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I have an umarex gauntlet 25 that is mean, I shortened the barrel a bit, and added an airgun moderator to quiet down the bark, and a bigger tank with higher pressure regulator. But hand pumping sucks! Thankfully with the larger tank I get a ton of shots before I fall below regulated pressure so they're super consistent. I stick it on my bog tripod and snipe birds that keep pooping on my porch. BUT 25 cal pellets are not as common as 22...However I haven't had a hard time getting pellets, just if you want to get picky it can be hard to find the better ones.

I inherited an old Benjamin like you described. I like it so much I’m considering getting another. They changed names but you can still get the same gun. It’s also in your price range.

Benjamin Marauder will be my last air rifle purchase.

Best break barrel air rifle is a Weihrauch (German)...the quality is unsurpassed. You will spend the coin upfront, but it will last a lifetime. Definitely want to make sure you address the reverse recoil.

I own a Weihrauch PCP and it's ridiculously quiet.

Check out Airguns of Arizona...these guys know their products well.

For my money, inside of $500, I went with the Beeman R9 for about $400. I started it off with a Hawke 2-7x32 but eventually I settled on a Leupold FXI 4x28 because it is so light and compact a scope. This is by far the finest break barrel I have owned and I’ve had several, including two RWS 34’s. The Beeman R9 is a re-branded Weihrauch HW95 Luxus. It is a fiiiiiiiiiine gun. I did a short write up on it and posted it in airgun nation forums with pictures.

Link: https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/brand-new-beeman-r9-first-impressions-range-test/?referrer=1

I would avoid the Sig ASP20. There are no parts and support for them, even the warranty is going out the window. Discontinued. Not to mention, for the price of the ASP 20 you can get a fine German gun far more refined with loads of parts, support, and tune kits available.

Gamo breakbarrels are pretty sorry, even the highest priced ones and I have run through many. Gamo PCP’s are great, I’ve had a couple.

Benjamin breakbarrels range from pretty sorry to nearly acceptable hehe. Benjamin PCP’s are pretty awesome even their cheapest. I used to have a Disco.

There are a dozen other good brands and they all have a few bad guns as well. Hard to go by the brand when a company like Beeman for instance imports the finest breakbarrels in the world but also imports the cheapest Chinese guns as well. You have to do your research.

For an all around PCP rifle to hunt Texas vermin and small game, it is pretty hard to beat a Marauder. If you want to keep it under $400 a .25 cal Umarex Gauntlet. But for current Texas law, if you want to kill bigger stuff you need a lot more power to be legal.

CB caps in my experience are awe fully inconsistent vs my Beeman R9 it’s no comparison. CCI Quiet on the other hand is a good load but too much for the neighborhood. I just stick with a fine breakbarrel and if I need more gun than that I use a firearm because this is America the land of the free

I was just wondering how this statement has stood the test of time. Most pcp air rifle hunters graduate to a Bulldog, or a Texan. lol

Agree with red Chevy. Get a single shot, 22 cal rifle. Buy some 22 Colibri no powder (sans poudre) shorts. They’re quieter than a pellet gun and, up to about 40 ft, very accurate. I use them in my back yard in town to practice trigger pull.

You will seldom find them at the big box stores. I order them a brick at a time. They are a lot quieter than an air rifle.

Bryan, great post. Informative.

I have an RWS 34 which is the same as a Diana 34 break barrel 22. It's fairly quiet for residential areas. Very accurate. Fiberoptic sights. Is the best trigger of any rifle I own it's amazing. I am open sights only.

I have owned Gamo 22 brake barrels but never loved them. I also own vintage 70s Benjamin .177 and Sheridan .20 pump pneumatic rifles. Those are fantastic. But loud.. and the pumping is loud and time consuming.

For a neighborhood try to stick to a 22 break barrel rifle that has less than 850 feet per second in velocity. Otherwise the report crack/sound will be too great. As Bryan stated there are higher quality higher velocity break barrel rifles than the RWS 34 for more rural settings.

I plan to get a Benjamin Marauder when I retire (as stated above). 25 caliber. Those things are wicked.