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Ammo Beeman R8: A classic from the past – Part 3

Beeman R8: A classic from the past – Part 3

by B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

My new R8 made me sit up and take notice!

Today, I’ll look at the accuracy of my new Beeman R8. I waited until now to do this test because I wanted to be off the IV and be capable of doing my best with this rifle. Along that line, I have some good news to share about my condition.

Last Thursday, I went for a walk outdoors. It was about a half mile or less around my housing subdivision, but it was all I could do at the time. When I finished, I was tired for about an hour, but then something wonderful happened. I awoke out of the fog I’ve been in since this thing began in March. My head cleared and I was able to think clearly for the first time.

The next day I stretched the walk and the day after that I went about one mile. I’m doing that every morning now and it gets my blood flowing for the day. I have jump-started my metabolism with the result that I’m able to eat all I want (though not to excess) and I’m losing weight, because I’m building muscle to metabolize the fat. I feel wonderful, which is why I felt I was ready to give this rifle a fair test.

This R8 was represented to me as a very accurate air rifle. Well, I hear that a lot in my job, and it doesn’t always work out. Often, what someone else thinks is accurate is different from what I expect. Then, there are other times when my technique can drag out a decent amount of accuracy from just about anything (except for the B3-1). But it’s a real strain.

Then there are those very rare occasions when I get a rifle in my hands that does everything the owner has told me it could do. Those rifles are the natural shooters of this world, and they’re as scarce as hen’s teeth. I think this R8 is one of them.

I shot this rifle at 25 yards, which is the longest range I can get at my house. I’m not yet able to drive to other ranges, so I have to work with what I have at home, but 25 yards is a good test for a spring rifle.

It always takes me some time to get familiar with every new rifle, so the first 20 shots or so are not for record. Fortunately, last weekend, we were all advising reader rikib of the need for repeatable head placement to cancel parallax, so the lesson was still fresh in my mind. The Tyrolean stock on the R8 seems perfect for benchrest, because I can feel the spot weld precisely. It took a while to get into the groove. Once I did, I simply could do no wrong with this rifle. I actually had to adjust the scope off the aim point to leave a spot to put the crosshairs, because this gun wants to throw every pellet into the same hole! I knew where every pellet was going, and they all went where I expected them to go.

The first pellet
I had been told that this rifle really likes JSB Exact RS domes, and they should be seated deep in the breech. That’s what I started with. The scope needed some adjustment to shoot where I wanted, and that allowed me to get comfortable with the rifle. I found my lips kissing the front edge carving of the high cheekpiece, which gave me the perfect repeatable feel shot after shot.

The first group I fired for the record was unnerving! I stopped at just five shots, because I just didn’t want to screw up that group. I wanted to have something good to show you even if I couldn’t hold 10 shots for a group.

Five JSB Exact RS pellets shot into this group at 25 yards.

But I needn’t have bothered, because it was easy to group 10 shots. This R8 groups like a fine PCP, and that’s no exaggeration. If you do your part, you’ll get a screaming group at 25 yards.

Ten more JSB Exact RS pellets went into this group at 25 yards. This rifle just puts them in there!

Crosman Premier lites
The next pellet to be tried was the Crosman Premier 7.9-grain dome.

Ten Premier lites were just as tight as the JSB RS pellets at 25 yards.

H&N Field Target
The final pellet I tried was the H&N Field Target pellet. At 8.5 grains, these are from half to a full grain heavier than the other pellets I tried. They printed a slightly larger group at 25 yards, though it was all one hole, too.

H&N Field Target pellets went into a slightly larger group at 25 yards.

The scope
The Burris 4.5-14x32AO scope is quite a piece of glass. Because of a bad experience I had with a Burris compact scope years ago, I’ve been off this brand, but the Timberline scope on this R8 has turned me around. This glass has the timeless quality of the old Beeman SS2 scope that still commands a place in airgunners’ hearts and gun racks. It’s clear, sharp and focuses as close as 21 feet on high power.

Wow!
This Beeman R8 is a natural shooter. Hold it correctly, and you won’t miss your target. This particular rifle is beyond the norm because of the excellent Tyrolean stock. Normally, a Tyrolean stock restricts the rifle to just offhand use, but this stock allows for a good hold off the bench, too. That means it would probably work well in a number of hunting holds.

Besides being a knockout for looks, the stock complements the accuracy potential of the basic rifle. Lastly, kudos to whoever tuned it, because it shoots like a dream. A springer that’s as accurate as a PCP doesn’t happen every day.

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.

87 thoughts on “Beeman R8: A classic from the past – Part 3”

  1. This is really great to know that you’re doing better. I’m really happy for you and Edith.
    The way you tell it it reminds me of the lord of the rings when Gandalf lifts the spell on king Theoden.

  2. BB,

    REALLY glad to hear you are so much better! I have been praying for you and it is working! Thank God!

    That gun shoots better than most! Make a wonderful gun for squirrels but I for one would not want to carry it around in the woods and risk scratching that wonderful finish.

    You mentioned a SS2 Beeman scope? I read some where there is one which brings around $250 – $300 on the used market. I think I have one of those on my R9. How do I tell if it is the valuable scope?

    Thanks!

    • I wonder how much 3 coats of urethane would protect a stock from scratches. That is what Clint Fowler put on my M1 Garand and it seems very sturdy. I’ve bumped the stock with the metal sling attachments with no mark whatsoever, and Clint claims that you can sit the whole gun in water overnight without changing its zero. But the stock is so nice-looking that I’ve never tested its durability.

      Matt61

  3. I just took a second look at the blog with my computer (I was using my iPhone this morning) and the larger pics look GREAT! It’s a shame the rifle pics aren’t as nice and clear as the groups pics (I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a BIG dime lol).

    J-F

    • J-F,

      Edith downsized the rifle pic because yesterday people with Internet Explorer 8 were complaining that it pushed things off the page. Turned out to be a browser problem.

      We took a poll as to whether the pics in the blog were too small, just right or too large. The majority of readers like them just the way they are.

      B.B.

      • My page is still showing up the same way. Shows up ok for a second then image and text jump over and cover the menu on the right. I have deleted all cookies and temporary internet files, but it still is doing it.

        • Fused,

          We’ve gotten in touch with Rick Eutsler. He built the entire Airgun Academy sight. He’s going to see why IE8 has issues with our formatting. We found out from someone else that IE7 doesn’t share these same issues.

          Edith

          • Hi Tom and Edith i’m the guy tom thought was an AI programme b-ut I’m real and a scotsman living in stirlingshire luv the article on zimmerstutzen and I post on LD’s airgun club which is a cool site to be sure;still enlarging ther secret library of rufus garland here at the foundation!Regards CCserX

      • I knew that and I voted for the bigger ones while the poll was still up. Bigger pics were at 22%. The large groups pics are so nice and clear. I love big nice clear pics like these you’re a really good photographer (and shooter, and writer and probably other things that I don’t know about). It just would have been nice to see bigger pics of that rifle it seems so good looking. It’s always nice to see REALLY nice looking rifles like this one and the one duskwight showed us last week that can group this good.

        J-F

  4. BB,

    are we looking at a 10 mm (2cm) group – not c to c? Just wanted to confirm as the dime I have is not quite 1″ in diameter. You don’t have any inordinately large dimes hanging around, do you? 🙂

    Fred PRoNJ

    • Fred

      10mm = 1cm not 2cm.

      Metric works like this -> 10mm = 1cm / 10cm = 1dm / 10dm = 1m etc. always X 10 that’s what makes it so easy (to me).

      I think inordinately large dimes is a GREAT idea think of all the bragging we could do ! Maybe by playing with perspective it could also be done ?

      J-F

      • Mea Culpa, JF. You found my typographical error. AlanL, thanks for coming to the rescue with the precise measuring tools (assume you used a micrometer that you had lying around – digital of course). AJ, I now know far more than I can reasonably remember what with social security numbers, license numbers, license plate numbers for 4 cars and 3 motorcycles and let’s not get started with phone numbers. Thank goodness for automatic dialing but I still remember the darn phone number we had when I was growing up – actually several of them! I have reached that point in my life that in order to remember something, I have to forget something else.

        Fred PRoNJ

      • Personally, I’ve never understood the fascination with “dime sized groups” – when I’m done shooting, I hold up that dime at arms length and it never fails to cover all the holes :-). Heck, it even covers the whole target!

        Alan in MI

    • Fred,

      Ha-ha!

      Yes, and I had the metric ruler made up especially for this article. And National Target agreed to scale up their 50-foot rimfire target, so everything would look giant. In fact, things were so big I found I couldn’t actually use the .177 R8, so I shot the groups with a .25 caliber Patriot.

      Other than that, though, everything is exactly what it appears to be.

      B.B.

      • B.B.

        You should consider using round pencil for making holes and inch-scaled ruler to pose as a cm/mm one 🙂 It is the way I always do to show off, comrade Gaylord 😀

        Truly impressive groups.

        duskwight

          • B.B.

            I was just lucky that day and circumstances played on my side, that’s all. I don’t see why your results are any worse than mine.
            You shot it with different pellets – and I shot with a long-tried brand pellets, carefully chosen for my barrel (BTW – what did you use to clean barrel between brands and how much it was “leaded” before shooting the control group with a new brand?).
            You shot 10s and I shot 5s, so it was easier for me to keep tight groups.
            You shot them from a factory rifle – and I was using customized hand-built rifle with years to get used to it, as it was THE only rifle I trained with.
            You are recovering – and I was as sound as a roach and well-rested.
            So I had an unfair advantage, and after all – your 5 shot is not a hair worse than mine.

            duskwight

              • Matt,

                You are wrong. It could be my lucky day that day, not Olympics 🙂 My usual groups are much larger, about 12 mm, and results like that on a photo come once in a month or two. Olympic-class shooter would make such groups every session and I am way too unstable for that. Maybe my new project will give me a new edge in accuracy, eliminating recoil and I’ll be able to shrink average groups to 9 or even 8 mm – who knows?

                duskwight

  5. BB said…

    “I stopped at just five shots, because I just didn’t want to screw up that group.”

    I have thought about this too. Earlier our blog said that a group will open up from a 5 shot group to a 10 shot group. My question to that is, is it the rifle or the shooter? I think BB answered it with his statement above. I have noticed some of my best shots are the first ones.

    • Gene,

      Statistics and the laws of probability are what open shot groups from five shots to ten. A great ten-shot group will be about 1.4 times the size of an equally great five-shot group if all the variables are the same.

      That is why I usually shoot ten-shot groups for the record.

      A 30-shot group will be as large as the gun will shoot, 997 times out of a thousand. But nobody has the time to shoot that many shots. So ten shots is close enough for most work.

      B.B.

    • Gene:

      RE: Earlier our blog said that a group will open up from a 5 shot group to a 10 shot group. My question to that is, is it the rifle or the shooter?

      It isn’t either the rifle or the shooter but both! The overall group size includes all the factors that influence group size including the rifle, the pellet, variations in the range conditions (eg wind) and the shooter.

      When you shoot a particular 5 shot group, it is but one sample of an infinitely large “population” of 5 shots groups. You don’t really know if one 5 shot group is a really good one or a really bad one. If you want to get a “good” 5 shot group then just shoot a lot of them. Just by chance some will be much better than average.

      The more shots in the group, then the less relative (percentage) variation in group size. In other words, it is harder to shoot a lucky 10 shot group than a lucky 3 shot group. It isn’t hard to imagine all of this. Think about a 30 shot group at a far enough distance so that all the individual shots can be seen. There will be a lot of 3 shot groups which are much smaller than the single 30 shot group. Same thing for 5 shot groups.

      All in all there is a wide variation in group size due to statistics alone. If you’re just comparing one 5 shot group with one other 5 shot group, then the difference between groups needs to be very large (maybe a factor of 3?) to be statistically significantly different.

      The statistics have been worked out assuming that the vertical and horizontal errors are equal and independent.

      Regards,
      Herb

  6. Hey BB – Keep on a walkin’……it’s good for you …..and glad to hear you are doing better!!!!!

    I thought I was the only one who measured in mm?

    I would guess 10mm or 1CM group or for comparison to other calibers probably 5.5mm (.217″) center to center.

    Pretty sweet. I’m lucky to do that at half that distance with my springer.

    My Daisy target rifles may come close, but probably nowhere neer the velocity.

    BB – where does your R-8 sit for ftlbs or velocity with the JSB used in the first pic?

  7. approx. Dia. measurements:

    Roosevelt’s head on a dime 10mm
    Dime 18mm
    Penny 19mm
    Nickel 21mm
    Quarter 24mm
    Silver Dollar 27mm
    Half Dollar 31mm

    divide mm by 25.4 to convert to inches.

    Not what’s always used, but close for comparison:

    Caliber MM MM Caliber
    0.17 4.32 3 0.118
    0.2 5.08 3.5 0.138
    0.204 5.18 4 0.157
    0.22 5.59 4.5 0.177
    0.221 5.61 5 0.197
    0.222 5.64 5.5 0.217
    0.223 5.66 6 0.236
    0.25 6.35 6.55 0.258
    0.257 6.53 7 0.276
    0.27 6.86 7.5 0.295
    0.28 7.11 8 0.315
    0.3 7.62 8.5 0.335
    0.1 2.54 9 0.354
    0.2 5.08 9.5 0.374
    0.3 7.62 10 0.394
    0.4 10.16 10.5 0.413
    0.5 12.70 11 0.433
    0.6 15.24 11.5 0.453
    0.7 17.78 12 0.472
    0.8 20.32 12.5 0.492
    0.9 22.86 1 0.039
    1 25.40 1.5 0.059
    0.00 2 0.079
    0.00 2.5 0.098
    0.00 0.000

    • AJ,

      A dime is 17.9 mm.
      A nickel is 21.2 mm.
      A quarter is 24.3 mm.
      A half dollar is 30.6 mm.
      Modern silver and clad dollars (1840-1921, 1971-1977) are 38.1 mm in diameter.
      The Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea dollars are 26.5 and 26.4 mm in diameter, respectively.

      -AlanL

      • I rounded them for simple use and convenience.

        I don’t carry my caliper out in the field.

        I’m skipping the dollar and half dollar coins, I don’t like them any ways.

        I guess I shouldn’t say silver dollar. I forgot they were bigger.

        half dollar = 30.61mm lol!!! don’t forget the .01.

  8. B.B.

    Great news! I know the feeling of this moment in recovery, when your body and senses just kickstart from a long sleep. It is really wonderful – the mist in front of your eyes goes away, every cell and every movement feels great and new, and you want to move, and breathe and eat, and feel again. This is just great!

    A question is – I’ve never shot from a rifle with tyrolean stock. What are its advantages?

    duskwight

    • duskwight,

      The Tyrolean stock is characterized by a high cheekpiece that is often deeply cupped, though not always. The stock drops off toward the butt, which usually ends in a deeply scalloped buttplate.

      The style was created for offhand shooting in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, around the 1850s and later. Outdoors, they shot Schuetzen rifles and indoors they shot Zimmerstutzen rifles. I have a soft spot for Zimmerstutzens because to me they are very much like target air rifles.

      I did a couple short blogs on the Zimmerstutzen a few years ago:

      /blog/2006/11/nothing-new-under-the-sunthe-zimmerstutzen/

      /blog/2008/01/what-came-before-the-10-meter-rifle-part-1zimmerstutzen/

      /blog/2008/02/what-came-before-the-10-meter-rifle-part-2-zimmerstutzen/

      /blog/2008/9/hw-55-tyrolean-part-1/

      The Tyrolean stock was ideal for offhand shooting. Normally it isn’t so good for benchrest shooting, but the one on my R8 happens to be great for that.

      B.B.

      • Thanks, B.B.

        You just gave me an idea I’d like to think about a bit…
        A symmetric cheekpiece, with one side straight (for FT) and other cupped (for offhand). All I need to do is to flip sides depending on shooting conditions. I wonder if it works and how it works, so maybe I’ll make an experiment.

        duskwight

          • B.B.

            I hope I’ll be able to.
            Right now my top priority project is going very slow – too much work to do on my job and it just sucks out my brain, so I prefer soft pillow to Solidworks at home 🙂 I think I’ll integrate this solution into my project and test its worthiness.
            I noticed lately – the worst part is adapting your ideas to the real world. Limitations by machines, tools, money, technologies and other people’s skills and so on.

            Well, troubles are made to prevail over them, aren’t they?

            duskwight

    • duskwight,

      Do everything in your power to get the opportunity to shoot a gun with a Tyrolean stock. Although some are not shaped as well as others a Tyrolean stock that has been fitted for a shooter is a dream.

      B.B. said it best in today’s article: “he Tyrolean stock on the R8 seems perfect for benchrest, because I can feel the spot weld precisely.” and “I found my lips kissing the front edge carving of the high cheekpiece, which gave me the perfect repeatable feel shot after shot.”

      The ease of cheek placement on these stocks with so many different points of contact make it feel like cheating. Once upon a time many 10 meter guns had Tyrolean stocks. Rules were changed for 10 meter shooting and Tyrolean stocks were no longer allowed.

      kevin

  9. Caliber MM
    0.17 4.32
    0.2 5.08
    0.204 5.18
    0.22 5.59
    0.221 5.61
    0.222 5.64
    0.223 5.66
    0.25 6.35
    0.257 6.53
    0.27 6.86
    0.28 7.11
    0.3 7.62
    0.1 2.54
    0.2 5.08
    0.3 7.62
    0.4 10.16
    0.5 12.70
    0.6 15.24
    0.7 17.78
    0.8 20.32
    0.9 22.86
    1 25.40

    MM Caliber
    3 0.118
    3.5 0.138
    4 0.157
    4.5 0.177
    5 0.197
    5.5 0.217
    6 0.236
    6.55 0.258
    7 0.276
    7.5 0.295
    8 0.315
    8.5 0.335
    9 0.354
    9.5 0.374
    10 0.394
    10.5 0.413
    11 0.433
    11.5 0.453
    12 0.472
    12.5 0.492
    1 0.039
    1.5 0.059
    2 0.079
    2.5 0.098

    • For those who are not any better than I am at holding numbers in their head, a dime is about .7 inches in diameter. So, a group size corresponding to the width of a dime equals a CTC measurement of about .5 inches.

      Matt61

  10. BB,

    Ok, That’s some pretty good shootin’ there partner! And regarding your recent health status this is great news, though I must say you are reminding me of the movie with John Travolta and Forrest Whittaker where John’s character suddenly becomes “clear headed” and begins to do some amazing things. I’m sure he would’ve shot like that too!

    Edith,

    Promise us you will take Tom back to the Doc when he learns to speak 3 more languages, and your garden begins to over produce!!

    KA

    ps I’ve not had a chance to catch up on the blog for over a week now, just quick hit and skip. Just in case someone thought I ‘blew them off’.

    • BB,

      I know that movie didn’t end well and I surely didn’t mean bad by my comment. I am sure and do pray that your on a much different path. I believe the term “Bad Form” applies

      All,

      I caught up on what was more than couple weeks of comments and WOW, I missed the whole “off topic”, “got my pants in a knot” stuff! Hoping it all works out.

      KA

  11. B.B.,

    This article absolutely thrills me.

    Just knowing that you’re able to shoot a springer now would be enough to make me happy. The fact that you can shoot that well after six months of not being able to shoot is very impressive.

    You recently said that Mac was a better shot than you with a rifle and you were a better shot than him with a pistol. I think that Mac would have a tough time beating those groups.

    An easy cocking, smooth shooting, mid-powered, accurate springer is the pinnacle of this hobby to me. When I have one of these rare guns in my hands and start shooting I lose track of time.

    So happy you’re getting some strength back.

    kevin

    • kevin,

      Shooting this R8 is like eating peanuts. I couldn’t stop! What a joy this rifle is. I can tell from what you say that you understand what I’m saying.

      I test so many different airguns all the time that I lose track of the finer things like this R8. In fact, I don’t think I have owned an air rifle that shot as naturally as this one does–ever! I would need to reflect on that a while because I’ve had a few great shooters, but this one ranks at the top of a very small group.

      And, yes, Mac can usually out-shoot me with a rifle. We’ve done it too many times for me to deny it. But when we get on a 10-meter pistol range, I get it all back.

      B.B.

  12. Morning B.B.,

    Let me second duskwight comments about you sir. Welcome back!

    Your R8 is a real jewel! She is an interesting beautiful lady. Congratulations you lucky man.

    Bruce

    • Mr. B.,

      I’ve sent your comment to Rick the programmer. However, I’m not sure we know what AOL allows/doesn’t allow in its custom browser. They used to use IE, but I thought they dropped that browser for a proprietary one unrelated to Microsoft. Hopefully, Rick will be able to figure it out. At least you have Chrome to properly see the blog.

      Edith

  13. B.B.,

    Here’s a question that Matt61 asked in part 1 of this report on your R8. You already answered his question about how many beeman R guns exist but wanted him to wait for your testing to answer his question about the burris timberline scope.

    Matt61 Says:
    June 25, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    How many R’s are there? I’ve never heard of the R8. That’s a nice-looking scope but 14X magnification with a 32mm objective seems a little mismatched.

    • Kevin and Matt,

      I guess I should have addressed the small objective lens and high magnification of the scope, because I certainly thought about it as I shot. The day was bright, so I haven’t tested this scope under low-light situations, but it was very bright for me. I shot on 14 power to see the aim point as precisely as possible and there was no dimming or edge failure with this scope.

      Like I said in the report, I think this Timberline is a classic, in the same sense that the Beeman SS2 is a classic. The only difference between the two is that Burris still makes the Timberline and you can buy it new.

      To me a scope is good if you forget that it’s there. I was able to do that with the Timberline. All I concentrated on was the reticle and the target.

      B.B.

  14. Absolutely wonderful news about your health progress.
    But this proves it…I need to scope my Slavia!!!
    And I thought I was through spending money on airguns 😉

    • BB

      Just read email from PA re the Beeman version of the HW100SFSB. Stock and overall appearance looks nicer than the HW 100’s I have seen in the UK magazines. Is it different than the Weihrauch direct sale version? (the 100 is way more $$)

      Also, how would you compare the 100 to the AA S410? Both appear to be side-levers versus the bolt action style?

      Geez these Euro guns are getting spendy!

      • Brian,

        The new HW100 FSB rifles in yesterday’s email campaigns from Pyramyd AIR are different than the other HW100 rifles they carried. The new ones are shrouded. For anyone who doesn’t care about the noise, you can buy the unshrouded ones & save $200:

        Unshrouded ($1199.99):
        /product/beeman-hw-100s-precharged-pneumatic-rifle?m=2085
        /product/beeman-hw-100t-pcp-air-rifle?m=740

        Shrouded ($1399.99):
        /product/beeman-hw-100-sk-pcp-air-rifle?m=2262
        /product/hw-100-tk-pcp-air-rifle-walnut-thumbhole?m=2263

        The shrouded thumbhole rifle won’t be in stock til December.

        Edith

      • Brian in Idaho,

        HW 100T vs. AA S410

        Here’s my take. The HW 100T (Thumbhole stock) doesn’t fit as well as a AA S410 with the factory walnut thumbhole stock. The S410 stock in trimmer and the grip/thumbhole has a better design. The adjustable butt pad on the factory walnut stock is a big plus to me over the fixed buttpad on the HW 100. The weight difference between these two guns is significant. The HW 100T is 8.6 lbs. (Pounds) and the AA S410 in walnut thumbhole stock is 6 lbs. The AA S410 is a bit longer. Biggest difference for me is the AA S410 has an external power adjuster the HW 100 does not. When adjusted the triggers are comparable but the nod goes to Air Arms. Accuracy, power and shot count (with the AA S410 on highest power) are similar. Sidelever and magazines on the AA S410 are superior to the HW 100 BUT you should plan on buying the RC magazines for the AA S410, if you go that route, since they work flawlessly.

        kevin

        • Thanks Kevin,

          I see that there are guys already making aftermarket air reservoirs for the HW100 due to the weight of the stainless steel, stock item. Stainless is great but… heavy heavy.

          My only AA rifle was a Shamal some 15 years ago (I think) I loved it and the AA quality. I’m an HW fan too what with my R1’s and 97K et al but, I dont think the HW bank-vault style of spring gun making translates over (or needs to) in PCP guns?

          I do the like the lowered mutli shot receiver of the HW though, it tends to lower the height or profile of the gun nicely as compared to AAs and the M Rod.

          • Brian in Idaho,

            You have very good taste in airguns. Never seen a shamal in person let alone shoot one. People sing very high praises of them though.

            The recessed magazine is a non issue for me since I always put adjustable mounts on my pcp’s to allow for long range shooting and adjustable mounts are medium-high. Low mounts on the HW 100 may be an option, might look better but you’ll probably run out of scope adjustment if you want to shoot at the longer ranges these guns are capable of. The cheek rest on the AA S410 (especially on the thumbhole stock) is a perfect height for adjustable mounts.

            Good luck with your search.

            kevin

  15. Pcp4me,

    I know not too long ago I replied a little harshly to a comment you posted and as hind sight has it I would word things a little different. Thanks for not getting all wiped out over it. You’re probably skipping over my comments by now, but there it is.

    KA

  16. B.B.,

    What great news about getting your mojo back! OH WHAT A FEELING!!

    Like Kevin, this is the kind of springer that would make me happy to shoot a piston gun again. It’s at the upper limit of power for a piston powered air gun, for my taste. It’s on my “watch for list” now.

    May this be the start of your real second childhood!

    And those groups with what I suspect was with un-weighed pellets, is amazing.

    Again, if you like the JSB express, then you’ll really like the Air Arms “Falcon” 7.33gr. they vary in weight much less than the JSB version. And the BC is higher with them than any other pellet I’ve ever tested. I’m using them in my 12fpe USFT with great results.

    If you’re going to test with un-weighed pellets, use the Air Arms brand, since they seem to vary less in all sizes, including .22 cal. The shape of the skirt and skirt bottom is a better design as well.

    Wacky Wayne,
    Match Director,
    Ashland Air Rifle Range

    • Wayne,

      I received the air arms falcon pellets and have had a chance to shoot them in several guns. They do work very well. Thanks for the heads up.

      If you find an R8 and If you send it to Paul Watts for an advanced tune it will become your favorite springer. In addition to the R8 tuned by Paul I have a HW55 wearing a Tyrolean stock that was also tuned by Paul. The HW55 is a wonderful gun that I will probably never sell. I enjoy shooting the R8 more and will never sell it.

      kevin

  17. B.B., I would kiss that rifle too for the way it shoots. Those are fine groups. It’s excellent to see a springer keeping up with the pcps. That is something, too, for a stock design to be usable for both benchresting and offhand. I’m finding with my Anschutz that I can use quite a bit of different adjustment to the stock for the different positions, mostly by adjusting the buttplate height between prone and offhand.

    Great news about your improved health with the walk. You didn’t sound like you were in a fog when I spoke to you, but I know this condition can be a matter of great concern. I was on a medication for a week that clouded my thinking, and I just stopped it. Highly disturbing. I’m also grappling with the fact that my condition as diagnosed may prevent me from serious running in the future. However, there’s much that can be done with walking. If it was enough to keep the Roman legionaries in shape, I guess it is good enough for me. Keep it up and don’t forget the biking either once you’re up for it.

    B.B. and Alan in Mich, if you guys have soloed, you’re pilots as far as I’m concerned. I don’t see how anyone could afford the full certification anyway unless they’re in the financial stratosphere. I calculate that I could buy just about a warehouse full of Anschutzs for the price of private flying.

    Matt61

  18. A post on the yellow with a link sent me to Youtube to watch a cool video.Someone with a truly enviable back yard shooting range plinking with a FWB 300 and shooting 50 yard groups.Anyway,afterwards I clicked on a couple videos involving airguns….then a video came up titled “High powered airguns-break speed of sound”.Don’t watch it if you are squeamish about springer abuse!! A father stands next to a bed with 10 or more airguns.He proceeds to demonstrate at least 5 springers,”Don’t worry,they’re not loaded…I checked!” and then he dry-fires each one for the camera!
    Thank you BB,for educating folks so every springer isn’t treated like this!!! Glad,so glad you are feeling good again!

    • Good point. I bet a lot of people from a firearms background have no idea how much damage this done to springers.

      I’ll also report cautiously that my new regimen of dry-firing my rimfires for half of my shooting time appears to be having a good effect on my scores although the difference is not yet obvious (at least from the distance I’m shooting at) or scientifically based.

      Matt61

      • Matt61,I’m willing to bet that a good feeling in your mind will inevitably translate to an improved result on paper.
        Now keep in mind this is coming from a guy that shoots EXCELLENT one shot groups. :]

    • Our local Cabelas has signs on the airgun racks…”Do Not Cock or Fire These Airguns, It will Damage Them”. I thought that this was pretty enlightened for a lead & powder type store until… I overheard a lady customer telling her husband “so what good are these things if they can’t be cocked or fired?”

      I suggested to the gun dept. manager that they might want to re-word the sign adding “without pellets in the chamber”. I later thought to myself, surely, some Darwin award person will now put a pellet in the chamber and then proceed to fire the gun in the store!

      E for effort at Cabelas, F- for the lady and her husband.

      • There are also idiots who will pick up and dry fire a compound bow. I sure would not want one that was dry fired, even if there was no visible damage.
        Some stores put a zip tie around the string and cables to prevent this.

        twotalon

        • Pizza and beer has to have some impossible to duplicate medicinal value….at least for one’s spirit.I send you nothing but good thoughts….maybe soon you will become threetalons! I would hate to be the poor fool’s forearm,dryfiring a compound bow.I hope it wasn’t a Matthews or Hoyt.

          • Nothing like splitting the limbs and busting the cables and string on an $800 bow. Ouch.
            They want to do that, they should buy it first..with the understanding that the warranty is GONE and the medical expenses are their own problem.

            twotalon

  19. BB,
    Would just like to welcome you back to full duties, again. Have been keeping up with your blog. It seems like, having been tied down out of keyboard range; you’d have just grown longer fingers. And, many thanks to the good folks who helped keep that from having to happen.
    Best regards,
    Perk

  20. B.B.
    Glad things are getting better for you.
    Your description of how you came out of the fog sounds just like it was for me.
    One day all of a sudden the chemo fog lifted. Some things come back quickly but some do not.
    Does food still taste as good as you had remembered?
    I’m eating pizza and drinking beer right now.

    twotalon

    • twotalon,

      Food doesn’t taste right yet. I can taste salty and sour and sweet, but the real flavors aren’t there yet. However I’m having a ball eating solid food again.

      I can’t have pizza or beer but I love a Subway sandwich.

      B.B.

  21. RE: IE 8 problem

    I can confirm that IE8 has the problem. Going back to view past blogs doesn’t fix the issue with the right column disappearing. So the problem wouldn’t seem to be in the markup for the blog articles but in the CSS file.

    Firefox (ver 3.6.8) , Opera (10.61, Safari (5.0.1), and Google Chrome (version 5.0.375.127) all work OK.

  22. Hi,

    i do not know how to write directly to you so I ask here. I found out dad DID NOT toss out my old Daisy Fieldmaster and it is now in my kitchen, in the box. The slide moves forward but the guts do not engage. Is there any hope? can I self repair it? My mom commentd that as she recalled I didn’t even use it much and it had no external marks that they could see.

    I did do a Jean Sheapard and almost shot out my right eye with it, and would like to fix it myself.

    any hope

    any ideas

    should it be recycled?

    Oh a few years ago, my dad called them and asked about repair and the gent from Daisy assured him , “no no we don’t do that anymore”.

    sparkie

    • Sparkie,

      The Daisy model 26 or 572 Fieldmaster is a very complex BB gun, but let’s not give up all hope. There are guys out there repairing things that shouldn’t ever be fixable, so let’s look around before we sell it for parts.

      The first place I want you to check with is this guy:

      Larry Behling
315-695-7133 or  co2bbjlts@juno.com

      If he can’t fix your gun, please get back to me.

      B.B.

  23. Hi tom and edith gaylord I’m the guy tom thought was an AI programme but I;m real and a scotsman.luv the article on zimmerstutzen and Itried to get into “the windbusche of prost” also.I post on LD’s airgun club which is a great site and am building up the air arsenal and pell collection as well as the secret library of rufus garland here at the foundation!Regards,CCserX

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