Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns PCP vs springier fps

Ok so tempted with a marauder but curious do I give up FPS to have the pcp ? 22 cal and for rodents
Wantin* someth8ng accurate quiet cheap to shoot thinking of using this instead of burn8ng 22 lr as practice
Or is there something better? Don’t want to spend an arm for it but won’t buy the cheapest either

Discovery and Maximus and or their replacements may well fill you needs and small air reservoir can be hand pumped(75 Stokes on mine).

Reduced number of shots between fills,but fill apparatus will cost as much as the Marauder.

Youtube may be your friend to help determine what will work for you.

In 22 caliber I think most any PCP will be more than adequate for rodents.

Look into pcp's that are equipped with regulators.
Marauders are getting to be old school in the airgun world. For the same money there are better, more accurate guns.
Benjamin needs to update its line. My Marauder .25 is accurate, but heavy and with ergonomics approaching a 2x4.

Hand pumping is doable. Going cheap on a pump will work you out and try your patience.
A regulated gun will get you a lot higher shot count.

The PCP airgun world is exploding with new tecn and offerings. Amazing what changes have come along in the last 5 years.
Accuracy past 100 yards is getting to be common even in the bottom tier guns.

Quiet and fun to shoot. Good luck in your search - keep us posted on what you end up with.

PCP in general is more accurate, and probably lot more accurate a higher power. But filling a PCP is expensive or a PIA unless you fork out for a nice compressor.
A moderate power springer like a Air Arms TX200 at a lower power is a pretty good solution, and simpler.
Myself I bit the bullet and have a Bauer compressor and big tank, so I am a PCP guy. A better solution but kinda expensive. I do shoot a ton, so it was worth it.

The FPS numbers for springers are pie in the sky bullshit. To get them, manufacturers use the lightest alloy pellets available and they are wildly inaccurate. Essentially all air rifles are more accurate with heavier pellets and PCP rifles are generally the most accurate of all. It doesn’t matter how fast a pellet flies, it matters if you can hit something. Forget Gamo as they are an overhyped joke.1200 fps. Sure.....My Daystates all shoot under 1/2” groups at 50 yards, including the .303 cal.

I picked up a couple springers to get back into air guns after a long hiatus.

Hatsan 125s 22cal, and 25 cal.

The 22 cal chrono's 935 fps with the Crosman 14.3gr, and 830 fps with the JSB 18.13gr.


It shoots best with the JSB 18.13. This is about as good as I can shoot it at 40 yards.




The Hatsan 125 , 25 cal Chrono's 695 fps with JSB 25.4gr. I cannot shoot it as well as the 22, but here are some targets at various distances,



More recently I bought an Air Venturi Avenger, 25 caliber. It is a PCP with an adjustable regulator. It is easy to shoot well, and will consistently shoot 1/2" at 50 yards.


A couple flyers here, but that was me. I've shot better targets, don't have pics. But you get the idea.



The springers are fun, and viable pesting or small game tools within the range you can master them. They tend to be pellet picky though, and require you to learn how they like to be held....they are not generally like shooting a 22 rifle.

The PCP is easy to shoot, and very accurate. Extra logistics required to fill it with air though.

At the end of the day, I like both types. Not a bad idea to have both types really.

What rodents are you shooting? I have shot hundreds of rock chucks 3-6# rodents with my R-9 in .22 cal at 650 fps. Out to 60 yards, it hammers them. I love the simplicity of a springer.

As I've said elsewhere, I have a "Hat" .30 break barrel, and really like it! The one I have "clocks" 550 - 600 fps at the muzzle with 45 - 50 gr round nose pellets, and I have some 62 gr HP's that are almost that fast. Shoots through 3/4" plywood at 25 yards easily, fairly easy to cock, plenty accurate for pest control and small game. These rifles are Turkish made, and come with a stock of Turkish walnut. I sanded mine down, put on 4 coats of hand-rubbed linseed oil and a few coats of good stock wax. With the Hawke 2x7 scope and the air rifle suppressor, it is a great shooting and good looking rig!

Mike Holmes

Generally, which of the two, springer or PCP, is the quietest?

I don't think it's that easy to generalize. it just depends if it has a moderator of some type, or not.

Springers are hard on scopes some companies will not warranty if it is on a springer
There are springer scopes. Nothing wrong with a springer I own one and used one as a bird tech for a exterminator company
PCP is the way to go Buy the best you can afford
I am a Brocock and Fx plus DayState fan.

My next most likely will be a FX