My first and biggest mistake was buying my first Airgun. The portal it opened into the rabbit hole has cost me a Lot of money! I’m not sure that getting into drugs may not have been cheaper.
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Rookie Mistakes?
- Thread starter johnwoitalla
- Start date
My rookie mistake was marrying a woman who is against my collecting airguns. Should have realized that from the ass chewing I got for spending my honeymoon money I saved on an FWB 124D one month before our wedding..
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Shooting, owning, and maintaining air guns is not the same thing as regular firearms. The terminology, parts, procedures, and techniques are much different. The first thing to do is to read as many articles, books, and magazines as possible to get up to speed. Then watch YouTube videos to answer any questions you have after your research. Then find a local club or group of air gun shooters who are willing to let you shoot with them and ask all the questions you still have. Pay close attention to the gear they use, and take their advice (with a grain of salt) when asking about guns, ammunition, or places to shoot!
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“What exactly did you sell(one or two examples) that you can’t replace now?”
Not totally irreplaceable like custom work, but as examples it’d be pretty rare to see a Theoben Eliminator with Bushnell Elite 4200 package, or a Falcon FN19 walnut skeletonized come up for sale- in pristine condition- these days. I can’t say I miss anything enough to track one down, risk buying online, pay today’s premium for premium condition, and possibly deal with a rebuild anyway to get back in top form. However, if I had kept those and some others, I think current me would be pretty happy with that decision.
Not totally irreplaceable like custom work, but as examples it’d be pretty rare to see a Theoben Eliminator with Bushnell Elite 4200 package, or a Falcon FN19 walnut skeletonized come up for sale- in pristine condition- these days. I can’t say I miss anything enough to track one down, risk buying online, pay today’s premium for premium condition, and possibly deal with a rebuild anyway to get back in top form. However, if I had kept those and some others, I think current me would be pretty happy with that decision.
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The biggest rookie and non rookie mistake I see is believing everything you read or see in a video. The biggest rookie mistakes I made was one, a bottle gun and a hand pump. Two, diving into the deep end of the pool before really understanding how a PCP works. But those were different times back then. We just didn’t have people to hold our hand like now. It’s like you had to establish yourself and get some street cred before the guys who really knew their stuff helped you.
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I have not sent any, but received several via USPS. Most recently was a FWB 602 rifle. action and barrel removed from stock and so well packed by the shipper the only way it could have been damage was to have a truck run over it.
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I learned to record myself tearing down an air rifle. That makes reassembly easier. I’ve rushed and reassembled my valve return spring backwards in one of my Bulldogs. That buggered up the poppet, which got stuck in the spring, and scratched the valve body. I chose to send it in to a professional for a valve replacement.
It’s also good to ask questions first. I recall hammering some 3D printed barrel supports down over the barrel before someone read my post, saw the photos, and suggested that I sand the holes in the supports to open them up a bit. I thought they came already fitted to the barrel. The stuff we do when we don’t know.
It’s also good to ask questions first. I recall hammering some 3D printed barrel supports down over the barrel before someone read my post, saw the photos, and suggested that I sand the holes in the supports to open them up a bit. I thought they came already fitted to the barrel. The stuff we do when we don’t know.
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1. Taking YT Video reviews as Gospel, and buying into them (2x)
2. Jumping on the JSB Bandwagon as the "GOAT" pellets. While they ARE good pellets, some others outshine them in a few of my rifles.
3. Buying a small shoebox size compressor thinking it is the be all end all for my needs. Its not. 4 compressors later I finally got a Yong Heng and haven't looked back since.
4. At least I haven't ever bought really cheap glass for my stuff. Thats a plus I guess
2. Jumping on the JSB Bandwagon as the "GOAT" pellets. While they ARE good pellets, some others outshine them in a few of my rifles.
3. Buying a small shoebox size compressor thinking it is the be all end all for my needs. Its not. 4 compressors later I finally got a Yong Heng and haven't looked back since.
4. At least I haven't ever bought really cheap glass for my stuff. Thats a plus I guess
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Keep mouth shut instead of saying to a store's gun dept salesperson how much I enjoy shooting airguns. Even one where they sell both PB and airguns, like this store. Her reply was to pooh-pooh them as "just for play."
I decided it was better after all if she and similar people continue to think of airguns as toys. Low profiles are goooood.
I decided it was better after all if she and similar people continue to think of airguns as toys. Low profiles are goooood.
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Getting my 1st QUALITY pcp & double loading in the 1st 5 minutes of owning it (couldn't remove magazine). Trying all the "gimmick" pellets thinking that they were something more than a gimmick (sabots, anything labeled "destroyer" or the like, cleaning pellets, etc). 1st time ever filling a pcp forgot I needed a way to bleed pressure before disconnecting foster (homemade fill assembly) Those are the ones that really stick in my mind.
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I was interested in competition shooting early on and bought an AR 2078A that had been massaged by a local repair shop. Brand new it was about $350 and I thought that was a high priced rifle. I went to my first match and saw what a high end comp gun looked like and what one cost. I easily had the cheapest gun there and while it shot well and still does, it was what we in the south refer to as a learning experience. I’m still learning going into my third season.
Rick H.
Rick H.
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My rookie mistake was not getting into Air gun earlier . Actually i bought my first quality air pistol 1971 ? Webley Tempest . Skip to 2012 and down the rabbit hole i dove . buying PCP after PCP and springers too . The hole isn't too deep 17 rifles and 10 pistols ............... so far
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Feeding more than one pellet from the magazine. Lots of rookies do it. I’ve seen five pellets packed in a barrel before.
Having too light of a trigger. Makes accidental discharges very easy and makes standing shots very difficult too when it goes off at the wrong moment.
Not testing enough pellets or trying to justify buying cheap pellets.
Thinking a particular backstop will be durable enough.
Thinking a Gamo (or “Ruger” or “Remington”) is a powerful and accurate airgun. Thinking that advertised fps numbers tell you something useful.
Expecting a cheap airgun/scope combo will work on a springer.
Thinking a shop compressor can fill a PCP.
Thinking an average airgun will do what a firearm can do, but with air. (I never made this mistake as I started with airguns before firearms)
I had a guy sit next to me and claim the barrel on his airgun probably cost more than any other rifle on the line that day. (I was shooting my Thomas with S&B scope, so I don’t think he actuallly looked at the line)
Having too light of a trigger. Makes accidental discharges very easy and makes standing shots very difficult too when it goes off at the wrong moment.
Not testing enough pellets or trying to justify buying cheap pellets.
Thinking a particular backstop will be durable enough.
Thinking a Gamo (or “Ruger” or “Remington”) is a powerful and accurate airgun. Thinking that advertised fps numbers tell you something useful.
Expecting a cheap airgun/scope combo will work on a springer.
Thinking a shop compressor can fill a PCP.
Thinking an average airgun will do what a firearm can do, but with air. (I never made this mistake as I started with airguns before firearms)
I had a guy sit next to me and claim the barrel on his airgun probably cost more than any other rifle on the line that day. (I was shooting my Thomas with S&B scope, so I don’t think he actuallly looked at the line)
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My biggest "mistake" was trying to mount a scope on a springer. They have been a complete hassle from mounts, rails, rings and scopes. When I finally found a scope that would hold up and a mount that was low and didn't slip I'd spent enough for another rifle.
Then I realized I didn't really need a scope at pellet gun ranges. The open sights were free, completely trouble free and hit the mark just fine under 50 yards. I could shoot tens of thousands of shots without any problems or added expense. The gun was lighter, smaller and just as useful in the field with no scope at all.
Then I realized I didn't really need a scope at pellet gun ranges. The open sights were free, completely trouble free and hit the mark just fine under 50 yards. I could shoot tens of thousands of shots without any problems or added expense. The gun was lighter, smaller and just as useful in the field with no scope at all.
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Being bedazled by FPS
Buying pointed and gimmicky pellets.
Hole in bay window. Hole in ceiling.
Putting a crosman 4x scope on my Beeman P1.
Never shoot at a golf ball, even at 50 yards.
Never shoot at shotgun blanks.
Lessons learned a long time ago.
Buying pointed and gimmicky pellets.
Hole in bay window. Hole in ceiling.
Putting a crosman 4x scope on my Beeman P1.
Never shoot at a golf ball, even at 50 yards.
Never shoot at shotgun blanks.
Lessons learned a long time ago.
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