Sharpshooter rubber band catapult gun: Part 4

Posted on by ↓ 28 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

A history of airguns

Sharpshooter pistol
The Sharpshooter catapult pistol was made from the early 1930s until the 1980s by as many as 5 different companies. This one was made in the early 1940s.

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Test 1
  • Test 1 continued
  • Discussion
  • Firing behavior
  • What’s next?
  • Test 2 — A modern Sharpshooter
  • More discussion
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the Sharpshooter catapult pistol. Since there is only one type of ammo for it, I have added something additional to spice up the report. Let’s get to it.

The ad from 1948 said the pistol could hit a fly at 16 feet. Dean Fletcher tested his at a more reasonable 10 feet, which is what I will do. Readers asked me what kind of target I used and today I will tell you. Using a coat hanger, I made a wire target holder that stands up, and wrapped a single sheet of aluminum foil around the edges of the loop at the top. It’s the same target I used for the Daisy Targeteer test. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 5

Posted on by ↓ 39 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

A history of airguns

Benjamin 310
A Benjamin 310 multi-pump BB gun from 1952.

This report covers:

  • Smart Shot
  • 4.4mm balls
  • 4.45mm balls
  • Beeman Perfect Rounds
  • Darts and bolts
  • Airgun darts
  • Bolts
  • Airgun bolts
  • Bolt extraction
  • Not finished yet

Today I will almost complete the velocity test of the Benjamin 310 BB gun. Today we look at the velocity with lead balls and also with both kinds of darts. Lead balls are first.

I don’t plan on testing each lead ball exhaustively. If I find something interesting I can always expand that particular test. And I will exhaust all the air before each shot I record, so you know it is moving that fast on just those pumps.

Smart Shot

H&N Smart Shot measure 0.1725-inches, nominally. Here is their performance. read more

Benjamin Fortitude precharged rifle: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 89 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

Benjamin Fortitude
The Benjamin Fortitude precharged air rifle.

This report covers:

  • Second rifle
  • Crosman Premier lites
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • Trigger
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • Premier lites again
  • Shot count
  • Discharge sound
  • Test target
  • Evaluation

Today we resume our look at the Benjamin Fortitude precharged air rifle. I will summarize where we have been, so folks reading this report for the first time will understand what is happening.

Second rifle

This is the second Fortitude I have tested. Parts 1 and 2 of this report belong to the first rifle. The first rifle’s inlet valve locked up at the end of the velocity test and remained open when I bled the air after the fill. The entire gun exhausted all its air. I tried to fill it several times, just to be sure. So I stopped the test at that point and requested a replacement rifle in the same .177 caliber. While this is Part 3, I will actually run another velocity test today, since this is a brand new airgun. read more

What’s in a name?

Posted on by ↓ 68 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

This report covers:

  • Luck?
  • The name means everything!
  • They rushed!
  • You want it bad?
  • No time to do everything
  • Sig ASP20
  • Launch of the Benjamin Discovery
  • Let’s keep the name and change the product!
  • Let’s keep the product and change the name!/li>
  • The lesson?

I apologize to reader RidgeRunner. I had planned to start the test of the replacement Benjamin Fortitude rifle today and I told him so yesterday. But a comment from reader Geo791 changed my mind and got me thinking about today’s report. Here is what he said.

“B.B.
Wow! You are certainly unlucky at getting good PPP airguns to review. The Urban had accuracy issues due to flashing on the baffles in the moderator. The Gauntlet has poor accuracy for some unknown reason. The Fortitude leaked air and had to be sent back. Don’t remember now what the issues were with the Stormrider but as I recall it had problems too. It’s not looking good for these price point PCPs, and the chances of getting a good one don’t appear too good either. Well, as they say, it is what it is. Too bad the Gauntlet you received was not good. Based on your findings, I would not take a chance on one. I would add that my Urban has been excellent so far.
Geo” read more

Umarex Gauntlet: Part 9

Posted on by ↓ 45 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Gauntlet
Umarex Gauntlet.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8

This report covers:

  • Tightened shroud
  • The test
  • Pellets
  • Magazine tested
  • Sight in
  • Magazine again
  • Adjusted the scope
  • Quiet!
  • Trigger
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • Magazine acting up
  • Premier Heavy single shot
  • Summary

Today I test the Umarex Gauntlet PCP rifle at 50 yards, to see whether tightening the barrel shroud makes a difference to accuracy. I had planned to finish the report with Part 8, which was already more testing than I normally give a modern air rifle, but this is the rifle that defined the price point PCPs and it deserved a close look.

Tightened shroud

Reader GunFun1 asked me to check to see whether the barrel shroud was tight after my last test. It wasn’t, so I agreed to this additional test. I tightened the barrel shroud before the test began, and it stayed tight for the whole test. I wasn’t going to get it wrong this time! read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 4

Posted on by ↓ 25 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

A history of airguns

Benjamin 310
A Benjamin 310 multi-pump BB gun from 1952.

This report covers:

  • Point 1 — does it hold air?
  • Discussion 1
  • On to the velocity tests
  • Test 1
  • Test 2
  • Test 3
  • Test 4
  • Other BBs
  • Test 5
  • Test 6
  • Test 7
  • Test 8
  • Summary

This report is taking on a life of its own! I am going very slowly and thoroughly through the testing of this Benjamin 310 BB gun to record everything for posterity. In Part 3 I started the velocity test and today I intend completing the steel BB portion of it.

Does it hold air?

My last report is dated Friday, September 2, 2018. That means I tested the airgun on Thursday, September 20. While you are reading this report on Monday, October 8, 2018, I actually wrote it on Friday, October 5. That means the tests you are about to read were also performed on that day. First I wanted to see whether the gun is still holding the two pumps of air I pumped into it at the completion of the last test on September 20. A total of 14 days and several hours have passed and I have not touched the gun since the last time. Is it still holding air? read more

Sharpshooter rubber band catapult gun: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 73 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

Sharpshooter pistol
The Sharpshooter catapult pistol was made from the early 1930s until the 1980s by as many as 5 different companies. This one was made in the early 1940s.

This report covers:

  • Why not oil?
  • First test
  • Moly-powder
  • Test 2
  • Test 3
  • Changing direction
  • Test 4
  • Conclusions
  • Summary

I said we would get deeper into the velocity of the Sharpshooter pistol this time, so that’s what will happen today. First I need to tell you that one of the two rubber bands I used for the velocity test last time broke, so I have to install another one today. Before I do that, though, I want to test my other velocity idea, which reader Paul in Liberty County correctly guessed was applying a dry lubricant to the gun. He thought it might be graphite, but I actually want to try powdered Molybdenum Disulfide. read more