Are springers going to become extinct?

[callum54]

I've just come back to the sport after a good few years break and, faced with a bewildering array of new technology, I chose .... a BSA Supersport !!! Hurrah !!! Break barrel springer with a recoil !!! Power and performance at a sensible price !!!

However, I also ride a motorcycle built in 1958 ... so draw your own conclusions !!! lol

[Clifftop]

I should add, this thread was prompted from re-reading an old (6 months) copy of Air Gunner, and there was, IMHO, an air of, what I find difficult to describe, as bias I suppose.

Y'know the sort of wording which tends to sway the reader, albeit very subtely, into a particular way of thinking.

Even if it was simply a case of me mis-interpreting an article, the fact remains with the afformentioned experience, this thread question just slid into my head. (yeah with the sound of a heavy object hitting the bottom of a very empty vessel )

[KevinG]

The Supersport is great!

Can someone tell me what the general issue(s) with springers are?

Are they best used for hunting?

Are there any advantages over a PCP?

I can see that I'm going to have to get one if I'm to compete.

[I. J.]

Last Sunday at my club there were by far more Springers in the gun racks than PCP's.

Mind you it was the monthly Springer comp.


ATB
Ray.

Spot the pcp!

ATB
Ian

[BOFH]

No then.
Good, I'm glad. I own a PCP (Daystate Harrier) and a HW97K and I LOVE 'em both .

I just had a weird experience at a on eoff visit to a club some time ago, where everyone had a PCP and I had a "lowly" HW95. There was an attitude of "Oh, you've got one of those 'old fashioned guns' ", and I felt a bit put out.

HW95 a great gun mate, I saved up for ages and rode miles to get mine, then I pawned it for rent money Gutted, worth loads now. If your in that situation again either spend your time out shooting them all, or drop your HW on the rack of PCP's it will easily destroy most of them without getting a scratch

Built of very strong and heavy stuff

[bstrdmissed]

The Supersport is great!

Can someone tell me what the general issue(s) with springers are?

Are they best used for hunting?

Are there any advantages over a PCP?

I can see that I'm going to have to get one if I'm to compete.

Springers have a self contained power source,pcps rely on an outside power source(divers bottle,pump) to 'charge ' them with air.
Springers 'recoil',pcps dont,therefore pcps are easier to shoot accurately,not as much fun though .

[Trefil Hunter]

id say never they are still popluar and i think they will remain popukar

[KevinG]

Springers have a self contained power source,pcps rely on an outside power source(divers bottle,pump) to 'charge ' them with air.
Springers 'recoil',pcps dont,therefore pcps are easier to shoot accurately,not as much fun though .

I'd agree with that.

[MikB]

I doubt they'll ever attract the R&D budgets that PCPs do, so the best designs of today and recent years aren't likely to be improved on, whilst PCPs are still getting better, and the price gap is reducing.

My Falcon FN12TW is 6 years old now. It only holds air for 40-odd shots, is a single-loader and has no inbuilt pressure gauge, but I still have to say that on any practical measure I can think of, it's better than any of the many springers I owned before it.

I reckon the writing's on the wall for springers, as it was for steam locos and single-cylinder sidevalve motorbikes in the 50s. Sure, there'll be a dedicated, shrinking band of enthusiasts for as long as the things can be kept going, but the rest of the world will move on .

Regards,
MikB

[pugger666]

springers will never die......who said they would never wear flares again.....? parka,s....? pink shirts...? alfa romeo...? army trousers...? mohicans...? have all made recent come-backs.
springers hold dear memories for many of us......they will live forever....!

[bstrdmissed]

springers will never die......who said they would never wear flares again.....? parka,s....? pink shirts...? alfa romeo...? army trousers...? mohicans...? have all made recent come-backs.
springers hold dear memories for many of us......they will live forever....!

Pink socks,knickers on yer head,oh,thats just me

[sphexx]

Just wait till we run out of air.

Then what you gonna do?



ATB
Ray.

Umm.. you put air into springer too!

[Raygun]

How many buckets full.


ATB
Ray.

[5thplaceron]

I have some1912/1920 BSA model Ds still working well,how many pcp s will be around in ninety odd years time for our grand children to use safely, without bursting their cylinders, these old BSA s will never die,long live springers.Ron

[Bulsaye]

On a world scale, springers will likely outsell PCP's for MANY years to come. Their carefree simplicity is their strongest selling point, and you don't need to keep expensive charging equipment handy. In other countries where silencers are(or can be) an issue, the springers are quieter when compared to a comparably powered PCP.. especially if both guns are FAC and pushing over 18 ft/lbs.
Rams cost more than coil springs, plus several very popular designs cannot be rammed; so even among piston guns, coil springs will be around for some time. In addition, some rams are sealed, non-repairable units while coil spring guns can be tuned up or down according to the shooters needs... and the guns have less cocking effort to boot! RB