Wildcat When the Dream Gun Becomes a Nightmare

[Madhatter]

I think the problem today is the younger generations want everything done for them. "Why take the time to learn something when I can have someone else do it?". If you took 1,000 people 18 to 30yrs old and asked them to change a tire on a car, 95% would look at you like you were from outer space. Of the remaining 50 people, maybe 10 would be able to do it.

I know I'm in the minority, but I take pride in learning something new and figuring out how to fix something. Everything from replacing capacitors in an LCD TV to stoning a sear on my gun. My father taught me "It's not how much you make, but how much you keep".

I've had tons of hobbies over the years and for me the most fun is the building process. If I bought a $10k Barret I'd still tinker with it to make it better and the way I want it.

That's what I do with every hobby I've ever had.

 

[PasadenaMike]

I think the problem today is the younger generations want everything done for them. "Why take the time to learn something when I can have someone else do it?". If you took 1,000 people 18 to 30yrs old and asked them to change a tire on a car, 95% would look at you like you were from outer space. Of the remaining 50 people, maybe 10 would be able to do it.

I know I'm in the minority, but I take pride in learning something new and figuring out how to fix something. Everything from replacing capacitors in an LCD TV to stoning a sear on my gun. My father taught me "It's not how much you make, but how much you keep".

I've had tons of hobbies over the years and for me the most fun is the building process. If I bought a $10k Barret I'd still tinker with it to make it better and the way I want it.

Time on the couch is precious. Between work, the kids, and my wife, I don’t have the bandwidth for anything that needs constant tinkering or fixing. Even my wife’s car is a lease — I avoid aging vehicles and unnecessary hassles. Everything needs to run smooth or it’s gone. That includes airguns.

 

[PasadenaMike]

Time on the couch is precious. Between work, the kids, and my wife, I don’t have the bandwidth for anything that needs constant tinkering or fixing. Even my wife’s car is a lease — I avoid aging vehicles and unnecessary hassles. Everything needs to run smooth or it’s gone. That includes airguns.

This is why I chose Air Force. If those start annoying me guess what? My pb’s have always worked flawlessly

 

[Bladefin]

Time on the couch is precious. Between work, the kids, and my wife, I don’t have the bandwidth for anything that needs constant tinkering or fixing. Even my wife’s car is a lease — I avoid aging vehicles and unnecessary hassles. Everything needs to run smooth or it’s gone. That includes airguns.

I get it and know the feeling! I don't have kids, but life seems to be way busier the older I get. Since the late 90's to early 2000's everything has just sped up. People have less time. I see it in my other hobbies too, especially the aquarium club I'm in.

 

[Grunt64]

Ever buy a gun you’d been dreaming about, only for it to turn out to be a lemon?(ive had my fair share) You spend time, money, or go through multiple RMAs just to get it to perform the way it should have from the start. And even when it finally shoots right, the whole experience leaves such a bad taste that you just can’t look at it the same way anymore.
I’ve had a few guns like that over the years, but the worst case by far was the Wildcat MK3. It took three trips to FX before it finally ran the way it should have. By then, the excitement was long gone. What really sealed it for me was the dealer — SPAW — telling me a 50 FPS spread was “normal.” Seriously? What a joke.

This is the reason why I stay with air guns with simple design. Salesmen sometimes spin nice stories to sell while a good salesman will be up front and honest, he wants you to come back while the other thinks there's another sucker just around the corner. If it isn't right out of the box send it back and rethink what you need and not want. sometimes just wanting can be a pitfall

 

[Linehauler73]

That really stinks and I have had a similar experience with my wildcat bt. After taking a hour to get the new tiny oring in the bottom of the amp reg to actually go into its correct position I said (bad word ) IT and sent it in. The amp regs suck in just about every way in my opinion. Been good for months now but inevitably I will be down that road again for sure and I am determined to get proficient at fixing it. Really beyond those PIA regs there really isn’t much to the wildcat.

 

[Florida_Man]

That really stinks and I have had a similar experience with my wildcat bt. After taking a hour to get the new tiny oring in the bottom of the amp reg to actually go into its correct position I said (bad word ) IT and sent it in. The amp regs suck in just about every way in my opinion. Been good for months now but inevitably I will be down that road again for sure and I am determined to get proficient at fixing it. Really beyond those PIA regs there really isn’t much to the wildcat.

Luckily my Maverick didn’t have reg issues the short time I had it. If I still had it I would 100% try the huma reg replacement

 

[PasadenaMike]

Luckily my Maverick didn’t have reg issues the short time I had it. If I still had it I would 100% try the huma reg replacement

My Maverick was the first to give up the ghost . I sent it to UA and said keep it lol

 

[MountainSportAirguns]

I was very unimpressed with my FX Dreamlite, thing couldn't even handle getting dragged, run over and thrown off a cliff.

 

[Florida_Man]

I was very unimpressed with my FX Dreamlite, thing couldn't even handle getting dragged, run over and thrown off a cliff.

And then whatever you did to it after Marley was done doing all that.

 

[Danman]

I was very unimpressed with my FX Dreamlite, thing couldn't even handle getting dragged, run over and thrown off a cliff.

I watched that video, scary stuff!
Honestly this is why I don't own just 1 airgun but 4. Outside of the honeymoon stage with airguns (about 3 months) if it breaks I'm fixing it. Break at an inconvenient time? It gets parked and I grab another. Time permitting it will get fixed....3k airguns better perform indeed (I own one!) but an o-ring is 0.99c and is often the weak link. Replacing it on my time and learning about my new toy vs fearing for my guns life on a UPS truck: priceless! A gun nightmare to me is: no matter what I try its not accurate or consistent. Then it would go bye-bye.

 

[SpindleB]

You are 1000% correct Mike. A $3000 airgun should perform perfectly! In fact how did it get pass quality control? The hype surrounding FX is astounding. People buy them thinking the overpriced wundergun will make them a marksman or they can flex it on family and friends. The upper end of the PCP market is awash with excellent offerings. Why suffer financial drain and emotional turmoil just to own an expensive paperweight?

And they could get a gun that fits their skill for under $1,000. Zelos, Throne 2, Condor are fine, well made and accurate rifles. Current crop of sub $1,000 guns is pretty amazing. Except the Condor, it has been amazing for decades.

But bragging rights are worth $2,000

 

[Pumacarl]

Nobody likes working on the cheapies more than me, but what most don't get is that the extra $2k isn't about bragging rights, it's about joy. What's a real shame is that most people who buy a $3k gun won't even really experience that, because they won't dare take them apart. Yeah, a cheapie can shoot as well as an expensive gun, but it won't be made like one. They are a joy to work on, especially after having worked on cheaper ones for so long. When I finally got one, I could truly appreciate what I had, most won't or even care to, they'll pay their money and then complain about doing so, and how their cheaper gun is just as good. Maybe it is as accurate, but it ain't as good. If you can't appreciate that, then save your money, the gun will never be worth it to you.

 

[wolfmangreg]

Nobody likes working on the cheapies more than me, but what most don't get is that the extra $2k isn't about bragging rights, it's about joy. What's a real shame is that most people who buy a $3k gun won't even really experience that, because they won't dare take them apart. Yeah, a cheapie can shoot as well as an expensive gun, but it won't be made like one. They are a joy to work on, especially after having worked on cheaper ones for so long. When I finally got one, I could truly appreciate what I had, most won't or even care to, they'll pay their money and then complain about doing so, and how their cheaper gun is just as good. Maybe it is as accurate, but it ain't as good. If you can't appreciate that, then save your money, the gun will never be worth it to you.

Great example of that:

Opened up my Vet II this morning- not to do any work, just to see how all the mechanisms work & note any friction points that I may want to clean & lubricate in the future. The machining on every little part in there is so good it literally made my jaw drop. Just beautiful man, metallic artwork. Now I understand why installing the magazine, working the side lever, and pulling the trigger on that rifle are all best in class experiences.

 

[SpindleB]

I feel you. My experience was the same basic rifle (Maverick.) I only had one RMA with it, but it was after only a week of use. It was nothing like the Royale 400 I previously owned.

NEVER sell one of the 3 brothers, Bobcat, Boss & Royale. I think it is the law, or should be. The peak of FX, everything since is just a tweak of their best guns. Simple, easy to maintain and accurate.

I see a lot of threads about the modern FX guns. I'm an old engineer and still subscribe to the KISS design philosophy. FX guns just keep getting more complex and I don’t see that as an upgrade. As points of failure increase the opportunity to fail follows.