is it weird to wonder why some people spend so much on some springers?

[Cactus Kurt]

The utilitarian nature of springers has great appeal.  Grab and go... one pump.  PCPs require ancillary devices in order to function.  I will agree that spending an additional $500+ on an already accurate springer to gain an extra 1% in performance may be overkill.  Personally, I wouldn't take a pristine, high-$ air rifle on a hunting trip for fear of damaging it.

[triggerfest]

 is it weird to wonder why some people spend so much on some PCP's ?

A trigger and a vinger, that's why I should a springer 

[Zelph]

Cheaper then women and more reliable.

[ac12]

Nothing is perfect.
Each has its pros and cons.
It is a matter of matching up what you want/need with the appropriate gun.

Example, I was perfectly happy with my SSP pistol, until my tendonitis cranked up.  Then I had to switch to a gas pistol (co2 in my case) to ease the stress and pain.  Now I have to deal with co2 gas and hydro testing the tank, which I did not have to deal with when shooting the SSP.
Same with my match rifles when I went from spring to CA/PCP. 
I would much rather NOT have the logistical hassles of gas (co2 and CA).  So they are a "necessary evil" to get the associated benefits.

[Tpatner412]

You can wonder all you want but at the end of the day, until you have shot a high end spring rifle, then you will not understand.  Those that have never had the honor of shooting an R9 or TX cannot know the true potential of a spring gun.  Personally, I am not a big fan of the full powered spring guns, by that I mean 1000 fps in .177 etc.  I like my HW30 and Slavia 631.  Two guns that will shoot just as well as the higher powered guns (out to a reasonable distance of course) and have no recoil because they just don't shoot that hard. 

Kind of like Manny said, outside of the Nitro piston part, I use my springers when I am looking to plink, or just punch paper.  They are a great stress reliever and are great to test your skills with.  When my PCP's come out(depending on which PCP actually) that is when I start to get serious about what I am doing, whether that be hunting or target shooting or FT. 

[Motorhead]

100% sex appeal is a Good Springer !   

[Novagun]

You Americans moan about the price of a springer!! $600 for a top end springer. Buy two. We pay 5 or 600 for a lousy Gamo. Value for money the worst deal in New Zealand. Not the worst gun some are worse.  Poor quality cheap build. But then again you must get different Hatsans than we do judging by the GTA comments. Good quality nicely built and half the price of a Gamo. Of  the few guns I have it is the CFX that disappoints me.

There is something about a springer especially a Diana or a Wiehrauch or a Hatsan. All guns that shoot well; enough recoil and noise to add some character to the event. Convenient to use in the garden or just ducking out to the workshop for a few quick shots.
Cock and fire- cock and fire- cock and fire. No ancilliary gear to make it go. A nice springer is a joy to hold, just makes old blokes feel good--- remember the hunting trip over the back fence in 1965.

PCPs-- wonderful machines; many of them are technically superb but some are just plain ugly. No character in the discharge. Not for me.

You might think I am biased --- correct.

[Joe A.]

i like the thought of not having to worry about air pressure....... for now lol

[AirScopes]

when some springers are at $600+ you have to wonder why people would spend so much on the older technology.

Just like GTA has The Dark Side... PCP and springers are mindsets. I had a really nice PCP, didn't mind the pumping, but almost never reached for it. Though it had adjustable power, it was really too powerful for my short-range pesting, too much for punching paper, and too bulky to not look both beautiful and menacing when I needed a shot out the window.

I've got some 10-meter target guns for springers (damped recoil, recoilless), Pneumatic and dual fuel. Love em for basement shooting. None cost more than $500, and the least expensive was about $75. PCP for the similar guns would run near $1000 at the bottom -- and on up to $4000, and that's without a filling solution. Cost has something to do with my choices there. I also don't know that I'd appreciate the finer points.

But I have to agree when you get around $600, you could own a decent PCP or an HW97k or TX200 or R9... It seems a little harder to justify... In that springer range the one different rifle I found was the RWS 54, which is a statement gun as far as design of a powerful springer goes. Very sorry to get rid of mine...

I prefer the springers for the simplicity, generally below $200, but the price range does raise more questions... Why own a $600 springer? it is, I think, for those who like the cadillac, mercedes, BMW, Lexus mentality of their cars. I drive a Honda Fit, by choice. If I had all the money, I might get something peculiar before I got something expensive. I only drove 4000 miles last year, and that was with a 600 mile trip at christmas... so cars dont do much for me. Most have 4 tires and a steering wheel and get you from here to there -- IF you can drive them. If i hunted anything beyond pests, the jump to PCP seems obvious at a certain point.

But then again is a $600 springer only the one you get out of the box? A $99 TF 89 with a full pro tune & trigger ($200), custom muzzle brake ($50) and fancy stock ($200) is right at that price point... And it is a personal thing -- which maybe you'd never be able to resell for half what you paid. It's a project and a different result in the same order.

I've tried a lot of springers from the biggest beasts to the most expensive to the least... "wimpy" target guns, kids toys, BB machines...One of the best guns I have left after a pretty big sell-off is a Norica Storm... Beautiful stock, well made, accurate, airstripper, easy-cocking...my pester. Got is used in a trade that worked well for both parties. About 1/4th the cost of those $600 guns, but just as beautiful and shooting as sweet. Considering the access I have to rifles and what I traded, it cost me about $111, and I'd stack it against anything 4 times the price. But that's me.

Richard

[uncle paulie]

Not to forget that many of us buy the "lower" end AG's because tearing into them adds another dimension to the experience! I fly r/c gliders that I build from scratch from my own designs. Without the building, it would not be as rewarding, and I save about 1k each!

pv

[Remo]

You Americans moan about the price of a springer!! $600 for a top end springer. Buy two. We pay 5 or 600 for a lousy Gamo. Value for money the worst deal in New Zealand. Not the worst gun some are worse.  Poor quality cheap build. But then again you must get different Hatsans than we do judging by the GTA comments. Good quality nicely built and half the price of a Gamo. Of  the few guns I have it is the CFX that disappoints me.

There is something about a springer especially a Diana or a Wiehrauch or a Hatsan. All guns that shoot well; enough recoil and noise to add some character to the event. Convenient to use in the garden or just ducking out to the workshop for a few quick shots.
Cock and fire- cock and fire- cock and fire. No ancilliary gear to make it go. A nice springer is a joy to hold, just makes old blokes feel good--- remember the hunting trip over the back fence in 1965.

PCPs-- wonderful machines; many of them are technically superb but some are just plain ugly. No character in the discharge. Not for me.

You might think I am biased --- correct.

While you're chiding us for whining about the cost of a high quality springer (usually imported from England or Germany), don't forget to admonish us for complaining about the similarly high cost of quality PCPs which, with few exceptions,  are also imported from across the pond.    Perhaps if Theoben UK was able to export more rifles to the US at better prices they would still be in business.  Unfortunately, in the airgun world of today, you gotta pay to play!

[Bentong]

It is what it is...what will be weird is why worry, be happy. Life is too short!

[Willie Malay]

I have a springer, a stock-pump, a Nitro Piston(2), and a PCP. They all have their own places. From a pure "devil's advocate" thought...why would anyone shoot a PCP, when an NP is so much more quiet?
The PCP is fun from a pure "put a pellet in and fire" prospective but it is pretty loud. Something you may not want at times. Personally I like them all

[Tyrantblade]

well, about needing to fill a PCP, not really an issue in smaller calibers and/or high air capacity models.

in above said PCP's you can get quite a good amount of shots (depending on caliber, power level, and air capacity) before needing to refill to stay at one POI, some models allow you to twist off a cylinder and replace it when the pressure gets too low and starts to shift POI.

as for noise, not an issue for a shrouded barrel of modest power level (usually about as much power as some of the most powerful Springers), and to a degree some PCPs with a screw on LDC or similar added, and there is always reworking a shroud or adding to it to reduce noise from stock guns.

so really it seems PCP is the winning platform with all this.

just my .02 though

[bobri]

As many have said, it's just a matter of personal taste.  I have springers and PCPs but like the springers more.  Same as with other things, some like automatic transmissions for their cars, some like to row a stick.  Some like Bud, other like Miller, still others won't touch either one.  Some like raised ranches, others like colonials.  Then there's blonds, reds, brunettes, rainbow?.  It goes on and on and there's generally nothing wrong with that.  I'm just glad to be in a still mostly free country where I can buy what I want without too much trouble, at least for now...

[MichaelM]

Pretty much agree with everything people have already said here... only thing I can add really is from a shooters perspective of skill....

A PCP will let you be about as sloppy as you want( except for bad trigger manners) and still put out good accuracy..... learning to shoot a springer well will increase your skills across ALL your shooting disciplines..... the absolute consistancy needed in your mount... from the position of your cheekweld and how much pressure you apply, to your grip positioning and how you put your physical structure behind the gun has to be exactly the same each and everytime to get the best out of yourself and your gun......

Those skills are the difference between "hey thats pretty good shooting" and "gracious how the *(&^ did you do that... not once but 10 times in a row..." with the same gun.....

[palonej]

Just look at, hold and shoot a TX, 97, etc and when the silly grin begins to show the question is answered.
Joe

[gandalfretlaw]

Sunday I competed in a small bore rifle match (22LR). This was my second match and I'm starting to get used to it. I haven't done any practice between the matches but did shoot some air rifle one afternoon. Anyway, my best group was 1/2" at 50 feet prone 50 out of 50 with two bulls-eyes. My worst scores are sitting/kneeling. I've not practiced that at all and it's unfamiliar and clunky. Overall I did 333/400 with three bulls and it included two speed rounds. I had a jam during one that really messed me up.

Anyway; I'm certain that my shooting skills have improved from my backyard plinking and competition.

There is a ten minute warm up, sight in, unlimited shot at the start. After two nice groups of five shot I started shooting off the push pins holding up the target. I almost got my target to fall off, but one of the pins exploded leaving the steel shaft and I couldn't see the shaft through the scope. I feel like that if I really concentrate with my rifle I can put two slugs down the same hole, but repeating that in competition is difficult.

[birdmove]

   I fully admit that I have never shot a high quality spring piston rifle. I have owned 3. I still have a cheap Beeman takedown rifle in .177. I had 2 B-3s. The second was a warranty replacement for the first one. They were &^^&. I have two multi-pumps and two C)2 powered (12 gram metal cartridges). My Remington Airmaster, my Crosman Custom Shop 2400 CO2 carbine, and now, my super cheapo Daisy Model 35 multi pump are all able to shoot 0.0" center to center groups at 10 yards from a rest (these are best groups-not groups I can do every time). The Daisy is with open sights, and is a smooth bore BB/pellet shooter. With my Beeman I have a group of 5/8", and it was as hard to get that group as it was to get the "perfect" groups with the other guns.
    I don't need a magnum air gun. I only care about accuracy. I bought the Daisy to be able to shoot cheap BBs without having to worry about degrading the rifling. I wasn't expecting much as far as accuracy, but with the Crosman Destroyer pellets I got my 0.0" group with open sights with a $35.00 air gun!! It also shoots Crosman Premier wadcutters almost as well.
    I would like an accurate spring piston rifle. It would need to be quiet, accurate, reliable, and easy to shoot. I think I may get an Air Venturi Bronco that is known for these traits and has a fine trigger. If I can't shoot that thing consistently well, then it will be my last springer. The CO2 rifles and multi-pumps are so easy to shoot.

[jusanothajoe]

Before I got my TX,  the only real good groups I could shoot were all one shot groups