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Thread: CAtching up after 25 years of minimal airgunning....

  1. #1
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    CAtching up after 25 years of minimal airgunning....

    After shooting airguns from my childhood to early 20’s and since having spent a long time shooting with powder burners, when I realised it was 40 years since I bought my BSA Airsporter (this March) – my first real “Adult” expenditure as an apprentice I had the feelings of an airgun renaissance coming on – you might say that shooting is a bit of an apprenticeship (itself) in which we often start with airguns and progress though shotguns and other powder burners.

    However, whilst I have always shot my airguns since being a kid, I have to admit that re-focussing attention to them today there is a great deal to re-learn?

    Before getting married I bought a few “good airguns” and acknowledged there is always something new coming along and that there are some very well made airguns but that you can’t keep up with everything.

    When I last had a serious interest in airguns there was the emergence of a wider array of PCP’s (which at one time had really just been Daystate) coming onto the scene.
    Now that my interest has been re-ignited I find people still passionate about airguns and forget the powder-burners of any kind, airguns alone are a very serious entity on their own right?

    For the first time in many years I bought an airgun mag and after a good read I came to the following conclusions:

    Lots of people are really excited about “Air Arms” and the fact that there is a good British manufacturer of both spring and PCP airguns. Lots of people seem to rave about the TX200 is it that good?

    Daystate are still producing PCP’s but now compete in a market where there are many new competitors, vying for a share of the PCP market.
    Some of the high end Brands that were prevalent in the late 70’s and 80’s do not appear to exist (or at least be marketed in the UK) today
    Original
    Diana
    BSF
    Feinwerkbau - for sporting springers (still see high end match rifles and PCP’s)

    There seem to be a lot of Chinese and Turkish airguns being offered for sale with differing opinions on their quality, merits and performance and how they might be improved.

    From various reading it sounded as though some people have had quality issues with Weirauch airguns in recent times and that if buying one it sounds like some people would actually recommend a used older airgun as being preferable?

    It was not entirely clear to me but there seemed to be anecdotal comment that if you buy a modern BSA or Webley, it may not have been made in the UK is this actually correct?

    Is this a fair and accurate summation of the airguns of today, what other things have I failed to pick up on or have the points I'm raising been skewed by a few disgruntled people somewhere along the way?

    Oh yes – using airguns back in the 70-80’s it was UIT targets, a bit of plinking or some pest control (rabbits, squirrels and corvids).

    Apart from the above there seems to be the new emergence of FT and HFT – is there anything else I need to know to be “current” and up to speed with airgun shooting today?

    Please help me catch up again?
    If it has a trigger, I'm gonna enjoy it!

  2. #2
    flyingfish's Avatar
    flyingfish is offline I may only have 5 but I have the best 5
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    Welcome back
    I have undertaken a similar journey (Meteor to. 303 and back)
    I can't say too much about the points you raise except 1. The TX200 is bloody brilliant. As good as any spring gun and the easiest to work on
    Pete

  3. #3
    Hsing-ee's Avatar
    Hsing-ee is offline may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
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    Accuracy has improved massively since your time for spring-piston pistols and rifles, not because of the guns, but because the pellets are so much more precisely made.

    Group sizes will have halved at least, if you break out your old 1975 HW35 or BSA Mercury, it will print much smaller groups with precise pellets like JSB than even match pellets did way back in the day.

    Another thing are the CO2 pistols and rifles, which add another dimension to the sport.

    Tuning spring guns in your time was a opaque affair, with guesswork and myths being big ingredients. Today it has reached the level of a proper science, and you can find lots of info on this BBS about that, look at posts by 'BTDT', 'T20', 'shed tuner' and so on.

    Have fun!

  4. #4
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    You are quite right in saying air guns are an entity in there own right and they have become very effective in what they can do. Optics are another area that has made accuracy more possible to obtain particularly for those of we silver grey air gunners.
    So much choice! I think you are right to consider the TX as buying a quality rifle makes sense.
    Consider a PCP also as I find as do many here that one compliments the other.
    No need to buy new unless you want to. Plenty of good s/h rifles out there.
    If you can get along to The Boinger Bash you can try all manner of air rifles and there are always some good buys to be had.

  5. #5
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    And Mr English has, indeed, made his first visit to The Boinger Bash.

    Lots of points made and questions asked in the OP!

    Must admit, I do understand the "starting with Airguns and progressing to powder burners" thing, but I've always remained an airgun fan. I have shot at rimfire clubs but never felt the need to progress from the boingers. I did shoot skeet for a while, but was using my Airguns more often anyway, enjoyed them far more and the skeet was very expensive!

    As Alistair says, the hardware is better now but it's the massive choice of quality pellets that have made a big difference. And, although as human beings we won't have evolved into better shooting machines physiologically, our expectations are now higher with the better guns, pellets and optics. And you see tiny groips shot at long ranges, the achievements of the FT and HFT peeps and this spurs the "hobby" shooter to new heights, too.

    Yes, the TX is lovely.

    Weihrauchs are still excellent. Solidly engineered, accurate and dependable.

    BSA seem to be concentrating far more on PCPs (certainly in terms of new model launches). I believe all the PCPs are built in the UK and that some of the springer production has also moved back to Brum? The Spanish parent company, Gamo, was in turn taken over by a US concern, I seem to remember?

    Webley don't produce any guns as far as I know, but market guns (generally Turkish made) under the Webley banner.

    Many of the budget Spanish, Turkish and Chinese guns can be very good.

    I find the self-contained airgun fulfills all my shooting needs and thirst for technical knowledge. And has introduced me to many fine people in the sport and trade. And nowhere is this more evident than on this fine resource.

    It isn't a sport or hobby for me.......It's a way of life!
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
    NEXT EVENT :- May 4/5, 2024.........BOING!!

  6. #6
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    Terry Doe, I wonder if this would make a good article for Airgun World, where we follow/introduce a newbie to the sport of airgunning - particularly someone who has re-entered the world of airguns after a significant period of time? Hearing his thoughts/views and answering questions could be interesting. Just a thought...

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by njaw View Post
    Terry Doe, I wonder if this would make a good article for Airgun World, where we follow/introduce a newbie to the sport of airgunning - particularly someone who has re-entered the world of airguns after a significant period of time? Hearing his thoughts/views and answering questions could be interesting. Just a thought...
    I agree wholeheartedly, and I think Tony L is the very fellow to write it. Perhaps someone at the next Bash could be the subject?

    Go on, Tony - you know you want to!
    If you don't know enough to judge - don't judge

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Terry D View Post
    I agree wholeheartedly, and I think Tony L is the very fellow to write it. Perhaps someone at the next Bash could be the subject?

    Go on, Tony - you know you want to!
    Oh, go on then, you've talked me into it!

    Thank you, Terry; very flattering.

    In fact, I think there would be many suitable candidates at The Bash, of various abilities and ages, making a fine little "airgunning life stories" mini-series.

    Who's first?
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
    NEXT EVENT :- May 4/5, 2024.........BOING!!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyL View Post
    Oh, go on then, you've talked me into it!

    Thank you, Terry; very flattering.

    In fact, I think there would be many suitable candidates at The Bash, of various abilities and ages, making a fine little "airgunning life stories" mini-series.

    Who's first?
    Go for it, mate. I think you and I(COUGH! ) have had a great idea, there!

    In other news, did you ever get that Weihrauch neck warmer thingy I sent you? Hope so.
    If you don't know enough to judge - don't judge

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Terry D View Post
    Go for it, mate. I think you and I(COUGH! ) have had a great idea, there!

    In other news, did you ever get that Weihrauch neck warmer thingy I sent you? Hope so.
    Hi Terry. Yes, that lovely neck warmer and cap did arrive. Thank you reply sent at the time.

    And thank you once again. I understand the neck warmer is a very limited edition thing and I shall cherish with pride.


    There are lots of people I have in mind from the Boinger Bash fold. Some with lots of experience and with some fascinating stories to tell, I'm sure. And some less experienced, too, giving a nice spread of age ranges / abilities.

    No-one's volunteered as yet which means I'll have to start picking some "victims" at random!
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
    NEXT EVENT :- May 4/5, 2024.........BOING!!

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