nitro piston rifles

[Marvin S]

Someone school me on them like how do the shoot compared to a spring piston gun. I just dont care for spring guns and dont practice enough with them to develop good technique to overcome the lurching piston.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I find them to be just like spring guns in that you need to be very careful how you hold them.

[grizzlyadams]

they behave the same as a spring piston gun, as far as recoil. all you gain with the gas ram, is the lack of vibration from the coiled mainspring, and the torque, or twisting motion. that makes them a bit less hold sensitive, but not much. and they are still hard on scopes as well.

[Marvin S]

Okay that's what I wanted to know, thanks. I wish some one would make a good quality variable pump up rifle with a quality scope mount that dint cost a fortune. Guess its back to looking at the Discoveries.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Marvin: if you just hold the gun lightly as possible and concentrate on a surprise break on the trigger as the sights go thru the target you will be fine.

I have been shooting these things for nearly 40 years and the vibration has never been an issue in any way. The guns I have are among the most powerful Spring Piston guns out there. HW35E 1976, HW77 1994, and Beeman R1 just a couple of weeks ago. The R1 is the heaviest recoiling gun out there. Now it is harder to cock, but shooting it is nothing different than the HW35.

It is completely manageable by simply letting it do it's thing when the shot is broke.

IF you are going to try to subdue the movement of the gun during the firing cycle you are wasting your time. It's not like a high power rifle where you have to hold onto the gun because substantial recoil is coming when you pull the trigger. You don't have to pull the gun into your shoulder to combat recoil.

All you are doing is supporting the weight of the gun, Bringing it to the mark, and pressing the trigger. just let the gun float on your shoulder. Not saying you don't have to have good shooting stance and form but you are not forcing it on the gun.

The recoil impulse from one of these guns is two fold. There is a slight initial push back as the spring pushes the piston forward, and then here is a snap back when the piston hits the end of it's stroke. (this is what kills non air gun scopes) neither of these, even from the most powerful guns available are any big deal and compare to a kiss from a fly or a mouse fart.

I think you are making way too much out of this. It is nothing and doesn't even really qualify as an issue.

"No big deal" is a gross over statement of what is going on here.

Randy

[Marvin S]

Thanks. I have had the RWS 48 for over 10 years and I like to use a rest when possible but it is not always there when you need it so it seems there is too much variance between shooting positions.

[ThomD]

Nitro pistons are normally smoother shooting than springs, and a premium system. They are so much better that they have moved on down to the cheap guns also, and I can't say what you will get in that price range, though a gas ram itself is not a complication or overly expensive in parts. The smoother shooting comes from the fact that there isn't a coil to vibrate like a guitar string with every shot. That's nice, but as others have said the basic shooting problems still exist, since this advantage, is pretty much present after the pellet has left. Normally they are quieter. They do not loose power if left cocked, as in hunting. I owned one that could be pumped to different power levels, not a PCP, but one pumped the cylinder spring up or let it down. It's a cool technology.

Spring guns are really cool, I still sorta think of PCPs as cheating, but both systems have huge advantages and points of interest. If I was buying a spring gun, I would only look at nitro pistons, or gas rams as they are also called. As far as the shooting goes, keep it simple, trigger, front sight or retical, and follow through. That is all you need to do. That is one of the great things about them. Learn to shoot a springer, and you can pretty much shoot any rifle. We never used to think anything about shooting one, but the wide popularity of PCPs that are so easy to shoot is a considerable contrast.

A good one needs a good trigger as well as the rest. A bad trigger can make even a thousand dollar rifle impossible to shoot. So one thing I would look for is makes that have aftermarket triggers, or easy online instructions on simple to do mods. Crossman is outstanding in both regards, but isn't the only one. I like the Benjamin Trail XL, but a very similar rifle is the TR77 nps. It is a lot cheaper, only comes in 17 cal, and while I don't prefer tactical, this rifle has a good stock. I would need to look a little further into any trigger issues.

[HARRYMPOPE]

My.48 .177 will shoot well fully rested or lightly held.these are a bunch of 50 yard groups .marked with a check or an x for how I held it.it was windy so groups were shifting a bit.87172

[Marvin S]

Ill give it a go again with the sugestions offered. After much reading the only reasonable priced PC, if you can call it that would be the Murader. The Discovery is just too loud, i may as well just use a 22rf. The airgun is just a garden protector for me.

[HARRYMPOPE]

The nitro .22 benji rifles are pretty quiet.mine shoots good most of the time to 25 yards but quite as good 50.mine was good until about a month ago.thenit started getting flyers.I guess after 7000 or so shots the piston seal has worn.