Airgun Technologies The Future of Springers – Are We Still in the Game?

[Bear-of-Grayling]

There has always been a great divide in air-gunners. Target and Plinking. For decades the “true” Target shooters went after the best. FWB, Walther, Diana, etc. These companies also made good quality Springers for the less than dead serious target shooters. These Springers were well made and cheap to moderate in price. Pathetic knock offs were the only thing cheaper. The industry changed. Along comes the PCP. Powerful, lightweight, silent. But with baggage. The Springer in both Target and Plinker took it on the nose. Nothing left in the Target Springer. Most of the better quality Plinking Springers are also gone. Not much left. The pathetic Springer has gotten much better though. Seems this is the dim future of the ever shrinking Springer market.

 

[eeler1]

Consider the pumper, benjamin, sheridan, crosman pumpups, now diana, dragonfly, etc. Really have no place in modern airgunworld. Lots of effort to shoot. Lower power than most pcp and springers. No hi-tech look. Not particularly accurate. Hard to scope. Yet, have maintained a small segment of the airgun market. By not trying to compete with 1300fps Gamo springers or pcp rifles.

Springers are going the same way, but with a wider variety of quality, cost, etc. Manufacturers have gone overboard in trying to compete with pcp power and accuracy, hence the aformentioned 1300fps Gamo. I'm thinking of the old Diana 22-27 rifles, intuitive, plenty accurate, easy to cock and shoot, plenty of power within reasonable airgun distances, light weight. Nobody makes anything like these anymore. But would be excellent entry level guns, especially for smaller/younger shooters. There will always be the higher end springers, and the false promise of power from others, but the sweet shooters of yesteryear might be the best way to keep springers relevant to more people.

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

No need for longbows or recurves in the compound archery market, too, right?

 

[beerthief]

I do not see a AA,TX200 or an HW 97 going into oblivion

 

[Vana2]

I think that springers will always be around, that they are close to the peak of their development doesn't mean that they are going away anytime soon. PCPs are a different animal minding its own business and following its own path.

Like stick bows, recurves, compounds and crossbows or bait-castering, spinning and fly fishing, there's no competition between the different disciplines and there's no danger of one making the others obsolete.

I use all the equipment listed above and after listening carefully at the gun cabinet, have no heard a single complaint from the PCPs and springers that reside there.

Don't know why people are concerned, there's no conflict of interest between springers and PCPs. I enjoy both.

Cheers!

 

[borne2fly]

My love of springers stems from three basic things …. simplicity, portability, and ease of rebuilding. I loosely compare it to bolt action rifles, which still have their place even in a world dominated by carbines.

 

[beerthief]

I think that springers will always be around, that they are close to the peak of their development doesn't mean that they are going away anytime soon. PCPs are a different animal minding its own business and following its own path.

Like stick bows, recurves, compounds and crossbows or bait-castering, spinning and fly fishing, there's no competition between the different disciplines and there's no danger of one making the others obsolete.

I use all the equipment listed above and after listening carefully at the gun cabinet, have no heard a single complaint from the PCPs and springers that reside there.

Don't know why people are concerned, there's no conflict of interest between springers and PCPs. I enjoy both.

Cheers!

Perfectly stated !

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

Just my $.02 to get the subject finished.

 

[JaketheMeatGOD]

This is my POV on springers.
I don't like springers in some areas and like them in some other areas.
I use airguns primarily for hunting wild game, and I like long-range shooting, so the issue is:
With springers, you can't shoot any farther than 50m with hunting accuracy repeatedly, so long range is out the window (I know "Long-Range" is a relative term, but still), so it limits your reach in a hunting situation, like so many good opportunities lost simply because the animal I'm hunting sits outside my range and they would disappear if I get any closer.
Those were the main limitations.
(I live in a mountainous/field open area, so pray sits far away and sees you from afar.)

What I love about them:
1) Dependable/stand-alone operation: I can live off of them, as long as I have a pile of lead, I'm good.
2) So pretty , not All of them, but most of them are love-worthy.
3) Good prices compared to PCPs.
4) Did I say beautiful?

So, the bottom line is that where it lacks in performance, it gains in character, like an old friend.

I just hope the high-quality ones like Weihrauch/Diana won't die.

 

[silvershooter589]

Gamo has been the main company innovating springers in my observation.

Repeatable magazines is a big deal. At least when they work as expected.

If they had more options with wood stock and better QC and accuracy that would be it.