Observations on Airgunning Today

[ten-ring]

I have been on the forum for 16 years and view it a few times every day. I do not have a PAL and at 81yrs , content with my few sub 500 airguns which I can enjoy indoors 24/7 without all the set ups , travelling to a suitable spot in sometimes iffy weather.
I only shoot at regulation targets and happy when I have a good session in accuracy. My max distance is 30 feet.
However, I do envy those who have the equipment to obtain great results with their beautiful , powerful PCPs and springers at long ranges.
Most posts these days appear to be related to the PCPs and all the gear /scopes required to get the most out of shooting sessions which requires more investment of dollars and time to achieve.
Up until several years ago, many of us were content with the offerings at Canadian Tire and online dealers featuring low power springers, pumpers and CO2 rifles and pistols , many were non-PAL and there were more members posting reviews and comments. Perhaps, like me, those who do not have a PAL or just getting older are content with viewing the discussions on the quality of airguns on the market these days but , for any number of reasons, will not make those purchases nor can they post informed comments on the newer products .
Certainly, there are a few members who post helpful info daily on the CAF mostly relative to the yummy looking equipment in todays marketplace and this is good thing.
Meanwhile , us older , old school shooters will just spend our time with the products which were very suitable and popular years ago but no longer attract much excitement. For example, months ago I listed two Daisy Grizzly 840 bb rifles for sale. Many views but no offers.
I suspect that if these were posted up to 5 years ago they would have sold to younger shooters new to this sport.

Today, I will spend time with my Beeman P17, Crosman M4-177 pumper, Stoeger X3 and Days Avanti 499 all of which I mostly out-of-the box accurate. Carry on tweaking boys and girls!!

[Daryl]

Agree totally as to the direction of air-gunning today.
This forum has been wonderful for me in learning about this sport. I tend to go overboard in learning everything I can about a
"new-to-me" sport.

[McRobert]

When I was a kid .22 cal was the big gun and there were no FAC yet, now a PAL, airguns were for rats and a small rabbit. Now for myself it is deer and hogs. I can't say if the enjoyment factor is greater at 100m and 1000 fps but the accomplishment of at tight group at that distance is. I regularly turn my pcps down below 500 and shoot indoor and am amazed how quite it is. Bigger, faster, better is today for sure.

Robert

[TCooper]

I hear what you're saying ten-ring. I've been on this forum since it's first week running (2005). The Crosman 2240, Crosman 1377/1322, Beeman P17 and cheap springer or pumper rifles were dominate topics. These days we see lots of rifle rigs worth well over $1000 with some going 2-3X that much. I decided to stick mainly with the cheapo airguns and tinker to get them shooting accurately. I still have a 1377, P17 and some cheapo Crosman B18 springers. If we had organized field target events up here I would likely upgrade my airgun options.

All winter I shoot paper from 10 metres in the basement to somewhat maintain the skill. Once this snow is gone I'll take the short drives to the country to enjoy plinking out to 80 yards. I prefer tin cans, homemade gongs, spinners/swingers and hanging small pots/pans and/or lids. I recently found a scrap 4" diameter stainless steel pot that should make some nice noise when hit. Part of my fun is making up targets.

[ten-ring]

I hear what you're saying ten-ring. I've been on this forum since it's first week running (2005). The Crosman 2240, Crosman 1377/1322, Beeman P17 and cheap springer or pumper rifles were dominate topics. These days we see lots of rifle rigs worth well over $1000 with some going 2-3X that much. I decided to stick mainly with the cheapo airguns and tinker to get them shooting accurately. I still have a 1377, P17 and some cheapo Crosman B18 springers. If we had organized field target events up here I would likely upgrade my airgun options.

All winter I shoot paper from 10 metres in the basement to somewhat maintain the skill. Once this snow is gone I'll take the short drives to the country to enjoy plinking out to 80 yards. I prefer tin cans, homemade gongs, spinners/swingers and hanging small pots/pans and/or lids. I recently found a scrap 4" diameter stainless steel pot that should make some nice noise when hit. Part of my fun is making up targets.

No car or access to outdoor plinking . Shooting paper targets for accuracy is my main enjoyment but seeing tin cans, gongs ,etc. taking a shot would satisfy the fun element.

[megiddo65]

I totally agree with you Ten-ring concerning the advancement of airgunning and how difficult it is to keep up with all the new info coming out; especially with respect to PCPs. I've noticed the last 5-7 years have brought a huge shift in airgun technology. A company like Daystate has user-programmable electronic air rifles now. The picture and game is changing right before our eyes.
I've been on this forum for 10 years and I find myself catching up to the new lingo or language used in the airgun game; especially with PCPs. To this day, I'm perfectly happy plinking at home with my replicas, multi-pumps, springers, and CO2 pistols. Every once in awhile I'll take out the 1077, 2240, 1322, M4-177, and BB pistols out of the cabinet to do some stress relieving plinking. I'm still an old school airgunner and there will always be a spot for these sub 500fps guns in my collection.
I just moved into the PCP world last month and I must say it's a hell of a learning experience. Quite intimidating at first, but I'm slowly catching on. I follow this forum as well as the one in the UK to glean as much info as I can.