by B.B. Pelletier
Test and photos by Earl “Mac” McDonald
Today, we’ll look at the performance of Mac’s personal Beeman P3 pistol. You’ll remember that this is a single-stroke pneumatic pistol with some fine handling features and a great trigger. Two things that many owners have mentioned is that the pistol is difficult to load and that it’s hard to pump (they often say cock). I disagree with the loading statement but agree with the pumping one. While the P3 isn’t as easy to load as a breakbarrel rifle, it’s not that difficult, either. You just have to learn the technique.
As for the pumping, it’s about average for a single-stroke of this power and size. It’s surprising those without previous single-stroke experience. A Gamo Compact target pistol of similar size and power is equally difficult to pump. For the record, Mac agrees that the pistol is difficult to load.
It’s been very hot on the East Coast this summer; and when Mac tested the P3 outdoors, it was 95 deg. F with high humidity. The wind was still on test day.
Crosman Premier lites
The 7.9-grain Crosman Premier lite averaged 383 f.p.s. with a total velocity spread from 380 to 387. That’s just seven f.p.s., which is pretty typical of a single-stroke. Their reservoirs hold the same amount of air from shot to shot and they tend to be very consistent. I did not test my Marksman 2004 (which is now the Beeman P17) with Premiers, so no comparison is available. The average energy for this pellet was 2.57 foot pounds.
RWS Hobbys
The RWS Hobby pellet averaged 409 f.p.s. with a 10 foot/second spread from 406 to 416. That’s an average muzzle energy of 2.6 foot-pounds. The Hobby weighs only 7 grains and is made of nearly pure lead, so it should be among the fastest of the lead pellets. Once again, I have no comparison numbers from my Marksman 2004 with Hobbys.
JSB Exact pellets
The next pellet Mac tested was the JSB Exact Match, weighing 8.4 grains. The name Match is misleading because this is a domed pellet, not a wadcutter, but that’s what it says on the tin. They averaged 385 f.p.s. with a max spread of 9 f.p.s., from 379 to 388. The average muzzle energy was 2.77 foot-pounds — the highest of the four pellets tested. By coincidence, I’d also tested the Marksman 2004 with this pellet. In my gun, it averaged 411 f.p.s., so somewhat faster than Mac’s gun. I estimate my pistol has about 400-600 shots on it, while Mac figures his has about 1,000.
H&N Finale Match Pistol
The 7.56-grain H&N Finale Match Pistol pellet averaged 396 f.p.s. with a 6 foot/second spread, from 393 to 399. The average muzzle energy was 2.63 foot-pounds. That was the lowest velocity spread of the four pellets tested.
The comparison?
In this report, I did something I almost never do. I compared two airguns against one another. I did it because the Beeman P3 and Beeman P17 are so much alike, yet their prices are so far apart. The differences that I know of boil down to this: the P3 has an ultra-crisp trigger while the P17 trigger has some creep, and the P3 has a reputation for reliability while the P17 has been known to have sealing problems.
In the next report, Mac will show us the accuracy of this pistol. You’ll recall that he’s mounted a red dot sight on his gun, plus he shot it rested, so you can expect the best the gun has to give. We’ll learn what that is in Part 3.
I know I’m new to all this air-gunning. This seems rather expensive for such a low powered pistol. Granted it is of fine quality but where do you draw the line? Does it mainly depend on power plant? I’m not trying to start anything just asking questions. Don’t have money to throw around, that’s why I only own a 2240. What is the best power plant for a pistol?
rikib
rikib if you have money buy Browning 800 mag,in my opinion power mainly depends on capacity of power plant
What can i do i love this Browning pistol -when air pistol goes head to head with airguns then that is accomplishment i respect
C-S,
The Browning looks great! My concern is that a lot of comments on here are about broken spring issues or piston problems. I get confused, maybe I just need to save a little more money and go the firearm route. The more I read on here it seems higher powered air guns have a lot of problems.
rikib
rikib -broken spring is easy to replace ,but i dont think that spring pistol would have same problem simply becouse spring is shorter -Diana airguns use too long badly made spring .I have yust yesterday tuned my Norconia spring air pistol -it is not powerfull stuff but NOW after my tinkering and grinding piston 🙂 sure is accurate for 10m shooting
C-S,
Thanks for that information. I guess the first thing I should do (on my limited money) is get the most out of my pistol I can starting with a longer barrel. Thanks again. 🙂
rikib
Cheap tuned air pistols are great couse i can re-use lead free skirted pellets so i can have whole day shooting with only one pellet 😉
C-S,
Not funny 😉 my 2240 always gets good reviews, maybe not the most high powered, but it is CO2. I’ve used lead-free pellets and never found one I could re-use, so I assume you were joking. 🙂
rikib
I AM NOT JOKING shoot in a book like i do (i use Hyper velocity field pellets)and YES i can re-use them when i find them i just put it back in plastic skirt and i have a new pellet
I was talking about my Chinese half-product Norconia pistol 🙂 not 2240 sorry you miss understud me 🙂
Rikib,
If your questions “start something” then some people have waaay to much time on their hands. 🙂
Time is on my side 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkBYVNrjjIs
Tom,
Thanks! Even I on occasion don’t like upset the equilibrium. 🙂
rikib
sorry grammar checker did not work.
rikib 🙂
In my home town about 40% of population is unimploed ,i am one of lucky guys and i do have a job -i mean a decent job like i am earning money job -now i dont really understand this “too much time on my hands “i am just trying to help
CS,
this is what is called a “colloquialism” or a saying that is unique to the particular language. In this particular case, I believe “too much time on one’s hands” was said in a joking manner or with “tongue in cheek” – another colloquialism.
As you can tell, I’m not too busy with work right now. In fact, I’m trying to stay awake.
Fred PRoNJ
rikib,
You misunderstand the purpose of the Beeman P3. It isn’t meant for hunting. It is a target pistol and exactly where it should be in terms of power. A target pistol may sell for $2,000 and not be much faster.
For hunting the best powerplant by far is the precharged pneumatic. However, a PCP loses power when the barrel is short, so there are not many true hunting PCP pistols, other than big bores. The few that exist hover around the 12 foot-pound region.
B.B.
I guess being new to this I’m really uninformed, misinformed or most likely lack a basic knowledge of different power plants.
rikib
rikib,
Well, learning is what this blog is all about. So keep at it.
I’m still learning, too.
B.B.
B.B.,
I like accuracy and destructive power of inanimate objects in a pistol. So I’m thinking that maybe beyond the capabilities of an air pistol.
rikib
rickib,
I don’t know how dedicated you are when you say what it is that you like doing. I have seen an air pistol that developed 600 foot-pounds. It would certainly make a dent in a watermelon (or a deer, for that matter). But are you willing to pay $1,000 to get what you want?
When I was young (in my 20s and 30s) I shot .44 Magnum revolvers a lot. Today I find that they leave me cold. Too much recoil for me. The .45 Colt cartridge does everything I need to do in a handgun, though I would like to try a Desert Eagle pistol in .44 Magnum sometime because of the reduced recoil.
But my days of wanting a thermonuclear firearm or airgun are long past. Now I want guns that can hit what I shoot at.
B.B.
B.B.,
Thanks for all that info. As I look into it I could get a firearm (pistol) Ruger .22 Mark III or a Taurus 45 lc/410 revolver for about half that.
I think I just need to let my dreams go for now 🙁 , be happy with what I’ve got! Live my life through other’s experiences on here because I do enjoy reading them.
Hope you don’t mind my inputs/thoughts, most come from life experience (old age 🙂 ) not air-gunning.
rikib
Rikib,
I have written and deleted at least 4 times just trying to reply here, LOL! There’s a way to define your needs one over another for sidearm purchases if you can’t buy four or five all at once. That’s what you will need if you are going to fill all the different uses for a sidearm. A general rule is to buy where you are comfortable NOW and a little more. You have a 2240 CO2 pistol and you do plinking mostly, right? The Ruger you described is perfect. Nothing cheaper to shoot than the .22lr and it’s got a lot more energy than CO2. Good for snakes with the shot loads too! I have successfully hunted coyotes with a .22lr (rifle, same ammo). I know you don’t hunt but I’m just saying that’s the difference in power from CO2 to rimfire. With earplugs it’s fun all day long.
Do yourself a favor and hold off on the big gun for a while. They are cool to shoot, but wear you down pretty fast, and cost a lot more for ammo. And they’re hella loud too.
KA
KA killing or eliminating rattlesnakes in Texas is nothing more than creating new breed of snakes without fair distinktive rattling -if you kill all snakes that you can hear then only snakes with smallest rattle (quietest)remains and they are spreading their genes so there is situation now that there is more and more rattle snakes without rattling warning “dont step on me” sorry for digression 🙂 🙂 🙂
–
Ah, my Croat-Serbian friend,
That’s funny! I literally laughed out loud!
Where I live the biggest rattle snake threat isn’t the big rattle snake with the big rattlers, rather it’s the little green rattle snake known as a Mojave Green and they often don’t rattle before they bite. Especially the young ones who’s venom is potent and rattles aren’t developed.
However I do not hunt snakes, as it requires a fishing license and I don’t fish! 🙂
KA
C-S,
Maybe it is misunderstood, but Texas is not the only State to have rattlesnakes. Here in Southwest Georgia we actually have a festival called “Rattlesnake Roundup”., just for your info. 🙂
rikib
Rikib,
I spent some time a few years back in Largo and Clearwater are you further south than that?
Oops! my bad, that’s Florida! You’re in GA
KA,
The only Largo & Clearwater I know are in Florida. I live in SW Georgia. About 75 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. My parents used to have a place in Sebring, Fl.
rikib
9:45- It’s bed time for me! I read tomorrows post and now I’m out!
KA
KA,
Just thought you might have been questioning where I lived. I promise I live in this heat and humidity! 🙂
rikib
KA,
Thanks for your thoughts. Guess I’ll have to hold off a little while. I forgot, here in Georgia they give you a birthday present called Ad Valorem Tax on your vehicles on your birthday (mine is coming up). So much for the “I wish” savings! Maybe it is for the best, gives me more time to ponder. 🙂
rikib
B.B. i am felling like a most boring person in the world 🙁 (which i am maybe 🙂 )but dont Browning 800 mag in 17 cal can develop 700 fps for about 149 dollars -and diana mod 5 mag (175 m/s)
Sorry guys Diana mod P5 mag -all i wanted to say (ask)-what is wrong with those pistols and they are not even close to 1000 dollar price -respect 🙂
C-S,
BB was replying to the comment made by Rikib “I like accuracy and destructive power of inanimate objects in a pistol. So I’m thinking that maybe beyond the capabilities of an air pistol”. I think BB was trying to demonstrate that for $1000+ there are some air pistols that have far more power than we commonly see. I think he said 600foot pounds. That’s REALLY MONSTER POWER! They are specialty guns, but out there none the less. For comparison, the Browning and Diana you mentioned produce in the realm of 20 foot pounds. I haven’t confirmed that yet, because I can’t seem to find the energy conversion tool that I used in the past and I’m not a smart scientist with the formulas in my head. I just happen to be here at the keyboard on a Tuesday night! 🙂
Those pistols are also spring powered and I’m betting that they are at the very peak of that power plant’s ability. Where a PCP at that level would be at the bottom of it’s energy ability due to the short barrel.
KA
KA feet per second-foot pounds i see it now – i was always bad in that stuff -thank you KA my bad 🙂 😉 again misunderstanding sorry
KA,
Thanks, I misread that as well. Reading without comprehending can be humiliating at times.
rikib
What about this Evanix AR6 pistol?
/product/evanix-hunting-master-ar6?m=961
BEAST !!!!
VG,
What about it? It gets about 10 shots per fill and breaks 20 foot-pounds.
B.B.
C-S,
I need to sign off for the night and get some sleep. It may be morning there but it’s almost 3 a.m. here.
rikib
Hi, Folks!
I have a chance to purchase an old Benjamin Franklin 132 pistol in .22 caliber that was made in the ’60’s with 50% blue, with holster, for $85 plus shipping. The absence of blue doesn’t bother me, but I was wondering what sort of accuracy I might be able to expect from this pistol in good working condition. Thanks.
Walton,
You have a Benjamin 132. The name “Benjamin Franklin” is in quotes, meaning that it is a play on the company name, The Benjamin Air Rifle Co.
Yes, a 132 is worth $85 all day long. With 50 percent of the black nickel (it isn’t bluing) it is worth about $125.
It should be able to group five top-quality pellets inside 1.5 inches at 33 feet in the hands of a competent pistol shot.
B.B.
rikib and c.s., these are essentially meant for target shooting, not plinking.
As is the Gamo compact. You can spend $2000 on a Steyr or FWB Olympic pistol and not get above 500 fps.
If you want power, these are not the pistols for you…as they say, different strokes for different folks. (so how old does this saying make me?)
I meant to say they are not meant for hunting…they’re great plinkers.
RikiB,
you need to consider high priced air guns in the same category as high priced firearms. What would a Colt Gold Cup set you back? Now compare that to the P3 or even higher, such as the Crosman Silhouette Target Pistol or Anschulz or Stehyr target pistols. On the low end, for workman like rifles or plinkers, consider the bare bones Ruger 10/22 in blued steel versus say the Air Venturi Bronco. To compare this Ruger to, say, the TX200, is not proper due to their different quality levels and intents. You can get that Ruger priced in the are of the TX200 but you’d spend another $1,000 easily.
Follow what I’m saying?
Many folks, including myself, will make the mistake of cross-comparing air guns to firearms that were made for different categories and wonder why they command such different prices. It’s all got to do with the power or accuracy the different guns were intended or designed for.
Fred PRoNJ
I’ve got a question about scopes vs peep sights. Now that I’m having to replace the spring on my 34, it has me second guessing some other things – like sights.
The scope I bought for the 34 is not so great. I believe that it is accurate and stable, but the focus is best described as ‘soft’ and the light throughput is dull. This makes it difficult for me to maintain eye dominance through the scope because my left eye is taking over – following the brighter light. This does not happen with my other scope, I believe because it is brighter. I used the open sights at first, but have difficulty maintaining focus on all elements which leads to guesswork while shooting. I have to choose what’s in focus – the rear sight, the front sight or the target. I can’t get any of the two in focus at the same time.
So, I’m thinking of changing to a peep sight like the inexpensive Daisy front/rear unless someone can talk me into the more expensive ones. I’m thinking of doing this for several reasons: 1) to save weight. 2) to simplify operation. 3) just to try something lower tech. 4) because it’s Tuesday. Most of my shooting will be within 25 yards
Fused
Tuesdays and peep sights go together like bread and butter. I got the Daisy peep sight for my 953. I like it alot. My vision sucks. But I find it easier to line up a circle inside another circle, rather than line up posts and notches, and checking that the gaps are even on each side, leveled etc. That being said, everything else I have except the RR has a scope. I like scopes.
Fused, for the price the Daisy is a pretty good basic peep (as is the Williams).
First though (and I may be misunderstanding your question), you’ll never get rear/front/target all in focus with any type of iron sight, including peep.
As with open iron sights, with a peep you focus on the front sight (either circle or post). You center that in the somewhat ‘soft’ rear aperture and place everything over the ‘soft’ (meaning fuzzy, out of focus) target.
I’d definitely recommend trying the inexpensive Daisy before opting for anything more expensive. The more expensive peeps (the Edge is a good one) allow more precise click adjustments plus they have the ability to add filters. These can be colored filters (green, yellow, red) to adjust your contrast in different conditions…or ND (neutral density filters).
The expensive peeps are mostly meant for 10m target shooting.
What cowboy said is true, imo. That is why an eye doc friend wants to make me some shooting glasses or a contact. His glasses is a bifocal that is on the top of the lens, not the bottom. The bifocal will be a prescription that will focus in the front sight. The bifocal will be on the top so I will not have to cock my head up to see, as I would have to if the bifocal was on the bottom of the lens, as most all bifocals do. I think that is what he told me.
I,for one,am on the edge of my seat….can’t wait for the accuracy testing!I own two of the Marksman2004.My first one “fell”in my lap.I was at the wallyworld for dogfood,went by the sporting section.In the glass case there was an opened clamshell pack,you know,the ones that can cut you back.In it was a pistol I had never seen carried there.The man in the vest said more than once”you don’t want that,it’s broken”.Well I showed him!I bought it for 7$,you know,’cause it was broken!I thought I might be able to fix it.There was NOTHING wrong with it,and there still isn’t,5 years later.I’ve hunted soda cans to 30 yards[only in season]with great success.I now have two because I found another at a gun show for 30$!
Thanks for the responses. I was thinking that since you are looking through the aperture it would change the optics some. Wouldn’t the target look sharper viewed through an aperture – sort of like a camera? If not, what is the benefit of an aperture sight over open sights?
Fused,
From my experience a peep does change the focus. With open sights I’m like you, I can’t get at least two of the items in focus at once. However, with the peep I can get the front sight and target in focus. It’s the same as looking through a piece of paper with a pin hole in it. That pinhole definitely changes/improves focus. Another reason for the peep sight is that it shields your eye from external light entering your pupil.
fused. Whether your target is slightly fuzzy or not, it is much easier to obtain accuracy with a peep (which are traditionally used for target shooting) because it is very easy to center the circular bull (even if slightly fuzzy), in the circle of your front sight, then center that circle in the circular aperture of your rear sight (even if slightly fuzzy).
This as opposed to putting your bull on a post. Do you want the post touching the bull, centered in the bull, slightly below the bull? Then, do you want your front post at the same level as the top of your rear sight, slightly below, etc?
A lot of variables that can change slightly from shot to shot.
But with a circle (the peep is of course based on circles)…it is very easy to tell if one circle is centered in another…there’s no variance from shot to shot so maintaining consistency is easier.
Help!
I bought some Skenco poly match pellets, and I can’t load them into my daisy 953 target pro! The pellets almost seem too long. What should I do? I can’t shoot lead pellets where i’m at, due to restrictions, so I need to make these work.
Ed,
Boy! Are YOU in luck!
I am beginning a new blog series tomorrow and the Poly Match pellet will be the first tested, though not in the very first part of the series.
I will be trying them in a Daisy 953, so I’ll see what your problems are. However, since I have a 953 in my office, I tried loading it with Poly Match right now.
You are right. The pellets are too long to fit through the rifle’s short loading trough, even with the single-shot trough removed. So they won’t work.
Don’t despair, because H&N is about to bring out a new lead-free target pellet that I will be testing soon, and Pyramyd AIR is an H&N retailer.
B.B.
I’ll be interested to see what Mac can produce rested with an optical sight on this gun.
On the subject of airgunning and firearms, my airgunning usually suffers after shooting firearms, but after this last trip, I actually improved. I attribute this in part to all of the rimfire shooting which is very similar to airgunning. Also, maybe my 100 shots a day is overdoing it and a break helps. I also noticed a certain amount of relief in returning to airgunning. Firearms are exciting with the big bang, the distances and the wind but all of that also subtracts from the details of firing technique which I can focus on better in my cardboard box.
Thanks to my discussion with Kevin yesterday, I realized that I don’t even need to dry fire my rimfire guns with cases. By coordinating sight picture with trigger press, I get a fair simulation of a shot without releasing the trigger. Soon, I may not have to shoot at all….
To all who were not convinced by my Bob Lee Swagger excerpt from last night I would strongly recommend this series by Stephen Hunter. Hunter has been interviewed by American Rifleman and has a very deep knowledge of shooting stemming from a lifelong interest, and he knows how to write a page turner. To appreciate him, you just need to read some other action adventure novels. One I read had to do with an imitation James Bond character who lives in the Caribbean. His house overlooks the ocean and first thing in the morning, he leaps out of bed, grabs a fireman’s pole and slides through a hole in the floor into a lagoon where he swims around (this is pretty cool); his butler catches exotic fish from this lagoon every night for dinner. Then, the hero embarks on a strenuous daily regimen of exercise consisting of hundreds of push-ups sit-ups and 2 X 3 miles of swimming in the ocean out to an island and back.
On his island, he likes to commune with nature by taking off his suit and sunbathing. But one day, he wakes up to find a blue beach towel next to him anchored by four pink shells (a nice touch I admit). He looks again to see a woman rising from the waves like Ursula Andress in Dr. No and wearing a barely visible suit that would make her ideal for an airgun ad. This woman is fabulously beautiful, a member of an aristocratic Russian family, and a professional artist. She walks up to our hero and with “hot emerald eyes” says, “You have an incredibly attractive body. It catches the light in interesting ways.”
After a bit of this, you long for our homegrown Southern hero Bob Lee who says things like, “I will, by God, find him and face him down and we’ll see who walks away.”
Matt61
Thanks to all for the responses to my pistol/power plant dilemma. Still got a lot of thinking to do (and money to come up with). Thanks for all the inputs. 🙂
rikib
B.B. –
I didn’t think to mention this during our exchanges over the weekend, but I really appreciate debating an issue with someone who is logical, polite and informed, regardless of the outcome. Thank you. I look forward to reading your blog every day, even though I don’t always have time to participate or knowledge to share.
Regards,
Jim in KS
Jim,
Ditto for me!
I make mistakes all the time, and I admit them when I discover them. But when I’m sure of something, I check first to remember why I’m so sure, then I become a mule.
You can argue with me any time!
B.B.
I have a very off-topic question.
I live in the suburbs but I have about 70 yds in my backyard to shoot in. I currently shoot at a large pellet trap. Because of the layout of the land, the trap is at a down angle. So even if I missed the above the trap by a few feet I would be hitting dirt.
I already checked with our local law enforcement and using an air rifle is OK in your own yard. I am also very cautious about shooting when there are other people in the area (we have neighbors bordering our back yard).
I still worry about neighbors being less than happy, so what are some things I can do that will improve safety and make the activity more private?
Nate,
perhaps the most important thing is to find out how your neighbors feel about firearms. Even though we’re talking about air rifles, the average, uneducated person won’t make a distinction. Notice I said “won’t” and not “can’t”. If they happen to be avid hunters/shooters/collectors – they’ll be very interested and might even have suggestions for you. In fact, you might even be able to convert them to air guns. On the other hand, if they have a fear of anything that shoots, the best thing to do is don’t let them see you.
Obviously, don’t shoot in the direction of any yard where people are out, even if you are shooting in a downward direction or against a nice, large backstop. Accidents can happen and that’s the last thing anyone would want. Conduct your shooting just as if you were on a public range.
Next, how loud is the gun you’re using? The high powered rifles, like the Discovery, have a report on par with a .22 while the Crosman Marauder has a report like someone striking a triangle in a band. It’s that quiet. Loud noises don’t save lives (sorry Harley riders). They just annoy the heck out of everyone, leading to complaints so make sure you’re using a quiet gun.
Let’s see what the others on the Blog suggest.
Fred PRoNJ
Fred,
I have Benjamin 397, but I generally shoot it with 4-5 pumps so it’s not *really* that loud. However, there is some discussion of getting a quieter rifle.
I have started shooting from a room with a sliding door out into the back yard. So a lot of the report is kept within the house, but this is also not always appreciated.
The thought of discussing it with neighbors has crossed my mind, and I think most would be OK but all it takes is one to not be happy and I can think of one.
One question that has come up is building a small fence. I wouldn’t be shooting at the fence but what would the stopping power of a wood/plastic fence be? Let’s say for an 8 grain pellet going 600ft/s (my guesstimate on the 397). Or a medium weight 0.22 pellet going at roughly the same speed?
Nate
Nate,
I started my air gun career with a Benj 392. My indoors pellet trap consisted of two foam pillows stuffed in a cardboard box with a piece of 1/4″ plywood behind as a safety. The .22 pellet never penetrated the box and on the odd occassion I missed the box, the pellet never passed through the plywood. I would guess that a wooden or plastic fence might be sufficient to stop a .177 from 10 yards but you best test it first!
You had said that some folks complained about the noise from your 397 but was it the neighbors or your family?
As you said yourself, all it takes is one person to put an end to your outdoor shooting. I didn’t expect you would go up to a neighbor and ask them if they minded you shooting in the back yard but to try and engage them in a conversation on firearms and find out how they feel about them. Don’t tell them you’re already using the backyard as a shooting range right up front!
Robert from Arcade’s idea sounds pretty feasible and for a quieter air rifle and inexpensive plinker, consider that Air Venturi Bronco.
Fred PRoNJ
Nate, this has worked for me, perhaps it would for you.
Years ago I too had a large back yard that I could shoot in, and as with you I was concerned about my neighbours.
I took a different route. I went to each of my neighbours on both side of my home and invited them for a barbecue and ‘fun shoot’.
I explained pellet rifles…showed them how, though they could be dangerous if handled improperly, with proper use they were extremely safe compared to firearms.
They had a ball shooting at the water filled balloons and such that I had set up.
We had a chat afterwords and they had no problem with my hobby. One of them made the request (reasonable in my opinion) that if I could here there children outside that I would let them know that I was shooting and to keep clear of the far end of the property (not really an issue, but doing so meant I never had problems with either set of neighbours).
In fact one of the neighbours asked my advice a couple of weeks later about what was a good air rifle for him to purchase.
Nate:
You could also shoot from inside a structure ,like a garden shed or maybe one of those screened tent like patio enclosures. I like to shoot from inside our gazebo and it helps with the noise, and provides some privacy.I feel that I don’t draw as much attention to my shooting, than I would if I was out in the open. Plus I can shoot in the rain and keep out of the sun. Robert
BB,
darnedest thing, I had the same problem and you and Ed with the targetpro and skenco poly match pellets.
I found that they DO fit, if you use the single shot adapter. You need to put the pellet in at a very slight angle, push it BACK toward the little space there that the bolt goes into, and it fits. Works okay too, for plinking, as far as I can tell.
Malcolm,
I did actually try that and couldn’t get it to work. I will try again.
B.B.
B.B.
I used tweezers the first few times until I got the hang of it…I guess i’ve got fingers like bananas.
Malcolm,
I’ll have to make a judgement call on this, because we can’t have a difficult-to-load pellet being used in competition.
But for interest’s sake, maybe I should document the accuracy nonetheless?
B.B.
Anybody have any opinions about all this “WikiLeaks” hitting the news? I know the weekend just ended, but do we have to wait for the weekend to have opinions.
WikiLeaks
“… could become as important a journalistic tool
as the Freedom of Information Act.”
— Time Magazine
rikib 😉
rikib,
Yes. I have an opinion.
I think it is an example of irresponsible journalism that needlessly endangers lives. If these leaks are really of secret documents, it is a security breach and a serious crime.
Les
Les,
I agree with you wholeheartedly! I was just wondering if everyone was hearing about this b/s! My father, my brother and I all retired from different branches of service. We all worked in the intelligence field and have never discussed any between us, it was just understood that was off topic. I don’t know who these “journalist” are but I hate to think that some of our military may have given them this information. I’m sorry if you thought I felt otherwise.
rikib
rikib,
No, I didn’t think you approved either. I am an officer in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and earlier this year completed a course in how to handle this stuff.
It is serious business, and mishandling or leaking carries very serious penalties.
I was appalled to see this happen. I hope the leaker is identified and prosecuted.
Les
I believe this to be an act of treason during a time of war. And presently we are at war against terrorism. We can only hope this individual is found and prosecuted accordingly.
My 2 cents.
KA