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Education / Training What do you tell a new airgunner?

What do you tell a new airgunner?

by B.B. Pelletier

This question keeps coming up for me. How do I tell a new airgunner what he or she should buy as a first airgun? They come to me with their questions, and they don’t always ask them the same way; but they do all want to know the same thing. What gun should I buy?

It was easier for me. When I was growing up, we didn’t have the internet. As far as airguns are concerned, if they didn’t advertise in the backs of comic books and Boy’s Life and maybe Popular Mechanics, I didn’t know they existed. I went more on what my friends had than on anything else, and I certainly didn’t ask the advice of an adult.

That latter remark is probably still very true today, though the internet has blurred identities to the point that a teenager and an octagenarian can converse without knowing it.

Back to the question. What do you tell a prospective new airgunner when one comes to you looking for advice? Do you steer him toward your favorite airgun, regardless of everything else (money, intended purpose, availability of places to shoot, physical size of the person, etc)? Or do you have some pre-recorded tape you put on that goes through many questions in hopes of discovering what he wants to do with the airgun? Perhaps you play the roll of the non-directive therapist and let him talk about his desires until you both have a clear idea of what he wants.

The challenge
This website attracts airgunners from around the world. It also attracts those who think they may have an interest in airgunning but aren’t sure. A couple dozen of them work up the courage to make a comment on some blog report, but 99.99 percent never say anything. They just watch, read the reports and the comments people make about them. They probably also visit several of the airgun forums and do pretty much the same thing; except that over there they may feel more threatened by the jargon and slang everyone seems to use. What’s a P-rod, and if you tell me that it’s a Benjamin Marauder pistol, why do they call it that? What’s dieseling, valve bounce, ballistic coefficient, lock time, etc.?

They also run into a crowd of discontents who have plenty to say about airguns they don’t own. The person who lingers long enough will get a bead on whose remarks can be trusted and whose should be ignored. But that still doesn’t answer his fundamental question about which airgun he should get.

If you could talk to these budding new airgunners, what would you tell them? Would you want their first airgunning experiences to be positive or should they be forced to earn their stripes the same way you did? If you vote for the positive experience, how do you ensure they get that through your writings on the internet?

Are we all the same?
I guess it boils down to this question, “Do we all want the same thing?” Is the primary goal of an airgun to hit its intended target, or is it something else? Should it be the most powerful gun in its class, regardless of the potential for accuracy? Or do you believe that just because a tester wasn’t able to get the best accuracy out of a gun doesn’t mean that you can’t?

If power is supreme over everything else, should you buy the fastest advertised airgun and spend the time to learn how to shoot it accurately? Or are there such things as inaccurate airguns that cannot hit what they’re aimed at, no matter what you do? Or is there a good aftermarket tune that can be done to improve the accuracy of almost anything?

Or maybe cost is the most important thing. Can you calculate the relative power of all guns and compare them to one another to find the least expensive airgun that has the greatest power? And, if you toss accuracy into that mix, what does that do to the results?

Or are you looking for something much better and more refined than the average airgunner? Are the finish of the metal and the grade of wood on the gun of paramount importance to you? If they are, do the photos of airguns online look like the guns that are actually shipped, or do the dealers cherry-pick a gun from all the guns in their warehouse to use as the example? Should you wait to buy a gun because you have to see it and hold it before you can know for sure that it’s as beautiful as you hope?

Who can you trust?
Do airgun testers tell the truth about the guns they test, or are they all sold out to the industry? Can you trust someone who’s given a gun to test and doesn’t have to pay for it?

Can you trust a dealer who has test reports on his website? Why would he ever show you a bad report?

Or do owners lie about their own guns because they bought them and now cannot face the reality that the gun they bought is no good? Is it like The Emperor’s New Clothes, where everyone walks around knowing the emperor is naked but nobody wants to admit it publicly?

What do YOU tell a new airgunner?
I’m asking you again. What do you tell a new airgunner? How do you lead him into this hobby in the best possible way?

I met a man…
I met a man who bought the most powerful car he could afford. He was walking because the car cost too much to keep running and he had no money for fuel and maintenance.

I met a man who calculated the cost of everything and bought the cheapest car he could find that met his minimum performance requirements. He was walking because the car he bought was a Yugo.

I met a man who bought the finest car he could afford. It had lustrous paint, a rich leather interior and a finely crafted motor that ran in absolute silence. He was walking because he didn’t want to risk damaging his fine car.

I met a man who bought a car that everyone else said was a dog. He got it at a great price because the store was blowing them out in a fantastic sale. He was walking because his car broke and there were no parts to repair it.

I met a man who didn’t buy a car. He was walking because he was worried that he wouldn’t buy the right car or that he might buy the right car but get a lemon.

I met a man who had watched all the other men. He was driving a taxicab.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

80 thoughts on “What do you tell a new airgunner?”

  1. I have only met one guy who was seriously looking for a new airgun. He has a problem with starlings roosting in his barn in the winter. He was looking for a simple break barrel and a scope and was looking at the Wallymart stuff.
    Well, none of it was suitable. Too much power. Definitely NOT “barn” guns. We had a long talk about it. Hard to find something suitable.

    After I got home (he is my Vet) I scrounged up a scrap of 1×12 pine and shot it with different rifles and pellets. Each hole was labeled with caliber , pellet type, and velocity. Nearly all of the pellets went right through the board. I took it back to him so he could see why most pellet guns are wrong for this job, unless you want to blow holes right through the barn.

    Don’t know if he ever came up with something that he wanted or not.
    Starlings are easy to deal with in a case like this….
    Go out at night and shoot a few. Do this only once or twice, and they won’t roost there anymore. They only roost there in the winter, and not during breeding season. Maybe just take a .22 and some rat shot out there and dust them a couple times. That should be about all that is needed. If they come back later (same or different flock) just dust them again. They are not too persistent when they feel that an area is a danger zone.

    twotalon

  2. I myself am relatively new to airgunning. When I went to buy my first, I talked to Gary Barnes and he asked me “What do you want to do with it?”.

    I did not buy one that year, or several others for that matter. I kept asking myself that question every time I drooled after one. Finally, I figured out the answer for me and bought my first air rifle two years ago(a CFX). Last year I bought a 46M. Yesterday, Big Brown brought me a pristine FWB 601.

    Yes, I can answer that question now. You should encourage newbies to ask themselves that question.

  3. My humble opinion after using a number of pistols, PCP, magnum springers, and learning the hard way.

    Power and accuracy – buy a $500+ quality PCP
    Plinking and accuracy – buy a $150+ CO2 or $250+ low-med power Springer
    Cheap power inside 15-20 yards buy a $200+ magnum springer

    Scope and mounts should cost 50% of the gun price at a minimum.

  4. I’ve tried to help a few . Usually the best way I’ve found is to let them shoot a few different guns of mine. I’ve also given away a couple guns to folks who show an interest. The easiest are kids and non-shooters. The hardest ones to educate are the long time deer/turkey hunters who are firearms shooters. They all want power and something cheaper to shoot and buy than a good .22 RF, that they are used to ,but can’t shoot in their backyards legally. Those folks are doomed to chase their tails forever, because they’re looking for something that doesn’t exist for them.They over exaggerate the problem of a squirrel in the feeder ,or raccoon on the porch. Truth is ,many of them have shot very little , and have even much less experience shooting game or pests than they would like to admit. Your car owner anology is a good one. A lot of would be airgunners are either car proud or poor. It’s a shame when a newbe buys a cheap break barrel and then has problems shooting it. The same money would buy a Crosman CO2 22x gun , or a Benji pumper with more accuracy potential for often less money. It’s even more of a shame when a fine airgun belonging to a well heeled airgunner, is relegated to the confines of a gun safe and never shot because it was expensive to buy. Those are the ones who must think that they are going to live forever.

    • Robert,

      What about the wealthy gun owner who has literally hundreds and hundreds of expensive “collectable” guns in his gun safe or on his wall which are never or seldom if ever shot?

      While all of his poor cousins and hundreds or thousands of poor kids would love to have just ONE gun they could shoot that was accurate and easy to shoot and maybe a supply of 2000 – 5000 pellets the gun loves to shoot? The money for just one of those guns would buy dozens of guns and plenty of pellets, target holders and targets for kids to get started!

      What a damn shame! And SOMETHING needs to be done about it!!

      So rather than sit on a limb and keep crying, I am going to step out and do something that scares the hell out of me!

      I am willing to start an organization to do just that! Provide air guns to kids (with their parents approval) that are suitable for them to shoot and enjoy as well as pellets, targets, and other accessories for them to use. I know of several places they can shoot in this area.

      I am willing to provide as much of my time as needed to do this. I would like to do it with BB’s help/advice and or course as many of you out there who also want to help or provide advice. I am also willing to take said kids out shooting so they can enjoy the guns and give them proper training.

      It would be financed solely by donations from those who can and are willing to give. Any thing, money, a gun, some pellets, targets and holders, what ever! I may have a gun or two to donate, as well as plenty of pellets to get started. Targets I can print on my computer with card stock from wal mart which is <$6 and gives me 150 targets per pack. Maybe we can find someone to make cheap target holders. All it takes is some steel rods and a welder.

      So here we go! Any one wants in of this just say I am in! No donations now, we need to organize this first.

      To which I am asking BB for advice on how to do this. Any one interested can email me at airgunsbb@gmail.com. If you want you can call me at 314-774-6969.

      I am serious about this. It needs to be done! I feel the airgun community collectively has the resources to do it!

      What say? Let's give back something to this sport!

      • pcp4me,

        I think my buddy, Mac, has the perfect way of doing what you have proposed. He meets with the parents and discusses the possibility of letting their son or daughter shoot with him, while the parent watches. Then, if the child shows a strong inclination, Mac will give them an airgun.

        I don’t think you can do as well with an organization, because distance will create problems, some of which will be a liability. I think face-to-face is the only way to do this successfully.

        Mac approached Crosman Corp. to purchase all the abandoned but working guns they have on hand for this purpose. They were enthusiastic about his program, but nothing ever came of it.

        If there were an umbrella organization, it would have to function like the NRA used to. In fact, the NRA is a great model, but not the NRA of today. Today they allow other organizations like the Scouts, and others, to run the shooting programs for them. When I learned how to shoot, I was taught by an NRA program directly.

        Those are my thoughts.

        B.B.

        • BB,

          I understand what you are saying. But your buddy Mac apparently has way more money than I. Keep in mind that I am on Social Security. My monthly check barely (and I stress BARELY) streches to meet my monthly needs with a few dollars left over to buy pellets or what ever. If I WANT a new airgun I must sell some thing from my present stock!

          And though it would be great to see 100,000 or even 1 million people like Mac in the world, I don’t believe there are even a small fraction of the 100,000 of them! So the alternative of an organization which distributes the cost over thousands or 100 thousands or even millions to me is the only alternative. To those like Mac, I salute you! I applaud you! I am thankful for you!

          But I want to do what I can do with my limited resources. The only resource I have plenty of is TIME! So I can and will give freely of that.

          I am EXTREMELY serious about this and will do it myself if necessary to what ever extent I can organize it. With or with out help! I feel it is necessary and extremely desireable.

          So I have said my piece. Individuals are either in or not. I am ONLY interested in those with a “can do” attitude.

          If that is not you then this is not intended for you!

        • BB,

          By the way, problems will always exist! You can either:

          1) Ignore them but they still won’t go away.

          2) Acknowledge them but say they simply are too tough to deal with! But they still won’t go away!

          3) Solve them!!! Then they DO go away!

          So where do each of our readers exist in this scheme? Are you a problem ignorer, nay sayer, or solver?

          Don’t tell me I “can’t” do some thing! There are plenty of you out there who have and I have proved them WRONG! Not saying I can do every thing. But plenty of things, yes!

          • There is such a thing as “can’t do”.
            I want to help you out but the cost and paperwork involved in shipping the few rifles/pistols I could give your program would be more trouble for both me and you than the guns are worth.

            J-F

        • pcp4me,

          That is a great commitment! All you can lose is time and energy. And you really can’t lose those anyway when working on a good cause, because it always comes back more. Great idea! 🙂

          /Dave

      • pcp4me,

        You have impressed me with your passion about giving back or more accurately wanting to share your air gun passion with others.

        I’m on a mission to teach as many kids as I can to shoot. Whether or not they catch the fever is up to them not me. Knowing how to safely handle a gun and shoot accurately is my goal. For those that exhibit the passion I’ve helped to get them their own guns with parents approval and financial help in some cases. I don’t see an organization being able to nurture this one on one development of a new shooter especially in this climate of gun haters and I’m a can do man. This is an area that needs one on one with someone that is trusted by the family.

        Statements like:

        “What about the wealthy gun owner who has literally hundreds and hundreds of expensive “collectable” guns in his gun safe or on his wall which are never or seldom if ever shot?

        While all of his poor cousins and hundreds or thousands of poor kids would love to have just ONE gun they could shoot that was accurate and easy to shoot and maybe a supply of 2000 – 5000 pellets the gun loves to shoot? The money for just one of those guns would buy dozens of guns and plenty of pellets, target holders and targets for kids to get started!

        What a damn shame! And SOMETHING needs to be done about it!!”

        smacks of an inclination for redistribution of wealth. This doesn’t motivate me to help a cause. In fact in alienates me.

        kevin

        • Kevin,

          No inclination for redistribution of wealth. If that were the case, I would propose that he be made to sell all his expensive guns and give all the money to the poor.

          This is totally voluntary. If people want to, fine. If not, fine! I am not for making any one do any thing they don’t want to do if they are not breaking any laws!

      • pcp4me: I think you mis-understood my remark about the expensive airgun languishing in a safe somewhere. I have nothing against folks collecting airguns or gold bars for that matter. I don’t propose they should have to share them . What I hate is folks who do own nice guns who use their experience to judge those who shoot cheaper guns negatively, or offer opinions on the expensive guns they own, but actually never shoot. You can tell who they are by reading their posts on the various forums. It’s like those folks who don’t hunt, but preach all kinds of dogma on what is necessary in an air rifle used for hunting. You are wasting your time to associate with those folks.

  5. I immediately launch into an explanation that unless they are rich, this hobby is not for them. It will suck all the money out of your wallet, bank account, 401k, and will ruin any relationships you have….. Then I try to sell them one of my less used guns so I can buy a new one for myself…..! For some reason, I haven’t sold any of my old guns yet…..:)

    /Dave

  6. Hoo Boy! I’m beginning to think you’re a professional worm can opener BB!;o)

    Being well known in the local rural area as “the airgun man” I actually get asked that question fairly often. Like Gary Barnes I try to discover what they want to use it for, but I also ask them what their expectations are concerning what it will do. The answers to those 2 questions are very revealing. Often my first task is one of correcting expectations. As I’m sure you know the vast majority of the public—even those who grew up shooting firearms—are abysmally ignorant about airguns. Most of what they ‘know’ was learned as kids from other kids and from current manufacturer advertising and internet dealer ads. Consequently their expectations are often so skewed that the first task is to disillusion them regarding the real world capabilities of airguns. The most difficult—and frustrating—part of that task is educating them on velocity and ballistics. Almost to a man their reading has convinced them that velocity is of paramount importance. Accuracy they accept as a given—after all the ads all emphasize it only a little less than velocity.
    Some can be made to see the light but some prefer their own reality. Those who show promise of understanding I then invite to shoot some of my arsenal. The others I consign to the tender mercies of internet dealers or Wal-Mart. Tom @ Buzzard Bluff

  7. I KNOW it all.

    I bought a M34 shooting 660 fps in .22 cal. and throw a cart load of money to make it a 700

    It did not work.

    There is a hidden SECRET in any air rifle and some people don’t have the time to understand IT!!!!

    I understand my wife better then that spring powered air rifle and I have been shooting air rifles since I was 7 years old, married when I was 24, WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG???

    You must understand the limitations with a PB and an air rifle, completely different animals. It is easy to teach a young and happy trigger compared to that old shooter.

    RAISE them UP from the cradle, you go up a ladder before you come DOWN.

    • A .22 cal ’34 variant should easily break 700 with 14-14.5gr pellets. If not, the breech seal is probably leaking (never seen one from the factory that wasn’t). At worst it shouldn’t need more than a new spring and seal… certainly not a horrendous investment.

  8. Thank you, for this post. I am one of the newbies that was just reading afraid to be put down, because I did not have the knowledge that so many of you have. I am new to this whole business but I am excited. I thought it would be best to get my knowledge base up before posting but I now realize that you guys have been where I am before or at least I hope you weren’t all born with an airgun as the golden spoon.

    I bought my 1st guns last week and another one this week, I chose to go the cheaper way, while I find out if my kids, husband and mother in law are going to be interested. After working with the ones I have purchased I will then begin to step up and spend more money based on each persons interest. I did not want a $200 gun being used as a robe holder, so for us this was the better way to go.

    • Ms Linnet,

      Welcome. Really admire your courage to post a comment. Congratulations on the purchase of two airguns recently.

      Hope you will continue to share the airgun experiences of everyone in your family as they travel along.

      One of the things I really enjoy about this blog are the experiences of new airgunners. A fresh and unprejudiced perspective.

      kevin

    • Welcome, Ms Linnet!

      Cheaper is not always the wrong decision Toy! My first gun back in the dark ages was a cheap, plastic stocked Daisy lever action. I was hooked! I also wore that thing out! Take your ques from these guys here. They know what they are talking about.

      /Dave

      • Dave,

        No, cheaper is not always the wrong decision! In fact, if you are a beginner I recommend it. I mean, what if you don’t even LIKE shooting an airgun? Far better you spent $50 – $100 than $1000!

        In the way of a cheap rifle/carbine you could not go wrong with a Crosman 1077 or a Crosman 760 pumper. Or the Crosman Titan GP (available widely for around $100 shipped) or a Crosman Storm XT or any of their other break barrels around $100. Sometimes they even have a cheap scope for that. I know Wal mart used to carry the Storm XT at around $109 with a cheap scope that is servicable. I know that because I bought one from them for 1/2 price because it was simply too cheap to pass up and it is a really great gun. With the addition of a GRT III trigger it is a tack driver pushing light lead pellets in the 900 + fps range and one hole quarter inch or less groups at 10 m. And I have less than $90 total into it!

        For pistols you can’t beat a Crosman 2240! Or a Crosman 357W or the 1377.

        So unless the aspiring new shooter wants to hunt big game or some other specific objective then I WOULD recommend they “go cheap” with one of the above mentioned guns to start! And I would of course asked them what they wanted to do with the gun first and how much they wanted to spend.

        The newbie simply could not go wrong with any of those recommendations. And would not have spent a bundle if he simply doesn’t like shooting air guns! On the other hand, all of those are cabable of really good accuracy and would give anyone a great deal of fun for not a great deal of cash! Some will even be usable if he wants to hunt small game.

        If on the other hand he wants to do specific things such as big game hunting, 10 meter target, informal target or what ever I could also give him some advice there.

    • Ms Linnet,

      Your comment has made my day, week and month! What a pleasure it is to hear from a real person who is also just beginning to explore the airgun hobby.

      I echo Kevin’s and Dave’s welcome and hope that you will continue to comment on a regular basis. Even if it is just to ask those questions that you are certain everyone else knows the answers to, because it gives me the opportunity to answer them for the hundreds of readers who are not commenting.

      I have forgotten what a lot of the questions are, but you know them well. I hope to hear from you.

      B.B.

      • Well so far so good, even though the hubby is the one who is in time out right now, my 8 year old ratted on Daddy for shooting in the living room, he was being unsafe and that was going to cause problems for them and she was not having it, LOL!!!her words, this even after setting up a range for them in the basement. So he is on restriction until this Friday. The lesson is for my girls to understand safety and to not treat these as toys. Men you guys can be challenging!!

    • Hello Ms Linnet

      You have come to the right place. Their are many knowledgeable folks who visit this site that have a world of experience.
      Do not hesitate to ask any question, no matter how basic. Deriding new airgunners is not tolerated here.

      Even cheap airguns can be a complete blast and very accurate. My favorite cheap airgun is the Beeman P17 / Model 2004.
      It is a single pump airpistol with amazing accuracy and is available at Wal-Mart or for even cheaper at Pyramyd AIR
      /product/beeman-p17?m=614.
      I would be interested to find out what 3 guns you have purchased so far.

      My best advice is to: try several different brands and styles of pellets (they make a huge difference in accuracy),
      keep up the strict safety regimen, and keep that unruly husband of yours inline! 😉

      • The first ones were the Walther P99 Dueler Spring Target Kit Fully licensed trademarks , Caliber – 0.240 and the one 1 pickup yesterday was a Mini Uzi SMG Electronic Super Soft , Caliber – 0.240, I chose air soft to start, the hubby who shoots the real things wants to move into something with more manliness as he says, I told him that once he can prove that he is a big boy and can follow the rules we can get him something more substantial. I also want him to be sure because our neighborhood does not have the space for outside shooting, not unless I want to explain to the swat team exactly what is going on. He figures he can use it when he goes hunting. I am a novice and so is he when it comes to airguns, I just don’t want to spend too much not realizing how much can go into it. I think I may have created a monster I caught him on-line last night after he thought I was asleep preparing to buy this Crosman Challenger PCP & CO2 Rifle, Open Sights needless to say I may have to extend his time out.

        • Ms Linnet,

          It seems like you are interested in target shooting. The Beeman P17 was recommended. It’s a wonderful pistol, but it’s also a little hard to pump (it is a single-stroke pneumatic, so you have to pump it once for each shot).

          Your husband seems more drawn to the higher-end technology. The Challenger PCP is a nice, entry-level target rifle. As for wanting a CO2 rifle, I can’t figure that one out. I would need to know more about that before responding.

          Might I suggest that you all look at the Air Venturi Bronco rifle? I designed it for people like you who are getting into airgunning and don’t want to spend a lot of money.

          /product/air-venturi-bronco-air-rifle?m=2013

          It is extremely accurate, easy to cock and relatively easy to shoot. It has a wonderful trigger, but for some smaller-framed adults and kids under about 14 years, it could be a little too long. I designed it for older kids and most adults. I own two of them and I thoroughly like them for informal target shooting.

          The nice things are the accuracy, ease of cocking and the trigger.

          If you want to stay with handguns, only, I would suggest looking at the Smith & Wesson 586 with the four-inch barrel. It is powered by CO2, so cocking isn’t an issue. It is quite accurate and not too loud for basement shooting.

          The best pellet trap for either of these two guns would be the UTG pellet trap.

          /product/leapers-utg-accushot-pellet-bb-trap-ballistic-curtains-paper-targets?a=3567

          It costs five dollars more than the Crosman 850 BB/Pellet trap, but it’s always in stock.

          If your husband wants to shoot targets let me know and I can point out some other things he might like.

          They call me an enabler on this blog, but all I want to do is make sure you get the best guns and equipment for your needs.

          Don’t forget to have safety glasses for everyone in the shooting area.

          Good Shooting,

          B.B.

          • BB,

            While the S&W 586 is indeed a great gun, I condider it in the “elite” eschelon as to price and performance and there fore beyond the grasp of us “mere mortals”.

            Why not recommend instead the Crosman 357W which is a great gun and at what? One third to one quarter of what the 586 costs? And probably as accurace, just not as esthetically pleasing!

            I realize you are in the 1% of all people who can afford about any gun you want! What you don’t seem to realize is that there are 99% of us who simply can’t!

            So please, every one, keep the 99% of us in mind when making recommendations! PLEASE? You can ALWAYS add the 1% option as an after thought for those who have more money than any thing else!

          • Too funny, I had to laugh out loud at that one. Well so it seems, however unless he is a benefactor I will take in the advice and choose what is affordable, after all I am just waiting for hubby to shoot out the Picture window so that I can get that new bedroom set.

        • First time I’ve ever seen AirSoft listed in “inch” caliber, rather than the simple 6mm.

          While they won’t be as picky as pellet guns (the recent PyramydAir catalog had something like three and a half pages of just pellet listings — though there are duplicates; Beeman puts a different name on some of the H&N pellets, but otherwise they are the same) — uh, where was I… Oh yeah… AirSoft balls are available in a number of weights: 0.12, 0.20, and (I think) 0.25 gram are the most common. The 0.12 tend to be transparent plastics, and often have an air bubble inside — making them more erratic in flight as the bubble is often off-center. Electric and “green gas” should be used with .20 or .25 solid balls. (so far as I can tell, “green gas” is propane with a lubricant in suspension — in contrast to the first generation gas AirSoft which used, gasp!, FREON [I still have a half can of such, but the valve of the magazine decomposed — $150 for a gas AirSoft in the mid-80s was a fortune])

          You can also find biodegradable AirSoft balls. Current makes seem to be designed to take a few months to decompose — vs a package I have that decomposes almost faster than an aspirin if you put a drop of water on each.

          If you really get into it, you’ll want to buy a large jar of balls (5000 or so), since you aren’t supposed to re-use them (might be okay in the $30 spring guns found in the toy aisle of the drugstore; but not in the better grade units with hop-up mechanisms.

    • Welcome Ms. Linnet! I’m reminded when someone was castigating someone (very uncommon here) named Chris for not being a man about something or other, when Chris revealed herself as a woman. Ha ha. That kind of took the wind out of the argument.

      So, tell us what guns did you buy?

      I should warn you that sneaking shots indoors where you are not supposed to and missing is common guy behavior. And you better get used to sudden compliments about how you are incredibly wonderful and beautiful. That’s your cue to say, “What did you do this time?” And be prepared for anything. I think in the case I’m thinking of it was a guy posing in front of a full length mirror in his camo outfit and his Gamo CFX, then firing a shot and breaking the mirror….

      Matt61

  9. I cruised through the local wally world to see what they have on the shelf these days. After being privileged enough to learn from BB and all the other knowledgeable people on this blog for the last few years, I can see that their selection of what to sell to the unknowing public is abysmal!

    When asked, I also pose the “What do you want it for” question. Then, after talking a bit I direct them to this site for further research and offer to shoot my guns with them.

    /Dave

  10. “What do you tell a new airgunner?”

    I try to ask more questions hoping that the Potential Purchaser Of Their First Adult Airgun (PPOTFAA, I dislike the term newbie) will crystallize in their own mind what this airgun purchase should accomplish. This hopefully helps them to lead themselves to the right conclusion.

    Most of these PPOTFAA’s have already spent some time on the internet and narrowed their choices down to a few airguns. I’m not sure how they can accomplish this grande task since there is so much static and noise on most airgun forums. Most self appointed airgun experts seem to have an agenda whether they admit it to themselves or not. Usually they tout the gun that was their latest purchase. It’s now the best. I’m guilty of this. My pet peeve of these self appointed experts is that in reality they’ve owned 4 airguns, shot 5 other types of airguns that their friends own and now know everything about every airgun ever made. Some of their comments, although well intentioned, are just wrong.

    I’ve learned that it’s almost impossible to recommend the right gun to a PPOTFAA. I can recommend the right airgun for the described task but I have no idea of who I’m talking to. The car analogy is a good one. “I want a vehicle that can go 120mph when necessary, with good handling, I appreciate leather seats and nice paint, but it’s not entirely necessary, and it also has to haul 10 bales of hay at least once a week. What vehicle would you recommend?”

    I had a local airgunner show up at my last hosted shoot for his first time. Big firearm guy. Has owned lots of guns. Has owned 4 or 5 airguns. He described his needs for a new airgun very well. He had narrowed his choices to 4 guns. I suggested he shoot all 4 before he made a decision. Between my guns and my regular shooting buddies we had all 4 models and in several cases he got to try a tuned vs. untuned gun and in some cases the same model in multiple calibers. I knew which one he would choose to buy before he even arrived. I was wrong. Big lesson for me and my perceived value of “which airgun you should buy” advice.

    kkevin

    • Kevin,

      Edith just reminded me of this one. Back when we had The Airgun Letter, we used to host a two-day airgun seminar at Atlantic Guns in Silver Spring, Maryland. For one guy who came and asked all kinds of questions, I recommended an RWS Diana 34 as a first air rifle. About two weeks later he called me (don’t know how he got the number) and complained bitterly. It seems that I didn’t tell him that Beeman Crow Magnums existed!

      He bought one and said he was very satisfied with his purchase. Whether that was true or not doesn’t matter. He bought one and apparently held onto it.

      I never would have thought of that in a million years!

      B.B.

      • B.B.,

        I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t recommend. I will point out my first experiences and give pros and cons in comparing the guns on their short lists.

        My favorites are the guys that email me under the guise they’re interested in buying a gun I have for sale. 15 emails later I finally realize that they aren’t a buyer but just wanted an easy education from someone with first hand knowledge. I don’t mind this, when I have the time, but don’t pretend you’re a potential buyer of my gun.

        kevin

  11. A few years back the answer to that question was an easy one. The TS-45’s I was selling at the time of course! But really, I didn’t just sell them to all as they were not right of everyone I ran into. The vast majority of the folks that bought them were not shooters. They most often were either looking for something to get rid of varmints or something to shoot in the back yard for fun. I sold them the guns ready to go. I cleaned up the exterior. Tightened all the screws. Cleaned the barrel. Zeroed the gun with the old style Daisy Quick Silver pointed field pellets. I found that most of these guns shot those pellets well and they could get them at the local Wally World. I also showed them how to shoot the gun and told them things not to do. If the gun broke, I sent it back for repair.
    A little customer service goes a long way. The biggest thing was to explain that pellets that are supersonic aren’t accurate. Less is more. No one knew this. I have learned a LOT myself just by reading this forum. Today, for most I recommend a Benjamin or Sheridan pumper as you can vary the power and not shoot through the barn wall.

    Many like this once they know that a springer needs some technique to shoot well and has one power level.

    I have a Tundra 4 X 4 in the garage and drive my junk Ford Escort most days……..but Tundra is there when I need it…….like this fall’s hunting trip to South Dakota. 🙂

    Mike

  12. I ask potential new airgunners a lot of question and try to explain to them at the same time the main differences between all that is available and more importantly WHY answering those question is important.

    I also tell them that the hobby is VERY addictive and that he will probably end up buying more guns and that it’s ok to do so because airguns are MUCH cheaper than cars, we can afford to buy a pick-up and maybe a Corvette is a bit out of reach but a Mustang or Camaro is within budget, and why not buy a used convertible to give it a try, but now the garage is getting bigger but you ain’t got no motorcycle, gotta give those a try too and you end up saving a little to buy yourself a Porsche but an offer for a used Ferrari comes up and there goes your Porsche funds, then you read about the Cadillac CTS-V, a nice comfortable, nicely priced sedan with all the luxuries AND the power and suspension to have some fun and you end up buying one of those too and before you know it, the garage is full and you have a bike parked in the living room and the wife (rightly) complaining that it’s getting out of hand and that you can buy all the vehicles you want but to please stop rebuilding carburetors on the kitchen table and that the nice towels in the bathroom are NOT to wax one of the cars.

    (can you tell I love the car analogy?)

    J-F

    ps : 😯 the spell checker wanted to change my Camaro for a Camry… ewww

    • It has always been my dream to have my bike/motorcycle parked in my living room. Actually got to do it once at college! My wife, for some unacceptable reasons, forbids it. My first rifle was also a 392. Accurate, in-expensive and adjustable. If the hobby bites you, then you can move up to breakbarrels and PCP’s. But keep in mind like pretty much everything else, you get what you pay for.

      Fred PRoNJ

      • Go with your wife on this one Fred.
        Years ago I had a friend who stored his Norton in his living room.
        On the one hand it was a great conversation piece…”just hang you coat on the motorcycle please”.
        On the other hand, being a typical Norton it leaked oil like a sieve.
        One night at a party a somewhat drunk reveler dropped his cigarette on the carpet under the bike.
        No real damage, but the entire carpet had to be replaced.

      • Fred PRoNJ, I was just reading about the fastest production cars and number one is the Nissan GTR which can go 0 to 60mph in 3.1 seconds! I’ve always heard that motorcycles can accelerate faster than cars, but I don’t know how you could go much faster than this and keep your seat. (The GTR has a special “launch” mode.) What kind of accelerations can you get with your motorcycle and a top of the line racing model?

        Matt61

        • I took a ride with my cousin in his Corvette 2 weeks ago, it’s supercharged with a bit over 800hp (almost double the Nissan hp with similar curb weigth) to the wheels, certainly has the potential to outrun the Nissan IF it could hook. On the highway at 75mph in 3rd gear it still wouldn’t hook, he says it’s a little better with slicks on a well prep track.
          No wonder more and more of these supercars are coming with all-wheel drive.

          J-F

  13. Like others here, I ask what they want it for. The most common answer is to rid their perimeter of pigeons in a residential area. My first response is the potential hazards of doing such a thing, and that there are alternatives to shooting them. There’s is not to reason why (or why not), there’s is but to satisfy the little Rambo or John Wayne in them. I always end up recommended a pneumatic, and that they not pump it more than 4 times. Pneumatics are easy to shoot, and versatile. In the case of my father-in-law, I was able to show him that with 4 pumps, his rifle could put 10 shots in one slightly ragged hole at around 15 feet.

    People who live in the suburbs, like me, are limited in terms of range, and at the same time don’t feel comfortable taking an air-gun to a shooting range. In fact, some ranges won’t allow air-guns. Pneumatics are more practical for many in this situation. I think that pneumatics are great starter guns.

    Victor

  14. BB:
    I still don’t feel ready to dispense advice concerning air gun purchases but I’m sure glad I took some from here.
    Probably the most well researched purchase I’ve ever made(including cars,houses,motorbikes) was my HW99/50s air rifle.
    After reading your reports on the HW50s and asking questions,I set about finding the equivalent rifle over here,which was the HW99s.
    For price,quality and versatility a really good rifle well suited to my needs.
    Thanks for the advice.

    Pete Zimmerman And Matt61:
    Best I clear something up to avoid confusion.
    /Dave is not me.For a start,he is a lot smarter 🙂
    Delving into the world of particle physics is way above my pay grade,although I did profer an alternative theory to the ‘big bang’ once.
    I shall never speak of it again. lol
    DaveUK

  15. As a brand new airgunner, I first spent weeks reading at Pyramid and GTA before buying. From this, a few things do seem to stand out. First, many reviews seem to state your need to try all different pellet brands and types to find good ones for your particular airgun, and that even two of the same model airgun may be somewhat different. Now, when first starting out, your error is some combination of hold+trigger_control+pellet+wind+breakin_period+airgun_error and you start with no idea how much is what, or what to expect or aim at for results. It would be nice to have some opinions on this, together with accuracy. Say, what a beginner should try for, giving a few distances and group sizes. Include some of your prior comments, such as distance and wind effecting wadcutters more than pointed or domed pellets.

    Of course, the extent of those issues will vary with people, but some issues will be rather common. The first time I tried a Gamo IGT Silent Stalker, I was lucky to hit the target (only one hit at 40yds). Fortunately I had also bought and practiced with a Crosman 1377, so I knew to immediately call CharlieDeTuna. Just the trigger change brought me close enough that I can now start practicing with the Gamo. To have another rifle for a companion and get more variety, I added a Bronco. I figure that, between those three, I’ll be able to tell where the error is, and keep improving, and that 20-30 yds is the best range to start out with.

    Ah, but which three to use? I had picked a pneumatic, a soft springer and a heavy springer. That kept me within a reasonable price range. Changing the triggers on the Gamo and the 1377 made a big difference. So, here’s the second item that’s lacking.

    So many individual reviews and comments are great, but who when starting out can put them all together? How about an article comparing several different classes of air rifles? I see a inexpensive Daisy for $50 against a Bronco for $125. Then others for $150-300 and $300-800. Yes, if you were to mix-and-match pneumatic/spring/etc. it’ll get unwieldy. However, keep it simple and focus on the beginner. Summarize training effort and expected accuracy (and pellet tolerance) for pneumatic/spring/etc. Then compare the $50/150/300/600 classes. A lot of the fine detail in your other reviews isn’t needed here. Just something to tell me why I paid twice as much for a Bronco as a Daisy and what the Gamo will give me over the Bronco.

    • Gerry,

      I am going to study your request for a review/comparison of lower-end airguns. I’m not sure I won’t have to diagram the sentences to understand all you said, but I would like to try to give you an answer. Your request, coupled with Ms. Linnet’s experience, tells me that I must do more in this area.

      Thank you,

      B.B.

      • Regarding Matt61 bellow, I agree on immersion and the right gun for what you want to do. But, it’s too easy to make poor choices and far too easy to repeat the same mistakes over thousands of rounds. So, you need a combination of good advice and much practice. For instance, I poured over about 4 years of BB’s articles to choose my selection of pellets and guns, and I think that came out well. OTOH, until trying it I didn’t realize that the dot scope is limited by both the lack of magnification and that the dot itself may appear larger than small targets at a distance. That it may give you faster target acquisition than iron sights, but not that much more distance. Obvious when trying it, but nobody spoke about that, as fundamental as that now seems. As that became the limiting factor for distance on my Crosman 1377, I switched to a low power mini scope and doubled my effective range.

        So, immersion is one thing, but so are time needed and money spent. You need a reasonable balance here. Otherwise, the history he mentions will be rather long, expensive and frustrating.

        On that vein, you often use an MTM shooting rest. Comparing that to a Monkey Bag rest or a rolled up towel or sand bag, which (in your opinion) is of how much value to a beginner? Nothing black and white or perfect here, but opinions to guide people. Since it was easy to do, I started off shooting off the bed of my truck while leaning against it. At this point, I see there’s too much body tension to hold the target sight steady for over 40 yards. Looks like a simple chair/table and Monkey Bag rest would be better, or should I consider something like the Prairie Predator Shooting Bench?

        I think items like these would be of value to those starting out with air guns.

        • Gerry,

          I keep the MTM rest on a low profile, because many new readers cannot differentiate between spring guns and PCPs. The rest works fine for PCPs, and would also work for CO2 guns, because of their recoilless nature. But they will not work with a springer.

          B.B.

    • Wow, well said, I would really love to see something like that it would really assist me in making better choices, as we upgrade.

      pcp4me
      I checked out the NRA for gun safety, i am interested in bringing that information into my community, I was a bit confused when the information stated that even I could facilitate the class.

      B.B.
      Opening mustard jars and killing anything living in my home rent free on four legs, the grown children do not count.

      Matt61
      So are you saying that I could get a new bedroom set out of the damage he may do in the house. Hmmmmm…..interesting. I could send the kids away this weekend and let him and the airguns have at it.

      • Ms Linnet,

        It sounds like you have already read the series about a single mom teaching her kids to shoot. If not, here is a link to the last installment and the earlier reports are linked there.

        /blog//?s=single+mom+teaches+her+kids+to+shoot&search=Search

        There are some good pointers in there about doing what you want to do.

        B.B.

  16. Now, this is a tough one. I think the key is to immerse them in the hobby and let it speak for itself. The key to do that is to get them started on the right gun for them by asking what they want. If this is done right, the rest will be history.

    FrankB., yes, I also saw the video about elephants. Also impressive to me is their concern for other species. There is one story about how an elephant would not place a rock into a hole because of a dog sleeping in there that the handler couldn’t see. And there is a story that elephants will stand guard over humans sleeping at night…. Robert, that story about the otter would spell the end for me as a trapper.

    Mike, of course, the shotgun for rat annihilation. Nothing better.

    duskwight, yes, you’re right. There is no limit to how stupid some people can be. And my show said that the neo-Nazis pick the most down and out confuse people and brainwash them. I also suspect that being a Nazi is a way to insult the status quo and not based on any allegiance to Hitler. By the way, on the subject of accurate rifles, one that makes me smile is the TAK-85, a recent design of the Finnish military. It is based on a very old (ca. 1895) hex receiver of a Mosin Nagant! Hilarious, when the Finns have access to all the latest Sako designs. I love it.

    Dave/ as for the time paradoxes of the faster than light neutrino, I think that has to do with its frame of reference. Time slows down for the neutrino so that it is aging slower. I don’t know if it exactly goes backwards in time in our frame of reference.

    PeteZ, thanks for your review of the experiment. I do believe that preprint paper is hard to read, but we’ve got you here for that. 🙂 There definitely is an experimental history of considerable weight acting against these results. The GPS business does indeed sound like something to look into as a source of error. My other thought, which you also mentioned, is that higher experimental energies may be bringing us into new territory. There was talk that I incompletely understood about how some new experimental facility–a super hadron collider or some such–would open new vistas because of the higher energies it could achieve to accelerate particles and smash them together. Was this equipment used for the neutrino experiment? That may explain the different results. And while the anomaly is fairly small and isolated (at the moment), that may not be an indication of its importance. I understand that it was only by paying very close attention to slight discrepancies between the observations of Tyco Brahe and existing models that Kepler was able to overthrow the earth-centric model of planetary motion. The Lorentz contractions only emerge from the Newtonian equations at pretty extreme speeds and conditions. Maybe the neutrino experiment will cause a similar paradigm shift! If not, the universe will seem like a less interesting place.

    Matt61

    • Sorry, Matt61. I was thinking a little “outside the frame” there. I don’t think our current frame of reference can address time travel yet, much less measure it. We might be able to deal with the spatial displacement that comes along with it a little better, but not by much in my mind…. I think until the experiment is duplicated, I’ll agree with pz in that this news will probably just fade away for now. Sure does get you thinking though…. The universe is an interesting place, for sure!! 🙂

      /Dave

  17. PeteZ, I neglected to say that is pretty cool about your son and the other physicists solving problems over beer and sake. If there is a language of world peace it must be that of math and science. (It works much better than a democrat calling a republican an idiot and vice-versa.) There’s nothing like getting to know someone who I otherwise have nothing in common with and see the barriers drop away as everyone works on the solution to a problem. This comes up a lot in airgunning too. 🙂

    As to our topic today, I might tell newcomers that airgunning is…the whole slice of life including the science of ballistics, the personal development of the shooting disciplines, and the immense rich history and culture of guns all condensed and brought into your home to enjoy. 🙂

    Matt61

  18. I’d tell him to buy an FWB124 from Bob Law in 1978 for $212 — including shipping, “Accurizing”, a leather sling, Williams peep and 5000 rounds of Beeman Silver Jet.

    If he couldn’t make that happen, I’d recommend any HW springer in his price range – stretched. Soon, they will be the guns “how they used to make them”. Simply a separte class in terms of mass-produced quality.

    • Yeah, I have to agree with that. I had a few cheap (and nasty) springer rifles. Then I went and bought what is the bottom of the line HW in Canada, the 30S. It really wasn’t that much more expensive than the cheapos and I was amazed at how much better the quality, feel and accuracy were. It cost more but the value for money was much higher.

      • P.S. I do wish that they still made a rifle with a stock and sights like the 55CM Custom Match B.B. wrote about on the 19th though. That would be getting close to perfection for me!

  19. The following (“Final Question”) is from the Epilogue of our 4-H club’s shooting guide.
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    Most of our families are suburban residents whose traditions do not include competitive, or recreational, marksmanship. After a family determines whether shooting sports, and the corresponding fraternal character of the participants, is consistent with their convictions, then we begin by shooting prone, or a rested position, with a good introductory target-sighted “instrument” (airgun) charged by single-stroke or CO2.
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    The “Final Question”, presented on . . . . ; is a rhetorical question that may require an extended period of time before an answer can be formed:
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    Does managing potential risks, personal achievement, character
    development and perpetuating a long tradition of fraternity among
    participants, contribute to successful youth formation, and ultimately,
    responsible adults?
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    The Final Question:
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    How can you possibly promote participation in such a dangerous activity; . . a process . . that can result in personal injury . . . and introduce children to hazardous weapons when, according to the “Center For Disease Control”, it is a proven national problem?
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . .
    [ Our families have been able to form an answer to this (“Final Question”) that is consistent with their convictions, when responsible training, personal achievement and appropriate fraternal formation are the fundamental objectives. ]
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    SASS #82972,
    . . . . . . .

    • Interesting question….. “How can you possibly promote participation in such a dangerous activity…..”

      And riding horses is not dangerous? Got kicked once. Almost broke my knee backwards. Also almost lost the end of my thumb to one of these loving, adorable creature’s teeth while feeding him some carrots. Another tried to dump me in a ditch. And yet another squashed my foot. I still like horses! I just wasn’t paying attention….

      /Dave

    • SASS – Buel,

      I’m sure that the purpose of this shooting guide is to promote shooting, and not fear and ignorance. From experience, as a competitive marksman, no such problem exists among organized marksmanship programs. The ONLY proven nation problem is ignorance and a lack of personal responsibility for ones action. That is more a problem with other activities purported to be “safe” than with competitive marksmanship. That “proven national problem” is avoided in any marksmanship program that I know of.

      A consequence of my formal training in both hunter safety and marksmanship is that I didn’t see my guns as weapons. Instead, I see them more like instruments. They provide a means for one to apply their body, mind, and spirit such that measurable performance is realized as a direct function of commitment to practice and efforts to execute individual shots expertly and consistently. This is the furthest thing from other activities in which “accidents” or deliberate acts of stupidity or wrong were expected. All organized programs, and their ranges, have zero tolerance for lapses in judgement. Being a winner is anything takes hard work, focus, dedication, and a positive attitude. Winners don’t contribute to this “proven national problem”. Winners are part of the solution. I see nothing but winners among the gun enthusiast that I meet in this blog and other places. Just my two cents.

      Victor

      • Well put Victor! We have so modified our social morals and educational ,and legal systyems to reward failure of the least common denominator in society, that we are now very close to being over whelmed by the stupidity of the question presented in the 4-H shooting guide.

    • SASS,

      First of all, it is the Centers for Disease Control — not the Center. Second, that organization is well-known as a political bully pulpit. They do employ doctors and degreed medical personnel, but they have about as much real interest in disease as the American Civil Liberties Union has in America and civil liberties. So answering a slanted challenge like the one they espouse is useless. It will fall on deaf ears, because anyone who listens to them has already made up their mind. These are not thoughtful, introspective people. They are professional pointmen for the liberal agenda.

      Time is better spent doing things that bring about your desired goals, rather than arguing with these professional harpies.

      B.B.

    • This “Final Question” is bogus. The ONLY time “shooting sports” becomes dangerous is when someone points a gun at someone else or themselves and pulls the trigger on a loaded gun. The real “Final Question” is why would someone do that?

  20. Mrs. Linnet & Gerry,

    Welcome to the forum! Today’s topic would have been a good one for a Friday.

    Shooting airguns in the living room can be hard on the furniture. Airsoft and kids don’t mix. Airsoft games are based on people shooting each other. The opposite of what we need to be teaching the kids.

    I like the idea of comparison testing of low-priced air guns. That is what most people entered the hobby using. I have two Daisy 880’s and a Daisy 856 in my collection.

    I like the 856 better than the 880’s. The 880’s are more attractive cosmetically. The 856 is a late model that shoots only pellets. Therefore, it is impossible for a pellet to roll into the BB feed port in the receiver. Also, the forestock on the 856 works the pump (like on a Crosman 760) and is easier on the hands than the lever on the 880. All three Daisys are accurate to 30 yards.

    I would rather shoot my springers. They have more power, longer range, and are more of a challenge to shoot. Again, they are lower priced guns. A Crosman Storm XT, a Winchester 1000X, and a Beeman RS-2 (fitted with .177 barrel). The RS2 and the 1000X are fitted with 50mm Tasco scopes, the XT has a Tasco 40mm scope. The Daisy trio have 30mm scopes.

    I shoot the springers out to 50 yards.

    I like to shoot with my grandchildren. I have a Crosman 760 and a Daisy Red Ryder for them to shoot. The 760 is used to shoot pellets only. I have them shoot with open sights at targets at 10 yards.

    Lots of stuff on the Internet this week about a purported particle that travels faster than light. Would it then be possible to shoot one at a target and have it arrive before the target was hung?
    Sounds like it could be a hazard: you could be shot by your own gun while you are putting up the target. You would have to select a heavy particle to avoid breaking the time barrier.

    Les

  21. I’d have to say, along with some of the others, that one of the pumpers is the safest thing to recommend. They will have something useful, not demanding to shoot accurately, and relatively affordable. Even if they only use it once a year for some garden related incident, at least they won’t have a bad feeling towards airguns in general.

    With springers, I think the possibility is very real that it will seem like a very expensive mistake or cheap junk (depending on the outlay) unless they have some discipline and someone to help them out. A mid-powered, moderately (modestly?) priced spring might be OK for someone who is a good shooter and has some help, but most will not go for it if you insist on the expensive tune for the $400 air rifle or the complete DIY rebuild of a cheap one. PCP’s are even more expensive — I think someone normal would really have to be turned on to the idea to make that outlay; even the Discovery is priced in the iffy range for people used to good, cheap rimfires — remember we are talking about people just considering an airgun. Plus, most PCP’s apparently still seem to pretty much depend on the user in lieu of a regulator, a substitution which people either won’t like or or won’t understand with the result that a big investment may not work optimally according to their expectations. CO2 is best in terms of user friendliness and initial outlay, as long as you live somewhere that doesn’t get colder than 60dF or only need it in the warm months. In conclusion, I think the airgun industry has a lot of growth potential in selling to non-airgunners, as that appears to be a virtually untapped market in terms of appropriate solutions :). A big boy SSP at a usable energy level (not necessarily magnum level) would be the best choice for many; too bad it does not appear to exist :).

  22. Well, I have to say I am disappointed with the little Air soft Uzi I purchased. After reading the posts have decided to move straight into airguns, starting with one of the Daisy rifles. When purchasing the Air soft I was thinking of safety and getting the girls used to handling guns, but after some thought I do think that the attitude about Air soft is to shoot each other and that is not what i want to instill in them right now…. So hubby and I are checking out the Daisy rifles they seem to be in the price range for PPOTFAA (Potential Purchaser Of Their First Adult Airgun.

    Now if only I could find cute little pink fatigues all would be right in the world.

  23. Maybe you should tell an upcoming airgunner the same as an upcoming drug user; “just say no; it is just too addictive and will do no good for your bank balance and puts severe demands on your time”

    ….

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    If you need to return an item please read our return policy.

    Learn About Returns

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Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

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