FX Whisper, Marauder w/tune or Evanix RainStorm

[Zzyzx]

Am getting closer to reality with another PCP, this time in .177 to complement the Diana Model 48(turbo-tuned) in that calibre.

The Whisper is the lightest and with the new SuperDuperTwist barrel might be a real complement to eating licorice twists while I shoot. ;-)
The RainStorm is the most powerful and next lightest.
The Marauder is the best known and would benefit(maybe) from a tune job or even a Lothar Walther barrel & tune.

Wouldn't mind a Cyclone but for pricing these are the rifles under consideration.

Any and all comments welcome, especially with those who have a lot of hands on experience in PCP rifles. I know they aren't Theoben and if I go higher cost it will probably be HW100.

Use will be hunting, varmints and the odd rock, road sign and seeing if I can get good enough to knock grasshoppers and such off the leaves of garden vegetable plants.

[Rickster]

What are you going to fill it with, and what is the starting charge pressure for each gun.

FX T12 Whisper:  no pressure gauge, expensive options , no air adjustments, plastic stock but nice. Can you get parts?
                         From what I have read on various forums, the .177 clip can damage some pellet skirts.
                         The .177  accuracy can suffer until the barrel support is removed.

Rainstorm:      not out yet, no reviews,  Too hot for .177,  sonic boom shots from a very quiet gun? how will you slow it down?

Marauder:       entry level, decent value for $400 AOA deal, not  as nice as the other 2, might have to visit Greg Davis to shoot good for $150+. Talk of problems and returns in the forums.    

I think the Mrod might be one of the better choices for .177 because of the adjustability.
I was really thinking about the Blizzard S10, but it also may be too hot for .177 without a weaker hammer spring. With a little more research, I just might click one.


Just my 1.5 cents
Rick

[Zzyzx]

Rick,

Will fill with Hill Pump and Nitrogen from high pressure tank.(welding type here is $35 a year and $18 for a fill) Hill pump in the field for awhile until I get a carbon tank to carry in the vehicle.

On the Whisper I would get the guage & extension piece and Airguns of Arizona deal keeping it all under $700. The new smooth twist barrel sounds very interesting. AofA is expecting a lot more of these in and says they will be keeping the pricing down to get these barrels out o the market.

The RainStorm. Mainly because of shrouded barrel and my experience with the Blizzard in North Dakota winter shooting and last falls mild temps. Heavy pellets to tame it a bit and it has 'some' adjustability for shooting power. Tinker a bit, set and keep it there. I really like how the Blizzard is built, finish and its manners. Compared to a AA 410 this one is its equal in fit & finish and shoots harder.

If I got the Marauder the Greg Davis full treatment would be the first thing done. That is factored into the pricing for me. Possibly the Lothar Walther barrel. I figure going with a top tuner this way will assure fewer possible problems down the road and take care of any niggling stuff from the beginning.

Basically want rock solid reliability, extra follow up shots, power and accuracy. Asking too much? I don't think so. As I wrote, if I go higher it will most likely be the HW100. Might wait until I get a chance to shoot one and then save the extra $$$'s and just go that way. But if one of the others will fill the bill I would have it much sooner, get shooting and could always sell it after having a fun time and then move up.

[chugcatsts01]

New Marauder [produced last 6 months] accurate and super quiet out of the box. 22 Cal pushes heavy or light pellets over 900fps. Great service, nice trigger all for $400 bucks.
Halfbreed
Possum, the other white meat!

[robinsonmac]

Don't know about the FX but I have a Rainstorm & it is very nicely made.  As been said way too hot of a gun for .177.  It can be slowed down via the hammer spring tension adjustment screw, but not enough to keep things subsonic.  The Rainstorm is a carbine version of the Blizzard.  It has a different stock, shortened barrel & shroud.  Everything else is exactly the same.  Mine is in .22 & is shooting 25 gn JSB Monsters @ 50fpe.  JSB 18gn are going 960 when I slow it down to 40fpe.  Oh & it uses a lot of air the lighter the pellet even on low power.

[chugcatsts01]

I shoot feral pidgeons in  Hi and Dry marina boat storage metal buildings. They crap on the boats. The ceilings are up to 55 ft high Some shots are straight up, angled shots are around 100 ft. .177 cal springers some times go through the bird and the metal roof, the owners like the bird control but not the leaking roof. Crow Magnums [.22 cal out of the Marauder] results in an exsplosion of feathers. Head shots are obviously easy but the pellet richochetes too much [yes I
cracked a windshield once]. At night and even days the Raccoons come out to feast, they love leftover bait and and a pet cat is easy to come by. Soft lead pettets between 16 to 21 grains really 'mushroom' for max shock effect. I keep a magazine of CP wadcuters for an occasional 50 yd at a crow outside but stay loaded with Crow Magnums. I trap raccoons for the neighbors in an X Large Have-A-Heart animal trap, an old 35 LB Raccoon is hard to catch [ they get smart].
My .177 Cal XISICO provides the coupe de gras. It is illegal to relocate raccoons in Florida, 95% of the critters carriy rabies and the Wildlife Commission drops poison 'baits' from helicopters to kill them. The XISICO'S barrel is small enough to
fit thru the wire mesh of the trap. You can shoot a big raccoon at 20 yards in the usual body spots with a .22 Long Rifle and it  will flip you a 'BIRD'. I will try some heavier pellets but I have 4 to 5 thousand to burn up.
Halfbreed
Possum is the other white meat.

[patton123]

I'm going down to AOA to see/shoot them for myself. I will be shooting the FX whisper &  Marauder. Reviews on Yellow and Airgun Advice say go w/ the Whisper...hands down a better gun out of the box. Better accuracy fit/finish. Also, I've seen VarmintAir using the Whisper  dusting ground squirrels w/ headshots at 75+ yrds....quite impressive.

Eric