Need a mentor to shorten the learning curve into PCP airgunning. Anybody?

Where do you live

I bought the Great White option 3, which is all you need. http://airtanksforsale.com/
They are a bit more $ than some but...... I don't screw around with cheap high pressure stuff. They are all high quality parts. A 4500 psi tank will get you the most fills. I use a Shoebox compressor to fill mine, but a lot of people get them filled at a paint ball shop, dive shop, or fire department.

Its really not rocket sience, never seen a pcp before last year. Buy rifle, buy tank (from an airgun store). read manual, fill rifle. Punch sub 1" holes all day long. 

As you stepped on your Ruger, you can draw the same comparisons with a PCP. Get a good tank, great suggestions already listed. Scuba tanks fill to 3000psi and loose about 75 psi each additional fill. The JSB 25.39's usually are the pellet for your gun. The next choice would probably be the Benjamin domes. Scope choice would go with your intended use, the 10 yd parallax adjustment is favored by many. One problem I experienced with Marauders was the floating barrel. Marmot Militia makes a barrel band with additional screws to stabilize the shroud Neil Clague made a band of aluminum tubing that he placed in between band and shroud. I also used 3 Orings in place of the single that's used with the gun. That was a very frustrating part of the learning curve. I transported the gun in an oversized soft cast, in various places in the truck over bumpy farm fields. I kept second guessing scopes when it was the barrel movement. Tuning I was very inquisitive and read much, the Marauder forum will provide a lot of info in it's archives. I used a Tim Hill tune that was idiot easy and spelled out by the wrench size and number of turns. I have several Marauders, I'm guilty of the 10/22 mentality, replacing and modding. having more experience now and way more products with reduced prices I'd never go that route now. .

Most scuba tanks are 3000 psi. You won't get enough full fills from it when filling a Marauder to 2800 to 3000 psi. Make sure you get at least a 4500 psi tank. SCBA or from the air gun dealers.

Tell us where you live so maybe someone in the area can assist you.

Everyone talking compressed air, but how to get there. 

Don't kid yourself about hand pumps, especially so with a 3,000 psi airgun. After just a few fills, you'll know why!

Causual shooters who have a nearby dive shop and/or a friend to fill their external refill tank can get by spending less than $1,000 depending on the tank size.

Moderate shooters can get by with a Shoebox and average-sized shop compressor. Or, an Altaros and a LARGE shop compressor. Either way, you're spending over $1,000, plus the external refill tank.

If you shoot a lot, an Omega Air Charger or similar might be in order. On average, prices start at about $1,500, and of course the requisite larger external refill tank. Figure about $2,500 or a bit more. 

And I must say, if I knew three years ago, what I know now, I would have bit the "pellet" up front, and saved myself a bunch of money! At least you bought the one airgun model which perhaps has more after-market accessories and upgrade than any other airgun. Like a TSS, bottle kit, etc. 

Just have a lot of fun with it, and end up living longer!

If you want a cheaper source of used tanks, drop me a pm and I'll give you the details of the store I get mine from. They alays have a ton of used scba tanks in stock and they do the hydro testing themselves so they all come with a fresh one. 

I got my first used 45 minute 4500 psi tank (with 8 years of life left) and fill adapter, all filled and ready to go for less than the hand pump I bought before it. 

zebra
A lot of us would like to know your source. Why not list it?

Yup I would also like to know your sorce

Hi I'm new to airguns and I'm looking for some advice on what airgun I should purchase first to fit my purposes I have A fair bit of experience shooting competition pistol in USPSA ,three gun ,rifle and bowl. 
I believe I have a few of the criteria down accuracy is a High Priority for me So I'm looking for a rifle capable of hunting at 100 yards + most likely in 25 smal frame looking for good quality and functionality but not overly priced 

This site is your mentor,and there is a never ending learning curve ,Depending what you want- I read your intro interesting line of work , -Hello! depending on energy of the gun ,in .25cal.@ 100 raccoon and smaller for me.I only recently started playing in 25 cal.With some of the more powerful 25s I,m sure a coyote is possible,@100, if he'd stand still for it,Make?, model?, (wallet)price 500-1000$ 1500 new? used there are some nice higher end guns being sold daily.for room for a song ..lots of options compact rifle or bull-pup, bottle gun,tactical,wood,synthetic Got anything your leaning towards?

OK yeah thanks
I'm leaning towards A regulated synthetic bull pup and I wouldn't be opposed to a good condition used air gun
as far as a new gun I've been looking at the FX wildcat and something I am a bit clueless on is what kind of a scope would be needed. 

"AsharForge"OK yeah thanks
I'm leaning towards A regulated synthetic bull pup and I wouldn't be opposed to a good condition used air gun
as far as a new gun I've been looking at the FX wildcat and something I am a bit clueless on is what kind of a scope would be needed.

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Can't go wrong with a .25 Wildcat. As to scope. See the scope page and read the thread started by zebra regarding most known airgun scopes. 

http://www.airgunnation.com/topic/list-of-scopes-suitable-for-air-guns/

Read it all. Make notes.

Your idea of mentoring is spot on. Tell folks where you live and they'll show up at your door and let you shoot their guns.

OK thank you
looks like I've got some homework to do. 
Where would be a good place to start looking for a good used airgun for sale?
I would like to see what's available before laying down the cash for a new FX wildcat. 

http://www.airgunnation.com/forum/classifieds/sell-buy-trade/

The money you spend on 'bargain' airguns is just money you may not have to buy a good one that will make you happy. To be honest this is a stupid expensive hobby. If you have a wife and kids and make less than like 50k a year, and 75k would be better, you are headed for disappointment. If you are single it's a different story. If you can be happy with springers its a different story. The pcp world is a siren call dragging you to the rocks of destruction if you do not have serious disposable income.

Well the air gun hobby can be a little pricy to some? Many of us make it that way buying the wrong things and then having to spend money again. From what you have said @AsharForge if you started with a ,.25 Wildcat(it can be a number of different brands of bullpups) and a scope with enough power to make you happy(for me a 20 power for the 100 yards). And you had a place to get a tank refilled near you? You could do new for $2,000 plus(figure closer to 3k and not get a surprise) since there are all kind of prices for tanks and scopes.

But if your a person that needs every new version gun that comes out and you buy and sell twice a year.................that's a different price range all together.(you guys know who you are and you do help the nice used gun market)

Or you could be the person that buys a Mrod and changes every known part on it and invest enough to buy the gun that you will want later. And then wonder why you can't get that $1,000 plus you put into the mrod back when you sell it? (of course doing all those mods on the mrod is really great to learn the pcp game)



I think any thing you call a "hobby" is going to cost you more money than it should?

"PatMiles"Thanks for the info gents!
I've read enough to know that I am not going the hand pump route. I will be in search of a 4K psi dive tank as I would like to shoot the gun more with less trips to a dive shop. At this point I don't have any thoughts about getting to the point of refilling my tank, yes it's going to be $5.00 and an overnight stay at the dive shop but the shop is in a direct line to see the grandkids which will work out just perfectly. They'll probably shoot the gun as much as I will anyway.
Thanks again,
Pat

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Be advised most scuba shops will only fill your carbon fiber SCBA tank to 3500 psi, at least that is my experience. Make sure they have the proper adapters as well if you are so lucky. And most dive shops around here will not even fill an SCBA tank. Paintball shops are your best bet for filling carbon fiber tanks if you have some near, otherwise you need your own air source.
If 4500 psi fills are not an option, the next best bet is a high pressure SCUBA tank. These are normally steel, but I think there are a few in aluminum, and fill to 3450 psi. That will give you a decent amount of fills on your Marauder..guessing around 15 to 20. I used a free 3000 psi scuba tank for filling my guns for a year or so, then bought another on craigslist and cascaded them, now I have an SCBA tank I can get filled to...you guessed it, 3500 psi. If you go this route, make sure you use microbore hoses to conserve air.
If I had only the Marauder and Prod, the scuba tank would have been ok, as I dont shoot as much as some folks...depends on how much you shoot. I also have 3 big bores, hence the need for more air.
I am in the process of rebuilding a Coltri compressor now, so I will be air independent.