This video is for people new to PCP shooting or who may be interested in getting into shooting PCP's. You will learn the basics of how PCP air guns get filled, the equipment involved and where to buy it, and a Quick Start Guide to the $235 Yong Heng PCP Compressor. Links to buy everything in the video will be in the description as well as links to reviews of all my favorite Affordable PCP rifles. Thanks for watching! -Nate
Well done Nate. but if you are going to talk about an inexpensive intro to PCP shooting I'd have to give a shout out to self contained guns too. Nova Freedom or Seneca. Under $400 and no need for all the extra hardware.
Agree with pluric, well done Nate ? Have to add my .2 about the Seneca Aspen. Just received my .22 Aspen 3 weeks ago from PA. I have owned Benjamin XL 1100, Diana 350, Sumatra 2500, Hatsan Flash, and now the Aspen. With the exception of the Benjamin, all 3 of the other rifles were exceptional shooters and pure joy to own and shoot. After reading plurics early account of the Freedom, and B.B.'s evaluation of the Aspen, I had to have one. I won't bore this audience with my own evaluation, but shooting about 200 JSB 15.89 pellets through this gun, I can only say WOW. PCP world-easy to pump-dead a-- accurate to 75 yds-strong hitter. For $400 and a good scope (4-16-50), the Aspen would be hard to beat by any other combination to enter the PCP arena. If there is ANY downside, the Aspen is heavy, but so was the Sumatra and I loved that gun. From an old fart (78) like me, this Aspen covers all the right bases and makes me smile. In addition, B.B. was right on, you can self-regulate the Aspen after each shot with a couple of pumps. Can't say enough good things about this gun.
By my count, that's like $700-$735 worth of stuff (and no scope...so call it $800)
OK...will give you three at today's pricing that I am quite pleased with.
Beeman Chief: $165- $179 (depending on where)
Scope/rings: $69
Pump: $50
LDC: $65
Total: $363-$350
Easy to fill (only a 2K rifle and not a gaint air volume) and something in the 30-25foot pound range for a .22.
BUT...only a single shot, and most folks want a repeater.
LEts substitute a repeater...and I'll go with a Diana Storm rider (Gen II):
A really small air volume, so still easy to hand pump to 3K. Again, somthing like 30-25 foot pounds in .22.
Currently (GEN II): $200
Pump: $50
Scope: $69
Total: $319
Are some Gen I still out there for sale,but you might be able to get by with the Gen. II's LDC...the Gen I is like an immedate replacve (call it another $60-$65)...so the Gen II ends up being cheaper.
Or lets substitue another repeater...a Gamo Urban.
Currently: $268
Pump $50
Scope $69
Total: $387 (LDC may be big and ugly, but it works for me).
Really small air volume,so even with 3.2K filling, it's not hard with a hand pump.
Might see 35 foot pounds,but seems to run it's best (best ration of energy to shot count) at lower energy (more like 26 foot pounds).
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The $235 comprssor needs the "extra"(large) water/oil sperator..so add some $ there(maybe as little as $40). However, the water is pretty well tapped inside the standard seperator unless you take it apart and force the water out. Add in the best oil (it won't come with any) as well. We're up to about $300.
Are some oil/water seperators coming out that actually have a bleed screw for any liquid water....but the big foam filter is still saturated with water and the air goijng into the gun has to pass though that now soaked filter. The standard ones will need taking apart often..change filters..blow out the trapped moisture.
HAve had more water injection with the compressor than with the pump...mostly becasue I bleed the pump every 50-60 pump strokes (which is usually enough to fill any of the above 3 in some 50-60 pump-stroke session).
Know we like to trust things....but would advise testing.
I actually tried/test them. Weighed silk bag (form a well stained dress tie) of baked dry dessicant in an old (HAtsan) air tube. Doesn't matter what you use to hold the 3K fill, just that it's easy to degass and get the bag back out. Fill the tube. Degass tube. Open the tube. Get the new weight of the silk bag of dessicant.
From most to least weight gain (and the weight would be moisture) in one 3K fill.:
Compressor with no added oil/water trap.
Compressor with the added water trap.
Cheap hand pump (vented and detached every 50 pump strokes).
Hill's hand pump with month old DryPac media (same venting every 50 pump strokes)
Hill's hand pump with brand new DyPAc media(same venting every 50 pump strokes).
(note: whatever the dry pack media is, it's not dissicant. It doesn't just collect moisturte, it seems to undergo a true chemical change...and it won't change back to dry with just simple drying heat.)
Know it's not a popular view.....and I'd really like some other owners to actually test their systems like I have (weighted amount of dry dissicant in a 3K test tube...then fill...then get the dissicant out and get the new weight).
On the other hand...ignorance can be a blessing....so don't test unless you want to be dissapointed.
I can agree with the Nova Freedom and Seneca Aspen having onboard pumps for $399 apiece.
The cheapest good shooting PCPs I have are a Crosman AS2250XT converted to HPA under $200 and an Archer QB 79 with a bottle conversion also under $200 then add a $40 Chinese pump from Amazon or Ebay then you are all set, I recently bought one of those cheap Chinese pumps and it seems rugged for what it cost which really surprised me and I have the Hill pump to compare to.
I had good luck with several Benjamin Discovery rifles that only require 2000psi maximum fill pressure straight out of their boxes which is another thing to consider when considering hand pumping. Just need to do the 3 screw trigger mod because their triggers are HORRIBLE!
I also got a 177 and 22 Benjamin Fortitude and they are OK for the sub $300 price point and what I like the most is how light they are.
Affordable budget friendly guns intrigue me the most compared to high end top shelf guns because believe it or not some can even give the high dollar guns a good run for their money!
THE MOST ACCURATE straight out of the box budget friendly PCPs I have shot are the sub $300 Umarex Gauntlets in 177 and 22 but they are very heavy guns and need to be well broken in before they get smooth to shoot. You can find them for $200 to $240 if you shop smart.
The most accurate budget friendly modded PCP I have is a 177 QB79 HPA conversion.
The Nova Freedom and Seneca Aspen are in a class of their own because they are one fourth the cost of an FX Independence and are very accurate out of the box when you know what pressure they like to start with. What I don't like about them is that they are heavy and their triggers could use some reasonable improvement. You have to be mindful and follow the instructions on lubricating them.
HA
Shooting my crown 25 today struggling to get nickel groups (10+ shots). ...so if an HPA QB or 2250 will do 35 yard 1/2 inch or 50 yard 1 inch groups, you can save $1200. The Crown may have some magic pellet/ barrel sleeve combo but out of the box with JSB’s (on high power) it doesn’t quite seem like a good $1600 buy.....it definately is.. but I’m still searching for the best gun out there.
I had a 2250 CO2 back in the day. It was so accurate I called it the BKM (Bird Killing Machine). That’s because I didn’t miss a bird for like 5 years...over 500 birds. It was like a machine who’s job it was to kill birds and it worked flawlessly. I used to drop birds with head shots and the guy next to him wouldn’t even notice his buddy just dropped. I used to be able to get 2-3 out of a herd of 30 before they all got wise and flew away.
....good times....You couldn’t pay me to shoot a bird now. It would make great video and probably get me a million views...but that’s not me anymore. Funny how people change.
2250xe sold for $350
A buddy of mine had 3 FX Crowns all brand new and had problems with accuracy.
My suggestion is to crank the power setting to the maximum then shoot JSB 25.39gr.
You want them shooting above 930fps to get good accuracy out of that STX barrel.
I just received a 25 Laminate FX Wildcat (see my LAMINATE post below) and it is pellet
on pellet less than dime sized groups average at 60 yards from a rest. I can get one inch groups shooting off of my knee with it.
If you want the best (easiest to shoot accuratly) gun for 50 yards based on your desired grouping needs then it is the standard 22 Daysate Pulsar like the one I just got or a standard Air Wolf in 22 or a standard 22 Red Wolf. Do not get the HP high power versions because you will have a hard time grouping using those. My 22 Air Wolf (standard power) is easier to shoot than my 22 HP Red Wolf at 50 yards,
HA
Cool. I have the Red Wolf, 2 Steyr LG110s, and the H5 Auto. I haven’t shot them because they are at my parents house...too nice to keep in my mobile home. Something to look forward too for me. Also my new best friend a is this little monster. My first sub 12 foot pound gun.
I looked at a Pulsar the other day. I wish it was semi auto. Give me a semi auto with an LDC board and I'll take it!
I was shooting .25 gr JSB's with the Crown. Pretty much one hole (ragged hole with my shooting) groups at 35 yards with 25gr's ...that's 18 shots per group (one magazine). That was factory settings turned up on high. 33gr did not so good at 35 yards. Today I was out of 25gr which got nickle size to quarter size 10 shot groups at 50 yards...today I was able to get consistent nickle size groups (for the most part) with 33gr's!
On my Crown with 50 yard shooting, I just needed to adjust the nut behind the trigger for better groups.
The ONLY semi auto airgun that I know of that will shoot half inch at 50 yards consistently is the Steyr Hunting 5 Automatic.
I just bought a 22 Evanix Max Air with carbon fibre air tube that has been accuracy tuned by Jefferson State and it won't do half inch at 50 consistently. More like an inch average. But it wasn't meant to be a target shooter but a really fun plinker to throw lots of lead out there really fast just like a Ruger 10/22.
It does not like to shoot soft JSB pellets.
HA
I had good luck with several Benjamin Discovery rifles that only require 2000psi maximum fill pressure straight out of their boxes which is another thing to consider when considering hand pumping. Just need to do the 3 screw trigger mod because their triggers are HORRIBLE!
HA
+1
After the trigger upgrade they are quite impressive. My brother in law talked me out of my .22 but I still have a .177.
Okay, now back to the non-affordable stuff. ?
My sons Impact set up with 600 mm .25 barrel at 50 yards five shots ...
I don't have photos with his 700 mm X barrel.
This is my 600 mm .30 Impact.
I've ordered the new Impact MKII with a .25 700 X barrel because I already have a 700 mm .30 X. It does obviously shoot a better group than guns that are $1,500 less, but not by huge margin. Especially when you consider how much better of a gun it is than I am shooter. I find it easier to spend more than practice more. ?
HAve not been able to find a direct relationship between $ spent and accuracy. Do admit the odds favor the more expensive rifle, maybe going from 4:1 (good to problem child) to 1:4 (good to problem child)...but do not count out "cheap guns" from shooting well.
If accuracy and cheap were my primary concerns and I could only have one gun to shoot specifically for accuracy (not for looks or comfort etc...) I would choose a Umarex Gauntlet and go through it myself and there are lots of info on the net to make them smoother shooters.
The 177 Umarex Gauntlet is the most accurate out of the box $200 I have ever spent in a PCP rifle.
The 22 Umarex Gauntlet is the most accurate out of the box $230 I have ever spent in a PCP rifle.
There are a lot NOT to like about them, they are HEAVY, have unrefined triggers that REALLY need tuning, and the barrel shrouds are in dire need of barrel bands for added support and rigidity which I have already taken care of except for the weight which only a carbon fibre bottle could remedy but then they would no longer be low priced budget guns. Then there is the hard to cock bolt handle that only smoothens out with hundreds of rounds cycled through them.
But thery are pretty much in a nutshell ridiculously accurate guns IMHO no matter what price point.
HA
I always like to bring out the current "cheapest" PCP about here(and the old "cheapest", a FDPCP back when it was $100 new doesn't do badly at all).
So something like $350-$380 all ready to shoot (rifle/scope/pump).
And I will admit/consider, the below is:
1. almost a year ago
2. Not too many shots per fill...but if you stay in the best-of-the best area of the shot count, it doesn't seem to matter.
3. a 6X scope
4. and a lucky draw in the barrel lottery.
5. It's a single shot.
But sill...shot on 1/4" graph paper so you can self-measure.
More recent shooting has not made me re-think the accuracy or the tune....it's pretty well low-stressed and has stayed put.
Sure...there were 4 or 5 afternoons of work involved, but no real mods...just adjusting what was there (and a bolt probe o-ring change).
Not really down-grading more expensive rifles...will freely admit, I got lucky here...but it's happened enough that I do not put price as the final indicator of potential accuracy.
