Springer Questions

[Bulletbob]

Hello,

I have a Benjamen Rushmore. I read that it was top line when it was new. Question is how does it differ from the highly praised Trail NP? I 

Next question.I got into this game to have an acuratte rifle to plink with at a price I could afford and not have to go to a range some where. I see vidios of springers producing really good groups with good power. Nearly all of them get glowing reviews. Around Where I live they are all sold out so they must be desireable. But when I read the forums they are the next thing to a POX. It seems the only cure is to buy a PCP no matter the cost. If they are so bad why do people want them?

I am just now starting to get mine to shoot pretty good groups but I know the rifle has it in it. I dont know why it is so picky about the ammo but I will get there. Buying a tin of ammo is cheaper than buying a PCP.

Not wanting to offend just dont understand whay when a fellow ask for help the first thing is to buy a new gun.

God Bless 

Bobby

 

[shambozzie]

Bulletbob, you are in a "love the one you are with" situation. I would buy this sample pack. Clean your bbl very good, check all screws. A solid mount, decent scope and practice, practice the artillery hold. Correct trigger time is the answer. Good luck with your quest for accuracy.

 

[boscoebrea]

Not to worry,the nicer the nice the higher the price,when on a budget you still can do good...

Springers can be excellent,they can group as good as PCP at say less than 25 yards or less,but are harder to shot accurately.

The problems newbies have is an over abundance of confusing advise,another one is doubting themselves.

Another large problem is not wanting to invest a lot of $$$ in air guns...yet get the best the can afford and people telling them need to spend a lot of money....

Again springers are a good start,they can be frustrating if not made good,but a think most of the frustration is because it takes a lot of practice to be a good shot with one....like tins of pellets.

The learning curve is just that,learning is an investment of time to pursue something you are interested in.

The question to you is why don't you think your springer is not good enough,can you shoot it good and if not why,it is not about something you think may be better,it is what does it take to make what you have better,can you shoot as good as your gun can shoot,when you can out shoot your gun then it is time to get a better gun,quit doubting and start shooting,LOL...Import part is to have FUN.

 

[Guest]

I would guess that most springer shooters started out with something less expensive. If you love the sport with budget guns your mind will be blown with a premium gun. Sometimes expensive air rifles can take a while to sort out too. The break in process can be very frustrating. I’ve heard of people shooting two tins of Walmart pellets before they even try the good stuff. Straightshooters.com has a pellet sampler pack that might work for you. 18 different pellets for $25. 

 

[sonny]

I agree finding the right pellet for your gun and start at closer ranges and work your way out. Clean the barrel and maybe polish it, try lubing your pellets once you find one that you like. lubing helps with keeping the barrel clean and breach seal lasts longer in my experience. I use Napier power pellet lube. Some springers like the H&N trophy's. Keep us informed how your doing with your gun. 

 

[cea1960]

Hello,

I have a Benjamen Rushmore. I read that it was top line when it was new. Question is how does it differ from the highly praised Trail NP? I 

Next question.I got into this game to have an acuratte rifle to plink with at a price I could afford and not have to go to a range some where. I see vidios of springers producing really good groups with good power. Nearly all of them get glowing reviews. Around Where I live they are all sold out so they must be desireable. But when I read the forums they are the next thing to a POX. It seems the only cure is to buy a PCP no matter the cost. If they are so bad why do people want them?

I am just now starting to get mine to shoot pretty good groups but I know the rifle has it in it. I dont know why it is so picky about the ammo but I will get there. Buying a tin of ammo is cheaper than buying a PCP.

Not wanting to offend just dont understand whay when a fellow ask for help the first thing is to buy a new gun.

God Bless 

Bobby



Maybe those who tell everyone to "just buy a pcp" couldn't get the results they wanted with a springer so they gave up and bought a pcp. (they probably still ride tricycles too) Springers can be frustrating at times, but if you put the effort into them, you can attain great results and have a great shooting gun at a fraction of the cost. I have a .177 Gamo Raptor Whisper that is a very accurate and smooth shooter once I discovered it's favorite pellet and how it likes to held.

 

[Guest]

Hello,

I have a Benjamen Rushmore. I read that it was top line when it was new. Question is how does it differ from the highly praised Trail NP? I 

Next question.I got into this game to have an acuratte rifle to plink with at a price I could afford and not have to go to a range some where. I see vidios of springers producing really good groups with good power. Nearly all of them get glowing reviews. Around Where I live they are all sold out so they must be desireable. But when I read the forums they are the next thing to a POX. It seems the only cure is to buy a PCP no matter the cost. If they are so bad why do people want them?

I am just now starting to get mine to shoot pretty good groups but I know the rifle has it in it. I dont know why it is so picky about the ammo but I will get there. Buying a tin of ammo is cheaper than buying a PCP.

Not wanting to offend just dont understand whay when a fellow ask for help the first thing is to buy a new gun.

God Bless 

Bobby

Buy an HW95 and thank me later. See how I just recommended you buying a new gun lol. An NP Trail XL or any line of Crosman rifles can have serious grouping issues. If you try really hard, spend a lot of money on pellets, and maybe consider a trigger upgrade, you can often get decent results. But you won’t get the kind of results of a stock Hw95. A tuned HW95, or AA TX200, or an HW77 are so far ahead of anything Crosman has when it comes to quality that sadly it is hard not recommending a better rifle when someone is having accuracy issues with a lesser gun. 


I think the suggestion of buying a ton of different pellets and making sure everything is cleaned and tight is realistically the best option for you, but I still wouldn’t expect an HW or AA performance out of a Crosman. With lower expectations you can have a whole lot of fun though, and a few members here have done some incredible things with budget springers like NP trails and so on, so hopefully I can stand corrected soon and you will get better accuracy. 


PS the HW30 is about the same price as an NP Trail XL

 

[wijib]

I concur with those who recommend buying a good well made airgun. HW95 is certainly one of those.

 

[Arch_E]

It took me nearly 2,000 pellets to realize that my air rifle was very picky about the pellets: it shot the cheaper Crosman Premier Hollow Points very inconsistently. I stayed frustrated until I bought some H&N 8.64 grain FTT (domed) pellets. Suddenly, my gun shot much more accurately (despite my breathing issues and nervous ticks). Better pellets fixed my frustration. Since then, I've learned that JSB, H&N, and RWS pellets (domed, HP, or wadcutters) work really well in my pellet picky Gamo and Crosman Venom Dusk. In fact, both like only 8.2-8.64 grained pellets. 

Along the way, I bought some better, German made pellet rifles. They shoot all (nearly) pellets MUCH, MUCH better. These rifles are far better made and make it easier on me to shoot well. I can shoot my Gamo nearly as well (with the right pellet) but not the Crosman, which takes more work. Still, I've eradicated pests with both of these lesser guns. My point: they all work--I just had to figure out how to make the cheaper guns perform (nearly but not as easily) to the level of my better, more costly break barrels. And, I shoot only break barrels, underlevers, or CO2 currently (though I REALLY want a quality, lower budget PCP, too).



It's all fun, even if it gets a tad expensive...



Arch_E

 

[ronmcc4]

Bulletbob - I hear you! Right up front: Yes I own some PCPs that cost thousands as well as the compressor and tanks to keep them fed. So I’m not an “I love springers only” person. I also have some nice springers. The object is to enjoy the sport; the object isn’t to see how much you can spend and still make the house payment. One of my favorites to shoot and have fun with is a HW30S that costs way less than $400. Except for a Trail NP, its the least expensive airgun I own I think. 

Shooting a springer well, no matter if you’re talking a Trail NP or a TX200, takes practice and patience and pellets. Any rife can be pellet fussy. My better springers (TX200, Sig Sauer ASP20, HW30) all like different brands and weights. They also like to be held/rested differently. So don’t be frustrated if your rifle can only shoot up to your desire and standard 1 brand of pellet in one weight - it happens.

PCPs are easier to shoot simply because the violent mechanical things that happen inside a springer when you pull the trigger are not happening inside a PCP. Its about rifle movement before the pellet leaves the barrel. That doesn’t mean you hold it like a vise - just the opposite is usually true.

Obviously, there is a difference between rifles that cost $200 and rifles that cost $1,200. Same holds true for cars, computers, and shoes. But - you can still enjoy your less expensive rifle. Just invest the time in it and, as stated above, make sure things are clean and tight from time to time. My Dad has a Trail NP for squirrel and pest bird control that he is perfectly happy with. It sits right beside his high-dollar varmint rifles. So don’t let it get you down that you only can afford or only want to spend a certain amount. Go with what you have and have a good time.

 

[Septicdeath]

Patients, practice, the right pellets and practice practice and more practice. Each rifle is different like a fine wine or woman. Springer's are fussy but will shoot as well as PCP with patience. 

 

[Raden1942]

Honestly I love springers. I recently bought a refurbished hatsan airtact for 40 bucks and took it apart and tuned it. That gun had spectacular accuracy for a springer. Even with just the open sights. The problem is when you get into30 to 50 yards and beyond. The recoil from the spring just becomes a big problem for you long range. I use all my springers at 30 yards and below for hunting and I do great. If your gun is performing well for your needs why would you trade up? Find that pellet it likes and stick with it. Also get a Charlie da tuna trigger for it when you want an upgrade. It really makes a large difference. 

 

[Septicdeath]

Honestly I love springers. I recently bought a refurbished hatsan airtact for 40 bucks and took it apart and tuned it. That gun had spectacular accuracy for a springer. Even with just the open sights. The problem is when you get into30 to 50 yards and beyond. The recoil from the spring just becomes a big problem for you long range. I use all my springers at 30 yards and below for hunting and I do great. If your gun is performing well for your needs why would you trade up? Find that pellet it likes and stick with it. Also get a Charlie da tuna trigger for it when you want an upgrade. It really makes a large difference.

50 and under is made for Springer's. All my multiple Magnums do well at 50- yards. The other non mags are all good at 30 yards or less. There's nothing like bagging a critter at 50 yards with a Springer. One shot is all you have. This is also why I am very fond of muzzleloaders. 

 

[Bulletbob]

I think I have answered my question on accuracy. Today I tried the Baracuda Hunter extreme pellets. I shot three nickel size groups at 27 yards .Nothing else I have tried can touch this . I will buy more of these for sure.

I don't know what to do with the other pellets but I reckon the don't go stale.

I reckon no ome knows the difference of the Rushmore and the Trail NP. Oh well.

God Bless

Bobby

 

[MileHighAirGunner]

I think I have answered my question on accuracy. Today I tried the Baracuda Hunter extreme pellets. I shot three nickel size groups at 27 yards .Nothing else I have tried can touch this . I will buy more of these for sure.

I don't know what to do with the other pellets but I reckon the don't go stale.

I reckon no ome knows the difference of the Rushmore and the Trail NP. Oh well.

God Bless

Bobby

You can find and compare parts diagrams from Crosman’s website to see what is different. I would imagine that the internals are different. Size and perhaps weight of the piston? Ordination of the gas spring? Crosman flipped the gas spring around in the NP2 from the original NP. The gas springs themselves may come in different strengths which would yield different results and power outputs. Diameter of the piston would affect power also. I believe the Trail XL has a larger diameter piston. I don’t rightly know if the other rifles come with different size pistons or not. I’m just speculating here on what could or would be different.