Please Forgive Me for My Boorish Entry Into the Hobby

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2manyAirGunz

2manyAirGunz

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Jul 26, 2018
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Apparently, I have a big problem, fellow members. This involves my entry into this airgunning hobby.

I love shooting airguns. Daystate Wolverines and Regals, FX Impacts and Wildcats, AGT Vulcans, Air Arms S510s, etc.

Problem is, I didn't start out owning and shooting Daisey Red Riders etc. As was explained in another thread, this is requisite for using "high end" air guns today.

I certainly don't mean to create a straw man argument, however the following claims made on the aforementioned thread seem to do just that. So please forgive me:

"I don't share the philosophy that folks new to air guns should delay their entry to the sport until they can shell out to buy a legacy gun that costs 2x or 5x as much as they were first prepared to spend."

And;

"I get sh×t cramps when a person who is interested in our sport asks for "first gun advice" and has individuals suggest $2,000.00+ (Rifle ONLY!?!) models!

This is a joke,right? I mean…C'MON!!"

I wonder if this prior thread set all this off: https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/new-shooter/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notice the OP first mentioned the FX Impact. And his friend, who should have some idea of the OP"s budget and his level of expertise with guns/rifles first suggested the FX Impact. Not strangers on an Airgun forum.

As it pertains to hobbies, etc. I once felt that situations are unique and each one depended not only the individual's experience, his desires, but also his income level. I stand corrected.

As such, I have this dilemma: I did not enter into this hobby appropriately, as stated in my opening. In my defense, my first 2 air gun purchases were break barrels -- a Benjamin NP Trail and a Gamo Whisperer -- that I never bother to shoot, in fact I hardly ever shot them. I tried to give one of them away, but my cousin refused to take it.

Dispensation, please.
 
You can do whatever you want or make sense to you, I am fairly new (a year or so with airguns) and did my research

My first Airgun the Marauder MROD 0.25, great gun.

Second One PROD! love it! for short range

Third Impact X ... (after 4 months airgunning) love it

I believe the gun at the long term is a reflection of the shooter and if you are able to take the gun apart and reassemble it, you will be on balance and power & accuracy will be great, and you will be confident to fix almost anything or at least know what is going on when something fails. At least for me (we are all different and that is great) depending on a gunsmith / store is not an option, I like to fix things and tune airguns.

With that in mind:

Marauder platform is very simple and tunable, so is great to start and understand the fundamentals, if you compare it with FX Impact, that one is complex, and have lots of o'rings and leaking points. But is an F1 gun, I had my problems too at starts, but I took everything apart and reassemble fixing and tuning...took me a lot of time, but I think now I can fix almost anything on my Impact now.

Is only my experience, I havent test many pcps. The point is, if you are learning /starting to drive a car...you will choose a Ford? or a Ferrari? 

My first 2 Marauders helps me a lot to decide what is what I wanted after those...and like 8 month later...I am still happy...Will do the same again.


 
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I grew up shooting..
As a kid, my paws were always wrapped around either multi-pump or break barrel springer air rifles.
When I hit my teens, I started playing around with small cal powder burners, and since I enjoy precision target shooting the most, I stuck with .22's.
Fast forward through the years.. I shot a lot. a Lot. no really.. a LOT. haha It became a hobby and a passion - and it still is today 20+ years later.

Over the years, I learned a very important lesson. When it comes to acquiring things - go with what works best for Me. Not others.
It is way too easy to get led in the wrong direction, and to be misinformed.

I was actually looking into getting an FX Impact, but, then I'd be dropping around a hundred dollar bill per extra magazine, as I like to stock up, 
and then there would be the extra accessories.. 

Would it have been worth it for/to Me? Yes. But, I opted to go another route..

I used that money to buy several less expensive air rifles, and, with the loot left over, I got the biggest cf scba tank I could find..

IMO, I went the right route. This time around.

I would offer that same advise to someone starting out..

How much do they enjoy shooting? How long are they going to stick with it? How much are they actually going to shoot?
Price range - what sort of range they have to work with - or - are willing to dump into everything, etc..

Just because there is something 'better' or 'more popular', doesn't always make it the ideal choice..

Rambling... Shutting up now..

=D

Sam -
 
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I am one of those who's first airgun (as a 56 year old adult... I am not counting the Crossman 760 I had at 12 years old and haven't fired since) was the Impact X in .30 cal. Quite frankly, I am far more qualified to decide the best way for me to enter the airgun realm than anyone else. No one can state the best way for everyone to enter the airgun world, because no single generalized way fits all people. The advice of starting with an entry level basic gun is great advice for many, but certainly not all. Many people do dive into these hobbies, and lose interest (or are in over their head technically). If they don't lose interest, then they can advance if they feel the desire. Others, like myself, are a little more prone to knowing they will be doing this a while, and are more comfortable diving in with both feet. As for me, I came over from powder burners which I was getting very little trigger time on, due to the need to go to a range somewhere else to shoot. By moving to airguns, I was able to build a range on my campground property and shoot whenever I want with minimal inconvenience. I have taken the "start at the entry level, and move up as you go" approach to many things in my life, and it has ALWAYS been FAR more expensive in the long run than just starting with the high end gear I will eventually upgrade to. Selling something I've taken outstanding care of used is always a big loss. This was true of my competition firearms as well, so since I new I loved shooting, I decided to not waste the time and money building up to the gun I knew I'd end up with anyway. Applied the same logic to a hand pump vs a compressor. I would without a doubt quit hand pumping at the very earliest point possible, so I just skipped the hand pump stage of this game. Due to expense, this may not be an approach available to everyone based on their current situation, but if it is an option, it can certainly be the BEST option in some cases.

Most advice given on this subject is good advice, for the applicable situations (don't start with an Impact X if you have zero technical aptitude and don't like to tinker). Where I have a problem listening to this kind of advice is when the person giving it thinks it's the gospel, and is the best fit for all situations. Just take it with a grain of salt, do what works best for you, and enjoy.
 
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Depending on the situation is how I gauge what to recommend. If they can afford it go big is my thought. I would have saved a lot of money that way myself. Also depends what there looking for. I learned alot from lower end guns how to tune and tear apart and improve all kinds of stuff. But I wasnt married and lived alone so tons of time on my hands. Now 4 years later married and honey dos and busier at work I have very little time to shoot let alone tinker with guns. Ones I consider now are proven guns out the box. And if I stuck with that before trying the cheaper ones I could have saved alot of time and money
 
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A lot of hobbies will start with mistakes/accidents. I lost my first drone when strong winds turned it into a kite and I trashed my second one in the trees. Fortunately they were only $30. Some people pay $600+ and do the same thing! I also learned that parts will wear out, so my fifth drone will be one I build myself so I know I can replace any parts that break or wear out.

I suspect most people don't start out with a nice car. You learn on the first one and eventually get a nicer one.

I think air rifles are similar. Except maybe skip break barrels. I've destroyed multiple scopes with break barrels and that's not a useful experience.

The Marauder is sturdy, reasonably priced, it can be self serviced and modified, and there is a ton of information out there for people to reference. It's like buying a Ford Mustang for your first sports car. You can service it, mod the engine/tires/suspension and when you've taken it as far you can, you'll know what you want in your next sports car.


 
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This looks like a fun tread, can I play??



i am mirroring Edosan’path into the pcp game. A year ago last October, so I’m into it 15 months. The 25 synrod was my first gun, but as a person starting from nothing pcp, that bill came out to a grand. Hill hand pump, pellets galore, seal kits, silicone lines and moly grease, pcp fittings, scope, rings, blah blah, and more blah. It’s what I could barely afford at the time, and all the reviews were awesome on a Marauder, so it wasn’t like I was buying one from the local Big5. I’ve since dumped an additional $500+ into it for a reg, moderator, and all the high performance innards. Told myself, this was a keeper till death do us part.

Then the bug came for small and compact, a go to gun of sorts, so here comes the PRod. Already learned how to work on the rifle, so the pistol was easy peazy. Also modded that, also. Again, with the best parts that my budget allowed. SS valve wasn’t in the budget, so I don’t own one.

last July, wifey said happy birthday and happy Father’s Day and granted me a $3K budget towards pcp toys. My chance to get an impact or a boss, which I really wanted, was there. Had the money. Had, lol. I only say HAD, cause I had learned enough in 9 months to know the only way to truly enjoy this hobby is become independent on air source, so in that budget, it meant a compressor. Would I have looked like a greedy, baby, idiot to ask my wife for another grand for a $4K expense, so I could still get the compressor I wanted, plus an FX gun? What do you all think? LOL, so I wisely chose a Hatsan compressor, love that thing I might add, and since I wanted a 30 cal to scratch that itch, I searched and asked questions to some really cool folks, who owned the Hatsan Bully, and their opinions and advice led me to that. Mid priced gun, slightly too heavy to carry all day, but man what a shooter. Why more folks don’t dabble in that vs the gladius, Bullmaster, etc. I do not know. I’m starting to realize that some folks look down on anything with a Hatsan name, not necessarily due to a bad experience, but because of “I could never own such a thing” mentality. The Bully is a powerhouse and a keeper in its own right. Proof of that, I belong to two air rifle forums, and I cruise the classifieds. I’ve never ever seen a Bully up for sale. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen a post up on design problems or flaws with that gun.

So, in this long ramble of mine, I showed how wants and needs, along with order of importance, dictated my purchase. I was going to get a compressor even if it meant not getting a third rifle. Just couldn’t swing getting an FX Boss in 30 cal along with the compressor, when there’s a scope, rings, pellets, blah blah blah to still be purchased. But, I could’ve been a contender, with a high falluting FX, and just kept purchasing air for my tank, but what a drag it is to leave home to get an air tank filled! I’m okay with a mid priced thumper of a gun. It’s a tool to use, really.
 
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My only complaint comment is it’s pretty hard know what to buy when there is so litlle opportunity to feel and touch before purchase. My suggestion is if you are brand new to air guns buy a GOOD springer. HW FWB spend the money. $500 . PCP’s are wonderful and I absolutely love my Red Wolf but by the time you buy all the needed accessories you ARE going to have a small fortune invested. The magnum powered box store guns are going to have bad triggers and heavy recoil characteristics. They may have their place I dont know. My buddy has one and it’s just not fun at all. You don’t have to spend stupid money but you do have to either be able to feel and touch or get good advice. Buy a good spring gun first. Plan to spend $750 for a gun scope pellets and mounts. If you can find a good used one even better.
 
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.....forgiven....... i just had this same scenario with a guy i met here locally (for repairs).... he was really avid with what is available in retail stores around here. he just didnt know - he's not much into internet research and buying online. that was two months ago. last week , he came over and i helped him place an order with a larger online outfit for nearly 5K. he explained that he wanted the biggest, baddest, best of the best.......i explained that this would be comparable to a doctor starting one out on tylenol #3 , and catapulting straight onto K8 dilautid , or perhaps even 100mg phentanyl patch , in two month's time......... so , we'll hide and watch ..... i'll update this in one year from now....... but , he is THOROUGHLY experiencing the anticipation and emotional highs and lows of "waiting for the brown santa".......lol..... laughing harder out loud...... turns out no matter how much you spend online -- you still gotta go thru all of that checking the tracking number 2-3 day , making arrangements to be there , going to the local hub to retrieve , door hanger , i've even intercepted the delivery trucks after missing them later on their routes....... -- the whole awaiting shipping ordeal does level the field of airgun hobby enthusiasts , no matter what . the airgun shipping gods that be are NO respector of persons. ---- the order was supposed to ship before new year's day...... i'm likely gonna have to hear ALL about that , too - but deep inside , i understand (and i'm glad it's not me......maybe still just a little....)........ - raneman.
 
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Click to expand...

This looks like a fun tread, can I play??



i am mirroring Edosan’path into the pcp game. A year ago last October, so I’m into it 15 months. The 25 synrod was my first gun, but as a person starting from nothing pcp, that bill came out to a grand. Hill hand pump, pellets galore, seal kits, silicone lines and moly grease, pcp fittings, scope, rings, blah blah, and more blah. It’s what I could barely afford at the time, and all the reviews were awesome on a Marauder, so it wasn’t like I was buying one from the local Big5. I’ve since dumped an additional $500+ into it for a reg, moderator, and all the high performance innards. Told myself, this was a keeper till death do us part.

Then the bug came for small and compact, a go to gun of sorts, so here comes the PRod. Already learned how to work on the rifle, so the pistol was easy peazy. Also modded that, also. Again, with the best parts that my budget allowed. SS valve wasn’t in the budget, so I don’t own one.

last July, wifey said happy birthday and happy Father’s Day and granted me a $3K budget towards pcp toys. My chance to get an impact or a boss, which I really wanted, was there. Had the money. Had, lol. I only say HAD, cause I had learned enough in 9 months to know the only way to truly enjoy this hobby is become independent on air source, so in that budget, it meant a compressor. Would I have looked like a greedy, baby, idiot to ask my wife for another grand for a $4K expense, so I could still get the compressor I wanted, plus an FX gun? What do you all think? LOL, so I wisely chose a Hatsan compressor, love that thing I might add, and since I wanted a 30 cal to scratch that itch, I searched and asked questions to some really cool folks, who owned the Hatsan Bully, and their opinions and advice led me to that. Mid priced gun, slightly too heavy to carry all day, but man what a shooter. Why more folks don’t dabble in that vs the gladius, Bullmaster, etc. I do not know. I’m starting to realize that some folks look down on anything with a Hatsan name, not necessarily due to a bad experience, but because of “I could never own such a thing” mentality. The Bully is a powerhouse and a keeper in its own right. Proof of that, I belong to two air rifle forums, and I cruise the classifieds. I’ve never ever seen a Bully up for sale. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen a post up on design problems or flaws with that gun.

So, in this long ramble of mine, I showed how wants and needs, along with order of importance, dictated my purchase. I was going to get a compressor even if it meant not getting a third rifle. Just couldn’t swing getting an FX Boss in 30 cal along with the compressor, when there’s a scope, rings, pellets, blah blah blah to still be purchased. But, I could’ve been a contender, with a high falluting FX, and just kept purchasing air for my tank, but what a drag it is to leave home to get an air tank filled! I’m okay with a mid priced thumper of a gun. It’s a tool to use, really.
Click to expand...

Nice path!! ;) Jaja Funny! my first choice before getting the ImpactX was the Bully! I actually Buy it form Mid... and they cancel the order since my Miami address was a Freight Forwarder Company... (before that, all the marauders I got them from AGDepot, and no problems) ... so, after that ... I thought.., what I hell, I am getting the ImpactX. 
 
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