This is an interesting thread for me.
I can see good points on both ends of the spectrum here. As we've all known for some time, there is a trade off between price and quality with most all airguns. That really goes on with most anything you are going to buy. One of the potential advantages is that some folks (myself included), are able and willing to work on the things we buy. I suppose to some degree that would put me in the "middle ground" of air gun group.
I've been fortunate enough to buy higher end guns and I've also bought several lower end guns. In truth, I've found that for me it is gonna get taken apart regardless of quality. It's a dangerous combination of wanting what ever it is to "be better" and my curiosity of how different guns work. I've taken apart every single gun I've ever owned and done at least something to them improve MY USE of them. Several of my guns have been what you'd call complete overhauls. But the catch with that mentality is that I enjoy it.
Another factor in at least my purchases, is the wealth of information that the internet provides. If you do enough searching you can find at least SOMETHING about almost any gun available on the open market. I research the heck out of stuff before I sink down any money and feel that when I finally get it in my hands, barring a lemon, I know what I'm getting. A really good example of this was my latest purchase. A Winchester 1000s and Kmart that I got for $44.14. I had already read lots of reviews, read the tuning info. available on the net and felt that at THAT price it was a steal. I'm very pleased with the outcome and 2 days of work on it. It is not smooth like my Gene tuned B40 was but it is without any doubt hunting capable and for me, still fun to plink with. So was my RWS 350 when I had it!
Where am I going with this ramble?? I dunno. I suppose I'm agreeing with everyone's opinion in one way or another and perhaps trying to also remind everyone that both sides have their reasons for their views and in the end it is about "user enjoyment."
