Spring gun revival (again.....)

[Lumberjack]

It would appear that spring powered rifles ..... I would be interested to hear your thoughts on why you think spring powered rifles appear to be making a deserved comeback.

Andy

I realise that for some the benefits of pcps cannot be ignored but for me, cost, ease of maintenance, degree of independence and long term reliability are big factors.

Generally speaking a good quality boinger will cost significantly less to buy and maintain than a good quality pcp and bottle (or pump). For most people diy maintenance on a boinger is achievable. Diy on a pcp is not for everyone: and air bottle testing is certainly only for the few.

With an oily rag, an occasion spring and a new seal I can happily shoot a springer for decades - and everything is under my control. If I follow my pcp gun manufacturers recommendations I will have to send it off for servicing every 3 years (£150-200 a pop plus postage plus rfd charges??). My air bottle goes off to someone else every 5 years for slightly less £70-£100?? Either way I am reliant on others and it costs more.

In some ways it parallels stripping the engine on my ford in the 70’s to solve a problem compared with opening the bonnet / closing the bonnet and booking my car into a specialist today.

I’ve also noticed something else. Some guys I know have a springer in the cupboard. They’ve had it for years and years. It works fine, they use it regularly and they have no intention of selling it. The same guys change their pcp every 2-3 years. One guy in particular changed every 3 years because as he put it “after three years the problems start”.

I am sure there are many shooters out there who still own (and use) 20+ year old boingers. I wonder if many of today’s pcps will still be regularly used 20 years from now.

Some folk will need, or demand, the advantages of a pcp. Those of us who are not so constrained, and just enjoy the sport for what it is, can afford to be a little more flexible.