Help me find a springer

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ctshooter

ctshooter

Member
Oct 30, 2018
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CT, United States
My knowledge of springers is not very good and there's a lot of models out there. I'd like some recommendations on quality springers to check out. Some factors I'm considering are:

  • Side- or under-lever. I'm not really into the breakbarrel style. 
  • Nice crisp trigger. Predictable break and relatively light.
  • .177 or .22 - undecided
  • short - I don't like broomstick guns and most springers seem to be pretty long. Does anything exist in the 34-36" range?
  • Open sights would be nice even though I'll probably scope it eventually. 
  • Either ambidextrous stock or a left-handed option.

One last thought - how come we don't see bullpup springers?
 
I have a Diana 54 and love it. It is NOT a short gun at near 44 inches and is a heavy gun at near 10 lbs. But it's very accurate, has a decent trigger and is a joy to shoot. Not much in the way of recoil thanks to the recoilless system employed that werqs very well. Put a Bullseye scope mount on it as I have had a series problems with scopes and springers in the past. No more scope problems.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/shot-some-targets-50-yards-with-the-diana-54/?referrer=1
 
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Statistic of yet another airgunner simply too bored with his PCP guns accuracy I presume?

The only satisfying one hole accurate guns coming from PCP downgrading to handicap ones self via Springer would be a FWB300s or RWS 54 or 56 or Diana model 60 or 75 no brainer.

If you need more of a challenge where you can actually miss if you don't try hard and really pay attention to your shooting form when shooting then any recoilling Springer even the HW30s - R7. Anything with more power more challenge to get small groups. The fliers you see on the targets ain't the recoilling spring gun it's YOU.


 
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I too was a bit bored with the PCP accuracy so I recently bought 3 recoilling springers that I probably won't shoot anymore. Last one was a AA TX200.

Now it's super easy to miss.

No more springers 4me thank you.

I'd rather buy another Benjamin Maximus and whoop the springers butt on paper at 40 yards all day long. Next one I may leave the trigger alone that's gonna make things more of a challenge but still more consistently accurate than any recoilling Springer at 40 yards that's easy to hand pump.


 
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I have three .22 springers that I enjoy shooting - a Diana Model 48, a Diana 460 Magnum and an Air Arms TX200. The most powerful by far is the 460. The darn thing hammered a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 AO scope until the scope wouldn't hold zero. So, I heard about a mount known as a Bullseye ZR mount and put it on the 460 with a new Vantage scope on top. Looks like the Bullseye is doing its job of absorbing the 460's heavy recoil. The new Vantage is still doing great. I've gone back and put Bullseye mounts on my other two springers too. I rarely shoot farther than 30-35 yards and have seen no decrease in accuracy.

The TX200 is the most accurate and the easiest to cock. I don't have any "break-barrel" springers - the TX200 and 460 are single barrel, with the cocking lever under the barrel. The 48 is another single barrel, but the lever is beside the barrel. All three do a good job delivering the pellet where I'm aiming. I guess you could say that if I do my job behind the trigger, the air rifles will do their's.

I chronied the same pellets so I could calculate the fpe of my three springers. The pellet tin was labelled 14.3 gr Crosman Premier Ultra Mag - .22. But I know that very few of them weighed 14.3 gr. I found that the average weight of ten was actually 14.32, not that 0.02 matters.

Here's the data I collected:

TX200 - avg pellet mass was 14.32 gr avg velocity was 719.6 fps avg fpe was 16.47 ft/lbs.

D 48 - avg pellet mass was 14.32 gr avg velocity was 750.6 fps avg fpe was 17.92 ft/lbs. 

D 460 - avg pellet mass was 14.32 gr avg velocity was 858.0 fps avg fpe was 23.41 ft/bs.
 
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HW97 or the RWS 48. The RWS 54 is good if your a pcp guy and think it's going to be easy. Springers require practice just like real guns. I watch a lot of people come to the gun range thinking they are going to shoot sniper level with their once a year practice. I don't know what they tell their friends, but it's not the truth. lol. 

I have found over the years that tuning certain springers the way I like yields good results. I'm not a 12 foot pound paper puncher so I don't tune that way. 

HW97's at 13.5 tuned are great shooters and are easy to shoot well with practice. 

HW97's in 22cal at 17-18 foot pounds are still great shooters but not as easy. 

RWS 48's tuned at 13.5-14.5 are great shooters in .177cal

RWS 48's tuned to 21-22 foot pounds in 22 are great shooters but take more practice. 

TX200's are great shooters right out of the box. 

To meet if you have to drop them down to 12 foot pounds to be accurate, then just get a pcp IMO. 

Believe it or not recoil in a springer yields similar results as one would see in shooting centerfire, in that more recoil equals greater difficulty. 

BTW... I have owned every one of these mentioned 3-4 over and tuned every one. 
 
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It depends what you want to do with it I suppose. I do my indoor shooting with an HW55 offhand. Before that, it was with a FWB 300s, but I find the 55 easier to handle offhand. Outdoors it is usually a TX200HC that I shoot sitting at distances out to 50 yards. I also have an R9 with a chopped barrel that I carry around when hunting. And I recently bought a FWB Sport just for fun and to have one full power springer in my collection. These are the ones that made the cut for me. There were more that did not.

All are accurate enough for the intended use. The FWB Sport is turning out to be a dependable 2 MOA shooter, which is about what I think you can expect from a good quality springer. Here is a recent group I shot over the chronograph indoors at 11 yards using an ordinary bag setup, just under 2 MOA. The trick to enjoying springers is to keep your expectations reasonable.



P2150293.1613696362.jpg

 
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By design a bull pup means that you have a trigger that has some type of linkage. I can’t see how that’s possible with a springer.

you really haven’t said what you’re going to use it for. Is this for shooting targets only? At what range, or what is the furthest range?

are you going to hunt with it? Or dispatch pests of any kind?

Are you ever going to take it for a walk in the woods?

Lastly and probably the most important, what is your goal for getting a springer?

mike
 
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I have some under levers,and a side lever..TX200 in left handed stock, black HW 97 and heavy RWS52....I say heavy if your carry them to hunt with....RWS is good and accurate,mine is a .22 I would get a .25....97 also .22,I like it the best for plinking,the TX200 is lighter and in.177 it is probably the better one for you.....All are accurate,the 52 is the more powerful....The TX200 in the shorter stock...I do not know if that model comes in a lefty......truthfully I shoot the 97 the most,it is more fun for me plus it has the thumbhole stock =can wrap my hand around it more....

The RWS is the less expensive one,then the 97k..the TX200 lefty is a walnut stock, it more like a forever rifle and to me the best finished.

TX200=keepsake,beauty and British.

HW97k Great rifle ,fun, can bang it without crying. German

RWS,another German oldy,powerful accurate,sort of heavy in a good way and cost less.

BTW,,,,,THE WALTHER under levers are great.....getting harder to get....that will be my last springer.....check them out,they are Good.
 
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By design a bull pup means that you have a trigger that has some type of linkage. I can’t see how that’s possible with a springer.

you really haven’t said what you’re going to use it for. Is this for shooting targets only? At what range, or what is the furthest range?

are you going to hunt with it? Or dispatch pests of any kind?

Are you ever going to take it for a walk in the woods?

Lastly and probably the most important, what is your goal for getting a springer?

mike
Click to expand...

Mike - as a few have mentioned the purpose, my goals are: I want to try something different, I'll be shooting it indoors and outdoors up to 50 yards, mostly for target shooting and backyard fun. But I want a good trigger and solid accuracy - which I'm willing to pay up for. 

I've shot springers so it's not like I'm a total noob, I've just never owned any myself. 

Thanks all for the replies - lots to review and think about. I'm in no rush for a purchase - which seems like a good thing as not much appears to be in stock at the moment. 

I'm leaning towards a TX200 HC, but I see the used Diana 54 that just posted up today on AoA. 
 
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I second that. The R7/HW30 in .177 is a great place to start, and a gun that will always have a place in your collection. Pretty with the jointed cocking linkage, light and handy, easy to cock, quiet and soft shooting. And it comes with the globe front sight with inserts in case you want to add an aperture sight. The perfect gun for some casual indoor shooting, and good for 25 yards or more outdoors too. I would have one if I didn't already have the HW55.
 
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TX200 is an absolutely excellent rifle. And they are beautifully finished. I would go with 177 if you’re not going to hunt. I found the 17s to be more accurate at long range which means past 75 yards. +17 caliber is flat out cheaper.

I would suggest placing a wanted to buy ad. I think you’d have fun with it. Maybe find one with walnut.

mike


 
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Have 37 Springer's of all kinds. Dont shoot for groups on paper. But practice for the kill. Don't need a PCP to do that, and all the extra equipment and constantly messing with them. Shooting Springer's also keep me in practice for my PB'S. Something a PCP can't do as well. 

The little guy in my mind tells me.

NO LUKE DON'T GO TO THE DARKSIDE 
 
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