A few questions for Springer enthusiasts. 1. Do you shoot in competition? 2. Do you shoot only at targets? 3. Do you hunt with your Springer's? If so your go to rifles.
I don't do competition, shoot at targets several times a week and hunt when opportunities arise. I have four go to models of rifles for hunting.
Hatsan Carnivore or 130QE .30 The 125 in .22 or .25 150 sniper vortex .22 Xisico XS-28M
Six rockchucks Friday morning with the 135 Carnivore.
A few questions for Springer enthusiasts. 1. Do you shoot in competition? 2. Do you shoot only at targets? 3. Do you hunt with your Springer's? If so your go to rifles.
I don't do competition, shoot at targets several times a week and hunt when opportunities arise. I have four go to models of rifles for hunting...
Hi, all good questions!
1. I've never shot in a competition. However, I did have some good success before, shooting some small spinner targets at 50 yards, using one of my R1's. So, maybe the two of us would have had a chance in Hunter FT or Piston Class. (???).
2,3. I used to shoot at targets, and I used to hunt. In fact, personally, I don't see how you can do what's considered to be proper, humane hunting without doing some serious target practice from time to time. In my case, my hunting was limited to squirrels.
My go-to hunting springers in the past were a Marksman 70 with the upgraded trigger unit (kind of like a Beeman R10), a couple of R1's (all in assorted calibers), and an RWS52 in .22 caliber, all of them tuned.
All of those guns got sold when I needed some cash in a hurry, to move.
However, I now have a fully-tuned RWS 34 Panther T05 in .22 caliber. Although I stopped hunting years ago, with its power and accuracy, I feel sure my 34 could do well with small game hunting as well as targets.
I just don't need to hunt to put meat on the table. However, if that ever changed, I'd probably go back to squirrel hunting again. FWIW, though, my choice of convenient hunting spots isn't nearly as good as it used to be.
A few questions for Springer enthusiasts. 1. Do you shoot in competition? 2. Do you shoot only at targets? 3. Do you hunt with your Springer's? If so your go to rifles.
I shoot my TX200 in Field Target competition
I shoot targets with this rifle on my home range out to 55 yards
I typically don't hunt with the TX200, but if a chipmunk, squirrel or rabbit shows up on my home range...
For pesting, I go to my Marauder PCP, because it has a ten-shot clip.
I have never shot competitively, but fortunately have enough outdoor property to shoot on, as well as a 42 foot indoor basement range, so I have the luxury of being able to shoot almost anytime I choose (indoors a lot due to weather conditions).
Outdoors, I like shooting various reactive targets... I have an area where I shoot where I marked off the yardages from 0 to 80 yards... and there is still plenty of room after the 80 yards, if desired.
I like shooting field targets, spinning targets, bell targets, empty steel cans, and aluminum cans... when my son was younger, we would set up the fast food kid's "happy meal" toys that he accumulated, and have a blast shooting them !
Indoors, I mainly shoot paper targets using homemade box pellet traps stuffed with rags, or my metal pan filled with electricians' duct seal... I also have an RWS metal magnetic duck pellet trap, that I shoot at with certain airguns, limiting that to lower powered models.
I don't hunt, but occasionally have to eliminate some chipmunks running amok !
I have a lot of squirrels running around, since I live on a large wooded lot, but as long as they are not destructive, I live them alone... I enjoy watching them, constantly foraging for food !
My favorite springers are (not in any particular order):
Yes Sonnysam has a really nice collection. Only they are not springer's listed, they are gas rams. While his advice is as solid as it gets, gas rams behave a little different than a spring version of the save gun. I once lived in a far off land called youth and ignorance, and had a original English stocked Webley C1 carbine in .22. I shot many thousands of pellets though it. I really loved that gun. 10 years after getting it and enjoying it, I decided to have the Master Dave Slade install a gas ram. To cut to the point. Dave did a great job as he always do's. After shooting for about a year I sold it. Remember I once lived in a far off land called youth and ignorance. The firing cycle had changed, it was sharper and the English stock was no longer as fun to shoot.
A few questions for Springer enthusiasts. 1. Do you shoot in competition? 2. Do you shoot only at targets? 3. Do you hunt with your Springer's? If so your go to rifles.
I don't do competition, shoot at targets several times a week and hunt when opportunities arise. I have four go to models of rifles for hunting.
Hatsan Carnivore or 130QE .30 The 125 in .22 or .25 150 sniper vortex .22 Xisico XS-28M
Six rockchucks Friday morning with the 135 Carnivore.
#1. Hunter class field target matches are part of my airgunning outings.
#2. I don't hunt as much as I did when living in WV several years ago so almost all my shooting is simply casual target shooting and an occasional field target match.
#3. Yep, used to often hunt squirrels when living in West Virginia. At that time my shooting an averaged 10,000 CPLs a year (almost a 1250 count box per month). My main reason for starting airgunning was for squirrel hunting. LOL, even the field target matches I attend are a way to do some "squirrel sniping practice" during the off-season and I use the same equipment and similar techniques for both field target and squirrel hunting. I've only used .177 Beeman R9 or my .177 HW95 for all shooting during the past decade or so.
I have been watching this thread for some time and am curious why more folks are NOT shooting competition.
Yes, I shoot competition. Depending on the location (read "elevation") I will shoot springer, because I like shooting springers.
I need to clarify; at elevations of 3500 feet or lower, I will shoot piston. Above that (Mormon Lake) I will shoot PCP. Love 'em both
I don't just shoot target, but have hunted with both piston and PCP. Taken out a ton of pigeons and a bunch of cottontails.
My go to piston gun is Miss Diana, my Diana 54, short stroked by CCA and amazingly accurate at 12 fpe. Also use my TX200 at 12fpe but shoot both in open piston instead of WFTF.
Like Cameron, I will shoot piston wherever I can, but will also shoot PCP if desired/needed. If you want to become a better, more ethical hunter, shoot field target competition. It is FUN, it will challenge you, and you will get to know your equipment intimately, and know your limitations.
Like Cameron, I shoot mainly field target with my springers all .177 cal. and factory internals - LGU, HW97K STL & TX200HC. All of them have custom made stocks for field target shooting. I have 101 knock down field targets in my personal collection that I practice with and some I keep as mantle pieces. I run field target matches as well.
I do like watching the birds, squirrels and rabbits go about their business feeding while I am shooting/practicing in my backyard.
During hunting season, I will take a head shot at a squirrel at 45 yards - DRT.
Dunno where this is going, but I'll "take a shot" at it, LOL!
1.- I DO shoot competitively. Always have. Without the training of shooting under pressure, IMHO, there is little to prepare you for more serious shooting pursuits.
2.- "Only" has many different ways of being understood. FT is one form of target, Metallic Silhouette is another, Olympic Match is another, Paper punching is another, each have their own challenges and nuances, and they all provide some positive aspect / angle to enhance your marksmanship.
3.- Yes. I've hunted with MSP's for the challenge, and even PCP's, specially when hunting "dangerous" game (as in 100 lbs feral dogs), or needing to take out something specific at distances that the my 0.20" DIANA 54 would be a poor/unethical choice.
For competition, my "Goto" gun is a short stroked DIANA 54 in 0.177" cal.
As a gunsmith, I shoot a LOT of airguns, but there are VERY FEW that are TRULY MINE, and I believe the adage "Beware the man with one gun . . .".