I notice with the PCP you didn't include pumps, tanks, hoses or paraphernalia. Those may skew the results and put the payoff a bit further out.
You can guess how the conversation will go with "the boss", "but honey, look how I'll be saving money by getting an air rifle"...
Quote from: Roadworthy on November 19, 2014, 09:47:14 PMI notice with the PCP you didn't include pumps, tanks, hoses or paraphernalia. Those may skew the results and put the payoff a bit further out.Actually I did. I checked PA and a Talon goes for about $450 and I added another $200 for a hand pump. There are a ton of other mods and upgrades I could have added, but chose not to for this basic comparison.
Quote from: stretch on November 19, 2014, 09:47:58 PMYou can guess how the conversation will go with "the boss", "but honey, look how I'll be saving money by getting an air rifle"... The boss is always telling me how much she saved on shoes. She says "Honey I saved $50 on these 3 pair of shoes". I asked how much she paid. "She says $225". I then tell her "you did not save $50, but spent $225". A few hours later I wake up with a lump on my head and a cast iron skillet beside me.
Really...? you tell your wife when you buy another gun ? Soooo much less flak when flying under the radar. I DO tell her when one gets sold though.
You just never know, and it's a PITA to shoot consistent groups from day to day when the ammo is always changing.
A Savage Axis costs $250 around here (with current sales and rebates), not $400...
50 cents per round of .223? You should shop around a bit. 30 cents per round is more typical. Target ammo will cost more, but if you're into target, you probably reload anyway. I reload .223 for less than 20 cents per round.
Isn't that the truth?! Especially with .22LR ammo. Attached is a pic of some results I got shooting at 50 yards with my Henry lever action (open sights - tang sights). The red shots were with CCI MiniMag ammo (about 1.5 MOA) and the green shots were with Federal bulk ammo (I don't even what to guess what horrible MOA THAT group is!) Neither of these are target ammo, and the Henry is not a target gun either (although fun as heck to shoot!) Seeing as how my CCI group is a straight horizontal line, I'm thinking the spread was more because of my poor technique (too heavy on the trigger).
Really, the only cost advantage an air rifle has over a powder burner is ammunition cost.
Anything larger, air rifle is a stunt and can't compete with a pb.
True, lots of examples of large animals killed with airgun, but the last thing the average joe with his 880 (ex. me) should think about is buying a large caliber airgun and heading for Africa. I go on safari, it will be with a really nasty pb.