How Long To Stay Loaded With A Springer?

[Malt 379]

Spring issues aside, you should always take the safety aspect of a cocked air gun into consideration as well. Safety catches aren't always infallible.. Why keep it cocked for hours? IMO you should treat a cocked air rifle like an unbroken and loaded shotgun..

[ghillies 209]

Spring issues aside, you should always take the safety aspect of a cocked air gun into consideration as well. Safety catches aren't always infallible.. Why keep it cocked for hours? IMO you should treat a cocked air rifle like an unbroken and loaded shotgun..

 

it maybe the 'your sat their weighting' for like 2 hours, do you uncock the gun or leave it cocked and wait, a sods law thing often happens, as you uncock the pigions land the squirrels run out and stop there, even a rabbit came out to sun bath lol... then as you recock they hear it and everything runs off..... actualy bin there a few times.

 

i used yo unxock every 40 mins or so (sat on your own that means 30- 60 mins randomly lol).

 

that artickle earlier seems to say dont worry about it all if i read it right. (but it did say it depends on the spring and how well it fitted)

[Malt 379]

I just think its a bad habit to get into sat with a loaded and cocked gun for hours at a time, you could start to get complacent after a while.

[ghillies 209]

I just think its a bad habit to get into sat with a loaded and cocked gun for hours at a time, you could start to get complacent after a while.

 

thats why any gun is a loaded gun...that needs drumming in more than any other aspect of shooting.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Agreed, but sometimes when you're stalking a pesky little blighter of a magpie that keeps moving around just out of range, the springer stays cocked to avoid scaring it away. Time flies when you're having fun!

 

Ghillies, sounds like your springer might have had a problem already if it lost that much power so quickly.

[pianoman 3,587]

I just think its a bad habit to get into sat with a loaded and cocked gun for hours at a time, you could start to get complacent after a while.

This is where self-discipline comes in and you keep yourself aware of you rifle's cocked and loaded condition at all times in the shooting field. Even if you have to actually remind yourself. There is no place nor excuse for complacency with any rifle or firearm.

 

But to answer the O.Ps question objectively. Yes, you can leave the rifle on cock for considerable lengths of time without harm to the spring. But you must be aware once you cock it, that it is now, truly unsafe.

[ghillies 209]

Agreed, but sometimes when you're stalking a pesky little blighter of a magpie that keeps moving around just out of range, the springer stays cocked to avoid scaring it away. Time flies when you're having fun!

 

Ghillies, sounds like your springer might have had a problem already if it lost that much power so quickly.

5 inch of compresion just to get it in? lol

[mark williams 7,563]

I agree with the statements of being able to leave a spring rifle cocked for long periods, though on a personal note, if i`m concealed in a hide or stalking, i much, much prefer a multishot pcp.

I shoot for the head as much as possible and will be the first to say that a miss can result in the quarry still staying put but is now on "Full Alert" !!! - try re- cocking a springer, reloading a pellet,closing the gun up and now readjust yourself to shoot again - ITS GONE.

I shoot for the head with my HW100 KT and if a miss happens and the quarry stays put, i`m reloaded with the movement of one finger,whilst concealed, in a split second.

Magpies/ crows for instance, if i shoot one his mate will go mad and hang around a few seconds and will get shot with the use of multi shot pcp.

With a springer getting reloaded, raised arm, CLICK,pull down, CLICK,ruffle your pocket for a pellet, reload, close, CLICK, adjust, aim, GONE long ago.

 

 

Just my humble opinion

 

atb

Edited April 26, 2014 by mark williams

[RemyBolt 420]

Brilliant feedback everyone.

 

I'm loving my springer and I do agree that for commercial reasons, a PCP would be a much wiser option, no doubt.

 

But I'm only doing pest control for a few friends on their farms, and working on my fieldcraft as much as possible. So the whole springer, stalking, style bag is so appealing!

 

Really appreciate everyone taking the time to answer this one, and it's great to get a lot of first hand experience too.

 

Thank you everyone.