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Favorites

by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier

The reaction to the accuracy test with the Cometa Fusion Premier Star air rifle brought a lot of feelings to the surface. Those feelings impressed me to the point of writing this report.

I don’t like all airguns equally. And there are some airguns that I really don’t care for at all. But I can’t overlook any of them because someone does care. Someone does like exactly the gun I don’t like, and to them that gun is a delight in many ways. So, regardless of how I feel, I try to put my feelings aside when I look at an airgun for the first time.

Let me get specific without naming any names. Some of you dislike spring guns. You find them difficult to shoot and not as accurate as you would like.

Then there are others who like only spring guns. The rest of the airguns can go to the landfill, as far as they’re concerned.

I could go on and do the same for each powerplant, but I think you get what I’m saying. Each type of airgun has its fans and also its detractors. Nothing new there!

But what if there’s a wonderful experience awaiting you, and it’s buried deep inside a pile of airguns you’re not interested in? What happens then?

Many years ago when The Airgun Letter was still being published, a local reader called me to “pick my brain.” That was what they always said — they wanted to pick my brain. But after a couple hundred times of getting my brain picked, I discovered that wasn’t what they wanted at all. They could care less about what I thought. What they really wanted was for me to agree with them that what they thought was right.

So, this one reader told me that he’d just bought an RWS Diana 34. He thought it was very expensive for what it was, but maybe I could help him understand why it cost so much and was so inaccurate. Well, it turned out that this guy had read all about the artillery hold in my newsletter, but he never tried it. Naturally, he wasn’t getting any accuracy from his new rifle. Once I convinced him that the artillery hold really worked and he should try it, he did. Then, he was delighted with his new airgun! For awhile, anyway.

A couple more weeks passed and I got another call from the guy. Had I ever heard of the Beeman Crow Magnum air rifle? Yes, I had. Then why, he wondered, had I not told him about it when he called to tell me about his Diana 34? What do you say to that?

I think I then told him that the Daystate Huntsman pellet rifle was extremely accurate, to which he responded that he could never be interested in a precharged airgun because of all the other stuff you had to buy to go with it.

This man was not ready to hear about precharged air rifles, so nothing I said was going to have any impact. At this point in time he was in the midst of his spring-gun days and that was all he was interested in, thank you very much. If he then took up precharged guns a year later, he would probably wonder where they had been all his life; but until he made the decision to change, they were invisible to him.

We have the same thing going on here on this blog. Some of you are interested only in 10-meter target guns and find the rest of the stuff we cover to be a bore. You tolerate the other stuff out of politeness, waiting for your turn in the sun. As far as you’re concerned, I don’t address the most important topics often enough because I’m always wasting my time on things nobody cares about.

I get that. I understand it, and I don’t want to change you one bit. However — please acknowledge that there are airgun-related things that you might find very enjoying, but they’re buried deep in the bowels of the stuff that doesn’t interest you right now. My job is to show you everything, so you can see if any of it is of interest.

Okay, here is something else that’s hard to deal with. Two men talk about accuracy and one says something like, “I don’t like it when an airgun is too easy to shoot accurately. I like it to be a challenge!”

WHAT?

Then I see a group that pleases this shooter — 5 shots at 20 yards that can be covered by a quarter. He thinks that’s accurate. And I’m not going to argue with him. If he thinks it’s accurate, then it is.

But the other fellow wants to put 10 shots inside a quarter-inch at 40 yards. That’s his definition of accuracy. He would not think much of a 20-yard, 5-shot group that fits under a quarter. In fact, he would think it was a failure.

I have to talk about accuracy to both these guys, as well as to the guy with the abacus in his hand who always couches everything he says with the term “for the price.”

If I could transport some of you to my range and put a Fast Deer or an Evanix Conquest in your hands and let you experience what I have, I bet I’d see the smiles on your faces. Even you diehard spring-gun chaps would have to admit that putting 10 pellets into a half-inch at 50 yards with a Condor is fun stuff. And those who think the Benjamin 392 is all they’ll ever need still find a Diana 27 captivating the first time they shoot one. Shooting one after shooting a multi-pumper feels like walking across a carpet in your stocking feet after trudging 10 miles through deep snow.

I guess what I am saying is that most of us need a bucket list of things we’re going to do before we leave the range for the last time. Even if chocolate-covered baby bees do not become your personal favorite snack food, it’s good to say you’ve tried them one time. Not all chicken tastes like rattlesnake, you know.

Last word
I’ll leave you with this. I didn’t say it — blog reader Victor did.

I was just explaining to a friend this Sunday that you have to take customer reviews with a grain of salt when it comes to new springers. I told him that a lot of customers write bad reviews because they simply don’t know some basic things about technique, but that once they know…everything changes. Suddenly, that inaccurate rifle that they hated becomes accurate. He said that had it not been for me teaching him how to shoot a springer, that he would have been one of those negative reviews.

Relating to this article, the first time I let him try a few of my air rifles, one of them had a freshly installed scope, and we experience the “floating erector tube” issue. Like this Cometa rifle, my groups just wandered about. It wasn’t until the next session that it started to work. Now, that scope and rifle are performing very well.

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.

53 thoughts on “Favorites”

  1. VERY good blog today! All us kids need such reminders periodically to help keep us in line. It is so true that our different perspectives, experiences, etc. shape our opinions, definitions…

    Some may have noticed by a few of my postings that I may be just a little biased against some versions of air guns. That does not stop me from reading this blog everyday. B.B.’s reports and the comments provide a wealth of knowledge which I and others cannot afford to obtain through personal experience.

    Also, should the opportunity arise I will gladly try out any and all air guns even though I know I will not want to own it personally. Who knows, I might miss out on a life changing experience should I not do such. And should the truth be known, there have not been any times that I have been shooting air guns that I have not had at least a little fun.

  2. I am one of those interested only in springers. But I don’t try to fool myself with this, the reason is the money you have to invest in precharged. I know if I had more money (I hope in the future…) I will like a good quality PCP. Actually I think I know the model. I read more about springers, cause that’s my world now, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in other stuff, of course. I read nearly everything in this blog, thanks for it.

  3. I’m not interested in a lot of things reviewed, analyzed, mentioned in this blog. But I read them, because I know I can learn from them. A little tidbit here, a morsel there, it’s all good. This blog was what probably got me interested in PCP’s; and now I have quite the number of them. I’m a 10 meter guy, but also shoot out to 100 feet (the limit of my backyard “range”) with a number of springers and PCP’s.

    I read this blog like a fanatic. It’s the first thing I open every day.

    Thanks B.B. for all the hard work you do and covering the myriad of topics that you do. I for one, deeply appreciate all that you do.

  4. Heck waiting for my day in the sun? It seems like all of your blogs are interesting to me. I just can’t get enough, just wish you would do two a day. I used to listen to your podcast while helping my wife around the house. It just about drove her crazy she would say at least it’s air guns and not girly magazines. Guess she doesn’t see a TX200 like I do! So can I pick your brain twice a day?

  5. SO many cliche’s come to mind….
    “You can please some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time,” “Variety is the spice of life,” and “Opinions are like you-know-whats, everyone’s got one and they’re all full of you-know-what.”

    Human nature, it’s a mystery!

    When I was in my 20’s I knew everything. : )
    Time certainly changes one’s perspective. As I get older I’ve come to realize I don’t know a darn thing about anything!
    You could write an article about dust and I’d still read every word.

  6. Amen brother Gaylord! I’m not near as experienced as most shooters out here are. I got out of shooting for a long time. Disillusioned by stiff neck land owners and the like. I now have a Marauder PCP in .22 cal. I was frustrated because I had a hard time finding a pellet it liked. I have found a couple now, but up until that time I was about to pull my hair out. Then I started reading this article.

    You have the patience of Job Mr. Gaylord, and I for one am grateful.

    Chris

    • Chris,
      I have a .22 Marauder also. I’d be interested in knowing what is working for you. Make sure you try the .22 14.3gr Crosman Premiers in the cardboard box. Not the tin from what I’ve heard. Now, it has been a while since I bought a box but the ones I have now are very good.
      -Chuckj

      • Hey Chuck.

        Sorry for the delay. I have found the H&N Field Target and the H&N Barracuda pellets have done well in the rifle. I haven’t had a chance to test them out further but a dime covered a 10 shot group at 25 yards.

        Chris

  7. B.B.,

    It seems to me that airguns are a lot like automobiles. Just as there are a variety of different vehicles to choose from (sedans, pickups, SUVs, etc.), there are a variety of different kinds of airguns (springers, PCPs, multi-pumps, etc.) Naturally, whenever an auto commercial advertises a car, truck or SUV, it always touts the vehicle for having some feature that is “best-in-class” (whether it be torque, mileage, or whatever else). The key point is that comparisons are made against other “in-class” autos.

    Frankly, I wish that air gunners would also take to being “class-oriented” in their comparisons. I realize that you personally try to avoid making direct comparisons between airguns, except when it is definitely warranted (such as in your reviews of the Beeman P3 and P17); however, I do appreciate that when you do make comparisons, you do so between airguns that are similar (at least similar in terms of their power plant). What irks me is when comparisons are made without respect for an airgun’s “class.” To put it bluntly, although I might respect the performance of someones Marauder, I don’t necessarily want to hear (as I once did) how it stacks up against the R9. The two are very different guns. They may both be very good, but they are not really intended for comparison–just as no informed person would make any serious comparison (except of a most vague nature) between a Ford F350 and a Toyota Yaris!

    I happen to be a fan of lower-powered springers (I have both a Bronco and an R7…and thinking about hunting down a Diana 25 or 27 after your blog yesterday), but I also enjoy my collection of CO2 action pistols. On the contrary, I am not that fond of multi-pumps, and am somewhat indifferent to PCPs. However, I still enjoy this blog (and other sources of information–though they are few and far between) on all kinds of airguns, simply for the educational value. I can also appreciate why someone else would have very different taste in airguns than I do, but I would prefer that if they make comparisons, they do so with respect to the kind of airgun they are talking about.

    Statements of fact that are highly charged with absolutist language fit within other topics of conversation (e.g. religion, morals, etc.), but with airguns, personal preference is paramount, and I appreciate greatly when others respect my airgun likes and dislikes, recognizing that they are just that–personal preferences.

    • Lee A.,

      Many people…and probably the majority of people…look at the price. How much bang for the buck? If you look at the Beeman R9 and compare it to the Benjamin Marauder, you’ll see that the Marauder has higher velocity, can be shot single-shot or as a repaeater, and is $30 cheaper than the R9. When you visit the whole issue that spring guns are more hold-sensitive than PCPs, that’s another point for the Marauder. Yes, you need ancillary equipment for PCPs; but if you own several PCPs, then the cost of the support equipment is spread over several guns & won’t be considered a negative point or even given a second thought if enough guns are involved.

      Edith

  8. When it all stops being fun or enjoyable …. I just lose interest. We all need to keep a little “kid” in us. Things are simply too serious these days. I do this activity …. because I enjoy it. Nice blog.

  9. I like pretty much all airguns except for magnum springers. I’m not exactly sure what people see in them other than “big stick makes big boom”, some of them are very pretty (yes I’m looking at you Remington Summit) but they’re such a pain to shoot especially when you try other types of airguns.
    I made the jump to PCP’s last year with a first and soon a second one and they’re great but I think there will always be a place in everyone heart for a nice springer. The fun factor of small springer does it everytime for me.
    Most of us started shooting airguns with springers, no filling, no pumping, no cartridge. You just cock, load and shoot.
    If it’s a small one like yesterdays Diana, the Bronco or one of my favorites the Slavia 618. You can plink in your backyard alone or with friends all day long and not worry about a thing other than running out of pellets, drinks or snacks.

    J-F

  10. Kevin,

    I went over to Forum 54 yesterday and just sat mesmerized by your Paul Watts conditioned Walther 55 rifle. I think that rifle should either be in a museum or hung on the wall over one of your many fireplaces. It is a showstopper!

    Fred DPRoNJ

  11. Okay, I’ll just add my ‘as usual you’re so right b.b.’ input.
    I’ve never got the thinking that goes…”I just don’t know why people like (this or that) because it just isn’t as good as what I like”
    My feeling has always been that it isn’t their’s to get…I like what I like and you can like what you like. It’s what makes the world so interesting…to me it would be a boring world indeed if we all shot springers, drove minivans and lived in two bedroom bungalows.

  12. I had been lusting after an airforce talon ss since I first laid eyes on it. I thought it was the most awsome looking gun I had ever seen. The problem was I didn’t have the money for one and wasn’t likely to have it for a very long time. Eventually I got the money to get one but hesitated because I also needed to have a way to fill it and the pumps are not cheap and not included. Eventually I got a pump along with a discovery but no longer had the money for the talon ss. I loved my discovery. It was powerful accurate and had no recoil. So I decided to save up, sacrafice and get the talon ss. Wasn’t going to happen… ever. Michigan had banned all guns that had a noise reducing system such as a shroud. Instead I had to literally make my own talon ss using a condor and putting in my own 12″ barrel. About the time i got the gun (with co2 tank because it was cheaper) they came up with the spinloc tanks. Naturally I got one. Now I have what I think is the most awsome gun ever made and I have a 24″ barrel for distance and power, the power of a condor, and a 12″ barrel for close and quiet work. Since I got it, my other guns have sat there collecting dust unused and unnecessarry. I like my condor so much I even gave it a name. it’s the “Marvelous Magnificent Mad Madam Mim”. For those of you that think that’s an odd name, It’s a rather obscure Disney villain from “sword in the stone”. I chose the name since the gun is able to become whatever I need it to be just like the disney villain that could fo from evil witch, to chicken, to badger, to pink draggon with purple spots and be maniacle all the while.

  13. B.B. –

    As much as I value your research and you opinion, the thing that I like most about you is your frankness. Call ’em like you see ’em. I’ll be there to read it almost every morning. I may not comment on every blog post… I’m not a complainer… but I do let the content soak in. As a result of your forthright writing style, I’ve grown to trust you and your opinions enough to buy what you recommend. Not always a specific recommendation, like the steel frame IZH61… good call on that one, by the way… but often a concept like buying a gun that is a joy to shoot, rather than one that is a chronograph terror. When I took that lesson to heart, I splurged and bought the no-compromise gun that I always wanted. I shoot it every day, and it is a consistent pleasure to shoot. Since I don’t compete or hunt, that makes it perfect for me.

    Hang in there and keep doing it your way.

    – Jim

      • B.B. –

        Answering the question of what rifle I shoot every day would only open me and my choice to criticism or agreement, now wouldn’t it? The point of neglecting that bit of info is this… It doesn’t really matter to anyone but me. As I mentioned, I’m not a competitor or hunter, so I don’t shoot for measured results. For me, the important part is the process. I spend every day thinking about a thousand things at once. To sit behind the trigger at the end of a long day, thinking about only one thing, is a relaxing luxury. Once I realized that I was actually using my trigger time as “therapy”, spending a little of my money on it seemed like a very good idea. The make and model of the equipment, the level of tuning, etc., is only important to the point that I don’t let little things like inherent inaccuracy, a poor trigger, or a “buzzy” firing cycle spoil something that I have been looking forward to all day. You can relate to that, can’t you?

        – Jim

  14. I’m one of those guys who loves the challenge of a springer. I shoot them more than anything, and yes, I do own a couple PCP’s; an FWB 700 ALU, and a Marauder. Also, I come from the world of precision shooting including; 3 Anschutz rifles, and 2 FWB springers. Some might think that I’d have “higher standards”, but it’s in my nature to enjoy challenges. Since I was young I always felt that I should be able to shoot anything.

    I hadn’t considered a springer until I discovered this blog. After buying my first, I realized that I had a lot to learn. In fact, I felt like I had to start all over again. I’m a bit heavy-handed, so in the beginning my wife could easily out shoot me. It took me months to soften-up and acquire the finesse needed to shoot a springer. Now I’m hooked on the challenge of mastering these beasts. I’d imagine that it’s similar to breaking in wild horses, just not as dangerous.

    However, I also do appreciate that cost matters to a lot of people. From the beginning I thought about being able to go out to the open desert with a group of friends and family. I didn’t want them to be scared away from the cost, so I’ve bought a bunch of lower-end airguns in the price range of about $150 to $400, just to learn more about them. I’m glad I’ve taken this interest and approach because of my recent experience with a friend, and previous experiences with family. I find that my springer’s are fairly accurate, but some are more “distance limited”. Lower velocity rifles that shoot light pellets are too easily affected by wind, so they must remain as “backyard shooters”.

    The other extreme are my higher powered .22 caliber air-rifles, including my Gamo Hunter Extreme. I can take this Gamo out to 100 yards, but am very satisfied with it’s accuracy at 50 yards. It’s heavy to cock, but that doesn’t bother me. I can shoot it all day. It was one of my biggest challenges, but one for which I’ve gotten a lot of satisfaction. To each his own, I guess.

    Victor

  15. Since I shoot all kinds of stuff, I don’t need to make excuses for not having anything else. I like what I like and don’t like what I don’t like. I often have trouble deciding what I want to shoot. Sometimes take out two or three different rifles.

    twotalon

  16. I’ve long since given up on trying to get someone a ‘best’ anything, especially something as open to personal interpretation as firearms or airguns. Instead I let them try what I have or take them to a place where they can try other stuff as rentals and let THEM figure it out.

    I myself actually don’t use springers, simply because, even with the proper hold, I can’t seem to shoot them accurately. But that’s entirely ME and I know it, because I can (and have) taken the same rifle, given it to someone else, and it works fine. So logically, I simply need to stick with my own preferences and I gave the spring rifle to the guy who decided he absolutely loved it.

    I never expect anyone to agree with me on my preferences and I don’t expect them to adopt mine. It makes life much easier and there’s so many options nothing is lost if everyone chooses differently.

    • Grant,

      There certainly are plenty of people here who don’t agree on certain airguns. But at the same time, no one here, including yourself, goes around beating anyone up for having a difference of opinion. The extent to which one is open to a wide variety of airgun types is purely personal. Some people are much more patient than others, while others are quick to converge on what they like. It’s also a difference in what wants to get out of this hobby, or not. Some see this as a hobby, and others (likely not in this group) just want a tool that does some job. I simply like shooting, and more importantly shooting well. But my interest in shooting also includes taking up on some challenges. Shooting is such a personal thing that it doesn’t make sense to expect that anyone can ever know what it’s like to see things from within your own skin. We can only imagine, or not.

      Victor

  17. Well said BB, you have educated me on air guns, and you keep my intrest in air guns. It’s been a new hobby for me for only a couple of years, but with your help it’s becoming a more enjoyable one. Like others have said you call it the way it is, and if you say it’s not a straight shooter, I know it’s not the gun for me. Thank you, and thank you Edith for keeping him in line.

  18. I’d say 90% of the comments here prove exactly what Tom was talking about.

    My personal situation is that I am still searching for that holy grail, 10m one holer. I have multiple springers, PCPs and CO2 guns but none of them shoot those one holers enough, even at 10m. My best ones still get those flyers that enlarge my groups out to 1/4″. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored until I consistently shoot a 10 pellet group the size of one pellet hole and won all the trophys from all the competitions.

    I wish you people would stop mentioning the TX200. I don’t want one…I don’t want one…Oh I gotta have one.

    -Chuckj

  19. B.B., I have a confession or two to make. Firstly, I purchased a Crosman 3576 in 1983. I couldn’t pinpoint the year until I ready your January 19, 2006 blog. I didn’t have it long and I shot it even less. I suppose I wasn’t happy that it didn’t behave like a Colt Python. My accuracy with the Crosman and the Colt were equally dismal. I hadn’t shot any handgun since ’83 until I participated in the men’s group a couple of Saturdays ago. Before the day was out I knew I seriously wanted to more proficiently shoot handguns and I decided I would start with an air pistol. I have been prejudiced against CO2 guns, but decided this is the best place to start.

    I did a bit of personal research and now I have a new Crosman 357W/3576 (darned if I know what the “W” is about). It is lighter and has no recoil, but otherwise it has the look and feel of a practical handgun. I am having some difficulty with the open sights. I feel like I must really contort myself to get lined up. I suspect I will become more comfortable after adequate practice. However, I had a Daisy Electronic Point Sight lying around so I decided to try it on the pistol. Preliminary results suggest I will be using this inexpensive red dot sight for a while (then remove it and work with just the open sights). Other than this one addition I will continue to work on stance, grip, breathing and the other fundamentals of handgun shooting.

    I appreciate your affirmation, B. B. I do believe the 3576 is a very good choice for achieving my current goal. ~Ken

    • Ken,

      The W means it has wood grips.

      It sounds like you may be trying too hard. If you had a problem getting accuracy from a Colt Python, then the problem was most likely on your end. I’ve never know a Python that wasn’t right on.

      I suggest that you start at 5 feet from the target. Be sure to wear safety glasses all the time. Practice a 6-o’clock hold at 5 feet until you can’t miss. Then back up to 8 feet. Then 12 feet, 15 feet, 20 feet and finally 25 feet. If you take your time, you should be able to put every shot in a quarter-sized group at 25 feet after a couple weeks of practice.

      Good luck and let us know how it goes.

      B.B.

      • B.B., I can’t check this just now but I think I may need to hold my hands higher than I have been. Also, although I am not a 10 meter person as far as competition goes, I do want to shoot the 3576 the way you have described at 10 meters (after I pass the 25 foot mark using the two hand firing). ~Ken

      • B.B., thank you for the tips. I was indeed trying to hard. Today has been warm enough to shoot the CO2 outside. I took the little red dot off. As I mentioned to dangerdongle my two inch groups at ten feet are nothing to brag about, but definitely better than I was doing a few days ago. I’ll hold off writing more until I have something worth reporting about the airgun and about my shooting (although you may well hear from me about other things in the mean time). ~Ken

  20. B.B., I know now that I don’t have a 357w (and that is fine by me). I have no doubt the accuracy problem is on my end. Until two weeks ago I had never been taught and never did any research on my own to learn to shoot a hand gun accurately. Already I have done better than I did before I started reading (and watching a few YouTube videos I believe are credible).

    Thank you for the tips. I do believe I will be able to become more comfortable. Right now it seems I have to lower my neck to line up well on the front sight. If I don’t lower my neck I am aiming low when I line up the front and rear sights. I am focusing on the front sight. I will start at 5 feet and I will wear safety glasses. I am also practicing keeping my finger off the trigger until I am ready to shoot; this is one I have found will take some deliberate effort.

    I mentioned that I had been prejudiced against CO2 guns. Actually, I was biased against them. You wrote of the Tim Allen monologue back in ’06:
    /blog/2006/01/how-do-6-groove-barrels-compare-to-12-groove-barrels/
    You can easily lump me into that group. I still love the Boss Hoss bikes, but as you wrote, “…totally useless, I want one.” Now I have a reason to own this CO2 pistol. I understand what I want to achieve with it and I understand that it is a very good learning tool.

    ~Ken

    • Ken I hope you don’t mind a little info from one of the new guys, but there’s a couple things to watch for with the 357 that can greatly affect accuracy-First, if you’re shooting single action, you may notice a bit of grittyness right at the end of travel before the trigger breaks. This was causing me to pull to the right ever so slightly and is due to mold lines (or flashing) on the sear. It’s simple enough to polish out if you’re willing to take the gun apart. Secondly the barrel may be floating fore and aft inside it’s plastic “sheath” (I’m not sure what else to call it) and if it isn’t, it will eventually. A dab of epoxy, hot glue, or what have you will do the trick. This doesn’t affect accuracy until you shoot out to further distances, where the gap will allow enough gas to escape that it can drastically lower your POI.

      I apologize if this is all old news to you. : )

      • BTW BB, wow a little harsh on us 500 mag owners eh? (from the link Ken posted) …..”breakfast of complete fools who can’t wait for the world to know it.”
        I had to laugh at that.. I have a several firearms in ‘lesser’ calibers that are far more difficult to shoot.
        The big rascal’s useful to me because I hike and mountain climb, and it’s effective against large game without having to lug around a heavy rifle.

        And if you run out of ammo it can be used as a club!

      • dangerdongle, I never mind info, pointers, tips you may offer. I will be watching for what you have alerted me to. Right now, shooting single action seems to be okay. B.B. said he thought I was trying to hard. I have to thank him for that. I took the little red dot of the handgun. Today is warm enough to shoot CO2 outside so I ran through a few clips out back (clip or magazine?, I know the semi auto uses a magazine but I am less sure which the .357 uses). Anyway, it has become clear that practicing stance, grip, aim and all is a matter of practice. Today was better. Two inch spread at 10 feet is hardly something to brag about but it is better than I was doing a few days ago (so I can at least feel better about my potential).

        I’ll be watching for the “floating fore and aft”.

        Thank you,
        ~Ken

      • dangerdongle, never have I found anything quicker than what you wrote about the barrel floating fore and aft. I am going to go slowly and make sure I actually fix this and not cause myself a further problem.

        ~Ken

        • I don’t think it will affect anything at 10 feet but it makes a difference at 30 yards-about an inch and a half drop in my case. I’m on my 3rd gun now, (the first two met untimely ends through no fault of their own) and as far as I can tell there’s nothing in place to actually hold the barrel securely. Drove me nuts trying to figure out what was going on!
          And for someone just getting used to a new gun I wouldn’t call a 2 inch spread bad at all! There are some days I don’t think I could hit the side of an aircraft carrier if I were standing right next to it.

  21. B.B., rarely you gt off track–lose my interest. It’s usually when you blog powder guns which I have no knowledge and little interest Now. Almost always I’m fascinated with your blogs and love the variety–even the occasional powder gun talk (especially as you’ve helped me understand the relationship of powder to pellet guns.)

    I would love for you to do several ‘review columns where you stated your top 10 springer rifles and why, single pump pistols and why. Tat would save a lot of time for those hunting the perfect gun in their price range.

    Really, you’re just a fantastic asset to the sport and have helped it bloom as much as any other man or event. I really mean that.
    Rob

    • Rob,

      No need to apologize for misspelling with an iPad. I wrote a couple blogs with it, and the Apple spelling committee had a field day with my gun terms!

      Ten best springers, eh? IO don’t know if there are as many as that. How about my favorite springers?

      And I assume “one-pump” means single-stroke pneumatics?

      B.B.

  22. You too kind, dangerdongle, and I appreciate it. I don’t know when or even if I will be able to shoot well at 30 yards. As far as the 2 inch spread goes, I am pleased. It is not only a new gun, it is getting used to shooting a handgun. I fully expect to increase my shooting distance as I improve. For now, I will stay at 10 feet and work on the fundamentals. For the money, I believe the 3576 is a good buy. ~Ken

  23. Hi B.B.,
    Yes I was just suggesting you write a series compiling your favorites among different types of pellet/bb guns. Your top 5 or top 10 as it may be, and comparing/contrasting the guns so we understand your logic. As you’ve said the best gun isn’t the fastest, but the best one for the job you’re doing. So maybe compare types of hunting, target, indoor, etc guns. It would/could pull together your years of experience together in a few paragraphs–we could read the details of the guns in your past in-depth blogs so you wouldn’t be reinventing your own wheel…just rolling it out for us to see.

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