This report covers:
- Afraid of precharged pneumatics (PCP)
- Back to the story
- Air compressors
- I’m done
Today I want to reflect on where we are with airguns and what things were like just a couple decades ago. Many of you readers were into airguns for this whole period, so I expect you to sound off.
Afraid of precharged pneumatics (PCP)
In 1996 there was a boy who was writing about airguns, but who was also afraid of what could happen if a 3,000 psi scuba tank ever let go. This boy had watched the film Jaws and had seen what happened to the shark when a rifle bullet hit a scuba tank he was chewing on. It blew off the front of his body! Don’t gotta tell me twice — high pressure air is dangerous! It was back then and it still is today, but Hollywood is also Hollywood and that shark scene was about as realistic as the Rocketeer flying with a jetpack on his back!
This boy was writing about airguns and was covering springers and CO2 guns and all kinds of pneumatics except PCPs. Then a man in Florida named Barry Able talked him into buying a used Daystate Huntsman rifle, so he could get his feet wet. That USED Daystate Huntsman cost our boy $600. Two years later he thought nothing of dropping another $600 on a used Daystate Harrier to compete with in field target, and was comfortable filling it from the 3000 psi aluminum scuba tank he also bought. That was the same kind of tank that blew up the shark. Yeah — right!
High pressure air is still dangerous. But so are automobiles and this same boy has been driving them for the past 60 years! What I’m saying is once our boy got past his initial fears, shooting PCPs became second nature for him.
Back to the story
In 2023 Air Venturi brought out a PCP called the Avenge-X. The Classic Wood model our boy is currently testing RETAILS NEW for $570. That’s $30 less than he paid for each of two USED Daystate rifles 27 years before! But wait — there is a WHOLE LOT MORE!!!
Both Daystates were single shots. The Avenge-X is a repeater. The Daystates got between 24 and 30 shots per fill. The Avenge-X gets 110 shots if you shoot the one with the tube. That’s the $570 one. It does cost more to upgrade, but if you do your shot count climbs to over 200 per fill.
The Avenge-X can do this because it has a regulator. A what? Yes, the Avenge-X has an owner-adjustable regulator. Those didn’t even exist in the early days. In addition to giving you more shots per fill it also allows you to adjust the power to suit your needs. In the olden days you had to buy a second rifle to get different performance. BUT WAIT — THERE IS EVEN MORE!!!
With the Avenge-X you can change calibers for $70. And when I say you, that’s what I mean. Air Venturi has made it possible for the owner/user to do all the things that used to take a trip back to the shop. This feature gives you a $570 first rifle in .22 caliber and the same rifle in .177 for seventy bucks more. Oh — you wanted a .25? Fine — seventy dollars, please.
And by the way, the Avenge-X will shoot rings around a 1990s Daystate. Folks, that’s a long way to come in a little more than two decades. And yes, high pressure air is still dangerous. So are the leaves of rhubarb plants — so don’t eat them.
Air compressors
In the year 2006 an air compressor capable of reaching 3,000 psi retailed for something over $3000. Airgunners were thrilled to pay only $1,800 for a surplus three cylinder Air Force (the military organization — not AirForce Airguns) bomber compressor that could be made to work. It weighed about 75 pounds, which made it the lightest game in town. It had to be converted to run on 110 volt household current, but heck, what was a few hundred dollars more? Think of the savings!
In the year 2023 you’ll spend $500 for a NEW RovAir Portable Compressor. It weighs 19 pounds and has a handle for carrying. But it doesn’t go to 3,000 psi. Oh, no. It goes up to 4,500 psi. But you can set it to stop at 3,000 psi if that’s what you want.
I’m done
I’m done talking about the advances that have been made in airguns in recent times. But I have left a lot more that can and should be mentioned. Now it’s your turn. What advances have you seen in the airgun world in the past several decades?
MegaMagnums that can prove whether a scope is airgun-worthy or not.
Scopes that are designed to stand up to the MegaMagnums.
Ok, let’s see. All the seals of the airguns I bought in the ’80’s have all crumbled. So piston seal material.
Synthetic lubes that do not diesel. Optical scanning of pellets. Splatter targets. Proper Airgun scopes and reticles.
Not me, but others: 3-D printers, so you can make your own parts.
-Yogi
Yogi,
The 3D printed parts is a good one!
BB
Yogi,
3D-printers are magic! My son makes all sorts of things for a seemingly infinite number of applications. 3D firearms have been (mostly) printed, soon 3D printed air guns.
In fact, air guns might be a better application.
MiTurn
Optics in general have made the same kind of improvements as PCPs have over the past 3-4 decades. I remember spending $300 back in the day for a 3-9×40 Leupold with a duplex reticle and sure it had nice glass on it, but that was about the only thing it had going for it. Then there were the abysmal rimfire rings, most of which couldn’t be relied upon to stay put, and all the lower end scopes which couldn’t handle springer recoil. And don’t forget that 90% of scopes had their parallax fixed at 100 yards.
Nowadays we have scopes with 6x magnification range, illuminated mildot reticles, choice of FFP or SFP, digital day/night scopes, inexpensive and solid mounts and plenty of high quality scopes with parallax adjustments of 25 yards or less.
Chronographs that don’t dim the lights while computing how fast the projectiles are going and can fit in your range bag along with your other equipment. The latest ones can fill a bag but also can give you the velocities down range and give you the computations just as soon as you finish shooting.
Siraniko
Replicas, replicas and more finely detailed replicas. Drop free magazines, belted and stacked, with CO2 cartridges inside. Semi and full-auto BB and Pellet guns with blowback realistic action. Optional colors and finishes. Weaver rails. Wide use of light weight Composit Materials.
Engraving, if you didn’t snooze. A Firearm Conversion, Carbine versions, folding stocks and included optics.
BB
The email link sent to reply to a blog entry no longer works. It wants you to log in first.
Even though today’s article reads like it was written for an audience of RidgeRunners (people for whom the price of an airgun is most important), I am very happy to hear that other qualities than cost have improved as well. 🙂
I started my airgun hobby less than 20 years ago, so I look forward to learning what I missed out on…
hi3,
Apparently you didn’t get the gist of today’s report. On the Avenge-X the main point was the extra features that have been added. Yes, they were added at no cost, but they were never offered in the past or were unaffordable.
BB
3hi,
I have a wee bit of Scottish blood in me veins.
Have you paid $1700 for an air rifle? I have. Mrs. RR has paid over $1100 for an air rifle for a Christmas present for me. Price is not the limiting factor. It is what you get for that price.
As BB points out in this particular blog, many of us have seen the price of decent airguns and accessories plummet. This at present is being driven by Wang Po Industries finally learning how to make decent stuff at affordable prices.
Once upon a time, it was Japan. Then it was South Korea. Somewhere along the line Europe and Mexico came in. Who will be next, I have no clue.
I am now retired and on a very limited income. Fortunately for me, I have pretty much filled out my “collection” of airgun stuff, at least as far as I am concerned. There are a few other airguns I would like to have, but most of those are made out of unobtainium or unaffordablium. Auctions and airgun shows are usually where I can find such at what I consider “reasonable” prices.
By the way, that $1700 air rifle I bought at an airgun show. It was NIB (New In Box). At the time it was selling for over $2000. It is now made of unobtainuim.
RidgeRunner,
were one to redact the sentences about price and prejudice, then, what’d be left?
Your opinion on cost holds little interest for me.
We all have the prerogative to think of ourselves as we please, but remember that foreigners everywhere are just as human as you!
Personally, I much prefer to focus on your intelligence, wit, knowledge, fairness and generosity, and most of all, the gentlemanliness.
And no, I do not believe I am exaggerating anything! 🙂
3hi,
I do have my personal “prejudices”, mostly concerning governments and other people organizations. Though I am quite willing to accept the differences of “individuals”, I have learned over the years that organizations rarely take the “individual” into full account and try to force said “individual” into a certain mold.
I have sat beside a Chinese Communist and was shocked by how he had been coerced into believing in the political garbage put out by their government. I have eaten dinner with Chinese people and very seriously considered dating one of them.
My opinions concerning costs and values are based upon personal experiences and situations. I try not to let my fingers/mouth influence others, but sometimes I fall short of that goal. One must choose their own path in this world.
RidgeRunner,
ok, I have a lot to learn, including about judging others. Never mind… 🙂
By the way, what government does not put out political garbage?!
Sometimes you fall short of the goal not to try to influence others with your opinions concerning costs and values? He, hehe, hehehe… 🙂
I look forward to reading more non-political-, non-cost related, and often rather interesting, thoughts of yours… 🙂
Indeed, all governments do put out a bunch of garbage. Quite frankly, I am amazed at how much mine is putting out right now. What is more amazing is that some are believing it.
Thanks for the chastisement. Though I will likely slip into “old curmudgeonism” from time to time, I will try to keep this in mind.
I count myself among the FRUGAL 😉 Mrs Singleshot may not hold the same opinion when it comes to my hobbies.
LOL! Mrs. RR keeps a rather tight rein on me at times.
Hello all,
German kitchen knives, Japanese pencil sharpeners, American cookware and French writing paper amongst other products. All gone. Products from a different era.
Cannot find a decent tortilla here in Los Angeles. Will never buy a tortilla cooked in China.
Imagine Kikoman Salsa Verde.
Japanese brand sourced to S. Korea. Cooked in China .Shipped to Vietnam. Packed in Mexican plastic bottles. Distributed by Coca-Cola in the Americas, Nestle in Europe and Unilever else where.
Kirkland at your nearest Costco.
Could not buy it because of Trump’s embargoes.
Kikoman Salsa Verde? 😛 I myself have never heard of such.
I have been to the Left Coast once. Gavin can have it.
Kikoman does not make Mexican salsas. Would be the end of the world if Kikoman ever did.
My paternal grandmother passed away a decade ago. She and my aunts would get together and make chocolate and mole from scratch . A two week process. I cut corners and try to recreate their recipes but of course not the same thing. I do have my grandma’s molcajete (volcanic rock mortar.) Mainly use the molcajete to grind spices and make salsas. Not your average salsa. The molcajete has over 150 years of memories and love in its crevices. Grandma would pop open a can of Herdez salsa if she ever ran out of tomatoes or tomatillos. Like all things Herdez salsa does not taste the same (collaborates with Hormel here in the states.)
I guess vintage airguns are like Herdez salsas.
The shark and SCUBA tank description reminded me of a story I was told about 50-years ago now. A co-worker had been in the navy (I am guessing around the Korean War era). He said that they would take a large compressed-oxygen tank (like is used in an oxygen/acetyline welding outfit), prop it up on the rail of a ship (at sea). Then use a sledge hammer to knock the valve off of the end of the tank, and watch the tank “fly” out over the ocean. The co-worker was teaching me about what could possibly happen if our tanks fell out of our truck while we were traveling down the road. I don’t know how true his story was, but I definitely do not recommend anyone attempting anything similar.
It will do just that. Tanks should be handled with care.
Newton’s third law at work, 24/7.
EF
I was, before destiny interfered, an Ironworker. For the uninitiated, we erected the steel structures of buildings and bridges.
I have had, on occasion, the opportunity to work on bridge repair with some truly uninhibited coworkers. On a couple of such occasions the idea you mention was broached and being who they were and with the items you mentioned available to them, they did exactly what you might expect idiots to do.
I was near enough to observe their actions and the results thereof. I will say that yes, when the valve assembly on an oxygen tank is struck forcefully enough it WILL detach itself from the bottle,,,, forcefully.
What wasn’t considered in that first attempt was that the valve assembly AND the hundred pound gusset plate used as a hammer would also move rather forcefully,,, in some unexpected directions.
The bottle had been positioned in such a way as to allow it to be launched over the side of the bridge with the use of strategically placed railroad ties. The same forethought was not used in regard to the valve and “hammer”, which did some damage to things the foreman wasn’t pleased about.
The bottles in the several attempts, while launching successfully, all sank immediately when they hit the water. It ended up a disappointing outcome for all.
Ed
Some of us do some things when we are young and foolish that we look back on and just shake our heads…. Just out of curiosity, do you remember about how far the bottles traveled? And how high the elevation of the bridge was above the water?
EF
Yes,, yes we did.
As for the bridges, one was about 65′ to the bridge deck and the other a bit higher. One bottle that was aimed down the length of the bridge made about fifty feet before it ran into obstacles. The ones launched over the sides barely cleared the deck before dipping to almost vertical.
So, there was no real arc and not much fun other than being able to say that we ….. they did it.
On the other hand, a guy on a powerhouse build managed to find a bunch of big fire extinguishers and liberated the CO2 bottles from a number of them. We,,,, he welded a nail to a plate and then a piece of pipe was added that reasonably closely matched the size of these bottles.
These were greased well and when slid down the pipe had their ends pierced by the nail. It worked much like a mortar and did manage to launch the bottles a bit more than halfway across the Ohio River where the power plant was located. About 75 to 100 yards, the river being somewhere around double that in width.
As you mentioned,, young men will find new ways to be stupid all the time. It’s genetic, I believe.
Ed
edlee,
I don’t totally agree with their choices but you will enjoy some of the photographs.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/dangerous-jobs
I worked as an Ocean/Open Water Lifeguard, a Steeplejack, and then i got serious about dangerous and became a Naval Aviator.
I’m NOT afraid of 310+ BAR air but I sure do RESPECT what it can do to the careless and unaware!
Probably the most injuries among air gunners is opening the valve on an UN or Mis-atached FILL HOSE.
LET THE FLOGGINGS BEGIN!
shootski
Elmer, my friend
You better believe that is no old wive’s tale. I got to watch an OSHA SAFETY TRAINING VIDEO about it every year for the 42 years that I was in Industrial Maintenance. They are referred to as “sleeping giants” in metal fabricating and welding shops for a reason. Find the plans for an old fashioned CO2 toy racer from the past. They get propelled by a much scaled down reaction using CO2 cartridges at a fraction of the pressure of O2 and using a denser gas (bigger molecule, whatever).
Half
BB
Vessel screwdrivers! Yeah, it’s low hanging fruit but I haven’t buggered a Philip’s screw head since getting rid of the wrong tools.
Deck
Deck,
They aren’t new but yes to Vessels! I just used one for Monday’s blog!
BB
BB
Not new except to uninformed folks like me.
Deck
BB
The Avenger at almost half the cost of the Avenger-X.
Deck
Deck,
If you want one, you had best buy it now before the stock runs out.
Another thing to give consideration to is the Avenge-X is a different critter from the Avenger. The Avenger is a direct descendant (copy) of the Nova Liberty with maybe a few minor improvements. The Avenge-X is a greatly updated and improved Avenger.
The Avenge-X is based on the input of us Americans to the manufacturer. They listened as has Snowpeak.
RR
I have a .25 Avenger. It has accessible regulator and hammer spring adjustments. The sweet spot and shot count can be decided by me with an almost infinite choice of adjusting. Oh, and accurate? I get sub 1 MOA almost every 10 shot group. The Avenger-X has an additional power adjustment which to me takes variable settings all the way to infinity. The X also has many options available including caliber change. For some it is the cat’s meow.
Deck
Advances in the airgun world?
The quality and variety of pellets. The quality and variety of slugs. The quality and variety of barrels including polygon barrels that are allowing accuracy at long distance in airguns that rival rimfire and centerfire (think of the shrinking group sizes at competitions like Extreme Benchrest). The quality and variety of scopes that are being designed specifically for airgunners. The new Arken Zulu scope has night vision, video recording capability, multiple ballistic table settings, a range finder, variable zoom and will automatically adjust your crosshairs at infinite ranges for you for under $1,000. Yes, we’ve come a long way baby.
I would like to see an electronic level built into some of the scopes that have batteries for, an example, an illuminated reticle, etc. We have some sort of level type device built into our phones already. So the technology is likely available. Perhaps it could be introduced to some of the scopes to help with anti-cant efforts?
Elmer Fudd,
It’s been done. The Sig Sauer Tango level plex scope, the Leupold VX-6HD and others have built in, lit anti cant devices. I think I remember B.B. saying that Leapers was working on integrating an anti cant device in their scopes.
Thanks! Having the ability to see if there is a cant problem (while looking through the scope) seems to me to be a significant step forward. And with high volume economics in play, the cost might even be affordable.
EF,
There are also “add ons” for your scope to minimize cant. Here’s an electronic one for $95
https://www.shortactionprecision.com/products/ocular-housing-aci
Elmer,
I have seen such. How thick is your wallet?
Every once in a while, an internal level will be introduced into a scope. I bought a very powerful one a long time ago and moved it on to someone else. A while back I bought a Leapers with one. I still have it. There are quite a few add-ons available these days, some at almost giveaway prices.
Most powder burners do not understand cant as most do not shoot at ranges where they need to be concerned with such. The old buffalo hunters understood such as do some airgunners.
There are other factors some of us need to take into account also. These are being explored by BB as we speak/type.
Yes, I am hoping that this feature can become more common and affordable. There already are scopes that have an illuminated reticle that have variable colors, brightness, etc that are very affordable. These scopes have chips that control the reticle. With a more sophisticated chip, the anti-cant feature might be able to be added at a minimal cost. It might just be wishful thinking on my part. But if one manufacturer were able to add that feature as a selling point, without the price sky rocketing, the other manufacturers might follow suit. At least that is the way some things seem to me to progress these days.
Not likely as many manufacturers have learned that some people will pay the price. Just look at the present airgun market coming out of Eastern Europe. They have learned that we will pay for FX, so why not charge as much and retire early?
That’s definitely a possibility. However competition in the marketplace has a way of making things better for the consumer (sometimes).
Elmer Fudd,
I have used scope and rail bubble levels for decades. If you can afford a lighted electronic inside the scope viewable level more power to you; for those who cannot or subscribe to the KISS principal i offer the following:
The key to the bubble level is finding the perfect (best) spot so that your off side eye sees the bubble without impacting the sighting eye. This will take some time and experimentation and occasionally buying or trying a different style or mounting method scope level.
Eventually your brain gets trained to hold level with that rifle even in the field with few true vertical or horizontal clues and few intentional looks at the level.
The thing that is driving the level in the scope and lighted reticle technology is low visibility and night vision systems; they can prove very disorienting at first and when under REAL Operational pressure.
shootski
Shootski,
One of the best things I have done so far is to install my target holder in my basement 10-meter range level (and plumb). This gives me a consistent visual level reference (that I can see in my scope) to align the crosshairs with. I just think that it would be great if an affordable electronic level reference could be built into scopes for the times when there are no other visual level references. I have also experienced what you are saying about the brain getting trained to hold the gun level. After practicing with the consistently level target for a while, any corrections that I might need to make to get the gun level are very minor (compared to what they used to be before I set the target holder up level). I will continue to try to use a bubble level. But, so far, finding a suitable mounting set up has eluded me.
Elmer,
I’ve done the same thing in my basement range and I have a plumb line hanging on my back fence for greater distances. I only use them when I’m shooting from a rest to test the accuracy of various guns and/or pellet combos. Once I know the best pellet for the gun, I just accept how the gun rests in the pocket of my shoulder and rotate the scope in the rings so that the cross hairs line up with the plumb and level lines based on that hold. It seems to be automatically repeatable enough for my purposes of shooting standing or squatting while hunting or just plinking at random targets when not benched. Because the horizontal “hair” is still representing level and the vertical one is representing plumb the up/down, left right, knobs move everything in the right direction and not on some unknown diagonal. Of course, the gun won’t shoot to POA when someone else uses it, but that’s not really a concern for me, usually.
Half
Thanks Half, that makes sense to me.
Only to a point. Then the consumer must settle for a lower level of quality to afford what is available. A case in point is airguns. To make my 1906 BSA these days would cost thousands of dollars.
Manufacturers have learned to use cheaper materials to produce the products we use today so as to maintain their profitability.
We have also become a world in which things are just thrown away instead of fixed and reused. Many products are not meant to be repaired and have a planned obsolescence built in. They do great for a time and then you replace it.
BB
What has changed?
Hand pumps to fill your Avenge-X.
Although not yet for the Avenge-X, but big bores (and arrow shooters) able to take everything from deer to Cape buffalo.
rk,
Big bores were taking big game before the turn of the 20th century. We are just relearning some old tricks.
B.B. and Readership,
FYI
Bob M commented above about the “New Reply to email notification from P-air:
{“code”:”rest_login_required”,”message”:”REST API restricted to authenticated users.”,”data”:{“status”:401}}
Is what you will see if you click on the REPLY to comment link on the email and ARE NOT ALREADY LOGGED IN TO THE BLOG.
shootski
PS: Must be a new person driving Web Page SECURITY …
LOL! the page sends YOU the notification AND LINK of a comment to your post but you are a SUSPECT!
smh
(for hihih smh ≠ shaking my head)
B.B.,
how far we have come…
Adult Airguns have gained the RESPECT of many shooters and are no longer just considered TOYS by them.
shootski
Second that. I’m seeing regular airgun articles in “mainstream” magazines like Field & Stream and Outdoor Life.
I am amazed and pleasantly surprised by the number of manufacturers who can now build their own barrels that will rival a Lothar Walther. I’m also amazed and not pleasantly surprised at how much my shooting deteriorates the older I get. Boy, howdy.
Fred formerly of the Demokratik Peeples Republik of NJ now happily in GA
FM came into the game a little late, but better late than never. Airgunning beats a lot of the mind-and-body-killing inactivities sadly affecting too many of the younger ones in the 21st Century. The improvements in airgun technology have just made things much funner for this old kid. If someone had told him, when he was a young kid running around with his little Red Ryder, that someday there would be airguns capable of firing a .50 bullet that could kill a buffalo, he woulda laughed in their face.
FM, you just wrote my biography!
And these new modern guns are just as addicting for this old boy as that BB gun was when he was a young boy.
At least my wife always knows where to find me!
MiTurn
FM did not know he was a ghost writer, MiTurn; hope at least your parents allowed you to ACTUALLY load BBs into your Daisy and shoot them – not the case with ‘lil FM. 🙁 Trying to make up for that deprivation now! 🙂
Springer fans, sorry for the late notice, but on Gunbroker, there is a lot of two rifles that look like it may be a great deal. A Diana 460 in .22 and a Diana 45 in .177.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1046564855
I would bid on them, but I just won 3 rifles at an auction yesterday and blew the budget for airguns. Plus I already have a Diana 350 Magnum in. 22 and a Diana 36 in .177.
RG
I read this a bit too late. They sold at 8 PM for $325 for the two. Someone got themselves two very fine rifles for a great price.
Ed
I agree. I also missed out on a Diana Model 38 for about $210 plus tax. I would have liked to have that one, and then I would have sold my 36. The 36 and 38 are nicer versions of the classic Model 34. The 38 has a walnut stock.
Oh well. I was in Church when the auction was winding up. So I will not lose sleep over material things….
Hi BB,
I haven’t posted for a long time but still lurking and happy that we’re both still here.
In the past you have made comments to the effect that “It’s not a question of “if” a PCP regulator will fail but when”. Just curious if you still feel this to be true or if that tech has advanced too ?
Big HELLO to all the regular posters here you folks are a large part of the reason I keep reading this awesome blog after so many years.
JTinAL,
Howdy.
Regs are probably better these days. I just don’t know.
BB
JTinAL,
When i want to know about the reliability of something i do a search engine quiry worded like this: ‘airgun regulator rebuild’
Then i see how long the search goes for and how many hits; in this case GOOGLE took 40 seconds and returned 364,000 results.
You can decide how good they are by how new most of the results are that are on topic and how many videos there are. You might also look for Brand Trends…if there are any. Lol!
Of course the type of regulator plays into the answer but most have O-Rings, springs, moving pistons and more that have quality, shelf and/or Service Life issues.
https://www.controlair.com/blog/you-might-need-a-precision-regulator-when/
Stability of gas pressure regulators:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0307904X06002915
Not the simple device many think they are.
I use a large adjustable regulator on my 4,500 PSI (310 BAR) Carbon Fiber 100 cu. ft. (9L) cylinder when i am experimenting/tuning for a new projectile with my Big Bore airguns to avoid needing to manually fill the airgun for each shot; but once i have my data i revert to unregulated operation with a well balance valve.
shootski
shootski
I have a copy of the 1968 Air Rifle Headquarters catalog. That was state of the art for me when I was in High School. A Sheridan C was a big deal! I still have it and a Air Arms PCP. We have come a long way.
Mike