Centerfire v. Air…
- Thread starter shootinsquid
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True and true, but my pistol barrels will outlast my lifespan and it's the throat erosion and firecracking that's the most detrimental to a centerfire rifle. Also in my case I live in a very arid place.
So is it a benefit to clean a PB "often", sure it is. Are the benefits worth it to me, nope. I look at barrels as expendables, like as tires are on a car. I don't rotate tires every 5000 miles, nor check pressure but every few months, and when I get close to the tread depth indicator I buy new ones.
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You must have a low power car.lol, tires need rotating to keep uniform tread and keep down noise along with more even ware creates better traction, more important on all wheel drive though and rear wheel drive. It is all physics. Barrels you are doing well enough.
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Air rifles have an incredible barrel life as compared to a centerfire rifle. You can shoot a springer much more than any powder gun and only replace seals and springs. The ammo is much less expensive too. So from an economics point of view they make sense for practice and training. You simply can't shoot a centerfire rifle 200 shots a day unless you are supported by a gunsmith and a wad of cash for barrels and ammo. Anyone can crank out 200 a day with an air rifle without undue expense and rebarreling every few months.
I don't hunt with an air rifle. It's just not practical. You will spend loads more money to get minimum performance. Your range and effectiveness is greatly limited. The peripheral costs go through the roof. The durability and reliability is just not there. So for hunting I don't have much use for an air rifle where I live and hunt.
An air rifle is a great tool for what it's good for. Most people nowadays live in a suburban environment that makes an air rifle the only choice if they want to shoot regularly. That opens up opportunity for guys in that situation. It's a perfect solution to a lack of acreage that most people nowadays have to deal with.
For me one compliments the other. I can practice daily with no concerns about barrel life and splitting necks. Then hunt with a rifle that will knock an elk down at 300 yards with no problems. It's not a matter of one or the other but the synergy between them both.
I don't hunt with an air rifle. It's just not practical. You will spend loads more money to get minimum performance. Your range and effectiveness is greatly limited. The peripheral costs go through the roof. The durability and reliability is just not there. So for hunting I don't have much use for an air rifle where I live and hunt.
An air rifle is a great tool for what it's good for. Most people nowadays live in a suburban environment that makes an air rifle the only choice if they want to shoot regularly. That opens up opportunity for guys in that situation. It's a perfect solution to a lack of acreage that most people nowadays have to deal with.
For me one compliments the other. I can practice daily with no concerns about barrel life and splitting necks. Then hunt with a rifle that will knock an elk down at 300 yards with no problems. It's not a matter of one or the other but the synergy between them both.
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I would also like to add that shooting my air rifle improved my shooting in general. So while it's missing the recoil, you still get a lot of practice shooting.
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would it not be more savings to save up and buy a full case ? Pyramid on sale buy 3 get one free so you pay for 75 tins and get 25 free and no shipping charge . How much shipping do you pay for a sleeve ? .
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I shoot down at Carson city range. It’s been more than ten years because of kids but the benches were nice and eventually people got used to seeing an airgunner
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It's not a case of CF vs AG for my purposes
The CF revolver is for defense against attackers up to and including humans. Period.
The AGs are for practice and fun. I use every one of them every week. I was driving to a range twice a month to practice with the PB. Not any more. Between not knowing how crowded or what condition the range would be, the sheer noise level of even one gun (even when wearing good ear protection), and the hassle of cleaning it after each session, I have slacked off the PB practice. Now I do mainly dry fire practice with it.
I should calculate what the thousands of pellets I've shot in only two years would be if they were ammo for the defense gun.
The CF revolver is for defense against attackers up to and including humans. Period.
The AGs are for practice and fun. I use every one of them every week. I was driving to a range twice a month to practice with the PB. Not any more. Between not knowing how crowded or what condition the range would be, the sheer noise level of even one gun (even when wearing good ear protection), and the hassle of cleaning it after each session, I have slacked off the PB practice. Now I do mainly dry fire practice with it.
I should calculate what the thousands of pellets I've shot in only two years would be if they were ammo for the defense gun.
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No joke about the sound. I once went shooting and someone brought a Barrett .50. My ears did not love me.It's not a case of CF vs AG for my purposes
The CF revolver is for defense against attackers up to and including humans. Period.
The AGs are for practice and fun. I use every one of them every week. I was driving to a range twice a month to practice with the PB. Not any more. Between not knowing how crowded or what condition the range would be, the sheer noise level of even one gun (even when wearing good ear protection), and the hassle of cleaning it after each session, I have slacked off the PB practice. Now I do mainly dry fire practice with it.
I should calculate what the thousands of pellets I've shot in only two years would be if they were ammo for the defense gun.
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I am looking into getting into air rifles so that I can shoot at home. I dont mind going to a range but sometimes you just want to screw around, fire a few shots and get back to the house and my nearest range is 30 miles. So for cost effectiveness and convenience I am planning on dipping my toe into a quality air rifle.
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Likewise, the closest range, where I maintain a membership is 50 miles one way, so thats two hours travel times mostly back roads. I do maintain a paid membership even that costs me 40-50 dollars per visit, at least it is a place to go.
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Yes, I plan on becoming a paying member at my closest range as well, but I would like to shoot a little bit here in the back yard as well, otherwise I would just get a nice .22 rim-fire and a can.
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In my case its not a “vs” as opposed to the practical aspects of using centerfires. I can safely use my airguns in my backyard, centerfires not at all safe. I have to drive to use my centerfires or rimfires, so again, practically for me airguns win out for the bulk of my shooting. That said, firearms have their place too. They’re just not used as often as my airguns Is all…
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I was lucky to live on the last street before the hills and miles of open space, plus a large lake nearby. My friend's father owned a shooting range. Now, all those spaces have houses on them.I owned about every famous pistol,except three.I still have many collectable military rifles. I rarely shoot them.Air guns are just more convenient,I can shot in my backyard to 25 yards.
Get older and want more Convenience,less hassles and just as much fun.
Get older and want more Convenience,less hassles and just as much fun.
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I was PB only for a long time but, once I bought my 1st pcp i was hooked. I hunt coyotes mostly and the longest shot around here is about 180 yards due to woodland and farms. I have 2 pcp's that are well over 300fpe and can cover that distance and still put them to sleep. I really don't have the need for a 3000fpe rifle. There are all kinds of different power levels to bring down the largest in North America to the smallest.
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A revived old thread ! I sold all my PB's except a DC and Anschutz bench rest .22 . that's 20 PB rifles and pistols sold to fuel my Air addiction
never regretted for a minute . .
never regretted for a minute . .
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How many of us would still be in this hobby if we didn't have access to moderators? I know for a fact I wouldn't have 22 PCP's! Silence is Golden.
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I love both. There's a level of accuracy I can't replicate with my PB, but there's a different kind of fun when I'm shooting PB.
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I’ll never give up my powder burners, but I did recently sell a nice benchrest rig to buy a new PCP and some paraphernalia. It’s the ability to shoot in my yard without driving to a range that makes airgunning so attractive to me.
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