I need a little help with selecting a new PCP air rifle (previous air rifles were Sheridan blue streak & Beeman R9 gold finger both in .20 caliber).
Priorities are:
1) Quiet / back yard friendly
2) Capable of easily killing squirrels, crows, and occasionally rabbits at up to 50 yards
3) Hunting accurate (1/2" groups at 5-35 yards)
4) Reliable / not prone to needing repairs or adjustment once sighted in
5) $2,000 budget for rifle and all accessories (optics, pump, etc.)
Rifle choices are narrowed down to (to be used with a brand new Hill pump):
1) Daystate Huntsman XL with Permanently Bonded Airstream Reflex Mod (seems like the best choice)
2) Daystate Air Ranger (I would have to buy used as the new price is a bit higher than I'd like. I do like the flexibility of a non-permanently affixed silencer.)
3) Air Arms S510 (I don't like the adjustable power as it seems the wheel would need to be checked prior to each shot while hunting in brush or cover. This is also why I don't use target turrets on my hunting scopes. I have heard this brand and rifle are highly regarded, powerful, and very quiet.)
Caliber selections:
1) .22 capable, easy to find in a variety of configurations, fair trajectory/ballistics
2) .20 capable, difficult to find in a variety of weights, excellent trajectory/ballistics
3) .25 overly capable, fairly easy to find in a variety of weights, poor trajectory/ballistics. Sound of pellet smacking target is very loud.
Optics choices, in order, are (with BKL double strap rings/mounts):
$400 Leupold VX-2 3-9x33mm Rimfire Rifle Scope, EFR, Matte, Fine Duplex (looks to meet all my needs - priced a bit high)
$190 Nikon Prostaff Target EFR 3-9x40 AO Matte Precision Reticle, Black (a new contender, not sure if it's as solid as Leupold offerings which I've successfully used in all sorts of cold, wet, and nasty conditions (Alaska cold and Louisiana hot / humid / wet)
$800 Leupold VX-3 6.5-20x40mm EFR Target (more than I need to spend and won't allow for close, fast targets)
Anything I'm forgetting / missing in my assessment? Comments and suggestions are welcome; thanks!
Priorities are:
1) Quiet / back yard friendly
2) Capable of easily killing squirrels, crows, and occasionally rabbits at up to 50 yards
3) Hunting accurate (1/2" groups at 5-35 yards)
4) Reliable / not prone to needing repairs or adjustment once sighted in
5) $2,000 budget for rifle and all accessories (optics, pump, etc.)
Rifle choices are narrowed down to (to be used with a brand new Hill pump):
1) Daystate Huntsman XL with Permanently Bonded Airstream Reflex Mod (seems like the best choice)
2) Daystate Air Ranger (I would have to buy used as the new price is a bit higher than I'd like. I do like the flexibility of a non-permanently affixed silencer.)
3) Air Arms S510 (I don't like the adjustable power as it seems the wheel would need to be checked prior to each shot while hunting in brush or cover. This is also why I don't use target turrets on my hunting scopes. I have heard this brand and rifle are highly regarded, powerful, and very quiet.)
Caliber selections:
1) .22 capable, easy to find in a variety of configurations, fair trajectory/ballistics
2) .20 capable, difficult to find in a variety of weights, excellent trajectory/ballistics
3) .25 overly capable, fairly easy to find in a variety of weights, poor trajectory/ballistics. Sound of pellet smacking target is very loud.
Optics choices, in order, are (with BKL double strap rings/mounts):
$400 Leupold VX-2 3-9x33mm Rimfire Rifle Scope, EFR, Matte, Fine Duplex (looks to meet all my needs - priced a bit high)
$190 Nikon Prostaff Target EFR 3-9x40 AO Matte Precision Reticle, Black (a new contender, not sure if it's as solid as Leupold offerings which I've successfully used in all sorts of cold, wet, and nasty conditions (Alaska cold and Louisiana hot / humid / wet)
$800 Leupold VX-3 6.5-20x40mm EFR Target (more than I need to spend and won't allow for close, fast targets)
Anything I'm forgetting / missing in my assessment? Comments and suggestions are welcome; thanks!
