My quest for the "perfect" long range Airgun

Hello guys!

In the next few months I plan to test and maybe make a review on the following Airguns, with one goal in mind: Participate in the big 3 benchrest events in USA, meaning RMAC, PAC and EBR. Focus in 100Y

  • FX IMPACT (easy got one and I will start trying to give an honest review with that one)
  • DAYSTATE RW SAFARI
  • RAW HM1000X
  • AAA EVOL
  • RTI PRIEST 2 (OR PROPHET EVEN BETTER)
  • JSAR RAPTOR
  • LCS SK19 (not sure about this one, but looks interesting)

What do you think? I know there is no BEST or PERFECT airgun for 100y bench, but I am looking for one that fits better my style. Would love to read your thoughts on it: 

Caliber? Barrel? Other airguns I have missed and I should test? Let's imagine money is not an issue, what will you choose and why? Thanks for your help to all.


 
I love my Impact MKII and my RAW LRT1000X. They are both super guns and although completely different in design, they are both tack drivers with pellets and slugs! I've been testing so many slugs lately, almost exclusively, but shot some phenomenal groups with pellets the other day at 75yds without even really trying. It just kind of happened when I was validating drop at 75yds. That just doesn't seem to happen with slugs very often at all, you better be doing everything exactly right when shooting slugs or your groups will open up or you'll get fliers. The point being, both the RAW and Impact are super consistent and as you know, can shoot lights out at 75yds and 100+ yds. with JSB MKII's.

If money wasn't an object, I would purchase a Safari in .30 caliber and I'd give the Evol .30 a hard look, the Prophet .30 too. I shot a local guys Priest .22 a while back and was thoroughly impressed! I it was very accurate and comfortable, the only thing I didn't really like was the cocking mechanism which will be updated to a sidelever in the Prophet.

I was serious about buying a Safari and then was told the .30 did not come with an ART barrel and the "power tune" would be an additional $400. That really turned me off since the gun is already $3000. I was really, very disappointed. Later that day, somebody from AoA posted that "it is available with the ART barrel starting in Aug." I took that wording to mean next August, apparently that was my mistake because a couple weeks later there was another post from AoA letting everyone know that the .30 caliber does indeed come with the ART barrel (starting last Aug.) and shoots exceptionally well without the "special tune". Now, I'm all excited again! I've got over $2000 saved up and am trying to sell Alex's FX Streamline .25 to help fund the purchase! Shouldn't be long!

So Edosan, after you test the Safari .30, I'd be willing to help you recoup your money on the Safari by offering you a rock solid $2500 for it! Lol, Just joking....No, I'm serious! Lol

You already know that these are all top notch guns! It's going to take you shooting, tuning and testing them all to decipher the finer details, get a feel for them all, and help you decide which is "THE ONE" for you personally. I can't wait to see your tests and reviews on the guns. I think there will be a lot of other people wanting to see these real world results too! Good luck with your decision. My guess is that you'll end up choosing the Safari .30 with the Evol--HM1000x tied for a close second and the Raptor--Prophet tied for third. There's a caveat...there is very little info on the Raptor available yet, it could be the huge surprise of your testing! And... I didn't even include the Impact MKII in this discussion because you already have one, have tested it thoroughly and know it's capabilities. You already have one, so I'm guessing what "NEW" gun you'll test and review!

Good luck with the process, it should be fun and I for one, can't wait for the results! 

Stoti
 
I’d go with the RAW as well.

I don’t believe they (RAW) are hand picking their sponsored shooters’ guns as you may well find out about other brands at those comps. But I do encourage you to compete. It’s the most fun you can have with your clothes on😉

however money is ALWAYS going to be a part of the “object”. Doesn’t matter how deep your pocket are. I’ve known some very, very wealthy gun owners and they all the same two thing in common.

1. Try to buy their way to the top. Guns, custom work, optics, accessories, thousands upon thousands of rounds of ammo. You name it, they’ve owned it. One person allegedly tried to hire an ex Navy sniper to help him. 

2. Experience burnout. And quickly. 

When #1 wasn’t achievable, #2 became a reality. 

These guys would have been better off looking for Paititi. 

I know you’ll have fun on this journey. Be sure to keep us updated.


 
I wouldn’t start with the gun.
1. What is the best long range pellet regardless of caliber? Probably out of 2. Jsb 44g .30 cal or the redesigned monsters.22.

That’s more important. Daystate spent all there efforts developing the Safari ART 25 cal leading up to EBR. After EBR they have gone very quiet on the .25cal... Now the talk is all about the .30cal. Then on 2 occasions the .22 RD monsters have won. 


2. The best barrel for the chosen pellet. The .30cal seems to be stx and LW poly for the RD monsters have you seen Rusbears Instagram page. Scroll way back to see his barrel prep crowning ect. Really interesting.

3. Air delivery. Do you prefer rifle or bullpup. It doesn’t matter you just want the best shot to shot consistency possible for the pellet and velocity/power you decide on. Unregulated ,mechanical regulator or electric?



For me these are the 3 most important things. 
If your not bound by the limitations of having to shoot a “brand” then you can match up the very best combination of the 3 most important factors. 
Of course you need a gun that is comfortable and ergonomically right for you but honestly who cares what brand. (Unless your looking for a sponsor)
Good luck in your quest 👍
 
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Edosan, all your choices are top notch and any will do as well as you the shooter can do. I have one Raptor and another on order as I sold my Daystate and Brocock to fund it. All Raptors are built on the .30 platform and plenum so it was designed as a .30 cal.. When I spoke to Travis when ordering my second one he told me the .30 cal was the most versatile with pellets and slugs with TJ barrel...I just couldn’t justify a .30 cal as I live in a city but both mine are .22 TJ slug so I can vouch for its build and accuracy if you go that route! Have fun mulling over and researching....you cannot go wrong with any on your list!
 
Hello guys!

In the next few months I plan to test and maybe make a review on the following Airguns, with one goal in mind: Participate in the big 3 benchrest events in USA, meaning RMAC, PAC and EBR. Focus in 100Y

  • FX IMPACT (easy got one and I will start trying to give an honest review with that one)
  • DAYSTATE RW SAFARI
  • RAW HM1000X
  • AAA EVOL
  • RTI PRIEST 2 (OR PROPHET EVEN BETTER)
  • JSAR RAPTOR

What do you think? I know there is no BEST or PERFECT airgun for 100y bench, but I am looking for one that fits better my style. Would love to read your thoughts on it: 

Caliber? Barrel? Other airguns I have missed and I should test? Let's imagine money is not an issue, what will you choose and why? Thanks for your help to all.


You forgot the Taipan Veteran Long and Uragán 😁 Although, no one is perfect 😎
 
If money were no issue at all for 100 yard BR competitions limited to .30 or smaller, here’s my advice & question.

Why limit yourself to a factory AG when there’s custom guns available? Of your listed choices, I love Rapids/RAW. 
I believe the Daystates electronic valve, coupled with your skins ability to tell you when the wind is down, is a huge advantage to a good shooter. 


There maybe a rule against double bottle guns. I know tethered shooting isn’t allowed, yet. If I had a competitive bone in my body anymore & money were no issue here’s what I’d be doing. 
I’d break down and buy a good scope with a super fine reticle. Like old Weaver fine. Maybe just a Weaver T-36 1/8 dot or just fine crosshair. I’d be asking some of the master builders how much. 
Why? Well 2 main reasons. I wouldn’t be staking anything on anything less than a perfect barrel be it ST, minimally invasive rifling, custom button made for perfect engagement of JSB’s from a solid harmonically balanced mated to receiver like a Thomas or Chip Smith Sumo build. 
Speaking of, I heard he has the ability to machine just about anything within +- 1 micron. That’s beyond tolerance fit and not even desired in all aspects but dang. I don’t know what machinery he has access to.

You’ve got Dan Brown. You want a Dan Brown regulator. At least I sure would if competing and couldn’t be tethered. I wouldn’t want a FX reg with micro Belleville washers.

John Bowman, Chip Smith, Alan Zasadny, so many guys. When Will Piatt tunes a Marauder for his son and it cleans house, you gotta think what a better monoblock and heavy barrel that’s been hand lapped and everything gone over to perfection could do. Look at Derricks Uragan. He knows what he’s doing in squeezing accuracy out of any gun. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a stock Uragan though as I’ve heard nothing but “Awesome” from every Vulcan & Uragan owner. 
I’ve seen great designs on different guns but none all on one. EDgun bolt action/tank. RAW monoblock. 
Daystate electronic valve. Thomas barrel to receiver mating. I think they’re Benchmark barrels but I haven’t seen one up close so not sure. 
I’d be interested in commissioning Hart barrels to design one for JSB 25.39 RD’s and having it on a rock solid platform with enough power to send them from a 28” at 800-980, maybe faster or .30 cal 44.75’s and test test test. I can dream. 
You know what though? I don’t think the winners are sharing their winning combination info. I’ve asked. Oh you see the set up but not the details of rifling or sorting and like I said. If you can read wind on skin and gauge it to target by reading everything you can, that Daystates valve is an almost unfair advantage if your timing is good. Laws of averages. 3 main comps. Winds are gonna be different at every one. 



 
Shoot with what your most comfortable with, those are all good choices but in the end you have have confidence in your weapon and you know the impact in and out! so if a problem does arise you know what to do, also there’s a lot of support from other shooters and factory technicians with Fx or Daystate! “ Of course with a AAA evol you don’t have to worry about it breaking down “ ( I know what I’ll be shooting next yr. @ the PAcup my .22 RW hp I love that gun! ) I would love to shoot my evol but don’t know if I will have it in time to practice with it?
 
Thanks all for the feedback

@tnt19 after seen EBR results on the priest, I think is a candidate

@John_in_Ma for sure is an option, but for this time I will stick for the airguns available on market, got a few skills myself to make it better if is needed.

@Laity for sure RW and RAW are good, I am between 0.22 and .30

@Dairyboy I like the way you think! jaja Pesting is a different game 2 MOA of accuracy is good for pesting, looking for submoa accuracy

@stoti if I am lucky enough I will test all those in the next few months, and try to make honest reviews, I will start of course with the Impact. But I am open minded and I will choose what it feels the best for me.

@bucketboy yeah! the raw seems a very good option, I believe (Have not checked yet) the EVOL is quite simple (In o'rings) to work on too.

@davecole I do compete, started this year with some good results, I will try to go to RMAC, PAC and EBR in 2020 to gather more experience, and the idea is to choose 1 and stick with it. For sure I will keep you posted, the least I can do consider all the good feedback you guys are giving me ;)

@AirSupply totally agree with 1 (44.7 and 25.4 redesigned on .30 and .22 is the best so far I have tested for 75 - 100y) I have read some ideas about those, side wind = .30 front or back wind =.22 what do you think about that? (I have not test it yet). I have test STX and TJ barrels only so far, never got a LW but I know they are good. TJ barrel es pretty good too, and solid. For benchrest, I do not care if it is bullpup or traditional, only care about accuracy and consistency, for hunting bullpup. Never shoot an electronic, but so far I do not see a real advantage and I see problems if fails (but that is a pre idea, I really do not have experience with electronics and airguns). Sponsors are always welcome jaja but I will be without them until I make my tests, after that...who knows! jaja :D

@ranchibi the JSAR Raptor caught my attention a few months back and I have been reading about it since then, it looks like a fantastic and accurate airgun, will see. I have the TJ barrel 1:26 .30 cal and shoots pellets and slug really good. I understand that you can change barrels easy with the raptor, so testing .30 and .22 should be no problem.

@Jlacouturec hola JC! si, raw es uno de los que considero buenos para testear. 

@zx10wall for hunting those will be in my Top10 list , no doubt ;)

@CampFussell for sure! I have test the .30 and .22 with good results in both.

@jamesD. is not limitation, is a stage, my view is that I need to test what is in the market to figure it out if I need something else of those are fine (with or without mods). I do compete in long range shooting (local so far) and I have a few "good scopes" for bench (Vortex Golden Eagle for example ... I know not the best, but works great). Thanks for the tips, I will look into it. And for sure the wind is the ultimate rival! jaja 

@nomojo65 exactly my thoughts!

@mubhaur I heard that a lot, donno really, I have never tested a pre or post AF RAW
 
Soy fan the RAW, lo tengo hace 3 años y JAMAS me ha presentado una falla, todo lo contrario, siempre me sorprende su solidez, confiabilidad y precisión.... al tiempo que el raw, tambien he tenido cricket, vulcan, edgun, taipan, bobcat, wildcat, impact, priest 2, wolverine r hp..... todos tienen lo suyo, son muy buenos, pero para mi gusto, el mas completo es el raw, ningun otro cumple como cumple el raw, aclaro, es para mi gusto..... puede que sea algo pesado, acepto, pero la felicidad nunca es completa. Como segunda opcion, me iria por el Jsar raptor o el evol..... en cuanto a los calibres me inclinaria por .25 y .30 aunque no descarte alguno que dispare bien los .22 monsters redesigned o aun mejor los beast(nunca he visto un rifle que los dispare bien, pero bueno haciendo pruebas puede que se presente una sorpresa)