Guest Blog- The Best Shots: PCP vs. Spring Piston Air Rifle

 

PCP vs. Spring Piston Air Rifle

PCP air rifles and spring-piston air rifles are both outstanding and useful in their own right. Both are powerful and perfect for heavy-duty, long-range, and high-power shooting. Nevertheless, some shooters prefer one over the other, because of subtle yet essential differences.

One type possesses some qualities that the other lacks. It is up to the shooter to decide which of the two rifles would suit his or her needs, or preferences.

Performance

The quality of a rifle’s performance is largely determined by the model or brand. Some rifle models are better because of a unique, innovative internal design, which allows it to perform more effectively compared to previous models. Of course, the selection of the appropriate power and caliber makes a big difference in determining the quality of a shot.

When comparing PCP air rifles against spring-piston air rifles, it is difficult to tell which type is better, because they have different mechanisms. However, these differences determine the pros and cons in each rifle type.

Self-containment

Spring-piston air rifles are more convenient and easier to carry. They make use of a break-away barrel, which is quite different from that of the PCP. Only one pump is required to engage the spring within the mechanism in order to create air pressure and fire a shot.

In contrast, the PCP rifle needs an external source of pressure. A shooter would still need to carry a hand-pump or a scuba tank in order to fire a shot.

Accuracy

The PCP rifle is very popular among shooters because of its accuracy and virtually recoil-free mechanism. It directly uses air pressure within the mechanism in order to fire a shot.

         On the other hand, spring-piston rifles require the mechanism of a spring. Pulling the trigger releases the spring and compresses air behind the bullet to make a shot. This pushes the rifle forward, and makes the shot less accurate.

Sound

Due to their distinct mechanisms, the PCP rifle is decidedly quieter compared to the spring-piston air rifle. Because the latter requires compression of air after the release of the spring, a powerful blast is left behind after the shot. Some prefilled PCP’s, depending on the design, are exceptionally quiet.

Price

PCPs are more expensive than spring-piston air rifles, and this balances the difference between the two types. Nevertheless, it is up to shooters to decide which one is better for them. Price is, after all, not the determining factor of a rifle’s quality.

Learn more at Hunting GearLab.com
They also have cool information about air pistols

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