> Just a few basic info about Air Guns ... new / novice members may find it useful.
INTRODUCTION:
Air-guns have grown up! The current generation of precision air-guns is powerful and accurate. No longer a mere "toy”, air-guns have become a major force in the shooting sports because they offer shooters the opportunity to enjoy their favorite sport with greater safety and less of disturbance to the environment. Air gunning can also be a relaxing hobby enjoyed close to home or a rewarding competitive sport. Join the thousands of avid shooters that have discovered the pleasure of owning one of the new generations of adult precision air-guns.
TYPES OF AIRGUNS
Although all air-guns use "air-power" to eject pellets out of their barrels, the technology used to do this can differ. The three major types of air-guns, as defined by their power-plant, are:
• Spring-piston
• CO2
• Pneumatic
1. SPRING-PISTON:
The spring-piston is the type of air-gun that most people think of when they hear the word "air-gun."
It is cocked by breaking the barrel or by cocking a lever. The cocking action moves a piston backward within the receiver and compresses a spring behind it. When the trigger is pressed, the piston moves forward using the power of the spring behind it and pushes a column of air forward into the rear end of the pellet. The effect of all this causes the pellet to rush out the barrel towards the target of your choice.
Spring-piston air-guns have some drawbacks. First of all, they are difficult to shoot accurately because of spring /piston vibration while firing. Secondly, cocking does require some effort. Matter of fact, some of these magnum guns can only be operated by strong adult males, that require anywhere above 40lbs of break-barrel pressure to cock them. Many air-gun aficionados consider ‘Spring Piston’ air-guns more ‘MACHO’ than PCPs!!! All said and done ‘Spring Piston’ air-guns are here to stay.
2. CO2 GUNS:
CO2 guns are easier to shoot than the spring-piston and are recoilless. They use compressed CO2 gas as power source. Their main drawback is lack of consistency. Changes in temperature will greatly affect a CO2 gun's point of impact. This lack of consistency can be a big problem for hunters and plinkers that need to be certain that their pellet will hit where expected.
3. PNEUMATIC AIR-GUNS:
Pneumatics use compressed air for power and there are two main types of pneumatics:
• The pump-up
• Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP)
The pump-up compresses its own air using a multi-stroke or single-stroke pumping procedure. The big drawback of a multi-stroke is all the time and effort needed to get a shot off, and when hunting, a second shot is near impossible before your quarry runs or flies away. In addition, accuracy from a multi-stroke is just average. The single-stroke pump-up is considerably more consistent and accurate, but its power is on the low side.
PCP's provide the best of both worlds. With a PCP, you get variable power, incredible accuracy, easy cocking, no recoil and lots of shots from an air charge. Pre-charged pneumatics (PCP’s) use high-pressure air for power (approx. 3,000 psi) and are the class of air-gun usually chosen for hunting and /or Olympic competition. PCP’s store the compressed air in an attached reservoir and are typically charged from high-pressure air cylinders, such as SCUBA, or efficient hand pumps.
MOST NEWCOMERS TO AIR-GUNNING MISTAKENLY ASSUME THAT PCP’S ARE A RECENT INVENTION. SURPRISINGLY, THAT IS NOT TRUE. THE FIRST KNOWN PNEUMATIC, AN EXPERIMENTAL GUN WAS MADE FOR KING HENRY IV OF FRANCE, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED AROUND 1600. IN THE LATE 1700’S, HOLY ROMAN EMPERORS JOSEPH II AND LEOPOLD II ARMED SOME OF THEIR TROOPS WITH PNEUMATICS AGAINST TURKEY AND FRANCE.
What has changed, however, is how PCP’s are filled. In the past, pneumatic air-guns were charged using inefficient mechanical hand pumps that required a large amount of manual effort. As a result, interest in this labor-intensive form of shooting had been very limited. With the advent of scuba diving and the wide-spread availability of high-pressure air, interest in PCP’s was renewed. The first of the new generation of PCP’s made its debut in England about 25 years ago and since then, PCP’s have become mainstream the world over.
ADVANTAGES OF PCP’S:
The advantages of PCPs are countless; you get variable power, incredible accuracy, easy cocking, no recoil and lots of shots from an air charge. The accuracy and consistency of some PCP’s is astounding! MANY TOP SHOOTERS CAN ROUTINELY HIT ONE-INCH GROUPS AT 50 YARDS. Matter of fact, most Olympic-level target shooters using air-guns in competition use PCP’s due to their superb accuracy and shooting ease.
PCP’s are also lighter in weight than the standard spring-piston air-guns. A spring gun with the same power of a PCP often weighs 40-60% more than that PCP (i.e., 9-10 lbs. vs. 5-7 lbs.). Lack of recoil also means telescopic sights can be used without the fear associated with the typical jerky spring-piston air-guns that require special ‘air gun rated ‘scopes. Once shooters try them out, they discover for themselves the major advantages of shooting these powerful precision air-guns.
VELOCITY & POWER:
VELOCITY ALONE HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH HOW WELL AN AIR RIFLE WILL PERFORM. You’ll find that in the air-gun world, more is not necessarily better. A lot depends on your intended use. For example, Olympic air rifles typically shoot at only about 570 fps. In addition, maximum velocity does not necessarily equate to maximum power, as heavier projectiles traveling at lower velocities will produce more muzzle energy than lighter projectiles at higher velocities. Furthermore, other factors, such a gun’s barrel length and caliber also affect a PCP’s velocity and power.
CALIBER & PELLETS:
In Pneumatic air-guns the two most popular calibers are .177 and .22. Air-guns are notorious for performing better with one type of pellet over another. Matter of fact, two different “same-model” guns may like different types of pellets. As a result, we recommend you experiment with a variety of high quality pellets to find the one that shoots best and stick to them for better accuracy.
TARGET SHOOTING:
Target shooting with air-guns has been popular for quite some time. Top grade pneumatic air guns are now considered to be the world's most accurate guns. It’s a good sport to relax, help concentration & eye and body coordination. It also acts as a good stress release.
PLINKING:
If plinking is your hobby, pneumatic air guns are your answer. They are quiet and safe to shoot. Ammunition is also considerably cheaper than that of firearms and you can plink right at home - no need to drive to distant firearm ranges and negligible recoil makes air-gun shooting a pleasant and "flinch-free" experience.
SAFETY
•Most PCP’s don't pose nearly the same risk as firearms. The only safety precaution required is simple eye protection. Furthermore, air-gun pellet poses no fire or explosive danger. In addition, air-guns are typically not a target for break-in and theft since they have virtually no criminal value.
•While with spring piston air-guns care should be taken to hold on to the barrel after cocking & loading the pellet as otherwise, accidental discharge can take place due to sensitive trigger mechanism or improper cocking / disengagement of the sears.
•It’s recommend you keep your air-guns locked up, especially if there are children in the home.
Happy Air Gunning – Enjoy the SPORT!
Cheers
Brihacharan
