dart gun

I have been looking for a used x-caliber co2 rifle dart gun.


I was hoping to find a used one and save some money.


This is not going so well. I am thinking beings its the best on the market no one wants or has one to sale.


So what would be your second choice of dart gun to have?


 


Brent Thomure


 

i have a center fire gun and LOVE IT. It's dead nuts on and you will have better luck finding a used one from someone that is/has upgraded to an X Caliber. The X-2 pistol would be next $$$ down then the center fired. It's a small world and used projectors are hard to find. they're out there..just gotta be patient

Brent Thomure1005771421100161



I have been looking for a used x-caliber co2 rifle dart gun.


I was hoping to find a used one and save some money.


This is not going so well. I am thinking beings its the best on the market no one wants or has one to sale.


So what would be your second choice of dart gun to have?


 


Brent Thomure




I think a guy would have to dart a pile of deer to warrant spending that kind of money on a dart gun. I mean with the chute and all. I just have a $300 Co2 gun from Streamline and i works great. I never had a chute until this winter and i bred 14 does this year and had to dart 3 times each. I guess its all in the person but for me if i can get the same job done for a grand cheaper, thats where i am headed. I am also sure they are an awesome brute of an airgun that some guys probably use every day on these 700 deer farms.

Mike what is the gun you have?


Brent Thomure

I have the 176B in Rifle and Pistol. Have darted 100's with those two with no problems ever.

Have a look a Dan inject projectors as well. They have a 13mm barrel which will fire pneu darts to grapefruit size groups at 40 m, as well as their own 11mm barrels for their "european" darts. I often use 11mm darts & have a custom rifled 11mm barrel which can quickly replace the 13 mm one in my x-caliber. I have found the european air pressure darts cause less trauma on animals as they inject the bolus slowly, however they are fiddly & don't fit every human safety template. I use them often now on captive deer, but not for wild deer capture, pneu darts are safer & more reliable when there is a lot going on.


 


Also take a look at the New Zealand made Pax Arms projectors if one comes on the market. These folks invented the tranquilliser gun & one I have from the 70's is still my go too rifle if 60m shots are to be expected on deer. Pneu darts are all I use now in these projectors too.


 


Sharkey

176B is good ok for close range. But it you are shooting over 20 yds i wouldn't personally recommend it. I had one and got rid of it for a cartidge gun. Too many variables on the 176B for my liking.


 


20 yds seems ok but once one gets in the buck pen and shoots one or 2 they don't come so close anymore


 


Get what you can afford man

Rick


Have you got a good feel on the range per load on the cartridge?


Every body tells me you can hurt a deer with heavy load when they get close or miss with light load if they move out fast?


It seem things can change to fast to keep up with the change of the cartridge?


Any input would be great.


I need to get something on hand soon.


Brent Thomure

Brent...


 


Any gun can sink a dart in a deer and yes i have hit one a little too hard and buried a dart half way in a buck from MY OWN STUPIDITY. I forgot to change the setting down


 


Center fire has 3 different loads and there are 5 power settings


 


I only use the medium loads and then adjust the power setting


 


I have a good feel for the range yes from PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE


 


There IS a TON of variable with any gun...dart size being the biggest


 


More variable with the center fire because of the 3 loads yes. I have all 3 loads on hand but as i stated above the green load fits all my ranges well (which is up to 40 yds with a 3cc dart)


 


A 176 states it will shoot up to 40 yds..but that's using a 1cc dart.


 


I don't know about you but that does me no good. I shoot 90% 3cc's


 


We started off with a 176 (as money was an issue) and upgraded quickly


 


I wouldn't trade the center fire for anything. It is PERFECT FOR OUR FARM

I have shot all of them.... cartiage fire is the only way to go if your going to dart many deer.

Headley1006391421290645



I have shot all of them.... cartiage fire is the only way to go if your going to dart many deer.




 


Thats impressive, you have fired all the pneu dart projectors, & all the other models from many companies like dan inject, capture, pax arms, teieinject, dist inject, etc etc. Some insights into the pro's & cons of each would be really welcome.


 


My Co2 projectors are much better for large (what is large?) numbers of captive animals & are my preference for wild animal capture if opportunities closer than 40m can be expected. I usually only use powder charged projectors for shots longer than 40m now or if shooting from a moving platform (pax arms are designed specifically with this type of work in mind). I wouldn't use them on deer but if you need to dart a large animal from 80m its hard to beat a well sighted in & calibrated "capture" gun firing the capture darts but refitted with the African made "zulu" flights. Expect some impact trauma though.


 


The X- caliber or a Dan inject Co2 really come the closest to a projector which ticks the most boxes & all the boxes if just for captive work. I guess the price is the real hurdle. I have no skin in this game as I don't sell capture equipment, I just like using the best kit I can get for a particular task.


 


Sharkey

We also shoot the cartridge 22cal guns and they work well to 40 yes. I can't believe nobody is talking about how hard it is to find darts. Pneu dart is quoting late march delivery on darts. We are. Able to find 5 here and 5 there from there distributors at much higher prices but it is a hassle

I have shot Pneu Dart & Dan inject sorry if I was misleading with the word all.

this is kinda like a Bam or Telazol  discussion


 


These threads should be used for discussion not arguing


 


We ALL have experience with different things and our OWN personal opinions


 


We all talk and word things differently


 


We are here to learn and gain knowledge..and HELP others


 


It's why we are here...To LEARN...To HELP OTHERS


 


It sucks we have to take others so litteral


 


Not everyone can afford an $2500 gun


 


There's good guns out there that won't break the bank Brent


 


Keep your eyes/ears peeled


 


I will also and hopefully others here will too


 


Peace out ya'll

Rick, I agree to a point.
But folks need to remember when on any Social Media site, WE all are giving OUR Opinion!
Typed words are different than spoken and no one should get to bristled up about anyones Opinion!

We ALL still have the right to Agree and to Disagree!

Headley, I have shot many deer with the $300 pump up dart gun with no problems at all. A local amish deer farmer had been using the same pump up dart gun for atleast 15 years. He darts alot of deer..So I don't know if I would say cartridge fire is the "only way to go"

It all boils down to, buy what you can afford at the time.... that's it!

redgolds1006501421366404



It all boils down to, buy what you can afford at the time.... that's it!




Agreed..Would i like or could i use an Ex-Cal..Ya bet Ya..Can i get by on my 100 deer farm with a $300 Co2 gun..Ya bet Ya.  For the sneaky ones i even bought te same gun in the pistol. Some get to know when you have something in your hand and wont come near ya but get rid of the rifle and put the pistol in your pocket and they walk back up to ya.   Bingo..Sleeping deer.

Ours get all perked up when they see that gun in my hand lol...it;s comical..makes me chuckle when i watch them

Arrowed11006431421326540



We also shoot the cartridge 22cal guns and they work well to 40 yes. I can't believe nobody is talking about how hard it is to find darts. Pneu dart is quoting late march delivery on darts. We are. Able to find 5 here and 5 there from there distributors at much higher prices but it is a hassle




Try getting them down here?


 


I try to keep a couple of hundred in the 1, 2, & 4cc size (red & green) on hand because I've been caught out by supply before, but now I'm often posting my own off to Uni's & other institutions who have been caught out too ( I don't sell them, they just replace them when their order arrives). This has really opened the door to Dan inject down here in the last few years who can't be faulted with their service & supply.


 


Sharkey