You probably know this, but . . .
I spent the day afield with half a dozen airguns today. A Trail NP, B5-10, a Zoracki, etc., etc., etc. When all was said and done, the only utterly reliable gun that didn’t need to be fiddled and farted with, and didn’t disappoint, was the Talon.
I want another one so I don’t have to swap barrels. Maybe two. Going to sell my Trail NP, B5-10, the Zoracki, etc., etc., etc. I’ll keep my B28 in .22 because it shot well, but is incredibly hold sensitive.
I’d rather spend my time shooting than messing around with erratic gear. Enough is enough. 😡
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No you will be banned 😆
Most of those old JC Higgens were relabeled Weavers and were excellent. They were mostly fixed power, and sturdy as a rock.
The new variables are much more delicate, and prone to mis-alignment more easily than fixed powers. Springers can also eat them for breakfast.
I still have a few cheap airguns, and for springers like the QB88 and such, my preference is the straight 6x Leapers Bugbuster or something like that. I find they take more of a beating than cheap variables, and I frankly abuse my equipment.
I learned through 40 years of hunting that a cheap scope is no bargain, and I’d wager large lettuce that most sighting in and zeroing problems are scope related.
Talon SS for nearly 2 years and no shift in POI. I stopped using cheap scopes and spend $200-$350 on a quality scope. I also blue-loctite all of my rings once I’m dialed in.
I too have had a change in POI after not shooting my talon for a while. I have always attributed it to my kid messing with my gun and bumping it around. as for expensive scope, you get what you pay for. I have an old JC Higgins .22 rifle I got from my father that is beat to shit and all rusty, but for some reason the scope is dead nuts on after 50 years, that thing has been dropped, banged and bumped and can still make one hole groups at 30 yards. never once have a touched it. it aint pretty but effective it is.
Riff hit the nail on the head. “…confidence in your weapon/scope/ammo combination.” That’s it in a nutshell. The other pearl of wisdom comes from Tofaz, “…shoot you gun alot; burn lots of ammo to learn what it’s characteristics are.”
I had a Hawke on the talon and the condor. Both scopes were moved to other rifles and shot fine. I actualluy use one on my Marauder and the other went back on the talon ss. I have 4 of the same hawke scope.
Not saying it is never an issue just does not appear to be my issue. The condor I have a scope and a laser and neither hit point of impact after a couple months in the closet.
I second what WOK said. Basically 2 things that cause POI shift are not snugging the barrel in the frame right, or a screwy scope.
I haven’t changed a thing on the .25 hammer in 6 months and it almost never misses and only if its my fault.
I have an AA S410 that I almost never shoot. Nothing wrong with the gun, it shoots fantastic day-in, day-out. A definite keeper, never on sale.
The rifle I grab every time is the Condor. Why?
Its just that I have developed a tremendous confidence in the ability of the Condor, and that is a huge portion of a shooters success.
Ive spent enough time with it, that if anything happens I know what the cause is. Simplicity is this guns best trait IMO.
Then I switched the scope and the erratic POI changes went away.
Sometimes we forget a scope actually is a delicate piece of equipment and do not want to believe it will fail us.
I’m going to kick in with you on the scope issue. I haven’t had a sight shift on my Talon with any of the barrels. But I’m using either a Swarovsky 2.5-10 or a Leupold 3×9 AO.
Having spent years as a hunter (that’s the basis of my hobby, period) I have found that cheap scopes make an expensive rifle cheap. I routinely spend as much on a scope as a rifle. As I intend on doing most of my small game and grouse hunting with an airgun now, I’ll be sticking with premium scopes on my Talon.
I’m so high on the Talon because it’s light, compact, and incredible in the field. I’ve found it utterly reliable, and a tack driver with both my .22 12″ and my .177 18″ barrel. As a matter of fact, at 10 meters indoors with the .177 barrel and the CO2 adapter, it one-holes with 5 shot groups, and I get 1/2 inch groups at 25 yards with both the .22 and .177 barrels. My Talon outshoots my buddie’s CZ 10 meter target rifle. He’s ticked.
I’ve used some of the more “expensive” quality guns, but don’t see why I should be carrying an airgun in the field that weighs as much as my .300 Weatherby, and shoots no better than the Talon.
When I have a barrel change, I have a scope that is already sighted in for that barrel, mounted on a rail that goes directly on the Talon, and I shoot immediately – the change after remounting a scope and barrel is practically nil. When my .25 caliber barrel arrives, I’ll use the Swarovski with it permanently, and sight in a 3×9 AO Leupold for the .177.
Centerfire scopes work just fine on airguns if they are properly mounted (somethimes you have to use adjustable mounts, especially if you use them at 10 yards.)
I have not had this kind of accuracy and reliability with any other airgun, regardless of cost. They take a shitkicking that other guns don’t.
Years ago I was chasing the shifting POI of my Talon SS. I tried everything on the gun I could think of.
Then I switched the scope and the erratic POI changes went away.
Sometimes we forget a scope actually is a delicate piece of equipment and do not want to believe it will fail us.
My .22 caliber Talon SS works great every time I shoot it. Months can go by and it doesn’t miss a beat. It had a problem with producing dud shots from time to time, but that went away when I turned up the power wheel. My .25 Marauder and .22 AirArms S 410 work well too with little or no adjustment…more like no adjustment. The Marauder is less money than the the TSS, retail. I think the .25’s are a deal. I think many of us have dumped cheaper airguns and replaced them with better ones. We have become sophisticated. (Sophisticated? Can I use that word on the TAG? 😉 )
The reason I find it so interesting is that I find that AF rilfes need tweaking all the time. I have a talon ss and a condor both in .22
Every time I shoot them I have a slight shift in point of aim. I take my Marauder or the Air Ranger out after six months and bang right on minute of squirrels head! lol
I am not knocking the AF guns alot of power and accuracy (once dialed in again) for the money. You are right take a $2000 air gun and the AF seems cheaply made. aplles to vaccumm cleaners. lol
Were any of the ‘other’ guns near the price point of the Talon? From what I gather all the ones you listed are half the price or less… 😕
Compare a Talon to a rifle that costs 50% more and the Talon will be the one lacking. But that’s comparing apples and vacuum cleaners…
I saw a $600 rilfe do something a Talon could never do this last weekend…
Each rifle has it’s place, the Talon is adaptable like no other rifle.
In a few minutes you can turn it into a TalonDor 25cal sledge hammer and then minutes later you can have a mouse fart quiet TalonSS plinker in 177. 😉
yep , i have wanted to buy another air force as to not mess with my condor , i want to set up a 12″ BARREL GUN.
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Its just that I have developed a tremendous confidence in the ability of the Condor, and that is a huge portion of a shooters success.
Ive spent enough time with it, that if anything happens I know what the cause is. Simplicity is this guns best trait IMO.
Yeah I concur! If I don’t want any huss and fuss I take out the .25 Condor!