Pcp advantages?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Gabpan

Gabpan

Member
Mar 29, 2020
123
1
MI, United States
So I'm toying with the idea of either buying a PCP or getting a black powder rifle.

I'm trying to understand the advantages of PCP. I know that there is less recoil than a springer piston break barrel.

correct me if I'm wrong though it's small bore there's not really much of an advantage because the pellet can't travel past the speed of sound anyway. I should say it's not ideal for it to travel faster than the speed of sound.

That being said that projectile being shot at the same FPS with the same grain weight would impart the same amount of impact energy.

so am I correct in assuming that small bore PCP really isn't that much of an advantage and more a different type of propulsion system in a novelty.

my assumption is that the true advantage of PCP comes when you deal with larger bore .357 or better. 

This opens arena for PCP rifles to be used in legal hunting of deer in my state. 

which leads me to the ultimate conclusion if it's about a rifle that use for hunting wouldn't it be more cost-effective for me to have a CVA black powder rifle for that purpose. Rather than invest the money into another gun Pump's and all the fun accessories that go with it.

What do you guys think I originally bought the small bore break barrels for small game hunting rabbits or smaller. The only way I could really justify a PCP purchase is as a deer hunting rifle and in that case I'd have to go large bore and spend about six to seven hundred dollars. I can get away with spending about a 250 on that black powder rifle.
 
Idk how you can only justify buying a pcp if its .357 or larger...I mean personally for me, its the exact opposite...for that kind of energy level, I'd simply stick to PB...air is very inefficient at transferring energy..much less than the powders used in PB's...



Your assumptions are mostly wrong. I'm not going to be the one to educate you here though...if you're concerned about a 600-700$ purchase, then pcp's are absolutely not for you. Stick to break barrels/springers for low energy and pb for high..
 
Upvote 0
Generally speaking PCPs are more accurate than springers and in most cases more powerful. Advantages over powder burners include price of ammo, much quieter so can be shot in most back yards for the pure enjoyment of plinking and target shooting. If its all about the Benjamin and your just interested in hunting a deer than a powder burner is the less expensive way to go.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks that's what I thought. 

Seems pb also offers hydrashock. Large bore PCP hunting is a slow bleed out. 

I'd rather just drop the animal right there rather to have to look for it 10 minutes later.

all that being said I love my air rifles I absolutely would not trade them in at all.

I just feel for hunting applications especially larger tougher game like boar deer and turkey I should probably go powder.


 
Upvote 0
Thanks that's what I thought. 

Seems pb also offers hydrashock. Large bore PCP hunting is a slow bleed out. 

I'd rather just drop the animal right there rather to have to look for it 10 minutes later.

all that being said I love my air rifles I absolutely would not trade them in at all.

I just feel for hunting applications especially larger tougher game like boar deer and turkey I should probably go powder.

Click to expand...

If by "pb" you are still discussing a black powder rifle, I don't know if the assumed difference in hydrostatic shock is valid (don't that it isn't either). I once did some research into this, and it is complicated. I've seen varying conclusions of the threshold velocity for hydrostatic damage, from 2,000 to 2,800 fps. There seemed to be some correlation to the required velocity and the caliber of the projectile, with the larger bores requiring less velocity. Maybe the formula has a variable including projectile diameter and/or weight. In larger game and bigger bore weapons, the ability to break up larger bones may be as important as soft tissue damage, and larger, heavier projectiles would, I believe, have an advantage. 
 
Upvote 0
Thanks that's what I thought. 

Seems pb also offers hydrashock. Large bore PCP hunting is a slow bleed out. 

I'd rather just drop the animal right there rather to have to look for it 10 minutes later.

all that being said I love my air rifles I absolutely would not trade them in at all.

I just feel for hunting applications especially larger tougher game like boar deer and turkey I should probably go powder.

Click to expand...

If by "pb" you are still discussing a black powder rifle, I don't know if the assumed difference in hydrostatic shock is valid (don't that it isn't either). I once did some research into this, and it is complicated. I've seen varying conclusions of the threshold velocity for hydrostatic damage, from 2,000 to 2,800 fps. There seemed to be some correlation to the required velocity and the caliber of the projectile, with the larger bores requiring less velocity. Maybe the formula has a variable including projectile diameter and/or weight. In larger game and bigger bore weapons, the ability to break up larger bones may be as important as soft tissue damage, and larger, heavier projectiles would, I believe, have an advantage.
Click to expand...

Yeah the pb is powder burner in this case the muzzleloader black powder rifle.

When mentioning the hydroshock we've got to go into into velocities that are faster than what you'd want to Diablo shape pellet to go. 

Realistically for Diablo shape pellets at low velocity it's hard enough to get the hollow points to mushroom. 

Now high velocity Hypersonic slug shooting PCP air rifles may have a chance in the hydro stock market. But I suspect this will end up like hollow points fired by low-velocity air guns. In other words you're really going to have to struggle to get her to produce.

Is there guns are super fun I love my rifles but they have their place. I can bust out my rifle anytime go down to the basement and start shooting. 

with a muzzleloader a firearm or anything like that unless I live out in the country I've got to go out to the range to poke holes in paper. 

But when I want to take down a deer or boar I don't want to mess around. High velocity smack and hopefully instant death. I hate to say it but even a slingshot would provide more put down energy then even a magnum air rifle I believe. the reason being you may be going at 200 feet per second but you're launching a 50 grain projectile. Rather than eight or nine grains for a tiny little pellet. 
 
Upvote 0
This type of question comes up a lot. It’s really not about power or how much less money a Firearm costs. In the end, it’s about passion. Plain & simple. 

Why would you pay $7K for a bicycle when you can buy a motorcycle instead for probably less? Why would you pay $25K for a motorcycle when you can buy a car instead? The car is even much safer. The list can go on and on.

Airgunning is a passion and that’s why most of us do it. We may have gotten into it for other reasons like shooting squirrels in the yard without your neighbor knowing. But then something happened....

As for an instant kill, it’s no different than hunting deer with a long bow vs a compound or a crossbow etc, when you can drop one with a .700 Nitro Express. 😉 
 
Upvote 0
This type of question comes up a lot. In the end, it’s about passion. Plain & simple. 

Why would you pay $7K for a bicycle when you can buy a motorcycle instead for probably less? Why would you pay $25K for a motorcycle when you can buy a car instead? The car is even much safer. The list can go on and on.

passion and that’s why most of us do it. We may have gotten into it for other reasons like without your neighbor knowing. But then something happened.....
Click to expand...

Well put I agree if it would have been a logical decision back then if both of my parents would have been neutered but it was all about the passion that is why they did it just plain passion. the after effects were devastating but it started with passion and nothing else. I personally would now vote for the neutering as it would have made more sense. 😂😅

Scott 😆
 
Upvote 0
Haha, some good points have been raised. Personally, for larger game, PB makes more sense. Not to say air is not effective. Just pb is simple, and generally more cost effective well. 

I do like airguns because they can fill a power spectrum that powder burners do not fall into. Light weight, small, soft projectiles. At 600fps or so, great for target practice. Extremely quiet, and still entirely deadly for small game. 22 or 177 can be absurdly cheap to shoot as well.

As for the better energy transfer, and dropping game DRT.... The projectile selection, and shot placement play a large role in this. Most PBs are grossly overpowered for their intended use. I suppose to compensate for poor shot placement...? Either way, any of what you mentioned will do what you need.... Just need to select the appropriate tools (gun, scope, projectiles, ect) For deer, I would choose a 45, though I'm sure you could use a 22 with correct shot placement, it would not be recommended or advised. 
 
Upvote 0
In my personal opinion, big bore air rifles are simply a novelty. They use too much air, and offer too little energy and make too much noise to be worth the trouble over powder. Yes you can make big energy, and make them quiet, but at a large expense for no gain over powder. 

The smaller bore air rifles are great, loved them for a long time and find them extremely practical. The big bore stuff, not so much. 

As a black powder guy myself, look into the Jim Kibler kits. I have a .36 Southern Mountain Rifle for squirrels and it's been awesome. 


 
Upvote 0
A couple more points here. If that is your thoughts, and they are not necessarily wrong, just stick to your PB for hunting deer. There are a couple key points you make that will make the decision very easy to make. 1-The only way you can justify a PCP purchase is as a deer hunting rifle. This alone should tell you that it's not for you. 2- $6 to $700 budget for a large bore airgun may be a little thin. Not sure which guns out there with your power requirements will cost as little as that. Even if you got one at that price, you still need air and other adjuncts that will bring the price up significantly. PCPs are a commitment and not entirely a cheap one. 

As for dispatching a deer humanely, there's a lot of controversy here. I have seen deer get hit in the vitals with a relatively low powered airgun and it just jump a couple steps as though it got stung by a wasp. Then stand there for a few seconds and drop DRT without flinching. This practice is not legal in the States and highly controversial at that. I am not suggesting anyone should do it either. It's just a thought provoking conversation piece. We all have our ideas of how things should be and how they shouldn't be, and damn if anyone tells us any different. 
 
Upvote 0
"if it's about a rifle that use for hunting wouldn't it be more cost-effective for me to have a CVA black powder rifle for that purpose."

Absolutely.

Click to expand...

This. 

No debate. Bottom line is it's gonna be cheaper to put a deer down with this tool. 

Again would love a PCP but not for hunting large game. So much easier and cheaper with a CVA wolf.

If the purpose is hunting alone I can't justify the purchase. There's a lot of things that I would love to buy but it's just not practical at this time.
 
Upvote 0
I justify my pcp purchases for bragging rights and dont think about the cost. Thousands of people have shot coyotes with PB's but how many can say they've killed coyotes with a pellet gun.

The only person that could one up me is if that person used a spear. The next person to one up the spear guy is if they used a knife. The next person would be if they used their hands. Bragging rights is what it comes down to
 
Upvote 0
I justify my pcp purchases for bragging rights and dont think about the cost. Thousands of people have shot coyotes with PB's but how many can say they've killed coyotes with a pellet gun.

The only person that could one up me is if that person used a spear. The next person to one up the spear guy is if they used a knife. The next person would be if they used their hands. Bragging rights is what it comes down to
Click to expand...

is it interesting that you say that because that's kind of why I got into the air rifle thing. 

I used to enjoy bench shooting 22 precision long-range. Then I thought for a challenge I'll try the the .17 HMR. This is outdoors with wind flags and all that fun stuff going on. 

All that stuff was fun but I had to go out to the range to do it. Then I thought wouldn't it be challenging to try to do this with one of the high-end pellet rifles that are available now. It would be even more challenging considering all the variables. A man is it a blast I had to learn all about the new type of recoil. And I tell you what I'm damn accurate. Some of you might have seen my army men headshot photos.

That being said I did just end up purchasing a CVA wolf for $210 it'll be shipped to my door. It's in stainless steel and 50 caliber. The problem is obviously I cannot shoot this in my basement range. 

So hey they have their advantages they have their disadvantages and they all have their purpose. Best to get two of everything. Lol
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu