by B.B. Pelletier
This is the new Crosman Silhouette PCP pistol. It’ll send those light little airgun silhouettes into orbit.
I expect to get some negative feedback from this report. It won’t come from airgunners, but from airgun manufacturers who think I’m in bed with Crosman, because these days it seems like I’m always praising their work. Well, sorry guys; here comes another one.
In a day when many manufacturers seem to think their No. 1 testing resource is their customer, Crosman turns the tables and actually listens to what people are saying. The pistol I’m reviewing today has been on the market for the past year, yet the model I place before you now is completely new for 2011. How can that be? Well, Crosman learned a few lessons over the past 12 months while selling the earlier release, and they did something about it. They took a well-designed successful air pistol and improved it.
You see, the original Crosman Silhouette PCP pistol was actually introduced at the 2010 SHOT Show. It was touted as an air pistol made on the 2240 frame with an improved trigger, a better barrel and the ability to operate on air instead of CO2.
I was among those who told Crosman that changes were needed to that first Silhouette pistol. In my fourth report, while praising the accuracy of the gun, I was critical of the “improved” trigger. If you take the time to read that report, you’ll discover that I shot a quarter-inch five-shot group at 10 meters using an aperture sight! At the same time, I complained about the long, creepy second stage of the trigger.
And Crosman listened — not necessarily to me, but to all of you. The new Silhouette pistol has the same adjustable trigger that’s found on the Benjamin Marauder PCP pistol, a trigger that’s received a lot of deserved praise from those who’ve used it. I’m not going to report on that new trigger today, but I’ve tested it briefly and the praise is warranted.
My year-long illness, which began on March 29, 2010, created a time capsule that allows me to compare the first Silhouette pistol to the one I’m now testing. Because I never finished testing the first pistol before entering the hospital, I now have both of them on hand to examine side by side.
Something old, something new
The visible differences between the new gun and the old are very small. There are some lettering changes, a new muzzlebrake that serves as a base for the front sight and the front sight, itself. The old one was just a round post, while the new one is a square post that can be turned to vary the width. You can vary it, that is, if you plan to use a rear sight, which I don’t think many owners will, because this pistol is more like a small rifle when it comes to accuracy. In May, Crosman will bring to market a new CenterPoint scope with multiple reticles that’s well-suited to use on both this pistol and the Marauder pistol.
To adjust the width of the front post, loosen the locking screw on the right side of the base and swivel the front post until it’s right. Then lock it down.
Just looking at the two guns doesn’t tell you much. But shooting does. That’s what you’ll get from this report. For now, however, let me finish my assessment of the pistol as if you were seeing it for the first time.
General description
The Crosman Silhouette PCP pistol is a single-shot, .177 caliber target pistol based on the venerable 2240 frame. But it’s nothing like the 2240, which is a budget .22 caliber CO2 pistol. The Silhouette is a precharged pneumatic that operates on 3,000 psi air (206 bar). While the 2240 has a plastic receiver, the Silhouette receiver is 6.25 inches of machined aluminum, with a scope rail that runs the entire length. It will accept open and peep sights, but it’s really made for a scope and I suspect the majority of them will have one.
You can see the heritage of the 2240 pistol (lower) in the new Silhouette PCP.
The gun is made of metal and finished in a non-reflective matte black. Steel is used for things like the reservoir, where strength is needed, and aluminum is used where it works best. Plastic is reserved for the reservoir fill port cap and the grips.
This pistol was designed with input from Steve Ware of the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (IHMSA), so it conforms to the rules for silhouette airguns. It has a 10.1-inch Lothar Walther barrel that not only gives great accuracy but also provides a long acceleration time for the pellet. So, the gun doesn’t waste air. However, you have to face the fact that this is a pistol built for the sole purpose of silhouette shooting.
They didn’t make it a magnum handgun for hunting, and it isn’t a good starting point for those who modify, either. They made it powerful enough to send metallic silhouettes into space with a good hit, so it gets a great number of good shots, rather than far fewer high-velocity shots. Crosman advertises it as having 50 good shots on a charge of air, which is incredible when you consider the small size of the reservoir. If you read Part 2 of my report on last year’s Silhouette pistol, you’ll discover that I got over 60 good shots from it, so I expect to see at least as good from this gun. All of that is at an average of 450 f.p.s., which the first gun delivered, as well.
The pistol comes from the factory with the bolt handle on the left side, which is best for right-handed shooters. However, it can be switched to the other side, if you like. And, the bolt handle is longer than the one on the 2240, so cocking this pistol is smoother and easier.
Adjustable fill pressure
The gun comes from the factory set for a 2,900 psi fill (200 bar). You can adjust it from 2,500 psi to 3,000 psi. With a higher fill pressure, you get more shots per fill, but you also run your scuba tank out of air faster. Since we may see more shots than needed in the velocity test with the gun set at the factory setting (2,900 psi), a higher fill pressure would not make sense to me. A somewhat lower fill pressure might work just as well (give an adequate number of full-power shots per fill) and require less air from the scuba tank. Or, if filling from a hand pump, a lower fill pressure would make the job easier.
Why would you want this air pistol?
You would want this air pistol if you like to shoot silhouette in all kinds of weather and temperatures. The Crosman 2300S and 2300T pistols are both similar single-shot target pistols, but because they also both run on CO2, they’re inoperable in cold weather. This pistol won’t notice the cold nearly as much.
The trigger is great
I’ll have more to say about the trigger in Part 2, but it’s a winner. If you can live with about 450 f.p.s. in .177 caliber and great accuracy to boot, this might be the air pistol for you. However, don’t get into the modification mindset with this one, because for only a few more dollars you can buy the .22 caliber Benjamin Marauder pistol that’s both silenced and a repeater. Think of the Silhouette as a dedicated target pistol, and the Marauder as a do-all hunting pistol.
Not again… And they made it better !
I don’t want to get a second job just to fuel my airgun habit… I bought a Webley Alecto (which is a great pistol) and someone just offered me a very nice F.A.S. AP604 with the target grips for a VERY good price… and now this!!
I don’t know what to do… I want all of them (and the marauder pistol too).
J-F
Looking at the prices — the new/improved model is also some $40 less… Toss in four tins of pellets [3 tins @ ~$10/ea, #4 free] and a pack of targets…
BB,
Wow! Yes! A target quality pcp pistol! At a good price. Easy on the wallet. I like that! Dunno if I will get one. I am in lust with a steyr Lp50 E. If I can swing it, no need for this. IF not, this is a viable option!
BB.
Just so you know, I already have a 2300S CO2 pistol and have some missing parts ordered. Once they arrive, if the gun is as accurate as I hope it is, may be no need for this!
But I still lust for the Steyr LP50 E! Five shots of superbly accurate fire power. Wow!c
This Silhouette looks nice, like it has good quality. The Brown Santa just delivered a 2240 to my door today. I was excited and thought it was going to be the same pistol my dad had when I was a kid, because I didn’t remember his well and in the pics this 2240 looked like something that’s been made forever. I ordered it without seeing one in person. Didn’t come in a box, just a plastic bubble. Wow, what a disappointment! Plastic, plastic everywhere. Rear sight is plastic, plastic breech too! Grips make that awful hollow plastic sound every time you pick up the gun, and it doesn’t have the heft or thumb rest I remember. Well, a little searching reveals that it wasn’t a 2240 Dad had – he had something called the MK1! I know the 2240 gets good reviews and I’d still say it’s a decent value if you don’t care about quality, but I can’t enjoy shooting something I don’t enjoy holding or looking at. Can’t believe this is made in the USA.
I’m sure I would find happiness in a Weihrauch HW75 or Webley Alecto, and I like the idea of 1 to 3 strokes as opposed to CO2, but the kids are starting music le$$ons, so maybe a set of wood grips and steel breech from the aftermarket are in order for the 2240.
Ken,
Email Crosman and ask ’em if the breech on the silhouette pcp is available, and of course if it works on the 2240. It looks like a riser breech and the wait for one of those on the after market is sometimes long and frustrating, not to mention $100 or so.
ka
Kid Again,
The Silhouette pistol breech is available, but it won’t work with the 2240 without some modifications.
AR
Ken,
And do you also still adjust the points on your car every 10,000 miles? The times have changed since 1960, and so have the manufacturing methods and materials. Look what Glocks are made of.
The 2240 is a fine air pistol, as you have heard. And when I tested it against both a Smith & Wesson 78G and you fathers Mark I Target pistol, the 2240 out-shot both of them.
You can still get a Mark I if you want one. prepare to spend about $150 for it.
B.B.
BB: the reveiw you wrote on the 2240 vs the S&W 78 /Crosman MK1-2, got me to used go out and buy a used MK2 to compare for myself. That MK 2’s trigger is superb and it’s great to see Crosman going back to the standards of those days with this new gun.Regards,Robert.
Yes, the 2240 is a heck of a pistol for the $$$. It is by far, the most customize-able piece out there, parts and mods on line everywhere. Problem is, where to stop? You can easily build a $500 pistol if you are so inclined.
Brian,
You can actually build a $750 pistol if so inclined and you start with a 2300S. Fellow traded me one and as close as I can calculate based on parts, the original owner had about $675 in that gun. And he told me he paid about $500 for it from original owner. What I traded him was worth maybe $300 and I saw on the yellow later where he sold it for $175.
So be aware when building these Custom guns that you probably are not going to get any where near what you sink into it when you want to sell it.
And IMHO it simply is not worth the $ and the effort as for the kind of money you sink into a “custom” gun you can easily buy a manufactured gun with more features and better performance than what you would get from the “custom” gun!
On the other hand, I have a really nice gun which with the scope included in the sale from a solid bench rest at 10 meters will shoot .08 – .18″ ctc groups all day long with selected pellets. It is the most accurate gun I own right now and a real pleasure to shoot!
As an added bonus it can be reconfigured in a couple of minutes into 5 different configurations ranging from the stock 2300S pistol to the full blown scoped carbine and several in between configurations.
And I am aware it I try to sell it I probably won’t get what I have into it back!
Of course you can buy a finished gun for less bucks than all the modifications may have cost you – not to mention the time you put in – but it will just be that: a bought gun (no pun intended).
On the other hand, if you´re modding a gun, you make it your “own”. At least,that’ss what it felt like to me. A couple of months ago I had a got myself a prettydecentdsoft-airr gun but it was just a gun I bought (and resold later). Then I bought a 2240 and just by doing a few improvements on the trigger it started becoming “MY” gun. Later I added a standard 1399 stock, a silencer and a scope. Now I plan to make my own wooden grips and a wooden stock ….steel breech is ordered …
I can´t imagine selling it.
What you get, modding a budget gun like the 2240, is much more than just a better or more beautiful gun. It´s hours and hours of fun learning, planning, discussing, testing and administering all the possible changes to the gun in addition to the hours of fun shooting it.
And you can do it a step at a time, every time you feel like it or have the time or a few bucks to spare. It´s a process! And it´s an achievement, something you can be proud of in the end or even after each step already.
It is definitely NOT something economically smart, like:
1 Buy a gun for 50 bucks,
2 Buy parts for 100 buck,
3 Spend 1 hour putting everything together,
4 Sell it for 500 bucks and dodge the tax 😉
BTW: I live in Germany, so the silencer is OK on an over 18 legal airgun. Sadly the power output is legally limited to 7,5 Joule (and the stock 2240 is close to that limit already) so AFAIK any modifications towards longer barrels are out of the question or might need special, expensive and difficult to get extra permits. 🙁
B.B.
Must say I love my 2240 with steel breech, 14″ barrel and shoulder stock w/scope, I wouldn’t part with it for anything 🙂
The Silhouette PCP really doesn’t seem to bring that much more to the table, but then again I am very much an amateur. Even a 1377 packs a reliable punch at a fraction of the price.
Maybe I’m just being ignorant and don’t understand PCP’s, maybe to old to learn 🙂
rikib 🙂
If Crosman is really listening to suggestions, when they bring out their new Centerpoint multi reticle red dot in May they will include dovetail ring mounts with the optic. Most of the red dots come with weaver rings which makes mounting on most airguns difficult. You either have to buy a dovetail to weaver adapter or a set of 30mm dovetail rings.
Bub
If Crosman is listening to suggestions, then why don’t they offer the 1377 in the custom shop? I have read at least a half a dozen people request this other than me. What are they afraid of? That they will sell a billion of them?
American Airgunner viewers…
I thought that it had been killed off, but it has been bouncing all over the place.
Next shows for Dish TV viewers…
Friday …sportsman channel 395 2:30-3:00 pm
Sunday…same place.. 2-2:30 AM
Monday….same place..3:30-4:00 AM
twotalon
OOPS
Those are all APRIL, starting on the first.
twotalon
I have my dvr set to record American Airgunner. Nothing since December, then lo and behold, it started up again on the 14th. An episode I had n’t even seen before. It’s good to see Crystal Ackley’s smiling face again. Oh, and Paul too.
Paul?? Is there a Paul on there?? I saw a big fat guy on there a couple times, but I think his name was Tom or something.
twotalon
Twotalon,
Will we on the west coast get to see Crystal Ackley, er… um… I mean American Airgunner?
ka:)
Don’t know. If you do, the time is going to be a lot different.
I went to Dish network and got the programming channel and dates.
twotalon
Those were eastern times that I posted.
twotalon
Wow, that hurt, all the way over here.
Wow! They ARE listening. I’m looking at that metal breech with left bolt option. Wow again! Can you say 2240 with this new breech, left hand bolt, 14″bbl with full shroud? Add a shoulder grip and Bingo, you’re done almost all parts from
Crosman! I like it.
ka
Kid Again,
The link below will take you to a post on the Crosman Airgun Forum (new) that shows the differences between the 22xx steel breech and Silhouette breech. Take a look before you decide to buy one.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/275684/thread/1294989841/1700P+and+22xx+breech+comparison+pictures
AR
A.R. Tinkerer,
Thanks for that link. Those pics really clear that up. Hmm… Aftermarket breech is still the answer. Maybe Crosman is only listening with one ear???
ka
BB:
Sorry to be on my soapbox and way off topic.
Recently in Somerset in the UK, 40 swans were killed by a ‘Sniper’ using an air rifle.
Today I read this:
http://news.aol.co.uk/discuss-feed/four-held-after-air-rifle-incidents/1678874/#gcpDiscussPageUrlAnchor
I really don’t think it would take many more incidents like these for my government to do something drastic when it comes to air gun ownership in Britain.
A little known piece of legislation has apparently already come in as to the storage of air guns and pellets.
From what I have read so far the new law consists of what we used to call ‘common sense’ and will do little to prevent accidents.
I mean what deterrent effect is a law that no bugger knows about for a start?
It will however ensure their is someone to prosecute AFTER and incident.
‘Where there’s blame there’s a claim’ Don’t you just love it 🙁
This is my beef.
Rather than punish the guilty severely the State would rather legislate and punish the innocent.
Rather than educate people to a high standard the State would rather churn out Morons and micro manage their lives.
If you want a vision of the possible future I highly recommend watching the film ‘Idiocracy’ .
Sorry for the rant.
DaveUK
Here is the link to the Home office website.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/press-releases/lock-and-key
Passing laws on the ‘bleedin obvious’ coming to a town near you.
DaveUK
Dave,
It’s the same in this country. The only thing we have going for us is that gun ownership is embedded in our constitution as a right of all citizens. But we still do have the miscreants who would call that right into question.
And when you check, you find that often the people doing the crimes aren’t even legitimate citizens. Often they are convicted criminals who have lost their franchise as citizens, but the media doesn’t discriminate between them and the real citizens who obey the law.
No need to apologize for the rant. Most of us have one just like it waiting to get out.
B.B.
BB:
Forgive me if I paraphrase ‘Inspector Knacker of the yard’ from the website.
“This legislation is not aimed at the responsible air gun owner,who we have no trouble with but the irresponsible owner who won’t be aware of this new law and would ignore it anyway”
DaveUK
Dave UK, sorry to hear about that incident, and just as sorry for the poor Swans who arguably, deserve to live and feed more than the cretans who shot them. As BB noted, we often (unhappily) see similar stories re small domestic animals and cats etc here in the states. Unfortunately, the punishment(s) for these despicable crimes do not match the impact of the revolting act(s). A short walk and a sudden drop would be ok with me, as this same brand of cretan often also preys uopn the two-legged and weaker amongst us.
At least up until now, our chairman Obama and his proletariat have not been able to edict new gun restraints (based on these type of incidents) because of our Constitution.
You know what gets me down Brian?
I’m an establishment man.I worked for the Met Police for seven years protecting the politicians in Parliament.
Even I feel like I don’t know who to fear most.The Law or the criminals.
Either one is just as likely to pull my pants down if I take my eye off the ball.Especially owning and driving a car.
Take this new law.Although a remote possibility I could fall foul of it and end up with a £1000 fine.
For what?
Doing nothing is not even an option in this bloody country and may land you in trouble.
That is the consequence of trying to legislate for everything rather than hitting a nail on the head.
DaveUK
Amen to that, much like our Feds who want to tax or outlaw so-called “junk foods” in our schools due to the teenage obesity “epidemic”. Don’t feed your kids well and run e’m hard to keep the fat off, no, that’s too simple.
Still… it does give chairman Obama’s wife something to do between coutorier dress fittings and vacations at our version of Balmoral Castle in Maine.
Brain: Unfortunately it won’t be long before they do make inroads into our rights. I have noticed the indoctrination of children begining in elementary school, to accept the compromise of their rights of which they don’t understand yet ,as being “good” for all. As I have small children in elementary school and being of baby boomer age, I am able to have a perspective of past history that many of the other younger parents don’t, given the fact that I attended collage in the late 70’s, an era that spawned our current administration. Many of the older teachers in supervisory positions were the ones throwing rocks and spitting on you when you returned from your service in Vietnam. Non -union skilled tradesmen like myself who struggle to pay my taxes will get to pay for their retirement at 80% of their highest pay grade and lifetime 100% medical insurance. My oldest who is just ten ,remarked that they don’t have any sporting/gun magazines in school and of course,the mention of any projectile launching device is forbidden. Keep in mind that our school system is in a rural area. In contrast , the kids are taught that folks with obvious social flaws and gender confusion are really OK ,and require the patience of a more tolerent society. They are taught that there are only victims, there are no bad people. I teach my boy’s that this is not necessarily so. It’s all we can do and I hope what I teach them stays with them, as the future outlook is very grim in my opinion. And that’s my rant for the day!Robert.
Robert: Alright! It’s rant and rave Wednesday!
Roger those comments, I got lucky and was discharged at Alameda NAS in the middle of the night, but I had buddies who got heckled and harrased at the fence line elsewhere. There were a few “incidents” as I recall, not good to poke sticks through the fence at the bears (or returning grunts from the war).
We have some indications of the “progressives” trying to influence the culture here in Idaho but, so far, they mostly just hang out at the coffee shops in their designer grundge with their book-bags and stay out of the way of the 4×4’s hauling trophies or dinner back from a mornings’ hunt.
Luckily, our Governor and the legislature have been historically R or Independent and hold over 80% of the seats. The other side is pretty much relegated to just whining about our side, that’s their job. Nice work if you can get it!
My son is in grade four. He recently purchased a set of books through Scholastic on Canadian war heros.
All well and good.
Being a photographer I take pictures of my airguns and use them in various ways. One is too make my own bookmarks…bookmarks that will have a small (1×1″ or so) picture on it…some of my kids, but some of our airguns. My son wanted me to make a bookmark with his BAM AK lookalike on it for his books.
No problem, or so I thought.
He came home last week and told me the teacher had seen the bookmark, ripped it up and he was told to tell his parents never to bring anything like that to school again.
At first I was furious (okay, still am to some degree).
But then I saw the humour in the situation. He was using this bookmark in a book he had purchased throught the school, which on the cover has a photo of a soldier running on the beach on D-Day, carrying in full view his M1.
As Judge Judy would say….reeeeeediculous!!!
CBSD,
Being a pain in the butt, I wouldn’t let it end there. I would have enlightened the teacher with the absurdity of the situation. Stupidity knows no bounds.
Edith
CBSD
Maybe that was because of the “dreaded assault rifle” look. You know, some stupid people say that even the look of AK traumatizes. Please, God, never let them see a chainsaw, please!
Maybe you should try to make another bookmark – with PSG-1 rifle, which is purely police weapon, operated by good guys agains evildoers. Or, maybe M1, that helped to end Hitler’s Reich from west side while Mosin and PPSh did the same from east side.
But anyway, you must print in a big bold letters – “It’s the hand that aims and pulls the trigger, the head that makes decisions and heart that rejects violence. If they are OK, the rest is just machined metal”. If a teacher doesn’t understand this, I wonder why he or she chose to be a teacher.
duskwight
Brian,
So true about the shooting incidents. And unfortunately the yellow forum publishes/allows publication of pictures depicting senseless wanton killing! Pictures of 20 – 30 or more dead animals killed by the poster simply for the thrill of killing!
Pictures of dozens of crows, or ground squirrels, or chipmunks, or tree squirrels, or sparrows, or grackles or starlings lined up in rows.
This senseless killing serves no purpose but to gratify the posters urge “to kill things.” It also gives all air gunners a black eye!
Come on guys, if you want the thrill of hitting difficult targets at varied ranges get into field target competition. Then scores of animals don’t have to die!
Brian in Idaho,
“chairman Obama and his proletariat”
I’ve often wondered at the use of this statement as I’ve heard it many times in other places as meaning a Communistic president and his evil underlings, and this is supposed to make us cringe.
I wonder if the Russians can elicit the same negative response from their people by saying “President Medvedev and his unions.” ?
proletariat –
n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) all wage-earners collectively
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the lower or working class
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in Marxist theory) the class of wage-earners, esp industrial workers, in a capitalist society, whose only possession of significant material value is their labour
4. (Historical Terms) (in ancient Rome) the lowest class of citizens, who had no property
-Chuck
Osama Obama
twotalon
That’s awful about the swans. I hope the culprits face the full fury of the law.
Matt61
B.B.
I wonder if it is possible to turn it into load-from-cylinder or underbarrel spring magazine semi-auto to use for a rapid fire pistol training. It bleeds at least 3 cub. cm of air with every shot, so, there’s enough spent air for a muzzle device, some sort of rod to drive things and voila.
duskwight
duskwight,
Your remarks put me in mind of both John Browning, who turned a Winchester lever action rifle into a semiautomatic that same way and John Garand, who did close to the same thing on the first go-round with the Garand.
You are in fine company, my friend.
B.B.
B.B.
I was actually thinking about Garand’s first try, when I saw this pistol. Powderburners are in many ways incompatible with our hobby, but some solutions are very good to know.
However on second thought I realized that semi-auto conversion would require to change the main valve, to make it a “self-open” type, as I’m afraid it won’t be enough to cock the usual Crosman’s striker.
I must read something from guys who make PCP autoloaders here, to be more sure about the possibility of such conversion.
duskwight
I have a friend who is raising two of her grandchildren, she was recently called in to talk to the school principal where her grandson is in the fourth grade. She was told he was facing suspension for having gun related objects at school and showing them to others. What was this terrible thing ? A target that one of his friends had given him. As his rather outspoken grandmother told me ,she said ” I asked the principal what the H he thought the kid was going to do , give someone a paper cut.” Suspension dropped.
A story with a happy ending 🙂
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/22/armed-beauty-queen-fatally-shoots-intruder-florida-home-invasion/
Edith
A criminal record stretching back nearly three decades — including arrests for burglary, battery, drug possession and grand theft??!!! He was just released in September after serving a fourth term behind bars??!!
Thank you Ms. Brown for saving society from future attacks by this perp and saving taxpayer dollars.
Edith,
Now that is what I call “swift justice”. No bickering between lawyers about the perpetrators “rights”. No long drawn out trials or endless appeals.
This should happen with much more frequency. Make it a consistent “job hazard” for those who would follow in his footsteps. Maybe then we would have much less crime.
And the death penalty should be mandatory for all “cop killers”. Heck, let’s make it mandatory for ALL felony homicide.
B.B., you must be in heaven. A pistol aficionado with a super pistol. I remember Derrick extolling the virtues of the 2240 and a turbocharged pcp version must be nice indeed. Are you tempted to a two handed grip with the heavier pistols? Also, did you do your long range pistol shooting of the wheel sized rock at 300 yards or the earth clods at 80 yards with a double-action pistol or just the single-action? I’m trying to imagine in my mind (with the aid of my Walther CPSport experience) holding on target with a double-action trigger and it’s tough.
Brian in Idaho, the abuse of Vietnam veterans is an especially tragic chapter in our history although sadly it is not isolated. With its republican foundations, America has a deep ambivalence about a regular professional army which has suffered appalling mistreatment although the nation has generally opened its arms to the citizen-soldiers of the big popular wars (not always though with the brutal dispersion of demonstrating WWI veterans by Douglas MacArthur in the 20s). However, I believe the injustices towards the Vietnam vets were so awful that it has penetrated the national consciousness. And while there has been vigorous debate about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it has been nice to see uniform support of our veterans, so a lesson has been learned.
KidAgain, for such a weird idea, the Tarzan story keeps on giving. What do you suppose happened to the bad ape after he was expelled from the tribe? While swinging through the trees, he happened upon Jane, walking in the jungle minding her own business, and he instantly swooped down and carried her off to start a new subplot. Maybe the lesson is not just to remove dictators but to put them away for good.
Thanks Wulfraed and Mike for the reassurance about headspacing and reloading. The 1/100 inch tolerance for the case length has me feeling pretty good. My reloading will be for the M1 Garand so it will have to be full-length resizing which I’m told is mandatory for semiautos.
Victor, glad to hear that there is something to rhythm. It certainly feels good when it works. So, I will ride the wave. I guess the key is to use it without letting it control you. The bullying video I referred to can be found with keywords “Australia” and “Casey Heynes.” The bullying of kids, especially but not limited to its virulent new online formats, is just appalling to me. At least adults can carry concealed weapons, learn self-defense, and use their brains to avoid danger. Kids have very few options in school and its not even always possible for their own parents to protect them as in the case above. What is the answer for self-defense with kids? I tried showing some martial arts to my niece, but she just laughed and prefers ballet. At least she seems to be in a good environment.
I just finished the John Browning series. Fascinating. He seems to have supported both the American firearms industry (certainly the military part) as well as the European one through FN like a colossus bestriding the Atlantic. It is nice to see a real genius in action like Mozart who can confound mortals with their transcendent abilities. And it is even rarer I believe for such a genius not to be a freak but able to apply their talents in an industrious way like Browning. Speaking of out-of-the box thinking, the series claims that Browning invented the recoil operating principle of machine guns around 1895. I thought it was Hiram Maxim who did. Anyway, the story goes that Browning was watching his shooting team in action and noticed that the muzzle blast was causing some nearby reeds to bend. He realized that this action represented energy that was being wasted and could be used to operate the gun mechanism. So, he instantly went back to his shop to put the idea in action. He fabricated a ring of metal at the end of a short length of metal. The ring fit over the muzzle of a lever action rifle and the length extended down and away from the gun and was attached to the operating lever with string. When the gun was fired, the muzzle blast pushed the ring outward causing the attached metal tab to swing away from the gun, pulling the lever and cycling the action for the next shot. Instant semiauto! Fascinating. I begin to appreciate the ingenuity of Vince, Lloyd and B.B. who can can manipulate forces with mechanical devices.
The summary of Browning’s work which rings true is of the total reliability of his guns. But it is interesting that no word is mentioned of their accuracy–sort of like the AK. Some of the Browning designs were accurate like the 1911 and the M2 machine gun which, in the sniper mode in Vietnam hit some man-size targets out to 2000 yards, but that apparently was not the biggest consideration. I suppose this was because Browning’s clientele wanted reliability over accuracy; or that a solid, robust design is the basis of accuracy anyway; or that accuracy is more based on the refining of materials rather than radical new inventions (except for the brilliant Savage headspacing idea!). I guess it is sort of like writing to recall our earlier discussion of the subject. Anyone would prefer writing that is always sensible and clear over what is occasionally brilliant but often cloudy and confusing. Maybe part of the genius of Browning and Kalashnikov was to recognize the paramount importance of reliability and give it its due.
Matt61
Matt,
Whenever I test a handgun for this blog, I usually use a two-hand hold. Especially these days.
All long-range shots were shot single-action. The 300-yards shot was with a .44 caliber 1860 Colt Army cap and ball revolver. The 80-yard shot was with a Colt Detective Special (or Agent) snubnose in .38 Spl.
B.B.
Matt,
I was watching this video and read some comments on that. Fat boy is awesome and he did it right. Evil must be punished. I wonder why he didn’t make it before with such and advantage in weight and height.
What really shocked me is that some psychologist guy commented that it was WRONG to strike back. My oh my, where does this world is rolling down to?
Does this psychology guy know ABC? Was he ever at school?
Bullying is never stopped through kindness and understanding, just a good hit to the face and the support of people who do not condone bullying. Bullies prey on weak people because of their own cowardice. The moment they see a fist coming back in a swing while laying on the ground with some banging head – that’s the moment the bullying stops.
What are those “specialists” doing? Maybe next they’ll propose boys to wear skirts and run away at any sight of injustice. How cannot they understand that they make 2 crimes simultaneously – they turn one boy into a soft jelly victim with no self-respect and and another into uncontrollable and unpunished bully, a potential criminal or rapist, as he is well-used to tormenting the weak and defenceless.
duskwight
dustwight, once again you have it right. That’s one of the reasons I had my son and daughter attend marshal arts when they were young. They enjoyed the classes and the first time someone tried to bully them………..was the last.
Mike
Matt61,
I haven’t seen the video yet, but I’ll tell you that if there is one thing that bugs me more than anything is bullying! My daughter, who is small and fragile because of a rare condition, was doing some modeling behind the glass of a mall store, when a group of teenagers decided to “have fun” with her. Showing off, one of them went behind the glass and knocked her off the stand that she was standing on while modeling. No one from the store, security, nor the modeling agency (who were present) did anything to stop this jerk from actually going behind the glass window and knocking her off. My wife and I watched from a distance in complete HORROR (too far to stop it). From our vantage point, we saw this jerks fist push past her head, exactly like a punch through her face. As it turns out, it wasn’t a punch, but rather him forcing himself onto her, knocking her down. I immediately ran to save her from what looked like the beginning of a beating at the hands of a punk and his gang. When I got there, he looked at me with this prideful smirk (I saw the face of evil), so I instinctively separate him from her. He is very lucky that I am not a violent man. The cops told me and mall security that had it been their child, they would have done a lot worse than I did. The sad thing is that this punk, and his parents, saw no wrong in what he did and pressed charges against me just because I touched him (although there was no real violence on my part). There is plenty of blame to go around, including really bad parenting. I can’t imagine any of my kids, or nephews, violating someone Else’s space like this, actually doing harm, and then acting proud about it. In the end, I can honestly say that the victims became me and my daughter. Parents and their children can be idiots, and you never know when, how, or where they’ll demonstrate it. I really hate bully’s!
Victor
Victor,
You shoulda just body slammed the punk! Couldn’t be in any worse trouble than you are now.
I simply would not let any one do that to my kid and get by with it! Never did when I was in school and would not now. In my grade and high school days I got in trouble several times defending my self from bullies. Basically I was viewed by “the authorities” the same as the bully.
BUT, except for one bully, I never had to tackle the same bully again. Had one dim wit I had to whoop up on 3X before he got it. After his third whooping he got the message and left me alone too!
After each incident the school administrators punished us both as they wanted to “discourage fighting” under any circumstances. They all KNEW these guys were bullies, but did nothing to discourage them.
So the world is and has been full of a bunch of namby pambies who think violence of any sort is inexcusable!
Even the bible asserts one’s right to protect oneself from bullies or maybe even take revenge. “the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.” Exodus 21:23 – 25. And this is not the only place your right to defend or even retaliate is supported, just the easiest to find!
Matt61
Oh man, the M2 machine gun, what a beast. As an 18 yr. old 6′-1″ 200 lb “dude” the 80 + pounds was a handful. Now, I would use an ATV to drive it around. Even the tri-pod assembly was nearly 50 pounds, total 130-ish assembled gun and tri-pod? One guy carried (some) ammo belts and weapon, the other guy carried ammo cans and the tri-pod.
Was usually loaded 4 to 1 with tracers and the tracer line was as straight as an arrow as far as you could see (easily 1000 meters out, probably more like 1500 but not with my eyesight) good old .50 cal. American horsepower.
Matt61,
Regarding rhythm and mental state. It only makes sense that you should try to put yourself into a good positive mood where you actually feel happy and thus positive. When one is flustered, stressed out, or nervous, they are VERY prone to making mistakes, including missing important details, because they are overwhelmed. In effect, what we need to do is find our center, where we feel strong and balanced. The wrong mental state seriously erodes are focus, forcing us to have to try to consciously think about each individual step, which is too much to ask. That’s where memory (among other things) fails. It’s always best when we can do things seemingly instinctively (i.e., without having to think about them).
Victor
Matt61
I had the good fortune to visit Paraguay and Argentina years ago, and their military personnel are treated like gods, especially officers and especially in Paraguay. Some of this due to the international influence of the 1930’s and WWII era (Germans, Italians and Spanish influences mixed together) but a lot of it is also cultural as the military has often been the original liberators in their developing years. A friend who was a young lieutenant in the Paraguayan Army took me to a busy restaurant where the owner immediately made a table ready for us and he would not take payment for the wine we had. The most recent example of this is Egypt, where the military is held in fairly high esteem due to historically good interaction with the population (siding with the folks vs. Mubarak being the latest effort).
Matt61
Being an M14 afficionado, here is a link to a circa 1965 M14 operating manual.
Sorry to say, I remember this thing!
http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/fm23_8/FM23_8A.pdf
20+ years ago my kid was bullied unmercifully when he was a freshman in a Virginia high school. It got so bad that they sent the bully to juvenile court. My son went, of course, as complainant and I went with him. The bully’s dad sent a lawyer. The judge treated it as if my boy shared some guilt for having resisted, and wasn’t of a mind to listen to me when I asked whatinhell a kid was supposed to do, lose his teeth or get scarred up? Of course my son & I got sent out of the courtroom (pardon, hearing room; juveniles don’t go to court and aren’t judged. Somebody makes a decision on how best to help the kid) when the judge announced his decision. Don’t quite know what happened, but the kid was back in school the next week — but he never bothered my son again.
In my day I had to fend off bullies as well, but self-defense wasn’t so frowned on. I remember once in 5th grade being harassed and beaten on by a 6th or 7th grader. One day he jumped me, so I popped a fist in his face, tearing open quite a nice little wound on his cheek. He retreated; he never bullied any kid again, and as long as I lived in that area he had a ragged little scar to remind him.
Now it is forbidden to strike back. Don’t, in my area, teach a kid martial arts and allow him or her to use the skills. Around here that instantly converts the situation, and the bullied kid becomes a potential felon for having used serious force in self defense. The bully is the poor victim.
Victor and Pete,
as a father and a student, I’ve been in this situation, too. My son was the smallest, skinniest kid in his class. He also suffered from ADD with one of the side affects being poor social skills. He was constantly picked on, had his lunches stolen, a jacket stolen, even the teachers would blame him for other’s actions. He had no friends so I was his friend. I enrolled him in Tai Kwon Do. Best thing I ever did. The last physical confrontation in third or fourth grade, he kicked the would-be bully down a flight of stairs. No one ever came near him or stole things from him again but there was plenty of mental punishment. He ultimately reached 3rd degree black belt and was teaching up in Boston during college. He graduates next month and has a job in logistics with one of the dollar stores’ distribution systems. I am so proud of him.
Me, I was always the last one picked, first one picked on growing up. Thick glasses do that. Things do get better but you really need to support and be with your child. Victor, you probably have been charged with simple assault? It will eat up a couple of air rifles but I advise you to get a lawyer and either fight the charge or, if the local prosecutor is taking on the case (he doesn’t have to), get a deal where the charges are placed in abeyance and if nothing further develops, they get dismissed. Good luck!!!!
Fred PRoNJ
Fred PRoNJ,
This is actually old news, but relevent to the subject of bullying. I’ve seen it too many times where bad parents will claim that “their child would never do such a thing”, even when all the evidence proves otherwise. When we look at so many societal issues where young people are involved, bad parents are half the problem. I have kept my kids out of trouble by never giving them an inch. When they were accused of something, at home they were guilty until prov-en innocent. My wife and I have embarrassed a few neighbors who thought that they were going to get off easy by pointing their finger without knowing what they were talking about. There was one parent with a rotten kid who blamed my son for bullying other kids. My wife went to every single parent of the kids that my son supposedly bullied. As it turned out, it was never my son, but the rotten son of the lady who pointed the finger at my son. The lady who accused my son suddenly didn’t want to talk about it anymore (of course).
Obviously, no child is perfect, but if you knew my son, you’d know one of the kindest, good natured, social butterfly’s who ever walked the planet. His biggest fault is that he is extremely friendly with, and accepting of, everyone, including those opposite of himself. Throughout junior and senior high school, my wife and I were always blown away at how many people he knew everywhere we went. One of my favorite Christmas presents that I’ve ever received was a picture of him and my daughter that reads, “Whoever Remains in Love Remains in God and God in Him” ~1 John 4:16. My son recently graduated from College with a degree in Kinesiology and was picked up by the top Physical Therapy organization in the Valley. He plans on continuing on with his education until he gets his PhD. His long term goal in life is to work with severely handicapped children. Yes, I am very proud of both of my kids.
Victor
By the way, I am a strict parent, but I also live for my kids, as does my wife.
Victor,
There is nothing wrong being a strict parent, my parents were very strict. I let them down many a time but I always know they love me.
I had written several paragraphs about my life, but just deleted it. What matter’s is you love your kid’s and they love you!
rikib 🙂
rikib,
Oh, I know there’s nothing wrong with being strict. My wife and I are very close with our kids. When they were young, we always watched TV with them (they never had their own TV, even now), and until they graduated high school we always ate dinner with them. When they were young we never went anywhere that our kids couldn’t go. Our kids learned from us throughout their growing up, because we always shared our experiences with them. However, we never forgot that we are their parents, and not their “friends”, although we’re that too (but nothing like peers). Now that our kids are older, they are closer to being peers than we’d ever have imagined. Our kids are now our teachers, as they are intelligent and firm in their own beliefs.
Victor
You sound like excellent parents, I know mine are. Unfortunately I did not follow in their foot tracks, I got divorced many years ago. I was in the Navy and my ex made it very difficult for me to see my two children. Thankfully now my children and I have reestablished relationships.
My parents have been there through many difficult times in my 51 years, even now that I’m older I still look to them for guidance and they are always there.
For every Mom & Dad out there, love to you all. 🙂
rikib 🙂
rikib,
None of us followed our parents best teachings faithfully. It’s like asking someone to be perfect. However, I think that a lot of us learned to realize and appreciate how special our parents were much later in our lives. I certainly did. In my case, by observing others who weren’t fortunate enough to know better about certain things, like the power and beauty of respect and sincerity.
Victor
BB,
I don’t have a decent pellet pistol. You have given me something to ponder. And thanks for putting in the last paragraph about the Marauder pistol as an alternative. At least pistols take up less room, LOL.
Thanks for the great report!
Lloyd
B.B.,
if you click on the picture of this pistol, it takes you to the PA page for it. However, if you click on the “See also” picture on the left of PA’s web-page, it takes you to what appears the exact same gun, BUT it’s $399.99 instead of $359.95. Is there a difference between the two guns? The first gun is flagged as “new”, while the second one isn’t. What gives?
Victor
OK, it is “the new and improved” version for 2011, but why is the older one more expensive?
Victor,
Here is the story, as it was told to be by Crosman. The first Silhouette PCP is priced by Crosman’s normal pricing structure. That means the retail price is 4 to 5 times the cost to build the gun. Some of that goes to the cost of advertising that increases the cost to build, and Crosman has to make a profit. Some of that then goes to the price tiers for distributors, top-tier retailers, middle-tier retailer and finally small dealers. In other words, not everyone who buys a gun from Crosman pays the same price.
To get the new pistol on the list of accepted air pistols for IHMSA matches, Crosman had to lower their price tiers and enforce MAP pricing, so the retail price would not be above the number IHMSA says is the max that a gun can cost for certain categories of competition.
Both guns cost about the same to build, but everyone has to make less on the new pistol to satisfy the IHMSA ruling. IHMSA also says that once a gun is first sold, the manufacturer cannot lower the price to conform to the IHMSA maximums. So Crosman had to create a new pistol.
B.B.
B.B.,
VERY INTERESTING!!! Makes sense. I’m glad that standards are being put in place for certain kinds of competition to level the playing field. That makes entering a field more palatable and fair.
Victor
BB,
A few questions and observations for this pistol.
First, it seems to be a real nice pistol. The specs on pyramid air list it as giving .25″ groups and I think that is ctc. For a pistol that is quite an acceptable group. For a rifle I would like better.
Can this gun be modified to give more power? That platform seems to lend itself to being capable of becoming a really good hunting gun. It only needs more power. I know you will point to the p-rod as already having that capability, but I do not like the shape or bulk of the p-rod. Also not sure the p-rod has a lw barrel, or the m-rod’s adjustable trigger.
Also can you tell me at what distance each of the air gun silhouette targets is shot in IHMSA matches?
pcp4me,
Yes, this pistol can be modified to have greater power, but the reason I belabored the point that you shouldn’t think that way is because this is an expensive and very completed pistol. You are far better off starting with a 2240 to get wherever you want to go.
You point out that the Marauder pistol doesn’t have a Lothar Walther barrel. But that doesn’t necessarily make it any less accurate than this pistol. And in fact it isn’t. Look at my accuracy test of the Marauder pistol and you’ll see it is very accurate. As for the “bulk” you must be referring to the shroud around the barrel, because except for that, the splinter forearm and the magazine, these two guns are virtually the same.
/blog/2011/01/benjamin-marauder-pistol-part-4/
The trigger in the Marauder pistol is different than the trigger in the Marauder rifle, but it isn’t worse in any respect. It breaks cleanly and is adjustable.
As for the IHMSA pistol silhouette rules, look here:
http://www.ihmsa.org/2009%20rulebook%20final.pdf
B.B.
BB,
One other reason the Marauder pistol may be perceived as bulkier is the length.
Marauder pistol overall length: 18.00″
Crosman Silhouette pistol overall length: 14.75″
AR
AR Tinkerer,
That would be the shroud.
B.B.
Wow am I late to this party. Can’t afford the Silhouette, in fact I can’t afford the Henry H001Y .22 rifle I just got so my Red Ryder will have a brother (not sure if I can call it a big brother, it’s hardly bigger) but now I want a 2240!
I had a 1377 and thought so little of it, I sold it plus my shootumupski for $50 to a guy, for both.
When will you have the next part of the RWS 350 in .177? You seem to do other series closer together. Even with a different scope and having done the test a while back.
EJBahnsen,
There won’t be a part 4 to the 350 report, because I mistakenly had Mac ship the rifle back to Pyramyd AIR.
I’m sorry, but I sometimes make mistakes.
B.B.