What to get for a cheap newbie?

[UnGe]

I am looking for an entry level AP that shoots better than I do.
What I am looking for:
- I'd like to limit to $300 or less
- Does not need additional equipment (so no PCP)
- Most importantly - I can actually buy it now in US (without hunting for months on ebay)

[atomicgale]

- I'd like to limit to $300 or less

$300? Good luck on that shopping spree.

[atomicgale]

Seriously though . . . Daisy 700-series.

$219 for the 747 (out of stock right now):
LINK: https://www.airgundepot.com/daisy-avant ... iumph.html

Ebay:
LINK: https://www.ebay.com/itm/DAISY-AVANTI-M ... SwEJ9gOZwj

[Gwhite]

Unless you ae very fortunate, that is a pretty tall order. The Crosman "target" pistols in that price range use CO2 cartridges, and are junk. Daisy no longer makes a good target pistol. Any decent import will be more expensive. The lowest cost new option would be Air Venturi V10 Match, which MidwayUSA has for ~$270: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022744260?pid=603469.

Based on all the reviews I've seen, I think you would be better off saving up a bit more for a Chiappa FAS 6004. I believe the top housing on the V10 is plastic, vs metal on the 6004.

https://www.airgundepot.com/vault/artic ... -fas-6004/

The MSRP on the 6004 is $443, but they can purchased for $370 (based on a quick search, you may do better). There is a lengthy thread on how to tune them up a bit: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=53523#p256605

[brent375hh]

Save up $600 and buy a 46. Buying pot metal items that need constant tweaks to keep running is a good way to become frustrated with the game. I started out with a Daisy Co2 pistol in the late 70s. I wish I had all the money I spent on cartridges. I then bought an Air Match 600. It was a giant step forward. I then got an IZH 46 that was about on par with the Air Match. After that I bought a Hammerli 480, which I later converted to an AP40. I finally got a Steyr LP10.

Knowing what I know now, if you want to enjoy this game, save up.until you can at least get a 46. They are capable of shooting pretty good scores. If you decide it's not for you, they have good resale value. Most of the lesser items don't.

People I know will spend $800 on a gun they shoot 20 shots a year with, then sneer at the idea of spending $600-1,800 on a gun that they may use hundred of hours a year.

Welcome to a great sport.

[Rover]

What Gwhite advised. AND do the tweaks he gave you a thread for. If you're unwilling to do this, then start digging deeper into the ol' pocket.

You might be able to find an old FWB 65 in your price range, and you'd have a high quality true match gun that is vastly under-rated by the PCP crowd.

[UnGe]

$300? Good luck on that shopping spree.

I like challenges!

[UnGe]

The MSRP on the 6004 is $443, but they can purchased for $370 (based on a quick search, you may do better). There is a lengthy thread on how to tune them up a bit: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=53523#p256605

Thank you! How hard is cocking on 6004 (or on V10)? I tried Beeman, and after cople dozens of loading I cannot talk about any precision :)

[UnGe]

You might be able to find an old FWB 65 in your price range, and you'd have a high quality true match gun that is vastly under-rated by the PCP crowd.

Like this? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Feinwerkbau-Mo ... SwbdNftJlF? :)

[UnGe]

Just to see all the options: what world be the cheapest (and available somewhere) CO2 one that is decent enough to enjoy (not as a toy, but as 10m AP)?

[B Lafferty]

Save up $600 and buy a 46. Buying pot metal items that need constant tweaks to keep running is a good way to become frustrated with the game. I started out with a Daisy Co2 pistol in the late 70s. I wish I had all the money I spent on cartridges. I then bought an Air Match 600. It was a giant step forward. I then got an IZH 46 that was about on par with the Air Match. After that I bought a Hammerli 480, which I later converted to an AP40. I finally got a Steyr LP10.

Knowing what I know now, if you want to enjoy this game, save up.until you can at least get a 46. They are capable of shooting pretty good scores. If you decide it's not for you, they have good resale value. Most of the lesser items don't.

People I know will spend $800 on a gun they shoot 20 shots a year with, then sneer at the idea of spending $600-1,800 on a gun that they may use hundred of hours a year.

Welcome to a great sport.

Save up $720 and buy a Hammerli AP20

[spektr]

Ok,
Im sitting on the fence here. I say buy the Air Venturi now
I suggest that you rub elbows with shooters around you, get to know them and magically things
start being available. Knowing that, an Air Venturi gets you shooting now.
Make sure you like shooting them, and then save for something else. It will show up and you
might be surprised when where and from who....... keep your options open.
Shooting an inexpensive gun now is a lot more fun than not shooting anything.
shooting an inexpensive gun is less fun than shooting a high end gun, and all of us high end gun shooters
will tell you that, but we also forget what we did before we had them. I shot a 777 daisy for 20 years.
I enjoyed it. Shooting a good gun with good grips with a good trigger will teach you so much about how to
shoot well that moving up to a Fabuluous gun will make you love the journey to get there.

[UnGe]

The MSRP on the 6004 is $443, but they can purchased for $370 (based on a quick search, you may do better). There is a lengthy thread on how to tune them up a bit: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=53523#p256605

Looks like my search abilities are much worse than yours. I cannot find it anywhere (available)

[UnGe]

Ok,
Im sitting on the fence here. I say buy the Air Venturi now
I suggest that you rub elbows with shooters around you, get to know them and magically things
start being available. Knowing that, an Air Venturi gets you shooting now.

"Rubbing elbows" seems pretty challenging here (WA). I cannot even find anybody around (or close enough) to rub them with 22lr - at all closest ranges everybody are spraying and praying with bazookas

[Ade C]

I say go with the V10. I have the equivalent in the UK, a Gamo Compact. I can shoot it equally as well as my AP20 and it's less than a third of the price

[UnGe]

Yep, goes as expected :)
Combined with info from other threads

- Get V10
- V10 sucks, better spend a little more and get 6004
- Nope, spend just a little more and get izzy
- Forget about it, PCP is the right thing

Is there a right spot to stop escalation? :)

One of my main drivers for looking at APs for me are crazy prices for decent 22 ammo, but for the izzy price I can get 2-3K rounds :)
(I cannot use AP at home for unrelated reasons, so it is anyway trip to range for me)

To word the question differently:
- if you own v10/Gammo, do you think upgrade to 6004 worth it?
- if you own 6004, do you save money to get to 46m?

[Church Key]

I need to sell both a Daisy 777 and a FWB 65 that are just gathering dust since I bought a Morini 162MI. Will probably do so in a couple of weeks, once I sell a Marlin 39A I just posted on the SASS Wire. Probably will do it on this Forum as these folks appreciate this stuff. Though the eBay prices for FWB's are ridiculous and tempting to use for selling.

[Rover]

I was in a gun shop today looking for some bullets. The guy was selling primers for $300 a brick. I laughed and left.

I suggest this approach during YOUR search.

[kevinweiho]

I am looking for an entry level AP that shoots better than I do.
What I am looking for:
- I'd like to limit to $300 or less
- Does not need additional equipment (so no PCP)
- Most importantly - I can actually buy it now in US (without hunting for months on ebay)

If you want to go all cheapo and not spend three c-notes, then I highly recommend the Beeman P17. My pistol can muster five shot groups covered by a dime at ten meters. It’s an informal ten meter target/plinker pistol with an unbeatable quality/price ratio…

[UnGe]

If you want to go all cheapo and not spend three c-notes, then I highly recommend the Beeman P17. My pistol can muster five shot groups covered by a dime at ten meters. It’s an informal ten meter target/plinker pistol with an unbeatable quality/price ratio…

I already have P17. My problems with it:
- Very hard to cock, I cannot cock it without changing standing position
- Loading that requires a lot of attention
- Safety. Perhaps I can get used to it, but at this moment too distracting
- Sights - perhaps somebody likes these green-red-green alignment, but I am looking at normal open sights
- Uncomfortable grips
- Too light (though it may be subjective)
- Overall "toy" feeling