by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Every airgun show has a personality, and this year’s Roanoke show was no different. It started slow. Dealers were slow to set up — enjoying talking with each other rather than getting everything ready for the doors to open to the public. That’s because we got there at 8 a.m., and the doors weren’t opened until noon. So, we knew we had time to converse and to see what everyone had on their tables.
I was seated behind Mike Reames’ table. Mike is the man who made the swages I reviewed for you a while back. He always has interesting things on his table, and I took some photos for you to see.
Mike Reames made this outside lock pistol with a ball flask. It’s .45 caliber and is charged with CO2.
Each of Mike’s creations is unique; and to my knowledge, he’s one of only a very few people actively making modern ball flask airguns today. These are not mainstream airguns by any means; but if you want something modern that works and looks like it’s 200 years old, he’s the man to see.
Reames’ ball flask long gun is another unique outside lock airgun that uses CO2.
Well-worn Haenel 28 spring pistol was also on Reames’ table. These airguns are all-steel and made like firearms. They’re built to last forever!
One thing I noticed at this show was a large number of vintage guns had come out of the woodwork. I don’t always see many of the older guns at some shows, but this year Roanoke was loaded with them! I’m talking about rare guns from the early part of the 20th century, and some from even earlier.
For instance, there were large numbers of first- and second-model BSA spring guns. BSA invented the model spring air rifle in 1905, and the early ones date from then to 1914. They look old and obsolete until you fire them and discover they perform a lot like the modern guns of today.
There was a special one on Mike Driskill’s table. I thought it would be passed over by the crowd (a term I’m using loosely); but on the morning of day 2, our own RidgeRunner came to his senses and bought it. It needs some work, but they’re about as complicated as a drinking straw and as rugged as a Harley.
This .177-caliber 1906 BSA underlever may look old, but it can be made to shoot like a modern air rifle. This one dates to one year after BSA first introduced the modern air rifle! Mike Driskill was asking $175! RidgeRunner bought it.
Not everything at this show was vintage, however. Dennis Quackenbush brought several big bore rifles and pistols for customers who had arranged to pick them up at the show, plus he had a couple guns that weren’t spoken for. I photographed him unpacking his guns because I knew they wouldn’t last long.
I photographed Dennis Quackenbush unpacking because I knew his guns wouldn’t last long on his table.
Quackenbush had a .50-caliber Long Action (top) and a .308 Short Rifle for sale. These were not promised and could be purchased by anyone. They both sold within 2 hours of being unpacked.
Sure enough, when I saw him again a couple hours later, both rifles had been sold, along with 6 big bore pistols that he brought. One guy bought 3!
On day 2, Max, one of our blog readers who hasn’t signed in yet, got a .458 Long Action rifle from Dennis. It was a rifle that had been ordered and delivered at the show. Man, was he smiling when the show was over!
Max and Dennis Quackenbush finalize the deal for a .458 LA rifle.
This show’s personality
I figured it out early on the first day. This was the show to attend for killer low prices on fine vintage airguns. Diana 27 rifles? I saw at least 4 of them, ranging from $175 to 250, asking price. But how about a Falke 80 to go with my Falke 90 that I displayed at the show? Dave Bingham had it on his table. Instead of the stock that has a cheekpiece, this one had a plain elm stock. It’s believed there are fewer than 300 Falke 80s ever made, and fewer still in existence. Dave had a price of $800 on it, which gives me sort of a ballpark figure to use for mine…although, it’s not for sale.
A Falke 80 at the same show as my Falke 90. Notice the absence of a cheekpiece on this one.
But the whole show was like that! How about a Walther LG53 with double-set triggers? The only time I’ve seen these displayed, they weren’t for sale. But here was one for a very reasonable $500. Too many fine airguns — too few ATMs!
A Walther LG53 with target sights and double-set triggers. It was for sale!
Something new
All you Crosman pistol shooters have a new toy to obsess over. It’s an adapter that allows you to connect an adjustable AR buttstock to many of the better Crosman and Benjamin air pistols such as the Marauder. But this device does more than just connect your gun to a stock — it allows you to set the length of pull, the cast-on or cast-off, the height of the butt in relation to the scope line and the cant of the buttpad. In other words, you can now fit the gun to yourself…and, with simple adjustments, fit it to your 9-year-old daughter!
Dave Rensing of www.rarmsinnovations.com invented this all-metal adapter to allow his 8-year-old son to shoot his Marauder pistol, and it works like a charm. The adapter is made of 6061 aircraft aluminum, hard anodized and attaches with no modifications or disassembly of the pistol required. Just attach it to the threaded hole that’s already in many of Crosman’s top-end air pistols!
This adapter from R Arms Innovations allows you to connect a collapsible AR stock to several Crosman and Benjamin air pistols. It adjusts for a perfect fit for all sizes of shooters.
More power!
Want to shoot field target with a 150 foot-pound big bore air rifle? A club in Puerto Rico did, so they had Dick Otten of Rhino Targets (formerly After Hours Targets) build them some field targets that can take the abuse.
Dick Otten shows several big bore field targets he’s made. They can take 150 foot-pounds!
These Rhino Targets are for mounting in trees. They force shooters to shoot up. It’s a special challenge.
Otten wasn’t at this show last year due to illness. This year, he pulled out all the stops and showed many dozens of different innovative field targets. That crow of mine that you all marveled at a week ago is an Otten creation.
That’s all!
No, there’s a lot more to report, that’s just it for now. The question isn’t if there will be a Part 2, but if there will be ONLY 2 parts! This show was that good.
Tom,
Thank you. Wonderful photos and reporting.
Ridge runner,
You’ve got some splaining to do.
Kevin
What? What splainin?
RidgeRunner,
Had no idea that your airgun interest ran so far and wide as to include an old underlever Beezer. I’m impressed. Neat guns.
kevin
I saw that and knew it belonged on the wall of my log house. It needs a little work, but I think I can pull it off and get it running like it was new.
Now if I can just find a poor boy Virginia Long Rifle.
Well BB I bet you knew I was going to make a comment on the AR buttstock adapter for the Benjamin /Crosman guns.
Cool idea. All the Marauder pistol in the picture above needs now is a TKO Muzzle brake on the other end. But I definitely like the idea of the AR stock.
Was there alot of aftermarket stuff there made by individuals like the AR adapter?
And man I’m surprised the extra guns from Dennis lasted that long. If I would of been at the show it would of been like a dream to just walk up and put the money down and by one without having to be on the waiting list.
I use to like going to the swap meets for cars. You never knew what was going to show up. Sounds like the show was fun.
You misunderstood. He sold the two rifles within two hours of laying them on the table. I do not think the doors for the public had opened yet. A lot of wheeling and dealing goes on before the show starts.
RR,
No, the doors had not opened to the public, yet. The guns were gone in the first 2 hours of dealer set-up.
B.B.
Oh got it.
It was like that when we set our spots up at the car swap meets. Got a lot of cool stuff that way.
Gunfun……if you REALLY want a new DAQ without waiting,please send me an email & we can talk about it some.I’m your huckleberry…..LOL. Just add @aol.com to my user name.
Frank
I do want one of Dennis’ guns just ain’t got the money right now. Actually there’s a lot of guns I want. 🙂
But thanks for the e-mail connection. I will give you a holler if I get ahead with the money thing.
“They look old and obsolete until you fire them and discover they preformpreform a lot like the modern guns of today.” …Should be perform.
This message will self destruct after posting.
Editor,
Nah, I’m gonna leave it, so people will see that we don’t always get it right the first time.
Thanks,
B.B.
Hello;
I had great fun at the show. I got to talking with Mr. Quackenbush who I had met at a previous show, and he was kind enough to introduce me to Tom.
Tom, you are a friendly easygoing fella and I was very glad to meet you.
Am super pumped (pun intended) about my new .45 cal rifle and looking forward to get it in action.
Cheers.
Glad you came out of the shadows and welcome!
Max,
You posted! Good for you!
Welcome to the blog. We want to heart reports on that new rifle!
B.B.
You got a GREAT bigbore Max……and welcome! Mine was shooting roundballs supersonic and liked slugs & hollowpoints up to 400 grains.2 shots with roundballs at 50 yards split a webbed “new” cinderblock clean in half! Enjoy it my friend.
Thank you fellas.
FrankBpc, you read my mind! I already marked the bull’s-eye on a cinder block. Just waiting for my delivery of .45 cal “bb’s”
Better get a fresh battery for the chrony…….and as much HPA as possible.The .457 uses tons of air,but in a very fun way!
Hello B.B.
I’m glad to see you made it to the show and back without incident. And thanks for the blog and pictures of the 2013 Roanoke airgun show. Had I been there, someone would need to follow me with a mop, I would have been drooling so much. The rifle that caught my eye, was the Walther LG53 with double set triggers. I have always dreamed of owning a unique airgun, and this Walther would have fit the bill to a “T”. After reading the informative blog on your Falke 90, and telling myself “I must have one too”,would bring the beautiful Falke 80 in a close 2nd. Heck, I would have bought them both.
Next to being there, living the Roanoke experience vicariously through your words and pictures is a good way to experience the show. A lot cheaper as well for those of us who need to own every gun they come across. However, I must find the time to experience this show in person.
Ciao Titus
Titus,
I almost succomed to the desire for the Walther and hit the ATM, myself. I mean, how many times you you see one?
But there is so much more coming in Part 2 of the report. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
B.B.
He had better not wait long to post part 2 or I’ll blabber it out all over this forum! It was like this particular show was set up just for me! Unfortunately, my loving, understanding and sometimes forgiving wife left me with strict instructions that I could not spend any more than I had. Pookie!
RR,
That is the point I was trying to make in this post. This show was under-attended, yet had some of the best exotic airgun finds I have ever seen. I have so many more things to show and talk about.
B.B.
I love that AR stock adapter. I think it would fit great on my Silhouette pistol.
J-F
B.B.,
This was the fourth year my wife and I attended the Roanoke show and your observation that each show has its own personality is true. Last year there were easily a dozen Hy Score 800 pistols; this year I saw just a couple. We both missed Mac, too.
The best part of the show is getting to visit with many people like you, Dennis, Kevin Hull, and Larry Hannusch (I now can pronounce his last name.) I did pick up one of Dick Otten’s big-bore possum field targets. My most interesting purchase was a prototype Hy Score 870 – it still had the Baikal IJ-22 symbols in the stock and on the buttpad but is marked on the receiver as a Hy Score.
Paul in Liberty County
Paul,
I think I saw that rifle! Was it near Larry Hannusch’s table by any chance?
That was a good find.
B.B.
B.B.,
Yes it was. I found an illustration from a 1979 Hy Score catalog that includes the 870. That picture shows the Hy Score stock medallion in the typical location – entirely different from this rifle. The bore appears to still have a coating of grease. I cannot tell if it has been shot, but it could not have seen much use by the condition.
Paul from Liberty County
Paul,
I looked at the profile of that stock and it registered “Chinese,” so I shut off the search mode and passed right over it. Good for you!
B.B.
I really like those tree mounted Rhino targets. Mr. Otten should make a panda shaped one. I hate those damned things.
I also like that Walther LG53. My wallet itches just looking at it.
Nice score, Ridgerunner!
Red panda, or Giant panda…
Giant pandas. Red pandas are actually cute, as they should be, since they are unrelated to giant pandas. Giant pandas are just another crappy chinese export. They might be of some use, if made into soccer balls.
Don’t think they’d make it as soccer balls… too limp…
On a segue — it would be nice if the Mozilla folks actually matched their icons to the name of the product… Firefox should have a red panda, not a red fox doing something nasty to the globe… And Sea Monkey should have brine shrimp, not a daphnia (water flea).
B.B,
Another airgun show report and another pair of pics of Mike Reames airguns to drool over! Man oh man have I been “jonesing” for one of those for a long time now.
Does he sell them at the show, or are they more like a salesman’s samples for taking orders?
Probably too rich for my blood, anyway, but incredible.
Thanks for the report,
Michael
Michael,
Yes, Mike sells his guns at the shows. At least he sells some of them. Some are just prototypes and he uses them to explain what he can build.
B.B.
I have been talking to Mike at two shows now trying to get him to make the rifle of my dreams, but he keeps telling me he does not take orders. He builds things to suit his fancy and sells some of them. He had a CO2 pistol with a ball reservoir and a Giarodoni type loading mechanism in .40 caliber. He could also change out various barrels in various calibers. It was not for sale @*$%&!
B.B.,
It was very good seeing you again and doing some catching up. I’ve been so involved in outside projects this past year that my airgun time has taken a back seat. Talking to you and Fred and Ridgerunner and so many others at the show will maybe get me back in the groove.
We both zeroed in on a couple of the same things. I ended up buying one of the Rhino metal targets. Its a cool four-holer, with two pairs of stations that each toggle back and forth from right to left so you you don’t need a re-set string. It will be great when shooting with a buddy.
And I traded for a couple of the AR buttstock adapters. I like the way they can be adjusted for L-R and up-down offset, and also for cant, so you can really make it fit properly. All the other adapters I have seen a non-adjustable. Dave really knows his stuff and installed it on one of my pistols and adjusted it for me to get a perfect fit. Very nice.
A great show in beautiful country!
Lloyd-ss
Lloyd,
I’m going to tell everybody about our joint project in Wednesday’s blog.
B.B.
B.B.
I guess you are going to make us wait to find out what you brought back.
twotalon
TT,
He’s driving home right now. Wednesday’s blog will be the second part of the show report and what he bought.
Edith
Edith
Maybe Tom will stop some place and pick up some nice bugs and mice for the cats. He owes it to them for all the noise he makes in the house.
twotalon
TT,
No need for Tom to bring home any living snacks. We have all sorts of tiny lizards that get into the house. The cats are lizard hunters and can hardly wait to get another one. About a week ago, one of the cats found an itty bitty lizard (about 1.5″ long) in the foyer. He flipped it up in the air a bit and then chomped it down like a little gummy snack. He ate the tail as a chaser. All the cats wait by the foyer from about 5pm til bedtime in the hopes another lizard will saunter in.
Edith
Edith
Maybe they will get the Geiko Gecko some day.
Do you have Geckos ? They can climb almost any surface. Then there are other lizards that have claws instead of those toe pads. They can’t climb slick surfaces.
twotalon
Hi Edith,
Your comment made me stop and think what a dedicated bunch airgunners are. I am only 2 hours away from the show and Ridgerunner is a measly 15 minutes, but Tom drove from Texas, and there were folks there from NY, NJ, MI, MO, IN, FL, and a lot more places. And I want to thank Davis (last name?) for keeping this show going and organizing it for the past few years. I know that is a big job.
Lloyd-ss
and according to the Moose folks there (the show is held at the Moose Lodge), Dave already has a date for next year. Hope I’ll be there, again. Maybe even selling something for a change.
Fred DPRoNJ
I was wondering if you and/or any other “locals” want to throw in together and split the cost of a table next year. You really want to be there before the doors open to the public.
You know, RR, it may be worth our while. Lloyd, who had a table there the last two years might be amenable to work with Paul from Liberty County, you and myself to figure something out. Or, we can always just do something for ourselves. My biggest problem is I don’t want to sell anything I have….
Well, maybe that RWS 350 but I’ve gotten attached to it. I wonder if there’s an Airgun Anonymous organization…..
Fred DPRoNJ
Fred,
Your idea could be interesting. I have a rifle and pistol that I could put up for sale. Nothing special; I just have not gotten them onto a classifieds or auction site yet. Maybe could also display a couple of oddballs not for sale. I would pitch in to split a table fee.
Paul in Liberty County
I think once you start looking around at the airguns and airgun accessories you have collecting dust, it’s not to difficult to fill a table.
Lloyd
The air rifle and pistol I was selling, I picked up at a yard sale a few weeks back. When I check one out I always ask if they have any air guns they might want to sell. I have gotten some great deals on some nice stuff that way.
Sounds like a great time there! Maybe some day I’ll make it. That double set Walther is something is like….along with a bunch of others. My main problem would be vascillating between a few good choices while others snagged them up, leaving me with nothing. Ohhh…to have unlimited funds!
/Dave
B.B., glad you enjoyed the show. The ingenuity there is amazing, but has anyone noticed that the flask guns suffer in the looks department? It looks like there’s a bong stuck onto your rifle.
Slinging Lead, ha ha. Okay, I feel better.
BG_Farmer, I think you hit the nail on the head. Some young punks just happen to get old.
I guess it’s like the song says. You have to know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. With plenty of frames, there was no reason to worry about this.
Wulfraed, you’re a deep one if you can bend a 70lb. bow while being a 90lb. weakling. You sound like Lisbeth Salander, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, hacker extraordinaire. At less than 5 feet and a hundred pounds, most people discount her physically until she swings into action.
There was another problem from the range that is driving me nuts. After a few rounds, the cleaning rod on my Mauser was sticking way out. Somehow the recoil was bouncing it out of the stock. I got a little careless pushing it back in, and I won’t be doing that again. Ow. It seems to me that anyone getting cold on the Eastern Front could fire their rifle a few times and have an instant heat source. Anyway, this is driving me nuts. I am so close to historical perfection in this rifle, and here the ding-dong cleaning rod works its way out on firing. It doesn’t look military. I’m sure you guys have the solution to this. There are threads on one end of the cleaning rod which I thought might be used to screw the rod into the rifle, but that didn’t work. Actually, these rods were meant to be joined together three at a time to form a complete cleaning rod, and I think the threads were for this purpose. So, you needed at least three soldiers coordinating to clean your gun, and the rod itself–especially the loop for holding the patch–looks like it was meant to destroy rifle bores. This is another weird deviation in the German design genius. Anyway, I don’t believe there are threads in the gun, so no thread locker. Would the answer be as simple as a dot of superglue?
Also, has anyone figured out the trick of shooting old rifles with earmuffs? The rifles were not designed for this after all. I guess one solution would be to wear earplugs only, but I insist on double protection. I was watching a YouTube video where a guy fired off an elephant gun with no ear protection, then he asked somebody if they wore ear protection while hunting? I still don’t see how that protects your hearing. Anyway, I have a set of earmuffs with a wire connecting in back instead of over the top of the head and which are slimmer than my usual. Maybe that’s as good as it gets.
Matt61
No… My 90lb days are far behind the bow efforts. By 20 years, at least.
I can only drool from afar. That was some fine airgun you showed us BB. Your description and photos are greatly appreciated. Now I’ll keep my mouth shut and drooling over the Walther photo again……
B.B., was there any air powered shot guns at the show? I still would love to own one. Crosman had one, although I understand it’s pretty weak. I’ve seen Daisy CO2 100/200 pistols that were single shot “380” cal shot pistols. I hear they never sold them, yet I’ve seen them in magazines and for sale once in a great while. Gamo had the break barrel I was all for buying until I saw the price of the little 22 shot shells. When I can shot my 20 ga powder burning cheaper than I could the Gamo, I knew it wouldn’t last. That said, I don’t understand why, with no primer, powder or brass, the shell were so high. You’d think someone could put out a .25 break barrel (or 22) that wouldn’t be so expensive to shoot. I’d love to have one just for around the house. Thanks, Bradly
Brtadley,
Yes, there was a Farco air shotgun at this show.
Here are some things to read:
/blog/2005/12/air-shotguns-part-5-the-yewha/
/blog/2005/10/air-shotguns-part-1-the-farco/
/blog/2005/10/air-shotguns-part-2-the-fire-201/
/blog/2005/11/two-more-air-shotguns-paul-and-vincent/
B.B.
B.B. Thank You for the links/reads on the shotguns. I knew about the Farco and like what I’ve read about it, but I’ve never seen one. I’ve also heard of the Yewha, but thought it was a rifle with a “foot” pump. I’ve never read about the Fire 201. I so neat, if it could have just had more range. Wonder if a mod. or full choke would have helped it……Thanks again, all were good reads.
B.B.,
Once again I see I need to read more carefully. I thought you had ended this report with, “There will be ONLY two reports,” and I thought gee, I hope he reconsiders and writes three. NOW I got it! You have built expectations with that tease. Please, please, three reports (at least, of course).
I live near no airgun shows, so I live vicariously through you. I know, there are dozens of people as dedicated like you who travel a couple thousand miles to go to Roanoke, but with me it is also a matter of given what I do for a living and the times of year when I just cannot take time off, including September. It would be difficult to pull off, to say the least.
What I need to find is an airgun enthusiast in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, or northern Indiana who also has a pilot’s license and can take a Thursday and a Friday off!
(Oh to dream . . . .)
Michael
I am a paper-puncher and plinker, not a hunter, but out of curiosity I just clicked to see what air rifles P.A. lists as appropriate for raccoons and woodchucks. I did not necessarily expect a complete list of P.A.’s offerings that are appropriate, but it is interesting to note that each gun listed is a precharged pneumatic.
At a glance, I see in .22 the Ruger Air Magnum, Stoeger Arms X50, and Umarex Octane are rated by their manufacturers (yeah, yeah, I know) as producing velocities up to 1200 for the first two and 1250 for the latter. Gamo’s Hunter Extreme SE claims a max of 1650 fps. In .177. In .25 the Benjamin Trail NP XL claims up to 900 fps.
So, are these springers raccoon / woodchuck worthy? Just curious. I do not have any critter (or critter killing airgun) in my cross hairs.
Michael
Michael…
Most springers are velocity rated with the lightest pellets (non-lead) on the market. They often fall short of the hyped figures. You need to lay serious power on critters of this size. Something along the lines of what the Condor (or bigger) can do. Velocity is not worth much without some weight behind it.
You will still need to be careful of how you place the shots.
I have used lighter than the Condor on chucks, coons, and possums. But it has to be done just right. No mistakes allowed.
twotalon
twotalon,
Above I wrote, “. . . rated by their manufacturers (yeah, yeah, I know),” so, yeah, I know, ;^). I figure that Gamo says 1650 fps., which really means 1500 fps. with their lightweight PBA ammo, which means 1250 with 7.0 Hobbies, 1050 fps. with CPHs, and MAYBE 700 fps with Eun Jins (16.9).
An 18 to 22 foot-pound headshot or heart/lung shot on a racoon at 20 yards with a hunting pellet. Humane or no?
Michael
Michael..
A heart shot would work O.K. , except that is a small target and you have too much chance for deflection . A lung shot (solid) could take a couple minutes. A poor lung shot will take longer.
If you can scramble the brain, you got the job done. But you still must take care about deflection. You need to hit at an angle that gives penetration instead of a glancing blow.
So you get to decide how humane you want to be.
twotalon
I have to second TT on this. For a sproinger to have enough power to be effective on such critters it needs to be a .22 or .25 and will be very hard to cock. When you pull the trigger, it will jump around like a bucking bronco. Also, you will be lucky to get a one inch group at 25 yards. A .25 Marauder or Condor with a hand pump will fill your needs in that department quite nicely and not set you back too badly.
RR
If I feel the need to take out one of these critters, I prefer a trap when possible, then finish the job VERY close. Chucks are hard to trap and a tougher target than coon or possum. Still…work as close as possible.
I don’t want to trap and release somewhere else, because I don’t know how far I would have to take them to defeat their homing instinct. I don’t want them to become a problem for someone else either. They need to stay in the woods away from people and pets.
twotalon
TT
Agree 100% that they need to stay in the woods away from people and pets.
But something else needs to happen also.
I found something out the other day that leads me to believe why the racoon’s and a occasional possum keep showing up at the outside dogs food bowl.
My wife ran into one of the neighbors that live down the road a bit at the grocery store.
The lady was showing my wife pictures that she had on her phone of the racoon’s coming on the porch eating the dog food they have been leaving out for them. And the lady even made a comment to my wife how cute they were and how close they were able to get to them.
All I can say is they are lucky people. Racoon’s can do major damage to a person or dog for that fact if it feels like its threatened. I called up the lady’s husband and asked if he new what was up.(known him for a long time) His answer…No I didn’t know it must be something my wife and the kids are doing.
I just said yep ok just make sure they don’t get hurt and it would probably be best not to do that.
Hmm maybe that why there at my dogs food bowl now.
Hows that saying go. (Don’t feed the animals)
Aren’t you doing just that (feeding the animals) by leaving a bowl of dog food outside???
J-F
J-F
Hmm that’s true. I guess I should say don’t feed the wild animals.
The racoon’s will usually come out at night to eat.
We have a mulberry tree by the house and they will usually eat those. Now they have been passing by the mulberry tree and they come to the dog pen and climb over into it and get the dog food.
In the daytime now!
Most of the time they are rare to be seen in the daytime in my area anyway.
If they are eating in their natural surroundings I don’t even think about them. We live right on the edge of about 200 acres of woods so they got their place to be.
So I guess if I had the dog food bowl setting out on the deck than that’s a different story. That would be my fault then I suppose.
Even in the dog pen, how are the raccoons supposed to know the difference?
My dogs all eat inside, I never leave food outside and I had a raccoon come on my deck once in the last 6 years I’ve been staying here. I’ve seen a few skunks (one of the dogs has been sprayed 3 times) but that’s it. The squirrels don’t come down from the trees and no animals come in the backyard. I never had to shoot one.
When they did a new housing development close to my mothers house she had a rat problem (outside thankfully), I relocated all of them as shooting them wasn’t possible due to the neighbors location. Not one came back.
J-F
Michael,
You can get a Discovery with a pump for much less cash than an HW90/Beeman RX2 which would do the job with proper shot placement. Springers are much more difficult to shoot accurately too.
/Dave
/Dave…
At least you did not suggest a Red Ryder. I know that even a .22 Talon can be a bit thin on these critters .
twotalon
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the stories from the show. As long as you have more pictures and stories from the show, please continue the series. One of these years I will make the drive myself. Your stories do put me into the mood to sell some guns before Malvern next year. It seems that every year it is harder to have the funds to take advantage of the opportunities I see at the show.
David Enoch
Hi David,
so, do you think Tom will ever run out of pictures and stories? I don’t think so, LOL. I go to the show and just “look” at the stuff. Tom (and many others) go to the show and really “see” the stuff.
Lloyd-ss
BB,
If you like Mike Reames’ stuff, I would have thought you would love Dennis Priddy’s air rifles! Did you ever talk to him? He is a big fan of air rifles and was shooting some of his ball-tanked ones against modern PCP’s last time I talked to him.
BG-Farmer,
I don’t think I have met Dennis Priddy. Do you know if he comes to the airgun shows?
B.B.
BB,
I don’t think he does. He is first a muzzleloader builder who started building historical air rifles from that angle. I talked to him last year at the Contemporary Longrifle Show in Lexington and saw one of his air rifles — looks like something out of a book.
Hmmm. That got me thinking. (Often a dangerous thing.)
Rather than building a vintage-appearing airgun from absolute scratch, might it be simpler — if possible at all — to modify an antique project/parts muzzle loader into an airgun?
Michael
Probably…
I’m pretty sure some of the flask-pistols from last year were based off the relatively (my kit was 1976) modern black powder “New Orleans Ace”
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=868&osCsid=7b4e084tmbgbc4kqcoas64cc60
(Hmm — my 1976 kit also had a rifled barrel!)
But any vintage gun that is eligible for conversion must be really trashed to make doing the conversion worthwhile.
well, bb dod you mortgage the ranch? it would be tempting to spend way overboard for me. I see you spotted some nice old guns. oh while you was away my fwb 300s came in… and your right, its a jewel to shoot . its better than I am. but I enjoyed the photos bb.glad you made it to that show
Robert,
I expect to hear some reports about your new rifle as you get used to it!
B.B.
Tom, it was great to see you in Roanoke as always! I appreciate the mention of my former (now RidgeRunner’s) vintage BSA underlever.
The gun was quite an old one, from the second BSA production batch of 1906…well over 100 years old! Had its issues, but original and complete down to the smallest lock screw and sight parts. It’s a somewhat smaller gun that the famous Standard models dating from between the world wars, and in .177 caliber.
I didn’t buy a darn thing this year, but the time spent with old friends and their toys is absolutely priceless. Thanks for your posts reminding us what a special event Roanoke really is.
Mike,
bring the Haenel 311 next year. Maybe we can make a deal! And THANK YOU for taking the time to let me experience cocking it and seeing how the trigger handles.
Fred DPRoNJ
Mike,
That BSA was such a great buy, no matter what it needed! I almost pulled the trigger myself. I;m glad RidgeRunner got it.
If I am not mistaken, you did sell the Haenel 311 outfit to someone, didn’t you? I thought I saw it on a different table on day 2.
Thanks for all your expert advice and encouragement. You are one of the guys who make this hobby so enjoyable for the rest of us.
B.B.
Hi BB, I appreciate the kind words! It’s a real treat to see you and the rest of the gang every year. Don’t tell my wife, but Friday at Roanoke is pretty much my favorite day of the year.
The cranky old commie Haenel 311–world’s only tap-loading, bolt-cocking, spring-piston, target air rifle–did not sell, it’s still living at my house. I even spent a little time lubing and shooting it this week to good effect, the poor thing was dry as a bone inside. I guess a SMART person woulda done that BEFORE the show! 🙂
Hi, Mike. I don’t think we’ve met in person, but I must thank you, along with B.B. and many others here and on the Yellow, for your enthusiasm for the vintage guns. I picked up a Walther LGR-U a few months ago, in no small part due to well received evangelism from folks who know about these things. It’s a young, 30-year-old whipper-snapper compared to these old BSAs, but man, I am getting a whole new level of enjoyment and appreciation out of the “old” thing!
Thanks,
Jan
Jan, thanks very much for your kind comments!
You definitely jumped into vintage airguns the right way with the LGR, what a beauty. The older Walther springers and pneumatics would be worth buying for their styling and quality finish alone, even if they weren’t such fabulous shooters!
Fred, my pleasure! Keep your eye on the classifieds…the Haenel 311 may make an appearance there before the next show, LOL.
BTW I stuck a bit of lube in the poor old thing this week, GUESS WHAT it’s working much smoother now! And the 5-second spring buzz after each shot is totally cured! 🙂