You think you have experience?!

[BlurredVision]

This could go on forever but I will keep it short. All the hours of research I’ve done I cannot get exactly what I’m looking for. In short as a newbie I have a few questions. The break barrel guns. Can the stock be switched out if I don’t like what comes on it and it not effect anything? What about barrel? The gun I like has a sight on the barrel I’m looking to only use a scope for now without that on the end of the barrel. Second question. Best all around hunting rifle in .22 and .25. I like a few PCP guns but it seems I’m carrying around a bomb in my hands. I know it’s lack of knowledge but I’m brand new. Looking to see real hunter’s opinions. Thanks guys

[Blowpipe Sam]

Most of the Crosman break barrels will swap stocks with minimal modification.  I favor a .177 cal Crosman Fire in a Benjamin Prowler stock.  That said most of the various models of Crosman's are just the same gun ( a Chinese B-19) in a different stock to start with.  I don't know about switching stocks between brands.

If the break barrel gun you like has a dovetail milled into the tube it will accept a scope using rimfire rings.  Because of my poor eyesight I scope all my guns and shy away from guns that don't come with dovetails.

I hunt almost exclusively with air rifles.  Mainly my pumpers but there is a time and place for my magnum springers and my co2 guns every season.  Springers are a cheap way to get into airgun hunting.  If you can master the technique necessary to shoot one well enough to hunt with.  For a beginner living in your latitude I would suggest a co2 powered gun like the Xisico XS60C.  It's warm enough in your part of Florida that you can shoot co2 almost year round.  Mine will kill squirrels, rabbits, snakes and Iguanas out to 40 yards with ease.  A .22 model from Flying Dragon air rifles will run you about $150 shipped.

I do 90 percent of my hunting with a .22 cal pumper that makes about 14 fpe.  However, a good big un will allus beat a good little un!  For bigger small game ( ) I recommend .25 caliber.  Possum, coon, dilla and the like.  That's what my .25 caliber Hatsan mod 125 is for.  Don't even think about getting a magnum Hatsan springer unless you are a body builder who happens to be a masochist who has mastered the arcane "Artillery hold". 

Don't get too cerebral about it.  Just get a gun and get shootin!

[HOSPassassin]

I have been replying to your same general questions under a different topic, but Blowpipe Sam makes a great point here. I didn't notice that you are from a warm weather area. The XS-60 in .22 will give you all the benefits of a PCP with none of the drawbacks. It will be far, far easier to find success quickly with it than any breakbarrel out there, and that includes any HW rifle. It also costs half as much as a Gamo Magnum. Plus, the guy who sells them, Mike from Flying Dragon Airguns, is an A+ guy to do business with.

[EdinGa]

I've been shooting PCPs for 25+ years and I've never had one blow up. I live in a warm, humid area too. I do all my pumping indoors and I've never found moisture in any of my guns.

[avator]

Somewhere there is a list of clone guns. Parts will basically interchange among many of them

[starlingassassin]

your fear of pcp's need only be replaced with respect.

i only own pcp's and have had many of them,

and "bomb" would be a terrible definition of them.

the vehicle you drive every day is much more dangerous than any pcp gun.

but there are safety measures that need taken as with any shooting discipline.

do not fear the pcp,
they are powerful,accurate,precision tools.

[triggertreat]

Welcome!

The .25 would be the better all-around hunter (Depending on the backstop and area to be used) if the gun has enough power to push the selected ammo adequately.  If not the .22 is the better choice.  There are limits to learn with a new gun.  There are also different weights of ammo to better balance out the power the gun has in either caliber.

You do have a "bomb" in your hands, but it is a highly engineered "bomb" that if respected should be safe.  Stay within the limits and don't try and re-engineer it.  High pressure air is nothing to play around with so always put safety first and keep good equipment.  I mess around with a .22, .25, .30 and .357 caliber.  Some are hunters and some are plinkers or at least safer for the backstops in the neighborhood.  I rebuild all of them when needed to keep them in safe working order.

The most dangerous time is when you have handled HPA for a while and have gained some confidence and then you become overconfident and careless.  This is when accident risks increase. 

Changing the stock could change the feel and action of the gun to the good or to the bad.

[EdinGa]

The most dangerous time is when you have handled HPA for a while and have gained some confidence and then you become overconfident and careless.  This is when accident risks increase. 

Another reason I'll keep hand pumping as long as I can. It's virtually impossible to accidentally pressurize a pcp to failure with one. You'll be working your butt off if you do and I don't know how you could ignore that.

[nced]

This could go on forever but I will keep it short. All the hours of research I’ve done I cannot get exactly what I’m looking for. In short as a newbie I have a few questions. The break barrel guns. Can the stock be switched out if I don’t like what comes on it and it not effect anything? What about barrel? The gun I like has a sight on the barrel I’m looking to only use a scope for now without that on the end of the barrel. Second question. Best all around hunting rifle in .22 and .25. I like a few PCP guns but it seems I’m carrying around a bomb in my hands. I know it’s lack of knowledge but I’m brand new. Looking to see real hunter’s opinions. Thanks guys

My personal opinions using only HW95 class springers (other shooters may/will have different opinions):

"The gun I like has a sight on the barrel I’m looking to only use a scope"
Hummmm, I never found that to be an issue since my eyesight required the use of a scope. I've stripped the "irons" from my HW break barrels and used dovetail scope mounts on the receiver and covered the front sight dovetail with a "muzzle break". The "muzzle break" is simply more of a cocking handle than anything else that only provides a good grip and protects the barrel finish.This combination of a Picatinny scope mount and scope rings has worked well for me on my .177 R9 and .177 HW95 and the mount plus rings cost less than the one piece BKL mount alone and the BKL mount slipped on the HW dovetails from "springer recoil"...........



"The break barrel guns. Can the stock be switched out if I don’t like what comes on it and it not effect anything?" and "What about barrel?"
Depends of the gun itself but I'm of the opinion that any change in a springer rig can affect the poi and especially swapping out the barrel (even from the same model springer). Years ago I bought a .22 cal Beeman R1 barrell and used it on my R9 for a season before reverting back to .177 cal and selling the .22 R1 barrel. Anywhoo.....poi shifting is no biggie I simply re-zero'd the gun if needed.  Here is my R9 on the left and HW95 on the right showing the two different stock and muzzle break styles.............


"Best all around hunting rifle in .22 and .25"
I'm of the opinion after using a .177, .20 and .22 barrel on my R9 that it simply depends on what is most accurate at varying distances. I've had more than one tree squirrels take a double lung 100+fpe hit from a .22 long rifle powder burner and still travel several feet getting into a "tree hole" to die. Due to a few .22 rimfire experiences I personally don't put much stock on the effectiveness of an airgun to anchor a squirrel "on the spot" with a double lung hit all the time. I have no hunting experience with PCPs or those awkward/heavy "super springers" (like the Beeman Kodiac) but it seems that they should be more effective than the .177. As mentioned, I am familiar with my R9 tuned to 14ish fpe with .177 and "fat" .20 and .22 pellets for squirrel hunting having issues with the loopy trajectory of the .20/.22 and my "poor range guestimation skills" in the woods. This too often gave me "off the mark hits" at ranges past my 30 yard zero.  I also learned that an "off the mark" hit with a .22 pellet wasn't as effective as an "on the mark" hit with a deep penetrating dome.    Due to my less than adequate range guessing skills I simply reverted back to .177 cal at my R9 power level but others don't have the same limitations judging "holdover/under".

"I like a few PCP guns but it seems I’m carrying around a bomb in my hands"
PCPs do occasionally "blow up" however I believe that these occurrences are due to "operator error/stupidity" or "poor construction".
 
I have no use for the precharged guns because I don't want the hassle of pumping/buy air, counting shots when hunting/plinking, or the occasional leaking seals. I've noticed over the years that at field target matches I attended there were a few PCP shooters that had a second gun as a backup in the trunk "just in case".

Here are a couple pics of PCP failures but the barrels do look like "Chinese cheapies"........

[Motorhead]

Above was previously determined to be USER ERRORS having been ... #1 pressure OVERFILL ... #2 Breathing / Pure Oxygen used.
Both cases appear to be CHEAP made AG's .... Compounding the I got little money to spend on a quality AG & little to no education on how to use it.

Neither a PCP "danger" but that of STUPID & IGNORANT users.

[starlingassassin]

Above was previously determined to be USER ERRORS having been ... #1 pressure OVERFILL ... #2 Breathing / Pure Oxygen used.
Both cases appear to be CHEAP made AG's .... Compounding the I got little money to spend on a quality AG & little to no education on how to use it.

Neither a PCP "danger" but that of STUPID & IGNORANT users.

well said sir 

[stroo]

Above was previously determined to be USER ERRORS having been ... #1 pressure OVERFILL ... #2 Breathing / Pure Oxygen used.
Both cases appear to be CHEAP made AG's .... Compounding the I got little money to spend on a quality AG & little to no education on how to use it.

Neither a PCP "danger" but that of STUPID & IGNORANT users.

well said sir 

Per usual, Scott is right on the money.  I was reluctant with PCP's but did not care for the artillery hold pretty much required for accuracy with the springers and the pumping MSP's during shooting sessions.  I read up and educated myself and am so glad I did, PCP's are so much better (for me) and almost infinitely tunable.  Everything you need to know is here and as you see, just ask if you questions.  My history is powder burners but ammunition had become too expensive for a lot of shooting and the added convenience of shooting in my back yard was a no brainer.  Several years ago I couldn't believe how people could spend so much money on air guns, then I educated myself and became one of "those guys". 

[maraudinglizard]

I have to agree with Scott, it's up to the end user on how they handle themselves and their guns. As for swapping out stocks it depends on the model some drop right on in and others need a little modifying for fitment. Scoping a break barrel requires an air gun rated scope that can handle the recoil, a regular scope will not survive the forward and backward motion of a break barrel gun. Cocking force is another thing to consider when buying a break barrel, some of the magnums have a cocking force of 50lbs to 60lbs, which means it will probably take 2 hands and half your body to cock it. If you make it to 25 shots you are in pretty good shape. Then there is shooting a break barrel, the artillery is hold is used, can't shoulder it like a regular gun, you will be all over the place trying to hit the target. Break barrels need a consistent cocking, holding, and pulling the trigger through the shot cycle, another words a lot more practice shooting them than with the other guns. This is just my experience with break barrel guns and others may have a different view point of them.   As for carrying around a bomb, if you follow the instructions, properly handle and store them, and not over fill them, they are great guns to own and will last a life time. PCPs opened up a lot of opportunities for me for hunting, most states now allow them to take small and large game.

[19Sheridan57]

   I see in your profile that you are from South Florida. Are you interested in hunting Iguanas down there ? If so, the hunters I have heard about down there , use PCP 's. Although I don't own one, I would not worry about a danger of explosion with them, when filled within the limits. I had a SCUBA tank strapped on my back for years, & never had one to explode. A PCP, repeater will get the job done, & not be too heavy, like the above mentioned Hatsan 125, etc. break barrels.  There are Iguana hunting videos online , if you want to look those up. I have never eaten an Iguana, but plenty of people do. I have eaten Armadillo, but that is a different story.

[avator]

Yeah, automobiles are more dangerous to operate than PCPs. Especially if you drive them in the wrong lane. Would you do that?

[nced]

   I see in your profile that you are from South Florida. Are you interested in hunting Iguanas down there ? If so, the hunters I have heard about down there , use PCP 's. Although I don't own one, I would not worry about a danger of explosion with them, when filled within the limits. I had a SCUBA tank strapped on my back for years, & never had one to explode. A PCP, repeater will get the job done, & not be too heavy, like the above mentioned Hatsan 125, etc. break barrels.  There are Iguana hunting videos online , if you want to look those up. I have never eaten an Iguana, but plenty of people do. I have eaten Armadillo, but that is a different story.

"I have eaten Armadillo, but that is a different story."
Hummm...kinda like "possum in a half shell"? 

[19Sheridan57]

   It actually tasted pretty good, but after I read about a possible connection with Leprosy, I took those off my menu. Many years ago, I saw a Leper Colony, & it was pitiful.

[HOSPassassin]

Leprosy is curable now with antibiotics, but still... nah. Only if I was starving.

[19Sheridan57]

Leprosy is curable now with antibiotics, but still... nah. Only if I was starving.

   The one I saw was in Vietnam in the 1960's.  Sad situation.
   I am sorry if this thread has gotten off course.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Leprosy is on the rise in Florida according to our health department.  Best to avoid handling dead dillas.  I've eaten what I was told was armadillo jerky in Texas.  Have any of you Texans tried it?