Author Archives: B.B. Pelletier

2015 SHOT Show: Day 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Day 1
Day 2

This report covers:

• Right Now Range
• American Airgunner TV show
• Air Ordnance
• Leapers
• Airsoft
• Dan Wesson
• One more report

Today, we’ll continue our look at the 2015 SHOT Show. Let’s begin back at Media Day at the Range. This is held the day before the SHOT Show opens, and it gives the manufacturers and importers a chance to demonstrate all their new products to the media. A line of ranges that’s over a quarter-mile long is open to hundreds of different vendors, and the media gets a chance to shoot the guns they’ll soon be seeing at the show.

I showed you some of that already, when we talked about the Crosman and AirForce airguns that I shot. And, if you follow any of my 4 Godfather of Airguns social networks, you have been exposed to dozens more pictures and videos.

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Buying and selling airguns on the internet: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

This report covers:

• The shyster dealers
• Weasel wording
• Bad photos
• How to spot an honest dealer
• Honest vs. dishonest: What’s the verdict?

The shyster dealers
Today, let’s start out talking about those internet dealers who are less than honest. I’m not talking about the scammers who are certainly out there. They’re the people with nothing at all to sell. All they want is for you to send them money, and you’ll never hear from them again.

I’m talking about the dealers who do anything to mislead you about the real airguns they’re selling. They have actual guns to sell, but they describe them in dishonest ways. I’ve dealt with a few and discovered a great many others, so this should be interesting. Remember, I’m primarily talking about buying guns on the Gun Broker website, though this does apply to most websites where selling takes place.

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2015 SHOT Show: Day 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Day 1

This report covers:

• Gamo
• Umarex USA
• Hatsan USA
• Big news at Leapers!

Gamo
I’ll pick up where I left off. Let’s finish Gamo first. They have a new PCP under the name Gamo Coyote. The barreled action is made in the UK by BSA, and the stock is made in Spain. That means you get a dead-accurate BSA barrel, which a lot of folks will like.

Gamo Coyote
Gamo’s new Coyote has a BSA barreled action in a Gamo wood stock.

Umarex USA
Okay, someone wanted to see some springers, and Umarex has a pair coming out this year. The Walther Terrus is a sleek-looking breakbarrel that’s available in either a wood or synthetic stock. This is one I want to test as soon as it comes out — just because it looks so svelte. It reminds me of an FWB 124. I see fiberoptic sights, but a scope can also be mounted.

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2015 SHOT Show: Day 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

This report covers:

• Media Day
• Hatsan USA
• Gamo news
• Custom Action Trigger
• Umarex USA

Media Day
Monday was Media Day at the range, and I was out there shooting as many guns as possible. Of course, I shot the AirForce Texan. But since yesterday’s report was about the Texan, how about I tell you about some guns in the Crosman booth?

The Benjamin Bulldog is a .357 repeater that’s made in a bullpup style, which, by the way, seems to be a most popular style for airguns in 2015. Normally, bullpups have lousy triggers, but this one seemed very crisp and responsive. The rifle is a repeater with respectable power for a .357-caliber big bore. I shot one with 148-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and was pretty easily hitting the target at 50 yards.

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AirForce Texan big bore rifle: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Texan big bore
The Texan from AirForce Airguns is a .458 big bore to be reckoned with. A 4×32 scope comes with the rifle, but the bipod is an option.

I found out after this was published that the scope is not included with the rifle.

This report covers:

• AirForce builds a big bore
• Cocking mechanism
• The trigger is gorgeous!
• Much more to come

The 2015 SHOT Show begins today, and our subject rifle is being revealed to the shooting industry. This is the airgun I have been teasing you with for the past 3 months. It’s a .458-caliber big bore from AirForce Airguns called the Texan.

I first shot this rifle while it was in early development last year. I was impressed by the accuracy, light weight and power; but the cocking effort was difficult. That got fixed so well that this has to be the easiest-cocking big bore on the market. You can cock it with one finger! But I’ll come to that. Let’s look at this remarkable new air rifle.

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Black Ops Junior Sniper air rifle combo: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

Black Ops Junior Sniper air rifle combo

Black Ops Junior Sniper air rifle combo.

This report covers:

• Velocity baselining with Crosman Premier lite pellets
• Premier lite average for 5 pumps
• Premier lite average for 10 pumps
• Velocity baselining with Daisy BBs
• Daisy BB average for 5 pumps
• Daisy BB average for 10 pumps
• H&N Baracuda Match pellets with 4.50mm heads
• Gamo round lead ball
• Trigger-pull
• Evaluation so far

Today, we’ll look at the velocity of the Black Ops Junior Sniper air rifle combo. I told you last time that the loading trough is narrow and difficult to access, and I tried to photograph it for you but was unable to get a picture that showed what I’m talking about. Just take my word that this rifle has much less access room than a Daisy 880 or a Crosman 2100.

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Things you can do to make your new airgun better: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

This report covers:

• The trigger
• Be careful!
• Adjustment is fine
• Lubrication
• The best thing you can do with a new airgun
• Final recommendation
• Summary

This report is written at the request of Jennifer Cooper Wylie, a follower on my Facebook page. A few days ago, she asked me to address this subject, and I thought it would make a wonderful report for all the people who are new to airguns.

This subject is large, so I’ve broken it into powerplants. Today, I’ll address spring-piston guns, only. So, when I say airgun today, I’m talking only about springers.

You have a new airgun. What can you do to make it better? Even if it isn’t brand new, you may be able to find a manual for your gun, and that’s where you should begin.

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