Do You Hunt With A Springer?

[RemyBolt 420]

I'm really getting into my fieldcraft skills, and I'm loving my little springer a lot at the moment (whom would have thought I'd ever move away from ratting haha). Well, I'm looking at loads of videos on youtube and learning as much as I can while I'm waiting for my FAC to go through.

 

With my FAC and SCG going through, I couldn't justify buying a new PCP just for a month or 2 before I get my certs.

 

So I'm out practicing my fieldcraft with a springer.

 

Do you go out with a springer, and if so, how do you find it's a different experience from using a PCP or CO2?

[pianoman 3,587]

Spring rifles are truly superb hunting arms. Accurate as the most expensive PCP. Never runs out of puff, shrugs off the extremes of the weather and are utterly consistent and reliable. I have a beautiful Daystate Huntsman Regal .177. It makes for a superb bird gun and can knock out a pigeon clean at 50 yards. But, it cannot hold a candle to what my spring rifles are capable of against fur as well as feather.

 

I will never waste my money on a PCP air rifle again, when I have a collection of spring rifles as good as they are.

[RemyBolt 420]

That's cool. Thank you.

 

I'm getting my FAC soon, so in the intermediary, I'm contemplating getting a PCP, but I can't justify the price. However, I'm watching on youtube and everyone seems to be using a PCP, so I'm wondering if the springer was a 'dead trade' sort of tool.

[mattwhite 1,993]

I can only echo what pianoman said. If you buy a quality one they are every bit as accurate as a pcp and offer just as much whollop on fur and feather.

[Darkie69 76]

I've got agree with Simon and Matt on this one. A good brand springer in the right hands will shoot just as accurate as any PCP once you master the recoil effect and can consistently hit the target with the desired effect/ outcome.

[andrew macmillan 8]

I'm really getting into my fieldcraft skills, and I'm loving my little springer a lot at the moment (whom would have thought I'd ever move away from ratting haha). Well, I'm looking at loads of videos on youtube and learning as much as I can while I'm waiting for my FAC to go through.

 

With my FAC and SCG going through, I couldn't justify buying a new PCP just for a month or 2 before I get my certs.

 

So I'm out practicing my fieldcraft with a springer.

 

Do you go out with a springer, and if so, how do you find it's a different experience from using a PCP or CO2?

Hi RemyBolt

I have an Airarms S200(co2) .177 and an wh77(springer).22 and the only difference i can note is the Airarms pellet travels flatter and a lot further but that's down to the calibre i think?! I took a rabbit at 30 yards with the wh77 it was a head on shot which travelled the length of it's body and exited at its hip which goes to show the power in a good .22 springer.

 

Happy shooting mate.

 

Andy.

[mattybugeye 884]

Another +1 on pianomans post

Springers are excellent after a little tune ive had them as consistent some better than pcp‘s ive owned

Don't get me wrong cant beat a decent multishot pcp but nothing better than a wander with a Springer

[treecreeper 1,136]

if you can shoot a springer the only advantages of a pcp for hunting is the noise and multi shot(unless you have a multi shot springer) possibly less weight depending on the guns.

Edited April 23, 2014 by treecreeper

[mark williams 7,557]

PCP all the way for me, I have shot springers for 40 odd years and after getting the HW `s in both calibres I don't think I would want a springer again.

I remember last summer , sat in a hide bored with the slow morning. I ranged a large cow pat at 36 yds, raised my HW 100 KT .177, and soon got bored swatting biters shot on shot.

It`s each to their own I suppose, my local gunsmith says over 85% of his gun sales are pcp`s. At my range at least 85% of guns used are pcp`s.

Out in the wilds I have improved my game bags by using pcp`s.

If I was using a springer instead of the HW 100 KT in the picture (left) I think the two Magpies would hear the slightest "click", "click" of a springer being cocked and closed ready and would not be in that picture !

 

Just my humble opinion.

atb.

Edited April 23, 2014 by mark williams

[webster 90]

if your going down the FAC route i can highly recommend the hw80 in FAC they are a joy too shoot i don't own one but i would love too , i have shot the in FAC and 12 flb and think you would be daft not too take a look at an 80k

 

just my thoughts mate but I'm sure they are shared by other on this forum

[bigmac 97kt 13,796]

I hunt with both and often take both with me i love shooting the hw97k and when i had the famous CROW SPORT well my post,s speak for them self's on that one but if im honest i shoot the raider a lot more atvbmac :thumbs:

[RemyBolt 420]

Cool. Really appreciate the info guys.

 

When finances improve, I might opt for a PCP for a trial, but after my FAC and SGC come in and get filled up. So at the moment...I'm sticking springer.

[roosika 110]

I have got my first pcp s410f and to be honest I like using my old springers and I'm going to get another something mid price range , all have the same power around about and all as accurate depending on the shorter but all can take small game . And going into FAC you may as well get a .22 rim fire and pay 200 max for a mint cz or something

[j j m 6,540]

I chop and change all the time between pcps and springers, but I always go back to a nice spring gun they were what I was brought up with as a kid

[The one 8,481]

I put a springer in the car when we go lamping in case anything happens to the air arms and we usually have a few shots with it at the end of the evening but after shooting all night with the air arms you really notice the noise difference