Advice for New shooters/Hunters........

[Marksman 934]

There's been Various chats on the forum recently about spring rifles. "which should i buy?"-"are cheap springer's any good, will they do?"

 

I "borrowed" this from another forum, I hope this info helps others new into the sport!!

 

The Spring powered air rifle

 

Spring powered air rifles, contrary to popular believe are a marvel of engineering. It's not simply about a spring forcing a piston along a cylinder, which in turn forces the pellet out of the end of your rifle. It's a complex procedure of combustion and engineering.

 

How does it work?

 

When we slip the trigger on a spring air rifle, we start a a series of events within the rifle. The piston will fly forward inside the cylinder, Compressing the air within it as it goes. This compression causes heat. The heat then causes the molecules of lubricant used inside the cylinder (oil) to combust. This in turn creates more pressure inside the cylinder. When the pressure in the cylinder becomes greater than the force of friction holding the pellet in place, the pellet is sent on it's journey. This small combustion inside your rifle is called "dieselling." Unfortunately however, dieseling can also destroy the internal components of your rifle.

The time taken for this complex process to take place? On average, 17 milliseconds. That's 17/100 of a second. Remarkable really, isn't it?

 

Dieseling, the dangers

 

Spring rifles need to be maintained. alot more than many people think. The lubricant inside the cylinder has to be maintained, otherwise your power levels will drop. However, too much oil in the cylinder causes too much dieseling. The result can be devastating. The excess amount of oil will combust. but due to the larges amounts will ignite and detonate. This will force the pellet out of the rifle at extremely high velocity, followed by a large plume of white smoke. Internally, the piston will be send flying backwards, compressing the spring with a much greater force than usual. Ultimately ending in less power coming from your spring. And when you consider only 1/3rd of the power of the spring makes it into the pellet, We don't have much to lose in the first place, do we?

 

 

 

Maintaining your springer

 

Springer's don't need much work doing to them to keep them ready for the hunting grounds. However, They do need a little care and attention. The lubricant in the cylinder will eventually need to be replaced. if you fail to do so, the power of the rifle will drop, as a direct result of their not being any combustible lubricant in the cylinder.

 

Pellets

 

 

Pellet choice in any air rifle is important. Make sure your pellet choice fits snugly into the breech. Not too snug however. Using a pellet that fits loosely into the breech is disastrous for the power levels. Because the pellet doesn't create a seal in the breach. Air from the cylinder escapes before it reaches it's peak pressure. Resulting in a low powered shot.

 

 

Buy a rifle that suits you well. Not your wallet well. Cheap air rifles are good for plinking or practice in the garden. Unfortunately though, they don't have a real place in the hunting field. They are usually inconsistent and very inaccurate. Not we need at all.

 

 

Springer's i would class as very, very good. Are;

 

 

Air Armns Pro-Sport

Air Arms TX200HC

Weihrauch HW97K

Weihrauch HW80K

Weihrauch HW95k

Webley Stingray.

 

 

Gas ram/spring rifes.

Theoben Fenman

Theoben SLR98

 

 

 

 

With a decent telescopic sight on top. A spring can easily perform as well as a PCP rifle as it has already been proven it just takes time.

 

 

 

Recoil

 

The recoil of a spring rifle begins the second the piston starts to move up the cylinder, As it comes to rest on the cushion of air at the front of the cylinder, it rebounds. This is the peak point of energy in the recoiling of the gun. (negative energy) This means the rifle has recoiled, before the pellet has even left the barrel. Which is why it's hugely important absorb the recoil with your body and keep the rifle pointing toward your intended mark. Failure to do so will result in a very Inaccurate shooter, not rifle

 

I hope it helps lads. I remember when i was buying my first springer, It was a daunting task. I'm sure the other guys will add to the list of good springer's. It'd be good to build a database type article of decent spring guns. Maybe the same for PCP rifles. So that new comers to the sport don't buy something they won't be happy with.

 

Darryl

[zini 1,939]

Nice post Marksman

 

Zini

[Edgar 1]

Good post, no doubt every one will have other "good guns" to add. Maybe some one could do a similar post on sights/scope mounts.

[xia_emperor 1]

I learned so much thanks!

[andyfr1968 772]

Sound advice about recoil and how to handle a springer but what's all that crap about dieseling? Sure, if you put a comustable substance into the compresion chamber, it's going to burn but you'd only need to lubricate that in a springer with leather or (maybe) a rubber 'o' ring piston seal.

 

Pretty much all the spring guns that have been made for the past 20ish years use nylon or similar seals that are self lubricateing. If you put lube into the cylinder you'll soon ruin the gun, as well as takeing it over 'the limit' as described above.

 

That bit of advice must be at least 20 years old!!

 

Cheers.

[Marksman 934]

you'd be amazed at how many people still do it if the truth be known mate!

 

Darryl