The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - survival air rifle wanted: help me decide?

BitterTait · June 15, 2010, 02:05 PM

I don't think airguns are a good option for SHTF scenarios. The only real advantage is that the pellets are smaller than the entire round for a boomstick. Disadvantages are many. You have to expend precious energy to pump the gun. Less so with spring guns, but higher powered guns are generally PCP's and having hand-charged PCP's before I know that it's not something to do on starvation rations. They tend to be heavier than a gun with equal power. They also tend to be more maintenance intensive (my carrier 707 needs new rings every 200 shots or so, every other gun I own just needs ammo and oil). And to what benefit? You can store a greater amount of ammunition in the same or smaller space, and can theoretically recast and reuse the rounds easier than with a powder rifle. If you spend the money you would have spent on a mid-range airgun on an ammo stockpile, you'll have enough to last until civilization inevitably reasserts it's self.

June 15, 2010, 02:05 PM	#8
BitterTait Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 144	I don't think airguns are a good option for SHTF scenarios. The only real advantage is that the pellets are smaller than the entire round for a boomstick. Disadvantages are many. You have to expend precious energy to pump the gun. Less so with spring guns, but higher powered guns are generally PCP's and having hand-charged PCP's before I know that it's not something to do on starvation rations. They tend to be heavier than a gun with equal power. They also tend to be more maintenance intensive (my carrier 707 needs new rings every 200 shots or so, every other gun I own just needs ammo and oil). And to what benefit? You can store a greater amount of ammunition in the same or smaller space, and can theoretically recast and reuse the rounds easier than with a powder rifle. If you spend the money you would have spent on a mid-range airgun on an ammo stockpile, you'll have enough to last until civilization inevitably reasserts it's self. __________________ Powered by VI!