Quote Originally Posted by NewPaul View Post
I agree. I’m with you all the way there Tone.
Following on from your subsequent post regarding the “deadness” of PCP’s, I understand that as my first experience was exactly the same, however, I have changed my view on them……………

…….. As you know my first air rifle back in 2015 was an HW77 and I saw no reason at the time why I would need anything else . I bought it in the June, attended my first Bash in the September and was invited by Chris (Baldinio) to join him for a bit of rabbit hunting up in Middlesbrough which I did in the November.
At some point during the day, Chris offered me a shoot with his PCP, an AA S410 I think ? I knew nothing about PCP’s at that time. So, I had a shoot (at a tree or something) with it and I immediately said “I don’t like that”. It felt like a toy and as you say… ‘dead’. Anyway, a few hours later after stalking around we sat for a rest, Chris placed a small cigar tin in a tree for us to plink at. He was hitting it with every shot and I couldn’t manage a hit with my 77 so he said “have a go with this” and handed me the S410 again………. And…… ding,ding,ding I never missed. With a big grin, I looked at Chris and said “I want one of these”
I went on to shoot my first rabbit that day with the PCP (with the help of a ten foot branch as you’ll recall Tone )
I have two PCP’s now but I’ve never taken one to a Bash. I only ever took them to my club/range to either zero or pellet test. However, over the years, they are the tools I go to when ratting, rabbiting or squirrel shooting.
Springers however are much, much more fun and satisfying to shoot IMO.
Brilliant post, Pauly.

However, did naughty Chris never come clean and tell you that he'd fiddled with your 77's scope turrets to ensure those misses and seal the PCP "superiority"?????

Joking aside, our quarry deserves a clean, clinical kill and, if I still hunted, I may feel differently. "Back in the day" I never felt at a disadvantage with a springer, though, relying on fieldcraft to get within range for that guaranteed clean kill . I do appreciate, however, that different shoots / terrain present different challenges.

If I were ever to compete it wouldn't be for silverware. Only for fun and to better myself. And there'd be springer classes anyway, so no disadvantage there.

The main scenario I could see the advantage would be when using the multi shot PCP if undertaking ratting duties if the place was crawling with loads of them.

But, as said. It's got a trigger. And it's an airgun. So gotta love 'em.