Blog index 1 - March through September 2005

by B.B. Pelletier

Today, I'm delivering on a promise I made some time back, that I would publish an index of the past postings. This is it. There may be a wonderfully easy way to do this, but I haven't found it. I'll probably do this at least every six months from now on.

2005

March
1 Hunt with the Sheridan Blue Streak air rifle
3 Why can't I go supersonic?
4 What IS a BB gun?
7 The accurate airgun
8 What about darts?
9 B.B.'s treasure chest - Picking a pellet
10 B.B.'s treasure chest - Sorting pellets for accuracy
11 A gift from B.B.! - The IZH 61 air rifle
14 What causes scope shift?
15 Synthetic skirts, steel tips and other pellet oddities
16 "Become a better shot!"
17 A serious springer for serious airgunning
18 How to shim a scope
21 Airgun lubes - the good, the bad and the ugly
22 Three types of pneumatic airguns: multi-pump, single-stroke and precharged
23 How, when & why to lube your spring gun's piston seals
24 Another cause of scope shift: over-adjusted scope knobs
25 Everything you need to know about airsoft BBs
28 Important! How to find your way around and leave messages (How to navigate this blog)
29 Should you buy a hand pump for your airgun?
30 Which caliber is best for you? .177? .22?
31 My top 5 pellets

April
1 Czech out the precision of the Drulov DU-10 semiautomatic pistol
4 Is airgun barrel length important?
5 How to shoot an airgun accurately
6 What's the difference between a laser & a red dot?
7 Remembering Smith & Wesson's pellet pistols (78G & 79G pistols)
8 How should I clean my airgun barrel?
11 Big bore airguns "Git-R-Done"!
12 Are your hollowpoint hunting pellets mushrooming on impact?
13 Almost everything you ever wanted to know about electric compressors but didn't know who to ask
14 Grasp the secret of accurate handgun shooting
15 A trick to shoot precharged pneumatics more accurately (fill pressure can control accuracy)
18 Two BB guns you'll never see (Daisy toy-blue BB guns with white stocks)
19 Will a PCP gun function the same if I fill it with CO2?
20 SAFETY! (fundamental gun-handling safety)
21 5 more tips to improve your accuracy
22 Why I like big bore single-shot air rifles
25 Rock & roll with an airsoft submachinegun
26 The differences between .177 & .22 - and which jobs they do best
27 Does cocking a breakbarrel gun bend the barrel over time?
28 How to pick a spring rifle
29 Shooting target pistols with one hand

May
2 What about a silencer for your airgun?
3 B.B.'s treasure chest: The miracle oil! (Crosman Pellgunoil)
4 Is pellet-sizing a waste of time? Maybe not!
5 What is "valve lock"?
6 SAFETY: Watch where you shoot!
9 Stop over-torqueing your gas gun connections!
10 Hi-Capa 5.1 Marui blowback airsoft gun is packed with realistic features & a blast to shoot!
11 Have you ever seen a rubber band gun?
12 How to find airgun leaks & what you can do about them
13 A hunting airgun for under $100? Yes - and it's accurate! (Daisy 22SG)
16 Expand your hunting opportunities with this great CO2 rifle! (Crosman 1077)
17 Take your power down a notch to experience an excellent hunting rifle (Beeman R7)
18 What about Eun Jin pellets?
19 Eyes wide open! (sight picture discussion)
20 The Beeman P1/HW45 is one of my all-time favorite air pistols!
23 The BB pistol that didn't shoot BBs (Daisy Targeteer)
24 Bad vibes (spring gun performance)
25 Warm weather means hotter velocities for CO2 guns!
26 Are longer barrels more accurate?
29 More on muzzle velocity and energy
30 Tokyo Marui VSR-10 G-Spec MG315
31 Synthetic-skirted (saboted) pellets and accuracy

June
1 At what range should you zero your scope?
2 My early Silver Streak
3 Bug bustin'! (Leapers' Bug Buster scope)
6 B.B.'s Treasure Chest - The Daisy Avanti Champion Model 499
7 Do you have a "GO-TO" airgun? (Sheridan Blue Streak)
8 More about sighting-in: How to determine the two intersection points (scope-related)
9 Want a lot of fun? Blast away with a real Walther PPK/S!
10 A hoot to shoot - the Walther Lever Action rifle!
13 Got a variable-power scope? Use it!
14 What's the effective range of an airgun used for hunting?
15 Shoot in style with Gamo's wheelgun (Gamo R-77 revolver)
16 Daisy's Targeteer- the rest of the story (BB-caliber Targeteer)
17 Does a choked barrel improve air rifle accuracy?
20 Crosman Mark I – a target pistol worthy of the name!
21 Some questions are answered! (gas springs, pellet coatings, CO2 powerlet sizes)
22 What's it worth? (Pricing vintage airguns)
23 How to pick your first PCP
24 Gamo Shadow 1000 Combo - one of the best buys in Gamo's line!
27 Crosman air pistols: then & now (comparing vintage pistols to the 2240)
28 Shooting BB guns: a message for parents and teachers (fundamental shooting safety)
29 Angled shots reduce pellet drop
30 Smith & Wesson 586 & 686

July
1 Lead pellets and ricochet
4 Does velocity drop as the pressure drops in a PCP tank?
5 How to optically center a scope
6 How safe is a PCP airgun?
7 Caspian M1911A1 airsoft gas gun - a 6mm treat!
8 How do PCP guns compare to multi-pumps?
11 How does cold weather affect different airgun powerplants?
12 Chronograph substitutes - a few simple tricks
13 Crosman M1 Carbine BB gun looks like its ancestor!
14 Crosman's Challenger 2000 makes these the "good old days"
15 Who needs foot-pounds?
18 Accuracy tips
19 Crosman's Single-Action Six - another blast from the past
20 CO2 and pneumatic guns: Where to get them fixed
21 How to pull the trigger
22 My favorite spring guns (TX 200, HW 77, Webley Tomahawk)
25 Do breakbarrels loosen at the joint?
26 The Crosman S1008 Air Mag is a nifty shooter!
27 How to use a peep sight
28 The new Big Bore 909S may be the ideal hunting rifle!
29 What makes an airgun quiet?

August
1 How wet weather affects your airguns
2 Don't be fooled - shop for those vintage airguns
3 Have you tried Gamo's Compact target pistol?
4 Pioneer BB76 - a BB gun you're not likely to see!
5 Crosman's 2240: Are we having fun, yet?
8 Just like a REAL gun! (Makarov CO2 pistol)
9 Scope mount basics - part one
10 Airgun books (review of some of the best airgun books)
11 Spotlight on lasers
12 Fixing a Daisy Avanti 747 (I hope!)
15 Scope mount basics - part two
16 1377 - Another Crosman classic!
17 Welcome to Pyramyd's "Scratch & Dent" section
18 Are you taking full advantage of this website? (owner's manuals online)
19 Best pellet of all? (discussion of selected pellets)
22 The Drozd - a CO2 submachine gun
23 Protecting and restoring a blued finish
24 What is a L-O-N-G shot?
25 Lubricating a spring-piston airgun
26 Do you REALLY need a chronograph?
29 What IS a red dot sight?
30 The Talon SS: powerful & quiet!
31 Darts with airsoft?

September
1 Can you take the pressure? (PCP fill levels)
2 A rifle to hunt squirrels and rabbits (comparing the Gamo 1250 and RWS 350 Magnum)
5 .177 is the most accurate caliber - NOT!
6 What is Field Target?
7 Comparative penetration with pellets
8 More on pellets! (continuing discussion about the best pellets)
9 Why weigh pellets?
12 Airsoft action targets! (using a bubble machine for moving targets)
13 Webley Senior
14 Aeron B99 - a quality 10-meter target pistol
15 The magic of the O-ring
16 Daisy 22SG
19 Another oldie - Crosman 130!
20 The Benjamin 392/397 - 60 years later!
21 Fix your Benjamin or Sheridan pneumatic at home!
22 What about those big Korean PCPs?
23 So, you don't like airguns? (reasons to be an airgunner)
26 The main causes of inaccurate airguns
27 Vision and shooting
28 Comparative pellet penetration test
29 Are those advertised big bore velocities true?
30 Blog index 1 - March through September 2005

Are those advertised big bore velocities true?

by B.B. Pelletier

Today I answer a question that came in last Sunday:

Posting late...hope you still check your blog.
What kind of velocity do you get with various balls, pellets out of the 909 44? The site lists 720fps but I am interested in real world tests. Any info would be helpful.

Testing the big bores
I tested the Big Bore 909 several years ago. It's a .45 caliber rifle that shoots 0.454 bullets the best. I shot actual blackpowder rifle and pistol bullets weighing 125, 140 and 190 grains. The 190-grain bullets were the only ones sized 0.454, so they shot the best. Velocity was 673 on high power, and I got 5 shots per charge. Max energy was just over 190 foot-pounds. I got a quarter-sized group at 20 yards with open sights.

I got 762 f.p.s. with the 125-grain bullets and 737 f.p.s. with the 140s, so the advertised velocity is conservative, if anything. A swaged 0.454 ball weighs 140 grains, so you can calculate the velocity from that.

Career Dragon Slayer
I don't have any experience with the Dragon Slayer 50, but there's a test article about the .50 caliber Career Dragon on the web site. The Dragon was a conventional bolt-action rifle, where the shooter cocks the bolt by pulling it straight back. The Dragon Slayer has a sidelever, which offers better mechanical advantage, so it's possible they also beefed up the mainspring at the same time.

The old Dragon posted a high velocity of 613 f.p.s. with a 225-grain lead pellet. Best energy seen was with the 250-grain pellet at 192 foot-pounds. I wouldn't be surprised to see the new rifle do even better because of the possible mainspring upgrade I mentioned. The 225-grain pellet was the most accurate, and posted energy of just under 186 foot-pounds, which isn't far off the pace. A .495 lead ball weighs 191 grains, which should improve the velocity a little.

Fire 201
I got a Fire 201 years before it became popular. Mine was a .25 caliber air shotgun instead of the 9mm rifle sold today. I got 125 foot-pounds from a load of shot, but I have seen 9mm rifles break 200 foot-pounds with heavy bullets. The problem is that the rifle won't stabilize those long bullets, so they're just a drill for "braggin' rights." If you want to hit what you're shooting at, stick with either the the diabolos from Eun Jin or the bullets made and sold by Pyramyd Air. Stay under 100 grains for best performance with a 9mm.

Are there other big bores?
Yes, as a matter of fact, there is another big bore ON THIS SITE! The Drulov Rada 9mm (named for Rada Plesinger, I believe) is a 9mm carbine that uses CO2 to propel a OOO buckshot ball, making it the cheapest of all the big bores to feed. Add to that the fact that you can operate it on CO2 powerlets, so there's no additional expensive equipment to purchase.

The Rada is an entry-level big bore that will get you into the sport with a minimum of trouble. Don't expect the accuracy of the other big bores, but it gets you into big bores as inexpensively as possible. You can shoot with just a common powerlet instead of the support system required by precharged big bores. Pyramyd lists a velocity of 470 f.p.s., which sounds entirely reasonable.

Well, that's the answer that was too big to put in the comments section. I hope it clears things up for the person who asked the question and for any of you who might be curious about these large bore airguns. If any reader owns one of these guns or a model I didn't mention, please feel free to tell us about it.

Comparative pellet penetration test

by B.B. Pelletier

If you want to know how different types of pellets penetrate, here is a neat experiment you can do with very little equipment.

The test medium
I use Neutrogena glycerin facial bars for this test. You find them in the cosmetics section of the store. Use the biggest bars you can buy and orient them the long way when shooting more powerful guns. Also, back the bars with a safe pellet trap in case of a shoot-through. Naturally, you must wear safety glasses when performing this test!

Today, I'll shoot five different types of projectiles from the same rifle—a wadcutter, hollowpoint, domed, pointed and a round lead ball. I'll use a .22 caliber Diana model 27 spring-piston rifle for every shot. Because the rifle stays the same, we will be able to compare pellet penetration at the same relative energy level. I'll also shoot a JSB predator, which is a specialty hollowpoint. That'll give us the relationship between a regular hollowpoint and the new Predator round.


From the left RWS Hobby, RWS Super-H-Point, Crosman Premier, RWS Superpoint, .22 lead ball, JSB Predator.

The results are clear
Because the facial bars are transparent, we will be able to see how deeply each pellet penetrates and what sort of wound channel it leaves. That's useful for hunters. This experiment clears up many things shooters often wonder about. You can't just look at a pellet and know how it will perform. You have to shoot it several different ways and look at the results.

Sometimes, the largest wound channel isn't the best pellet
If a pellet performs very well in penetration but is not accurate in the gun you shoot, it isn't a very good pellet to choose. On the other hand, a very accurate pellet can be forgiven its lack of expansion because you know it will always hit its intended target. What you're looking for, of course, is a pellet that does all things well in the gun you intend using.

I used a lower-powered rifle to limit the depth of penetration. That does affect the performance of the pellets, because at higher velocities some specialty pellets such as hollowpoints may perform dramatically better. On the other hand, I am shooting with the muzzle almost touching the bar, which could duplicate the downrange performance of a more powerful rifle, because pellets lose velocity rapidly. It depends on how far you want to shoot.


Hobby on the left, Super-H-Point in center, Crosman Premier on the right.


Superpoint on the left, Lead ball in center, JSB Predator on the right.

How to read the test results
In the first photo, you can see that the Premier out-penetrated both the wadcutter and the hollowpoint. I expected this. In the second photo, the pointed pellet out-penetrated the round ball. I didn't expect that. The JSB Predator has just started to expand, but it's difficult to see in this photo. Still, it isn't the explosive expansion you might have expected from the advertising copy.

In this test, the Crosman Premier looks like the leader, followed closely by the Superpoint. The round ball was loose in the bore, which could explain why it didn't go deepest of all (read more about round balls versus pellets in the article Pellets versus round balls).

This little experiment can tell you a lot about the pellets you shoot. Try it some time.

Vision and shooting

by B.B. Pelletier

I hear so often from shooters who think that because they are 40 and their vision has started to degrade, they are too old to use open sights. Hogwash! I'm 58 and wear bifocals, so don't pull the old-eyes card on me! I think many shooters just don't understand what sights really are and how their vision relates to them, so today I want to explore this topic.

Try shooting targets you can't see at all!
In the Army, I lead a heavy mortar platoon. We had four tubes of 106mm (4.2") mortars that shot 25-27 lb. high-explosive shells over 5,000 yards. We never saw the target! Forward observers adjusted our fire onto the target via the radio. What we aimed at were two metal stakes stuck in the ground about 30-40 yards from the guns. Call those stakes your front and rear sight, because that's exactly how they work.

We couldn't aim at the target because we couldn't even see it, so we "aimed" at the two metal stakes. The precision came when we refined our "sight picture" of the two stakes using a small optical scope sight. What I am saying is that the care we took in looking at our crude sights made it possible to land mortar rounds ON TOP of target tanks many miles away! One time we actually dropped a round down the open hatch of a target tank and blew off the turret, winning an award for everyone in the platoon.

If you can see the front sight clearly, you're almost home!
The secret to shooting with open sights is the relationship of the front and rear sights. Forget the target! Not really, but don't let it be your emphasis. Let the front sight be your emphasis. If you can see it clearly in the rear sight, whether it is a notch or a peephole, you can shoot like a champ. Remember, I wear bifocals, so don't tell me how hard it is unless you have 20/40 vision CORRECTED in your sighting eye. Then I'll cut you some slack.

Get your eyes checked
Every shooter should have a recent eye exam if they hope to shoot their best. And wear your glasses! Yes, Lasik surgery is wonderful, but if you can't afford it yet, put on those specs! And for gosh sakes, WEAR SAFETY GLASSES! I can't tell you how many times I've been hit in the face with pellet fragments that drew blood. Don't risk the only pair of eyes you have.

Do me a big favor & try open sights my way
If you've avoided open sights (that's any non-optical sight), try them for me - and try them my special way. Start at a ridiculously close range of 10 feet from the target. Yes, I know that's too close, so wear those safety glasses. Shoot your rifle or pistol offhand at the target until you can keep your shots inside the nine-ring of whatever paper targets you use. Then, back up five feet and try it again. You may have to change your point of aim, but keep shooting until you keep them all in the nine-ring. Then back up to 20 feet and do it again.

Concentrate on the front sight, keeping it centered in the rear sight and level with the top of the rear if it's a post-and-notch sight. Let the target appear fuzzy, but focus on that front sight.

By the time you've backed up to 30 feet and are shooting well, I would like to hear from you. Say whatever you want, but write me so the other readers can hear what you have to say about this.

One hundred years ago, it was well-known that shooting is a great builder of individual discipline and character. Leaders everywhere sought good shooters for whatever endeavors they were involved in because they knew such people would have the necessary strength of character to get the job done. That message has been lost, but it is no less true today. The youth who can shoot tens has no need to shoot streetlights or songbirds - he or she has developed the self-control required to master life, itself. And, learn to use and trust your eyes is where it all begins.

The main causes of inaccurate airguns

by B.B. Pelletier

1. The wrong pellet
Pellets make a big difference in accuracy. Some work better in some guns than in others, but here are the very best I have found:

.177
Beeman Kodiak
JSB Exact
Crosman Premier (These come in two weights. Use the 10.5 in pneumatics, the 7.9 in spring-piston and all other guns.)

.20
Crosman Premier
Beeman Kodiak

.22
JSB Exact
Beeman Kodiak
Crosman Premier

.25
Diana Magnum
Beeman Kodiak

2. Improper shooting technique (spring-piston guns only)
Hold the gun as loosely as you can and try to let it recoil as much as possible. Never rest the forearm on anything but skin (your open palm).

3. The gun, itself
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still be a pig. If you want to experiment with oddball brands of airguns, feel free, but don't complain when they don't shoot well. The barrel is the key to a gun's accuracy. Airgun barrels made in the following countries are ranked in descending order:

Germany
Czech Republic/Russia/Hungary/England
Korea
U.S. (Only applies to Benjamin Sheridan Crosman and Daisy pneumatic and CO2 guns. U.S. spring-piston guns use foreign barrels, as far as I know)
Spain
Argentina
China
Turkey

All U.S. spring-piston airguns with rifled barrels are made in other countries. Spain and Turkey make most of them. AirForce Airguns uses German barrels. A few rifled airgun barrels are made in the U.S. by Dennis Quackenbush and Gary Barnes. These generally have the quality of German and Czech Republic barrels.

4. Cheap scopes and mounts
Nearly all good scopes are made in China today. So are bad ones! Do your research and read articles before buying a scope. Mounts made for .22 rimfires and sold in Wal-Mart are pure crap! They can take a good scope and make it bad. Buy good mounts. And never forget this - NO MOUNT WITHOUT A SCOPE STOP WILL HOLD ON A RECOILING AIRGUN. NOT ONE! Leave the clamp-only mounts for PCPs.

Remember that this blog is my personal opinion. I am often correct but I am also prejudiced in ways I can't control. Test everything I say before you accept it as the truth!

So, you don't like airguns?

by B.B. Pelletier

You're reading this posting because the title is intriguing, and maybe you agree with it. You don't understand why anyone would like a wimpy little gun that puffs out a tiny little bullet with just air. Well, partner, perhaps you don't really know what airguns are!

They're NOT wimpy...
Unless you think deer rifles are wimpy, airguns have NEVER been wimpy. Men have been hunting deer, elk, boar and similar large game with airguns since the 1600s. Lewis and Clark carried an air rifle on their expedition in 1804-1806, and it may have been the deadliest gun they had! It was .51 caliber and could fire 20 times in one minute. Compare that to the .54 caliber muzzleloading muskets they also carried!

On this site, you can find big bore rifles like the .50 caliber Career Dragon Slayer and the.45 caliber Big Bore 909S from Sam Yang. These airguns and other big bores like them have successfully taken deer and boar in dozens of states. The 9mm Fire 201S is another great big bore, though a little too small for deer.

...But they ARE very accurate - if YOU are!
Take a look at a dime. That's Roosevelt's head on the front. The best sporting air rifles, like the FX 2000, can hit a target that size five times out of five at 40 yards on a good day. Can you do that with your .22 rimfire? The extra accuracy air rifles offer make them the perfect guns to sharpen your shooting skills and to keep them honed. While all airguns are not silent, some, like the Talon SS from AirForce, have reduced reports that keep the neighbors from complaining.

Maybe you like REAL guns
Airguns are as real as they get. One-third of the shooting competition in the Olympics is held for airguns, and the airgun shooters are regarded as the finest in the world. They have to be, because the size of their targets leaves nothing to chance. The ten-ring for the air rifle event is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. And, that event is shot offhand!

No airgun will recoil as much as a Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum or a .500 A-Square rifle, but I kind of like that. Of course, no current air rifle is as powerful as a .50 BMG, though in 1898 the United States had several pneumatic cannons aboard gunboats. They shot 2,550-lb. dymamite shells! So, don't tell me how big your Weatherby is! Airguns are real enough that inner city SWAT teams are using them to kill guard dogs when they go in on major drug raids.

But none of the above is what airgunning is really about
Airgunning is a pastime for personal satisfaction - not for macho points or an "in your face" statement. Airgunners leave their attitudes at home when they shoot. They're interested in knowing how good they are, and they use the lowly airgun as a tool to measure themselves. If they can hit with an airgun, they know they can hit with a firearm, because everything is simpler with firearms. The airgun is the trainer that sharpens skills.

That's what airguns are really all about: A personal expression of shooting.

What about those big Korean PCPs?

by B.B. Pelletier

Let's look at some of the most powerful smallbore air rifles today. I'm talking about the big, powerful Korean repeaters.

In Korea, air rifles are serious business!
Koreans use them for hunting. Guns that are .22 and .25 caliber are stored most of the year in the local police station. A hunter can take his rifle out for hunting purposes. I'm not sure if that's all they can do with them, but most of the time it is stored at the police station. The .177 and .20 caliber guns may be kept at home, as they're not considered serious hunting guns. Get down on your knees and kiss the ground you're standing on. It's hallowed ground, and there is precious little of it remaining in the world!

The Air Rifle Specialists Hunting Master was first to be imported
The AR6, as it was known, was a six-shot revolver that fired either single-action by cocking the hammer or double-action by pulling the trigger. The trigger took 18 to 25 pounds to cycle, so it was actually a better single-action. It produced over 50 foot-pounds for many shots, and most shooters could shoot 1" five-shot groups at 50 yards.

The Career 707 was No. 2 - but what a success!
Career 707s came over in lots of 50 starting in 1995, and I own one of the very first ones. They were raw and more powerful that any smallbore airguns we had ever seen. They originally had three power levels. Before the year was out, several airgunsmiths had modified them to have 12 and then 18 power levels! At 50 yards, I shot my first sub-inch group with my Career, using Crosman Premier pellets on low power (they still went 1,000 f.p.s.!).

Although the Career has a lever, the early ones were so hard to cock that they had to be cocked like a BB gun. Several hobbyists invented better triggers for them and the cocking effort became much easier. I can cock mine like Chuck Connors, The Rifleman.

The standard Career rifle was also sold as a carbine, but the Tanker Carbine is a different animal! It had a removable air reservoir. The thought was that shooters would buy extra reservoirs so they could carry a spare in the field.

The Career III 300 is a six-shot Career with a revolving cylinder instead of the linear magazine of the standard rifle. Where the linear magazine is best suited for domed pellets because they have to nestle in a straight line, the cylinder of the 300 accepts pellets of all shapes.

Sam Yang makes the Saver airguns
The Saver 7000 and Saver Carbine 505 are similar to the Career in that they feature in-line magazines, but they cock via a short lever on the right side of the receiver. Power is about the same as the Career, which is in excess of 50 foot-pounds for several shots.

Korea's Eun Jin makes Sumatra airguns...
The Sumatra 2500 is very much like the Career 707 except that it's a revolver. The lever is harder to cock because the hammer spring is very strong. A Sumatra 2500 Carbine is also available if you like shorter rifles.

...And they also make great pellets!
If you want to shoot diabolos, Eun Jin is the only pellet with 28 grains of weight in .22. Pyramyd Air produces its own brand of solid pellet called the Predator. Currently they are only available in 23 grain weights, but when production resumes, they will be made up to a 35-grain weight. These Korean rifles and the Condor from AirForce are the only air rifles powerful enough to use solid pellets, which must be fired very fast to stabilize.

The prices of these powerful rifles is far less than their quality, accuracy and power dictate. They're loud and raw. If you want the most bang for your buck in a smallbore, these guns are the ones to get!

Fix your Benjamin or Sheridan pneumatic at home!

by B.B. Pelletier

I was flabbergasted when I saw what I'm going to write about today. An actual kit to repair a multi-pump pneumatic is a pretty rare thing. In over 40 years that I've been involved with them, I've never seen a home repair kit.

You don't have to depend on dealers to get your spare parts
While writing about the Benjamin 392/397 rifles yesterday, I was shocked to see a repair kit offered for them! This represents a 180-degree turnaround in policy from the old days, when you couldn't get these parts unless you were a dealer or a company-authorized repair station. It makes me wonder whether this is 2005 or 1905!

The new kit is good for the Benjamin 392, Benjamin 397, Sheridan Blue Streak and Sheridan Silver Streak. Who could ask for anything more?

No directions, so you have to know what you're doing!
Pyramyd Air put this kit together for you but there are no instructions, so you have to be handy or know what you are doing. Many of you are, undoubtedly, qualified. But, if you think you're not, listen to your instinct. It would be better if you had an old, non-collectible airgun that you can risk ruining to test your fix-it skills. Whatever you do, don't practice on your good Blue Streak!

This may work for you whether you're handy or not!
If you struggle to replace the batteries in a garage door opener, this kit may not work for you. There's still a benefit, since people who are technologically challenged often have good friends who can fix anything (they need them!). Buy the kit so your good buddy can install it for you! It's a win-win situation regardless of your own capabilities or interests.

Buy cheap, broken-down guns & repair them yourself!
Knowing this kit is available opens up a lot of possibilities to buy guns at flea markets and pawn shops. So what if they don't work when you get them? You can rebuild them in short order. I'll certainly be a lot more aggressive when looking for older guns that match up with this repair kit.

These parts may not work on older guns
Remember that the Benjamin 390-series rifles have been around since 1992, and the Blue and Silver Streaks have been with us since 1949! The parts in this kit are probably not going to fit the older versions of these guns, so think about that before you take the plunge.

A second repair kit is also available!
Lest you think I've overlooked it, Pyramyd also sells a repair kit for the IZH 46 and 46M. The kit has seals only, but that's all the single-stroke pneumatic needs. If you've used this kit, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Are instructions next?
These two kits are going to generate a demand for instructions. While some customers will sail through the job without stopping, much of American know-how has gone south. As cars, TVs and blenders became more disposable and less repairable over the decades, two generations of Americans have grown up without doing their own simple repairs - unless they had a detailed manual (or even a video!). They expect such support and are often shocked if it isn't instantly available, as in, "Where's the web page?"

For both repair kits, you will need some good silicone oil, and I recommend Crosman Pellgunoil. Buy it when you order your kit so you don't forget. Let me know how the Benjamin Sheridan repair kit works for you.

The Benjamin 392/397 - 60 years later!

by B.B. Pelletier

Let's look at the latest rendition in a line of air rifles that had their beginnings more than 60 years ago. Where some products have been so vastly changed and cheapened over time, the Benjamin 392 remains a steadfast leader for very high quality. The 392 is the .22 caliber version of the gun, while the 397 is the .177. This gun is one that truly harkens back to "the good old days." Even when Crosman bought Benjamin, they left the quality alone.

Radical state laws are changing which airguns are being produced
Thanks to laws in states like Michigan, where all air rifles over .18 caliber are considered to be firearms, the big box stores like Wal-Mart don't stock the .22 air rifles any more. There may be exceptions in a few stores, but the last time I looked in three different states, .177 was all I could find! Crosman is a volume seller, so if they don't have the sales in .22 as they do in .177, they will cancel the model. It has already happened in other Crosman guns, so don't wait too long to get your gun.

Fortunately, airguns are sold by dealers like Pyramyd Air, but the combined volume of all airgun dealers is small compared to the big box stores. It won't take too long before Crosman has to make a tough decision. By the way, .20 caliber guns are in jeopardy for the same reason.

Adults only, please!
The 392/397 is an adult-sized air rifle, though not overly long or heavy. The pull (distance from the butt to the trigger) is proportioned for adult sizes, plus the pump effort requires some strength that younger children don't have. That's fine, because the power level dictates that this rifle should be used by someone who can exercise great responsibility.

Classic design meets modern technology!
For decades, all Benjamin stocks were made of American walnut, a relatively fast-growing hardwood that has adequate strength for rifle stocks. Today, the gun has an "American hardwood" stock, which gives the manufacturer other options that may be more readily available. That probably contributes to the continued modest price of this rifle.

The stock is nicely sculpted in the classic American style that suits most shooters. The forearm has a very pronounced beavertail swelling where the hand grabs to pump the rifle. It would be cheaper to eliminate this swelling, but they keep it because it makes pumping easier.

You can't do better than brass for a pneumatic barrel! It doesn't rust when exposed to the condensation from every shot, and it can be made smoother than a steel barrel. Smoothness allows for good velocity and accuracy without a lot of after-rifling work.

How to make a great gun even better? Add a peep sight!
One really nice upgrade is the Crosman 64 peep sight. It installs easily and just about doubles the precision of your aim. You can install red dot sights and scopes as well, but for that you also need to buy the Crosman B272 4-piece Intermount to serve as a base for the dot sight or scope mounts.

With the right pellets, I get 0.50" groups at 60 feet!
I recommend Crosman Premiers and JSB Exact domed pellets for both calibers of this rifle. Pyramyd says you can expect 1/2" groups at 33 feet, but my experience says you'll get that out to 60 feet - if you do your job! This air rifle is definitely one that can train you to be a better shot.

Quality American airguns are still being made - affordably!
The bottom line with these two air rifles is that they're out of the past, yet as modern as they have to be. If you appreciate quality American products, these two certainly fit the bill. I guess you can tell I'm a big fan of this air rifle! I hope owners of these guns will comment on how much they enjoy them.

Another oldie - Crosman 130!

by B.B. Pelletier

Here's another blast from the past. The Crosman 130 pneumatic was made from 1953 to 1970. It was a multi-pump pneumatic in .22 caliber, plus a model 137 in .177 was also made. These guns replaced the model 105/106 multi-pump pistols that had been in the Crosman line since 1947. Where the 105/106 guns were conventional in all ways, the 130/137 were groundbreaking new airguns.


Crosman's 130 ushered in a revolutionary new valve!

Crosman invented a new type of valve
Airgun companies were tired of customers over-pumping their guns and complaining that they wouldn't shoot. When they over-pumped them, the valves would lock up and the guns would either fire very weakly or not at all. To prevent over-pumping, Crosman engineers invented a new type of valve that worked much differently. Instead of knocking the valve open with a heavy hammer, the new valve used the trigger to hold the valve shut until the trigger was pulled and released the air.

Valve lock-up became a thing of the past
Crosman hoped this new valve would end the complaints about valve lock, which it did. However, it started a new round of complaints about a trigger than gets harder to pull as the air pressure increases. That didn't stop them from putting it in the model 140 rifle in 1955, where it lasted into the newer model 1400 but was finally washed out of the system in 1978. In the rifles, the new valve was alleged to be the most powerful multi-pump ever made, though my own tests with a 140 modified for power proved it to be only slightly superior to a stock Sheridan Blue Streak.

How the valve affects the trigger
The trigger becomes harder to pull with every pump stroke. It also becomes more gritty as increased pressure reveals flaws in the linkage. With one or two pumps, the trigger is very chancy - sometimes working and other times not. In fact, my own 130 doesn't fully seal the valve until the second pump. This can be heard as a hollow "pop."

You'll never have to cock these guns!
Because the act of pumping the gun sets the trigger, no cocking is needed. There's no hammer and no hammer spring, so the gun is always ready to fire when pumped. That makes it somewhat unsafe, even though there is a safety to lock the trigger blade. My 130 has fired many seconds after the trigger was pulled when only a few pumps were in the gun. My souped-up 140 actually fired once on its own without touching the trigger. I think the latter incident was due to the airgunsmith trying to lighten the trigger, but it still warrants approaching with caution when handling any gun that has one of these valves. Don't store a pump of air in the gun and don't load a pellet until you're ready to fire!

Your gun may need to be resealed
The 130 shown here was located in an antique shop for just $20 only a month ago, so the finds are still out there. It shot okay but it leaked, so I had it resealed. If you have a vintage pneumatic like this, you need to read the posting on airgunsmiths from July 20, CO2 and pneumatic airguns: where to get them fixed. A seal job will cost $25 to $60 depending on the smith. All the names I listed are people I trust to do a good job. I paid $37 for my reseal job, so now I have $57 in the gun. Blue Book of Airguns says that's about what it's worth. But they don't make them anymore, so I'm happy!

These aren't powerful airguns, as indeed most pellet pistols are not. But they do have rifled barrels and will shoot fairly well with good modern pellets. My choice would be Crosman's Premier for this one. While a gun like this has its limitations, it's also a nice tie to the past. I like that.

Daisy 22SG

by B.B. Pelletier

Yesterday, we had a question posted to the September 2 post, A rifle to hunt squirrels and rabbits. Although that post was an answer to a different question from another reader, a lot of readers have posted their views and questions to it. Yesterday's question went like this:

Very interested in this discusion as I need to eliminate some pest rodents and birds. Can someone recommend an inexpensive rifle for the job? I was looking at the Daisy 22SG. Are there any other rifles I should consider?

None better?
Good question! I searched the Pyramyd website looking for a better gun, or at least one just as good. The Crosman 2260 is a candidate, but the Daisy 22SG is a pneumatic rifle, so I tried to stay in the powerplant family. The 2260 is CO2, of course. If that isn't a problem, it's a fine air rifle and great for pest elimination. The published velocity is a little faster than the Daisy, but I think you can consider both rifles to be equal. As far as accuracy goes, I don't have a Crosman to compare to, and I won't make any guesses. Maybe, some readers can give us their experiences.

Remington's AirMaster 77 kit is nice, but it's a .177 and you know how I feel about .22 as a hunting gun. If we were to go with .177s, then there are a lot of additional choices. I also searched the used guns, but at present there isn't an equivalent gun for sale. Crosman's Quest 1000 from the sale page is a nice breakbarrel for little money, but, again, it's not a pneumatic.

Daisy is alone
Crosman used to go head-to-head with Daisy on nice, inexpensive .22 pneumatics. Their 2200 was a great gun that was made until very recently. You might watch the used gun section to see if any more rebuilds become available. Crosman only makes the 2100B these days, and it's a .177/BB, which I would not recommend for pest removal unless we're talking about rats, chipmunks and sparrows.

Avoid the foreign models
Elsewhere on the Internet you'll find some cheap Chinese pneumatics, but the ones I've tested were pretty inaccurate. A few years ago, there was an Indonesian pneumatic (the Arrow) that looked pretty nice. What the maker said about it was good, but the one I tested just didn't live up to all the claims. And, as long as eight years ago, the Indonesians were making copies of the Japanese Sharp Innova and Ace pneumatic rifles. They were actually pretty good - not as nice as a real Sharp, but hard to ignore. Those rifles are now a thing of the past now.

Straight talk about the 22SG
Even though Daisy has a metal receiver, there's a lot of plastic in the gun. So much, in fact, that many traditionalists may be inclined to discount it. The biggest plastic part is the pump handle. I am an oldtimer who is used to steel pump mechanisms covered in wooden handles, but I have to admit that this pump handle works! The geometry of the pump mechanism puts very little strain on the handle and the engineering plastic looks stronger than it needs to be. I don't think there's any cause for concern there. For the power the rifle delivers (the velocity figures are slightly conservative!), the 22SG is the easiest-pumping pneumatic on the market.

The cocking bolt works stiffly for a shooter used to a Crosman 1400 or similar gun. It's lighter to cock than a Sheridan Blue Streak, but not by a lot. And, I find the loading port a little on the small size for my medium-sized fingers.

On the plus side, the stock is real wood! There is also a TruGlo front sight for rapid sight acquisition, plus the rifle comes with a 4x scope and nice mounts. So, the only thing you need to buy are pellets.

Accuracy is good for a gun this inexpensive. The late James House thought a lot of this rifle with open sights, and I'm sure he would have loved this scoped version, as well. By the way, House tested his gun with lots of pellets, and his favorites were Daisy Precision Max pointed field pellets and Gamo Match pellets.

So, dear reader, you found the best gun for your endeavor, in my opinion. The rest of you could hardly do better than the Daisy 22SG for an economical pneumatic hunting rifle.

The magic of the O-ring

by B.B. Pelletier

So much of today's airgunning depends on O-rings, yet how much do any of us know about them? Today, I'd like to tell you more and cover a few basics.

Different materials for different jobs
When CO2 cartridges were first used in airguns in the late 1940s, the choice of materials they could be made from was very limited. Most early O-rings in guns were made of a material that was porous to CO2 under pressure. After being in a gun and charged for hours or even days, the O-rings were swollen with CO2 gas! They were several times their normal size, which made it all but impossible to open the gas chamber to install another cartridge after the old one ran out. You had to set the gun aside for hours, to allow the gas to slowly leave the O-ring. If you didn't wait, you would tear the O-ring by unscrewing the cartridge chamber when the ring was still swollen.


The Schimel was notorious for having O-rings that swelled!

Besides the American-made Schimel, guns made in others countries had this problem until very recently, with, perhaps, China being the worst offender of all. Now that you know about this problem, never try to unscrew a powerlet chamber when the cap feels extra tight. You might just encounter a 1950s problem all over again.

Hardness is another factor
The Shore durometer test gives you the hardness of rubber and other substances. The test measures the O-ring's resistence to indentation from a known force. The O-rings we use are measured by the Shore D scale, which is for harder materials. You hear the phrase, "90 durometer" kicked around a lot by airgunners these days. A 90 durometer reading is VERY hard, but not all airgun O-rings are that hard. In fact, a lot of them wouldn't work right if they were that hard. There is also a less well-known Rockwell hardness test for synthetic materials, but the Shore durometer rating is the one we use most.

Here are some O-ring facts.

1. To perform correctly, a hard O-ring needs closer tolerances than a softer O-ring.

2. An O-ring usually needs lubrication to do its job - but not always.

3. When an O-ring seals something, it only needs to be finger-tight.

4. An O-ring can look fine yet hide a tear or a puncture and leak under pressure.

5. An O-ring can look ratty yet still seal perfectly.

6. The durometer rating of an O-ring can change over time.

The seats or channels they sit in help O-rings work!
If the seats are too wide or too deep, the O-ring will not seal the joint as intended. Also, the shape of the O-ring seat or channel is somewhat important. While there is a lot of room for slop with an O-ring (that is one of their endearing qualities), you can't get away with murder. A perfectly square channel with no radius in the corners may present sharp edges to the O-ring under pressure. In other words, it can cut the O-ring, causing it to fail quickly!

Sizes are important, too
Not only do O-rings come in different diameters, they also come in different thicknesses, and that dimension is just as important as the diameter. O-rings are available in both metric and imperial measurements. Sometimes, you can cheat and use a metric ring for an imperial application, just like a 14mm wrench will work when a 9/16" isn't available.

Properly designed O-rings seldom wear out
As long as they're lubricated correctly (if they require it), O-rings can last a very long time. In some applications where they abraid as they are used, such as the seals around caps that are constantly opened and closed, they may wear out sooner, but I've seen O-rings that have lasted 25 years and are still going strong. If the material was chosen wisely and the seat is correct, an O-ring can last and last.

The magic word is silicone
It's hard to beat silicone as an O-ring lubricant, unless the equipment specifically warns against using it. An arigunner should sock away some pure (food-grade, which is so pure it can be used in food machinery) silicone grease and a bottle of silicone oil. I have said this before, but nothing reseals leaking CO2 guns faster than a drop or two of Crosman Pellgunoil.

Aeron B99 - a quality 10-meter target pistol

by B.B. Pelletier

Today, I'd like to look at an upscale target pistol. In case you are not aware, the Euro has strengthened against the dollar to the point that airguns that used to cost $500 now sell for $1,000. About three years ago, the top target air pistols were all selling in the $1,000 to $1,200 range. Then the dollar began its slide and those same pistols now retail for $1,400 to $1,800! They're very nice guns, without a doubt, but I have been shooting a Czech Republic target pistol that cost me $325 about six years ago. Now known as the Aeron B99, I feel qualified to talk about it.

This pistol could win the Olymipcs!
It probably won't, because the big name guns are given to the world's best shooters. Their makers promote their guns by seeing to it that top competitors all over the world shoot their guns. Just like a top race car driver doesn't pay for his car (in world-class competition), no top shooter does either. But, an Aeron B99 is capable of shooting a perfect score in competition, which is all it takes to win.

The B99 is a PCP!
One thing the new B99 has over my gun is that it's become a PCP. Mine is called a Chameleon, and it's a CO2 pistol. It's a great gun, but it cost me some points when it ran low on gas in the middle of a match, as CO2 guns are known to do sometimes. The new pistol has a built-in regulator that provides all the regulated shots needed to complete a men's match (60 shots plus sighters plus 10 tie-breakers for the top scorers at the end).

The grips are very adjustable
Every competitor carves his grips and fills them with plastic wood until they fit his hand like a glove. That said, the basic grip adjusts in many ways to accommodate your shooting hand, plus the trigger blade adjusts several more ways so you can get the perfect fit. The grips are stippled (roughened) for maximum gripping power, and they are closely styled after the world-famous grips of Caesare Morini. The guns that sell for more money have actual Morini-licensed grips, which is one place the extra money goes.

Fantastic sights!
The B99 has world-class sights that adjust for the width of the front blade, the rear notch as well as the usual adjustments. They lie very low in your hand, which is considered a plus in a good target pistol.

Good trigger
The trigger is fully adjustable for weight, which must be not less than 500 grams in a match. It has a dry-fire feature that competitors use about five to ten times as much as they actually shoot pellets. Since trigger control is so important to a competitor, daily practice is required and most shooters shoot at least one full match a day in the dry-fire mode. After a few thousand shots in practice, you get to the point that you can score every shot you fire, even when no pellet comes out!

The trigger, however, is the one place where the B99 is not at the top of the heap. Due to some moving parts in the firing mechanism, there is the slightest hint of creep in the second-stage pull. I got so used to it that it didn't bother me, but a world-class shooter would not tolerate it. And that, alone, is what keeps the B99 from competing in the Olympics. Still, at hunderds of dollars less than what the top guns sell for, this pistol can go one-on-one with any of them and the winner will be determined by whoever is the best shooter. This is a pistol the best shooters in the world cannot out-shoot.

One of the last good deals?
I wouldn't go quite that far, but mine has served me well for many years. I was an NRA Sharpshooter with a 535 point average in my best year, which is not the absolute best, but it ain't bad. I started with a Russian IZH 46M, but I found the B99 to be more refined in the sights, trigger and grip - and it's the one I still shoot today. I would LOVE to have mine in a PCP, and you can get yours that way. Yes, it costs more, but what doesn't these days?

Webley Senior

by B.B. Pelletier


This old Webley Senior is still in good condition.

Today, we'll look at another oldie of mine. I bought this single-shot Webley Senior at a gun show back in the 1970s. It cost me $75 then, but the same gun would probably go for $250-275 today.

Made before WWII...
My gun was made before 1935, a fact I found in the Blue Book of Airguns. It's .22 caliber, which was much more common in that time frame than .177. A rifled barrel gives decent accuracy, though nobody would ever call a Webley springer a target pistol.

...And made to last
The British and European airguns made before the war were built just like firearms. They're heavy, usually all steel and blued as well as any Colt or Smith & Wesson. The two Bakelite grip panels are the only synthetic parts on my gun. Even the piston is sealed with a steel ring - like an automobile engine. Everything was made to endure, and that's what it has done.

The pistol gets oiled frequently through a designated hole on top of the frame. It's important to keep it well oiled because there's no parachute piston seal to perfectly seal the compression chamber at firing. The piston ring has to do the job, and oil helps. Petroleum oil isn't a problem because the compression ratio is very low.

Oversized bores were common
Lots of prewar airguns had oversized bores made for larger pellets than we have today. My pistol will shoot modern pellets, but it likes 5.6mm Eley Wasps better. I laid in a supply of them years ago, so I'd never run out. If you have an older Webley or BSA, you may have the same situation. Your best bet in a modern pellet is something soft with a thin skirt, such as a Daisy Pointed Field Pellet or a Gamo Match wadcutter.


Eley Wasps are 5.6mm in diameter, so they fit the older barrels better.

Parts are still available
I replaced the mainspring and the breech seal in my gun about ten years ago. John Groenewold (847-566-2365) had the parts. The mainspring uses square-section wire, so it isn't something that can be made from a generic spring. Webley keeps making parts for these oldies, and they probably will for some time to come. Disassembly was fairly easy and required no special tools - like a mainspring compressor. The pistol is under so little stress at rest that it will probably last several centuries in operational condition.

Operation is the same as today's Webley pistols
To cock the Senior, you release the barrel and swing it up and forward. It's hinged at the front of the gun, just like Webley's Hurricane and Tempest, which descended from this model. Insert a pellet in the breech and close the barrel to prepare for firing. There is no safety on the gun, which was common practice at the time it was made.


The barrel is hinged at the front and swings forward when cocked.

The trigger-pull is single-stage and surprisingly light. It swings through a long arc before releasing. Recoil is light, and the pistol just bounces in your hand when it shoots. Adjustable sights let you to move the shot groups, but bear in mind that this gun shoots 1.5" groups at 10 yards - at best.

It's a real comfort
Sometimes, it's just nice to hold an older piece like this one and reflect on how well made it is. I guess I enjoy this old Webley a lot more than is indicated by the little shooting I do with it. I just like to feel it in my hands from time to time.

Airsoft action targets!

by B.B. Pelletier

Today's post comes from my wife. We were discussing things that would be fun for our animals and she thought a bubble machine would thrill the cats. Then, because I was working on an airsoft article, she mentioned that bubbles might also be fun for airsoft.

Fun!
The idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Soap bubbles would be the perfect target for airsoft BBs. They are delicate, cheap to produce and they fly in random patterns, so even from 12 feet away they will be hard to hit. Then, I got an even better idea.

Fast-paced fun!
A bunch of floating bubbles would be a wonderful target for those semiautomatic pistols and full-auto automatic electric guns Pyramyd sells. As it turns out, I have a Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 gas pistol on hand, so the only thing I lacked was the bubble machine.


Tokyo Marui's Hi-Capa 5.1 green gas pistol pumps out the shots as fast as you pull the trigger.

They're everywhere!
You don't have to look far for a bubble machine. We started with an eBay search and turned up pages of them, then we wondered if nearby stores might also carry some. It turns out all toy stores and many stores with toy departments have them. You can also find them in the party supplies section, the toddler section and the bath toys section. I found them at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Toys-R-Us and several other places in my local area. Prices ranged from $7.95 to $15. I settled on the more expensive model, but that may not be the best for you. Here's why.

Too many targets
It seems the machine makers think you will want a constant stream of bubbles, so they build their boxes to pump out high numbers of bubbles per minute. Mine probably does over a thousand every 60 seconds. A small fan blows them away from the machine, where air currents take over I would prefer 20-30 bubbles at a time, because tracking on several hundred targets is confusing. However, the rapid-fire characteristics of a Marui racegun do help out. And cutting into a cloud of bubbles with an electric M4 is just too much fun to miss!


The little machine just keeps on cranking them out.

Do this outdoors!
This sport is not an indoor activity. Not only will you get a pile of plastic BBs everywhere, the bubbles will wet your floors until they need to be cleaned. We first tried the machine in out kitchen to test it on our cats. The cats were unimpressed, but the tile floor became so slippery after just a few minutes that we had to stop and mop up. After that, the machine was relegated to the outside.

The machine I bought runs on both AA batteries and 110-volt house current. A converter is supplied to plug into the wall, but I found batteries to be more convenient. I also bought a gallon of bubble-blowing liquid, which seems to be a lifetime supply. Though the machine spits out lots of bubbles, it doesn't seem to use much liquid.

Weather is a factor
Wind will whisk the bubbles away before you draw down on them, and rain will shoot them faster than you can. So, this is a sunny day sport at best. Because it is so completely random, it will keep a shooter engaged for hours on end. In fact, you will start noticing other things like how slow those magazines load and how fast the green gas runs out! It may even change your shooting habits altogether. In fact, you might want to buy lots of spare mags and pre-load them before going bubble hunting.

I think this is a great way to blow the cobwebs out of those rapid-firing airsoft guns you have lying around. Put them to good use and find out how you rank against the sinister soap bubble!

Why weigh pellets?

by B.B. Pelletier

Well, this turned out to be pellet week, didn't it? I thought I would share an accuracy secret with you, so we're going to look at weighing pellets.

Weighing pellets is for the final edge!
You don't have to weigh pellets. They will shoot just fine the way they come from the tin. But if you want to get the absolute last bit of accuracy from any pellet, weighing is about the best method I know. What I am talking about is the difference between a 1" group and a 3/4" group. The difference is perhaps 25 percent, though some pellets seem to need weighing while others don't.

Why do we weigh?
Pellets today are remarkably uniform. Compared to what we shot back in the 1950s, today's pellets are target-grade projectiles. But it isn't perfect, and that's where you can make a difference - by sorting your pellets into groups of the same weight. Irregularities in the weight of a lead pellet means there may be more lead - or less.

Weighing began with blackpowder shooters
A cast lead bullet can look fine on the outside while hiding a void (empty space) inside. When it is shot, the rifling spins it like a top. If it is unbalanced because of the void, the top will wobble. So shooters weighed their bullets and shot the ones that weighed the same, hoping that they were almost alike. It's not a perfect method, but it's about as good as you can get with affordable technology.


This was the old way of weighing bullets and pellets. This RCBS 1010 scale is magnetically dampened, but it still takes about ten times as long to weigh anything as an electronic scale.

When I got into both reloading and blackpowder shooting, the scales that were available weighed bullets to the nearest tenth of a grain, so that was what we used. Today's scales still weigh that close, but they have an important advantage. The new electronic scales weigh things much faster than the old balance beam scales I once used. It might have taken 30 seconds to weigh a bullet on a balance beam scale, where today's electronic scale does the same job in about three seconds. That difference means airgunners can quickly and accurately weigh all the pellets they need for a match or for a hunting trip.


Electronic scales are the way to go today. Incidentally, that's a 10.5-grain Crosman Premier on the scale, which reads 10.7 grains!

Find the "peewees"
Crosman Premiers are among the finest pellets in the world, but a box of them can contain several undersized pellets that field target shooters call peewees. A peewee is so small that there's no chance of it going where the other pellets have gone. You can usually feel the lack of resistance when loading a peewee, but in a match you can forget to check and the result will be a missed target. If you weigh all your pellets beforehand, this problem can't occur.

What to look for
The thing to do is grab a box of your best pellets and start weighing them. You will be surprised at how much difference there is! A box of Crosman 10.5-grain Premiers used to yield 40 percent weighing 10.5 grains, 40 percent at 10.4 and the other 20 percent ranged from 9.9 to 10.7 grains! I would toss the bad 20 percent into a "dud" box and divide the two main groups into separate boxes, each clearly marked with the weight. I never entered a match with but one weight of pellet, and that's the one I used for my final sight-in.

Weighing is the best way
I have tried washing pellets, numerous kinds of lubricants, and even moly-coating pellets and barrels - all with no discernable results. But simply sorting by weight has made a very clear difference. If you want to test for this, shoot several groups at 50 yards with weight-sorted pellets of any brand and other groups with the same pellets that fit into the dud category. I think the difference will amaze you.

Besides examining each pellet for visible deformities, sorting by weight offers the best accuracy advantage I know.

More on pellets!

by B.B. Pelletier

Today I want to clear up some things I've said about pellets. I've had more response from this topic than any other, and several readers have commented in postings that aren't related to pellets. Unless you take the time to open every message and all comments, you aren't getting to see what I see. Today, I'd like to tell you what our readers have told me.

Starting with JSB Predators!
I have written at least once, but I think more often, that I think JSB Predator pellets aren't very accurate. Well, many of our readers disagree with that. One fellow told me he gets half-inch groups with them at 25 yards, which isn't bad. He also told me that he shoots them in his Condor at full power! They go 1,100 f.p.s., and they kill squirrels deader than dead!

I would not have recommended shooting them that fast, but the fellow who does it likes them just fine. Also, I forgot to mention that when I tested the .177 Predators, I found them to be a lot more accurate than the .22s. There! I told you. They are not my choice, but too many of our readers like them for me to ignore this pellet. I say, give them a try - especially if you hunt.

Next, we go to Crosman Premiers
I always put Premiers behind JSB Exacts, but the truth be told, sometimes they come out ahead. And for you fellows who just don't want to spend the extra money for these premium pellets, the same company (Crosman) makes the Benjamin Sheridan Diabolos, and it's a very close copy of the Premier. They aren't sorted by which die they came from (the Premiers in the cardboard boxes are), but they are a heck of a good pellet. And they are couple of bucks cheaper than the Premiers.

Beeman Kodiak
Turtle asked me yesterday for Beeman Kodiak downrange velocity reduction, and I didn't give him numbers. Well, here they are. From an AirForce Talon SS with an optional 24" barrel, a 21.4-grain .22 caliber Kodiak leaves the muzzle at 927 f.p.s. That's 40 foot-pounds. At 10 yards, it's going 892 f.p.s. for 38 foot-pounds. At 25 yards, it's still going 851 f.p.s. for 34 foot-pounds, and at 50 yards it's traveling 791 for 30 foot-pounds. I can't always dredge up these kinds of numbers (so don't ask), but this time I got lucky.

While we're on the subject of Kodiaks, .177 Kodiaks are one of the best all-around pellets in that caliber. I find that they outshoot heavy Premiers in some guns. I've never used the costlier Kodiak Match pellets, and I don't know anyone who has, so I can't tell you if they're worth the extra expense. The ad copy seems to indicate they are more select, but plain old Kodiaks are already one of the very best pellets around.

Finally - Skenco
I was lukewarm on Skenco pellets, but a lot of you like them! From the responses, the folks who like them most are shooting them in lower-powered gas and spring guns. They say the accuracy is all they had hoped for, so there you are.

In the course of my life, I've shot many different kinds of pellet. Some were only good for melting into fishing sinkers, but the brands I've mentioned today deserve a look. If you don't have a favorite pellet yet, perhaps this is the time to try out Pyramyd's pellet sale (buy three and get the fourth one free)!

Comparative penetration with pellets

by B.B. Pelletier

A reader named "Turtle" asked the following questions.

Wow, thanks for the elaboration on my suggestion. It propted me to sign on. I've been enjoying the review of past articles today and am wondering if you could offer info on basic penetration expected for .22cal Beeman Kodiak at various speeds. I was very surprised to hear the SS being used on pests as large as rabid dogs. Or how about a chart with prey size vs muzzle power recommendations.

Penetration varies with the pellet
Read the test report on Pellets vs Round Balls. I can't say it any better than the pictures in that article show it. Clearly, round lead balls out-penetrate every pellet type that was tested. Only a solid lead pellet that out-weighed the round ball would penetrate deeper. However, is penetration what you want?

The problem with most pellets is they OVER-penetrate game and don't leave enough energy inside. That is why they fail to kill. A cottontail rabbit is fairly easy to shoot through. So, for them, I would use a domed pellet in a large caliber like .22 or .25.

A squirrel is tough but easy to shoot through. For him, you want a pellet that will expand - and take head shots whenever possible.

Crows and grackles are very tough, their feathers act like a shield. For them, either use a domed pellet in a 20 foot-pound or stonger gun, or use a pointed pellet in a less-powerful rifle.

.177 is great on small pests
For very small game, such as mice and some rats, I would use a .177 wadcutter or even a hollowpoint if it was accurate enough to hit my target. Pest control shooters often use wadcutters for sparrow-sized birds inside large buildings. This is one place where .177 caliber and lower power comes into its own. You don't want to shoot through the pest and then through the roof or ceiling! It's best to stick to about six to eight foot-pounds for these jobs, so low power and precision accuracy is what's needed.

I won't publish a chart of game animals, but I'll comment on the sizes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture uses hundreds of AirForce Talon and Talon SS rifles to kill pests all around the country. They shoot everything from small birds up to nutria, which is a water-loving ratlike rodent that infests the levees and marshlands around our country. Louisiana offered a $4 bounty for each nutria tail, which should tell you how much they're despised. Nutria are 10-lb. animals.

Some airgunners hunt raccoons and woodchucks that grow up to the 20- and even 25-lb. range. For these, you should use more powerful airguns of at least 25 foot-pounds or better. Of course, if you can get a close shot, a lower-powered gun will work.

The state of Hawaii has an airport bird removal program in which egrets are the target. These larger birds are dangerous on runways; and, if they get into the hangars, they poop on the airplanes, which eats through the paint and thin metal skins, requires very expensive repairs.

Finally I come to the comment on rabid dogs. Pest removal services use airguns for these dangerous critters, because if they over-penetrate the animal the pellet doesn't carry like a solid bullet will. So, pellet guns are safer for urban neighborhoods. For this work, only the most powerful and reliable airguns are used. The AirForce guns are called upon because they collapse and store in a small space until needed, but other powerful airguns like the Career 707 are also used.

Now, for Kodiaks
Regarding Kodiak performance...the Beeman Kodiak is a domed pellet, so it penetrates like one. In other words, not as deep as a round ball in the same caliber. However, the Kodiak is also extremely heavy, so it penetrates deeper than most domed pellets. In .22, it's one of the leaders. In .177, it's close to the Crosman Premier. In .20, the Premier is way ahead of the Kodiak.

The extra weight of the Kodiak makes it an effective long-range performer, too. Except in .20 caliber, it's a leader in long-range performance, which includes both accuracy and penetration. The .20 is a great pellet, too, but it's not as heavy as the others in their respective calibers.

Accuracy and shot placement mean more than penetration. Practice placing your shots until hitting the target is a given, and you can become a responsible airgun hunter.

What is Field Target?

by B.B. Pelletier

This question comes up a lot these days, so I thought I would cover the sport in today's post.

Field Target is a sport with specific rules
A lot of dealers who don't know what field target is, have been calling it "field shooting," as though it was a form of plinking. It isn't. This is an organized sport with formal rules. The rules are simple. Targets are placed anywhere from 10 to 55 yards downrange of a designated firing line. The shooter, who must shoot from a designated firing line, has to completely knock over the target to win a point. The place where the target is located, along with its designated firing line, is called a lane.

A Field Target match consists of many targets in several lanes. There are usually two or three targets per lane and many lanes per match. Shooters shoot one or more shots at each target, and the total number of shots that may be fired constitutes the match. For example, a match might consist of 15 lanes with two targets per lane and two shots per target. That would be a 60-shot match, which is fairly standard, though nothing says a match has to be a certain size.


The hole in the bird is the kill zone.
To score, shoot through the kill zone without touching the sides, if possible.
A triggering device then allows the target to fall flat.

AAFTA is the governing body
The American Airgun Field Target Association governs all official matches in the U.S. Local clubs often make up special rules that their members want to follow, but AAFTA rules prevail in all regional and national matches.

Guns are not restricted
The AAFTA rules don't limit the guns very much, but the sport itself is very limiting. A competitor quickly learns that PCPs dominate, which is why spring rifles are put in a separate piston class. There was an equipment race in the late 1990s, but today's rifles are so accurate that you can't really get much better. Ergonomics are very important, and the top competitors have rifles that fit their shooting styles very well.

All calibers may compete, but with the small kill zones on some targets, .177 has the best chance of winning. There was a race for power in the late 1990s, but it died out when the top competitors realized they didn't need it. Shooters in the UK are restricted to 12 foot-pounds, which is an 8-grain .177 pellet moving under 825 f.p.s., yet they kick butt when they compete against Americans. So, knowing your rifle and pellet is more important than the pedigree of your outfit.

Where to shoot?
The main problem most shooters have is being too far from a club to compete. The solution to this is to grow a club of your own. Read the rules, buy a target or two and find somebody to shoot with you. I have seen several clubs start up with a half-dozen members. They first made their own targets and bought targets out of the match fees collected at every match. Usually, a club will charge $5 to $10 for match entry, and that money is plowed back unto more and better targets.

To make or buy targets, check the Organization link on the above AAFTA website. To find the location of AAFTA clubs near you, check the Resources link on AAFTA's site. There are more targets available today than ever before, plus several sites list the detailed plans for building targets from common hardware.

You'll learn more about Field Target by actually doing it than by reading the forums. One match is about as good a trainer as a year of forum reading. What you need is a safe place to shoot and some other shooters who are interested in seeing how good they can shoot.

.177 is the most accurate caliber - NOT!

by B.B Pelletier

This old wives' tale just won't die! For some reason, many shooters think .177 caliber is more accurate than the other calibers. Let's talk about it.

.177 is used in international competition
Yes, and it's also used in the Olympics. You can't shoot a caliber OTHER THAN .177 in any international or Olympic bullseye competition. All the target guns are made in .177 caliber ONLY. Doesn't that mean that .177 is the most accurate caliber?

Not any more than the fact that in NASCAR all the drivers have to use cars that meet certain specifications. If a Formula One car or an Indy car tried to enter the race, they would be disqualified because EVERYTHING in a NASCAR race is geared to the specifications of the cars. Get it?

The reason .177 caliber is used exclusively in bullseye competition is that everything in the competition is geared to that caliber. All the measuring devices are calibrated to work with that caliber - though they no longer determine where shots strike with optical measuring equipment once you reach the national level.