What are your expectations for budget airguns? - [2025-04-22]

[splitbeing]

Question...
What would airgunning be like for you if you knew that every time you pulled the trigger the pellet was going to hit the head of a tack at say, 50 yds? How long would it take to become somewhat boring leaving you with the desire for something more challenging?

If a challenge is desired, all one has to do is take their super accurate bench rifle and shoot standing/offhand.   You will no longer be bored hitting the head of a tack every time at any distance.   If you can do that offhand, there'll be a place for you on the Olympic team.

That is a very good point!

[Blowpipe Sam]

My “bench” is a thirty year old picnic table.  My “rest” is a fifty caliber ammo can.  My “bag” is a canvas sack with five lbs of #4shot in it.  That stuff is just for chronographing and diagnostics.  Most of my shooting is from the seated unsupported position or the standing unsupported position.   I practice year round for hunting season.  My XS60C is stupidly, boringly accurate out to forty yards.  Even off hand it gets boring quickly.  My standard of accuracy for hunting is five out of seven shots inside 1” at twenty yards.  Not tack driving but I do it off hand and it makes meat.  With the XS60C I can do that all day.  The “skinny lady” as I call it doesn’t get used much in the off season but it’s a go-to gun during hunting season.  That’s true of my other very accurate guns too.  They get coddled and “saved” for hunting season.

The guns I spend the most time shooting are the frustrating ones that keep me awake at night plotting how to cure their issues.

[Back_Roads]

 I never expect much from a budget airgun, most times I am pleasantly suprised. I have been let down more often with higher end airguns, maybe I expect them to work like my cheapos LOL

[mikeyb]

My criteria for "budget" air rifles:

NEW spring-piston break barrels under 24fpe ~$125 or LOWER
Refurbished spring-piston break barrels under 24fpe ~$80 or LOWER

NEW spring-piston break barrels over 24fpe ~$200 or LOWER
Refurbished spring-piston break barrels over 24fpe ~$140 or LOWER

NEW PCPs ~$250 or LOWER
Refurbished PCPs ~$150 or LOWER

Some examples I own:

Hatsan Edge Combo new $100
Hatsan Edge refurb $40
Hatsan Mod95 new $125
Hatsan Mod95 refurb $80


Beeman underlever bullpup new $230
Hatsan AT44 new (sale) $240
Hatsan Flash refurb <$130

My criteria for performance is primarily accuracy:
PCPs should be pellet-on-pellet at 30' (my current indoor range limit).
Break barrels should be 20pellets UNDER a penny at 30' using open sights.

I LIKE to see velocity/muzzle-energy NEAR spec but I also KNOW most manufacturers specs are MAX BEST CASE. Muzzle energy 25% below spec is not an issue for me IF the accuracy is GOOD.


For MY budget rifles "NEW" I expect basic function right out of the box. Never surprised by a few minor factory assembly errors but overall performance should be adequate.

For the refurbs I expect SEVERAL defects like poorly formed factory parts, some assembly defects, and some HAM FISTED TINKERING defects from previous owners and/or poorly trained repair staff.

Since I ENJOY working on my own airguns I'll perform all the repair work myself. Pretty certain I'll get BETTER results than from any of the manufacturers repair facilities. They HAD their chance and failed.

Common issues:

malformed parts
assembly errors (like trigger springs in the wrong place)
damaged piston and/or breech seals
BAD muzzle crowns
misaligned open sights
WAY-too-much grease or crumbly sludge where way-too-much grease used to be
loose and damaged fasteners

My expectations are LOW, but so is my cost. I usually get exactly what I paid for :-)

[smythsg]

Had my XS60c out yesterday as well. Still can't get over how accurate that airgun is, and it is the least expensive one I own... 

[GTA-Airgunner]

This is such a great thread.. I don't even know where to begin.

I have guns that are "boringly accurate," and they're fun to shoot, but the fun wears off pretty quickly.  My Air Arms S510s, Daystate Revere, and my FX Wildcat are all part of that group.  But I also have guns like the JTS Airacuda Max and Barra 1100z (gen 1 or gen 2) that can put down some seriously good groups. I do like a challenge, but not too much of one, lol. 

I consider mostly all my PCPs as easy to shoot.. the guns that give me the challenge are my spring guns. Those guns give me the most joy, especially when it all comes together.

The one gun that's going to be a challenge with a nice payoff is going to be the new Hajimoto Productions Gauntlet rebuild.  Haji provided his results at 25 and 50 yards and I can get close, but I want to be able to match them.  The gun is so light.  You better have the perfect technique to really get consistent accuracy.  It has shots for days and is incredibly consistent.  I just need to up my game.  I do enjoy shooting a gun like this as it pushes me to be a better marksman.

I need to go post today's topic.

Thanks for all your great input and for being part of the GTA!

Cheers
Rick

[NCAirLine]

Has anyone mentioned Umarex Notos?  For $229 (Amazon), it cannot be beat IMHO.  Mine is a tack driver right out of the box.  Compact, lightweight, low maintenance, holds air forever and is very quiet.  My first PCP and a dangerous invitation to a trip down the rabbit hole.

[GTA-Airgunner]

the NOTOS.. keep forgetting that gun.  We had a pre-launch sample here for Airgun Expo 2022, and it was awesome.  I gave mine to our ranch foreman and he's loving it.   It's a great option for getting your feet wet with PCPs.

Cheers
Rick

[BreechBlockBandit]

as per the question, it has to have some guts (~900fps for .177, ~700 for .22) first and foremost. I don't need a 360fps trap tickler.

Consistency and accuracy are of equal importance to me.

Plastic is a necessary evil these days, but less of it is better. Especially for breeches and such.

I could go on but that's a good thumbnail sketch.