How do you explain to others why you shoot air rifles

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It's a "horses for courses" thing as we say.. not sure if that's a US saying as well, but it means different people like diffferent things - obvious I suppose but it is surely the person who seeks to put us down showing their insecurity, and not actually anything that needs to be justified on our part. Maybe the guy with his .17 HMR at the range looks at your rifle, and he doesn't have any frame of reference for it, perhaps he finds it challenging that you have made such different choices to him and it makes him a bit uncomfortable... Now the mature person's response is to seek to understand to further their knowledge and experience etc, the childish one is to try and go one up or put you one down: "it's a toy".. basically mine's bigger than yours. Pity the fool!

Then shoot him in the leg.

When he's recovered from that, set up a course of targets at unspecified random ranges from 10yrds to 100yds or whatever and both shoot them with both rifles. This will show you why the airgun potentially makes you a better shooter because you will likely be more familiar with projectile trajecory and better at estimating range because we have to be with airguns. HMR is impressive and efficient but it is point and shoot!

A good friend of mine calls me a "librarian" (sorry to any genuine library workers on the forum) for liking ariguns and precision shooting etc because when we're at the range he gets out something lound and military looking and empties magazines in the general direction of a target. That is fine with me! in fact it is awesome but it is different gravy.
 
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I think it's ultimately lack of exposure and ignorance. If the only air guns the general public is really aware of is what sits on the shelves in Walmart then they can't imagine why anyone would spend more than $150 on a pellet gun when you can get one at a big box store for that much. That's also the only exposure they've had to firing them and break barrels are not easy to shoot accurately so I'd venture many folks that get into air gunning on the cheap end, get out quickly with a bad taste of it in their mouth. It's only good for knocking over cans and snuffing the occasional squirrel or bird if you get lucky. So if they spent $150 and didn't like it spending $2k would make the negative feelings even worse. Pretty much every story I read on these forums where a PCPer lets a 'non believer' shoot his PCP the shooter sees the light and leaves with a smile on their face. Many in fact become PCPers themselves. Also, most get into air gunning when younger to prepare them for powder burners so they see a PCP as super expensive tricycle or bicycle with training wheels. Why do that? I've already grown up and moved on to powder burners.

I like to shoot and in the long run it's cheaper. It's also very accurate and fun with good gear. I like to help others with pest issues as I have them on my own property. I'll admit, as a long time break barrel shooter when I first discovered what PCP guns were via youtube and then saw what these guns cost I thought 'That's crazy. I'll never own one." I don't have a lot of funds for this so I shop as smart as I can and I have a new PCP that is very enjoyable. The next big step for me is a tank rig so I don't have to pump. That's the other thing most folks don't understand is why you just can't use a bike pump or a commercial air compressor to pump up the gun. I guess in their mind if a compressor goes to 300 psi and your gun is 3000 psi just let the compressor run longer. :D
 
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Air guns and firearms are not the same tool and a proper collection should contain both. No point in justifying one over the other. I don't have to choose if I should have a toothbrush or a razor. I need both for different jobs. I wouldn't use an Uzi to shoot squirrels in my back yard without my neighbors noticing and I wouldn't use an air gun to storm the bad guy's compound (in my mythical life as an elite commando). 

If the question is asked by someone who doesn't like any type of shooting then juat explain that it is because you are a man and real men like shooting stuff because it's awesome. 

To be fair, my perception of airguns (before I got into them) was based on the old single shot air pistol that my dad had when I was a kid. It was terrible. It took 3 guys to cock it and it would have been more accurate an powerful to just throw the pellet. Most people have never even seen a modern PCP rifle and have no idea of the precision and power they can have. 

Typically, explaining what the most powerful air guns can do (and kill) makes people give them the respect they deserve. Direct them to the Extreme Big Bore site to see the power those things put out. People hunt bear and buffalo with those things...
 
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I would turn the table on them (is that even the right saying? Not from the US, you know... ). Anyhow.

I would not "justify" or "explain" anything to them. I would simple ask them, "What makes you think an air rifle cannot be "expensive"? It a precision instrument, just like a handmade Swiss watch. Actually, Anything of quality these days is a couple of thousand bucks. PERIOD."

Say it with confidence. Make them "look stupid". Do not let them act like you are a geek, just because you spend thousands on an air rifle!

Kmd
 
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Just ask how many rounds he can shoot for $10. then reiterate that I like to shoot, and the caliber really doesn't matter, I just like to shoot, and will be having a nice steak when I get home with the money I saved.

Also, ask if he can shoot that 17HMR in his back yard. I don't need a range unless I want to use a range. Really makes it so much more enjoyable to be free of so many rules.

So much better than having a powder burner (and I have more than 1, but I shoot air rifles much more often)
 
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