Best budget setup you know of

Oh man, I am subscribed. Even with my countless hours of practice I am still not confident in any hunting medium game over 20 yards with any of my break barrells. I am gonna say PCP for sure. That being said I have no clue what I am gonna end up with or if I am gonna jump ship for this application and go subsonic 22 caliber rim fire. I have been looking at various 22 rim fires the last week and have to admit the muzzle energy I need is there for what I need it to do.

I think $750 is a good budget, even for a PCP. A "hidden" cost in PCPs is the air supply...a pump or a tank setup. If you get a Marauder (new $499 or used $325-400) or a Maximus ($200) there is a pump combo available ($341). Depending how often you use your rifle and what shape you are in, a pump may work...for a while.

If you have a cheap ($5-7 per fill) air fill station nearby you could get an air tank setup. A tank setup would be around $350-700, but if you buy it used with a few years of life left, it may be cheaper. If no air is nearby you need to get a Shoebox compressor ($1,000?) or an Altaros booster compressor ($600?) both of which need a regular shop compressor ($50-200) with around 2-3CFM output minimum.

The Marauder is very customizable, quiet, efficient, and easy to upgrade to a high-grade barrel later. For other PCPs may want to consider the Airmax Varmint also ($200), or a Hatsan.

For springers, I read a lot of good things about the Air Arms TX200 and the RWS 34. 

For scopes most people use up to 14x power or fixed 10x with a side parallax or AO. Hawke, Aeon, SWFA, select Bushnell are good. May also want to try the new Athlon.

Best pellets are JSB but depends on the actual rifle you end up getting.

Hope this helps. I do not have any of these rifles, just what I know about them. Others surely will chime in.

I'd look for a second hand Marauder in 25 caliber probably pick one up used and shipped for 350-400$ . JSB pellets and Poly Mags . And for an air source a scuba shop can sell you a used tank usually for around 100$ ( new 180$) . A fill station and whip can be had off eBay for 35$ shipped. For a cheaper scope the Bushnell AR 2-7 is 100$ and one of my favorites but there are a TON of inexpensive scopes out there . To me that would be a dependable hard hitting AirGun you could depend on .
For a springer the deals they have at Airguns of Arizona are HARD to beat !! I wouldn't go any larger than a 22 with a springer by a HW95 is a proven winner in everyway. An that would free up more money for optics .
A 25 caliber PCP will take coons and such pretty reliable. A 22 springer is a squirrel killer for sure , but bigger takes headshots...That's a good place to start looking . Either way you can't go wrong ')

Ok so this is of today 10/30/2016
Amazon has the following:
Benjamin Marauder 0.25 cal synthetic for $464
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBQUOT8/ref=twister_dp_update?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Benjamin Hand Pump $136
https://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-High-Pressure-Hand-Pump/dp/B00460IFPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477873982&sr=1-1&keywords=benjamin+pump
Hawke Sport Optics Vantage 3-9x40 AO Mil-Dot $99
https://www.amazon.com/Hawke-Sport-Optics-Riflescope-14123/dp/B00WN267GY/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477874211&sr=1-1&keywords=hawke+3-9x40
Leapers Accushot Rings $15
https://www.amazon.com/Leapers-Accushot-Medium-Dovetail-Screws/dp/B001WJ4SRE/ref=sr_1_6?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1477874318&sr=1-6&keywords=medium+dovetail+rings
Total Price: $714 shipped (Assuming you have Amazon Prime and no taxes to pay)
Now you have money left over for Ammo

Kanthal, I think we are on a similar journey, with perhaps a different trajectory. My price point was also lower than yours; my choices reflect that. I have looked at it from the PCP perspective and the Springer perspective. First, as others have advised, check out used. Also, check all the hunting/firearm/air rifle shops in your area. You may find pieces and parts that are reduced to a value price. Or, if you are concerned about purchasing someone's "troubled child without a warranty". Then check out the various coupon codes which can give deep discounts of well known products. For example, there is a coupon code for 25% off crosman's prices out there. This brings a new (with warranty) price of a 22 cal marauder down to $405 through crosman. They also offer free shipping for products which are purchased on Friday. You may pay a *bit* more by this method, but you will have a warranty (until you void it with upgrades). 
​Curently where I am at (ordered or purchased or on hand):
​+++++++++++++++++++
​PCP:
Crosman Maximus 22 cal. with Pump, pellets (500 count), safety glasses, swinging target. With discount and free shipping $263.
TKO muzzle break sound reducer $54
Alliance hobby brass trigger, lighter spring, adjustment screws to improve the trigger feel $69
​Mid-value scope Vortex 3-9X40 BDC, on sale for $150 at the local "Cal Ranch" store (normally $199 there, full list about $260).
Economy scope mounts (2 piece high mounts) Sub $20
Sub Total: $556
________________
​Keep in mind with a PCP, you will likely want to tune it... So a chrony is important to measure pellet velocity; it will run you about a $100.
​As was mentioned before, eventually you will want a tank or a compressor. Part of the logic of getting the maximus was the very low pressure required (2000 psi), which is easier to pump. This allowed me to delay the tank/compressor purchase.
++++++++++++++++++++
Spring-Air:
​Caveat, I am atypically comfortable with magnum and super-magnum springers. I can get nice groups with springers. I have been shooting springers for decades, and they seem "normal" to me. The new gas-ram pistons have really improved them all, even the cheap (sub $200) ones. 
​Ordered about a month ago the following items.
Hatsan Torpedo 155 Vortex 25 cal. $369.
​UTG/Leapers 4-16X44 AO swat scope with 80mm sidewheel and mounts. $155
​No need for trigger upgrade the stock trigger is decent, I am not aware of a silencer which fits this model
No need for a compressor/pump/tank.
about $50 bucks worth of 25 cal pellets ordered, of different types which other Hatsan 155 owners recommended. 
Sub Total: $574
​______________
​Also, although not needed, a $60 case was purchased as it was required for the 20 test shots and scope alignment for $20 deal done by the seller (PA),

​The differences in approaches.. The PCP starts basic with some add-ons which were purchased incrementally. This helped keep the initial cost down, but pushes the price up into the Marauder range long-term. The Maximus gives about 20 good shots per 60 pumps. That is sufficient for hunting, providing you aren't plinking out of boredom. Obviously, a Marauder with its 3000 psi tank will get you more shots total per fill. There are more upgrade options with the Marauder, so it can grow with you (and the thickness of your wallet).
​The Springer was almost the exact opposite approach. I have owned RWS 48's and 52's in the past; they were great rifles. I realized back then (the 80's) that you had to pay a bit more than big-box store prices to get something which was a step above. The 25 cal Hatsan dishes out a punishing 30ish foot pounds of force. This is comfortably in the smack a raccoon to hades category. As it is a super-magnum springer, the scope selection was more about what scope could survive, rather than what scope offered sapphire coated first plane optics with etched reticles. There is no question that the Hatsan is the shooting equivalent of a well-muscled thug. You better not have loose fillings if you get a good cheek to stock weld. 
-----------
​Why two opposite approaches?
The Maximus comes in at almost half the weight of the Hatsan, it is light, nimble (and other than the horrible trigger) a joy to shoot (until you run out of air). The Hatsan never runs out of air, provided you can keep cocking it with the required 40-50 pounds of force. The Hatsan hits with about 1.5 times the force of a stock Maximus. With the TKO optionally installed, the Maximus makes a better silent shooter, which may offer the chance of a second (or third) follow up shot. Simply put, I am looking forward to playing with both. The Maximus is currently on hand (the upgraded trigger and tko are ordered, but have not arrived). The Hatsan is on back order, but should ship within a couple of weeks. I believe I will like them both in their final trim, and for entirely different reasons. 

Nice post addertooth, very informative and helpful to anyone!!

BRO!, go to Pyramydair and get a bundled package with the Marauder...can even make payments! Absolutely no air gun distributor can touch them right now for the budget conscious.

Lol well said K . I want to play with all of them

I just picked up a .25 Marauder used, with the plan to shoot until the beginning of the year, then make some changes to it to get more power out of it when needed, but mostly planned on keeping it tuned lower / the perfect balance power shot count.

That all changed when I picked up a chronograph and saw output numbers that revealed that plans had to move up a bit, so now it's in with a great tuner getting the once over + trigger work & a few power upgrades as before purchasing I had little idea just how with a few changes you can really make these guns very good shooters.
I would grab a .22 Marauder + hand pump combo and would shoot the hell out of it, pumping up by hand pump is really not as big a deal as some make it out to be.
As well as I can shoot my springers they can't touch the M/rods ability to stack pellets through a single hole.
Chronograph is key, it should be any air gunners first addition, as knowing what pellets work for what and when is a game changer.
Good luck with your choice enjoy the journey!

kkarmical, what did the Chrony show you? Was it inconsistent fps? The dreaded Korean Cliff? Or was it the typical Marauder Bell curve, where it started out low, slowly climbed to peak FPS, then trailed back down below the starting point. Are you considering a huma regulator as part of your upgrade strategy? Or are you going to try to tweak it all through some clever manipulation of the hammer mechanism? 

No I haven't used one of the new Hawke scopes . I had two one was a Sidewinder and honestly can't remember the other one . I didn't keep them long . They seemed to work good . But the glass was not what I expected to the price

"addertooth"kkarmical, what did the Chrony show you? Was it inconsistent fps? The dreaded Korean Cliff? Or was it the typical Marauder Bell curve, where it started out low, slowly climbed to peak FPS, then trailed back down below the starting point. Are you considering a huma regulator as part of your upgrade strategy? Or are you going to try to tweak it all through some clever manipulation of the hammer mechanism?

Click to expand...

Chronograph just showed lower fps than it should be producing from 1st shot all the way to last. I thought about regulation but what I really want is the most shots I can have at the most power I can dial up at times, then be able to dial it back down a little for most other situations since it's true purpose is a hunting gun.
Adding WAR valve + SSG should provide all the power I require and then some.
I plan on picking up a .22 of some sort to regulate and go for shot count, but that is down the road, unless I find a deal too good to pass up.

Sorry for hijack- 

Also no knock against Hawke but between the Military & Law Enforcement I've looked through some of the better scopes made. I passed on Hawke glass a few weeks ago, I was in the shop $$ in my pocket about to pull the trigger, then I looked through it and decided not to, plus the salesperson didn't know what the hell he was talking about when it came to airguns and scopes.
Now don't get it twisted it was good glass, just not worth the asking price to me anyway.

I have a .22 Marauder, a .177 Discovery and a .177 1720t. All are great hunters. The best overall package is the Marauder. Hand pumping is no big deal.

But there is something special about hunting with a springer that really appeals to me; so most of the time I grab a springer for hunting. I get what you're looking for. 

With your budget you can buy a quality setup. A tx200, R9 or my favorite the R1....... Add a good scope and get out into the field.

Good luck choosing. 

R

Have you looked at the Gamo Urban yet? Trigger is not the best in the world, but quite decent. But the rifle (including the barrel) is built by BSA in the UK and the quality and finishing on those things is amazing! And man, are they're accurate! Should fit right into your budget.

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Gamo_Urban_PCP_Air_Rifle/4100

Yea i would agree with jonnes, my first pcp was the gamo coyote and it does 1cm groups no problem at my home range at 33 meters.

I used to own a BSA Scorpion SE, you might call it the mother of the Gamo Coyote and Urban, and that was a one-hole group rifle at 55 yards. Amazing accuracy on those BSA rifles! Still regret it that I sold it. But that's the case with almost all the guns I used to own.