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N/A Springer vs Pumper

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Bear-of-Grayling

Bear-of-Grayling

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Dec 19, 2021
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Alabama, United States
I’ve been comparing the Springer vs the Pumper. A fair comparison to me is the Weihrauch HW30 and the Benjamin 392. Maybe the 397 (177 caliber) would be even better but the 392 (22 caliber) is the closest I have. My HW30 and 392 are equipped pretty much exactly the same. Both have a bit heavier SC Custom stock, Nikon scope and aluminum rings. The weight difference is 7 ounces. The HW30 being the heavier. The 30 is also a couple inches longer. The 30 sends a 7 grain pellet at a touch over 700fps or 7.62fpe while the 392 sends a 14.3 grain pellet at 740 fps or 17.39fpe. Accuracy is incredible with both however the HW30 with its wonderful trigger and a single stroke cocking cycle would certainly have the advantage for a 10 meter offhand league competition. When shooting further out for plinking, pesting or just long range shooting the 392 takes over. And the trigger on the 392 can be tuned to a crispy couple pounds. The cocking effort on the 392 to me is offset with the wonderful recoilless firing behavior. This actually makes the 392 much easier and forgiving to get accuracy in any position. Many have both. What’s your take?
9B4B9F12-BC88-4037-9A26-F8136B2BFA52.jpeg
 
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Bear-of-Grayling said:
I’ve been comparing the Springer vs the Pumper. A fair comparison to me is the Weihrauch HW30 and the Benjamin 392. Maybe the 397 (177 caliber) would be even better but the 392 (22 caliber) is the closest I have. My HW30 and 392 are equipped pretty much exactly the same. Both have a bit heavier SC Custom stock, Nikon scope and aluminum rings. The weight difference is 7 ounces. The HW30 being the heavier. The 30 is also a couple inches longer. The 30 sends a 7 grain pellet at a touch over 700fps or 7.62fpe while the 392 sends a 14.3 grain pellet at 740 fps or 17.39fpe. Accuracy is incredible with both however the HW30 with its wonderful trigger and a single stroke cocking cycle would certainly have the advantage for a 10 meter offhand league competition. When shooting further out for plinking, pesting or just long range shooting the 392 takes over. And the trigger on the 392 can be tuned to a crispy couple pounds. The cocking effort on the 392 to me is offset with the wonderful recoilless firing behavior. This actually makes the 392 much easier and forgiving to get accuracy in any position. Many have both. What’s your take?View attachment 451686
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I would love to have both rifles in those stocks ! But am i willing to pay the price ? HAHAHA most likely !
 
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extradrygin2001 said:
The disadvantage with the 392 is they can become taxing to pump, even more so when compared to the HW30. But the 392 has the power and ease of power adjustment to its benefit.

Can’t say you would go wrong with either unless the shooter lacks the upper body strength for the Benjamin
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I mostly shoot @ 20 yards and only pump 3 and 4 times depending on the wind .
 
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Bear-of-Grayling said:
I’ve been comparing the Springer vs the Pumper. A fair comparison to me is the Weihrauch HW30 and the Benjamin 392. Maybe the 397 (177 caliber) would be even better but the 392 (22 caliber) is the closest I have. My HW30 and 392 are equipped pretty much exactly the same. Both have a bit heavier SC Custom stock, Nikon scope and aluminum rings. The weight difference is 7 ounces. The HW30 being the heavier. The 30 is also a couple inches longer. The 30 sends a 7 grain pellet at a touch over 700fps or 7.62fpe while the 392 sends a 14.3 grain pellet at 740 fps or 17.39fpe. Accuracy is incredible with both however the HW30 with its wonderful trigger and a single stroke cocking cycle would certainly have the advantage for a 10 meter offhand league competition. When shooting further out for plinking, pesting or just long range shooting the 392 takes over. And the trigger on the 392 can be tuned to a crispy couple pounds. The cocking effort on the 392 to me is offset with the wonderful recoilless firing behavior. This actually makes the 392 much easier and forgiving to get accuracy in any position. Many have both. What’s your take?View attachment 451686
Click to expand...
Where do you buy those beautiful stocks from?
 
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Great looking rifles! Accuracy wise the benji's are either great, mediocre or just ok. I wanted a steroid tuned 392 but went through a few till i found one that shot lights out, it still does. I also have a franken 397 that has went through more than a few changes. I put super sears in both and put a steroid valve in the 397 as it makes pumping easier and more efficient. But unlike your beauties, these aren't much to look at.
 
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My Benjamin 392PA can barely hit the target box much less bullseyes..
My HW 30s is in .20 cal, and I do have four Sheridans, but none with scopes. So thats not a fair comparison.
The HW 30, doesn't come close to the Sheridans power. The HW falls between 3 and 4 strokes, of the Sheridans power, and a full load is 8 strokes.
This is a subject deer to my heart and I will explore it more in the future though.
 
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muddydogz said:
Great looking rifles! Accuracy wise the benji's are either great, mediocre or just ok. I wanted a steroid tuned 392 but went through a few till i found one that shot lights out, it still does. I also have a franken 397 that has went through more than a few changes. I put super sears in both and put a steroid valve in the 397 as it makes pumping easier and more efficient. But unlike your beauties, these aren't much to look at.
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I have found that most accuracy issues regarding the Benjamin/Sheridan/Crosman models are a poorly machined crown and/or overspray in the muzzle end. The pumping also varies from gun to gun. The more one is pumped the milder the stroke usually becomes.
 
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I agree with you capt if i'm going to be target shooting, plinking where i may run through a half tin of pellets. I'm using a springer. I squirrel hunt alot and there's something to be said about the lightweight simplicity of the pumpers. I usually don't know what i'm gonna use until i'm going out the door though.
 
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muddydogz said:
I agree with you capt if i'm going to be target shooting, plinking where i may run through a half tin of pellets. I'm using a springer. I squirrel hunt alot and there's something to be said about the lightweight simplicity of the pumpers. I usually don't know what i'm gonna use until i'm going out the door though.
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I can see lightweight being a draw. The hw50 I use for squirrels weighs 7.0 lbs with scope. Are good pumpers much lighter than that?

The other thing about pumpers that doesn't work for me is I'll miss shots occasionally (that's with any type of rifle) and if I'm lucky enough to still have a shot, a second shot is a little quicker with a break barrel. I remember furiously pumping a gun trying to get off a second or follow up shot.

I can see how recoiless is a big attraction to pumpers. They don't need special scopes for them.They should also be easier to shoot accurately if they're made well. Springers take a lot of discipline to shoot well. Especially as power increases and or quality decreases. If you're having an off day a springer will show that to you first.
 
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Firstly just wanted to compliment the fantastic woodwork on those stocks, especially the Benjamin which might just be the finest woodwork I've ever seen on a pumper.

Way back toward the mid 80s through to the early 90s I pretty much figured out this question for myself.
Back then a Sharp Innova became my first pumper. A good quality test bench for this question as it turned out.

The Innova was great. It's light weight, it's recoiless nature, its ability to keep a scope on zero, it's compactness in woods, 45 yard accuracy. I could go on and on and wish pumpers had been developed further. Something along the lines of the Imperial Express, or Whaley. Crosman, but for me the pumping just became too much of a nuisance.
I also found across any given target practice session, that the springer would turn in the better groups.
It was probably tiredness from pumping creeping into my session, perhaps occasional miss counting of pumping, or inconsistent pumping speed. These things all impacting only very slightly but all playing a part to spoil the group when compared to the simple break of a barrel of the springer.
The springer has to be set up correctly however.
There can be no inconsistent lubes or worn seals, as these things can play havoc, but correctly running a good one will better a pumper make no mistake.

I would of liked to see a 3 pump pumper developed with slim beautiful woodwork with a decent scope rail, for woods hunting but there was no appetite for such after the PCP came along to kill off the need to develop them further, but I think that's sad as the PCP also has its own disadvantages. Power curves, bottle filling needs etc.
A 2 or 3 pump all steel Innova with good trigger and high quality valve would have provided a counter argument for me.
 
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I have a couple of multi-pumpers Crosman 2289 and a Custom 1300KT. I have heard some say I don't like mulit-pumps they are "hard" to pump. I consider myself a "small old man" (man where has the time gone) but I have no problem pumping either one 10X. I think of it like this, I'm plinking and getting exercise at the same time 💪. I'm a fan of multi-pumps for the versatility🎯.
 
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Mycapt65 said:
The hw50 I use for squirrels weighs 7.0 lbs with scope. Are good pumpers much lighter than that?
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The initial comparison was size and weight. Not power. What weight “springer with scope“ would it take to achieve 16.39 fpe as the 392 does. My Benjamin 392 with scope weighs 6lbs/6oz. Would be less with a factory stock. Five easy pumps and a 14.3grain/22 caliber CPHP is moving over 600 fps. Over 550 with four pumps.

The trade off to me is:

Springer:
pros.
1. Single stroke cocking cycle
2. Loudness
3. Scope options
4. Quality

Pumper:
pros.
1. Power
2. Weight
3. recoilless (firing position forgiveness)
4. Variable Power
5. Compact Size

I’m probably forgetting some pros in both so feel free to chime in.
 
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