, and is my go to most of the time. The wildcat is the one chosen for bench shooting, when I just feel like hitting the bulls eye each and every time.
 
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Some manufacture air rifles have a lot of parts that needs machined to assemble them. There is additional time it takes to assemble that particular unit also. Some others manufacturers use high end parts, like custom barrels and trigger assembly and machine and anodize higher grade alloy parts in more detail. Then there's the manufacturer who only produced a limited number of models which are also quality, and accurate. These manufactures don't source from cheap labor markets to keep quality high. These have value, and demand.

Then you will find the other manufacturers who command a high price solely based on the type of air rifle. They outsource the manufacturing and labor to the lowest bidder. They work solely on saturating the market with their advertising to gain popularity through amount of purchasing by consumers. And they set pricing based on the brand name on the side of the block.

This second group of manufacturers is often confused with the first group.
 
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Are higher-end air rifle worth it?... I guess it depends.

If you enjoy tinkering and modifying as much (or more) than shooting... Maybe it doesn't make sens to pay for a higher end air-gun.

If money is tight... maybe the $$ would be better spent on a less expensive rifle that you'll shoot more often.

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And then there's the whole "cost" thing. Are higher-end air rifles really that expensive? It depends what you compare them to.

You have Olympic aspiration? What other sport could you get away with buying one $3000 is be good to go from you beginning to the Olympic final. 

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Personally, I'm not much of a tinkerer. I like stuff to work as intended from the get-go. Some people like to have a closet full of air rifles, I'm ok with one or two nice gun. For the last few decades, I've somehow ended up only buying Steyr and FWB air guns. If I was to calculate the cost of ownership (price of gun / number of shots), they're probably best purchases I've made.
 
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