I only use PCPs so I cannot recommend a gun but have a comment about the appropriate power level. The only raccoon I've killed weighed 8 lbs on my digital fish scale. So it was a small one. I hit it in the chest with a 32 fpe 22 caliber PCP and it got it's attention, it stopped running, but it did not seem ready to die. I put one between it's eyes and it went down but it's heart was still pumping. So I put another in it's neck and it spurted a few times and stopped. My conclusion is that 32 fpe was not enough for a clean one shot kill. Maybe I did not wait long enough after the head shot and maybe I should have waited for a better (side) angle on the brain. But if I see another one in the yard, I will pull out my 50 fpe 25 caliber. It penetrates better and makes a bigger hole. I do not know if a break barrel or pump up can get to this sort of power level but I kind of doubt it. I think you were wise not to use your pump up. That kind of power will take squirrels cleanly in my experience but requires better shot placement than my more powerful guns (I have two PCPs at about that power level, a 177 and a 22 and have taken 25 squirrels with the two of them). Raccoons can weigh 35 lbs or more, I think they need a pretty powerful airgun for clean quick kills.
For several years we had a member contribute to our forum that went by Shadow. He was well known for posting his hunting adventures, mostly trash bandits and mostly with springers.This link will take you to his posts where you can get the inside on his stories and successes.https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=7
Thanks, Zack and Bill, for finding those links. I have wandered through about 20 pages of Shadow's posts and there are hundreds to go!
Examples of how animals can be killed by guns normally considered too small remind me of Walter Bell who died in 1953. He is credited with kills of over 1,000 elephants and took most of them with the 7x57 cartridge. But he placed his bullets very, very well. Elephants kill a lot of people so the risk of poor placement seem to be pretty darn high. But it worked for him.But I do not think a springer is a good choice for me and perhaps most of us. I know I want a gun I am not afraid to take less than perfect shots with. I am not tempted to use a springer, I do not own one. So I am undoubtedly biased. I would use my little P35-25 which is tuned to shoot 34 grain JSBs about 800 fps for about 50 fpe. I know it will shoot through 3/4 plywood so I am confident it will reach the brain with any reasonable angle to the skull.I would also say that I do not think the "too expensive" or "too complicated" concerns often expressed about PCPs are well founded. I started with a Bemjamin Marauder pistol and a hand pump. That gun has gotten more expensive but a Notos is a pretty good more modern equivalent. You could get a Notos with a hand pump for not much more than $300 I think. It would be weak for a raccoon, however. My second PCP is my 25 caliber Avenger. I bought it for $300 but it's up to $350 now. It will shoot through 3/4 plywood too with the right tune. Add a hand pump and you would be just over $400. You might want to add a small additional air filter to the hand pump but those are well under $100. My point is just that PCPs don't have to mean major expenses or a lot of complexity. Hand pumping an Avenger takes awhile but if very possible, I did it for months. If you just want to take a few shots to get it sighted in and on game it woul be very doable.