Why a springer?

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I don't hunt or compete so pinpoint accuracy isn't important to me. If I can get all my shots into a 5p sized circle, or a little smaller, at about 30-35 yards, I'm happy. When I do that with a springer I have a sense of achievement. When I do it with a pcp I don't.

I sold all my pcps 10 years ago, and have been shooting springers ever since. About 9 months ago, I decided I ought to have at least one pcp. I could shoot a little benchrest with it, and maybe my wife and children (grown up) would enjoy using it. Went for the simplest and most reliable I could think of. Got a new S400 with a beautiful walnut stock. Then bought a Rowan black bolt handle to finish it off.

Wonderfully accurate, nice to look at, good shot count with the classic cylinder. I took it to the Atherton Range six or seven times in that nine month period of ownership, and never shot more than 60 or 70 pellets through it before I got bored and switched to a springer. Despite my encouragement of them, no members of my family could be bothered to join me at the range.


They just don't do it for me. I expect to miss quite a lot with a springer, but when I connect, it is a wonderful feeling.

And I prefer the look of springers. They are what I shot when I was young and what I still prefer. I prefer steel actions to aluminium, love the smell of a nice gun oil, and the sound and movement when the gun goes off.

I sold it last week to a bloke at the range who is delighted with it. And why shouldn't he be? It was mint, lovely to behold and very accurate. Just not for me.

The only pcp I would ever buy in the future would be a match air pistol. Single hand shooting at 10m with a pistol is almost as enjoyable as shooting a springer. And an even bigger challenge.