Springer vs pcp for 13 year old?

V1ktor said:
Don't disagree with your sentiment.
I do believe, however, we are into the 2nd if not 3rd generation of impatience.

If kids are interested, keep them hooked and sometimes, not always, the interest remains.
You can always introduce the "Here is what I learned to shoot" at a later date.
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chouchin66 said:
I don't understand why folks seem to think springers are so hard to shoot ? Sure, PCP accuracy with one is acquired through practice...but practice & dicipline, aside the fun, is what shooting is all about. Kept simple, no reason at all that a springer can't be fun & entertaining to a beginner...not to mention the health benefits of the exercise ...
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Thing is you are suggesting that a springer is like some sort of ridiculous blunderbuss that won’t hit a barn door at 5 yards which just isn’t true. A hundred quid Hatsan breaker 900x will hit what you point it at especially a can at 30 yards no problem. As Chris said why are springers some dark art. They aren’t…
 
I think you should get yourself a springer like a HW 99 or Cometa 400 and get your lad a modern tactical type pcp to fit his style and something like a Kral NP03 with it's adjustable pull length should fit .
 
chouchin66 said:
If teenagers don't learn now, that all is not ever going to be " instant gratification" then a very valuable life lesson opportunity is wasted. No need for micro groups, devestating bean cans with a springer teaches many things , in addition to shooting....
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A fair point, and I certainly don't disagree with the logic, but think of it another way... I started riding a balance bike, moved on to an actual bike with stabilisers and then a BMX followed by a mountain bike before doing trails and longer distance riding, that was long before I got anything with an engine, passed my test on a 125 and then a 500cc before riding bigger bikes. The same principle can apply here - hook them with something they can achieve decent results with in a reasonably short space of time, then make it harder (smaller targets, greater distance), then introduce new platforms like a springer and technique. If the objective is to garner an interest in a sport, then making it as accessible as possible while providing good results and building upto more advanced practices is the obvious easy route to interesting people. Not everyone is going to be stubborn enough to practice for hours before they get decent results if they don't have the confidence to think they can do it to begin with. Sadly my kids generation is inherently unmotivated at best, bordering on lazy.
 
Springer, important to teach young ones nothing comes easy and the young mind can sincerely make short work of most any difficult task.. Besides, few things will seed the fundamentals of marksmanship like a good springer.. Breath, trigger control and follow through...
 
I don't think anyone has indicated springers are hard to shoot.

I'm trying to see it from a child perspective rather than an adult reliving the past.
Modern kids aim a cursor, press a button and the bad guy is dead. On to the next one.

What this thread has revealed is that there is more than one approach - no right or wrong - to the same resolution.
To get kids interested and remain interested in the sport.
 
Avalon said:
A fair point, and I certainly don't disagree with the logic, but think of it another way... I started riding a balance bike, moved on to an actual bike with stabilisers and then a BMX followed by a mountain bike before doing trails and longer distance riding, that was long before I got anything with an engine, passed my test on a 125 and then a 500cc before riding bigger bikes. The same principle can apply here - hook them with something they can achieve decent results with in a reasonably short space of time, then make it harder (smaller targets, greater distance), then introduce new platforms like a springer and technique. If the objective is to garner an interest in a sport, then making it as accessible as possible while providing good results and building upto more advanced practices is the obvious easy route to interesting people. Not everyone is going to be stubborn enough to practice for hours before they get decent results if they don't have the confidence to think they can do it to begin with. Sadly my kids generation is inherently unmotivated at best, bordering on lazy.
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I too, respect your point of view. Setting a row if tin cans @ 10 yards & using open sights presents an easy 1st time challenge, with added benefit of audio feedback & on a hit, & much animation...just the thing to keep a kid entertained...tell me true, it worked for you, as a tike, didn't it ? It did me.😊 Kids these days are only different in one ( for purpose of this discussion) aspect - they're given stuff thats too easy & will not realize their potential as long as that is the status quo. Nothing stopping an open sighted boinger from bringing ear to ear grins, give a kid a but of credit...
 
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V1ktor said:
I don't think anyone has indicated springers are hard to shoot.

I'm trying to see it from a child perspective rather than an adult reliving the past.
Modern kids aim a cursor, press a button and the bad guy is dead. On to the next one.

What this thread has revealed is that there is more than one approach - no right or wrong - to the same resolution.
To get kids interested and remain interested in the sport.
Click to expand...
Nail on head - kids need a challenge!
 
Colesy said:
Yep, I would say Springer too to start with. At 14 he should be fine cocking something like a hw30. I bought a hw99 in lockdown intending to let my eldest Grandson learn with it but it was a bit too much gun for him at the time, so I kept the 99 and got a hw 30 which he shoots very well. ....I have 5 grandkids and they all want a go so I got a cp2 co2 ..(for the grandkids honest)..and they all shoot it, boys and girls from 8 to 14 now...mind, they all shoot the hw30, the only difference is I cock and load it for the youngest. The Springer is simple, cheap to run...just pellets...and does indeed teach them how to shoot properly. And youll be surprised how quickly they start hitting stuff with it. Just my two bobs worth...hope it helps.
Cheers
Chris.
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Brilliant thanks Chris 👍
 
Leepelletb said:
I'm in gravesend too. I'll be out in the garden with mine at some point this weekend. You could maybe pop around with the boy and have a go. 👍
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Hi thankyou very much for the offer. I would love to but he's at his mums this weekend. Typical lol. Do you shoot any ranges at all?? Unfortunately my garden isn't really big enough to shoot in.
Thanks John.
 
crowbar said:
I think you should get yourself a springer like a HW 99 or Cometa 400 and get your lad a modern tactical type pcp to fit his style and something like a Kral NP03 with it's adjustable pull length should fit .
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Looks like I'm buying 2 🤣🤣
 
chouchin66 said:
I don't understand why folks seem to think springers are so hard to shoot ? Sure, PCP accuracy with one is acquired through practice...but practice & dicipline, aside the fun, is what shooting is all about. Kept simple, no reason at all that a springer can't be fun & entertaining to a beginner...not to mention the health benefits of the exercise ...
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I can't even break and cock my gas and np2 rifles without using two hands. A 13 year old would struggle most definitely unless it was a junior rifle.
 
We bought the grandkids (10,12), a HW30. I wanted them to learn how to shoot a springer, before pcp. When we go shooting, I let them have some time on my pcps, but they enjoy shooting the HW30 more.
 
GlockGirl said:
I can't even break and cock my gas and np2 rifles without using two hands. A 13 year old would struggle most definitely unless it was a junior rifle.
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All in the technique, sister👍 try placing the butt stock between your legs ( whilst seated), tap barrel to open, then use both arms to cock - downward pull in a swift deliberate motion...😊 Gas rams are a different animal, somewhat, to cock than a regular springer , the latter easily fettled to be super easy. A good few of my boingers can be cocked with one finger.
 
Buddy said:
Hi thankyou very much for the offer. I would love to but he's at his mums this weekend. Typical lol. Do you shoot any ranges at all?? Unfortunately my garden isn't really big enough to shoot in.
Thanks John.
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I'm just in the garden. I have a 30m 15m and 10m set up. 👍
 
Buddy said:
Hi thankyou very much for the offer. I would love to but he's at his mums this weekend. Typical lol. Do you shoot any ranges at all?? Unfortunately my garden isn't really big enough to shoot in.
Thanks John.
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If you get any free time, and I'm out there. Your welcome to try some of mine 👍
 
I think to flip the argument for PCP you could equally say the ease of hitting targets would make that generation of instant gratification move on quickly as they bore of hitting the target. Adding a difficulty in after the event I would think is pointless as they've done what they think they wanted to and now looking for the next buzz. Teaching them skill and control of their own bodies, plus the mental side can only be good. Plus as has been said already, shooting springers isn't that difficult at back garden and tiny can sizes.
 
chouchin66 said:
All in the technique, sister👍 try placing the butt stock between your legs ( whilst seated), tap barrel to open, then use both arms to cock - downward pull in a swift deliberate motion...😊 Gas rams are a different animal, somewhat, to cock than a regular springer , the latter easily fettled to be super easy. A good few of my boingers can be cocked with one finger.
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Gas rams have the same cocking effort over the full stroke I think Chris.. Where as springers it builds up. Can be quite an effort..especially if pressure is near the legal limit / a short carbine barrel.

Your right though, one swift motion and using momentum is definitely the way if it's hard going.
 
Backgardenplinker said:
Gas rams have the same cocking effort over the full stroke I think Chris.. Where as springers it builds up. Can be quite an effort..especially if pressure is near the legal limit / a short carbine barrel.

Your right though, one swift motion and using momentum is definitely the way if it's hard going.
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The two I've owned in the past definately exibited a difference in action vs. a conventional spring ( both sealed units). Both lemons, I might add.😊
 
Leepelletb said:
I'm just in the garden. I have a 30m 15m and 10m set up. 👍
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Brilliant
Leepelletb said:
If you get any free time, and I'm out there. Your welcome to try some of mine 👍
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Brilliant I really wish my garden was big enough. And thankyou again for your kind offer I will definitely keep that in mind 100%. There isn't alot around this way. I've only lived here just over 3 years.
 
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