Why a springer?

[tinbum]

I know my reasons why. What's yours?

[Alakar]

Simplicity

[neil9629]

Pcp is too easy, I like having to actually shoot the gun.

[oldskoolzzz]

I know my reasons why. What's yours?

My main reason is purely usage.

Like your good self I've been around the houses a long time and floated my boat with many excellent top pcp's and should my circumstances change in the future (e.g. Hunting permission) then I would have no problem returning back to a pcp if I was putting it to good use.

Simple factor is I honestly can't justify using a pcp when my used 97k that stands me at daft cheap money does the job that I require.

As a casual once a week plinker at my local club I finally realised that having all this top pcp gear some cheap and some expensive outfits wasn't really doing me any favours.

I fell in the trap of constantly wanting to try another pcp or flipping current pcp's to upgrade to another pcp then getting bored and flipping pcp again for another pcp round and round it went ok it's fun to keep turning up with another new pcp but the novelty soon wears off pretty quickly.

Now as mentioned above the 'simplistic' springer is doing the job just fine for me and with such cost effective running costs I don't have to worry about charging gear, top ups, leaks or any power curve issues.

Just a tin of slugs is all I need and I honestly can't see me changing the 97k for anything else anytime soon I simply have no real need.

Yes there's the want list and that includes other springers and pcp stuff but for now I'm keeping it simple and concentrating on the simple need list

[bighit]

I don't drive so if I was to buy a PCP I would have to limit my shots. if the hunting is not going well I start plinking as my permission is a 18 mile round trip for my wife taking me there and the same for picking me up. so if I ran out of air it would be a short trip. if going PCP it would be a FAC one.

I'm not sure where I would get the diver bottle filled locally either.

dare say I could leave the diver bottle at the farm but its still a lot to take .


I have a just got a more local permission mind you. its still two miles to get there. don't fancy walking it that far with a divers bottle .

I prefer a Springer or gas ram rifle .

[Mark_WBA]

Tried most pcps and had good results with them, but there's just something about a springer.

[vestlenning]

KISS. Self-contained.

[Jonjon79]

Most of my hunting is done at night with NV so, I use a PCP but, for a more rewarding experience, I'll take the springer for a walk in the woods during the day.

By that, I mean, for me, everything has to be thought about more - fieldcraft, range, hold, follow through. So when I do get something, it's definitely more satisfying.

The same applies for a day at the range - you know a good shot with a springer really is a good shot. Plinking is just more fun with a springer.

[Murphy]

If I just want to get out and shoot I just grab a springer.

My Daystate really bugged me because I had to charge it with electric the night before then air the day I was going out!

[Blackrider]

Can I be honest ?
I do "hunting" and have done all my life, its what I do, be it shooting, deer stalking, fishing, field sports or otherwise.

So, in answer to Nick's question I say;
After years of using spring powered air rifles, I began to use Theoben Rapid 7 PCP's and what a revalation they were over spring airguns !
I eventually had four R7's ending up with a dedicated left hand .177 MRF.
But things move on and I decided to apply for my Ticket with the intention of upgrading to an R7 .22 30 ft lb air rifle.
However, after a few hours shooting with a nice Rimfire, I decided that this was the way to go for me and I duely bought a left handed CZ 452 American .22LR rifle complete with a Meopta Artimiss 2000 7 x 50 scope and it was Brilliant, so much so I put away air rifles in respect to hunting and went with the Rimmie when ever I could !
I eventually went through four various rimfire CZ's using 14", 16" and 21" barrels and settled on the full lenghth 21" for all my rabbit hunting coupled with a SAK moddy. I used many scopes with this setup but settled on a Zeiss Klassik 3-12x50 which I had surplus at that time.

This combo I trust and I've no intention to change it...job done !

Having said ALL this, I love shooting springers, have done all my life and will continue to do so. I've made good friends through shooting airguns, I've become a member of a terrific local club and being recently retired, I get a great deal of pleasure from these experiances !

The Quigley Hollow Spring Meets are also a great deal of fun and are to be recommended !

[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.

[rabbitwrecker]

Self-contained, challenging, fun, 'feel' - what I grew up with...

[Rob Edge]

I returned to a springer last year with a HW97KT Blackline in 177. First shot brought a smile to my face as the tin can jumped backwards. If I had my choice again I might have looked at the TX200HC but at the time none could be had locally. At some point I might drop in a kit to smooth it out or find a swap.

[Geezer]

Self-contained, challenging, fun, 'feel' - what I grew up with...

Same here.

Though I don't only own springers.

[chimpy leon]

You don't need to add the extra money or make the extra space for the charging paraphernalia.

More challenging to shoot / more rewarding when you hit your target.

You do not have to nob about with 200 BAR of compressed air vessels and their flimsy, leaky fill adapters.