I'm interested in a pellet rifle for general shooting fun, but also for some serious small hunting from time to time.
I understand the new gas piston guns are a bit smoother shooting and can be left cocked for quite a bit of time while shooting and hunting without harming the cylinder since it's not just spring operated.
I also understand you can wear out the spring on a springer by leaving it cocked for extended periods...but....
for normal shooting that wouldn't be much of a problem.
I guess my question to folks who are more experienced in all of this than me is,
if your just hunting with a springer a few times a year, does it really wear it out quickly to cock it and maybe shoot a squirrel an hour later?
Seems the gas piston guns are probably best for hunting, but then again, it seems the springer in the same model as the gas gun tends to shoot faster speeds.
I know if you made a habit of cocking a springer and shooting it an hour or two later all year long would wear the spring out in short order, but will it really wear them out on just occasional hunts a year to do this?