What caused you to get into airguns?

[35 shooter]

I love the shoot anytime anywhere low noise aspect of airgunning! Also the low cost of shooting them, which should get even cheaper when I get a 22 pellet mold!

My main deer hunting woods were clear cut about 3 years ago, so I switched to squirrel hunting small patches of woods close by, and have had a ball with my 392, 1377, and 880 pumpers.
Got a new 397 to go after them with this coming season.....gonna send the 392 off for steroid treatment soon I think!

[Dead Springer]

Squirrels in the attic!  Turns out I wasn't crazy, there really were squirrels in my attic.  Once I saw the damage they did to wiring, insulation, soffits, etc., they had to go!  1st step was to reinforce my gutter line with galvanized metal, but the 2nd step was to control my yard population.  I mentioned to my dad that my yard was overrun with squirrels and he said "you know that old pellet gun you had as a kid is still in the basement..."  Enter back in my life a very old Crosman 766 from the 70's.  It didn't work anymore, but brought back a ton of memories.  Still needed a solution, so headed to Walmart and came home with a cheap magnum springer.  Of course, I could not hit anything with it.  Learning online why I couldn't hit anything with it has sent me down the rabbit hole ever since.

The 766 is also the answer to another post - Which airgun would you never sell? - It has been with me for 40 years!  I've restored it to working condition, don't shoot it much but still there for nostalgia.

[dan_house]

my neighbors and the sheriff seriously objecting top the Win308 going off in the side yard.........

[Kels73]

My father got me into airguns at a young age. During my early teens, I learned how to shoot on his Crosman 760 Pumpmaster and 1377 American Classic. As I got older, he introduced me to the world of European springers.

I set my airguns aside for a few years as powder burners moved to the forefront of my shooting, but I eventually returned to the quiet, simplicity, and sheer fun of springers and PCPs.

In terms of the volume of shooting that I currently do, airguns take first place, followed by rimfire, with centerfire coming in a distant third. I don't see that changing.   

[Dbez1]

In terms of the volume of shooting that I currently do, airguns take first place, followed by rimfire, with centerfire coming in a distant third. I don't see that changing.

That’s about the same for me. I do shoot rimfire bench rest  matches on Monday nights, but I shoot my airguns almost every day.

[paulinkansas]

There is a refinery in my town. I rent furnished houses to travelling refinery contractors.  23 rentals total.  Welders, pipefitters, boilermakers and the like.  My biggest house is a 3 story house with 4 bathrooms, 8 beds, a jacuzzi, 2 washers, 3 dryers and a kegorator.  It's rented 4-6 months per year.  It's a big house, and all kinds of pests like starlings, pigeons and squirrels like to make it their home.  I can arm most of the people on a football team, but I can't shoot a firearm in the city limits.  So I bought a 10 pump .177 pellet gun a few years ago.  Last month I upgraded to a .22 NP.  There is a vacant lot next door, and I spread birdseed in it as bait.

[Ozman]

Now, thing of it is I lost all faith in any PCP because eventually an overhaul is necessary and it's like replacing an entire transmission in an auto car instead of a clutch.

What does this mean? What overhaul is inevitable? O-ring replacements?

[subscriber]

I started with airguns by being interested in shooting firearms, but being too young to own one. That was 45 years ago.  Now I like airguns for cheap practice.

[Nod]

When I moved into this house it was in the country surrounded by cornfields. I used my .357 to thin out the rabbits. Then I got a few neighbors and switched to my .22 rifle. Then the "dang" city moved down this way so I needed to go quieter, hence my D34 & Marauder .25 ! Still fun but I miss the smell of gunpowder.

[Duckfish]

From the time I could watch tv I shot somthing.  The Lone Ranger was my idol.  Started with a little bow just like The Indians.  I kept shooting the arrows into the sticker bush in front of my house and my mom got tired of buying new arrows.  So she got me a Daisy rifle. 

[Bicycleman]

From the time I could watch tv I shot somthing.  The Lone Ranger was my idol.  Started with a little bow just like The Indians.  I kept shooting the arrows into the sticker bush in front of my house and my mom got tired of buying new arrows.  So she got me a Daisy rifle.

Jay Silverheels (aka "Tonto")   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Silverheels

[Dbez1]

From the time I could watch tv I shot somthing.  The Lone Ranger was my idol.  Started with a little bow just like The Indians.  I kept shooting the arrows into the sticker bush in front of my house and my mom got tired of buying new arrows.  So she got me a Daisy rifle.

You’re of my vintage...The Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Sky King, Burgess Story Books, The Hardy Boys, Boys Life with the Marlin .22 stories, but we can’t leave out the 3 Stooges Lol🤣.

[young_skywalker]

I was wondering what initiated some of you to begin shooting airguns and what was your first PCP?

Chardo Smith invited me to the regular 10m silhouette match at Oil Capital in Tulsa after another event that day. I had no idea of what was about to happen. I had always enjoyed marksmanship and plinking, but the cost of ammo was just daunting and seemed wasteful.

My first PCP was an AirForce Edge, purchased from Hairsmith at the the TX show a few years ago. It was justified as being for my young daughters to have a relatively indestructible tool that would still be very accurate. I've had many 39's with springers, 10m guns, PCPs, all the like. Its the only gun I've scored a 40/40 (and I was using peeps!).

My collection has grown and I've actually had to cull a few that I just didn't have passion for.

[young_skywalker]

Now I like airguns for cheap practice.

Excellent point - I can't think of a cheaper way to get some trigger time.

[young_skywalker]

No competitions for pellet guns around here but lots of bow shoots.

Bow people and airgun people should be friends! We didn't have a local match either and eventually worked our way in to Outdoor America in Springdale, AR. They've got 50y max indoor range and room to store our cabinets when not in use. Also, FT matches would pair very well with something already setup for 3D due to distances and proximity (not using their targets, of course).

There are more of us out there than you think...just start spreading the word!

[Dbez1]

No competitions for pellet guns around here but lots of bow shoots.

There are more of us out there than you think...just start spreading the word!

I’ve been trying but it seems to be a hard sell. I’ve had a little success with 2 guys getting into the sport. Everyone is impressed with the accuracy and they have fun shooting my guns, but are reluctant to commit.

[Doomsword]

Kind of a tuff question.....

Like practically every kid (boy no sexism implied, simpy the time frame) who grew up in Mayberry, I started with a Daisy. A good friend had a Blue Streak but I could only afford a 760. Killed a ton of rats at the local MFA feed store but I always lusted after that Blue Streak. Started with a .22 PB at seven years of age (still have it) but kept that 760 thru my teen years and beyond. Always had it but airguns took a way back seat for years and years. Then fifteen years ago my wife bought me a Gamo break barrel in .177 cal. Shot it some but only as a toy or for funsies. Never shot much past 25 yards and never took a shot at any manner of game. Then civilization encroached upon my little piece of America. A road went thru. Everyone painted their fence posts purple. I experienced a compound fracture to my foot. Rimfire .22 caliber ammo took a raise. A ten week mandatory medical leave. So the remedy was a 1377 bone stock. Then I toted the Gamo back out. Then a Mod34 Diana. Then I brought out the forgotten 880's I had bought for the four kids. Then a 2100. Then a Benjiman 392 then a D24 in .22 caliber. Then a late model Streak. Then the one I should have, maybe did wait on - a rocker safety Streak.

So in the beginning, it was the culture and fortune of growing up in God's Country. As an adult, perhaps it was due to a bride who accepted my need to sling lead downrange. Or perhaps it was the fact that the solitude of the country was no longer solitary. Or maybe the matter of breaking my foot. The desire for accuracy and Old World craftsmanship. The re-routing of state roads. Perhaps I hoped to recreate the days of my youth. Or maybe I was simply hoping to satisfy my lust for a Blue Streak. . . . . .

Who knows and really, I ask myself, what does it matter? I still shoot .22 caliber powder burners when I am seriously squirrel hunting. I have always used various centerfire or black powder rifles for larger game. Still, if you count rounds down range and not grains of lead down range - - - - it would be the All-American pumper in the guise of a Sheridan Blue Streak in .20 caliber.

So for me, there is no definitive answer but the short answer would be - . - . A Broken Foot when I could not drive to a secluded location. I guess you can disregard the price of .22cal ammo, noise, neighbors, squirrels or other small pests, cost (paid way more for the D34 than for the Rem 700 -06).

OR PERHAPS it was the search for the perfect method of sending the mineral lead down range.....and I found the grail from the 1960's: a Sheridan, rocker safety Blue Streak. Honest-to-gosh - - - it just don't get any better, at least in the realm of Life's Enjoyment.

Truthfully, whatever the reason you got into airguns is for sure and for certain, reason enough....

John

[Vmaxpro]

I was 10 and my dad handed me a beeman r10, it was over!!!

[Oldgringo]

In a word: age.  My bad back doesn't like for me to walk or stand.  With my airguns, I can step out the back door onto the covered patio sit at my bench and shoot out to 30 yards to my heart's content.

In two words: previous administration.

[AKM]

Ground squirrels and pocket gophers.
I live on a couple of acres with a seasonal creek within city limits. When the 10 acres next to got developed every squirrel and gopher decided to come live at my place. Way to many for the bobcats and coyotes to handle.