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I'm done with springers.

6K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  peltel2 
#1 ·
I have been fighting a gas piston springer for 2 years. I finally got it to group halfway decent a while back. Now it is back to shooting random groups. My Benjamin 392's will shoot circles around it.
 
#2 ·
Ive 'returned' to traditional springers (again) and the 'artillery hold' has done wonders for the higher velo, twangy 'Beeman RS2' that has given me some fits (and eats scopes so Im using just open sights).
http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63
My earlier RWS 45 is better with that hold too but the softer shooting old ones dont seem to care.
All in all, after having a rather high end RWS 75T01 (recoil-less match rifle) side lever and a cheap Chinese sidelever I determined that for me I just like the relative simplicity of a break barrel springer. I could go for an underlever too, the sidelever is just awkward for me.
I wont get a PCP, I really like an airgun that runs easy at 650-700ish fps and dont want or need the expensive complexity of them. I would shoot one if a friend bought one though :tango_face_wink:.
And if I need to pop a yard varmint I have a 22RF sighted in for CB's and a 410 (I live in the country and can still shoot a real firearm; Thank GOD and the Founding Fathers).
 
#3 ·
I can still shoot firearms here, but I prefer the air rifles because the pellets don't carry as far. I do like the simplicity of the springers, but dislike their quirks. I pulled it out today to adjust me my scope for a closer range and was shooting patterns again as opposed to groups. I think I am going to buy a PCP sometime this year. For now I'll stick to my pneumatic pumpers. They are consistent and predictable.
 
#7 ·
I like both springers and pumpers.
I have a couple of low power springers that are super accurate and easy to shoot.

And a Crosman Nitro Piston .22 that isn't exactly target grade accurate but it sure puts a wallop on a steel can at 50 yards. So that's good enough for me.

Can't quite get myself excited enough about them to try a CO2 or a PCP airgun. Just too much money and extra baggage I guess.
 
#8 ·
I'll stick to my Break guns. I have a 117 Gamo big Cat and a Cisico 22 magnum that stack them at 20 yds if I do my part.Before I spend a ton of money on a PCP, I'll shoot 22 shorts when I need a little more oopph
 
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#10 ·
I got bit by the PCP bug and have owned several over the last couple of years. I still own several springers, but when it comes to needing to put a pest down I grab either my 25 caliber hatsan or my maximus 22. I have both shooting pellet on pellet at 25 yards. When I first started with PCP's I used a hand pump and it was definitely a struggle with my back problems. Now I have a tank and can fill the rifles dozens of times off a single tank. I still shoot my springers, my favorite is my titan that I rebuilt with a new gas piston. It will shoot 3/4" groups at 25 yards when I do my part. On a good day I can shrink the groups down a little. I'm spoiled though with the PCP's and will probably never go back to just having a springer.
 
#11 ·
I've really like the springers actually. At first it took me awhile to get use to how that type rifle works. But ever since I settled down and did the research and practiced just how to load, hold the rifle, and trigger pull which is big with these guns, I've done well. The most expensive air rifle I have is Benjamin trail np and I only have 3 springer breakbarrel airguns, actually 4 but one I really never shoot. Point is , what I got isn't expensive but they do shoot good and I'm not afraid to hunt with any one of them. Good shooters, just need some time and little extra patience with the things. Another thing is I'm not "sold" on that artillery hold. Tried that on about all the air rifles I've shot and it just doesn't work good for me. What does work for me is a lighter hold than one would use on a regular firearm a steady aim with a steady squeeze on the trigger and a good solid follow through like as if shooting a bow and arrow. Good luck with whatever ya'll choose, but I'll stay with my Nitro Piston break barrel's.
Thanks!
scout4
 
#14 ·
I would really like to have one of the AirForce Condors but the tank filling thing keeps me from it. There is really no place to get the tanks charged easily around here and I don't want to spend the money for a hi-pressure compressor. I'm certainly not tough enough now to use the hand pump either. It would tale me at least a day to charge the thing and another day or to to rest up before I could shoot. :eek: That leaves CO2 and nitro piston guns for me. CO2 has the undesirable feature of being temperature sensitive and losing power as the pressure runs out. I'm doing a little research on the nitro guns now.
 
#16 ·
RWS model 48 or 52 form me. I have killed a lot of squirrels with my old 48. I have left it cocked for an hour at a time while hunting without hurting the spring. I also have a one of the new Ruger Break barrel guns. I couldn't get it to shoot good enough groups to even zero in the scope. I read the manual and it said not to expect any accuracy until after at least 100 rounds. Huh? I ran a bore light down the bore and it was the ugliest thing that I had seen since the new neighbor girl took her mask off at halloween when I was 10. She turned out to be not so bad but the Ruger is still ugly. I've shot a whole tin full of pellets through it and 3 inch groups at 50 feet is about as good as it gets. I even took the scope off of my 48 and tried it.

About the best thing for shooting town critters without a bang or clank is CBs out of a long barreled 22...like my 514.
 
#18 ·
artillery hold



Sorry fmason, yoiu may have given up waiting for an answer but here is a quote from Air Gun Depot: The object of this technique, known as the Artillery Hold, is to support the gun as gently as possible along the four points that contact your body. The spring air gun is not to be shouldered tightly like a shotgun or high-powered rifle. And it works.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Don't grip the forearm like you would in a powder rifle. Just lay it in the palm of the hand and hold to the shoulder as lightly as possible.My XS28M break barrel shoots 14 gr pellets from 880 to 900 fps Crony and will stack them at 30 yds If I do my part. Being a Magnum,it's a little hard on my old arms to co-k,but worth the effort. Springers are picky about the ammo. Once you find what they like don't change. Mine tend to like solid round nose to hollow point pellets.

Can't believe they bleeped a perfectly good word.
 
#20 ·
Rx / hw90

I found the Theobald RX / HW90 a decade ago. It's an unreal gun. Expensive, yes! Worth it, Yes!!! Every penny. Quality is unreal. Totally adjustable. Power is outstanding. Accuracy is spectacular. I have dozens of guns. The old school RX1 or RX / HW90 is my favorite. It solves every need for target shooting, hunting and teaching youngsters how to shoot. It's so smooth. No twang or violent whip like a springer. It's as close to perfection as you can get. My $.02
 
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