Pumpers the Toyota Corolla of air guns

[Sleestak]

I have probably a dozen pumper vintage air guns that just go and go. Always throwing shade on the PCPs.

An almost 70 year old wall-hanger can be used as a daily driver & there are vast aftermsrket options for modding if you really want to go there.

It'd be nice to have that kind of reliability in a PCP since we already pay a high admission price to play. There would definately be much less traffic on here for sure.

What the newbs learn real quick (I know I did) is that PCP airgunning definately has a large percentange of your time wrapped up in maintanance. Don't even get me going on the whole HPC topic as it will make the veins of my forehead pop.

Anyway, rant mode off.

 

[houston]

U haven't been in the game too long.

 

[Sleestak]

U haven't been in the game too long.

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It's not that I don't have reliable PCPs, but give them 50 years & I'll get back w you on performance and the ability to source parts.

For something as stupidly as expensive as a premium air gun costs you may or may not be getting an heirloom. At least w PBs there can be some value appreciation, even if you didn't purchase a classic. The same can't be said about airguns. So far they are interesting niche objects..

And getting back to functionality, my grandchildren will probably still be rocking the Sheridans long after I'm gone. While I fear the Taipan might be leaky & collecting dust because no one is interested sparing the time to take it apart

 

[3Crows]

I have probably a dozen pumper vintage air guns that just go and go. Always throwing shade on the PCPs.

An almost 70 year old wall-hanger can be used as a daily driver & there are vast aftermsrket options for modding if you really want to go there.

It'd be nice to have that kind of reliability in a PCP since we already pay a high admission price to play. There would definately be much less traffic on here for sure.

What the newbs learn real quick (I know I did) is that PCP airgunning definately has a large percentange of your time wrapped up in maintanance. Don't even get me going on the whole HPC topic as it will make the veins of my forehead pop.

Anyway, rant mode off.

A simple PCP rifle like the M-Rod that uses standard O-rings from the hardware store, there really is no reason it cannot go a hundred years or more. Meanwhile my oldest 392 just popped a leak and my old 140 just serviced a few years back needs a new cup seal.

 

[Sleestak]

A simple PCP rifle like the M-Rod that uses standard O-rings from the hardware store, there really is no reason it cannot go a hundred years or more. Meanwhile my oldest 392 just popped a leak and my old 140 just serviced a few years back needs a new cup seal.

Yeah, I get that & am a Maurader owner too so understand the costs and benefits. The benefits outdoing the costs w PCPs is obviously higher performance, so there's no argument there. I'm not planning on divesting.

But those old guns probably needed fixing once in it's life time while PCPs are an ongoing thing. I personally have more than one PCP (including a Marauder) that need minor repair. Newer guns that shat the bed way sooner than the old Benjamins & Crosmans. Not a big deal & we sign up for iy at the door, but still I'd rather be shooting than fixing them

Throw in the work and expense involved in having a reliable source of air and I doubt even more that my offspring are going to be super-stoked about using the PCPs for casual shooting if I'm not there doing it for them.

 

[DARKHORSE1967]

Yeah, I get that & am a Maurader owner too so understand the costs and benefits. The benefits outdoing the costs w PCPs is obviously higher performance, so there's no argument there. I'm not planning on divesting.

But those old guns probably needed fixing once in it's life time while PCPs are an ongoing thing. I personally have more than one PCP (including a Marauder) that need minor repair. Newer guns that shat the bed way sooner than the old Benjamins & Crosmans. Not a big deal & we sign up for iy at the door, but still I'd rather be shooting than fixing them

Throw in the work and expense involved in having a reliable source of air and I doubt even more that my offspring are going to be super-stoked about using the PCPs for casual shooting if I'm not there doing it for them.

This is a perfect summation.

I have a son who has has no interest in guns whatsoever, yet I did give him a brand new PB pistol years ago.

I cannot imagine those who have amassed hundreds of random ones for when they croak their guns will just be disposed of in the most convenient of ways: into the garbage bin.

Perhaps those true collectors of classic ones already have a pre-arranged system of selling off each of their inventory for when they walk out that door.

There's this guy here who has an incredible collection of springers; I think everyone knows who I'm talking about.

 

[Sleestak]

This is a perfect summation.

I have a son who has has no interest in guns whatsoever, yet I did give him a brand new PB pistol years ago.

I cannot imagine those who have amassed hundreds of random ones for when they croak their guns will just be disposed of in the most convenient of ways: into the garbage bin.

Perhaps those true collectors of classic ones already have a pre-arranged system of selling off each of their inventory for when they walk out that door.

There's this guy here who has an incredible collection of springers; I think everyone knows who I'm talking about.

The Beeman collection has been listed on ebay. Definately one man's treasure...

Thanks for understanding. Maybe my faith is waffling a bit. I've given my kids PCPs & am pretty sure they go unused. My son bogarted the cheap Barra cowboy bb gun I had sent to my grandaughter while the complete Talon P is on a shelf in his garage. Sometimes I overestimate others enthusiasm in my obsessions.

But you're a 100% on the planning thing. My parents died a few years ago & I wouldn't call them hoarders but most of that stuff wasn't claimed by anyone in the family.

 

[coastal drifter]

I have probably a dozen pumper vintage air guns that just go and go. Always throwing shade on the PCPs.

An almost 70 year old wall-hanger can be used as a daily driver & there are vast aftermsrket options for modding if you really want to go there.

It'd be nice to have that kind of reliability in a PCP since we already pay a high admission price to play. There would definately be much less traffic on here for sure.

What the newbs learn real quick (I know I did) is that PCP airgunning definately has a large percentange of your time wrapped up in maintanance. Don't even get me going on the whole HPC topic as it will make the veins of my forehead pop.

Anyway, rant mode off.

shot for shot it's hard to determine as a pumper might be shot a couple dozen times a shooting session with all the pumping necessary (not that that's a bad thing) whereas a PCP like the Impact for instance has a 28-round magazine with a shot count that can exceed 200 rounds per fill. Its kinda like a garage kept 10 year old car with 10,000 miles on it.

 

[JayDee24ca]

Toyota Corolla? Nah. Volvo 240!!!

 

[rcarlisle]

Drive that Corolla enough and you'll need to fix it. I've had to fix every single one of my airguns. At one point or another, an o-ring will leak or a part will wear out. If you've been shooting airguns long enough, you learn to buy more than you need and store the extras away (well labeled and date of purchase noted because it might be YEARS before you need them and some things will go bad over time).
My 30ish year old Benji had a leaky valve. I bought a new assembly, some o-rings and replaced the defective valve, then rebuilt the old one to replace the new when it fails. Now it needs some attention to the pump linkage, as it is wearing out (a testament to the crazy number of shots I've taken with it). It still gets shot, but has been largely retired until I can spend the time to restore it. Nothing feels as handy as that gun!
The PCPs have fewer moving parts and are very reliable. I haven't had them for 30 years yet but I see no reason to think they won't outlast my pumpers. I've only had one random leak in the Mrod due to a faulty guage in almost 13 years. I've broken some parts cuz I'm dumb sometimes, but that's on me and not anyone else.

 

[Avator]

I'm 69 years old in a couple short months. Pretty sure I won't have airguns on my mind in 60 years.. or anything else for that matter.