by B.B. Pelletier
Update on Tom/B.B.: Tom is charting new territory: the doctor has ordered him to eat a lot of calorie-dense foods. Tom’s new to this type of thinking and is actually having a hard time adapting! His bloating/swelling has decreased markedly, and it appears that his pancreas is functioning quite nicely.
B.B. wrote this blog.
This report is similar to one I did about teaching someone to shoot an air pistol, but I’ve thrown in some differences. The differences, however, are practical, especially if the rifle is a spring rifle.
Distance or target size?
With the air pistol, I started my subject at 5 feet from the target. I left the target the same size throughout the entire lesson and backed up the shooter when I felt they were ready for the next stage. Air rifles, however, are different in that they’re often harder to shoot accurately. So, we’re not going to worry about the artillery hold or anything else in this lesson. We’re just going to get out there and teach someone to shoot.
You probably could have guessed that I’d pick the Air Venturi Bronco as a great gun for teaching someone how to shoot an air rifle.
Instead of changing the distance, we’re going to start by changing the target size. With everyone wearing safety glasses, let’s shoot at something that’s hard to miss…a soda can. And, let’s use a rifle that can be shot all day long without getting tired. No mega-magnums are needed for this. The Air Venturi Bronco is an ideal gun (you knew I was going to say that) but so are the Hammerli 490 Express, Ruger Explorer, Gamo Delta and Stoeger X5.
Let’s start at a distance at which our student can hit the target at least 75% of the time. For most new shooters, 15-20 feet will be no problem. Be sure of your backstop and the safety range behind it.
Once you have the shooter hitting the target all the time, it’s time to make the target smaller. So, let’s go to a tuna fish can or a small box. One benefit of this kind of shooting is that both the shooter and the instructor will the see the results from the way the target moves. Don’t let the target get so shot up that the shooter starts shooting through his own holes.
Get smaller
When your shooter can hit the smaller can or box with near certainty, it’s time to get small. We’re still shooting at 15-20 feet. If your shooter is so good that he doesn’t miss, you can accelerate through these stages.
The next target is a plastic bottle top from a two-liter bottle. Your gun will put these into orbit, so have extras on hand. If you don’t like chasing your target, the ever-popular Necco wafer is a perfect biodegradable target.
Next, back up
When the shooter can reliably hit the smaller target, it’s time to backup. Back up double the distance, and go back to the next-largest target, which was a tuna fish can or small box. The shooter will probably miss until he gets the right sight picture; then, to everyone’s surprise, he won’t miss again. Believe it or not, you can have a new shooter hitting bottle caps at 50 feet in a one-day session if you choose the right rifle and the right set of circumstances.
Low pressure, low-key
Many of you have asked me for instructions to teach kids to shoot. This is probably the best way to get them started with a rifle. You’ll notice that we haven’t fussed with the artillery hold once. Let the shooter find a natural hold that does well for him. You can offer suggestions if he needs it.
This is so low pressure and low key, a person can be turned on to shooting simply because he has success in his very first session. Oh, yes, it IS also possible to hit an aspirin at ranges you probably won’t believe.
I’d like to hear your experiences using this method, because I’m sure many of you already use it. If not, give it try and let me know how it works out.
For those who receive all the comments via email, we’ve come up with a solution that will have the name of the poster in the FROM section of the email instead of the generic “WordPress.” This should be instituted within a day or so.
Edith
Want to get that old feeling back? Too hard to quit cold turkey? Play here until you can get your arms around the new format. This is as close as I could get.
Sometimes it’s best to pull a band aid off very slowly, especially if it’s a sweet Mickey Mouse one.
http://namericanairguns.blogspot.com/
Edith and BB.
Good day from the UK.
I watched the promotion Video for the ‘Bronco’and it looks a fab rifle.
It is similar in looks but undoubtably better than the BSA Meteor.177 I first shot as a kid.
I think us adults kind of forget how big everything is to a kid.
As a child that Meteor to me was big,heavy,loud and also being a springer,had recoil.
None of the above was too intimidating though,and just made me more keen to keep shooting.
Slinging lead and Fred pronj.
American/English interpretations,
Flat=Apartment
Trunk=Elephants nose
Hood=Robin
Gelatin dessert=Face cream
Sidewalk=How a drunk man gets to the bar:-)
rikib:
I didn’t know the Germanic connections to the English language.That explains a lot.
Like my urge to invade France for a start.LOL
DaveUK
DaveUK
President Sarkozy has read your blog comment, and has unconditionally surrendered. You are now entitled to the country’s vast resources of wine and cheese, and … uh…cafés?
Slinging lead:
Brits invade France on a daily basis from Dover.
Cheap tobacco and beer is all we take and then return to our bases back down the pub in England.LOL
France’s culture is safe.
Your average Brit wouldn’t know what to do with it:)
I have so far tried to teach 3 kids to shoot, one of my own age 8 and two aliens (teenagers). Why does it seem to be a natural instinct for kids to automatically cradle the butt of the rifle under their armpits, instead of against their shoulder? Then they struggle to bend their heads sideways 90 degrees to get a sight picture. All three did it! Did it mean the pull of the Bronco was too long? I then tried it with the HW30S. Same thing. And yet all three have seen rifles before, countless times in the movies. I am mystified.
-AlanL
I’ve not seen anybody do that before. I’m teaching my 8 year old daughter with an IZH-61, and she brought it right up to her shoulder from day one.
Good morning B.B. and Edith,
This article is right on time for me. Daughter said that she wants to learn to shoot. We’ll give this method a try and report back to you. Won’t be able to start until the weekend. Daughter baby sits after school and with home work she’s pretty busy.
How do you explain the correct sight picture? I’d draw a picture on some paper showing what it looks like. Trigger is like the shutter on a camera taking a picture.
Mr B.
Mr B.
That is excellent news. It appears she really looks up to her Daddy. How old is your daughter? It think the fairer sex make better shots, much to our chagrin. If she has talent, there is no limit to how far she could go.
It seems to me that kids today are fed so much anti-gun paranoia, it does the heart good to see the passing of the mantle from one generation to another. Please do keep us updated on Miss B’s progress.
SlingingLead
My daughter is 8 and just learning. I figured that a Red Ryder or some other rifle with marginal accuracy would frustrate her and she’d lose interest. So, I gave her my favorite low power plinker, the IZH-61. This is a great rifle for adults, and adjusts down for youth with its adjustable stock. The side lever is easy to cock (my 8 year old daughter can cock it) and the sights are respectable providing a nice sharp sight picture. This rifle is well known for its amazing accuracy.
I cut out the bottoms of an egg container, giving us 12 half eggs to use as targets. By the end of the 2nd session, she was nailing them consistently at 10 meters and grinning from ear to ear. I was using a pistol (self imposed handicap), not quite as accurate as the IZH she had, but she definitely had more hits that day than I did. That was her second session shooting. I was (am) impressed. Yeah, girls can shoot.
Mr B,
I had asked a similar question, regarding “center hold” versus other holds and B.B. pointed me to several excellent earlier blog posts with detailed sight pictures, and the subtleties of misaligning one way versus other ways. Regrettably they all produce only error messages now. It is a true shame that the older blog was not left alone and untouched while the new one had copies of everything migrated over to it. Old links are dead, Google has nothing cached (that I could access) so a great wealth of knowledge has been lost. At least for now.
Nevertheless, I did manage, by every trick in the book, to find you this.
-AlanL
AlanL,
The older blogs are still there. You can use the old Blogger search facility to find what you need. Everything is still in place and in tact. Nothing is dead or eliminated. As mentioned earlier, we’re in the process of migrating the older blogs an all will eventually be here so you can search in one place. It appears that we can link to the old blog comments, as demonstrated in a previous comment I posted. We HAD to move to the blog because Blogger changed it’s way of uploading posts. Good things take time, even in a day and age when it seems a lot of things happen instantaneously.
My life is a work in progress, and I guess everything else in the world is, too.
Edith
Edith,
I wouldn’t have moaned if it really were as you say. You can search. It returns a result. You then click on the headline. It returns an error page from the NEW blog. It’s that simple. Trust me. I don’t cry wolf all THAT easily!
-AlanL
AlanL,
Thanks for letting me know about this search glitch. All 2010 articles are supposed to be on the new site already (someone else did that…I haven’t verified that every blog was actually moved, which will take some work/time on my part). So, if you have a search result for something in 2010, it’s supposed to take you to this site to the correct page. I see it’s not doing that and have alerted the appropriate people at Pyramyd AIR. For pre-2010 blogs, which were not moved, the hotlinks still work and take you to the correct old blog page. I personally did that when I did a search for FWB 124 and found a non-2010 blog and was able to successfully access it.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Thanks,
Edith
Edith,
As I said, you are “SUPERMUJER!” (As they would say South of the border)
-AlanL
Edith,
By the way, I do feel as J-F said. All this is IN NO WAY meant to be a criticism of the fabulous work that you do, for crying out loud. (You just have us all spoiled as Superwoman! 😀 ) I’m only stating facts, as they seem to be for me.
Slinging Lead, don’t “amen brother” me, you craggy mountain speed demon– you know it’s fun to criticize, so let’s just blame… Rick!!! 😉
-AlanL
I’m glad the complaining as slowed down. I’m not pointing fingers or anything here so please don’t be offended by this, I just think things could be put in perspective a bit…
Tom is in the hospital and not only did we still got a blog every morning he dictated some brand new ones just for us and Edith not only took good care of us puting those blogs up and answering questions during that tough time but she never once complained and she worked hard testing and trying to make a smooth transition to this place wich they tought would be better for us all.
True some details still have to be fixed but overall what’s a little scrolling and searching for the new comments ? When they could have just told us that due to some health problems the blogs would be suspended and doing so would have been very understandable.
So a big thank you to Tom, Edith, Rick and Pyramyd AIR for providing us all with this great source of information and entertainment.
J-F
p.s. English not being my first language I do miss the preview thingy and it would help people get those smileys right too 😉
J-F,
Thanks for your kind words and support. I really appreciate it!
Edith
J-F
Amen brother. Things are different and a bit confusing at times, but it will become as familiar as a old glove in time.
Edith is a rock. I can not begin to imagine the stress the poor woman has been through. She posts updates that are always upbeat, even if Tom’s condition took a turn. Keep in mind, this thing has been in the works for some time, and this is the fruits of Edith and Tom’s (and Rick’$) labor. The big reveal could not have come at a worse time, and yet I can access and interact with this site better than I can the Yellow, which I have not been able to access for about 4 days now. These minor issues will be worked out in time.
PS: Your English is better than many Americans.
Alan, what you describe is common. I’ve taught two children to shoot and both did as you describe…but it the only way they can shoot. Measure their forearms…much shorter than an adults. The one rifle my 8 year old didn’t have problems with was the Avanti 853 (which is designed to teach youth target shooting). It has a short pull with about 3 inches of spacers that can be added to it as they grow. I know that when all the spacers were absent my son could easily shoulder it…my elbow on the other hand was cocked at an uncomfortable angle…when the spacer were added to make it good for me…the only way he could shoot it was as you describe…under the armpit.
But b.b. is bang on with his procedure in my opinion. I started the boys out on pop cans (and Red Ryders) at about 15 feet. When they could hit these easily we swithced to Daisy Shatterblasts. When those provided no challenge it was back to the can at 25 feet. Unfortunatley once they mastered this we found that the Shatterblasts were iffy at 25’…the Red Ryder at this distance is good for maybe 3″ C to C shooting…and the Shatterblast are about 2″.
So (they don’t know it yet) but for their graduations this June (well okay, maybe grade 1 and 3 doesn’t constitute ‘graduation’) they will be getting pellet rifles. They both really like the military style so I’ve ordered two of the BAM B3 AK look-a-likes. We’ll start the whole process over again starting with soda cans at about 10 yards.
When I told my dealer (unfortunatley not Pyramyd as I live in Canada) this was for their grades 1 and 3 grads she asked…”what do they get for high school…Uzi’s?”…hmmmm!!
I also like the idea of teaching kids to shoot with bb guns such as the red ryder (I’m planning to buy the new Crosman made Marlin this summer for that purpose) as they are much simpler to use, no loading, finger snaping barrels or shooting down time, wich can be a pain on short attention spans kids, so just cocking, aiming and shooting is plenty for them I think.
However once they’re hooked >:) when they start shooting at smaller targets and backing away from said targets, they’ll get frustrated because of the lack of precision of the bb gun and that’s where the bronco comes in… we can show them the possibility of nicer and more precise airguns and they can make the link between working a bit harder and taking more safety precautions to get better accuracy and once they see how they can aim and shoot at a much smaller target they’ll get more confident and will want to hit smaller and smaller things farther away (I know that’s what happened to me 😉 ).
J-F
Ahhh, it’s been a good day. I client of mine just dropped off something he thought I would appreicate. A Fenix LED Tactical Flashlight (280 lumens). I treat him very well as his dept buys a lot of photographic equipment from me, and this he says is to show his appreciation.
It’s all about karma.
Great method. Maybe if I had started on it, all would be different. Is the Bronco so hold insensitive that you don’t need the artillery hold? If you do need the hold, it seems like omitting it in the early stages could slow down the learning process. How well I remember the instant improvement from the artillery hold shooting my airsoft rifle. It was a turning point.
Chuck, the egun matches are ideal. However, as I understood the rules, I don’t believe I have the facilities for them. I do have a 5 yard distance, I think, but it’s not set up for benchrest. The shooting range I go to very infrequently has only 7 and 25 yards for the lower distances, and getting the right sized targets would be a hassle. And the 7 yards is questionable since I think it is only for pistols. I’m working on the problem.
BG_Farmer, yes, I believe it was the Chuck Hawks article where I saw that figure. However, the article in which Outdoor Life gave its award to the Mark II BVTS claimed that somebody used it to shoot a 5 yard group at 50 yards into .2 inches, so this accuracy is not a fluke.
Matt
The difference between using the artillery hold in my Bronco at 10 yards and not using the hold was one hole groups vs. half inch groups. While half an inch sounds horrible to us at that distance, it is wonderful to a kid with a Red Ryder. The improvement that comes with technique is the carrot on the stick, and keeps them coming back for more.
To those curious about this rifle, I say go for it. At $126, I don’t see how anyone could be disappointed with the Bronco. She’s a peach.
As for my Bronco, I gave it to my 14 year old nephew. Sadly, I will have little to no role in teaching him how to shoot it.
AlanL,
As CowboyStarDad says, they have to hold the rifle someway. You might try a Daisy Buck, as it has a very short length of pull and would be something you shouldn’t mind cutting a bit off of, anyway.
Edith,
I’m sorry to have been so critical of the new interface, and although my criticisms may come off as harsh, they are nevertheless tempered by a deep affection for you and Tom and the work you do, even in the worst of circumstances. It is simply a case of liking the old one better and not liking surprises, especially on something that, to me, was working quite well enough as it was.
Perhaps for some of us, it would have been easier to take if you had told us what was going on with Blogger and that you had to change a bit in advance, like telling children you’re going to have to go to the store later in the day:).
Assuming there is no hope of fixing the technical problem with Blogger (I would do the work for free, but I’m guessing the coding is several levels higher in abstraction than I’ve ever worked with), I will hereby end any mention of the new interface and the problems it presents to me and deal with it as best I can.
BG_Farmer,
I’m not thin-skinned, so please don’t think I took offense at what you or others have said. Know why we didn’t tell the blog readers about the change? Here are some points:
1. We were on a mad rush to get it all done. Blogger originally said it would be all over in March. They extended it to May 1, and we just barely made that date by the hair on our chinny chin chins 🙂
2. With above in mind, imagine if we told everyone that we had to create a new site that would be vastly different from the old one. I believe we would have ended up with hundreds and maybe thousands of suggestions and a wish list of what people would like. There was barely enough time to get it done with what we wanted, much less what all the blog readers felt would be needed. We wouldn’t have been able to meet all requirements, and then some people might have gotten mad that their idea wasn’t implemented. Again, time was our enemy.
3. It’s hard to gauge how people will respond when told in advance of a major change. While your analogy of going to the store sounds innocent enough, not everyone would view the change as a wonderful excursion. I tried to put as nice a spin on it as I could, but I knew deep down inside that this was going to be a painful process for me, the blog readers…and, well, me again since I’m filling in for Tom at the time. Some people aren’t viewing this as a trip to the store. Change is hard and their view is that things just aren’t ever going to be “right” again. I have felt the same way but have been proven wrong over & over. I believe you’ll discover things that Blogger never had or could have but you’ll find them here. Also, this site is much more flexible, so we can make changes when time allows.
4. You guys will adapt. This is your third day on the new site. I was testing it for a week before it went live and was involved in other parts before that time. Give it some time. If everyone thought of this as an adventure to a new store, that would be nice. The old store is still there (we’re fixing the links for the search queries that AlanL brought to my attention) in case you need a “hug” from something familiar.
Please feel free to critique the new site and bring up shortcomings and other desirable things that you’d like to see, but know that I can’t make everything happen. I cannot make time go back. Neither you nor anyone else has enough money to make Google/Blogger change their mind on a decision that involved such a small percentage of their blogs. Personally, I can’t blame them for their decision. It was the right one, but I wish we’d had more time.
Edith
Edith
What exactly was the crux of the problem with Blogger? I don’t understand the reason for the move, other than a vague sense that something had changed.
I’m not complaining, like AlanL ( 😉 )I think the new format will be a blessing. It definitely seems to be more flexible than the old format. If people just hated the embedded replies so much, the ‘Reply’ link under each post could just eventually be removed, could it not? The feed reader workaround addresses any issues I have with continuity. The key is to set up the feed reader correctly. You must have the EXPANDED view open.
Edith, I fear you have been working too hard. Please take 5. Pet a kitty.
SlingingLead,
First off, I never know if Slinging Lead is supposed to be one word or two. Have you been alternating it? I thought I’ve seen it both ways.
Here’s what happened at Blogger. A very small number of blogs are like Pyramyd Air’s, where they’re under a domain name. For instance: /blog//. Beginning May 1, we would have had to move our blog so it was under a blogger name…like this: http://pyramyd-air.blogspot.com. Blogspot is hosted through Blogger. Pyramyd Air’s blog postings are on their own server. That way, they are always in control and in possession of their material. Blogger said you would no longer be able to have them as part of Pyramyd Air’s own domain. As I recall, the way Pyramyd AIR was doing it represented something like 5% of all blogs. However, something like 75% of all their blog technical resources were devoted to keeping the 5% running and happy. That’s why I said that I agree that Blogger needed to change their strategy.
So, no amount of programming or $ was going to change things. Pyramyd AIR has the right to have their property (the blogs and podcasts) under their control. Plus, Blogger changed the rules once, so what’s to say they wouldn’t change them again? Through this WordPress blog format, Pyramyd AIR now controls the format and the information.
You’re right. I’m working too hard. Work has to be done. Kitties still get petted, but not as much as they like.
Edith
Edith
I am Slinging Lead in blogger, but SlingingLead on the Yellow forum. Due to the change in formats, I figured it was as good a time as any to bring them together. Leave it to you to pick up on that. I suppose I could change it on blogger as well.
PS: Due to recent unfortunate events, SlingingLead also sometimes means Volvo… and vice versa.
Matt,
Its not a fluke, I’m sure. I’ve never shot mine under great, much less perfect, conditions, and 0.3″ at 50 yards with decent bulk ammo is pretty easy to do, so I think it is just a matter of time and ammo. to get those types of groups. The 100 yard group is much more impressive, as I’m sure you know. The .22LR is almost smack dab b/t pellets and c/f bullets in terms of aerodynamics, so any wind is a huge factor:).
BB,
Very good choice of rifle for your training guide. And the Bronco is not only very accurate but is indeed NOT a hold sensitive gun anyway so that makes it even more ideal.
I would love to be able to shoot it with open sights. I wonder if an optometrist can make a pair of glasses that would allow me to see the front post and 10m at the same time, after all it is the 21st century.
I contacted Brownells for sight apertures for my Beeman peep sight and got the following reply:
“The only apertures we stock are for the Williams sights and the thread dimension is 7/32″x 40 T.P.I. Jon Wittwer”
BB, Do you know if these are compatible with my Beeman sight or how I can determine if they are? Since you’re feeling better I thought I could put you to work :-).
The 7/32″x 40 T.P.I. should work on the beeman sight as it is a rebranded Williams as far as I know.
Orin,
I guess my position is that pulling either trigger blade alone does not put the Bronco in a safe mode. You can conceivably pull the second blade back, put the gun down, come back sometime later forgetting you did that, and end up with a potential disaster.
HOWEVER, I can’t think of any reason to be pulling only one of the trigger blades by itself. There is no shooting scenario that make you want to do this. The only time you would would be if you were fooling around like we are doing right now. And I think I’ve gotten in more trouble just fooling around…
I’m not having any problems with blog performance. It’s the same as it ever was.
Everyone,
I’ve set up this site so the blog publishes right after midnight Eastern instead of 5:30 am (like the old blog). Do you mind? If you’d rather have the blog published closer to breakfast, let me know 🙂
Thanks,
Edith
Don’t mind at all. I’m an insomniac, and this’ll give me a chance to have the first post of the day. Also something to do when I can’t sleep.
pete,
You’re going to have to figure out how you’re going to stay up before I get up to maske the first post of the day while I’m waitning for my coffee to purk. If I knew how to make one of those smiley faces I put one here.
Mr B.
Edith
Right after midnight is fine with me. I’m up most of the night anyway. I did notice it last night, but was unsure of which days blog to post replies on. Now I know. Thanks.
rikib
Edith
Please keep it at midnight. I like to compile a monthly blog index on the last day of the month, mainly for my own edification, but it seems a few freeloaders enjoy it too. 😉 I have to be first post for it to work effectively, and I am usually busy at work or dead asleep at the former publish time. This is working for me.
Just to make sure I got it right because I don’t want to mess up your system/schedule. Are you saying that you need to make the first post on a new blog for your setup to work right? Like I said, don’t want to mess with your setup, but I’m normally awake at that time so should I wait until after you have posted something? If so that’s okay with me my friend, just let me know. 🙂
rikib
rikiB
It’s just on the last day of the month. Or sometimes the last day of the month that doesn’t fall on a weekend. It is no big deal, and certainly not a sanctioned event. Sometimes my head is lodged in my nether regions, and I forget things, so if you want to make a post, don’t wait around for me. (OK give me like 15 minutes for crying out loud.) 😉
SlingingLead,
Okay, I’m mainly just reading you know I never have much to contribute other than an obscure quote or thought anyway. 🙂
rikib
matt61,
Unfortunately for you (and me, cause I wanted to compare) these are 10m matches.
The bench rest targets are printable from their website. There is a 1″ test strip on it so you can see if you have printed it the correct size. If you don’t have a printer…well…this is the 21st century, you know. 🙂 I’d suggest you printing them off (set printer scaling to “None”) and using them at the farthest distance you can get at home so you can appreciate the accuracy that is required. I’d be interested how many 10’s you can get at 5 yards, even.
About the Bronco hold sensitivity: I suggest still teaching it but the thing is it’s so un-sensitive that even an 8 year old can do it and be accurate. You’ll be able to see if they’re doing it right. And there won’t be a frustration level created by not knowing whether it’s a bad hold or a bad sight picture. It’ll definitely be a bad sight picture, or maybe a sneeze :-}.
Edith,
Midnight is fine with me. Sometimes I wake up early and can’t get back to sleep so this will be a bonus.
I wonder how many viewers would have complained or not returned if this blog had started with this format back in the beginning? Come on people, embrace the change, it is the 21st century, you know. (but still feel free to give helpful suggestions, is is the 21st century, you know)
Well, I guess I’ve done my part letting everyone know what century it is. Ok, all together now…
Orin,
Yes, you can pull the “first stage” blade back and fire the gun without moving the “second stage” blade. When you pull the first blade back it stops with resistance when it is even with the second blade then if you continue to pull the first blade without touching the second blade it breaks crisply. In fact, I can’t figure out the purpose of the second blade.
Chuck,
Ok, that makes sense. According to some pics I saw of the blades and springs, it looks like each blade has its own spring. So aside from having two stages on the first blade, the second blade would provide increased tension for the second stage, as well as a tactile response when your finger comes in contact with it. In theory, I guess, you could use much less tension on the springs and still feel a defined second stage when your finger tip felt the change in environment. Interesting design.
– Orin
Chuck, the rear blade on the Bronco/Mendoza is what’s supposed to fire the gun. There are 2 catches for the sear, each controlled independently by one of the triggers. When the gun is cocked it catches on the rear and puts no pressure on the front. When the front trigger is pulled back it moves the front sear out of the way, so that when the rear trigger is pulled the rear sear is released and the gun fires.
If you cock the gun and pull only the rear trigger you’ll hear a ‘clunk’ as the piston jumps forward a little and is caught by the front sear, which is still in place. Pulling the front trigger – only slightly – will then fire the gun. But as I said, that front sear is not supposed to do anything except get out of the way.
The front trigger thus acts as a safety. If the rear slips, somehow, the front is supposed to catch it. But other than that it’s just along for the ride.
BB – Glad to hear your doing better…my high calorie diet going well.
Edith – Rome wasn’t built in a day. Midnight, post away..I work nights.
BB guns – on the box of every BB gun I own, I drew a sight picture that allows the gun to shoot the best at 9 to 10 yards.
Shooting 1377 open sights – I started at 15 feet then worked my way back to 10M approx. 33 feet.
If you don’t see me around much, blame it on the 853.
I noticed BB mentioned the stoger x5…how does it compare to the bronco as far as accuracy and ease of use
Edith,
I just wanted to reiterate the suggestion made earlier by Volvo that the comment header names should say “AlanL said” or From AlanL rather than just “AlanL:” which makes it look like the entry is to me rather than from me.
-AlanL
AlanL
I agree, and it should be a simple fix. I haven’t done programming in decades but the way programming is done now is a much simpler language. In the mean time I think most of us are being to understand the current format. Our first comment line should state who we are directing the comment to, if an individual.
Or you could add From before your name. I’m trying that on this post,see if it works.
rikib
My spellchecker does not check grammar sorry, should have been “beginning to understand”.
Adding the “From” before my name seems to have worked, and it saved it on my Reply form so I don’t have to re-enter it everytime.
rikib
Dude – that’s such an ingenious and simple fix! Why didn’t the rest of us think of that?
– Orin
… or how about this one?
– Orin
Ok, looks a little funny on the RSS feed…
“Comment on Teaching someone to shoot an air rifle by Orin said:”
– Orin
AlanL and Volvo,
I understand the suggestion, however, I kind of doubt that it’s going to make the high-priority to-do list. However, I see that rikib has a workaround that will probably work very nicely for you.
Edith
Nick,
The Beeman sight I have must not be exactly like the Williams sight BB used on his chopped and channeled Bronco. His picture looks like mine but my Beeman can adjust down far enough where I don’t have to cut into the gun stock to be on target.
However, I will assume that it is Williams compatible and see if I can order some different diopters.
Thanks for the info.
Orin,
The first blade provides its own tactile feel when it meets the second blade, not unlike both together and as best as I can tell the second blade does not offer any more tension than what is felt by only the first blade.
The two blades together do not offer anymore tension or tactile feel than just the first blade alone. This is why I’m puzzled by the existence of the second blade. The first blade does it all. Ok, now that I’ve said that, let me speculate that maybe one thing makes a difference, and that is maybe when a young shooter’s finger comes in contact with the second blade they might notice it more than they would just increased tension. They’d get not only the feel of the tension but also the feel of touching an extra piece of metal.
Good idea! I’ll try to use it until something better comes along.
This introduces a whole new element of personality…
Orin thinks:
Orin said:
Orin meant to say:
At the expense of pissing everyone off, Orin insists upon:
Orin apologises profusely for not appropriately phrasing:
The possibilities are endless!
– Orin
Orin,
I still feel that “From” sounds best. I know you can use anyones name, but to me it somehow sounds more direct from the author. Rather than saying XXXX thinks, XXXX says, etc. this sounds as if it maybe coming from a third party. This is just my thinking though 😉
rikib
Some other possibilities:
Orin announces
Orin proclaims
Orin states
Orin suggests
Orin pontificates (I like this one 🙂 )
Orin comments
Orin observes
Orin professes
Orin opines
Orin remarks
Orin notes
Orin utters
Orin postulates
Orin assumes
That should give you some variety to keep us entertained
Edith
Oops forgot the i in rikib.
I just ordered the Williams aperture kit which contains four different diopters. I’ll report back when I get it and let any other Beeman sight users know if it works. The kit costs $34 plus $5 USPS 1st class shipping.
To Everyone
Glad to have been able to contribute something as I don’t have much if any airgunning knowledge.
rikib
Just so’s you know which end of the gun points downrange. 🙂
All,
This is my first reply on the new blog format. I do not think it will take long to get used to.
First, Tom, although I would really hate to have gone through what you just have, I do kind of envy your new diet. How long do you get to eat that way before becoming a couch potato?
And I think it is great that you are back to posting fresh columns.
Edith, I want you to know how much we appreciate the hard work you have put in here. It would have been a big challenge, even without having to deal with Tom’s health problems. You are indeed “super”!
Alan L, You know, when I first took my seven year-old grandson out shooting, that is exactly how he tried to hold his gun and aim. It almost seems to be instinctive to the little guys. And he wasn’t shooting some gun that was too big for him. It was his new Daisy Red Ryder! That first day, I showed him how to hold and aim.
He is still a little small for a gun the size of the Bronco. I got him a Crosman 760 to transition to. I like the dual ammunition feature, but being a smoothbore there is a built-in limitation on accuracy.
The biggest problem I have found with it is the front sight blade is so wide it obscures the target at 20 yards. I think the gun would be reasonably accurate at that range if one could see the target. I have tried a couple of fixes (a scope, and a red-dot sight), but so far nothing has worked. Maybe the answer is just to limit the range to 15 yards or so (or use a bigger target).
Les
Ahhhh! Watch out! Just got spammed by dropshi**ers disguised as a blog comment on CO2 refillable cartridges. Shoulda known better. That’s the problem with getting the emails from the blog. They get to me before they get filtered or deleted. Normally I would have seen the ruse but the new emails display any html language wrapped around stuff and that confused my brain and masked the “telltale”.
BB
I read something about a Bacon double-cheeseburger that used glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts for the bun. I don’t know if they have Krispy Kreme in Texas (HOT DONUTS NOW!) but I think you could find a suitable replacement. Get well soon!
Edith
What is the name of BB’s doctor. I need to make an appointment.
SlingingLead,
The diet Tom has to be on is low-fat, low-glycemic, non-dairy. Sounds unappetizing, but it isn’t. No bacon cheeseburger, no Krispy Kreme donuts (yes, they’re here in Texas, and they ARE delicious!).
Edith
Edith
I think relish qualifies as a vegetable. Add relish to it and its healthy. Thats how I justify it.
Fat sights…I set the sight picture so the pellet/bb makes a impact just touching the top center of the front blade. Close to the letter “i” or a BB on a shotgun rib.
If you bring the pellet up further like the letter i, your focus on the sight doesn’t warp your vision on the target and pin point accuracy can be made with a little pratice.
I have not been able to get on the Yellow forum for several days now. Does anyone else have this problem? I need to window shop!!!
AJ
Quit rubbing it in. 😉
SlingingLead,
I’m going to show my lack of airgunning knowledge here again. What is the Yellow forum that is always being mentioned?
rikib
The yellow forum is one of the larger airgun forums on the net. There are a number of links to other forums there as well including their classifieds forum. It’s very, very active at all times. The Gateway To Airguns forum is also worth checking out.
Bobby Nations
Thanks I’ve saved that site to my favorites.
rikib
RikiB
Here’s another one that I like to check up on periodically…
Crosman Formu
– Orin
Oops. I just renamed it. Forum. Where’s that preview screen? 🙂
– Orin
S.L.,
I’ve been on the Yellow multiple times over the past few days and haven’t noticed any issues. Works fine for me this morning, too. Have you tried clearing your cache/cookies/temp files to see if that helps?
– Orin
Thanks one and all,
Darling Daughter is 16 and a true Blessing for me. Took here boy friend along with number Two Son to the range where I impressed boy friend with Dad’s rifle and pistol skills–enough said.
ajvenom,
Thanks I had forgoten about balancing the ball, bullseye, on the front sight and squeezing the trigger.
Edith, you have been and are continuing to be an inspiration to us with your attidue and all that you’ve done. Our hats are off to you Mam.
Mr B.
Thanks for the clarification. What you said is what I am experiencing. After I posted my last comment about how the first blade functioned I began to wonder if I really paid attention to what was happening to the second blade. I re-tested it and found that the first blade does catch on the second internally somehow on the way back and I can see it move as I continue pulling the first, and that means, as you say, it is the second blade that is actually firing the gun. I can’t feel the first blade moving any sear, not even a little, but as you point out, it apparently does. That first sear must actually be part of the blade and not a separate part to be pushed out of the way.
Regardless of any confusion I may be generating, the trigger is one of the best of my collection right up there with Ms Marauder.
Hi, I was just wondering if it would work/not damage the gun to clean the barrel of a 22sg with pipecleaners?
Cleaning,
Do you know for sure that your 22SG barrel is dirty?
Edith
No, not for sure, but lately the gun seems like it isn’t as accurate as it used to be.
Cleaning,
I wouldn’t recommend it for the simple reason that the metal rib in the center might scratch the barrel. I don’t know what that thing is made from,
so it would make me nervous.
Dewey makes the best one-piece rods,
but they are a bit on the spendy side. Outers makes a .177 one-piece rod that you can buy at most WalMarts for about $15 or so.
Grab one of the bronze brushes to go with it, some JB’s Bore Paste
and you’re set for not only cleaning but also for removing obstructions. It’s worked for me for several years now with no problems.
Ok i’ll look into that. Thanks for the info & help!
Cleaning,
Scroll down on the page and read the comment from “Robert from Arcade.” He may have a solution for your 22SG’s inaccuracy.
Edith
Cleaning,
Here’s B.B.’s writeup for cleaning an airgun barrel, just in case you’ve never read it before.
Been a few days since I posted any quotes so here are two. I had comments about them but it made them sound to political.
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain
We Americans… bear the ark of liberties of the world.
Mark Twain
rikib
DaveUK
I know it’s tomorrow there in the UK, how are the elections going? My Brit wife has been talking with her mum a lot today.
rikib
rikib:
Big election,probably the most important in my adult life.
Results should be through early hours Friday our time.About Midnight thursday yours.
DaveUK
time is getting close who is going to make the first post on tomorrows blog?
rikib
Edith : This is my first attempt at posting with the new format, and I’m OK with it. This is from someone who can’t even type, and struggles to be coherent in my posts. It would take me so long to type a comment before, that I would often time out the security word thingy.
On teaching kids to shoot. Hitting is what matters to kids. I started my sons shooting with a QB-78 wearing a 4X scope. off a rest. They will cant the gun and it is too long (the under arm hold) , but within 5 rounds I had them hitting the target. My oldest was five and he was able to make a 5 shot group at ten meters, that measured just over an inch ,with little practice. He can easily pick off plastic army men at twenty -five yards now from the bench. They will get the sight picture thing down better if they don’t have to struggle with the weight of the gun. I remember reading that Col Townsend Whelen started his grandson shooting off a bench also. I don’t have Bronco( yet ,my youngest wants one) but my boys who are now six and nine, are able to hit pop cans easily with their Daisy Cub and 99 respectively, but they are not easy guns to cock for kids, for the power and accuracy they offer. My oldest can just now easily cock the Gamo recon ,I picked up for him at a flea market for twenty bucks. He is getting better at off-hand, and is very good using impromtue field rest positions.
On the Daisy .22 SG. I have one and I found that after some use ,the accuracy suffered, and suspected a dirty barrel as well. However, I found that the the the barrel(shot tube) had became a little loose in the outer barrel shroud. Just shake it and listen for a rattle. I carefully pried the front sight plug from the end of the barrel shroud, and removed it. Then I installed a small piece of vinyl tubing over the end of the shot tube, that was a hand tight fit in the front sight plug assembly. Then I re-installed the front sight assembly into the barrel shroud with the help of a little dab of Macarri,s clear tar. This cut groups to ragged one hole size at 20 yards. The problem is that the inside of the front sight plug assembly is stepped. The barrel just rattles around in there. After the fix, no more rattle, and no accuracy issue. Perhaps this will help Mr. Cleanings problem with his. Take care ,Robert.
Hi B.B.
I love that you came out with the Bronco… but I am still left with a question in relation to springers and young shooters. Why is it that airgun manufactures don’t make some spring piston rifles with two power settings similar to the Beeman P1? It seems to me that there would be a market for such rifles with younger shooters in mind. The thought being, for pl inking in the back yard the youth could manage the lower cocking force required for the lower power setting but in the field for hunting not as many shots for youth to cock or the adult could manage the cocking for actual higher power hunting shots.
Jim,
I don’t know why this hasn’t been done yet. Or maybe it has and I have forgotten it.
This idea might have some merit worth looking into. Especially if the first cocking point was really low in power and the second point was significantly higher.
But such a scheme might only sell here in the U.S., and that will limit those who are interested in pursuing it. Because the European markets are so much larger than the U.S.
B.B.
Well, there you have it! Your next Air Venturi project. You can call it the Air Venturi Stallion.