Springers progress

[derekj]

The peak of springer development, a very distinct one, was when the true recoilless ones were in production - whatever the means to achieve that aim, although all involved a counterweight of sorts to the piston and spring's movement.

As for the rest - as long as the laws of physics are unchanging all that can be done is the airgun equivalent of fitting lightweight alloy wheels to one's car, but leaving everything else unchanged. In the grand scale of things, a minor improvement on the car's performance.

In effect, as, as far as I know, there are currently no true recoilless springers in production, let alone all springers being built to this design, we have actually regressed, and are well off the peak. Sort of like the full takeup of multipoint fuel injection and multivalve engines in the '90's, but imagine that today we had to be back to carbed sidevalves.

There are valid reasons of course. Springers are airguns, but airguns aren't springers. Airguns are anything that can propel a pellet by air pressure, so PCPs built at a third or less of the price of a complex recoilless springer, fundamentally do the same job. Secondly achieving power in a springer one again challenges the laws of physics, let alone in one that is built as a recoilless one.

So, no, we are not enjoying the peak of springer development, that has come and gone, but have actually taken several huge steps backwards.

I agree, apart the Gamo Swarm multi shot, there hasn't been anything brand new released to get the pulse racing. I still remember getting my first .22 '77 mk1 second hand with Tasco 32mm scope and taking the first shot using Webley GP's which was at a beer cap dangling on a string at 30 yards in our orchard. I couldn't believe my luck pinging the beer cap into the stratosphere first shot, but more so how quick the action was. My younger brother met me that night at our 'local and he couldn't stop asking me questions about the new exciting HW77 threatening me with a visit the next morning armed with pellets and spinners. It wasn't long before he bought his own .177 '77k which he still owns today. Soberingly, It was at that point in time I knew my trusty old .22 '35 Export was being made redundant sadly. The '77 was a too damn good all rounder.
I think the next landmark releases was the TX200 and BSA SuperStar. Two fantastic British produced rifles, accurate, powerful affordable rifles. Maybe the next major break through release was the Theoben Rapid 7 albeit a PCP but a brilliantly innovative concept.