The Secret Pleasures of the Springer Buff

[oldskoolzzz]

Yes, it truly is lovely, Nick. Very smooth and easy to shoot all day. Many youngsters have tried it at Boinger Bash events and love it. In some ways, it's almost TOO easy. It was the lovely Rhyslightning who christened it "soft cock".

Ooops my bad over the naming rights

[Segata]

Anyone can pfft some air out but it takes a real Gunner to take a hit in the shoulder

[evert]

Do springer buffs actually enjoy cocking their guns? Provided the action is smooth and there’s a good ‘crunch’ of sear engagement I think it’s part of the enjoyment, like drawing a bow but without the pain of holding it. When one gets used to a particular rifle the action of cocking loading taking aim and firing can take on a pleasant rhythm a bit like rowing a boat.

What do you all think? Part of the fun or a pain in the arse?

I enjoy cocking well set up breakbarrels.
But the greatest joy of shooting springers is feeling a well balanced piston recoil.

[SRV1]

I find the whole regime of cocking, loading, aiming and firing a smooth shooting springer so therapeutic. As said, the very act of cocking when everything just "whooshes" so sublimely and those sears and detents clickety-click so obediently into place embue that warm, fuzzy glow. And manually feeding that pellet into a single shot springer and feeling the pellet engage the rifling (obviously not a tap loader) is also a much more personal experience. And then the lovely, consistent, controlled pulse of discharge movement a sorted springer shoots with makes it feel part of you. You've invested more in the shot than with a characterless, soulless recoilless gun and want to make each and every shot count even more.

Dear TonyL Sir,

Are you the author of Fifty Shades of Grey? That was so sexully arousing, where is my BSA Magnum 635 for a bit of punishment....

Kind regards to all....

[look no hands]

Dear TonyL Sir,

Are you the author of Fifty Shades of Grey? That was so sexully arousing, where is my BSA Magnum 635 for a bit of punishment....

Kind regards to all....

More like fifty shades of grey hair

[oldskoolzzz]

More like fifty shades of Long grey hair

It’s been awhile since I last seen me old mukka Tony ‘bloody’ L but corrected that for you

[TonyL]

Dear TonyL Sir,

Are you the author of Fifty Shades of Grey? That was so sexully arousing, where is my BSA Magnum 635 for a bit of punishment....

Kind regards to all....

Haha! Thank you; happy to have been of service.

[TonyL]

More like fifty shades of grey hair

It’s been awhile since I last seen me old mukka Tony ‘bloody’ L but corrected that for you

Hee, hee! Cheeky buggers!

[TonyL]

But the greatest joy of shooting springers is feeling a well balanced piston recoil.

Absolutely. When you get that nice, consistent, smooth "pulse". No twang, no boing, no out of hand thrashing about, with the two way "snap" not really detectable whilst shooting and very little sight picture disturbance? Lovely, isn't it?

[rayfleet]

Most for me are good fun and fairly enjoyable although there’s been some awkward exceptions.

Namely a Fenman with its Uber short barrel and hernia inducing HE system

The Prosport is also on my list had a few and they can become tiresome especially with bench resting as it always seems a reet faff.

Don't mind the cocking at all, quite enjoyable really. Prosport I find comfy with a shooting glove

[oldskoolzzz]

One solution regards any fatigue for the springer connoisseur I give you the Browning Airstar

Zero popeye arms after a session but perhaps some ear defenders maybe required

https://youtu.be/V3e9JizlWzs?si=mNgnHrzQ6XVM6BOM

Ps I still actually want one or at least a go on one

[bootneckbob]

Untill fairly recently (couple of years ago) my only break barrel was my BSA Mercury Challenger. Then I finally got a HW98; I'd wanted to get a new break barrel to see how good they are. Well, I have to say when I cocked it I liked it. But the lock up; oh my god! I described it at the time (and still do) as orgasmic. The engineering is deligtful.

Now I have a Pro Elite in the collection which is also lovely to use and a recently aquired HW80k; also lovely. The other break barrels in the collection including the Mercury Challenger are a Umarex M4 which is surprisingly good and a ASI Paratrooper repeater which definitely does what I intended when I got it; takes you right back to the 80s. The smell of it, cocking it, definitely not orgasmic with the wobble although the lockup is reasonable; I mean it works at anyrate!

I much prefer to use a break barrel than underlever although I do have a 97 too.

[Hsing-ee]

One solution regards any fatigue for the springer connoisseur I give you the Browning Airstar

Zero popeye arms after a session but perhaps some ear defenders maybe required

https://youtu.be/V3e9JizlWzs?si=mNgnHrzQ6XVM6BOM

Ps I still actually want one or at least a go on one

Pity the normal non-electric underlever version of this rifle was never available in the U.K.

[Segata]

I want it too, just stood at a range and suddenly the sound of an electric drill causing raising of brows wondering wth you are up to.

[averageplinker]

Its the smell of a springer i enjoy. It takes me back to the good old days when a bit of dieseling was cool!
Its a proper aroma (a bit like old cars with carburetors smell like real cars used to)!