by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
This report covers:
- What to do?
- Electric bicycle
- No idea
- A bonus
- My eyes were opened
- The upside
- What I learned
- New eyes
- PCPs
- Get what you want
- Summary
I was going to do a test today, but this subject popped up and I think it should be addressed. I recently started a review of the Benjamin Fortitude Generation 2 PCP air rifle. The Fortitude Gen 2 is a price-point PCP (PPP). So far the review of that rifle is going well.
On Tuesday of this week I started my review of the Air Venturi Avenger PCP air rifle, another PPP. From our first look at that rifle it also looks very promising.
Now, some comments have said that if the airgun is a precharged pneumatic, the rifle doesn’t stand alone. You need a way to get compressed air into the rifle, and that costs more money. So, the cost of the rifle is not the end of the story for PCPs. But with a spring-piston airgun, the rifle does stand alone. Except for the pellets that all pellet guns need, everything you need to shoot is there when you purchase a spring-piston airgun. With a few exceptions like some spring-piston rifles that come without sights, I have to agree with that reasoning.
What to do?
Well, it’s obvious there is no wrong or right in this situation, just differing opinions. But let’s go back to the Fortitude and Avenger. Which of them is best? I may be able to help you there. Just because they are both feature-laden PPP air rifles does not mean they are alike. In fact, they are quite different. Both are looking good at this point and if they both prove out in testing, which one is better? I can answer that for you, and I will, but first I need to lay some groundwork.
Electric bicycle
As some of you know, I rode an electric bicycle for the first time at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas this year, and became enthralled with the idea of electric bikes. I spent hours on You Tube, looking at reviews of many bikes and learning which reviewers seemed trustworthy and which ones to avoid. And oddly enough I focused on one thing above all others in my reviews — how fast the bikes could go. See any parallel there?
But I had one thing going for me that maybe most first-time electric bike owners don’t have. I test airguns. Lots of airguns, it turns out. And in doing that I have learned that specifications don’t tell the whole story — even when they are great and are met.
The bike I bought is a LectricXP. It’s a folding fat tire bike that comes set up to go as fast as 20 m.p.h. You can either do that by twisting the hand throttle and just going or you can pedal the bike.
It’s not the fastest electric bike you can get. There are other bikes that go up to 28 m.p.h. That’s faster, of course. But what does it mean to ride a bike that can go 28 m.p.h.? I own a non-electric bike and I am able to get it up to 28 m.p.h. on a downhill grade, so I have a little experience going that fast on a bike, but with that one I am peddling hard to do so. With an electric bike I don’t have to peddle hard to achieve the maximum speed. How does that equate to riding a bike?
No idea
To tell the truth, I had no idea what it’s like to go 28 m.p.h. and not have to pedal fast. I didn’t even know what it was like to go 20 m.p.h. and not have to pedal fast. Oh, I have owned motorcycles that went very fast, but that is not the same as doing it on an almost silent bicycle.
A bonus
As it turns out, the LectricXP has software built in that allows me to change its top speed from 20 m.p.h. to 28 m.p.h. That’s a feature that helped me decide to get that bike. But I haven’t made that change yet and it may be a long time before I do.
My eyes were opened
Once I had the bike it took some time to learn how it works and to get used to the pedal assist function. I don’t like it that much. When I pedal the bike there is little to no resistance in the pedals and it feels like I’m doing nothing. Yet the faster I pedal the faster the bike goes. At some point when I peddle fast, resistance in the pedals starts, but by then I am very close to the top speed. And the top speed they advertise isn’t really the top speed of the bike, because if I pedal very hard I can go faster than 20 m.p.h. All of that is the downside of an electric bike — the bad stuff.
The upside
Is there an upside? Yes, there is, but it took me many rides before I discovered it. The upside comes when I put the derailleur (the mechanism that selects the different sprockets on the rear wheel) at its fastest setting, which is 7 on this bike. I set the pedal assist at 2 (out of a possible 5 settings) and then I can cruise comfortably at 13-15 m.p.h. on level ground and 8 m.p.h. on steep hills — all while pedaling comfortably with some resistance in the pedals. In other words — this electric bike has made bike-riding much easier for me! As a result, I’m riding my (new) bike more and more each day.
What I learned
I learned that an electric bike is not what anyone said it is — at least it isn’t for me. Some reviewers got close by saying that it would make your daily commute much easier. They were speaking to people who ride their bicycles to work. I understood that, but my daily commute is from my bedroom into my office. I pass through the living room and pet the cat if she’s awake, but that’s about it. The reviewers did not know how to look at their products with new eyes. And that is what I want to talk to all of you about today.
New eyes
When I write about an airgun I always try to see it with fresh eyes. That’s hard, because I see so many of them. But you readers don’t. Most of you see what you already own, if you even have an airgun at all. I know we have many readers who stumbled onto this blog by accident and became intrigued. That’s great, but if they want to try airgunning where should they start?
This is why I keep harping on a few certain airguns all the time. It’s not that I’m trying to sell you on them. Heck, I probably talk about the Diana 27 more than any other air rifle. Good luck getting one!
But, when I mention the TX200 Mark III, I know that if you buy one, knowing up front what to expect (such as it will need a scope and rings), you won’t be disappointed. In the 26 years I have been writing about airguns I have convinced hundreds of people to buy a TX200, and in all that time only one person ever complained. He even did it on this blog, and I don’t think I was able to resolve his complaint. I will take a ratio like that!
So, when a bombshell new spring-piston air rifle like the ASP20 comes along and it costs a lot less than the TX200, but offers many of the same features such as a good trigger, easier cocking and superb accuracy — OF COURSE I’m going to climb on the bandwagon! I can’t miss, because it’s as good a breakbarrel as I have seen. It’s affordable for all the features you get and it’s made by Sig, who have given me every reason to trust them. If Umarex had continued with their Challenger LGV, I would be shaking my pom-poms for them, too! I loved the Air Vernturi Bronco for exactly the same reasons.
But it doesn’t stop there. Spring-piston airguns are fine and I have several that I do revere — one above all other airguns — the Diana 27. But there is much more to airgunning than just spring-piston guns, just as there is much more to bicycles than one particular style. To make this report manageable I’m going to skip past CO2 guns, multi-pumps, single-stroke pneumatics and go straight to precharged pneumatics.
PCPs
The PCP is the closest that airguns come to rimfire firearms. Some PCPs are as powerful as a .22 long rifle cartridge, but that isn’t why they are comparable. It’s because you don’t have to do anything but load and shoot them. As long as they are charged with air, the experience is nearly identical to what you get when you shoot a rimfire.
That means that no special technique is required to get accuracy from a PCP, though holding it correctly can improve the consistency a little.
Triggers on PCPs can be made finer and more positive than those on springers, though by no means is that a guarantee. The Rekord trigger, the Diana T06 trigger and the trigger in the ASP20 are very fine springer triggers that are better than many PCP triggers, despite what I just said. It’s just much easier to put a better trigger into a PCP because it doesn’t have to restrain a heavy mainspring.
And when a powerful PCP fires the experience is pleasant. When a powerful spring-piston rifle fires the experience can be disturbing. Once again, it doesn’t have to be, but it takes a lot more design work to make a spring-piston powerplant smooth and enjoyable.
And, if power is important, there is no denying that PCPs have the high ground. The most powerful spring-piston airguns wind up somewhere in the 30+ foot-pound region. The big bore AirForce Texan that is a PCP produces more than 800 foot-pounds currently, which makes it the most powerful production airgun on the market. There are boutique PCPs that get even more muzzle energy. But where are the boutique springers? A few have existed over time but they were frightfully expensive and did not even produce as much energy as we are seeing in production models today.
Get what you want
All of these things come down to the one question that shooters are asked when they are thinking of buying their first airgun — what do you want to use it for? But — like me and electric bicycles — they don’t know what they don’t know and that question is impossible to answer. Now, I will tell you which is better between the Benjamin Fortitude and the Air Venturi Avenger, like I promised in the beginning.
The better airgun is the one that has more of the features you want and tests well.
But what if you don’t know what you want? That would be the time to not jump into the deep end of the pool with your clothes on! Dip one foot in and see if you like the feel. What I’m saying is — get an airgun to find out what airgunning is all about. If you find you like it, this will not be your last airgun. If you don’t like it, you haven’t wasted too much money.
Don’t try to imagine what airgunning is without sampling it. If you do, a rifle like the Avenger might be a better choice than the Fortitude. It has a great trigger and is quite powerful. If that turns out to be what you expected, your choice would have been right. But if the Avenger seems too loud and powerful, you will have missed the quiet of the Fortitude.
Either way, though, it’s hard to make a big mistake when both choices are good ones like the Fortitude and Avenger. But, if you disregard this advice altogether and buy something based solely on power, velocity or some other single criteria that you have no experience with, your choice could be so wrong that you are turned off of the sport of airgunning altogether. I have seen shooters who were completely surprised when the big bore airgun they thought they wanted kicked them hard! In all their dreams, recoil was never a factor!
Summary
Getting into airguns is no different than getting into any hobby. First you need a little practical experience, and there is only one way to get that — not through video games, not by reading reviews or watching videos, but by first-hand experience.
B.B.,
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment regarding your use for the electric bike. It allows someone of your age and physical fitness to actually enjoy going out and bike. Usually without the power assist it becomes a chore and thus the health benefit is lost.
Ah life, where the test is given before the lesson is learned. Fortunately we have you to help in making the decision. We can’t afford to own/buy every Airgun to find what we want. You do give us hints as to what would most likely suit us. And those suggestions do help narrow the field. Especially in this Golden Age of Airguns.
Siraniko
PS: Section What I learned third sentence: “They were speaking to people who rinde (ride) their bicyclkes (bicycles) to work.”
BB,
Another good one. Not much to add. Those of us that have spent a few decades on this earth can relate well from our own follies (guns, bikes and otherwise).
I will say that the best way to experience what a PCP is like is to get a multi-pump like an 880 or even a CO2 rifle. Both can be had on the cheap. Ideally,… find one that you go do some trigger mods to (to lighten the often horrible triggers) and scope it. That will put you in the PCP ballpark.
Going the (fine) springer route at first,.. TX200 and LGU,… I decided I wanted to get something that was not as hold fussy and that I could be a better shooter,… quicker. Of course,… some more power for pesting would be a nice plus. Thus,…. getting into PCP’s. No regrets.
For PCP’s,…. you must be honest with yourself and ask if you are willing to hand pump. Like many things,… you may think “no big deal,… no problem”. One week later and having to top off after every 30-50 shots (or much less) and you start thinking differently. I wanted to shoot,.. not pump. I wanted to shoot a lot and get better at my shooting skills,.. not pump. I am not opposed to exercise or activity,… but not when I am shooting.
After being honest with myself,… I went the Shoebox route, oil-less shop compressor (needed one anyways) and a small CF tank. No regrets whatsoever.
So yes,… like you pointed out,….learn all you can, ask all the questions, etc., but at some point you just have to hop into the pool to know for sure. Spending less to learn is always good,… most of the time.
Ok,… well I guess I did have something to add. 😉 LOL!
Chris
“What am I going to do with this airgun?” The question I ask myself every time I think of buying one. That question was asked of me by Gary Barnes as I was talking to him about buying one of his air rifles. He did not sell me one. I guess he did not like my answer. He knew I did not know what I was getting into.
I have spent far more time researching airguns than shooting airguns. When the new twidget comes out and I start going “Ooh, ooh, ooh”, I start digging. Will this twidget fill a niche that is not already filled by one I have? Is this twidget as good as it is claimed?
Over the years I have learned of a few twidget testers who will give an honest opinion. That is the reason you have to put up with me here.
I also will check out a couple that will give an honest opinion, but because they make their living directly from a company involved with twidgets, I have to filter some of their comments to get all of the information I seek. They are not lying. They just use kinder, gentler comments to convey to us what they want to say.
Then there are those who will try to put a positive spin on the particular twidget they are reviewing, no matter how lousy a twidget it is, because the company that makes that twidget also signs their paycheck. I follow them strictly for entertainment and give no credence to their review, most especially since what I am seeing does not match their words.
Usually, when I do buy a twidget, it has been on the market for a while and I can see for myself the proven track record.
I’m not you. You’re not me. This dude you can trust. This is good stuff to keep in mind if you think you want to get into twidgets.
I think I’ve said it before that I really enjoy your non-review blogs. This is just one of the reasons so many people follow this blog. I am still amazed how you keep such a open mind while testing. I guess using the same format with each item helps. Unless you run into a snafu. Then we get to read about it and how you work it out or work around it Thanks BB!
Ahh B.B.!!!! An excellent article, well written!!!
I started looking up and pricing the rifles you mentioned right in the middle of reading the article! TX? Too expensive for me. The others? Not available new; extra effort to research and acquire used. ASP20? $350? Aha, a bit expensive, but easily available … oh a scope. Hmm, just got more expensive!
Very fortunately, I returned and kept reading, resulting in a savings of $520!! 🙂
I have and really enjoy my stock Fortitude. Very, very much so. A lot. Very pleased with it. Maybe someday I’ll try to lighten the trigger and maybe I’ll then wish I’d done it sooner. I’m also considering adding a higher cheek piece to get a cheek weld rather than a chin weld. And apparently it is quieter than the Avenger too. And it works great with the inexpensive CPHP pellets!! So winnings for me all around!
Granted, I had to go through two Fusion Swam Gen2 rifles to finally get the Fortitude, a hand pump, and a Hatsan Spark, but I am really happy now!!!!
I admit I’ve been eyeing the semiautomatic Marauder though 😉
Thanks for your blog B.B.!!! I read all the new ones and have read quite a few of the older ones (mostly the how to ones) and a few review ones. The original Fortitude series is what made me take a chance on getting the Gen2; my experiences with it and your current Gen2 series have more than validated my choice!
Thanks again!!!
MisterAP,
LOL! Nobody here said this hobby, sport, whathavyou was cheap. Of course, it can be affordable unless you decide to take it to the next level. You fill the Fortitude with a hand pump?
Now you are starting to think of the new SAM. Do you think you will be filling it with a hand pump? You can. I used to fill a Benjamin Rogue with a hand pump. A whole lot of pumping and just a little shooting. It will not take long and you will start thinking about a compressor. 😉
Haha Ridgeunner,
My PCP estimations always included the compressor costs, which is why it was hard to make the decision—always $500 more for the air equipment. I finally rationalized it as an early Christmas plus birthday gift 😉
MisterAP,
What ever it takes. Mrs. RR was not the most happiest of people, but she let me get away with it.
MisterAP
I’m really looking forward to Crosman releasing the semi auto Marauder. I want one.
If you haven’t noticed I really like the Benjamin and Crosman pcp’s as well as their multipump pistols and Co2 pistols. I have had bunches and modded them all pretty well and switched parts around too.
You made a good choice getting the Fortitude. I think anyway. 🙂
Oh and cheek weld on your Fortitude. What height is your scope rings? I like trying to get my scope as close to the barrel as I can. Maybe some shorter scope rings and you can get that lower cheek weld.
Gunfun,
Absolutely yes; a great choice! I feel like I won the lottery 😉
I have medium rings and the magazine is a hairs breadth away from the scope.
I think the cheek weld will help me hit my POA when shooting standing unsupported off hand, which is why I want it.
MisterAP,
That handle should unscrew. Then,… slip over some rubber fuel line or some other tubing of your choice. Oh,…. and if you feel the bolt is at all sloppy when down or any other position,… cut the tubing a bit long so that it has some tension/compression. Did it on the Maximus and works great.
On HAM, they were able to take a 1# brick of electricians putty (block wrapped in plastic) and dropped it right in the butt. Never even unwrapped it. It might give a nicer front to rear balance. My Maximus should be the same, so I will give it a go. Dang,…and I was just out yesterday too!
Chris
Chris
The bolt on my Fortitude is slick smooth. And the handle as you say stays down when I shoot.
MisterAP
Yep I see from that angle. But remember the mag is offset to the right from center that gives you a little more room to go lower.
And looking at your picture if you moved your scope forward less than 1/8″ you would get that turret section of the scope forward so the tube would actually be over the mag.
I bet you could go to low mounts if you did that little forward move with the scope. But then again that depends on how close the objective bell is away from the barrel right now. If you got a 44 mm or bigger objective bell you probably won’t be able to go lower without contacting the shroud.
So yes after all my rambling you will probably need the comb raised on the stock. 🙂 A adjustable comb would of been nice.
And one more thing. I found a major discovery with accuraccy with my Fortitude today. It’s so simple to do it ain’t funny. I’m going to post it over on the Fortitude part 3 report so people can see it when the check out the Fortitude reports. Give me a minute to post it if you want to check it out. I’m going to post at the bottom of the comments.
Mister,
So you had bad luck with the Swarm Gen2 rifles? Just asking because I always thought the repeating part of them were neat.
Doc
Doc,
I’ve returned two of these Gen2 Swarm Fusions and am not getting another one. Both stared having misloads around 600-700 pellets IIRC.
I could not get good groups with either of them with CPHP, CPDM, H&N FTT, Daisy HP and JSB.
I did like the repeater functionality when it worked. I liked the trigger. I liked the open sights. I liked the lightness of the rifle.
Mister,
That’s too bad. I had a lot of hope for them! I can see one being bad, but two?? Maybe someone like Sig can do it.
Doc
There are some folks on GTA that are not having trouble, but I haven’t delved into usage, exact rifle, pellets, other methodology.
For me the Fortitude was similar enough price wise—except of course for the compressor/hand pump, but those are a one time cost— and pretty much better in all other respects except no open sights, that I figured why keep bothering?
B.B.,
An excellent topic. I consider it one which needs to be addressed repeatedly, too, not just because of its importance but also because of how significantly and quickly air guns are evolving in terms of technology and price points, which you address. That probably makes the whole question of “Which?” more complicated. The options, compared to what they used to be not that long ago (spring, multi-pump, CO2) can be bewildering.
As I read today’s blog, I kept thinking of search engines that respond to a search such as “good music” and have a list appear with questions such as “What is the best music?” Of course with air guns a human being might ask a less absurd question: “I’m thinking of buying an air rifle. What’s a good one?” Most of us know to then ask the question, “What do you expect to use it for?”
It is reassuring to know that artificial intelligence is still bested by natural intelligence.
(A side note. The two programmable power levels on many electric bikes is because each state has a threshold between what they consider merely an unregulated motorized bicycle and a license-required bike. The two power levels allow one bike to be legal in most, perhaps all, states, as motor power is often the line of demarcation.)
Michael
” I pass through the living room and pet the cat if she’s awake”
B.B., you might want to post a pic of that little spud! We have three indoor cats, all female, and as soon as I wake up, all three are sitting there meowing, awaiting their morning brushing…sadly, I only have two brushes and two hands…one cat always has to wait…and as you know, cats do not like to wait, LOL. =)~
Anyway, getting back to airguns, this is a great post: the only real way to know if you want to be an airgunner is to get an airgun and try it out! I’ve been airgunning for…let’s see…44 years; and I’ve still got (and shoot) my first airgun, a .20 caliber Sheridan C-model I got from my Dad for Christmas at age 17. I still shoot that gun, and I still love it; but sometimes just to hold it, for the memories it brings back, is enough. My .22 HW30S gets shot more often because it’s just so easy to shoot; and my air pistols get shot much more often than anything because I can shoot them indoors at night, since for some reason, when I complete all the farm chores and get a chance to shoot, it’s always like 10 PM. =>
Again, this is a great report,
take care & God bless,
dave
As many will or might remember, my tale of my first air gun was a multi-pump-up. In my case, I got tired of having to pump 3 to 6 times per shot. “There has to be a better way”, said I and ended up with my first spring-piston rifle. One pump or cocking motion and I was ready to poke a hole in the target. The rest is history. That first rifle, which I ended up selling much to my everlasting regret was the RWS 46.
Fred formerly of the DPRoNJ now happily in GA
How many have I let slip through my hands that I wish would return…
RidgeRunner of the DPRoVA
for all of you hardcore sproinger dudes out there, and the rest of you out there also, this looks like a pretty good deal.
https://hardairmagazine.com/airgun-deals/flash-lightning-deal-on-diana-250-breakbarrel-at-airgun-depot/
RR,
I did see that, but what little reviews on it I could find wasn’t the hottest. PA had 16 reviews on it. Then on airgun chat rooms I found a lot of people comparing it to a Chinese B-19. But the price is good and out of stock.
Doc
DOC,
I have never seen one, but it is my understanding that it is a low powered youth gun. If it is being compared to a B-19, it just may be so. A lot of Dianas these days are being built there. Maybe if they use some bacon grease in it, that might help.
RR,
I would think that, but it’s listed at 1,000 fps in 177 and 740 fps in 22 cal. I know that is with lite weight pellets, but still, usually a “youth” gun doesn’t shoot that fast. Or at least I have seen any that do. Reading reviews, I can tell Diana isn’t all Germany anymore. I know there are some good china guns and quality is improving all the time, but overall, they still have a way to go.
Doc
Doc,
My bad. I was thinking of the 240.
As for the origin of the 250, it may still be Germany. With the new Diana Group taking control I have serious doubts that quality is going to be a top issue. They are most likely going to be concerned with quantity. Also profit margin. That is where the Chinese come in.
10 years ago I got a .25 gen 1 Marauder. I had a problem with some ‘coons. Problem
solved. I cant speak to the quality or performance of this newer Nova Vista rifle, or the
Fortitude, but now I like the progressive systems thinking I see in the Dreamlite series,
but it isn’t free. I also suspect equipment that may have allot of bells and whistles.
Back then, I think we all know what rifle would have sold out 1st if it was between the Benjamin and the Nova Vista. Time will tell. Hey it’s easy to coast 50mph downhill on the way to the ocean, but that is way too fast
for me now, I wouldn’t do it even though I know how too. And that electric motor sounds pretty good for the ride back.
Oh, and I offered my boss two days a week labor free and clear untill things get better, but on my first day back I sprained my knee. He says business is off 50% and please dont file a W.C. claim, I’m not even on the books yet. I told him not to worry either, I have my own health Insurance.Thankyou tax credits. 18 yrs with this Co. Why does my boss have anything to do with my healthcare, what he doesnt pay for in the first place? Sorry bout the rant.
Wish I could pedal hard in Ca.
A Dreamlite in .177 for high shot count in the yard, plus a .22 slug liner and probe in the same hard case Hmmm.
Rob
Rob,
I would read this series first.
/blog/2019/12/fx-dreamlite-precharged-air-rifle-part-6/
My experience with shooting a .25 Dreamlite is it is a 2 MOA air rifle. Now, can it be fixed? Maybe.
B.B.,
Please don’t quit your day job!
Stick to reviewing and writing mostly about airguns.
“The upside comes when I put the derailleur (the mechanism that selects the different sprockets on the rear wheel) at its fastest [smaller or LARGER Ratio?] setting, which is 7 [Seven whats? Or just setting seven?] on this bike. I set the pedal assist at 2 (out of a possible 5 settings) [most to least assist or vice versa?] and then I can cruise [You needed some comment about Cadence or rate of spin at your current fitness level] comfortably at 13-15 m.p.h. on level ground and 8 m.p.h. on steep hills” That is the type of incomplete writing all too many Professional shooting sport reviewers use; they should certainly know better.
Totally unlike the clear simple but complete approach to writing you use when reviewing or writing about anything airguns!
It shows just how much you care to make it understandable to your new to airgunning readers as well as of interest for your readers with more experience.
Thank you Tom!
shootski
B.B.
So if I get the analogy right, next year you will have a collection of e-bikes?
How about this one? https://newatlas.com/blacktrail-worlds-fastest-ebike/16290/
A few years ago at the CycloCross World Championships, a few competitors were disqualified because they had small motors in their bottom bracket.
Many people find the TX2oo Mk1 superior to the Mk3.
To me, one of the purposes of your blog is to jump right past the PP PCP’s and figure out which quality PCP to buy.
Buy once, cry once!
-Y
Yogi,
That is not the fastest. I almost posted that one because they are now trying to tempt me. It goes 120 kph and had a range of more than 100 miles on the battery. I just search to put a link for you and I found a kit electric they claim will do 200 kph.
My give up! 🙂
B.B.
Love your comments re ASP20 and detailed review few years back which made me look at getting ASP20 as first airgun, but here in NZ ASP20 in wood cost almost the same as TX200 and you can get HW97 Black Line for quiet a bit less than the price of synthetic ASP20.
And for comparison, can buy 7 x Ruger Explorers for the price of ASP20, or 2 x Gamo Swarm Fusions for the price of ASP20.
And for the bit of laugh: I can order one from from you guys, pay $140 USD for shipping and still much be better off than buying locally. And they give only 1 year warranty.
If something goes wrong after 1 year, my understanding is that SIG’s are not serviceable.
This kind of makes me sit down and think again if it’s really wise to buy ASP20, really want one but..
Might just start with HW30S
Artis
A hw30 is a good one to start with. Heck it might be the one you finish with.
Artis,
Sig ASP20s are serviceable, but in New Zealand it might be a different story.
B.B.
Artis,
For pure fun, the HW30S is hard to beat; I had an R7 in ,177, but I “got stupid” and sold it to get a more powerful airgun; I regretted selling that R7 for years, so I finally got a HW30S in .22 caliber. I have learned my lesson! The HW30S will not be sold; it’s a great rifle: light-weight, easy-to-cock, and easy to shoot. Plus, it is quite accurate, and not hold sensitive. I love this little rifle. =>
Take care, and happy shooting,
(and if you get a HW30S, it WILL be happy shooting),
dave
P.S. This rifle gets 485 fps with 13.43 g JSB RS .22 pellets; the gun does not move when you shoot it; you can watch the holes form on the target. The scope is a [sadly] discontinued 6X UTG BugBuster.
B.B. is the equivalent of the Consumer Reports reviewer for air gunnery, but with the ability to explain things without resorting to somewhat confusing spreadsheets infested with tiny footnotes which irritate less-than-pristine eyes. Keep ’em coming! People like FM the novice need this information so as to make good purchasing decisions with limited budgets. FM thoroughly read your reviews of the Umarex MP-40 before springing for it (pun somewhat intended) and is glad to have done so. It met expectations partly formed by the thorough review.
B.B.
Thanks for the nice E-bike review. I have a full manuel model but it is getting to be too much work to use. The bike you got would be a nice upgrade for me.
Gerald
Gereald,
I have a lot more to learn, that’s for sure.
B.B.
B.B.,
WordPress giving problems again regarding time of publication?
Siraniko
Look forward to B.B. post every morning
Bummer.
First I no longer get emails. Now I no longer get blog.
BB
The amount of use, the power, accuracy and the price all need to be considered.
If you only shoot it for pest control it does not need to be easy to operate, but must be reasonably powerful and accurate.
If you want it for lots of rapid casual plinking. CO2 would do fine.
If you want it for target practice, the distance must be considered for power needed, as well as the accuracy.
If you want it for all the above a mag fed PCP with a compressor and a storage tank would do it. But cost you more.
If you want quality and reliability, you need to consider price, and any good quality, reasonably powerful airgun can do it all … if you are willing to accept limitations on the performance when it is used for something that it is not usually intended for.. For example a springer will not be that fast when used for rapid fire plinking but a mag fed one would help… not too much though! It’s all a trade off, unless you buy more than one type !
A lot would depend on the shooters experience and the cash available giving consideration to ease of use for a new shooter.
I rode my 10 speed bike almost every day for three years thirty years ago and my biggest problem was overcoming drag the spokes created with air resistance. Even got pulled over for speeding once.
Bob M
“Even got pulled over for speeding once.”
Wow! I work at Robins AFB, and I have clocked a few bikes on the straightaway along the flight line doing 35mph…but the riders are in their 20s…I don’t think 60-year-old-dave could pull that off, LOL! =>
Bob,
You got pulled over for speeding. Me they time with a calendar! 😉
B.B.
Actually it was exactly 33 years ago, I was 39 and you can really build up your leg muscles in a few years. Slightly up hill going to the aircraft hanger on base (NAS North Island) and slightly down on the way back.
The base police said I was going way too fast and should have a headlight on for riding in the dark Reflectors were not cutting it.
It was after midnight and I had the roads to myself. Perhaps why I stood out so much. The reflectors in the spokes must have looked like orange circles. And of course I still have that bike hanging from by garage overhead, not good for the dirt roads I live on today.
Don’t know if I could survive that kind of riding today.