Home Blog  
Education / Training Diana peep sight

Diana peep sight

by B.B. Pelletier

Before we start, I have a favor to ask. Some of you have indicated you wouldn’t mind helping me answer the blog comments. If you want to do that, click on this email link. Please provide your name and/or screen name in the body of the message. The subject of the email will fill in by itself. Don’t change it as it will help me quickly recognize those who want to help out.

01-12-09-27
Diana 27 with Diana peep sight installed. It’s a different look.

The sight I’m showing you today was a gift from Kevin. He said he wanted me to see what a neat addition it made to the Diana 27, but told me it was actually from a Diana 75. Of course, the sidelever model 75 is just the latest version of the Giss anti-recoil system that began with the breakbarrel Diana model 60 and progressed through the models 65 and 66.

01-12-09-peep
Diana peep sight is a real target rifle rear sight!

When he described the sight, I thought it was one of the old sporting rear sights that Diana had adapted to an aperture by putting a peep hole where the rear notch would be. When the sight arrived, I saw that it was actually much nicer than that. This is a purpose-built sight with the same adjustability as the top 10-meter sights. I assume Diana no longer makes it. If that’s true, it’s a shame.

This sight answers a question that bothers many airgunners: What’s the purpose of the cross-grooves on top of the Diana rear sight base? That’s the base we all assume is for a scope.

12-22-08-27-2
Many Diana 27 rifles, including this Hy-Score 807, have a rear rail like this for mounting a peep sight.

On the bottom of this sight, we see the answer. A foot that’s grooved with a matching pattern that adjusts down to interlock with the grooves on the rail, thus creating a positive mechanical lock for the sight. Though many of the Diana spring guns don’t recoil much, others do. Diana knew that clamping pressure alone wasn’t enough to hold the sight still.

01-12-09-stop
The ridges on this part interlock with the top of the rear sight rail.

I had to use my .22 caliber Hy-Score 807, which is a Diana 27 under another name, because the .177 Diana brand model 27 I got at the Roanoke show didn’t have the sight base on the receiver. Kevin wanted me to also swap the fixed front sight of the 27 with one that has a removable insert. I have several of them; but when I went to fit one to the rifle, I discovered the dovetail on this sight is very narrow. None of my other front sights fit. Still, the 27 front sight is a crisp post, so it works well.

01-12-09-front
The 27 front sight is fixed, but it does work well with a peep.

Before testing the peep I shot the rifle with the standard open rear sight it came with. It’s not too shabby! It features micrometer click adjustments in both directions and a crisp rear notch.

01-12-09-original-rear
The 27’s rear sight is a very nice adjustable unit.

Going all the way back to 1979, the pellets of choice for this rifle have been RWS Superpoints. That’s when I bought my first .22 caliber model 27. There may be a better pellet, but I sure don’t know what it is. We’re looking at velocities in the 475-490 f.p.s. region, which suits me fine with this rifle. And I have the trigger adjusted to a crisp two-stage pull that’ entirely predictable, so control isn’t an issue.

The 27 is one of my old “go-to” airguns, so it was pretty close to right on at 10 meters. Only a couple clicks of windage brought the group to the center of the bull. And the 27 sight adjusts with crisp clicks, so you know what you’re doing.

01-12-09-tgt1
This is a representative target OF FIVE SHOTS at 10 meters with this .22 caliber Diana 27. This was shot with the original open sights.

Changing the sights was a one-minute job once I figured how to get the rear sight off. The peep sight simply slides on the dovetail and clamps wherever you need it for eye relief. Once on the gun, it’s rock-solid. Of course, the location moves from the rear of the barrel (where the original rear sight was) to way back of the action, where a peep belongs.

01-12-09-rear-peep
Diana peep attaches all the way at the rear of the rifle’s action.

Like the original sight, the peep needed only a couple clicks to bring it to the center of the target at 10 meters.

Back to the task at hand, the sighting wasn’t much easier, but the sights were defined better. And the results of that showed up in the groups I shot. While they’re not astounding, they do represent a reduction of about one-third in size.

01-12-09-tgt2
With the peep sight, the group shrank by about a third.

So what do I think? For starters, this peep really works well with this rifle. The 27 is such a smooth shooter to begin with, and the Diana peep just makes the experience that much better. With a sight as precise as this, a nice old air rifle like the 27 can go to a new level of accuracy. Consider that any good peep sight will usually improve things about this much over sporting sights, and this sight was specifically made for rifles in the Diana line.

Thanks to Kevin for his generosity that made this test possible.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

67 thoughts on “Diana peep sight”

  1. Good morning B.B. Starting another day with your blog, a cup of coffee and a load of laundry in the washer. Your Diana 27 sure looks happy with its sight upgrade. I’m going to see if one is out there for my Diana 35.

  2. B.B.,

    The sight looks very comfortable on your 807/27.

    In my experience peep sights/diopters/iris’s usually improve accuracy for target shooting. They’re not better than open sights for hunting since your field of view is so limited.

    My reasons for adding a peep sight to my diana 27 was twofold:

    1-wanted more accuracy than the open sights but didn’t want to ruin the the beauty of this lightweight plinker by adding a scope. A scope on the diana 27 would also risk damaging the rail since it wasn’t designed to mount a scope.

    2-my eyes are getting bad. The peep sight is a dramatic improvement over open sights for my bad eyes.

    My thanks to Mike Driskill for all his help and advice in showing me the sight options for a diana 27. Mike even found the diopter sight that I have mounted on my 27. Thanks Mike for making this post possible.

    Merry Christmas B.B.

    kevin

  3. Kevin,

    My sentiments, exactly. Like you, I have eyes that aren’t as sharp as they once were. Notice that the target shot with the open sight is spread vertically. That was the trend with that sight. With the peep it was always clustered in a round group. Obviously I have difficulty finding where the position the front sight post in relation to the rear notch. The peep solves that, because there is no positioning required. Just look through the hole and place the front post.

    Thanks for a wonderful Diana accessory!

    And I extend my thanks to Mike Driskill, as well.

    B.B.

  4. I think for any target shooter with compromised eyesight, whether from advancing age or othe causes, even a crude peep sight can be a blessing. I’m a newbie airgunner, but I was happy to discover I could flip the iron rear sight on my Crosman 1377 so it has a peep sight in place of the notch. This makes it possible for me to shoot reasonably well in my short basement range during bad weather.
    If I get more sophisticated in my equipment, I may try a rally good, adjustable peep like the one B.B. is reporting on.

  5. Everyone,

    Forgot to mention that a key reason I selected this diopter for my diana 27 is that the original rear disk is removable. This gives you the option of a larger sighting hole plus it gives you the option of adding any adjustable iris (including the gehmann 530 with magnification that I added) to further improve accuracy.

    Iris’s are another fun add on option that can have polarized filters, colored filters, magnification, colored rings and adjustments to vary the size of your aperture opening. You can get some or all of the features in an iris. One of the gehmann iris’s has most of these features that allow over 300 different adjustments/combinations to allow shooting at different distances, different light conditions etc. A rubber eye cup over the disk or iris also helps immensely with your sight picture. Great fun!

    kevin

  6. A couple of questions b.b. (or whomever can help).
    This post is apropos. I recently orderd the new Air Force sight for my 853c. So I have been considering fitting the supplied Daisy rear peep to my Slavia 630, but of course it has that odd rear sight rail. Is there any way to put this sight on the Slavia?
    2nd question. I just received my Gamo Compact and am very pleased. Except the instuctions are the worst I’ve ever received with an airgun.
    I checked the archives and figured out where to oil it (air intake hole)…but for the life of me I cannot find the safety. It says it is on the triggerquard and show red when it is off.
    Yet where they say it is there is only the wood from the grip. It fires fine. But there is no red showing anywhere and I can’t find a safety to put on…what am I missing.
    Other than that I am very pleased. I have big hands to I don’t find the grip to ‘meaty’ and within 10 shots I had it hitting the 10 ring…when I used a rest for sighting in.
    When I tried a competition one hand stance however…man I suck!!!
    A whole lot of practice is in the works.
    But I am pleased with the quality of the piece so far.
    CowBoyStar Dad

  7. CowboyStar Dad,

    There’s a safety on the Compact? That’s news to me.

    10 meter pistols don’t usually have safeties — Daisy being the exception.

    But Gamo has the poorest manual writers in the industry. They cut and paste from one manual to another and frequently drag in material that doesn’t apply.

    B.B.

  8. I have an off-topic question concerning the hat adjustment on a Talon SS. The allen screws came loose and the hat fell off while I was loading a pellet yesterday. Did I read correctly somewhere that they come from Air Force at a predetermined clearance? And is that between the bottom edge of the hat and the lip of the tank?
    And what size allen screw is that, anyway? It’s really tiny!

    Thanks!

    Nate in Cincy

  9. Thanks b.b.
    At least I know I’m not blind…I even had my 7 year old looking at the thing.
    But you’re right, the manual is for the Compact and another pistol…I think they just don’t bother to mention what pistol they are taking about at any given time.
    By the way, we’re 1/2 way through season 1 of the Man From U.N.C.L.E.
    What a hoot. They always had some big name stars (the episode last night had Vincent Price)…but the fighting is so…bad. Sort of like the old Batman shows but minus the comedy.
    But the boys love ’em and the guns are pretty cool (the good guys use Walther P-38’s, the bad guys Lugers).
    CowBoyStar Dad

  10. Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to infiltrate the 2009 Shot Show and find out what secrets our airgun manufacturing freinds have in store for us.

    But there is a catch. You must complete your task before agent BB Pelletier aka Tom “the kidney stone” Gaylord sends out his secret announcment in 2 Days, 20 Hours and 5 Minutes.

    Do this before
    PyramydAir become the most powerful airgun site on the planet and takes over the airgunning world.

    This message will self-destruct in 15 seconds. And as always, good luck!!!

    -AJ Venom

  11. Nope, there’s no safety on a Gamo Compact.

    The Gehmann iris fits my RWS match sight perfectly. Can’t remember the thread pitch off the top of my head. It’s probably 8x1mm or something like that.

    The Williams sights aren’t metric. There is no hard and fast industry standard on iris threading for the sights. Though all the Euro target sights (Feinwerkbau, Anschutz, Centra) use the same thread.

    Derrick

  12. Hey Nate you’ll need a set of feeler gauges to get precise measurements but if you match up the top of the top hat with the lip of the valve that will get you close enough, the allen wrench is .050 inch. HTH From SavageSam

  13. BTW, I was watching the movie VEGAS VACATION. It was an an old movie, but with a new plot twist. I think they added some new scenes, because the cover had a this picture on it(2nd picture down from the top):

    /blog/2008/2/shot-show-2008-part-3/

  14. MCA,

    Gehmann's threads fit the diana 75 diopter (the one shown in B.B.'s article today). There is not a "universal" size hole or threads for iris's/peep sight disks but in my limited experience the majority fall into 2 general catagories. USA and european. USA peep sights with removal disks (to then insert an iris) are smaller threads (7/32) than the larger diameter metric european thread. If you want to fit a european iris (gehmann makes the best in my opinion)into an american diopter there are adapters. Champions Choice sells these adapters for $12.00. Here's a link to their site:

    http://www.champchoice.com/splash.html?action=disclaim&page=/shop.php&query=respp=10|action=viewpage|page_num=11

    Once you're at the opening page click on "I agree" then go to their search box and type in MA585 (their part number for the adapter).

    Sorry I can't give you a direct link, their site won't allow it. Be careful they have some great stuff.

    kevin

  15. Aloha B.B.

    Just a reminder of our conversation about Korean airguns:

    “Scott,

    I hope I didn’t sound too crotchety this morning.

    I do appreciate what you say, but here is how I like to address it. Instead of just one particular gun, I like to treat the power wheel by itself. Then, if you have understood me, I have taught you to fish instead of just feeding you one meal. And you will be good for all the guns that have power wheels — or at least all the Korean ones. The AirForce guns don’t fit into the same category.

    “Your power wheel comment has made an impression and I guess I need to address it soon. Will you please keep after me — to the point of reminding me that we had this conversation?

    B.B.”

    Mahalo!
    Scott

  16. BB & Kevin,

    Just a point that you both touched on: open sights do give up some precision to peeps (not to mention scopes), but that is not entirely without compensation, since they can give you a quick sight picture and compensate for both windage and elevation without adjustment given a little (or better, a lot) of practice.

    Anyway, I fear that open sights are being discarded thoughtlessly by some (not you two) who do not understand they have definite advantages for many applications (require, in fact, for some dangerous game — I believe). It seems that many people ignore the utility of open sights simply because they don't produce the tightest group possible under perfect range conditions.

    For bullseyes without a scope, of course, peeps are king, especially if you hate the six o'clock hold as much as I do:). Just my opinion, remove crust and take with grain of salt.

  17. BG_Farmer,

    Excellent points. Totally agree.

    Since I gave up taking dangerous game with my diana 27 and am now relegated to only punching paper I love the diopter with a magnifying iris combined with a globe front sight that accept inserts (these diana/rws globe sights that accept inserts can be purchased at pyramyd air). I purchased a set of clear plastic inserts that have different diameter holes drilled and then countersunk for different distances. Unbelievably accurate sight set up on this little gun.

    kevin

  18. B.B.

    This sight system is a good, but I’ve been thinking about sights for poor vision after working with my Dad with his 20/200 vision and cataracts. Wouldn’t one of those reflex sights be even better? They are fastest to acquire, and I thought they are the most accurate non-scoped sights until you get to distances where the dot is much larger than the target.

    BG_Farmer, I suppose that open sights are faster than a target style peep sight, but I thought that a ghost ring of the kind you find on the M1 Garand is at least as fast as open sights and more accurate. Anyone know the answer to this?

    B.B. a question about .45 ACP ballistics. I figured this slow-moving bullet might roughly approximate a high-powered pellet like a B30 at short ranges which has almost the same velocity. When my B30 is zeroed at about 5 yards it shoots way high by about 80 1/4 minute clicks at 25 yards. However, the 1911 when zeroed at 7 yards shoots about 8 inches low. Is this right? I don’t believe that my shooting technique is any different although I can’t say for sure. By the way, it looks like the B30 has been discontinued. Is it because of excessive returns like the B40? Not a huge surprise but too bad because in combination with a tune, this is a super gun as far as I’m concerned, and Rich from Mich feels the same way.

    Dr. G, you’re a wonder with your output this weekend. I quit medical school in part because medicine seemed all-consuming, and I didn’t think I would have time for anything else. That doesn’t appear to be the case.

    Thanks for the good reviews this weekend on Grand Torino which gives me hope. I finally got around to seeing 3:10 to Yuma and didn’t care for it at all. The gunplay was all right, and it was interesting to see the reticle of a Civil War sniper rifle which I have not before. But I couldn’t make any sense of the plot and even ended up feeling sorry for the psychopathic villain at the end.

    Matt61

  19. BB,

    I believe my Benjamin pump may be acting normal after all. I just used it and paid attention to the behavior. After bleeding it, most of the pressure released off the pump handle even though it stayed up. Then pushing down on the handle I am able to make it go all the way down with a little resistance and stay down.

    Is this the normal behavior?

    Thanks,
    .22 multi-shot

  20. Kevin & BG_Farmer – "Dangerous game"….You guys are too funny.

    I like see-thru mounts, which are a compromise but allow for both scope and sights. When I can't keep my "stock-weld" through the scope constant, I switch to the sights to make sure that I haven't forgotten how to shoot.

  21. matt61 – I wasn’t completely sure what your situation was, so I made some assumptions.

    The difference between the two is the difference between the line of sight and the line of trajectory. On the B30, the scope is a couple of inches above the barrel. To be zeroed at 5 yards, the barrel would have to be shooting upward at a fairly steep angle to match the cross-hairs.

    On the 1911, the sights are right above the barrel. At a 7 yard zero, the barrel and sight line are closer to parallel. The 8 inches at 25 yards are the natural drop of the projectile.

    I hope I understood what you were asking?

  22. Randy-in-VA, you understood my situation exactly. I had thought that the difference might be due to the different barrel lengths, but your explanation is much clearer. However, an 8 inch drop for a 230 grain bullet at 25 yards sounds like a bit much. I seem to remember from a bullet drop calculator that that the drop for this caliber is more like about 2 inches at this range.

    All you handy people can really help me out here. I’m looking for a custom-made part that is infinitely lightweight while being infinitely strong, and the specific question is whether sloshing something in superglue will make it really hard. More specifically, I managed to wreck my $100 radio-controlled plane this weekend. Never really got it off the ground. It kept nose-diving into the dirt from my hand-launches until on crash number 5 the flimsy boom about the thickness of a pinky that works for a fuselage snapped in two. My one attempt at repair didn’t hold, and I was going to write off the whole thing but now think that all may not be lost. The new plan is to mold paper or card stock around the boom, then cover the whole thing in superglue. My only reference for this idea is a college roommate who said he used this technique to win some sort of engineering contest in high school. The assignment was to build a bridge out of simple materials like chopsticks and see which one could support the most weight. He said that he and his team sloshed their model in superglue making it steel hard and winning first prize.

    The relevance of all this is that I lacerated my trigger finger with the propeller of the airplane during one of the launches. Seeing what’s at stake a sensible person would probably quit. However, all of my problems with airguns and firearms disappeared over time, and I expect this will too.

    Matt61

  23. Matt,

    Assuming the ghost ring aperture isn’t huge (which it probably is), it may be more accurate at one range, but not easy to quickly adapt to range and conditions. Very little precision, however, is needed for the .30-06 to be “effective” over a considerable range in the M1’s original application.

    Did you find the ballistics software?

  24. Matt61,

    I don’t think I would recommend the super glue fix for your plane. I assume it is electric given the construction. The super glue will add weight and weight is your enemy. You might try gluing a couple of small carbon fiber reinforcing rods in your fuselage. Also check your wing position and CG because of the nose diving.

    .22 multi-shot

  25. Sorry about indexing all, I’ve been delayed by a dragged out family emergency of sorts. However, it looks like the dust is finally settling on that once and for all, so I’ll get to work.

    Speaking of dangerous game, even though I only just recently got around to (and enough money slooowwllly saved up to) buy an airgun, I made the final decision to get one early last summer. I’d been waffling on the decision for some time, but it was as if fate made it for me. A squirrel showed up on our patio, showing classic rabies symptoms- rear legs shuffling, hydrophobia, complete lack of fear etc- and I considered the decision made. Incidentally, rabies is actually quite rare in squirrels (and rodents in general), so we’re never quite sure if that’s what it was. On the one hand, it’s very rare, but on the other, the symptom set matched rabies almost perfectly, and much better than any other rodent disease we could find. Local Fish and Game were in the same quandary, as they never got the squirrel for testing. You see, a neighbor shot it with a pistol crossbow, pinning it to the bottom of his cedar plank fence. He then sawed the bottom half of the plank off, tossed it into a 55 gallon drum, doused it in a generous amount of gasoline, and incinerated it, bolt and squirrel still attached. He was rather embarrassed when I asked why he didn’t turn it in for testing. That said, you still have to admire the way he handled and disposed of a biohazard.

    So, jokes aside, there really is some dangerous game on the scale of airgun-vulnerable pests. Granted, the odds of encountering something that potentially dangerous are small; but in my case they’ve been shown to be high enough, and since a small animal doesn’t last very long with rabies, it likely means there is a reservoir of the disease in some host animal somewhere in my area. And that is no small concern to me.

    Oh, and please, for your safety and the safety of others, if you have to kill an animal with a dangerous disease, do it from as far away as possible, and avoid handling it if possible (see if there’s a professional you can call in). Also be sure anyone else in the area knows that animal is around so they can take appropriate measures, like bringing pets and children indoors. If you must physically handle the animal, make damned well sure it’s completely dead before approaching it. And don’t touch it- do something like turn a sturdy bag inside out, sturdy meaning an animals claws won’t poke a hole through it. Then, wearing thick gloves (leather ones with no holes in them would be good), grab the animal with bag and invert the bag back to its normal configuration with the animal now inside (think like you’re scooping dog doo with an inside out bag). Then double or triple bag it, and throw away of the gloves when you’re done, and be sure to wash up. If you have to handle the bags again, use gloves again. Also, if the animal may have a neural disease, don’t dispatch it with a headshot- the brain is the best source of tissue for testing for such diseases like rabies. And don’t just trust me on all this- I’m writing from memory, and I may have forgotten something.

    Oh, and another thought- do whatever you can to avoid physical contact with (wear gloves etc) with any dead animal- you never know what danger it might pose.

    And in case some of the above measures seem excessive, consider this- there have been only TWO confirmed survivors worldwide in all of recorded history who have survived rabies infection after showing symptoms. If you even have a suspicion of exposure, go to a doctor for vaccination before it’s too late.

    Now, I’m not so sure of what I’m about to say below, and I’d like to hear your thoughts on it:
    I think that if an animal is potentially rabid or might have some other dangerous illness, the usual priorities of the hunter’s ethos do not apply. For one, a head shot needs to be avoided if possible in order to preserve brain tissue for testing. Second, I feel that the need to make a humane kill is overruled by the need to eliminate the animal as a threat to others, and that means killing it by any means necessary, painful or not. In a way, this is somewhat humane: a diseased animal is already suffering, and in the case of rabies in particular, the animal is doomed and already suffering horribly if it is showing symptoms. I guess I see an animal with a potentially dangerous disease as, first and foremost, a threat that is to be eliminated in defense of yourself and others, and if you can’t do it humanely, then that’s just how things worked out. I also suppose that it may be better to deliberately injure an animal like that even if you know you can’t kill it outright or mortally wound it. My rationale here is that if you can limit its mobility, you limit the area in which it is a threat, and you also increase your chances of finding it again and putting it down permanently.

    Sorry for the long post, but I figure it’s worth it if it keeps even a single person safer around a potentially dangerous animal. Besides, I still get shudders when I think about that squirrel being being 3 feet from out door; what might have happened if I’d gone out that door..?

    And again, I’d like to reiterate that I’m going off memory for the safety measures here, and if someone notices something wrong or has additional information, don’t hesitate to share it!

  26. ajvenom:

    I saw that you mentioned you just purchased your first firearm rifle, a .22 LR. I was curious on what you bought as I just bought my first rifle. I got a Henry H001T Lever Action .22 LR.

    Rabbitt

  27. My wife asked me where I wanted to go on vacation.

    I said Pyramydair World!!!!

    OK it may exist someday.

    I guess if there was the perfect vacation, we’d never remember it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6e0qhfzu0

    BTW…as for targets, you still have to watch out for papercuts, ricocheting pellets, dry eyes, sleeping limbs snd cramps in your trigger finger. Just remember to keep up the good fight.

  28. wow cool Rabbit, a Henry Lever Action……Pretty sweet. Good quality from what I’ve heard and seen. Take good care of your Henry and it should last a long time.

    I do have a old pump Winchester .22 that was given to me by grandfather and a Ruger 10/22 from my father.

    I think pump and lever action rifles are a lot of fun to shoot. Tube magazines hold a lot of ammo and are easy to load. Also, the ability to shoot LR, long and shorts is fun too. The Henry looks like it has scope grooves which is nice.

    I use subsonic ammo in my old Winchester, because it’s getting pretty old, but it still works so well.

    Good Luck Rabbit with your .22 Henry. If you like to shoot, you definately picked a good rifle.

    BB always d;)

  29. There are some dangerous game I have hunted.

    The worse was wild farm dogs that started their own pack. They were quiet and very viscious.

    Rabbid skunks would be the other. They hide well and stink if you don’t dispatch them quickly.

  30. There are some dangerous game I have hunted.

    The worse was wild farm dogs that started their own pack. They were quiet and very viscious.

    Rabbid skunks would be the other. They hide well and stink if you don’t dispatch them quickly.

    BTW I forgot…I wanted a Savage MARK II with the stainless action, target barrel and thumbhole stock, but the varmit barrel, blued with laminated stock, was more my style, yet I just ended up getting the basic wood model and regular barrel. But the accuctrigger is about the best I’ve seen of the shelf, for a long time.

  31. Hay Nate,

    You don’t need feeler gauges to set your top hat to the latest Air Force Factory setting. You want to set it so that when the cocking mechanism is in its cocked, returned and locked mechanism, it is just at the point of minimal play (i.e. snug tht top hat up against the cocking mechanism so it touches with just enough clearance to turn the cocking handle to the side to lock it. If you have to call Air Force to get the set screw anyhow, ask for Yvette to confirm the approach you intend to use.

  32. Good job secret agent Scott. I seen the second one, was wondering how the other one was going to turn out.

    Ok I was joking around about the the spy thing… no more until 2 Days, 14 Hours and 30 minutes.

    So please all spys abort mission “Ajvenom’s crazy” and resume your normal lives.

    Rabbit: I have three lever action BB guns….Heee Hawww!!!

  33. ajvenom,

    How does the Mark II shoot in that configuration? I’ve heard nothing but good about them, except a few magazine-related feeding problems.

    By the way, please don’t tell me you shoot wild dogs with a lever action BB gun:).

  34. BG_Farmer,

    As a matter of fact, I’m proud of having discovered the diameter of the standard issue aperture on the M1. Clint Fowler himself didn’t know the answer since he deals only in the target versions which are .056. The issue sights have an aperture of .125. I wouldn’t call that huge although Clint seemed to think so. As for applications, I guess that would depend on circumstances. I suppose open sights would be faster for snap shooting. The anecdotes about the M1 seem to praise its long-range accuracy more than its point shooting. What they call the “battle zero” is supposed to work out to 200 yards, so I think your instincts are right.

    I’ve had a surprising amount of trouble finding the bullet drop calculator and have only come up with a couple candidates that I haven’t had time to investigate. If you know of any good ones, please pass them on.

    .22 Multi-shot, thanks for the advice. I didn’t think super-glue was heavy enough to add significant weight. CG and wing placement look good. And thanks too for the carbon fiber idea. They’re a lot more expensive than superglue but still well below the cost of a new plane.

    Matt61

  35. Jane,
    cc to B.B.,

    I am wondering if you would do a guest blog on the Law Enforcement Target High-Tech Rubber Range panels you mentioned? I am extremely interested as it pertains to air rifles.

    – How do you mount them,

    – How many do you have mounted,

    – Do you back them with steel plate,

    – Are targets attached directly to the panels or placed in front of them on frames,

    – Do the pellets have to be dug out after so many shots,

    – Can the pellets be dug out,

    – How many pellets have you shot into them,

    – If a pellet strikes an embedded pellet will it ricochet,

    – Have you ever shot completely through a panel, as in many shots on the same spot,

    – Have you come close to piercing through a panel on a single shot,

    – Where did you order them,

    – How were they shipped

    – Are there any comparable alternatives?

    -Chuck

  36. Speaking of dangerous game: There were some squirrels living in my attic and I began setting peanut butter-baited rat traps for them. After I killed a couple that way, one of them who had seen the movie Iron Man got some old fruit juice cans and a soldering iron and made himself an Iron Man suit. It was a flying squirrel, so he had only limited flight capability; the weight of the juice cans diminished his glide angle substantially. He had to glide because on the original configuration he had rocket power. That lasted one flight; the rocket burned all the hair off his tail, so from then on rockets were a no-go.

    Anyhow, I went up to check on the traps one day and fortunately had my Benjamin 350 with me, eight full pumps and the safety off. I got a chill down my spine when he came suddenly and deliberately at me, the nun chucks rattling off the armor and him snarling like a chainsaw. Plus, he had a Swiss Army Knife in his teeth.

    I knew I had to hit him with the first shot; no time for eight more strokes before he’d be upon me with his weapons and pointy rodent teeth.

    I’ll frankly admit I was scared. I lost my grip on the rifle and it fell out of my hands. Fortunately, it discharged when it hit a joist and hit Iron Squirrel right in the chest, extinguishing the blue light.

    I owe my life to a Beeman .50 cal sabotted carbide-tipped leadless pellet, after that experience, I swear by them.

    –Witt

  37. BB (please answer this best you can),

    My shadow express suddenly became rough to cock, the vibration got a little louder too. I tried oiling the pivot points and the rail in the stock. I also tried a drop of Crosman silicon chamber oil in the chamber. Any diagnosis? I don’t think I broke a spring (yet, I will test velocity tomorrow).
    Shadow express dude

  38. Mark II G Model, shoots well, but not any better than a Ruger 10/22. Seems like you have to be quick with the bolt with certain ammo. Not sure if you can clean the mags and I use a 5 round clip because it sits more flush. It’ also more forgiving with subs (manual fed in auto bolts) and hypersonics(slams auto bolts).

    For manual cycled rifles, I still think a good pump or lever action is smoother.

    I like the Ruger 10/22 with standard high velocity ammo. A trigger mod a must. If you have an older one like mine, a new exctractor hook may be work better.

    Nomatter what comes out, I’m sure most will customize their Discovey based PCPs. I just want an L/W Barrel, better trigger, power adjuster and a good shroud. Like a multipurpose air rifle:

    10 meter at night
    FT on the weekends
    Plinking after work
    Verminating in the mornings

    Don’t worry I stopped foaming now.

    I have a blog?

    Oh well 2 days 12 hours….

  39. Matt,

    If you didn’t see it, the Remington one (“Shoot!”, I think) I pointed you to over the weekend is pretty useful and free, for their ammo only though. Search “ballistics” on the Remington website.

    AJ,
    Thanks for the feedback on the Savage. I also like your Discovery wishlist.

  40. Re: New Benjamin Marauder

    OK, I had to look at Airguns of Arizona (AoA) website to see a few of the details on the new gun. At around $500 or twice what the price of a Discovery it doesn’t seem to be an entry level gun.

    Kind of stupid for AoA to jump Crosman’s Shot announcement. I’d imagine that Crosman will get annoyed about that. I’m sure BB’s been anxious to tell us, but if you agree to not disclose then you shouldn’t. If AoA will violate Crosman’s trust, it makes me paranoid to deal with them.

    Herb

  41. “Crosman Introduces Benjamin Marauder PCP”

    Yeah I would say they scooped PA, not sure if that is in bad taste or not.

    Anyway, $499 for rifle only doesn’t seem too bad. Can’t tell quality from a picture, but I’m hoping for the best.

    I like the looks. Can’t wait for B.B. to test one.

  42. Matt61,

    I talked to another friend of mine who has done a lot of R/C plane building/fixing. He came up with the following repair ideas for your R/C airplane (he also let me know that super glue [CA glue] is the lightest glue used for R/C planes).

    1) If you have a foam fuselage, foam safe CA glue is the best option (it will be the strongest).
    2) If you have a wood fuselage, apply hobby grade CA glue to each side and let it wick in, then push it together and hold it in place until the glue sets.

    As for the nose down problem, double check the manual for the plane and make sure the CG is correct. With a park flyer this must be within 1/8″ so just using your fingers as a balance point for checking the CG won’t be good enough. If the manual doesn’t state the CG, then measure the root and the CG must be 25 – 33% of the root length. The CG is critical.

    The other possibilities are:
    1) wing placement
    2) motor mount angle
    3) elevator

    Hope this helps.
    .22 multi-shot

  43. Volvo,

    RE: “Yeah I would say they scooped PA, not sure if that is in bad taste or not…”

    AoA didn’t “scoop” PA, both vendors no doubt received advanced information so that they could be ready to sell new rifles after Crosman’s announcement at the Shot show. The announcement will be hyped and was no doubt supposed to be the official “unveiling” of the new guns to the public. It would seem to me that AoA violated Crosman’s non-disclosure agreement – which is Crosman’s problem with AoA.

    My perception is that PA has continued to honor their agreement. No doubt after the Shot Show introduction that PA will be ready with website changes and we’ll see the rifle advertised on the PA website too.

    Herb

  44. Hi BB

    I’ve recently re-acquired my old Diana 25, and bought a RWS DIANA Diopter on eBay. How do I fit the sight as there are no cross-grooves or rear sight base?

Leave a Reply to ajvenom Cancel reply

Buy With Confidence

  • Free Shipping

    Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

    Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

    View Shipping Info

  • Shipping Time Frame

    We work hard to get all orders placed by 12 pm EST out the door within 24 hours on weekdays because we know how excited you are to receive your order. Weekends and holiday shipping times will vary.

    During busy holidays, we step our efforts to ship all orders as fast as possible, but you may experience an additional 1-2 day delay before your order ships. This may also happen if you change your order during processing.

    View Shipping Times

  • Shipping Restrictions

    It's important to know that due to state and local laws, there are certain restrictions for various products. It's up to you to research and comply with the laws in your state, county, and city. If you live in a state or city where air guns are treated as firearms you may be able to take advantage of our FFL special program.

    U.S. federal law requires that all airsoft guns are sold with a 1/4-inch blaze orange muzzle or an orange flash hider to avoid the guns being mistaken for firearms.

    View Shipping Restrictions

  • Expert Service and Repair

    Get the most out of your equipment when you work with the expert technicians at Pyramyd AIR. With over 25 years of combined experience, we offer a range of comprehensive in-house services tailored to kickstart your next adventure.

    If you're picking up a new air gun, our team can test and tune the equipment before it leaves the warehouse. We can even set up an optic or other equipment so you can get out shooting without the hassle. For bowhunters, our certified master bow technicians provide services such as assembly, optics zeroing, and full equipment setup, which can maximize the potential of your purchase.

    By leveraging our expertise and precision, we ensure that your equipment is finely tuned to meet your specific needs and get you ready for your outdoor pursuits. So look out for our services when shopping for something new, and let our experts help you get the most from your outdoor adventures.

    View Service Info

  • Warranty Info

    Shop and purchase with confidence knowing that all of our air guns (except airsoft) are protected by a minimum 1-year manufacturer's warranty from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted on the product page.

    A warranty is provided by each manufacturer to ensure that your product is free of defect in both materials and workmanship.

    View Warranty Details

  • Exchanges / Refunds

    Didn't get what you wanted or have a problem? We understand that sometimes things aren't right and our team is serious about resolving these issues quickly. We can often help you fix small to medium issues over the phone or email.

    If you need to return an item please read our return policy.

    Learn About Returns

Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

View Shipping Info

Text JOIN to 91256 and get $10 OFF Your Next $50+ Order!

* By providing your number above, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text msgs (e.g. cart reminders) to the mobile number used at opt-in from Pyramyd AIR on 91256. Reply with birthday MM/DD/YYYY to verify legal age of 18+ in order to receive texts. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg frequency may vary. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. See Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.