by B.B. Pelletier
BSA’s Polaris underlever air rifle is an attractive new design. Featuring BSA’s rotary breech, this rifle comes in a hardwood stock.
For starters, let me set the record straight. Gamo owns BSA, so yes, the BSA Polaris underlever air rifle is going to resemble the Gamo CF-X more than a little.
I believe that, in this case, Gamo makes both rifles, because on the side of the Polaris it says, “Made for BSA Guns (UK) Ltd.”. That seems like a roundabout way of saying someone other than BSA made the rifle, and who but Gamo would do that? In my opinion, the Polaris is a close cousin of both the CF-X and the new Gamo Whisper CFR.
But I don’t like to compare airguns, so that’s all I’m going to do with this one. This test is about the BSA Polaris, alone. The Polaris is an underlever spring-piston air rifle that loads via a rotary breech that BSA invented and Gamo acquired when they bought the company. The now-discontinued BSA Stutzen was the first to use it, and it’s a wonderful way to load an air rifle while keeping your fingers safe at all times.
The rotary breech is closed.
The rotary breech is open, exposing the true breech in the barrel for loading.
The rotary breech won’t open until the piston is retracted a little, giving me reason to believe that the rear of the rotary breech is also the front of the compression chamber.
The rifle I’m testing is serial number P1-562919-09. Blog reader Tunnel Engineer has suggested that I tell you the serial number of the guns I test so you can later identify them if you happen to buy one of these guns.
The stock
The Polaris sits in a beechwood stock that has many panels of fine pressed checkering on the grip and forearm. The pattern is too small to give purchase to your hands and feels slippery, but it looks attractive.
Both the pistol grip and forearm have multiple panels of fine pressed checkering.
The black rubber buttpad is vented like a recoil pad, and there’s a black ribber spacer between it and the stock. The whole affair stands proud of the wooden stock, but it doesn’t look sloppy. It looks intentional.
Sights
In this day and age, it seems that you cannot sell a sporting rifle that doesn’t have fiberoptic sights, so the Polaris has them front and rear. While they’re great minute-of-pop-can sights and will work on game at ranges under 25 yards, they’re not as precise as plain, open post-and-notch sights. If you’re serious about accuracy, you’ll want to mount a scope.
This BSA, along with both its Gamo cousins, has a raised scope mounting base with an 11mm dovetail for conventional airgun scope mounts. Here’s where the BSA heritage shows through, though, because the dovetail really measures more than 13mm, so not all conventional airgun scope mounts will fit. They really have to be made for BSA rifles to accommodate the wider-than-normal dovetail spread. The base also has two vertical scope stop holes, plus the base is anchored to the spring tube with a screw.
The base is clamped to another 11mm (really MUCH larger) dovetail cut directly into the spring tube, so we have to ask what is BSA/Gamo thinking? Did they think we needed the extra quarter-inch elevation the base gives us? It does allow the mounting of larger scopes with medium-height rings.
The BSA scope base is attached to a set of dovetails cut into the spring tube. The scope base looks rugged and has the scope stop holes that are needed.
Caliber
The rifle I’m testing for you is in .177 caliber. But a .22 caliber is also available. At the power that’s claimed, this rifle would be good in either caliber.
General specifications
This rifle is just over 45.5 inches, stem to stern. My test rifle weighs 7.5 lbs. on the nose, so it must have an extra-dense wood stock, because the specs say the weight is around 6.6 lbs. I knew it was heavier than that, so I weighed it on a balance beam scale.
The wood is finished beautifully, but the stock is shaped in a somewhat slabbed fashion. By that I mean that it feels blocky when I hold it. But it’s not too thick, a fault of many spring rifles.
The metal is finished matte and even. It obviously spent lots of time in the tumbler but no time at the buffing wheel. It’s very even and looks attractive. The end cap, a couple small sight parts and the cocking lever latch are the only plastic parts I found on the gun. Everything else is metal — a sign of BSA quality.
If you like underlever rifles, this will be one to watch.
Combining two points from yesterday’s comments got me wondering this…..is there any break-in on test springers before they are tested?? I started wondering about that after the discussion about
the test rifle’s journey,and when you were exploring barrel seasoning when testing different pellets.
We all know things (hopefully) get better with springers once the parts “get to know each other”.
This is just curiosity….I’m not suggesting further complicating anything!
On an unrelated note,I cleaned the barrel of an R7 yesterday on a whim.I was underwhelmed by the accuracy I was getting from Brad Troyer’s old gun.I was absolutely shocked to pass patch after patch
of filth out of such a low powered springer.I would expect this much leading from an R1! I guess I’ll be cleaning barrels all week.I can definitely relate to renaming rooms with 60+ airguns in the house.
As in “this is the dining room/ammo room,that is the dining room table/gun bench”….:)
Frank B,
There is no attempt at a break in on any of the new guns I test. There simply isn’t time, as I demonstrated in the R1 book that a thousand rounds are needed for a good break in. And with the older Gamos and Webleys, it was more like three thousand rounds.
B.B.
BB
On the predictable post front, I would like to volunteer to break in any rifles you might want a tin or two pellets shot through. Time is not a factor, as I have the speed and reflexes of a cat. Take some time and consider my offer.
It seems, form what I’ve read in the discussion on UK fora, that many of the Polaris parts are actually made in Birmingham but assembled by Gamo in Spain. The trigger and mechanism, the barrel and probably other bits are made by BSA. It seems very odd, and when this rifle was launched in the UK virtually everyone simply considered it a CFX. However, there are other differences, e.g. the muzzle brake/silencer on the Polaris is metal (I think). As a consequence one has barely heard about this rifle here in the UK and as BB notes while a cousin its certainly no the same.
B.B.
PA really should note that the rail is too wide for most mounts, and that BSA mounts are suggested. It would keep a lot of people from getting upset when they try to mount a scope.
twotalon
In the PA specs on this gun is states the rail is 11mm. Guess it needs to say 13mm?
kevin
Kevin,
The problem with that idea is mass confusion. Since scope mounts are sold only as 11mm and no airgun dovetails are exactly 11mm, putting the correct size out would only confuse.
Airgun dovetails, other than Weaver and Picatinney, range from 9.5 to 13.5mm. I did a year-long research project with Dan Bechtel of B-Square to establish this fact. The Slavia 630/631 has the widest rail of all, as I recall.
It’s similar to calling a .38 Special a .36 caliber. People would not understand. So that is why I mentioned it in my report. You readers are now forewarned. Pyramyd AIR salespeople have to make sure when they sell a rifle to marry it to the right sized mounts.
It’s been this way for the past 40 years and no signs of it letting up.
B.B.
B.B.,
Sorry. Had a brain fart. You’re right, of course.
I was thinking about the old BSA and old Weihrauch dovetails that are 14mm and do limit the scope mounts that can be used.
kevin
Kevin,
I’m a day late & a dollar short! I should have changed the Polaris’ specs last night when I worked on this blog, but it just didn’t register in my brain 🙂
I’ve changed the specs and written a note in the Polaris product description. I have an email out to Pyramyd Air’s tech team to examine the other BSA rifles to determine what size scope rail/dovetail they have.
Edith
On the CFX the rotary breech does form the front of the compression tube. I’m really curious if the guts of this thing are just repackaged CFX or if it’s really its own gun.
B.B.
Just an update on my TF87-22.I have now shot 1500+ pellets of various brands and list below the best 5 shot groups for each type.All were from a rested position @ 21yds using a Leapers Golden Image 4×32 scope:-
CP Magnum 14.3gr 0.37 ctc
H & N Hollow Points 12.65gr 0.43 ”
WH F&T 15.0gr 0.50 ”
JSB Exact RS 13.43gr 0.50 ”
Beeman FTS 14.66gr 0.62 ”
Gamo Hunter 15.3gr 0.62 ”
CPHP 14.3gr 0.72 ”
M/Klugeln 14.0gr 0.84 ”
Tech Force Pointed 15.51gr 0.84 ”
Gamo Match 13.88gr 0.87 ”
A.A. Diabolo 16.0gr 0.87 ”
Baracudas Match 21.1gr 1.25 ”
Perhaps you can do a report for us on a TF87 in .22 cal to see if it performs any better than the .177 cal that you tested.
The trigger has smoothed out somewhat but the pull weight (approx 4lb) is still a distraction so I have ordered some Moly and will work on the trigger to see if it will help improve the groups.
Pete
Pete,
That isn’t too encouraging, is it? But remembering that this is a Chinese gun and that Chinese barrels vary in quality, I’d say you were the unlucky recipient of a rifle with a mediocre barrel.
I don’t know if there is time to test a .22 or not. I’ll have to see.
B.B.
B.B.
I don’t think Pete’s groups look all that bad, if you’ll notice that’s 21 yards not 10 meters and he’s shooting a springer. My R1 couldn’t do better. Hope I didn’t put my foot in my mouth, like I did yesterday when I fired up Victor.
Loren
Loren,
Take a look at these groups:
/blog/2010/10/a-shrine-built-for-a-feinwerkbau-124-part-10/
And then know that an American dime is .58″ in diameter. These are 10-shot groups at 25 yards.
That’s why I was commiserating with Pete.
B.B.
Pete listed his results in descending order of accuracy, the Crosman Premier Magnums seem to show alot of promise. Stick to the pellet a rifle likes right? It seems to be a decent shooter when not using pellets in doesn’t like.
BB,
I can’t see the point of the reference to the FWB 124 article. The groups there seem pretty equivalent to Pete’s, but the power level is much lower and the scope much bigger. Are you saying the FWB124 barrel is mediocre?
BG_Farmer,
Most of those groups are around a quarter-inch. The largest are the size of Pete’s smallest groups. They are very clearly good groups.
That was what I was implying.
B.B.
Loren,
You should also read B.B.s report of Oct 13,2005 on the FWB124. In it he said that FWB makes the finest barrels so you would expect the 124 to produce good groups. He also said that the 124 in.177cal was a “WOW” and that in .22cal it was a relative “DOG” so perhaps we should be comparing his German dog with my Chinese dog.LOL!
Pete
Pete
I like that “the Chinese dog vs.the German dog”
Loren
Loren, I see your point. .37″ at 21 yards doesn’t seem too shabby at all. The TF79 in yesterday’s report did a best of .244 at about half that distance, and that seemed to be considered a very respectable performance. I’d think that .37 at 21 yards indicates better consistency than .244 at 11.
Vince,SL,BGF,Loren,
Thanks for the encouragement. I will work on the trigger and order some CP in the cardboard box. Also the scope I was using has parallax fixed at 100yds so my paper targets are kinda fuzzy at 21yds(could be my eyes are just plain bad). A friend of mine is selling me his 4-16×50 Leapers scope so when I am finished with the trigger I will mount that one and see whether I can shrink those groups.
Will let you guys know how thing turn out.
Pete
Rotary breech huh… I’ll be keeping an eye on this one as I’m VERY hesitant to put my fingers in a under or sidelever breech.
J-F
This is great. Was just looking at this rifle the other day. Will watch this one closely.
BB, as an aside, will you be doing a review of the HW 25L? I’ve been keeping a close eye (and been putting change aside in a jar) on that one. Looks like it would be a wonderful basement gun.
Al
Al,
I didn’t have it on my schedule, but it’s different enough to add. The description says it has a match trigger, but I see it isn’t a Rekord, so I wonder if that’s correct.
Perhaps a test would be in order.
B.B.
BB
I would very much like a review of this rifle as well.
I know you don’t like to compare rifles, but perhaps you could keep an eye toward differentiating it from it’s larger brother the HW30S in terms of its intended use.
SL,
I guess I’m going to test the 25. It will be fun.
B.B.
Awesome! Thank you BB. Really looking forward to it. I was thinking it would be a great air rifle for my daughter as soon as she’s old enough.
Sharing something with PCP owners that use hand pumps:
I had been chasing a tune for my recently acquired .22 Marauder that would let me shoot three or four full magazines at fairly high power, but I finally realized this was counterproductive. Since I need to stop pumping after about 50 strokes to let the pump cool, these tunes were forcing me to take a long time to recharge the gun. So I gave that up and started tuning to get the most power out of about 500 psi of air for 20 shots (2 magazines).
I now have a tune that gives me 20 shots with 21.1 grain Baracudas in a curve from 770 – 795 fps, shooting from 2900 psi down to about 2400. I can recharge it with my Hill pump in about 36 strokes, after the 11 or 12 needed to charge the line and open the fill valve. This takes about two minutes of fairly easy work, using full body weight on the last strokes. I may play with getting a bit more power by upping the charge a bit, but this is close to what I expect – the max FPS I got in any test of the Baracudas at 3000 psi was 835 fps. And the pump cools down and is ready to use again after I reload the magazines and shoot them (and my heart rate returns to normal while reloading the magazines).
Bottom line – look at your setup, needs, and all your constraints and find the best setup for you, and don’t worry about what you read that others think is their ideal set up (thanks BB, for telling me to do that in the first place!). I like this tune enough that I doubt I would change it much even if I had a tank and compressor – of course I would play around, but I’d probably end up right back where I am now 🙂
Alan in MI
BB; This continues from yesterday. You said, “I will find a way to try that, but the Ballard was always shot from the double rest, as I am doing now. I’m not sure there will be an advantage.”
In this case you would still use a double rest. Just move the front support back to a few inches in front of the receiver. By “double rest” I assume you mean one front and one support on the stock?
You probably can’t do that with your current rest? Some single shot and lever rifles shoot better with this type of support.
Mike
Kevin,
Re your Mac barb– sorry but I give up. I must be dense… 12:30?
AlanL
AlanL,
You’re in very good company. Most of my feeble attempts at humor fall on deaf ears (pun intended LOL!). Here it is again:
Mac was telling his neighbor, ‘I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it’s state of the art.. It’s perfect.’
‘Really,’ answered the neighbor . ‘What kind is it?’
‘Twelve thirty..’
Forgive me Mac.
The guy bragging about his new, state of the art, $4,000.00 hearing aid thought his neighbor said “What time is it?”
I’m going to leave humor to the pro’s.
kevin
Kevin
Thousands of comedians are out of work in this down economy, and you have to make jokes? Stick to what you know, handing out first rate airgun advice, and shooting outstanding 50 yard groups.
Slinging Lead,
As usual, very good advice.
Funny you should mention 50 yard shooting. I just came back inside after shooting a new-to-me airgun at 50 yards for the first time. My fingers are numb from the cold but there’s no wind today. I think this one is the most accurate airgun I’ve shot so far out to 50 yards. Only shot the jsb 18.1 (sorted by weight only) unlubed pellets. This one is easier to shoot accurately than the Royale, tarantula’s, HW100, cyclone and aa s410. The trigger, low velocity spread, and very short lock time in this thing is amazing.
Need to get the feeling back in my fingers and will go back to the bench. Barracuda match 5.52 pellets next.
kevin
Kevin
Before your fingers get too numb, pray tell what this magical airgun is? If it’s a secret, you can tell me, I won’t tell anyone. 😉
SL,
It’s Kevin’s new USFT!! Sorry, Wacky Wayne, you just weren’t as persuasive as ole Kevin was here…
😉
AlanL
Maybe Kevin will forgive me giving the answer away…..if he hasn’t frozen solid! He is shooting a
Daystate Airwolf MCT,and I’m very jealous! The electronic trigger must be awesome.
Frank B. got it. I was shooting the Airwolf MCT in .22 caliber. I think I bragged on this gun too soon.
It was about 34 degrees outside and was on my 7th magazine when the gun shut down. Too cold apparently. I brought the gun back inside and when it warmed up everything was fine. Guess the electronics don’t like cold weather. This is my first electronic gun. Always hesitated because the guns need a charged battery in order to shoot them and the electronics can have real problems (like the MVT did).
This gun likes the baracuda match better than the 18.1 gr. jsb’s. I shot a couple 10 shot groups that were the size of a nickel at 50 yards. When the weather warms up I think I can get these groups down to dime size.
kevin
I’m sorry to hear about the electric glitch…..I wonder if the battery voltage is dropping off from the cold? If it makes you feel better,I could give her a winter home.A 10 shot dime group at 50 yds is great.What glass ya got on it?
Frank B.,
The gun has an led readout that among other things tells you the battery life/charge left. The battery is still fully charged. Only needs charged one every couple months from what I’ve read. We’ll see.
The scope I mounted on it was one of the things I bought at Roanoke. A leupold 6.5-20×40 EFR Target scope that spent some time at the leupold custom shop. They refocused it to 10 yards (on 20 power), recalibrated the target turrets and installed mil dots in the reticle. It’s a good fit for this gun.
kevin
Darn, that’s a good one… I feel like a dufus now…
🙂
AlanL
AlanL,
“you’re just built too close to the ground. The fast ones go over your head” (Warner Brothers – Foghorn Leghorn).
Fred PRoNJ
Kevin,
I thought it was a good one, old but good. People aren’t as well-acquainted with hearing problems these days as before. When I was a kid, the old men (mostly farmers, several of them also vetarans — both sources of hearing loss) would literally yell at each other when they talked, and the conversations always were hard to follow. Many times I watched a particular pair argue almost to the point of a fight…with neither talking about the same thing as the other.
Are you talking about my father in law???
His ears aren’t as good as they used to and let’s just say it can lead to uncomfortable situations…
J-F
I wouldn’t mind a .25 cal model like they did with the old Superstars.
Isn’t BSA quite a reputable company? My spotting scope is by BSA and seems to offer very good quality at a low price–although it’s my first one and I don’t have anything to compare it to. Gamo, on the other hand, is not known for its high quality, so its ownership does not seem to bode well. But this rifle looks good so far.
Victor, very interesting about the follow-through. I find that when I try to freeze the sight picture through the shot, it doesn’t work. For the 1911, I end up heeling the gun and dropping the shot low. So, instead, I try to look at the target through the recoil to see the sights settle back down on the target. This works much better.
For Karate in the face of counterattacks, I will say that the squared up punching position does enable extremely rapid follow-up punches that could ward off counterpunches. That was certainly my experience on the receiving end. Also, a high-ranking Karate person described simultaneous blocks and counters, so even if you are not chambering the offhand, you get most of the mechanics of the punch. As to the toes pulled back, I can see that with a straight kick. My style has this technique. I was more concerned about the toes pulled back for the round kick. Calculating the landing for this more complicated movement in a dynamic situation seems much more difficult. Thai boxers who specialize in round kicks hit with the top of the foot, although a lot of it is done with the ankle or shin. Ow. Conditioning, as you point out is key. I’m curious about your explanation of the physics of impact. Since the top of the foot is larger than the ball of the foot, the impact force should dissipate more whereas with the ball of the foot it is more concentrated. This will hurt the target but also the kicking foot. The point is that the larger impact area of the top of the foot should protect it more. You mentioned as an offsetting factor that the ball of the foot is more cushioned for impact than the top which is a fair point.
Orin, one other point about martial arts. Insofar as you are doing this for self-defense (and that is by no means the only reason), you want to think about defenses against two very common untrained attacks which can offset training up to a very high level: the flurry of punches and the bull rush. There is no individual blocking technique that I know of that can keep up with strikes thrown as fast as possible. So what do you do? The bull rush will brush past anything except a lucky KO strike, then you’re in a wrestling mode with the initiative to the rusher. The bull rush also has a powerful psychological effect. Even at a professional level, you will see people freeze when someone launches an all-out committed charge, or they will backpedal straight back which just postpones the inevitable. Victor and Mike, your recommendations?
I would think that the bullrush in particular poses a problem also for concealed carry. The law doesn’t really allow you to draw on someone out of bullrush range which is probably 7 yards maximum. Once someone is inside that range, you will have to step mighty quick to draw on someone in time and even then you will need to make a split-second decision to shoot or not. The only strategy for this that I’ve seen is the close contact position which is to raise the lead elbow to stop the charge and protect your head while drawing with the other hand and bracing the gun against your body while canting it outward so that the slide doesn’t get hung up on your clothing. Not easy to do under stress.
Matt61
Matt61,
That’s great advice. Thank you.
I suppose if I had to list my motivators for getting involved in Karate, they would physical/mental stimulation, self defense, and flexibility, in that order.
– Orin
Matt61,
Yes, you should settle back down on the target. That’s what I meant. Yes, Thai fighter will tend to kick with the angle and shin, which is why the train constantly to both toughen that area, while killing the nerves. The bottom of the foot was made for punishment, so it’s a more natural choice for hard impact strikes. Also, round house like kicks are easier to block. Again, think of cross-section. As an example that I was once given by a professional baseball pitcher, that a quarter angle curve ball was MUCH easier to hit than an overhead curve ball. The reason is the cross-sectional area that is joined between the ball and the bat. The wider the pitch, the longer the cross-section between the ball and bat. The perfect overhead curve ball provides a very small cross-section, and so the timing is minimal. Because of this, I would be more inclined to kick straight out, versus round-house kicks (although you do get more power with an arc-like motion, versus straight – liner velocity versus angular motion with acceleration). Yes, you must be able to both punch and block, so crisp, clean, and quick punches are essential. The perfect punch is thrown with both precision and efficiency.
matt,
Your last paragraph brings up an interesting observation I made last Sunday at the bowling pin shoot. I accidentally got my hand behind the slide while practicing with my .22 Ruger. When the slide hit my hand it prevented the next cartridge from chambering. So when you say the slide could get caught in your clothing that’s only part of it. Because if the slide even bumps your body it could jam the gun. Therefore, your suggestion of canting the gun outward is paramount.
However, maybe my experience with the .22, because of its lesser power, doesn’t happen with the more powerful centerfires. I wish someone with a 9mm or .45 would test this for me. The .22 doesn’t hurt at all, it’s just a slight bump. Maybe a .45 would hurt?
-Chuck
1911 .45 ACP slide will take the skin off you if you get the web of your palm or other stuff in the way.
Good news is, it will still cycle regardless.
Bloody hand, neutralized enemy.
Chuck,
Assume that you’re talking about your mkIII?
Have you considered installing the filler (to replace the loaded chamber indicator) and the blast shield (to keep powder and gunk out of your trigger)??
These after market mods are cheap ($24.00 for both) and well worth it. Takes about 5 minutes to install both pieces.
Assume you’ve done the volquartsen trigger mod and extractor that we talked about previously?
kevin
Kevin,
Yes, it is the .22 Ruger MKIII I was talking about and I must confess I’ve been procrastinating on making any changes to it. Looks like the longer I wait the more there is available to do. Your suggestions all look like very desirable mods. I don’t know where that proverbial stick came from but I need to get off it.
Last Sunday I took 5th, 6th, 7th, and 12th places in bowling pin pistol out of 14 shooters and 1st place in rifle out of 5 shooters (I think I merely fed on others misfortunes to get this). My rifle is a 10/22 with a dot sight and AR-15 style aftermarket stock. My best time in pistol was 4.58 seconds for downing 5 bowling pins at 20 feet and for rifle it was 7.00 seconds for five 3″ round targets at 50 feet.
With the mods you are suggesting I’m sure I could shave some time.
I haven’t firmed up a cartridge yet for the MKIII. I’m shooting the CCI Minimags now, which are one of the best of the bunch I’ve chosen. For the 10/22 I’m using Fiocchi which for that gun are one holers at 50 feet and THE ONE for that gun.
-Chuck
I’ve seen one draw blood…
Guy at the range was attempting a two-handed grip, with his left thumb wrapping behind the slide.
Didn’t break his thumb, but he left to have two straight tears attended to…
Both are hard to defend against, you need to have a plan in place ahead of time. While I’m no expert my plan is to move laterally if possible and kick to the Groin or Common Peroneal (Side of the thigh) or strike the Biracial Plexus Origin (Side of the Neck) if possible. Most untrained people don’t expect that type of defense since they focus on the use of their hands only. It has also been showen that an attack that starts within 21 feet will not allow you to draw a weapon before the attack makes contact unless you are very fast and practiced.
Mike
I was not able to get in on the ‘buying an airgun used by Tom Gaylord’ discussion yesterday so I will offer my two cents.
First of all I would say there is definitely a certain cache to owning a gun Tom has used. It’s like having your Cobra test driven by Carrol Shelby or your BMW test driven by Hans Stuck. No matter how much BB blushes and says “aww, shucks” guns that can be verified to have had is paws on them will be worth more. I would even dare to say his Bronco that got caught in the wood chipper will one day demand a premium! 😉
In addition to all the reasons Edith listed for buying a gun that Tom has used, I will add one more. When it comes to buying a gun directly from Tom, you can be assured you are getting a good deal, if not a great one. ( I got one of the latter.) You will never be ripped off. Also the rifle I purchased from Tom had one of the best packing jobs I have ever seen.
SL,
If I sold you a gun that was well-packed, that was how it came to me. Vince can attest that I usually just pour in the wood and metal parts and stuff it with rags and newspaper until the box is quiet. 😉
Ah, shucks!
B.B.
SL,
Bronco in the woodchipper . . . .
Best laugh in a long time. Thanks!!!
Alan in MI
This BSA looks like a nice underlever. I will watch the testing continue with interest. One thing that worries me is Gamo’s involvement. From reading the CFX and other guns, I learned they can make a great design and manufacture it well, for a time, then they seem to drop the ball and quality gets spotty.
My son and I went to the Pacific Airgun Expo last weekend (Mar 5, 6) on Sunday and had a great time! This was my first airgun show so I don’t have anything to compare it too, but there seemed to be a good variety of airguns including quite a few antiques. There were also some well known people and vendors there (Dr. Beeman and Toshiko, Tim from Mac1, LD, Rich Woods, Ron Sauls, Crosman, Bryan & Associates, etc.). My son got to meet Dr. Beeman and his wife and see the Lewis & Clark airgun replica. It was also a pleasure meeting and listening to everyone that we got a chance to.
There were definitely some good deals to be had. I bought my son the commemorative Red Ryder he wanted for $20, while I aquired a clean Crosman 622 with a clip for $75. I passed on a Civil war practice pistol plus Diana 25 for $80. I got home and my daughter scolded me for passing up on that deal! However, the Diana 25 went to a good home. It was given to a man who is going to fix it up for his son (it had a worn out spring).
We were only there about 3 1/2 hours so we missed meeting a lot of people and didn’t get to see all the tables we wanted, but it was a great experience! LD said, it was “about the best Show I’ve attended ever!” (yellow forum)
Did anyone else get to go?
Thanks,
AR
ART, no, but wish I could have. Roseville Ca near Sacramento right? Did you get to meet Wayne Burns? (Wacky Wayne from Ashland OR)
How many folks were there and what 2 or 3 best of show items did you see?
Brian, yes, it was in Roseville next to Sacramento. I didn’t get to meet Wayne and I don’t know if he was there or not. On Sunday there wasn’t a large crowd (no wait in line). I have heard Saturday was different with a large line waiting to get in.
Since this was my first airgun show, I wasn’t sure what to expect and probably didn’t notice everything I should have. I was looking for anyone I might recognize, a barrel, Crosman 622 clips and vintage airguns. The grand prize raffle was for an AirForce Talon (didn’t win). The new Cometa Lynx PCP was being shown and I saw several DAQ pistols, a vintage DAQ rifle, the famous LD pistol, some other vintage guns I drooled over (pistols & rifles), RWS, Diana, Beeman, AirForce, Mendoza (including the Bronco), Air Arms, Daisy, Benjamin, Sheridan, etc. The best for me was the Lewis & Clark replica.
AR
B.B.,
You asked, ” Did they think we needed the extra quarter-inch elevation the base gives us?”. I think so, because that front sight sticks up like a tower. I’d be very interested in reading what you have to say about the trigger. My hopes are that it’s better than the stock Gamo triggers. From the looks of the Polaris (compared to the Gamo CFX, just as an example), the ergonomics are different, but not obviously better (or worse). I’ll be interested in that also. The PA web-page for the Polaris doesn’t say what the trigger pull weight is. Hopefully, you’ll let us know that as well. Otherwise, it looks like a real nice rifle, and I do prefer under-levers. Of course the accurate tests will be the most interesting part of your report. 🙂
Victor
Here are some links to a video and pictures from the Pacific Airgun Expo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M
http://www.network54.com/Forum/275684/thread/1299526184/Pacific+Airgun+Expo+with+pics
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/thread/1299519535/PACIFIC+AIRGUN+EXPO+PICTURES
AR
A new use to airguns???
This was posted by Crosman on their facebook page earlier today.
It’s far from pretty but I still want one!
J-F
Guess it would be better with the link huh…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dS0eEFX0KU