It’s killing me so I gotta get this off my chest. Lately there have been a few people throwing muck on us for pushing the more spendy springers on new guys. We have a very good reason to recommend these rifles- they are worth it. Allow me to explain.
When I first got bit by the airgun bug a little over 10 years ago I ran through cheap guns faster than you could blink. I was convinced you could do no better than a Stoeger X10 and for about a hundred bucks, why would you even try? Ran through several Stoeger guns, including the X3 and X5, and the X20S. De-burred and lube tuned them all, with Maccari springs and seals. Also several others, Crosman and Gamo mostly. Then I caught the Magnum-Itis.
Going through the magnum breakbarrel phase was a lot of fun. Had a few low end magnum guns, Walther (Hatsan) Talon Mag .25, Benjamin Trail XL, Ruger Air Mag, etc. had a lot of fun with those too.
Eventually stepped into the PCP world, I learned it wasn’t for me after three different guns never tickled my fancy.
The I got my first frauleign. RWS34. Now I am shooting goldfish crackers with 100 % hits at 15-16 yards and open sight with a factory gun, unmodified. Right out of the box, no break in just a few adjustments to the sights. Didn’t have to learn the creep of the trigger or any of that mess, very nice trigger. Dropped in a PG2 kit and it was on like Donkey Kong. From there I moved on to the Beeman R9 and never looked back.
So why am I telling you all this? Here is why…
I have bought many low end breakbarrel rifles. Built a spring compressor to do something I could have achieved with just a long Irwin quick grip bar clamp. And spent money on tools and parts, including trigger upgrades, and lube tuned most of them.
Of all of these guns I have invested all this money and time in, I have sold all but two of them at about a 50 percent loss of not worse. That is a couple thousand dollars down the drain. Anyway, those two guns are the RWS 34 and the Beeman R9. The RWS 34, I paid $160 for it new from Cabelas. I have passed it down to my youngest boy. That gun would fetch me $200 today easily. The other is a Beeman R9. I bought it less than 2 years ago brand new, and I could easily sell it on the used market for the same price I paid.
Not one of my previous guns could touch either of the latter in fit/finish or build quality, nor performance. Especially the R9. Sure, the spring noise is there. As much twang as any mid powered springer I have ever shot. But that thing slings pellets right where I want them to go, almost like psychokinesis. I’ve never had a gun that I could shoot off-hand as well as this gun, not even a powder burner. You must experience it to believe it.
So I do not have a problem with a cheap gun. I’ve killed many animals with a $80 breakbarrel, they work just fine. So get you a Crosman Optimus or Gamo Varmint, or etc. it’s worth the price of admission. But please take this opportunity to learn from me and many others who came before you- don’t just keep wasting money on more cheap guns. Buy one or two cheap guns to get started, then save your pennies to buy something quality. You won’t regret it.
And be wary of anyone hawking cheap guns, that might claim they are equivalent to a fine European springer. They’re lying to you.
Just my two cents. Thanks for looking
Respectfully,
Bryan
When I first got bit by the airgun bug a little over 10 years ago I ran through cheap guns faster than you could blink. I was convinced you could do no better than a Stoeger X10 and for about a hundred bucks, why would you even try? Ran through several Stoeger guns, including the X3 and X5, and the X20S. De-burred and lube tuned them all, with Maccari springs and seals. Also several others, Crosman and Gamo mostly. Then I caught the Magnum-Itis.
Going through the magnum breakbarrel phase was a lot of fun. Had a few low end magnum guns, Walther (Hatsan) Talon Mag .25, Benjamin Trail XL, Ruger Air Mag, etc. had a lot of fun with those too.
Eventually stepped into the PCP world, I learned it wasn’t for me after three different guns never tickled my fancy.
The I got my first frauleign. RWS34. Now I am shooting goldfish crackers with 100 % hits at 15-16 yards and open sight with a factory gun, unmodified. Right out of the box, no break in just a few adjustments to the sights. Didn’t have to learn the creep of the trigger or any of that mess, very nice trigger. Dropped in a PG2 kit and it was on like Donkey Kong. From there I moved on to the Beeman R9 and never looked back.
So why am I telling you all this? Here is why…
I have bought many low end breakbarrel rifles. Built a spring compressor to do something I could have achieved with just a long Irwin quick grip bar clamp. And spent money on tools and parts, including trigger upgrades, and lube tuned most of them.
Of all of these guns I have invested all this money and time in, I have sold all but two of them at about a 50 percent loss of not worse. That is a couple thousand dollars down the drain. Anyway, those two guns are the RWS 34 and the Beeman R9. The RWS 34, I paid $160 for it new from Cabelas. I have passed it down to my youngest boy. That gun would fetch me $200 today easily. The other is a Beeman R9. I bought it less than 2 years ago brand new, and I could easily sell it on the used market for the same price I paid.
Not one of my previous guns could touch either of the latter in fit/finish or build quality, nor performance. Especially the R9. Sure, the spring noise is there. As much twang as any mid powered springer I have ever shot. But that thing slings pellets right where I want them to go, almost like psychokinesis. I’ve never had a gun that I could shoot off-hand as well as this gun, not even a powder burner. You must experience it to believe it.
So I do not have a problem with a cheap gun. I’ve killed many animals with a $80 breakbarrel, they work just fine. So get you a Crosman Optimus or Gamo Varmint, or etc. it’s worth the price of admission. But please take this opportunity to learn from me and many others who came before you- don’t just keep wasting money on more cheap guns. Buy one or two cheap guns to get started, then save your pennies to buy something quality. You won’t regret it.
And be wary of anyone hawking cheap guns, that might claim they are equivalent to a fine European springer. They’re lying to you.
Just my two cents. Thanks for looking
Respectfully,
Bryan