Springer loading question.

[talfryn]

I have had airguns for years and just purchased my first springer. The manual and all I have read say to cock the gun and then insert the pellet. Keep your hand away from the trigger. Take care not get you fingers in a position where they could be hurt if the barrel bear traps. That makes perfect sense.
I have been breaking the barrel open enough to expose the breech and inserting a pellet and then cock the gun. Is this wrong? My hands are never near the breech with the gun cocked. What am I missing?
For reference my first serious airgun was a Crosman 160 Rifle bought new.

-Tal

[BenjiHunter]

That will work just fine.
 I do that when I hunt rats with my springer.
Downside is, sometimes when you cock it the pellet flies out.

[gamo2hammerli]

For me...my left hand grab the barrel and break it open....and it never lets go of the barrel.  The butt of the stock is wedged on the hip and upper-leg joint (Whether standing or sitting).  I load with the right hand.  I've shot more than 25,000 rounds (10,000+ with the Gamo Big Cat alone....so it's possible I've even shot more) the last 5 years...and never once have any barrel snapped shut unexpectedly on me.  Knock on wood.

[SpringerForever]

For me...my left hand grab the barrel and break it open....and it never lets go of the barrel.  The butt of the stock is wedged on the hip and upper-leg joint (Whether standing or sitting).  I load with the right hand.  I've shot more than 25,000 rounds (10,000+ with the Gamo Big Cat alone....so it's possible I've even shot more) the last 5 years...and never once have any barrel snapped shut unexpectedly on me.  Knock on wood.

I've only been back in AGing for ~3 months now & I've been doing just the opposite. Your post made me realize I've been doing it backwards. Just mimed the motion for both techniques & yours is far more efficient. At least for a right handed shooter like me.

Thanks for the tip!

+25K pellets! Now that's some serious shooting!

[ac12]

I do similar to G2H.
I pull the barrel down with my left hand till it engages, and I HOLD ON TO THE BARREL, then I load with my right hand (still holding the barrel with my left hand), then I close the barrel.

As G2H, I NEVER NEVER let go of the barrel/cocking lever, until I close the breech.  If my left hand grip does not feel quite right, I use my right hand to hold the barrel while I get a better grip with my left hand.  Or I close the barrel and start over.  Mechanical things can fail, so I don't want the barrel/cocking lever to go flying up.  I value my fingers a LOT.

I have one rifle, Slavia 631, that has a loose chamber.  If I load first, then cock, the pellet could fall out.  But that is the only rifle with a chamber that loose.

[Petey]

I crack the action only enough to load the pellet. Then re-grip and cock fully and close.
Your digits will never be in harms way using this method. Good luck trying to hold back a barrel or the stock if a mishap should occur. Been there done that and saved myself from harm because the pellet was already in the breech and my hands were out of the way.

JMTCW,
HAppy Shootin!
Petey

[gnef]

I do like most of you for loading.

I did read of a post a while ago where he had an accident, and the barrel locked up on his hand, and I think took a chunk of his finger or thumb with it. Be careful!

[White Eagle]

For me...my left hand grab the barrel and break it open....and it never lets go of the barrel.  The butt of the stock is wedged on the hip and upper-leg joint (Whether standing or sitting).  I load with the right hand.

Exactly the way I do it.

[ac12]

Petey
I'm goina try your method the next time.
Anything to make it safer is worth a try.

[silent_airman]

As far as which hand does what, I switch hands if one arm gets tired. Basically I begin with my left hand on the barrel and doing the cocking, then reverse to give that arm a rest. Back and forth I go. If I am sitting I rest the butt on the ground, usually on a piece of cardboard to keep dirt off. If standing I jam the butt into my hip.

[silent_airman]

For me...my left hand grab the barrel and break it open....and it never lets go of the barrel.  The butt of the stock is wedged on the hip and upper-leg joint (Whether standing or sitting).  I load with the right hand.  I've shot more than 25,000 rounds (10,000+ with the Gamo Big Cat alone....so it's possible I've even shot more) the last 5 years...and never once have any barrel snapped shut unexpectedly on me.  Knock on wood.

25,000? In 5 years?  Holy mackeral! I'm 55 and I doubt I've fired 25,000 rounds in all my guns combined in my entire life lol. You shoot in your sleep? 

[gandalfretlaw]

I put the butt on my left hip, supporting the gun with my left arm. Pop the barrel with my right then cock it. At this point the barrel is right by my left hand and I grab it and hold while loading with the right hand. Then flip it up with the right hand. At no point is the barrel not held. That's what I've got used to doing.

[sperho]

25,000? In 5 years?  Holy mackeral! I'm 55 and I doubt I've fired 25,000 rounds in all my guns combined in my entire life lol. You shoot in your sleep? 

I wish I could shoot in my sleep...  I've put about 8 to 10k through the guns in the past 6 months...  About half in springers and half in PCPs...  But I've only had a PCP for about 3 months...  They EAT pellets!  Probably when I'm not even shooting them, too!  Gotta put some ding dongers in where I store the guns...

[sperho]

I put the butt on my left hip, supporting the gun with my left arm. Pop the barrel with my right then cock it. At this point the barrel is right by my left hand and I grab it and hold while loading with the right hand. Then flip it up with the right hand. At no point is the barrel not held. That's what I've got used to doing.

That's exactly how I cock and load both break barrels and underlevers...  I'm right handed...

OP:  if you have enough access to the breech to insert a pellet before cocking it (not all guns do), then that's a pretty safe way of doing things...  I don't see anything wrong with it...

[robert w]

the only time I didn't hold the barrel when cocking and im sayin years of cocking, wouldn't you know the barrel snaped shut ruining a new stoeger x5 . lucily they just gave me a new gun no ? asked. didn't get hurt but I figured it was a message to never forget . I hold the arm on my side lever and ubder lever when loading too as the gun can fail at any time . its just like the safety on a gun its there for everybodys safety but I don't rely on it alone . holding on to the barrel or cocking lever is just good common sence

[Gesshoku]

I do like most of you for loading.

I did read of a post a while ago where he had an accident, and the barrel locked up on his hand, and I think took a chunk of his finger or thumb with it. Be careful!

Yup, that was me... I had everything perfect, never let go of the barrel, butt resting tightly against my leg/hip... Same motion I've done 1000x before, except this time the Mother-in-law yelled at something that scared her behind me and when I instinctively turned to see what it was, the butt slid off my leg and the anti-bear trap mech. failed and caused it to spin in air and bite a "V" outta the end of my thumb. Took 3mo. for it to heal up. Was too wide to stitch and too much meat missing. Healed better than expected but still have nerve damage 

Long story short, hold it right, hold it tight, and who cares what the in-law yells at! LMBO