Lets Talk: Air Rifles!

[Johnnie_T]

I have been enjoying this thread very much. I have just recently rediscovered my love of airguns and the options available now are dizzying compared to what was available when I was growing up. I decided to start simple and picked up a Ruger/Umarex Impact Max. 22 this evening. Initial impressions are that the build quality and fit/finish are very nice and the included optic is much better than I expected. I'll post a more thorough review shortly in it's own thread

[Halfapint]

Thanks for bumping this back up! I actually had forgotten about this thread! Congrats on your purchase, please let us know how it works out! Pics would be good as well.

[Johnnie_T]

It's a great thread for an often overlooked tool. Well worth bumping up! Initial test firing and zero have been great, even though it's not broken in yet and I'm shooting cheap Crosman bulk pellets. I will post a full review this weekend, but first groups are already under an inch at 20 yards with plenty of power.

[Halfapint]

I've been looking at Beeman QB Chief or the Benjamin Maximus. The Maximus has the entire kit with pump and pellets. But neither one of them come in 25cal I was hoping for something a bit bigger, I actually was looking at some 357 but man those are ludicrously priced.

[Johnnie_T]

A pic from this afternoon, and also a photo posting test.

[Johnnie_T]

Halfapint,

The Hatsan Torpedo series rifles are available in. 25 and have some very good reviews. They're a gas piston rifle using an underlever operating system. Very affordable compared to PCP guns. Benjamin also has a Nitro Piston .25 break barrel. Both are worth a look. I considered both before choosing a. 22 for ammo availability and familiarity.

I agree on the. 357 PCP's. My heart lusts after an Evanix Rex. 357, but that's a huge investment!

[MacWa77ace]

Hmmmm, I don't see where I posted this in this thread, thought I did already. Might have been a different thread, but bumping this with this anyhow.

This is a custom made, 1 1/4 inch, equine grade leather, quick adjustable rifle sling on my Benji 392. It has heavy duty quick detach sling swivels.

[doitnstyle1]

So I haven't been on for a while and haven't focused on anything except recovering from a relationship gone bad, emotionally and financially. I have since then purchased a .50 Cal wingshot with pump and a carbon fiber tank to cut down on some of the pumping.
I am looking to maybe do some waterfowl hunting with the wingshot and give it a good field reprort.
With that in mind I also went and splurged on air bolt for my .357 and my .50 Cal air rifles. I just got them a week ago and have not been able to go to the range to test. As soon as I pay off the air bolt order I have saved enough to purchase a 4500 psi compressor from eBay so I can fill my own tanks. I have been wffling on wether I should get the air veturi which runs on both 110 v AND 12v, but the price is almost 3 times what I can get it for on eBay.
I am looking to set up a pig hunt in Texas if at all possible this year. For disabled veterans. It might be a good year.

[Halfapint]

Mac, awesome sling! Looks great!

Doitnstyle: welcome back sorry to hear, but glad you’re back! That sounds awesome! I sit. Even know what to day, a big bore air rifle with your own compressor sounds awesome!

I just got my bonus, it’s hard to say how much I’ll have left over after buying some stuff for the property but I’m thinking I’m going to get a .357 PCP, it’s big enough to take some bigger game. But not terribly over priced.

[doitnstyle1]

So I have the Hatsan big bore .357 and that is a 6 shot. However the Inovairtech system is pretty good and it should save on pumping.

I might recommend a .22 break barrel if you can't spend too much. They are pretty powerful for the price and a well placed shot can down up to medium game.

Gamo I have has been amazing.

I just ordered my empty shotshells to load with steel shot. I also have to renew my license soon and add waterfowl stamp.

[doitnstyle1]

So...I got a little tired of pumping up my PCP with pumps and my small bottles are great but inconvenient when I run out of air.

I considered ordering a Nomad II compressor from Pyramid Air at $600+. I read failure rates on them were about the same for the Nomad and the only felt the Yong Heng air compressor had worked out enough bugs to be competitive. So I ordered the latter and purchased the protection plan to go with it for around $275.00.

I received it from a local vendor within a week. It came in a very nice package and appears well protected. I am off tomorrow and may do an unpacking and testing video.

It would be nice to fill my own bottles and try to show a safer way of filling bottles in the event of a catastrophic failure.

[MacWa77ace]

So...I got a little tired of pumping up my PCP with pumps and my small bottles are great but inconvenient when I run out of air.

I considered ordering a Nomad II compressor from Pyramid Air at $600+. I read failure rates on them were about the same for the Nomad and the only felt the Yong Heng air compressor had worked out enough bugs to be competitive. So I ordered the latter and purchased the protection plan to go with it for around $275.00.

I received it from a local vendor within a week. It came in a very nice package and appears well protected. I am off tomorrow and may do an unpacking and testing video.

It would be nice to fill my own bottles and try to show a safer way of filling bottles in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Weird coincidence, I got my Harbor Freight Catalog yesterday and was looking at the 'super quiet', oil-free compressors they had, and wondering if they'd be good for PCP. Fortress is the brand but the price range was $140 to $190 depending. Only 90 day warranty. Anyone use this brand?

Would these be any good?


https://www.harborfreight.com/1-gallon- ... 64687.html

[majorhavoc]

So...I got a little tired of pumping up my PCP with pumps and my small bottles are great but inconvenient when I run out of air.

I considered ordering a Nomad II compressor from Pyramid Air at $600+. I read failure rates on them were about the same for the Nomad and the only felt the Yong Heng air compressor had worked out enough bugs to be competitive. So I ordered the latter and purchased the protection plan to go with it for around $275.00.

I received it from a local vendor within a week. It came in a very nice package and appears well protected. I am off tomorrow and may do an unpacking and testing video.

It would be nice to fill my own bottles and try to show a safer way of filling bottles in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Weird coincidence, I got my Harbor Freight Catalog yesterday and was looking at the 'super quiet', oil-free compressors they had, and wondering if they'd be good for PCP. Fortress is the brand but the price range was $140 to $190 depending. Only 90 day warranty. Anyone use this brand?

Would these be any good?


https://www.harborfreight.com/1-gallon- ... 64687.html

Those compressors are for air tools. They max out at something like 140 psi. No where near the 3000+ psi you need for PCP airguns.

[MacWa77ace]

Those compressors are for air tools. They max out at something like 140 psi. No where near the 3000+ psi you need for PCP airguns.

Thanks, I never figured that as I misunderstood the foot pump used for them then.

I don't have a PCP now but thought I'd skip over the nitro piston and go straight to PCP. But that's pretty far down the road.
I already have a compressor for tools and figured I'd use that. I have to rethink this if that is an add-on I didn't already have. The road just got longer.

[majorhavoc]

Yeah, it's the same reason I don't own a PCP either - it's a significant investment.

[doitnstyle1]

Yeah these compressors go up to 4500 PSI. The PCP is definitely an investment but one that I think is well worth it for long-term viability. I can cast my own rounds that I know will fit my rifles so as long as there is lead available always have ammo andare's pretty endless.

I can pump rifle up with the hand pump no time at all, and I can even take breaks and get it ready for the next hunt if I have to. Filling the bottles will take significantly more time and effort, and it is merely a convenience for target shooting. If you think about hunting you may only need one or two shots to take down your game. My Hatsan give me 16 to 25 well-placed powerful shots that can bring down large game. My Winn schott give me three good shots at .50 caliber or shotshells for birds in flight.
For smaller game I have the nitro piston break barrel rifles in .22 and .25 caliber. Those rifles can take down medium to small game anywhere from a medium wild pig and under. With a well-placed shot you could even drop it larger animal.
The thing about PCP air rifles, is that once you shot them and you know what they can do you will be hooked.

[MacWa77ace]

Those compressors sound like something I could fill my dive tanks with and I never bought one for that either.

It would be nice to fill my own bottles and try to show a safer way of filling bottles in the event of a catastrophic failure.

The dive tanks get put in a tub of water when filling them. but that's just for the heat that gets generated. They need to be inspected, especially the aluminum ones, for safety to prevent catastrophes.

[majorhavoc]

The dive tanks get put in a tub of water when filling them. but that's just for the heat that gets generated. They need to be inspected, especially the aluminum ones, for safety to prevent catastrophes.

Did someone say 'catastrophe'?

[Halfapint]

I love that this thread is being kept alive.

I’m sad I didn’t get to get to use my bonus on a PCP. Far to many other things, but it will be something I start throwing into savings to buy, along with all the gear.

[velojym]

I've drooled over some of the PCP rifles and the like, but I'll hang on to my multi pump Benji 397, and my nitro-spring break rifle for practical reasons.
If any one has any doubt about the power of the Benji, two pumps will send a pellet through a finger without slowing it down much. Don't ask me how I know.

[doitnstyle1]

Those compressors sound like something I could fill my dive tanks with and I never bought one for that either.

It would be nice to fill my own bottles and try to show a safer way of filling bottles in the event of a catastrophic failure.

The dive tanks get put in a tub of water when filling them. but that's just for the heat that gets generated. They need to be inspected, especially the aluminum ones, for safety to prevent catastrophes.

Yeah the water does keep it cool but they are also placed in the tub in the event of a catrastrophic failure (which can happen even with hydro tested tanks) the water absorbs sone of the explosive power. The fir e station used to have a concrete vat for filling them. I will still have my tanks professionally hydro tested.

The SAFER way of filling I'm talking about is also in the SHTF situation. Not many shops going to be around then either. I'm also not sure that I'm going to want to be carrying around a potential bomb on my back like that years after it's past inspection.

There is a new company that will test and extend the life of carbon fiber tanks to 30 years. You still have to have them hydro tested every 5

[doitnstyle1]

Well, I filled my first tank today. I took it from 3000 psi to 4500 and under 7 minutes. I did a partial fill in the untested tank. Everything seemed to go quite well temperature was down I'm still not going to fill the untested tank fully. I am going to have to find someplace to hydro test it real soon. The temperatures all remained within or below the recommended operating temperature of 50-70 degrees Celsius. The temperature actually remained right around 45 degrees Celsius. Everything that I have heard about this pump recommended that the cooler it remains the better and longer it lasts.
I purchased two gallons of harvest King anti-wear hydraulic oil ISO 100 for $19.95 at Murdoch's and there were no problems and it remained clear through the window.
Draining the low pressure side first and then the high pressure side minimized any oil contaminants getting to the filter, and when I checked it only a small touch of hydraulic oil was at the very tip of the filter. The far end of the filter showed no leak through so I don't expect any moisture or oil in the tank.
the compressor itself was loud but not much louder than any other standard shop compressor would be, in all actuality it was probably quieter.

[Halfapint]

or below the recommended operating temperature of 5270 degrees Celsius.

Holy hell are you trying to start fusion reaction?!? Lol I know it’s a typo but made me double check. Lol

[doitnstyle1]

Corrected. I was using my voice to text.