Opinions please - Huntsman.

[Ferret Andy 1]

Hi all.

Not to long ago i purchased a new Flacon Prairie BM. Although being a super accurate, whisper quiet and well balanced rifle, i fancy a change. - Possibly me rushing into bying it.

 

Iv been doing alot of research and looking at alot of different rifles on the internet aswell as a few trips to my local gun shop.

 

Theres one particular rifle that really stands out to me, and that is the Daystate Huntsman. The fact it has the looks of a much bigger rifle is a real plus for me.

 

Unfortunately my local gun shop dosnt stock them and the nearest place that does in an hour away.

Not to far for the right gun, although i was hoping for some opinions of the gun before committing to go and see one.

 

Apologies for the next question as i know its such personal question and everyone thinks differently, but here goes...

 

Iv always been a .22 guy, but am seriously thinking of different calibres. I like the thought of a .177 and its flatter trajectory, and also a .20 as a kinda 'in the middle' . The reason for this is the fact im not great at judging distances as accurately as id like.

 

My question is, over the distances of 20-30-40 yards how much flatter is the .177 and how does the .20 compare aswell?

 

Thanks in advance,

Andy.

[AR177 588]

My 177's trajectory is 12 - 41 yards on the crosshairs of my MTC Viper scope, so imagine it looks like this + the 12yrd is the top of the cross and the 41 the bottom on 10x mag & 11.8ftlbs (fully bedded in)

 

Not really alot to aim off at those distances

 

Depends what you want the rifle for, the 177 is great for target shooting, but i love the 22 for hunting

 

ATB

 

Adam

[Ferret Andy 1]

My 177's trajectory is 12 - 41 yards on the crosshairs of my MTC Viper scope, so imagine it looks like this + the 12yrd is the top of the cross and the 41 the bottom on 10x mag & 11.8ftlbs (fully bedded in)

 

Not really alot to aim off at those distances

 

Depends what you want the rifle for, the 177 is great for target shooting, but i love the 22 for hunting

 

ATB

 

Adam

 

Thanks for the reply. Sorry i should have mentioned its for hunting. I also have a MTC viper so find that very interesting.

 

Iv always thought that the .22 is better for hunting with its greater size and weight, but thought that .20 might be a great alternative?

 

Thanks,

Andy.

[Ferret Andy 1]

Any Huntsman owners out there?

[robwelsh 354]

I had one. Recently sold it,just fancied a change. But it was a superb gun, in .177 couldn't fault it. I found it abit too light to take standing shots, an as standing shots are quite important out hunting as you never really get the chance to get where u want to be. It was.one of the things I got rid for. Secondly I just wanted a change , and the most important thing was that I wanted to self service my gun, so iv got an mfr now. Both as accurate as one another, mfr slightly does it for ME ,might be diffrent for you. But overall I'd recommend this gun to anyone wanting a stunning built middleweight. Atb, you won't regret it

[Acuspell 329]

Huntsman is great.Mine is .20 as well

 

 

It does what it was designed for.

 

 

I have hunted with .20 almost exclusively since 1996 and nothing would drag me back to try .177 again. I had an Olympus and it was deadly accurate,but I had too many runners with it. Pigeons heart shot wouldn't always tumble and I would have to fetch them. The .20 just has more knock down - head shots won't make any difference, but the .20 is better in the wind too.

 

I am not just saying this, I have dipped in and out of the others over the same period of time, I still have my .22 SLR98 and will not sell it because it is an iconic rifle. It gets an outing every now and then and shot in the garden to keep it moving, but the 20 just comes up trumps every time - so much so that several of my friends have just given up trying to prove me wrong and have gone and got .20 cal rifles too. My current stable is the Huntsman in .20, a Rapid mk1 in .20 and the original break barrel Taunus .20 that started it all. The Daystate is the most refined of them, the Taunus is an old friend that has proven reliable over the years and still puts game in the freezer so I force myself to give her th eodd outing, and strangely enough i enjoy it when I do take her out. The Rapid is the work horse.It is as old as the Taunus but knocked about - the ratting and the rough n ready rifle. Incredibly accurate, reliable and high shot count - but UGLY AS SIN. Practical and nice to shoot though.

If I were in your position, I would look out for a good Rapid in .20 and try it - because I bet you will sell the Rapid easily for what you paid if you find you don't get on with it. If you like it, either keep the Rapid and spend a few more squids on it tarting it up, or sell it and buy your Huntsman.

[Ferret Andy 1]

Thank you so much for the replies.

Such a lovely looking gun! Interesting that you mention the rapid, i have thought alot about a rapid too as a 'bullet proof' gun with a high shot count, but for ME PERSONALLY the rapid and other guns with the larger 'buddy bottle' type arrangement just don't look right.

Also shout count isnt a huge concern as i do % of my shooting from my Navara, where i keep a 3ltr bottle

 

Acuspell, which silencer have you gone for in the picture?

I have always seen them available for .177 and .22 but never for .20?

 

Thanks, Andy.

[robwelsh 354]

Acuspells huntsman is more limited edition than the limited edition ones they brought out of the huntsman lol Ben Taylor sold 20 .20 barrels to daystate, an slapped them on the huntsmans. You can request a .20 barrel on it, it might be shrouded not a 16mm like his. An it will be a lothar walther barrel. I think his is a anshnutz or whatever barrel lol the reason he said to try a rapid in .20 cal is because u can sell them three times faster than u would of the huntsman, just to try the caliber out, and without loosing cash like u would with a requested ds huntsman. Hope all goes well

[robwelsh 354]

And he has a twink on it. I think.

[Ferret Andy 1]

Thanks for the reply. Funnily enough I read an article in sporting shooter (July I think?) that explained about the barrels and how Ben Taylor sold 23 of them to daystate (originally designed to be used in the rapid). Apparently Blackpool air rifles then purchased half of the .20 huntsmans available and the one being reviewed was there last one. Apparently the Walter barrels are nowhere near as good and on daystates website it only says its available in .177 or .22 now hmmmmmmm

[robwelsh 354]

That's it ,you got it lol lothar walther do .20 cal mate. So if you bought new from daystate I'm sure they would sort you out. But there's the wait. Plus if you don't like .20 cal an sell it, you will loose money. This is why he said try a s/h rapid in .20 , ugly or not lol then if u like like the cal, but don't like the rapid, sell the rapid what u paid for it, then buy the huntsman, that way its a win/win situation. Atb

[Acuspell 329]

Thanks Rob - Ferrty Andy, he has answered it all for me.

 

Where are you? Why don't you try one from someone who has one already? I am in Staffordshire. You are welcome to have a pllay with mine at the farm. All of them if you like!

[Ferret Andy 1]

Thanks for the replies, and thank you very much Acuspell for the amazingly kind offer! Unfortunately its a little far for me to travel as i am about as far South-East as you can go without being in the sea lol.

I have been in touch with my local stockist today and they have a couple in .22 i can go and have a look at and reckon its not a problem getting a .20 from daystate.

Bring on saturday morning

[robwelsh 354]

Acuspell I didn want to take your lime light lol but I know what its like to ask a question an wait for an answer. Andafter I asked you the same on d.o.c I thought I'd give him the answers u gave me lol

[Acuspell 329]

Hey no probs. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was offended. Not at all. What has happened to the DOC - i am not allowed in anymore since Tony changed the syatem over. It doesn't let me log in or register. Am I banned?