My Benjamin decision delima

[cclingma]

I've about wore myself out researching PCPs for a few months now so I think it's time to ask for help.  I've about decided that my first PCP will have to be Benjamin as I'm not ready to plunk down European level money and I'm convinced I want a repeater.  I plan to pump.  The gun will be used for basement plinking, hopefully serious squirrell hunt occasionally, patrolling our 20 acres for rabbits/squirrell/acorns needing shot off.  A big deciding factor are my two boys (2 and 5).  I want them to be able to shoot a little too in order to start warming up to this.  We have a couple pumpers that the 5 year old can kind of shoot now.  Plenty of powder burners but just too loud and too expensive to feed for true enjoyment.

So here's what I'm thinking and asking about....

1.  Marauder pistol.  Sounds pretty good.  Light enough for boys and easy for me to pump.  Not so many effective looking sling methods.  Cool looking setup for sure.  I'd add a 6 pos stock for cheek weld and length of pull adjustability for boys.  Also a TKO for basement use and I just really like quiet. 
$585 or so set up

2.  Marauder rifle.  I'd probably want a .25 for its better barrell.  Little more spendy ammo, more pumping, pretty big and heavy even for my taste.  Ready for normal sling.  It would be cool to knock snot out of a can at 100 yards to impress buddies.
$625 ish set up

3.  Discovery, but I'm really wanting repeater and quiet.  So Discovery gets BNM breech and shroud.  Still pretty light weight and small stock, easy pumping for me, I THINK basement quiet.  Very "slingable".  May still be able to smack that 100yard can from above. 
$575 ready to go

I'm ready for help.

Thanks!

[cclingma]

I said Benjamin but Hatsan AT 44 sneaks into my thoughts occasionally.  Have to TKO it or get the newer Quiet Energy one.  May be a little on big and heavy side.

[Railbuggy]

My .22 Disco arrived yesterday. I fought with myself for days over the Disco or the Hatsan AT44pa. I found refurbished Hatsan AT44PA for $299, but I would still need a pump. PA gave me ten percent off on my combo buy(Disco&pump). $388.79 shipped to my door. I live in Ohio so they got me for tax.
 A Hatsan is still on my list.

[the sloth]

Sounds like you've got it pretty much figured out. Which of the three do you want the most?

IMO, if you're going to stick with a pump, I'd place the .25 Marauder at the bottom of the list. Pumping that during long plinking sessions will get old, really fast.

[leadskirt]

This Marauder review might be of interest to you:

http://www.crosman.com/croswords/?p=4060

[cclingma]

Yeah, I probably should hold off on the .25 until it can be a second (primary hunter) rifle.  Less pumping sounds great. 

It looks like PCP air gunning may be like bows, boats, motorcycles.  Maybe there's not really one "do it all".

[Rico14]

If you are only going to buy one gun from the list, forget about the Hatsan, Marauder rifle and Discovery. All are too big and/or heavy for your kids to handle. That leaves the Marauder pistol. It's light enough for them to shoot and they are accurate. Pumping will be easy too. I've taken squirrels and rabbits out to 40 yards with mine. You're probably going to want to quiet it down to shoot in your basement. Jim Gaska or TKO can help you in that department. Good luck with your choice. Make sure the boys wear glasses when they shoot.

[leadskirt]

The 2 and 5 year olds have much different requirements than you do.  Anything that fits them won't fit you.  In fact, anything that fits you probably won't fit them well until they are 12 or 13 years old.  i have a 14 year old…which is how I know this. 

I would buy a gun for you, then as they are ready to learn the basics of firearms safety, buy one then can handle.  Then they can just grown into your gun. 

Thats how I did it…thought I'd toss the idea out. 

[deweytastic]

get the m-rod in .25 it has the barrel made by green mountain in the USA and as for pumping I can do it you can't go wrong if you get the .25 if you buy any other on the list you will still probably want the marauder down the road.  As for plinking maybe just use a cheap break barrel like the ruger air hawk or maybe even a 1377 or 2240 so you can let the kids shoot and so you don't burn through .25 ammo on paper and targets or you could also get all the stuff you need to switch out the .25 to a .22 or .177 which will run you a little over $100 and if they have all the parts in stock.  But if I were you get the .25 m-rod because if you don't you will still want to get one. 

[gnef]

I would agree that there won't be one rifle that is fantastic for all your requirements, but I would say that the PRod is the best compromise for you. It will not be able to do the really long shots, but you should be able to both plink and pest with it easily, and it is small enough and configurable enough for you and your children to use. The air reservoir is also small enough that even pumping to 3k won't be too bad.

The PRod is actually the next one on my list (though my list always seems to be changing!).

[darren]

sounds like you need to save $1785.00

[William]

You have a lot of different aspects of what you want in your purchase, out of the 3 guns you mentioned I have 2 of them. 1 Marauder 25 cal. and 2 Disco's in .22 cal.
The Marauder in .25 will out shoot any of the guns you mentioned no question about that. The Discos are great, easy to shoot, light weight and Quiet If you put a TKO on it. The Disco barrels not so good period, you either get a good one or you dont! The Marauder 22 barrels also not so good, you either get a good one or you dont.

As for the 2 and 5 year old children, not sure I would buy to suite them just yet unless it was a Daisy Red Ryder! It wont be long and they will have your PCP I promise, they grow fast these days lol.

I have one Disco with BNM Breech and Double Tube kit. Another one just stock with TKO, Love them both but you will need some time trying many different pellets to see what shoots best, and dont expect to smack cans at 100 yards with one either, at least not every time.

Do yourself a favor and buy a Marauder in 25 cal. and you will have a gun that can shoot dimes at 55 yards as well as a great hunting rifle. You can also tune the Marauder to shoot 24 great shots before refilling or 16 high power shots.
If you want something to mod and tinker with then buy the Disco later, not now!

My Mrod will shoot the 25.9 JSB pellets the best.

Just my opinion and mean no harm, buy the Mrod. yes its a little tough to pump up but it will be worth every stroke.

Good luck and have fun.

William

[cclingma]

I'm really enjoying you guys input.  So awesome to have so many options.  Starting to think this needs to be a two step process where I end up with a Prod and .25 Marauder.  That could happen, just have to spread out the expense a bit.  I like the save $1785 comment.  That would take care of it for sure.

Funny you mention the Red Ryder.  My son is shooting a little bit with a Red Ryder handed down to me by my late Grandfather.  He also is shooting my first BB rifle which is a Crosman 788 BB Scout (recently resealed).  They're both a little big physically but pretty darn sentimental to see him shoot either one.

[William]

I'm really enjoying you guys input.  So awesome to have so many options.  Starting to think this needs to be a two step process where I end up with a Prod and .25 Marauder.  That could happen, just have to spread out the expense a bit.  I like the save $1785 comment.  That would take care of it for sure.

Funny you mention the Red Ryder.  My son is shooting a little bit with a Red Ryder handed down to me by my late Grandfather.  He also is shooting my first BB rifle which is a Crosman 788 BB Scout (recently resealed).  They're both a little big physically but pretty darn sentimental to see him shoot either one.

Only thing I can see is them boys shooting them Red Ryders, that was my first air gun as well... 
Glade you like the input... I did the same thing a year ago trying to make up my mind and now 1 year and $4000.00 later I am still hiding from my wife lol

If she catches hold of me I dead meat lol
William

[Speedly]

My question to you would be, what caliber would you prefer for the two other than the Marauder?

I ask mostly because I purchased a .177 Disco a few months back. I hear a lot of issues with the crown and machining marks inside the muzzle for the .22, but I have a pristine crown and rifling in my .177. That gun shoots great, and is only gonna get better as I tune it more and more.

That would be my recommendation, anyhow. But I'm biased. 

[avator]

Look at the classifieds here today. A new post for 2 FD-PCP. One in .177 and one in .22. $160 for both. They are very light and pumping them from 900 back up to 1500 should be easy. Someone is going to get a great deal here.

[cclingma]

Has me thinking on those FDPCPs but they were gone before I realized what happened.

[avator]

Wish I would have had a bunch of money to bet that those wouldn't last the day. lol

[gnef]

He has the $160 ones (I think), but is out of the shop right now.

Also, I view the FD PCP as a tinkerer's rifle, not necessarily for your first PCP if you want something to work exactly as you expect right out of the box (with a big company warranty and warranty centers like Crosman). Mike will definitely take care of you, no matter what happens, but it will still cost you time, and possibly frustration. You also have to be careful of your safety, and if you have never worked on PCP rifles before, you will need some very careful guidance (someone posted recently about lodging a pellet in his ear - that could have turned out much worse!).

I am considering getting one to tinker around with, I just don't have the time right now. If I ever do have the time, it will definitely be a fun investment!

If you have the money for more than one rifle, that would be great, but I am too impatient to save up for two at a time!

[avator]

Actually, the 2 I referred to were offered buy another member here in the classified gate. They were the Gen I tinkerer's gun The $160 Gen II is an out of the box ready gun offered by Mike who is, in fact, out of the shop until after the weekend. Last time I talked to him, he had for a few more of the Gen I FD-PCPs and is working on a deal to get another batch from his Chinese connection.

cclingma;

My suggestion to you would be to wait a few days, call Mike and discuss your needs. I am positive you will be glad you did. His quality and reputation are above and beyond most. JMO