The Point When Things Got Expensive

[PasadenaMike]

when I started my pcp journey it was simple and not very expensive. My first pcp was a marauder pistol and I had a hand pump. Small air cylinder was easy to pump by hand. Then I got a Flash pup. The pup was still easy to pump but it was still more work. My gun tank and fill pressures of different guns I began to buy increased and so did the work to fill them. Long story short I now own several carbon fiber tanks from 350cc to 74 CF and several compressors to fill the hungry beasts. If I know what I know now I’d do things differently to own less stuff and have had spent less but that’s how you learn I guess. My perfect setup for air supply and guns if I could re do things would be. 1. Own guns with small tanks and preferably less fill pressure 2. Omega Trail Charger 3. 18 cf tank 4. Hand pump for backup 5. Portable mini compressor for quick fills. That’s it.

 

[Luis Leon]

I hear you feeding the beasties HPA can get expensive quickly… While I do own a compressor and two SCBAs, lessons learned for me? I like my small cyclinder Atomic XRs. I can and do use the foot/hand pump to pressurize them. The Pathfinder XR from the SCBAs… At some future point I will purchase a small HPA compressor for direct filling.

 

[PasadenaMike]

I hear you feeding the beasties HPA can get expensive quickly… While I do own a compressor and two SCBAs, lessons learned for me? I like my small cyclinder Atomic XRs. I can and do use the foot/hand pump to pressurize them. The Pathfinder XR from the SCBAs… At some future point I will purchase a small HPA compressor for direct filling.

Agreed keep it small and simple. Get a GX and you’re set. The biggest tank gun I have now is my Condor and Talon Ss but they don’t fill passed 2800. Kinda wish my Dreamtact had the 170 cc instead of the 300cc

 

[Guninstructor]

Any kind of shooting gets expensive. Shooting good old powder burners can get pretty rediculous at this point with the cost of ammunition. Although the entry cost to get into a good pcp setup is a bit high, easily as much or more than a powder burner especially when accounting for a reliable air source the overall cost to shoot is so much less with airguns. This is especially true the more you shoot. If you like making small holes in paper at 50 or even 100 yards accurately then a good pcp wirh air source is a great option. Consider the cost of a 50 round box of match grade 22 LR ammo. You can easily get up to or exceed the cost of a tin of 300 to 500 pellets. Air plus pellets is much less costly in the long run, and you will get similar if not better accuracy from air out to 50 yards or more.

If you think paying for air fillups or the one time expense of an air compressor is expensive, it really depends on how much volume you shoot. If you are a regular shooter, i.e. at least one day a month, then the upfront equipment investment ls with air will quickly become very economical.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Pcp.. pay continue paying..

Poor ol springer pretty much consists of cost of gun , maybe 6+10$ a week in pellets, and 40$+/- a year for a new spring and seal (for me). Some go on a few years without the spring seal cost and maybe not shoot a tin a week.. so it's even cheaper for them ..

Ya, pcp a racket... Imho

 

[tec]

PCP definitely way more expensive that shooting my ~30 yr old tuned Beeman R9...but the number of "fliers" unexplained missed shots is practically zero with my Revere or Ghost...The hold sensitivity of the R9 drove me to layout the money for the Revere...The Ghost has me considering selling my Revere in addition to getting a compressor since I shoot it way more than I ever shot the R9, and take shots with it that I couldn't do with the R9 due to the hold sensitivity...The first time I shot the Revere was ~40 yards...AoA mounted and sighted the scope...first shot hit dead center ...2nd shot...I thought crap this thing is hold sensitive too as I can't see the hole from that pellet...same with the 3rd shot...it was then that I realized that all three shots went in the same hole....

 

[Nordic Norm]

A feature of a really good hobby is the degree of the accompanying gadgetry.

 

[pan60]

Any kind of shooting gets expensive. Shooting good old powder burners can get pretty rediculous at this point with the cost of ammunition. Although the entry cost to get into a good pcp setup is a bit high, easily as much or more than a powder burner especially when accounting for a reliable air source the overall cost to shoot is so much less with airguns. This is especially true the more you shoot. If you like making small holes in paper at 50 or even 100 yards accurately then a good pcp wirh air source is a great option. Consider the cost of a 50 round box of match grade 22 LR ammo. You can easily get up to or exceed the cost of a tin of 300 to 500 pellets. Air plus pellets is much less costly in the long run, and you will get similar if not better accuracy from air out to 50 yards or more.

If you think paying for air fillups or the one time expense of an air compressor is expensive, it really depends on how much volume you shoot. If you are a regular shooter, i.e. at least one day a month, then the upfront equipment investment ls with air will quickly become very economical.

i spend more on my .30 cal pellets then i do on .22LR
LOL
i buy not match grade but i can hit with them .22LR on sell for less then .10 the last ones i got i think i paid .07 each?
not sure but i just checked and they are less then .10
and i know a .22 pellet for more affordible then the .30 cals but i think i am paying .07 or .08 cents each for the .22?
i shoot the air guns becuase i can shhot in my back yard with out grief. if i lived in the country i would still be drawn to air guns but not sure i would spend as much as i do on them? ehh well i probably would but?

 

[PasadenaMike]

i spend more on my .30 cal pellets then i do on .22LR
LOL
i buy not match grade but i can hit with them .22LR on sell for less then .10 the last ones i got i think i paid .07 each?
not sure but i just checked and they are less then .10
and i know a .22 pellet for more affordible then the .30 cals but i think i am paying .07 or .08 cents each for the .22?
i shoot the air guns becuase i can shhot in my back yard with out grief. if i lived in the country i would still be drawn to air guns but not sure i would spend as much as i do on them? ehh well i probably would but?

Yeah those .30s get pricey. I shoot mainly .22 at least you get 500

 

[pan60]

i love the .30 but now that that my .22 has been here the .30 is not getting the love id like. and really it just boils down to lead cost

 

[PasadenaMike]

i love the .30 but now that that my .22 has been here the .30 is not getting the love id like. and really it just boils down to lead cost

Yeah especially if you shoot a lot. .30 kinda worries me because of the mass while shooting pests. I want the pellet to lose steam quick and those 45 grain pellets vs a 18.13 or 15 grain are dangerous in my situation. Im even thinking just shooting a .177 while pesting

 

[pan60]

Yeah especially if you shoot a lot. .30 kinda worries me because of the mass while shooting pests. I want the pellet to lose steam quick and those 45 grain pellets vs a 18.13 or 15 grain are dangerous in my situation. Im even thinking just shooting a .177 while pesting

agree i have to only shoot in one direction with the either around here. if i shoot to the south its just open nothing nut to the north its the town. : 0
i plan to set up a late timber back stop but that will be later down the road.

 

[PasadenaMike]

agree i have to only shoot in one direction with the either around here. if i shoot to the south its just open nothing nut to the north its the town. : 0
i plan to set up a late timber back stop but that will be later down the road.

Yeah backstop bait station would be ideal

 

[Solo1]

Lol i can remember buying a 50 round box of 22 long for $.50 when i was a kid!

 

[Danman]

My pcp journey started last spring. I was online for my birthday ready to snap up a diana 350 magnum in .22. Well they were out of stock all across the country. So I ordered one up on PAs website. The excitement was unreal. 2 days later (Monday morning) I got an email canceling my order and refunded me. Lol fyi you can't buy and ship (fac) guns across the border I learned! So I said why not go for the pcp I've been looking at instead! Lol $1600 later the S510 was ordered! (exactly double the $$ for the diana!) Gun was shipped 250bar. No scope, no rings, and no pump. 2 weeks later all that was here and out I went. Accuracy was UNREAL. Only ever had springers till then. So it started expensive and I have no regrets. Hadn't shot it and I was out $2400 before first pellet flew!

Any kind of shooting gets expensive. Shooting good old powder burners can get pretty rediculous at this point with the cost of ammunition. Although the entry cost to get into a good pcp setup is a bit high, easily as much or more than a powder burner especially when accounting for a reliable air source the overall cost to shoot is so much less with airguns. This is especially true the more you shoot. If you like making small holes in paper at 50 or even 100 yards accurately then a good pcp wirh air source is a great option. Consider the cost of a 50 round box of match grade 22 LR ammo. You can easily get up to or exceed the cost of a tin of 300 to 500 pellets. Air plus pellets is much less costly in the long run, and you will get similar if not better accuracy from air out to 50 yards or more.

If you think paying for air fillups or the one time expense of an air compressor is expensive, it really depends on how much volume you shoot. If you are a regular shooter, i.e. at least one day a month, then the upfront equipment investment ls with air will quickly become very economical.

Shoot .177 springers my man. Trust me it's not expensive!! I could and did go all year for $20 for years. That was about 2000 pellets.

 

[PasadenaMike]

My pcp journey started last spring. I was online for my birthday ready to snap up a diana 350 magnum in .22. Well they were out of stock all across the country. So I ordered one up on PAs website. The excitement was unreal. 2 days later (Monday morning) I got an email canceling my order and refunded me. Lol fyi you can't buy and ship (fac) guns across the border I learned! So I said why not go for the pcp I've been looking at instead! Lol $1600 later the S510 was ordered! (exactly double the $$ for the diana!) Gun was shipped 250bar. No scope, no rings, and no pump. 2 weeks later all that was here and out I went. Accuracy was UNREAL. Only ever had springers till then. So it started expensive and I have no regrets. Hadn't shot it and I was out $2400 before first pellet flew!

Shoot .177 springers my man. Trust me it's not expensive!! I could and did go all year for $20 for years. That was about 2000 pellets.

I should have kept my R7

 

[Danman]

My rule is don't ever buy a pcp that needs more than 250 bar to fill if you are going to hand pump. Yes you can partial fill evertime but thats a bit lame. And I'm 36 . I may go compressor down the road but (as per Mike's post) I think I would shell out and go for a good one right out of the gate. And then obviously to justify that purchase buy another pcp or 2 Love my pcp, love my springers. For hunting nothing compares to a pcp though!!

 

[PasadenaMike]

My rule is don't ever buy a pcp that needs more than 250 bar to fill if you are going to hand pump. Yes you can partial fill evertime but thats a bit lame. And I'm 36 . I may go compressor down the road but (as per Mike's post) I think I would shell out and go for a good one right out of the gate. And then obviously to justify that purchase buy another pcp or 2 Love my pcp, love my springers. For hunting nothing compares to a pcp though!!

I bought a couple garbage compressors (Nomad 2 and some Vevor) both in the oval filing cabinet now. These days there are good affordable-ish compressors so buy once and cry a bit

 

[tec]

I switch between 177 and 22 HP on my Ghost…requires slight scope adj …I find .177 H&N Barracuda Match to be good to 50 yrd (when the wind is minimal) to take out the euro sparrows harassing the bluebirds. If i take the time to size and weight sort…those groups are on average tighter. I find the .177 to be significantly quieter for the back yard, but if the wind is up, I switch to .22

 

[Florida_Man]

@PasadenaMike
I’m with you on the lower air capacity guns. I had two bottle guns, they are both gone now. Cylinder guns just feel better to me, and are easier for my shooting locations. They provide a gun that isn’t too vertically high. I’m still on my first compressor, a Yong Heng. It will probably last forever because I want to replace it. Noisy and the bucket. But it tops off my great white from 200 bar in 28 min. And I do go to 4500psi fills!
I’ve found There is no real downside to lower air capacity guns if you have a decent fill tank. I use a big gold filter with molecular sieve. I just serviced my P35 after 4 months of heavy use, completely dry. And I am in a very humid environment.
That great white keeps my Revere, PP700SA, Notos, and P35 all going no problem.