SPRINGER OR PCP?

I’ve never actually seen anyone come to blows over it, but I’ve certainly witnessed some very heated debates about which type of air rifle is best to shoot – one powered by a mainspring, or one with an onboard reservoir of compressed air. People’s preferences and opinions are, of course, forged by many different factors, such as what type of rifle they were brought up with, what type of rifle they currently own and how well they can shoot it. But what about the newcomer to the sport?

Take the case of someone who’s never shot an airgun before, but is excited to set off down a path that could lead to a lifetime of enjoyment. Provided, that is, that they start enjoying themselves at the outset and keep coming back for more. So should someone like this start off with a springer or a PCP? This is a question that should ideally be answered by the new shooter themself, but because they don’t yet have the experience it’s often left for others to answer on their behalf. I recently asked this question of five coaches and five experienced shooters, and was very interested to find their replies