Most Powerful Benchrest Capable Air Rifle?

[Solo1]

Time is running out. I would like to try 50-100yd benchrest match shooting THIS year. That means IPAC is the first big match of the year and then the others all run over a matter of about four months. I want a dedicated benchrest rifle. Obviously you need some time to get acquainted with a new rifle, plus time to tune it. Then of course you need practice time. I made a relatively comprehensive short list of desirable rifles: AAA EVOL HPS, Blackwolf Chassis, RTI Mora 700, FX Panthera mkII 700, Skout Evo. I figure it needs to be a .30. Mainly due to wind, but also I like shooting the .30, followed by .25 the most. I believe it’s a decent list if contenders. Then reality hits: very few of these rifles are available or they’re not available in .30 or not in a long barrel. The only two contenders that are in stock and that I could order today are the Blackwolf chassis and the new FX mkII Panthera (very limited numbers). I think the Mora might be available in .25 at one dealer, not sure if it’s the new version. Oh, the Red Panda is on the list and available, but its luster seems to be fading.
The Blackwolf is double the price of the other rifles. If it was the most accurate (assuming properly tuned) that would not be an issue, but is it? I don’t know.
I’ve had several shooters in the background tell me to stay away from the FX due to its consistency issues. But, does the mkII negate/rectify those issues? It’s a heck of lot cheaper than the Blackwolf. If AOA still had $700 off of the Blackwolf that might’ve been a deciding factor. The Blackwolf Zero could be an option. I’m assuming the HAM discount might apply.
Then again I could have a .22 and a .30 FX lol.

Ya know bill you could always stick with the ghost and see how that goes and then you could also see what guns turn out to be the hot ticket

 

[Billm]

Ya know bill you could always stick with the ghost and see how that goes and then you could also see what guns turn out to be the hot ticket

That’s def an option. Both the Panthera 600 and 700 barrels are slug liners. I assumed incorrectly that I’d be able to purchase liners with different twists. I guess it makes sense, considering the Dynamic and Panthera are designed as slug guns. Problem is, I have money burning a hole and I’m not great at saving for later.

 

[Danman]

Im 100% with Solo1 on this...if what you want is not available now, then simply...dont buy. I'm in a similar boat @Billm, I am gonna buy a .25/30/357 as my next (i used the word " last" to my wife) pcp but this year I have way to much other stuff demanding my time/attention/$$.
I get you want to get into benchrest comps and compete, i say jump in & just use the Ghost or Sonoran for the first year. See how that goes, learn from others, get humbled (or perhaps slay the competition?!) and have fun.
The FX panthera gen2 is far to new and untested, even if they running solid barrels. The others are in short supply in .30cal as you mentioned. I personally would not spend blackwolf money on an airgun, but thats a you decision. If a good deal one a used on was to be had....

 

[duchunter007]

Im 100% with Solo1 on this...if what you want is not available now, then simply...dont buy. I'm in a similar boat @Billm, I am gonna buy a .25/30/357 as my next (i used the word " last" to my wife) pcp but this year I have way to much other stuff demanding my time/attention/$$.
I get you want to get into benchrest comps and compete, i say jump in & just use the Ghost or Sonoran for the first year. See how that goes, learn from others, get humbled (or perhaps slay the competition?!) and have fun.
The FX panthera gen2 is far to new and untested, even if they running solid barrels. The others are in short supply in .30cal as you mentioned. I personally would not spend blackwolf money on an airgun, but thats a you decision. If a good deal one a used on was to be had....

I agree with Danman, just shoot the Sonoran or Ghost, the Sonoran seems to be dialed in, plus you are shooting that well, and getting better

 

[Billm]

Im 100% with Solo1 on this...if what you want is not available now, then simply...dont buy. I'm in a similar boat @Billm, I am gonna buy a .25/30/357 as my next (i used the word " last" to my wife) pcp but this year I have way to much other stuff demanding my time/attention/$$.
I get you want to get into benchrest comps and compete, i say jump in & just use the Ghost or Sonoran for the first year. See how that goes, learn from others, get humbled (or perhaps slay the competition?!) and have fun.
The FX panthera gen2 is far to new and untested, even if they running solid barrels. The others are in short supply in .30cal as you mentioned. I personally would not spend blackwolf money on an airgun, but thats a you decision. If a good deal one a used on was to be had....

I hear you. I have no delusions if I jump in, I will be humbled. I figure as long as I make an honest effort so that I don’t hinder others and enjoy the total experience, where I place doesn’t really matter to me. I almost don’t understand how the best benchrest competitors enjoy the sport. They shoot perfect scores with the wind being the only real differentiator. They’ve mastered their equipment and shooting skills. I’m challenged by both equipment and the marksmanship, never mind adding wind to the equation.
I wouldn’t buy a used Blackwolf, unless I had an honest conversation with the previous owner first. I wouldn’t buy a used barrel for competition either. I look at it like this: if you have won the barrel lottery why would you sell the lottery prize at a discount. With the BW, if you just spent $4000 on a rifle that just came out, I would want to know that it wasn’t because you felt there was an issue with it. There may be a valid reason for taking a loss and selling something. But, if not, you can’t always make lemonade from lemons lol.

 

[Billm]

Now another dealer has the mkII in stock lol. Do I need a slug gun? Where the heck is the announced FX Benchmark??? Not a single dealer seems to mention the new dedicated benchrest model.

 

[Pumacarl]

Now another dealer has the mkII in stock lol. Do I need a slug gun? Where the heck is the announced FX Benchmark??? Not a single dealer seems to mention the new dedicated benchrest model.

I don't shoot competitively, but I follow the competitions a little, and it seems to me that a lot of people who have the option to shoot whatever they want are still shooting the Red Wolf when competing. There's got to be something to that. If you want to experiment this year, experiment with a gun that has, and still is, winning.

 

[Solo1]

I don't shoot competitively, but I follow the competitions a little, and it seems to me that a lot of people who have the option to shoot whatever they want are still shooting the Red Wolf when competing. There's got to be something to that. If you want to experiment this year, experiment with a gun that has, and still is, winning.

But if you notice Lauren has been shooting a ghost from the bench.

 

[Pumacarl]

But if you notice Lauren has been shooting a ghost from the bench.

Some people like bullpups, some don't. To me, I would take a RW HP in a chassis. Admittedly, I'd just love to try an electronic trigger. That has to be an advantage, at least if you're not on some team where everyone helps setup your equipment.

 

[Billm]

I don't shoot competitively, but I follow the competitions a little, and it seems to me that a lot of people who have the option to shoot whatever they want are still shooting the Red Wolf when competing. There's got to be something to that. If you want to experiment this year, experiment with a gun that has, and still is, winning.

lol, this is so hard. I asked someone yesterday that has shot several of these rifles if they had shot the Blackwolf. They responded no and that they’re not interested because they’d had a few negative equipment experiences with several Redwolf rifles. I know, I am doing that age old male thing of internally justifying the need to purchase something, just to have something new and shiny.
If I thought I could ethically shoot a deer with a .30, or had a place to hunt predators I’d buy the FX mkII lol. But even though legal here, I’d say in my unwanted opinion that hunting whitetail with a 52gr .30 slug is ethically on par with shooting a hog with a .177 air rifle.

 

[Billm]

But if you notice Lauren has been shooting a ghost from the bench.

She shot a Blackwolf in Louisiana - I’m pretty sure she did. I believe Team Daystate made the decision to use their same rifle for all events. That in itself, is impressive. I might be wrong but, I believe that’s what Tony, Barb and Lauren did.

 

[Pumacarl]

Now another dealer has the mkII in stock lol. Do I need a slug gun? Where the heck is the announced FX Benchmark??? Not a single dealer seems to mention the new dedicated benchrest model.

You should call Tom at HPP, he seems to get stuff in a timely manner and being a small shop, he might be more into helping you quickly.

 

[Billm]

Some people like bullpups, some don't. To me, I would take a RW HP in a chassis. Admittedly, I'd just love to try an electronic trigger. That has to be an advantage, at least if you're not on some team where everyone helps setup your equipment.

I would like to try an electronic gun. That was part of the attraction to the Skout, along with their accurate but inexpensive barrels. I find it real hard to swallow Daystate/BRK pricing.

 

[Solo1]

Some people like bullpups, some don't. To me, I would take a RW HP in a chassis. Admittedly, I'd just love to try an electronic trigger. That has to be an advantage, at least if you're not on some team where everyone helps setup your equipment.

Trigger is just a micro switch that takes just a couple oz to activate it has no feel I don’t like them

 

[Pumacarl]

I would like to try an electronic gun. That was part of the attraction to the Skout, along with their accurate but inexpensive barrels. I find it real hard to swallow Daystate/BRK pricing.

Just for the hell of it, call Scout. See if they can find one of their guns at a dealer somewhere.

 

[Solo1]

I would like to try an electronic gun. That was part of the attraction to the Skout, along with their accurate but inexpensive barrels. I find it real hard to swallow Daystate/BRK pricing.

The problem with electronic guns is when it wont shoot or shoot right you have to send it back which is expensive just to ship. With a mechanical gun you just fix your problem and move on

 

[Billm]

Just for the hell of it, call Scout. See if they can find one of their guns at a dealer somewhere.

I contacted Skout, they told me that if I ordered a rifle from them, they would build it and test it in two weeks.

 

[Pumacarl]

Trigger is just a micro switch that takes just a couple oz to activate it has no feel I don’t like them

Yeah, I have heard that a lot too. It's one of those things that everyone has to try for themselves, and that isn't an easy thing with how scarce high end airguns are, in general.

 

[FL22]

I contacted Skout, they told me that if I ordered a rifle from them, they would build it and test it in two weeks.

If they follow through on that, I say outstanding .

 

[Billm]

If they follow through on that, I say outstanding .

Well I believed one company when they told me that my prepaid target would ship in the first or second week of December and it shipped in march lol.