PCP or Spring gun?

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Jan 14, 2017
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So I am looking to get into air rifles. Range fees and/or driving to the outdoor range and ammo have become too cost prohibitive for me to maintain regular practice with my firearms.

Here I am exploring buying my first pellet or BB air rifle besides a Red Ryder or cheapie multi pump rifle I had as a child.

Primarily for target practice and plinking on my little 1 acre piece of property maybe 50-60 yards max range. I may also have a coyote/small dog sized sized animal to dispatch on the rare occasion when I don't don't want to discharge a center fire rifle due to sound.

I am very confused on what I should be looking at to fulfill my needs and seeking guidance. I thought I was set on a .25 caliber Marauder but between the rifle itself a pump and decent optic I would be approaching 800+ dollars. I am curious if perhaps one of the from what I understand one "higher end" spring guns like a Diana RWS 48 would have most of the same capabilities of something like the Marauder but without all the complications of a pump, magazines, etc.

Any help and suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you.
 
Spring guns by nature, (even the higher end ones) have their energy released from a large piston inside the gun. The motion of this piston causes the gun to recoil a LOT more than a PCP air rifle, such as a Marauder. The recoil on a spring gun makes achieving consistent accuracy a lot harder. The pellet does not leave the barrel as quickly as with a powder burner, so the recoil adversely effects accuracy a lot more. Usually people that are attempting to be accurate with a spring gun master a technique called the "artillery hold" You can learn about this by googling it, tons of info should come up, video's etc. Even IF you master your hold with the gun, it will still on it's best day, almost always be less accurate than even an entry level PCP, generally speaking. There may be an exception to the rule, but if you want to hit targets at 50 yards consistently, PCP is the way to go. Even if you move up to "higher end" spring guns that have better parts, machining, etc. you will still have recoil, although maybe a little less. The only way to effectively lessen the recoil in a spring gun is to lessen the power, not something you want when shooting "small dog sized animals".

Also, the hard "back and forth" nature of the recoil on spring guns, means you are limited to scopes that are rated specifically for spring guns, not just powder burners that have recoil in only one direction. Failure to have a spring rated scope means spending more on scopes when they keep breaking. 

If you are trying to dispatch "small dog sized animals", To do so humanely you really should look at sticking with a PCP, both because they are typically far more accurate and also will typically be far more powerful than a spring gun. 

Most people that buy a spring gun, trying to compromise on cost, end up moving to PCP anyway once the addiction of shooting these things sinks in. 

To your point, it is so much cheaper to shoot a .25 marauder than powder burners, that the upfront cost should be less of a deterrent since you will recoup that money as time goes by and you aren't spending so much on ammo. 

The average price for a good "high end" PCP is at least 2 times, usually 3 times or more, the cost of a "high end" spring gun. If the spring guns could keep up the PCP guns in either power or accuracy, the market for PCP's would be a lot smaller I'd think.
 
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There is a bill before Congress to make owning suppressors no more difficult than buying a rifle. A 22 with a silencer may become an everyday reality in the not far distant future. And the price of suppressors will plummet. 22 long and a good suppressor will always beat all but high dollar big bore airguns. Unless you just want to get into airguns which all of us here understand.
 
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My opinion (worth what you paid for it), is that if you can afford a PCP, go for it.

Springers are just as accurate as PCP's, but you must learn to shoot correctly due to the physics of the gun. PCP merely opens a valve and compressed air pushes the pellet out the end. Totally different physics.

The springer relies on a big spring that when released causes all sorts of things to happen to the gun, and when it slams into the front of the cylinder, cause a bunch of other things to happen to the gun. Lots and lots of conversations about the double recoil on the board and YouTube.

PCP has no recoil. Much easier to shoot.

Springer - you can buy for under $300 for a good one. Cheap PCP's start at $200 for the Maximus, but the kit to keep them working is pricey up front. Either a $200 pump, or a $300 tank to have compressed air when you need it. Tracking shots so you know when the air is running out, stopping to refill, etc are all disadvantages of the PCP. Springer is a single, self contained unit.

One other disadvantage of the springer might be maintenance, as every now and then you need to replace the piston seals, but not all that often.

I have both and haven't shot the springers in over a year. Probably won't shoot them any time soon either. But that's just me. Both work, just pick your advantages or disadvantages. You can't go wrong.
 
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There is a wide range in needs between doing some plinking and target shooting verses the ability to take out a coyote size critter. A spring powered rifle is not going to kill a coyote but a PCP rifle will do well for both target shooting and larger critter control. In addition most PCP rifles will have magazines for quick follow up shots. Cliff gives you some excellent information and perspective on spring vs PCP rifles. The thing to remember although the upfront costs are more for PCP rifle set-ups with a hand pump or 4500psi carbon fiber tank the cheap cost of pellets will allow you to shoot to your hearts content cheaply. I think the Marauder in .25 would be an cost effective, accurate and quiet rifle to buy. The .25 cal. pellets are available in a wide range of types and weights and not too much more costly than .22 caliber. Bill
 
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"Nueces"There is a bill before Congress to make owning suppressors no more difficult than buying a rifle. A 22 with a silencer may become an everyday reality in the not far distant future. And the price of suppressors will plummet. 22 long and a good suppressor will always beat all but high dollar big bore airguns. Unless you just want to get into airguns which all of us here understand.
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Thank you for the insight!


I have heard of the hearing protection act and how it has a good chance of passing but still I figure I am not technically allowed to discharge a firearm within city limits. And when I saw how cheap pellets are there is no way I could send near as many whisper quiet sub sonic 22lr's down range as I could air gun pellets. And I would feel much more concerned about having a heavily fortified backstop for plinking into and would have to be much more cautious when shooting at varmits with the 22lr.

Even with the initial sticker shock I had looking st some of these air rifles after a bit of thinking it over, the cost saving and use I would get out of one makes it a pretty good bargain for me.

Overall it's sounding like my initial research that led me to the .25 Marauder will be much more pleasant and suitable option for what I am looking to do. Is there perhaps another PCP rifle I should be considering around the $400-500 price range? With this websites AGNATION discount on Benjamins website I can have a Marauder and pump for about $550 plus another $350 for a scope mount and pellets that's not too unreasonable in my opinion.

Thank you everyone for your help, it's much appreciated.

 
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"Subtraction"
"Nueces"There is a bill before Congress to make owning suppressors no more difficult than buying a rifle. A 22 with a silencer may become an everyday reality in the not far distant future. And the price of suppressors will plummet. 22 long and a good suppressor will always beat all but high dollar big bore airguns. Unless you just want to get into airguns which all of us here understand.
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Thank you for the insight!


I have heard of the hearing protection act and how it has a good chance of passing but still I figure I am not technically allowed to discharge a firearm within city limits. And when I saw how cheap pellets are there is no way I could send near as many whisper quiet sub sonic 22lr's down range as I could air gun pellets. And I would feel much more concerned about having a heavily fortified backstop for plinking into and would have to be much more cautious when shooting at varmits with the 22lr.

Even with the initial stick shock I had looking st some of these air rifles after a bit of thinking it over, the cost saving and use I would get out of one makes it a pretty good bargain for me.

Overall it's sounding like my initial research that led me to the .25 Marauder will be much more pleasant and suitable option for what I am looking to do. Is there perhaps another PCP rifle I should be considering around the $400-500 price range? With this websites AGNATION discount on Benjamins website I can have a Marauder and pump for about $550 plus another $350 for a scope mount and pellets that's not too unreasonable in my opinion.

Thank you everyone for your help, it's much appreciated.


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.25 Marauder I would think is going to be at the top of the list for what you are saying you will do with the gun. As far as I know, the Marauders are hand pump friendly and the .25 is widely respected as the most accurate caliber for the Marauder since they source their barrels from Green Mountain. Also, you are going to want the extra hitting power for animals. Not to mention that regardless of the Green Mountain barrels, the .25 in general, is widely respected as being more accurate at longer ranges due to the extra weight and Bal Coef of the .25 pellets over the .22. I would not consider a .177 for your intended use. 

You could look at a Hatsan AT-44 in .25, a well respected gun but I can't recall any advantages it has over the Marauders. I've had both and they were both good guns. For someone just starting out, with the Marauder being more prolific in the air gun community, I believe there is more information readily available for maintenance, support, mods, etc. later down the road if you want/need. 
 
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"c_m_shooter"I would recommend a .177 or .22 just so pellets will be cheaper and can be sourced locally. If you go with a spring gun, stay away from the magnums. They are difficult to shoot accurately. I have a Benjamin Discovery and HW97, both tuned to 12 ft lbs, and shoot the 97 more.
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C_M_shooter The rifles and calibers you suggested will not be suitable for taking the occasional coyote the poster said he will need to take out. Bill
 
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"X27"If you are looking at getting a marauder wait until Benjamin release the new Regulated Marauder in a month or 2, most likely it will be at the same price point as the non regulated marauder right now.


Introducing The Benjamin Marauder Field & Target Edition
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http://www.ammoland.com/2017/01/introducing-benjamin-marauder-field-target-edition/embed/[/QUOTE]
Did you use a coupon or some kind of discount code?

Direct from Benjamin/Crosman website seems to be the cheapest I am able to find it with the 25% off coupon I previously mentioned.
 
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I have the current generation (Gen 2) Marauder in .22. I like the gun. It accepts a scope nicely, Trigger isn't "Match Grade" but it has a nice pull and I've shot 10 shot groups that are around 3/4 inch at 25 yards and I'm not that good of a shot. It's more accurate than I am. It's long at around 40 inches, so you'll need a long case for it.

The .22 has a 10 shot magazine, I believe it's an 8 shot in .25.

​I'd recommend the .22 for an initial purchase if that's the direction you decide to go. It shoots the Crosman Premier Domes well (Believe it or not, the Crosman Premier Hollow Points shoot very differently).

​The air tanks and such don't normally care what gun you are using, so I have the Ninja 88 Cubic Inch "Buddy Bottle". The bottle, regulator, and valve and hoses are about $300 at Pyramyd Air.

If there's a dive shop or paintball place handy, please FORGET THE PUMP! I have the pump, and it takes about 100 strokes to pump up the gun from 1800 PSI to 2800 PSI. Above 2500 PSI, you must really put the weight into the stroke. I'm old and not that healthy (OK, not that old, but really 100 strokes takes a lot of effort)

​Do check out the prices at Crosman using the code AGNATION for a 25% discount, and I believe someone mentioned free shipping on Friday's. That's about a $20 item.

​If you want to wait for the regulated version, you may have a wait, as I suspect it'll be a hot seller. Be patient, and DON'T get one of the first off the assembly line. At least it's just an upgrade for an existing product, but when Crosman introduced the NitroPiston models a few years ago, the initial run was a disaster.
 
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"Saltlake58"I have the current generation (Gen 2) Marauder in .22. I like the gun. It accepts a scope nicely, Trigger isn't "Match Grade" but it has a nice pull and I've shot 10 shot groups that are around 3/4 inch at 25 yards and I'm not that good of a shot. It's more accurate than I am. It's long at around 40 inches, so you'll need a long case for it.

The .22 has a 10 shot magazine, I believe it's an 8 shot in .25.

​I'd recommend the .22 for an initial purchase if that's the direction you decide to go. It shoots the Crosman Premier Domes well (Believe it or not, the Crosman Premier Hollow Points shoot very differently).

​The air tanks and such don't normally care what gun you are using, so I have the Ninja 88 Cubic Inch "Buddy Bottle". The bottle, regulator, and valve and hoses are about $300 at Pyramyd Air.

If there's a dive shop or paintball place handy, please FORGET THE PUMP! I have the pump, and it takes about 100 strokes to pump up the gun from 1800 PSI to 2800 PSI. Above 2500 PSI, you must really put the weight into the stroke. I'm old and not that healthy (OK, not that old, but really 100 strokes takes a lot of effort)

​Do check out the prices at Crosman using the code AGNATION for a 25% discount, and I believe someone mentioned free shipping on Friday's. That's about a $20 item.

​If you want to wait for the regulated version, you may have a wait, as I suspect it'll be a hot seller. Be patient, and DON'T get one of the first off the assembly line. At least it's just an upgrade for an existing product, but when Crosman introduced the NitroPiston models a few years ago, the initial run was a disaster.
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Thanks for the information. I work at a shop with access to welding materials. I was thinking of asking our gas supplier about a nitrogen tank and seeing what kind of psi they could offer me in one of the big bottles.

I keep hearing the pumps are really a pain but I was hoping at about 235 lbs, 27years old, and doing a fair amount of physical labor at work every day that it wouldnt be too bad?

But I will definitely look into the welding supply shop and start asking them some questions. I reckon if I can get a big bottle of 4500 psi nitrogen that would last me a whole lot of fill ups.

I have taken not of the free shipping on Fridays that'll most likely be where I order from as it's hands down the best deal I have come up with so far!
 
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"T3PRanch"What you want if you can get it is a 6K Nitrogen. I have been shooting on mine for a year and I shoot a LOT!

Thurmond
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I wasn't sure what psi they went up to I know at one point we had this cart that had 6 nitrogen bottles all daisy chained together and it was some insanely high pressure. What kind of fittings, hose, regulator will I need to go from a welding tank type bottle to an air gun like the Marauder? Is there some kind of pre-made ready to go solution or am I stuck ordering a bunch of parts from McMasterCarr and cobbling it together?
 
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About the pump - If you are 27 and in reasonable health, the pump is definitely an option. I'm pushing 60 and not in such good physical condition. 

Consider though, do you want to pump or shoot? 5 minutes or more to pump for 40 shots in .22 and probably around 25 shots in .25, heart rate goes up making shooting more difficult, etc, etc, etc,

The pumps run $200 to $250ish (Hill is better than Crosman, so they aren't all the same), the HPA (High Pressure Air) bottle runs $300. 

As always, this opinion is worth what you paid for it! It's got to be your decision which direction you go. The pump does give you more independence. 
 
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