Airgun owners vs firearm owners

[PasadenaMike]

Haha I have pbs I’ve never shot . Should just sell them and buy pellets

 

[THEKUNK]

I do both, as I get older it is easier to shoot air rifles at home rather than going to my sportsmens club to shoot.
Plus The recoil on a large caliber rifle is hard on old shoulders.
I have become an Air Arms fan.
most likely will start selling off powder burners and get a couple more.

 

[PasadenaMike]

When im
At my airgun club shooting I can hear the powder burners shooting because it’s on the same property. Anyway , every time I hear a shot I think $3 $3 $8 $1$1$1 $15 ….not that airguns are cheap but the ammo is.

 

[beerthief]

I have sold most of my PB's , now only two daily carry pistols and an custom Anschutz .22 . Sold all the rest (PB's)to add to my air gun money .
Now i'm selling a few air guns to buy single stroke pneumatic or giss guns .

 

[WNYBill]

Bought my first PCP at 75+ years old simply because 22rf and components became impossible to find or afford. Then I discovered the PCP rabbit hole! Since I have a 300 yard range in my back yard I shoot the powder burners more.

 

[GeneT]

I started shooting with airguns, then set them aside for a while when I became 'of age' to buy powder burners (many, many, moons ago). Most of the time I was shooting powder burners nearly exclusively I still had my Benjamin-Sheridan pump gun which got occasional use when the need arose. But its power started dwindling, so I looked into getting a new airgun - and "unfortunately" picked a low-end PCP. That was enlightening, and I soon got what I thought was a "high-end" PCP (little did I know...). That actually satisfied me for some years. I'm not sure what made me decide I needed something new, but then the floodgates opened. I couldn't tell you how many powder-burners or airguns I have today without taking inventory. I love them both. I've been competing with firearms for several decades, and carefully avoiding competition with airguns - because I don't think I could divide my attention like that. And besides, part of airgunning to me is that it's relaxing because I don't feel compelled to "deliberate practice". I can just pest, plink, or shoot groups and be a bit more casual about it.

GsT

 

[Trucker3573]

I would say a very small percentage of firearm shooters also shoot airguns. A very large percentage of airgunners shoot firearms at least a little bit.

 

[dovejj]

I think you have it backwards. No most gun owners do not own air guns. I would bet most air gunners own at least one firearm though.
I was a life long firearm enthusiast before I was introduced to PCP air guns. Instantly fell in love and spent way too much money on PCP’s
I still shoot both but it is about 85% air guns and 15% powder burners. The air guns are so much more convenient to just go out and shoot. I also like to tinker with them. As long as you don’t get all carried away you can do a lot of stuff yourself on an air gun.

Judge away. We all do it, some of us just don’t mind admitting it

I honestly don't care, and do not judge at least in this case. I own firearms so am familiar with being judged but I didn't want to give the impression that there was a bias in the question.

And to your point I own multiple firearms and was gifted a couple of airguns (and recently inherited like 15 that I'll look to sell soon). I honestly never got curious enough to even open the air rifle out of the box. I wonder what that is about. I guess I just knew more about firearms to begin with so it was less of a 'barrier' in that sense but maybe there is a lower barrier to the airgun hobby.

Thanks for engaging though. I appreciate it.,

 

[dovejj]

I would say a very small percentage of firearm shooters also shoot airguns. A very large percentage of airgunners shoot firearms at least a little bit.

Thats a good way to put it I think. Thanks.

 

[Privateer]

Haven't owned or fired any PB's since I got out of the Army.
That's nearly 40 years ago.

 

[jetpopt]

I got acquainted with airguns about a year ago, looooong after shooting PBs. But the only reason I still own the CF revolver is strictly for defense. That’s IT. If I didn’t feel that we really need to be (fire)armed in this area, I would sell it and gladly say goodbye to traveling to a range for practice, enduring the noise even heavily earmuffed, the recoil, the high ammo prices, and that horrible cleaning ritual after every session.

Practicing with the PB is done out of responsibility/duty to be reasonably proficient. Practicing with any of the airguns on any kind of targets, any mode, is for both skill-building and FUN. Lots of fun.

 

[Kola]

Both.

 

[rigbymauser]

Both..but airgunning is just way more fun. Next level fun to airgunning is shooting an old hammer doublerifle in a BPE caliber. Boltactions=boring.

 

[Caliber 22]

Both. Springer, PCP, centre fire, muzzle loader, but the .22LR is my favorite.

 

[Trunion]

I've always been attracted to anything that launched a projectile. You name it, bb/pellet guns, sling shots, traditional archery (never bought into compounds) all kinds of PBrs, rifles, pistols and shotguns.
As many have pointed out ammo cost and availability became problematic. I've sold most of the PBrs and the ones I have stay locked up... haven't been shot in many years.
The airguns have filled that nich quite nicely. I'm fortunate that I can shoot when I want at what I want.

 

[Hootus]

I'd say both, as well. Different tools for different purposes, of course, with airguns providing for lower report and lower energy -- potentially increasing opportunities to shoot and the safety factor -- as well as lower cost of ammo (thus greater number of trigger presses).

 

[Tom B]

Both, air for practice, powder for hunt

 

[cigman1st]

Both. Anymore it's primarily PCP and next is 22LR suppressed. Quiet is GOOD!

 

[wyshadow]

Both here. I started off with 22LR when I was younger. Had an old Crossman my brother and I shared but didn't really getting into PCP's until I became a stay-at-home dad. Right now I'm more into PB's because there are competitions once a month close by me. Last year a used a 6 XC at Raton and this year I'm going to try 25 CM for NRL Hunter.

 

[rootdude]

I got into firearms long before airguns, and the experience I loved the most was shooting a Ruger 10/22 customized to the tits with subsonic rounds at 100 yards.

I found airguns (big bore) and that sealed the deal for me. No more powder burners... I get my jollies with air now.