Looking for a suggestion for a PCP .22 air rifle.

[tayous1]

It was suggested that I should buy a PCP air rifle so that I could practice target shooting due to the cost of ammo these days. I'm just looking for something that is accurate and can be filled by a pump since the nearest place to me is 60 miles one way to get it filled and buying a machine that costs as much as the air rifle will also not do for now.

Looking for suggestions on the brand and open to hearing caliber I can buy .22 and .177 local yet I'm looking more at the .22 maybe down the road cast them myself? I'm not looking for anything high end maybe $350 or $400 not sure what I'm looking for so the price might change as I need to buy a scope also.

This is only going to punch paper or smack into a steel plate. I'd like the one that could do it at 100 yards but 50 yards is also okay. Have any advice or questions please ask me as I'm new to this. Thanks!

[sparky45]

Air Venturi Avenger. It's a regulated air rifle and a big bang for the buck.

[Smoke4320]

Might want to do some research on Air Venturi/Pyramyd Air .. since they have changed hands seeing some disturbing service trends
Umarex Origin is another to look at

[dverna]

How old are you and are you in decent shape? Pumping up a PCP is not fun. Do a YouTube search and see how much work it is. That convinced me to get an air tank. But I tend to shoot a lot and I am 71.

Both of my PCP guns shoot well with .22 Crosman pellets I get for $6.24/500. I bought 14k. There is thread on my journey in the air gun sub forum if you are interested.

My cheap PCP is a DAR and it cost $300. Shoots under .5" at 25 yards and 1" at 50 yards....those are averages of multiple 5 shot groups and not "wallet groups".

If you decide to hand pump, the .177 will give you more shots per fill but is going to be a real challenge at 100 yards. I have not shot mine at 100 yards so cannot advise.

IMO the hand pump is OK if you are going to hunt and are not shooting a lot. I predict you will not practice much if you intend to shoot 100 rounds at a sitting...but I am old and lazy.

For many folks on a tight budget, CO2 is not a bad option. Something like this:

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/beeman-ar2078a-co2-target-rifle?m=4067

$200 for the gun and 30 shots per 12 gm cartridge. With pellets at $6/500 (https://www.amazon.com/Crosman-Hollow-Point-Pellets-0-177-Calibre/dp/B002DM0ZIU/ref=sr_1_17?crid=2VLK387XXAJU9&keywords=pellets.177%2Bcal&qid=1636758191&qsid=138-3660445-5496107&sprefix=pellets%2Caps%2C235&sr=8-17&sres=B0015N6I70%2CB000BTNLVK%2CB001DCB61Q%2CB076PS 18MC%2CB01E2NP3KW%2CB0002IL89M%2CB000XUOPQC%2CB081 KF99KS%2CB00B7399TW%2CB00BKZMGXS%2CB007UOOWYE%2CB0 973N91P9%2CB007FFXB90%2CB077MG7FDF%2CB00ZFY5IDK%2C B002DM0ZIU%2CB08SHLP67L%2CB01IBIXY50%2CB00DOXH8K0% 2CB07227MMY9&th=1) you will be shooting for just under 3.5 cents a shot.

My .22 PCP rifles cost 1.5 cents a shot but I have a $600 tank.

[DDriller]

Airforce Talon is a very good one. BTW it only takes 500 pumps from the hand pump to fill the cylinder to 3000 psi. If you need exercise it is real good for that. I recommend a tank that you can get filled to charge the PCP tank.

[panhed65]

I have a hatsan .22 and a hand pump for it. it is quite accurate, and quiet. don't shoot it a lot, but it holds its air quite well. it is kind of heavy with the wood stock but I like it. has a little round magazine that actually works. I am 73, and the hand pump is not so much a workout as I was led to believe.
Barry

[NSB]

The number one PCP airgun based on sales is the Benjamin Marauder. I suggested to a friend of mine to buy one. It’s half the price of my Daystate, but about 95% as accurate and it comes in several configurations. They’re made right here in the USA (New York State actually). They can be had with a regulator, Walter-Lothar barrel, and either wood or synthetic. The trigger is “decent” enough. I’ve shot my friends and it will shoot .75”-.85” five shot groups at 50 yards on a day with no wind. Even the ones without the Walther-Lothar barrel shoot just about as good. Not saying this is the best choice, just one I personally have tested and shot. As far as pumping goes, get a good pump (Hill brand is one) and you can get by pumping. I’m 72 and have four stents if that tells you anything, and if I had to I could pump mine to use it. In fact, I did just that for a couple of months before I bought a SCBD bottle. It takes about 4-5 minutes to pump the Daystate up. This also depends on what size reservoir you have on your gun. Mine’s 168cc. If you get a gun with a huge reservoir it will take forever to pump up. I get about 45-50 good shots on my tank before it falls off the regulator. I call pumping a good cardio exercise. However, I’m also lazy and just like to shoot. You can get a tank later if you get tired of pumping. Good luck.
Note: DVerna has really gotten into this and is a wealth of information. Follow his posts on this subject.

[tayous1]

What are the cost of the compressor? I thought I saw some around the $350 mark? Seems like a good hand pump is just $100 less.

I'm looking at the Benjamin Marauder, Umarex Gauntlet and Umarex Gauntlet 2

[tayous1]

Weight is not an issue with the rifle. It's going to be used as mostly a target rifle.

[dverna]

Weight was an issue for me and that put me into the Daystate and DAR. In your case, for target work, weight is an advantage.

I was sure I had posted some stuff on compressors but I must be losing it. Anyway, here is a decent choice, but you will need cooling water to run it:

Check out eBay item #184595598685

There are air cooled units that run in the $500+ range but they have mixed reviews.

I shoot too much to put up with using a compressor to fill my guns and a tank is a better option. Beware of cheap tanks on eBay that do not have DOT certification....no one will fill them. Used tanks have a life of 15 years and must be re-certified every 5 years.

BTW a friend has the Marauder and likes it. It is a very popular PCP gun and they seem to have decent customer service. You will not go wrong with it. Cannot comment on your other choices.

[clodhopper]

There are some resonably priced compressors that just fill the gun, no cooling system. So you would overheat them filling a big tank. They are portable, 12 volt, with 120 v converters too.
Don't know if any are available right now. Since covid stashed everything in his bunker.

Lots of good rifles out there, I like the marauders, have 2, They are adult size.

[CWME]

The FX lineup has a lot of great PCP air rifles. I went with the FX Impact MKII in .22. It is the most accurate lead slinger I own. Expensive but I get so much enjoyment out of it. I have spent more on less over the years. I have two liners, one for pellets and one for slugs. Typically have the slug liner in and turn the power wheel down for pellets when not shooting critters. It's the most used rifle I have. Best 2K I have spent on the shooting hobby hands down.

[ohen cepel]

Think about a non-PCP option also. I had the PCP's and went back to "old school" as they were not for me. Didn't like the tanks (pain to get filled and could not get them filled as high as I wanted). Pumping was not fun, adapters, loud, scuba tank inspections, just a lot of bad times for me.

I really enjoy the classics. Worth thinking about and usually cheaper. Yes, need to cock it each time but little additional cost after you pay for the rifle (and scope if you go that way).

I would likely go .177 as it will be cheaper to shoot and if you're just doing paper a fine option.

[JimB..]

I have an airforce talon, its way heavy in the butt, not a problem from a bench, single feed of course. Thinking about adding a repeater.

[besk]

I have a Benjamin Discovery and a Hill pump. No more shooting that I do, pumping is no problem...(Critters) I am 78.
Actually, the weight of the springers put me off. The lightest, a Diana 34, is still too heavy for me to shoot well offhand.

[stubshaft]

If you are going to be shooting at 100 yds. then a .177 is out. I say this because my .177 Hatsan Flashpup shoots patterns at 100 and less than 1/2" @ 25 with 1" groups at 50.

292233

Small, light and easily recharged with a handpump.

[somedude]

Benjamin Marauder. They are inexpensive with a good number of shots between fills, accurate and there are a lot of mods available

[Outer Rondacker]

I run a Benjamin Discovery heavily modified with a muzzle brake. I use a scuba tank to fill it. Hundreds of fills for a few bucks. Tanks are cheap and you can make the filler set up for a few dollars or just buy one off ebay for 20 bucks.

This said I think a Benjamin Marauder would be the way to go for you. More modern then the disco.

[somedude]

I would also do the .25 has better range and hitting power for small game. PCP has a closer shooting experience to the real thing than springers etc. not saying bad about the others but they typically have an interesting recoil effect

[dverna]

I run a Benjamin Discovery heavily modified with a muzzle brake. I use a scuba tank to fill it. Hundreds of fills for a few bucks. Tanks are cheap and you can make the filler set up for a few dollars or just buy one off ebay for 20 bucks.

This said I think a Benjamin Marauder would be the way to go for you. More modern then the disco.

Tanks are not cheap...but filling them is. My tank was $600. It is not a good idea to buy a tank that is not certified...like those on eBay. You cannot get them filled at most places. Plus every five years the tank needs to be tested...costs $35. Bear in mind 4500 psi makes them bombs.

[georgerkahn]

I would suggest any common air rifle will not shoot "target" too well, if at all, at 100 yards! Most air gun target ranges are 10-meter, perhaps for this reason?
I purchased a .22 Benjamin Marauder pistol. This comes with an attachable stock to make it into a carbine; is all set up for mounting a telescopic sight; uses a rotary magazine which performs flawlessly; and, best of all -- at 10 meters, on sandbags, ten shots may be covered with a U S 5-cent piece. ("Good" shooters do better :)). It is fairly inexpensive and I have complemented mine with a Nomad II air compressor. This cost in the $600 range when I purchased mine... This, too, has worked flawlessly!294188294189

[crappie-hunter]

Recently purchased a DAR after reading recent posts hear and researching DAR on you tube. First pcp rifle for me,performance and accuracy is way way more than I expected. Haven’t tested it at 50yds yet but did at 40, if my thumb nail were the target at 40 it would be gone, most 10 shot 40yd groups are one ragged hole that can be covered by a 5 cent piece.

I’m 79 very soon to be 80, I got a hand pump from Amazon cheapy, managed to get 2200psi after about 1/2 hr with several 5min breaks ,so searched you tube and made a electric motor powered device to run the hand pump, I just happened to have a gearbox and was able to get it to 15 rpm. Device works perfectly, not sure how long the pump will last but I can purchase at lease 4 or more for the price of a tank or a real compressor.

Advantage of this route for me was I am handy and had most of the parts on hand except several bearings, I did deplete the Co2/Argon gas tank for the mig welder, so that will have to be replaced.

[sparky45]

Fx Impact .22 cal. on pest birds easily out to 100 yards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3qimjR7igM

[georgerkahn]

Fx Impact .22 cal. on pest birds easily out to 100 yards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3qimjR7igM

Yes, indeed! Great video, too -- thanks for sharing. However, the outfit each fellow was using would set one back a minimal $2,100 for the FX-Impact, PLUS ??? for the telescopic sight -- To quote OP's Post (#1), " I'm not looking for anything high end maybe $350 or $400 not sure what I'm looking for so the price might change as I need to buy a scope also."....

Kind of puts the FX's out of this ball-park, eh? ;)
geo

[sparky45]

Sure does George, and mine as well. I have the Avenger and it's excellent to 50 yds and I can ring steel plates (8") at 100.

[chutesnreloads]

I'm mostly pleased with my Umarex Origin so far. It falls in that price range too and comes with a pump

[georgerkahn]

Sure does George, and mine as well. I have the Avenger and it's excellent to 50 yds and I can ring steel plates (8") at 100.

On a very still, warm day last summer I stacked Caldwell sand bags and placed a cardboard box at exactly 75 yards, employing my Marauder .22 rifle and had several groups in the 2 1/2" range. Two things came to mind -- first, most pellets (I'm sorry -- do not recall what I was using -- but, probably (?) H&N Baracuda 15's -- almost none went through the back of the cardboard box. Second, was the obvious lack of pinpoint accuracy.
The Fx Impact video was indeed impressive to me! "WOWSERS" I wish I could shoot like that! Also, similarly, there are quite a few YouTube videos of Iguana shooting in Florida. Many awesome great distant air rifle shots, too!
Sadly -- for folks like me (trying to keep ahead on a SS retirement income) -- keeping the target closer while using mid-range (not el cheapo crap but also not the high-dollar guns) air rifles...is the best choice.
Granted, as always, a compromise needed between funds and wants -- but -- I do hope OP might find an entry in to the wonderful (so I discovered) world of air-gunning at an affordable to him level.
geo