by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Announcement: Pyramyd Air’s Big Shot of the Month for February is Albert Kong. He’ll receive a $100 gift card. Congratulations! If you’d like a chance to be the next Big Shot, you can enter on Pyramyd Air’s Facebook page.
Albert Kong is the March Big Shot of the Month on Pyramyd Air’s facebook page.
This past week, I was in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, the home of Umarex USA, to participate in some of the filming of the new American Airgunner television show. The show will start airing on the Pursuit Channel in July, and from what I saw during the filming, it’s going to be very fast-paced and interesting. They selected Rossi Morreale as the host, and I don’t think they could have made a better choice. Rossi’s resume includes hosting shows like Belly of the Beast, NBC’s Escape Routes and my favorite — Junkyard Mega-Wars. A former wide receiver for the Arkansas Razorbacks, he’s just as nice and genuine off-camera as he is on, and he really puts a lot of energy into his work.
Rossi and I filmed some outdoor show segments at the cabin in the hills above Ft. Smith.
Rick Eutsler and Jim Chapman joined me for the filming, so we all got to hang out and talk airguns for several days. I love this job! On camera, the three of us participated in something called the Round Table, which will be a regular show segment. Our perspectives on each topic are different, and it was nice to hear what the other guys had to say about the issues.
We also toured the facility while I was there. I got to see their warehouse (which they’ve now outgrown), their quality control facility, their technical department (where all your questions get answered), the offices of their corporate staff and last — but far from least — their indoor firing range.
The warehouse is “just” a warehouse, except that it has narrow aisles with cables laid beneath the floor to guide electronic pickers through the maze. The one thing that impressed me was the cleanliness and high level of light in these spaces. They’re growing so fast that they had to expand the warehouse into other space that was originally reserved for manufacturing. Because large shipments pass through the warehouse all the time, things have to be maintained shipshape and organized — and believe me, they are!
Marketing director Justin Biddle showed me the lithographed box for the P-08 BB pistol I recently tested for you. The P-08 joins the Makarov in the Legends line marketed by Umarex.
Quality technician Rustin Bates is responsible for testing the quality of all products that pass through the doors. He pulls samples from incoming shipments and inspects them to make sure they meet corporate quality standards.
Quality control at Umarex USA is an ongoing task, not just because they continually receive products from many manufacturers that must be checked, but also because they watch for product changes that might not have been announced. They do plan on manufacturing at Ft. Smith in the future, so the QC space is much larger than even the current high traffic volume demands.
Besides the QC lab, they also have a large space reserved for returns from commercial accounts. Large customers, such as the big discount chains, have varying policies regarding returns, and Umarex USA has to take all this product back. Some companies allow returns for any reason and spend no time looking at them before shipping them back. They just return them for credit. Other chains have stricter policies, plus they do some evaluation of the returns before sending them back. But whatever comes back must be checked — whether or not it was ever opened.
Everything that comes back from the commercial accounts flows through the returns department, where it’s restored to new condition and repackaged by service technicians. I don’t know about you, but I hate putting a gun back into the box exactly the way it came from the factory, and these guys and gals have to do it with dozens of different guns hundreds of times each day.
The consumer side of the house
After seeing the commercial side of their operations, we were taken through the consumer side. This is where all of you interface with the company; and after seeing it, I have great confidence that you’ll be well-served.
Our first stop was in the service department, where the technicians work on customer repairs and modifications. Department head, Glenn Seiter, showed us through his shop.
Janice Raab, Walther’s Director of Marketing for Competitive Shooting, talks with Jim Chapman (left, and Rossi) in the Umarex repair shop.
One of two chronograph ranges in the repair shop. This one is for pellet guns and airsoft. The other one is for firearms and has a snail bullet trap and an expensive air filtration system.
Glenn then took us to his call center, where the technicians handle all the service calls. He monitors every call for the time it takes to answer, the time spent resolving the problem and so on. Those statistics are displayed for each technician on a large monitor in the hall outside the call center offices so everyone can see how they’re doing. Glenn uses this information to know that his shop is keeping pace with demand or if he needs to add a person to maintain turnaround time.
Also in the hall is a large cabinet with every model gun currently in the Umarex/RWS inventory. When someone calls with a question, the technician can go get the same gun the caller has, so they can talk about it in detail. That’s a wonderful idea!
The indoor range
The tour ended at the company’s indoor range, where Rick Eutsler and I were offered the opportunity to shoot several Umarex airguns, BB guns and Walther firearms. The range has two 50-yard lanes with automatic target carriers, so we each took up a position and opened fire.
Rossi looks on as Rustin checks the lane for us. Before the range went hot, we all donned safety glasses and hearing protection.
Would I like to shoot the new Walther .22 rimfire PPK/S? You betcha!
Rick and I spent considerable time on the range while Rossi traveled to a cabin in the hills to film more segments for the show. I made sure Rick got to try the new Walther LGV rifle, and he liked it just as much as I.
We both enjoyed shooting Walther’s new 9mm PPQ and PPX pistols. I found them both to be as accurate as my 1911s, plus they recoil about the same even though they’re a pound lighter because of their synthetic frames.
Things yet to come
At dinner one evening, I sat next to Martin Wonisch, a managing partner of Umarex. When I thanked him for bringing out the P-08 pistol this year, he asked me what other guns I would like to see in their Legends lineup besides the Makarov. I mentioned the C96 (Broomhandle) Mauser, and he told me that it’s in the works. He also confirmed that it will have blowback.
The C96 (Broomhandle) Mauser pistol is coming. It will have blowback!
Then, I said the Colt Single Action Army, and we discussed the challenge of doing that. The SAA grip is too short to accept a 12-gram CO2 cartridge, but I mentioned that the Colt 1860 Army grip is a half-inch longer and might work in its place. He said they would look into it. But did I have any more iconic handguns I’d like to see?
I thought for several moments and started to suggest things most of you wouldn’t recognize — like the S&W Triple Lock and the Colt New Service revolvers. Then it hit me — the most iconic double-action revolver of all — the Colt Python! Because Umarex can now put a mirror finish on their pellet guns, I felt they could nail the Colt Royal Blue finish found on many of the Pythons. So, I spoke for all of you and recommended they look at producing the Python soon. I know I will buy one!
Wrap-up
The trip to Ft. Smith was a success in all respects. We got a tremendous amount of film in the can because of the super-professional film crew from 5-Star Productions, and I got to work with some wonderful people both on- and off-camera. The tour of Umarex USA was an eye-opener for me, plus it gave me a number of ideas for future articles and blogs.
Best of all, I was able to communicate my appreciation for the new Walther LGV rifle. I told them I was prolonging the test(s) of the new rifle until the first shipments arrive for U.S. sales (so they will sell me the test gun) and was told they would be here in about one month. It won’t be that long before some of you can join me in celebrating the best new spring gun of this century.
What a great blog, visiting Umarex (or PA, or Weihrauch, or Crosman) is like an airgunner dream come true.
The Mauser is great news! Did you happen to see the Steel Force? The pics I’ve seen look very promising and interest me a lot.
They could also build a nice Thompson replica on either the MP5 or SteelStorm plateform.
J-F
J-F,
What is the Steel Force? Do you mean the Steel Storm? I did shoot a compact BB semiauto with a folding stock that might have been called the Steel Force, but nobody mentioned the name to me.
B.B.
It’s the steel force. It’s supposed to be the exact same internals as the steel storm but instead of looking like an H&K sub-machine gun (correct terminology?) It looks like an AR rifle.
Some online stores already have a page for it. I can’t give you the link to the guy in Canada who talked about it as he now also has a US store. He showed the rifle in one of his SHOT show reports. I always liked the Steel Storm but the lack of shoulder stock prevented me from buying one but the steel force would make a great looking addition to my small collection and one hell of a backyard can killer!
J-F
J-F,
I will make inquiries. I’m surprised they didn’t show it to me at SHOT.
B.B.
I don’t know why I didn’t think about it this morning.
I can’t put the link to his website but I can link to his youtube vid about it!
So here it is, I made it start at 7:04 to get right to the point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9m_Dv5lDM?t=7m4s
J-F
Is that Josh Ungier at the Crosman booth around 10:30?
J-F
J-F,
No, that’s not Josh.
B.B.
So you watch the vid! At least you got to see the Steel Force! 6 shot bursts sounds like a perfect plan to rip thru cans (and generate a ton of ricochet). I want one!
J-F
Tom,
Hope you’re back home safe and sound from Ft. Smith. Assume the cats and wife gave you the loving balling out for being gone.
What is that gun you’re holding in the first photo with open sights and the straight trigger alongside that Euster fellow?
What an amazing trip. Would have paid to be a fly on the wall in those multiple encounters.
Can’t wait to see how the new Walther LGV is received in the USA. Seems that the marketing is lacking for the USA airgunners. I understand. Hope I’m surprised by sales.
Hard for me to get excited about airgun pistol introductions but the mauser broomhandle is a classic that surprises me that no airgun manufacturer has copied and the colt python is one of the few handguns that I admire. The colt 1860 Army seems a not brainer as well as the the colt python. Surprised we haven’t seen these yet.
kevin
Kevin,
I’m standing beside Rossi Morreale, the show host. I’m holding the gallery dart gun that I took with me for a “This Old Gun” segment.
B.B.
Kevin,
I hope you meant bawling out.
-Chuckj
Congratulations on your appearing in future episodes of American Airgunner. I know your experience and expertise will give airguns the shot in the arm it deserves. For too long, the reputation of airguns as being a sport for 12-16 year old’s, has been prevalent in the gun community. A good starter, but a grown up shoots a ‘real’ gun. I’m not saying shooting programs for 4H, boy/girl scouts, etc, are not important. On the contrary. This is be the place where we can educate future adult airgun owners. It is essential if we want our sport to have a legitimate place along side the powder burners. Also, let me say congratulations on becoming the first Walther LGV owner in America. Or is that North America? The way you continue to sing it’s praises, has ensured that I will be doing business with Walther when the LGV becomes available in Canada. Although I have yet to touch, or lay my eyes on one, I’m with you when you say it is the best spring gun to come along in a century. One needs only gaze at the technology that goes into making this gun so special, and you will become an LGV convert.
Caio Titus
I am looking forward to the new season of American Airgunner. Quite frankly, I have been pretty bored with what I have seen in the last couple of seasons. Hopefully they will have dumped that competition thing and use that time to delve deeper into the various airguns and airgun activities.
RR,
I never saw any of the episodes of American Airgunner after I left the show. They were all available online (I think?) and I heard Edith mention that the competition was pretty lame, but that’s all I know.
We don’t get the Pursuit Channel here, so I guess I’ll be watching online again.
B.B.
Just a quick comment about your description of their customer call center. The techs are monitored for how long they are on the phone and the length of their queue. Having worked in a call center some time ago, I can see where this may be either good or bad. If the number of calls waiting is long, then the techs will be expected to complete their current call as quickly as possible. This sometimes results in hurrying the customer through the call and not providing a response to all of the caller’s issues.
I hope this doesn’t happen and each customer is treated as if there are no other customers in queue. An incomplete resolution of issues or if the customer feels he/she was hurried through the call will not do Umarex’s reputation any good whatsoever.
With all this being said, my personal experience with Umarex’s customer service has been stellar and they do seem to want to please the customer.
chasblock,
We talked about that. Apparently everyone is having the same experience that you are, so I guess they are taking care of business.
B.B.
I thought they were stellar too. I see B.B.’s report did not discover the owner of the attractive Southern accent on the other end of the phone.
Matt61
I hate to admit it, but I once worked as a teller in a call center for a well known bank. A huge part of our constant performance evaluation was our length of call time. Have you ever felt as though you were being brushed off when contacting your bank? You were, because the rep wanted to keep their LOC time low. This is completely at odds with providing the kind of service the position is supposed to deliver. Many if not most of my calls were customers who called for me to balance their checkbook for them. It takes forever to explain the obvious to an idiot. I learned how to deal with these imbeciles in short order. The real problem was how to help those who needed help because of mistakes made by others.
What was most appalling for me was that people who actually NEEDED help could not be dealt with in short order, because the agent would have to put the caller on hold and contact other departments, thus rendering the most helpful agents to look incompetent and pushing the rest of the agents to brush people off. On one occasion, while looking up one customers information, I found that another customer had the same social security number. It took me over an hour to resolve the problem. This went way over the 3 minute goal set by my employer. I could have left it alone, and allowed it to become someone else’s problem. My dedication to service my customers became my enemy. While I was evaluated well, I was pushed to lower my LOC. Not long after, I quit that job. No regrets.
American Airgunner, yes get rid of the competition for sure.
Mike
Edith, that American Airgunner guy is pretty good lookin’. And the younger guy ain’t bad lookin’ either, huh?
I once sent my RWS 52 to Ft. Smith for repairs. What a big disappointment. Never again ..
Jim,
Oh oh! Can you please tell us what happened?
B.B.
This weekend I visited a gunsmith who also does sales ostensibly to buy an M1 Garand. All the ones he had were H&R’s and rather pricey – beginning at $1300. While they had new walnut stocks, the handgrips were original so didn’t match but all the barrels and breeches were ones and twos. Still, I thought he was about $600 above Civilian Marksmanship Programs so I politely declined to buy. We got to talking and he pullled out a gun case for me and my brother to look at. From an original carrying case, he pulled out an “as new” condition C-96! The gun had NO wear on the barrel, no marks on the broomhandle, had a different, flush hammer (forget what he called it) and could have, should have, been in a museum. Some coincidence! He told us the very amusing story of how he acquired it but that’s a bit long for here.
He estimated the value at $100,000 because of it’s “as new” condition as opposed to $30,000 which he said this model would sell for. What a surprise.
Fred DPRoNJ
This question was sent directly to me. I don’t answer questions directly, so I’m posting the question and answer here.
B.B.
Mr. Gaylord,
I read you article “What About CO2? (December 2003)” and recognize that you are an absolute expert. As such, I was very much hoping to gain some of your knowledge.
It is a safe assumption/observation that a damaged or non-lubricated seal causes CO2 leakage. It is also a safe assumption that two pieces of metal in contact with one another do not seal, without a seal.
If I asked you, how do I make a CO2 cartridge leak for exactly three hours (+/- 15 minutes), what would be your advice to me? I must also achieve a degree of consistency with each unit that is produced.
FYI- My calculations so far have been based on a 12 gram CO2 cartridge, which holds 6.564 cubic liters of C02. I seek a flow duration of 180 minutes. This equated to a flow rate of .036 Liters per minute. If I were running a .036 flow through a hole, that hole would have a diameter of 8.7 microns. Although it is possible to get a hole that small, I do not see it as practical. Therefore, I have been trying to approach the problem using a “purposefully flawed seal” method.
Sir, I appreciate any time and effort that you can put towards this problem. I will be very very grateful to hear from you.
Earl
Earl,
I don’t answer questions that are sent directly to me because I answer over 100 questions on some days, plus doing all my other duties. It becomes overwhelming.
Also, I have thousands of readers on this blog with experience that hits just about every discipline you can name. There are a number of chemists here, and I hope they will chime in on this answer.
First, you say that metal to metal seals won’t work. That’s not correct. Some precharged airguns have metal-to-metal valves with no synthetic seal material and they seal very well. It’s a matter of lapping the seals and of maintaining the proper oil on them.
But synthetic seals are far more common, for sure.
I am not a chemical engineer, so I cannot answer your question, except to note that the outgas rate will not be constant, regardless of the hole size. CO2 is a refrigerant that will freeze up as it expands, so you can expect the hole to clog and open, as it freezes and thaw at room temperatures. The rate will not be constant, so even if the hole size is spot-on, I think it is impossible to obtain a steady leaking at room temperature.
This might be better modeled in software than testing it empirically first.
Hopefully our readers can shed additional light on the subject.
B.B.
I assume that you’re more interested in the cartridge. I’d bleed it out through a needle valve. Have a Open/shut valve inline so that once you get needle valve adjusted that you can just leave it.
Hope this helps…
Herb
If I remember correctly, the Colt Python was done as a pellet pistol by Crosman. Isn’t that the Crosman 357? Or 3577 as mine says on it. But if they can make it bb firing and similar to the Dan Wesson 2.5 inch revolver I just got, I’ll give it a serious eyeballing. It took me a while to look over the Dea Wessons thinking I’d be getting a plastic gun with weights inside to give it a real feel. Was I ever shocked to get a beautiful heavy all metal gun. That has got to be the nicest pistol I own. I’d love to see more quality products like that. I might just get excited all over again about airguns. Problem is, I just don’t see a plastic gun as anything I should take seriously which is why I passed on the M-14 bb/pellet rifle. I was all excited about it until I read it was all plastic. I promptly forgot about it. I like to see metal even if it costs a little more.
John,
Umarex doesn’t make plastic replicas. They make the most realistic replica pellet and BB guns on the market. That is why I am excited about this.
If it was going to be plastic, then no good.
B.B.
That works for me. I’ll give it an eyeballing then when it comes out. Metal is the word and realistic action is the way I like them. I know there won’t be blowback on a revolver unless someone is working on something super secret, so I’ll be happy as long as everything works how it is supposed to work.
One other thought. If they could do an AR15 or AK47 like the Berretta CX4 storm with a belt feed magazine and blowback I bet they’d have something they couldn’t make enough of. I know I’d be on the line ordering one the second they were available regardless of the cost.
John,
Such a gun already exists and they aren’t selling very well. It’s the SMG 22 belt-fed gun. I didn’t blog it, but I reported it for Shotgun News.
Nobody wants to pay $500 for a full-auto pellet gun, no matter how cool.
B.B.
I never heard of it. It must not be a big name company. If I saw it I might plunk down the bucks. I was thinking more like a semi auto 30-40 round magazine. Looks like the AK or AR. Something I could use in winter months to use indoors to maintain proficiency with. That way when I haul out the real thing in the spring and go after the muskrats and groundhogs I haven’t lost anything in my marksmanship. As it is, I have a m-417 for that but the pump up for every shot then rebuild my sight picture for every shot kind of takes something away for me.
John,
The company is Tippman, though they have to use a different name. They are a leader in paintball guns.
B.B.
I heard of them. I use their Tippman 98 stocks in my rifle designs. But that might be part of the problem. We are talking about a paintball company not an air rifle company. Airgunners might not think of an air gun when they look at tippman and walk away without checking it out further. For example, I have all kinds of use for an air rifle, but no use for paintball, so the .22 pellet gun concept of theirs is totally lost since I’d never look at Tippman for my needs. With a name like UMAREX and some marketing to airgunners and a price around $300 or so it might work. I’m betting UMAREX already produces the CX4 storm so I bet they could take that technology for that 30 round circular belt magazine and blowback that they already have and build something that’s an exact copy of the AR and AK. It certainly is working great for Crosman. I was just putting out an idea for an iconic gun that they might like since they asked for ideas. It might be a huge seller, and might be a total loser. But might be worth looking into for them. Maybe just reskin the cx4 like crosman did the 760.
Tom… Hard to reach you – can’t find a “Contact:” link.
I was laughing to myself reading your Nelson article pt 4…
You mentioned “Otho” and I said, “Well there can’t be too many of those”….
Then I read about Otho in the AF…
Are you talking about FOGWELL?
If so, I roomed with him on Andersen AFB, Guam.
Sardine’d 5 or 6 to a 2 man room -Joe Hayden, Bob Olerich, Otho, me, and one other I can’t remember…
tell him hello if it’s he…
great story, too btw.
Doc
db@gorge.net
drdog,
Nope, not Fogwell, Henderson. Army aviation, not Air Force.
B.B.
The iconic firearms I’d love to see produced as high-quality, blowback BB or pellet guns are the M1 Garand and the Ingram MAC-10/11 (with fake silencer). The latter ought to be an easy design given the blowback UZI BB gun and blowback MAC-11 airsoft guns. I consider the Ingram with moderator to be THE coolest looking tactical-style firearm of all time.
As for the Garand, a no-plastic semi-auto pellet firing Garand would probably cost more than the Umarex Walther Lever-Action, but come on, who wouldn’t want one even at a price of $595 – $649? Well, “wanting” and “being able to afford” are two different things, I guess.
Michael
Hi Michael …
If you had a real metal, no plastic, field strippable Garand M-1 that fired pellets, what caliber would you want it to be and what powerhouse would you like it to have? Could you live with CO2?
NRS
The Garand in .177, would be awesome. I wouldn’t even mind if it used the 88 gram CO2 carts. With a drop in clip like the real Garand, I’d be all over it. Price point would be willing to pay…oh….$500-$600 for a mostly metal and wood version.
Would you be willing to accept “BB gun” accuracy?
J-F
NO. I would hope for the accuracy of the Walther Lever Action CO2 rifle, which I’ve found to have the accuracy of putting 10 pellets over a silver dollar at 50 feet.
This is a pellet rifle I’ve dreamt of for years, so I actually have a list of what I’d want.
1st, .177 caliber to make it legal in places with caliber restrictions (such as Illinois, which no longer has a velocity restriction). This would be a collecting/plinking/target rifle, not a pest-disposer.
2nd, CO2 would be perfect, whether it a couple of 12 gram carts or the 88 gram. If it had TWO 88 gram bottles, one in the buttstock and one in the forearm, running in tandem like a CO2 version of the Evanix Monster and Giant, that would be revolutionary.
3rd, Accurate like the Walther Lever Action.
4th, Blowback and TRUE semi-auto, cocking and indexing the mag with the gas
5th, An adjustable two stage trigger
6th, If it is impossible for it to have the pop-out Garand magazine, I could live with that. If it used the same metal 8 round revolving magazine of the Walther Lever Action and Umarex pellet pistols, that would be acceptable to me.
7th, Accurate replicas of the Garand’s sights
8th,I would pay $599 (actual Pyramyd AIR price) for it if it really met the above criteria, $649 if it came in a plastic case and with sling.
Michael
Well, It looks like now is a good time to commit myself to a project I was keeping to myself.
Michael, it looks as if we share some very similar thoughts. I have a project underway to convert a Garand M-1 to fire pellets. Before someone suggests that I am nuts, and that it would be a crime to destroy a valuable M-1 for the sake of shooting pellets, I understand both of those points and I agree.
Last October 22nd I celebrated the 50th anniversary of my enlistment in the Army. That being one of the biggest days of my life, I decided to celebrate it by creating something would be kind of my own personal memorial to that momentous, life altering day. I discovered over the years that I was in the very last basic training company to be trained on the M-1 at Fr. Leonard Wood, and maybe the last company anywhere. (And, my last name begins with “W”! So, the last two trainees could have been Zimmerman and me.) I decided on this project even though I would have to acquire all the skills as I went along. (Also it may explain why I seem to have asked some of the most stupid questions over the last five or six months. This is definitely a learn-as-we-go project. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into.)
I decided that I would collect enough original M-1 parts to create a shell of an M-1 and then I would find a way to put the action and barrel of a pellet something inside of it. I have collected all damaged and unusable M-1 parts from any source I could find from eBay to DAV Vets to military collectors and parts stores. (No actual, living M-1 parts were harmed or injured in any way during this project.) Some parts, like the receiver, were scrap cut parts and so I have two pieces that will need to be machined and then put together. I got the front half of a barrel so I could use a real sight, gas tube lock, etc. It is just barely long enough to make the old stock look real and give it the proper proportions. I removed almost 1/16th of an inch of surface from most the stock and upper pieces as the one’s I found were really beat up badly. Along the way I lost the Springfield avatars, but I think I can get that back again. Finally, in desperation, I had to dig deep and buy a used but serviceable rear sight assembly. The one part that I have not yet been able to find is the south end of the Op Rod facing north … the end with the cocking handle on it … the end that can be seen along side the receiver. So, if any of you know where I might find that piece, it will be the last piece I need and I am not too proud to accept donations. (A complete Op these days, even cut one’s, are selling for over $200 in some places.)
I chose the Crosman 1077 to be the donor. It looked to me like it would be compact enough so that I could get all the important parts to fit inside the old stock. The trigger luckily fell exactly in the right place and I figured that, if worst came to worst, I could use a Dremel tool to cut down the plastic that forms a shell around the action. Also, I thought that it might be easier to find something to use for a longer inner barrel rather than use the original shorter barrel and have it end 6 inches short of the end of the M-1 outer barrel. Anyway, one day on eBay I found a 1077 receiver and action complete for $20 including the shipping and that sealed the deal right there.
I am no where near the point where I have something that looks like anything other than a rifle stock ready to be refinished and a box of junk. But, with the Op Rod, it will all be there. When the weather permits, I sit out on my patio with the stock pieces, a Dremel tool and the 1077 receiver, barrel and gas tube, and make lots of black walnut sawdust and shavings. I think it is within a hair of fitting as it is now. The next step will be to begin to trim away the plastic at the top edges of the receiver and hope that I can get it to fit inside the Garand receiver. That may need to be opened up a little bit.
I decided to tell you about this now simply because my Senior Citizen ADHD Brain has enough trouble trying to stay aware of what I have planned for tomorrow much less a project that already is six months old. I am very easily distracted and I thought I needed what I am sure will be a constant prodding from someone as to how things are progressing. The only thing I ask is, please, don’t ask me how much I have invested in this project, either in loose change or in hours. I am keeping track, but I don’t plan to add up the numbers until long after I am finished. I have to keep in mind that my pacemaker does have operating limits after all.
So, Michael, I have you covered, kind of. It will be a .177, it will be C02, it could be the 88g cartridge. It will not be a drop in magazine but it will be a magazine at least. It will load 12 pellets from the bottom like a carbine. The sights ought to be good and I would guess that there might be a LW barrel somewhere that would fit it if it isn’t accurate enough for you. However it may be very difficult matching your price point. :{) (And, so much for whether or not a person would pay $500 to $600 for an air gun. The reason that other piece won’t sell is because it is ugly!)
That’s it. Yes, I will post pictures somewhere as soon as I have something worth photographing. And, dear Comrade Muscovite, you have become my new hero and I invite you to be my mentor also. I would appreciate any ideas you have along the way.
Whew. Finally, I feel like I belong here.
NotRocketSurgery … but almost.
(Just Another John – So, I am sticking with the NRS)
NRS,
Your project sounds remarkable — the dedication and passion you have for it, not to mention your ingenuity — are inspiring to me. The Garand is the greatest military rifle ever, in my opinion, anyway.
Your project also reminds me opf something I saw on a gun auction site a few years ago. Someone had taken a Crosman M-1 Carbine out of its plastic stock and fitted it into either a real M-1 Carbine stock or one that had been meticulously made as a replica. The price for what it was, an inaccurate repeater hard-cocking springer BB gun, was a bit too steep.
The 1077 is an accurate pellet gun and a fun shooter. As for the barrel coming up 6 inches short inside the Garand barrel, that MIGHT not be a problem. Many pellet rifles now have bloop tubes over their actual barrels, and they often extend several inches beyond the actual barrel. 6 inches might be pushing it, however. The Crosman-sold Lothar Walther barrels come in 18 and 24 inches, but I do not know how difficult it would be to mate it to the 1077. Also, I THINK the 1077 barrel has a smaller outside diameter than the Lothar Walther ones, so fitting it into the outer barrel sleeve might prove impossible.
You must keep me posted regarding your project michaelo101 at yahoo
Michael
Fascinating. So, does Rossi know anything about guns and shooting? Looks like a nice fellow. Every time I scrape my finger on the ill-conceived ski slope on the trigger guard of my Walther Nighthawk I look at one of these other cool pistols.
Mike, thanks for your offer of 8mm Mauser ammo. The blog comes through. I’ll keep that in mind, but I must hold off for now. My naturally cautious self will want to have the gun test-fired and inspected. But after the disastrous treatment by my local gunsmith, I have that done by my expert in South Carolina who is apparently drowning in business like the rest of the gun industry. I’m still waiting after several months for him to finish my Russian sniper rifle. We’ll see how long the gun buying frenzy lasts. In the meantime, maybe you can tell me about the ropes of sending ammo through the mail. So, this is okay? I know the Post Office always asks if you are mailing something hazardous. Then what? Do you pay a hazmat fee? Use a private carrier?
Victor, yes, fun is sufficient unto itself although I can just imagine the reception by a bureaucracy to your heartfelt and nuanced statement. But you’re right about the difference of target shooting. I notice in the accompanying literature that Anschutz advises in the strongest terms against using its target guns for any other purpose than target shooting.
Help. Can anyone give basic advice on how to operate the cool UTG tactical flashlight with the five settings that B.B. described awhile ago? I sent one to my brother, and he’s impressed with the brightness, but he can’t figure out how to get the different settings. He’s got the directions there but wants to wait for me to visit to figure it out which I won’t be doing for awhile. Surely, there is some simple answer, a dial to turn or something.
Michael, thanks for the insight into cats. How about this for the quintessence of cat affection?
http://screen.yahoo.com/cat-refuses-affection-163000361.html
I’ve spent the last few days raging at how tigers in India are threatened with extinction because of illegal poachers. Here are people depriving the world and future generations of an irreplaceable resource, basic to our environmental well-being, for the sake of a quick buck and for witch doctor medical theories that have no truth. The whole activity is a sink of iniquity in the universe of no good to anyone. But then, I had a happy thought. India is one of the few countries in the world that maintains Lee Enfield rifles for its law enforcement. I bet that they are used in the war against poachers. That warms my heart.
On a more positive note, for pure cuteness, even your cats have to give way to orphaned baby elephants drinking bottles of milk as they do at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09bj9kgiW5E
The way to fight poaching is to erase their effects on the universe as fast as possible. So, instead of violent fantasies with a .303 rifle, I will imagine endless warehouses full of bottles of milk…
Matt61
Matt,
Rossi is from Arkansas, so, yes, he is a shooter. I watched him handle a silenced 10/22 and he can shoot as well as the rest of us
He isn’t a gun guy, though, and certainly not an airgun guy, but he doesn’t claim to be. If you watch the show I think you’ll see what a professional he is and how relaxed he is on camera.
A funny anecdote from filming. I had been throwing around some dates and names and Rossi was convinced I knew more than I really do, so then he tells us his father, who also lives locally, just found an old breakbarrel air pistol in his garage. He said it was a large pistol with an oversized gray plastic handle, which is a Diana model 5 or a Winchester 353, of course.
Many of the readers of this blog would know that, but to a guy who is just getting into airguns, it sounded like I had just identified the horsepower and color of the car they buried Jimmy Hoffa in from a tire track found at the football stadium parking lot.
I love it when that happens.
B.B.
I haven’t sold ammo through the mail. I would check out the requirements if you wanted some. I don’t think there is a hazmat fee on ammo. If the US Post Office has a problem with it, I’m sure UPS or Fedx won’t. I don’t have a 8mm Mauser anymore so the ammo is surplus for me. I was looking at selling it at our local gun show in April. I think I have about 200 rounds of military ammo (reloadable) but I would have to take it out of storage and count it to be sure.
Mike
Matt,
That cat is adorable. And a gorgeous coat.
And the key to prevent poaching is probably removing any market for the product. That and kudos to groups that tranquilize African elephants and saw off their tusks, a simply brilliant tactic.
Michael
BB,
You did you find out from Umarex why Walther made the higher power LGV in .177? The Mauser Broomhandle in blow back would be very nice and would be perfact with a rifled barrel shooting pellets or round ball (not BBs!). If they do that then maybe, just maybe they could be forgiven for blowing it with the Luger P08. The Colt 1860 is another beauty.
Ton,
I don’t know everything yet, but as of this time the most powerful .177 LGV is not scheduled to come into the U.S. Before you explode, that could mean there are problems with it,– or even that it does not exist.
I just don’t know.
B.B.
BB
What is the model name of the shoes you and Edith have lauded for reducing foot pain? Are they Sketchers Go Run? My feet are swelled up like bloated fish.
SL,
They’re Skechers Shape-Ups. You’ll never regret getting them. But keep in mind that if you’re not used to having your legs exercised, you may have somewhat sore calves until you’re used to them. Tom and I didn’t experience that, but a friend of ours did when he wore his shoes for the first time all day at a gun show.
Here’s the link to the Skechers site for men’s Shape-Ups:
http://www.skechers.com/men#Brands=%2Fbrands%2Fshape-ups
You can save about 75% if you buy them on eBay, where retailers sell last year’s styles and overstocks. I’ve bought about half my shoes on eBay. A friend of ours bought $70 shoes for $19 on eBay.
Edith
God bless you.
I am used to exercise, but not being on my feet 10 to 12 hours on hard cement. My feet are so swollen I can’t see my ankle bones. Not good to be calling out at a new job. I will give these a shot.
Hey SL …
Just a quick reminder that hurting, swollen feet and ankles could mean everything from shoes that don’t fit properly to some pretty serious illnesses. Been there, done that. So, don’t be reluctant to go to the Doc and have yourself checked. Now that I am old and broken, I finally figured out that not much else in life means much if your not healthy and can’t enjoy it.
Nurse Bubba, RNS
Self Appointed List WorryWart
What should Umarex make next?
Well, since you asked…..
How about a Skorpion? That’d be a great conversation starter at the firing line. Or a Mannlicher model 1903- with the Mauser coming that shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. A Borchardt would go straight to the top of my must-buy list. And for the bp guys, how about a Sharps Buffalo gun, (1874 or 75?) and of course the infamous Walker .44. (all of the above PELLET shooters please, no bbs!!!)
I’m with J-F on the Thompson too….1928 A1 Deluxe, ribbed barrel and all, 500 round drum and select fire.
Hey a guy can dream can’t he?
As much as I’d like to have a Sharps Buffalo, most of these replicas are BB guns and it would be pretty deceiving to have a Sharps with the accuracy of a BB gun.
The Thompson on the other hand…
J-F
dangerdongle,
I did ask for the Sharps, but as we talked I remembered that the Walther Lever Action that is a long gun costs a lot and the Sharps would have to, as well. They are more interested in making handguns, because they are what sells well.
B.B.
BB, Darn I wished I knew you were in town (Umarex-Fort Smith). I go near it everyday. I also know Justin Biddle (His son and mine are friends) He is a top rate guy! Glad you had a good time!
Bradly,
I wouldn’t have had much time on this trip anyhow. JB kept me pretty well occupied. But I will be back, I’m sure.
B.B.
Sharps Buffalo gun would be nice.
How about an 1855 Volcanic pistol?
Chris,
I would like to see the Volcanic, too. But how many mainstream shooters would want one? That’s what they have to think about when deciding to build a new gun. That’s why I canned the Triple Lock and the New Service. Not enough shooters today know what they are.
B.B.
Hi B.B.,
Bless you for remembering us SAA fans. If I remember correctly, Daisy didn’t try to fit a 12 g CO2 ctg into the handle of their old SAA replica, but placed it under the barrel instead.
I never had a Python but always craved one. Now I can, if Umarex makes it.
I too, prefer pellets to bbs or airsoft pellets.
Anyway, thanks!
JoeB,
It was Crosman who put the CO2 under the barrel, in the SA-6. Then Hahn did the same thing with their BB pistol. I don’t know if Daisy ever made a single action or not. Crosman did make a Remington replica they called the 1961 Shiloh, but it came later.
B.B.
Wouldn’t the Daisy 179 ( /blog/2007/1/daisy-179/ ) qualify as a SA-6?
J-F
Does anyone have any feed back on Umarex’s repair dept. I have a RWS 34 about 20 yrs old that locked up closed after firing a pellet. I have a lifetime warranty, but on contacting them,They believe I will need a $115 overhaul. Although disappointed that the repair bill will be about what I paid for the rifle new, I am adverse to junking something that is repairable. If Umarex does outstanding work, and I get another 20 years out of it I would consider the money well invested. Any good/ bad experiences out there?
Al,
I just visited Umarex USA a few weeks ago and got to see the repair department. It is a fine one, to be sure. What they do when they get a call like yours is they estimate the worst and quote that. Then nothing will come as a shock. Usually it will be good news (less than the estimate), and no one minds hearing that.
Did you also contact the Pyramyd AIR tech department? They also repair RWS guns all day long.
B.B.