LETTER OF THE MONTH
SPRING POWER
I really enjoyed your article ‘Springer or PCP’ (Airgun Shooter issue 138), especially when you mentioned that both types of gun are just as accurate as the other, and I thought that I would share my recent experience on the subject. I wanted a rifle to bridge the gap between standard air rifle and rimfire to take care of the corvids around the farm and outbuildings where I live.
I thought about a PCP, but I really like springers, so when I spotted one I was made up. I bought an English Webley Patriot spring-powered rifle .25 running at 30 ft-lb! It really is a beast, an exercise machine and rifle in one, and can easily knock your cap off when fired.
On first shooting, the barn door was in no danger and I wondered why I hadn’t just bought a PCP as this thing was all over the place. Slowly, as I worked out how to sensitively handle this monster, things began to change. With the right pellets and ultra-light touch, groups got tighter and sub-inch groups at 55 yards achievable.
I have really loved working with this gun as it has shown me the importance of technique and that in the beginning I was at fault, not the rifle. It has improved my overall shooting, both in accuracy and enjoyment. Another plus is that my HW97 now feels almost like a PCP when compared to the beast. The Patriot has become a favourite as every shot makes you concentrate, and when you hit the target you know you’ve done your job and it has too.
Michael Erskine, County Antrim
Well done for persevering with the 30 ft-lb monster! Your dedication just goes to show how a rifle like this can be tamed, and as you say, shooting a standard sub-12 ft-lb springer is now far easier.
Michael put in plenty of time and effort in order to get the best out of both his Webley Patriot and himself