by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
New 4-inch Dan Wesson pellet revolver from ASG is very realistic!
This report covers:
- Before we begin
- Begin
- Heavy
- Very realistic!
- Finish
- Sights
- Action
- Why no pistol pacs?
- Performance
- Evaluation
- Texas Airgun Show
Before we begin
Just a word about the reports. A lot of them are backed up right now. The SHOT Show, the weather and then my eye operation tomorrow have combined to set me back on the schedule. I promise to attend to them when I can, but my sight has degraded to the point that it is challenging to just do all that I have to do. Shooting for accuracy takes me much longer than it ever did, and the weather hasn’t cooperated that much. But I have plans for this, and hopefully they will bear fruit.
Begin
One nice thing about the SHOT Show is it sometimes gives us immediate looks at new airguns. Today is such a time.
Today I start looking at the new Dan Wesson 4-inch pellet revolver from ASG. Many of you have been waiting for this after hearing of the success of the 8-inch pellet revolver. I wrote a three-part report on that one back in 2014. But today we begin looking at the 4-inch model of that same air pistol. And that is significant, because 4 inches is perhaps the most popular length for a magnum firearm revolver like the Dan Wesson. That’s because it’s easy to carry, yet accurate enough for those 100-yard-plus shots.
Heavy
This is a heavy air pistol! It weighs 40 oz. with the shells in the cylinder but no CO2 cartridge installed. That’s very close to the weight of the .357 model. It feels substantial in the hand, which I think is a big selling point.
Very realistic!
The realism of these pellet guns has to be experienced to be appreciated. The makers have gotten even the smallest details correct, so that now it will be difficult to pick the pellet revolver out of a pile of similar firearms. The Dan Wesson 715 firearm is back in production, by the way, and the image on their website looks exactly like the gun I am testing, except for the barrel length.
The grips are a pair of form-fitted rubberized scales. The left side removes to install the CO2 cartridge, and I found this one difficult to get off the first time, That’s a good thing, because it means the grips are tight on the gun! Inside the left grip panel is an Allen wrench for tightening the CO2 piercing screw. That detail is becoming common, but on this revolver the wrench is permanently attached and very convenient.
The rubber grips are over metal inserts that add weight to the gun. Sorry about the flash flare!
Finish
They call this a silver finish. It’s silvery, like chrome, which is very rare on a gun, rather than the more common nickel that has a gold cast to it. I normally don’t like silver handguns, but the sights on this one are black and have no reflection from the polished top of the silver barrel, so it will be easy to shoot. The finish is reasonably smooth and even over the entire surface of the gun, though in some places, like the exterior of the cylinder, you can see the machining marks.
Sights
The sights are a black ramp up front and an adjustable black rear notch. The sight picture is crisp and sharp, with both rear and front sights being very square. Target shooting should be a breeze with these sights.
Action
The action is one of the main reasons to get a Dan Wesson revolver. The double action pull is light, short and crisp but it is the single action pull that made the gun! It rivals the best let-off that S&W ever produced, which is pretty remarkable for a factory pellet pistol. And, before I am asked, yes, this action does rival the S&W 586 pellet revolver. I always found Dan Wesson firearm revolvers to have a harder double action trigger pull than Smiths, but they were about equal single action. This pellet pistol, however, is just as good in both modes of fire.
The cylinder holds 6 brass cartridges that each contain one pellet. The pellet is loaded into the base of the cartridge where the primer would normally go. A plastic insert holds and guides the pellet forward into the barrel when the gun fires.
The rear of the barrel is spring-loaded and helps index the cylinder for alignment of the cartridge. This is a common feature with modern pellet revolvers, and from my testing it doesn’t seem to affect accuracy.
The barrel is spring-loaded to push into the front of the cylinder for indexing.
Barrel pushes in.
Why no pistol pacs?
When I reported on the 8-inch revolver several years ago I raised the idea of ASG making a pistol pac. Dan Wesson used to sell the 715 revolver in a case that came with 2, 4, 6 and 8-inch barrel lengths. The one different feature about the Dan Wesson revolver is it has interchangeable barrels that an owner can swap. Pristine examples of the pac now sell for in excess of $2,000. That’s up from about $1,500 about three years ago.
I asked Bob Li of Action Sport Games (ASG) at the SHOT Show why they don’t come out with a pistol pac and he said the fact the guns aren’t made of steel means they would eventually wear loose if their owners changed the barrels a lot of times. I can understand that, but I told him that maybe there was still something they could do — a take-off on the pistol pac theme. Maybe a case with the revolver and a belt buckle and cloth patch (the original pistol pac had them), a speedloader, 12 additional shells and a light or laser for the rail under the barrel? I think airgunners are just as conscious of the extras as firearms owners.
Performance
The velocity is listed as 344 f.p.s. That’s faster than the 8-inch gun I tested in 2014, but the 6-incher I tested last year was much faster — nearly 400 f.p.s. We shall have to see in Part 2. I do know I got better results from seating the pellets deep in each cartridge, so that may be the difference.
Evaluation
This is an exciting new pellet revolver. And there is also a test of the BB revolver, still to come.
Texas Airgun Show
Start planning for the 2017 Texas Airgun Show. It will be held on Saturday, August 26, at the Arlington Sportsman’s Club in Mansfield, Texas. Last year was the first year at the new venue, and the third year for the show. We are expecting a much larger show this year, as those who adopted a wait-and-see posture were disappointed that they missed it last year.
They haven’t updated their website yet, but the basics of the show (times, location etc.) should remain the same. I will let you know as soon as they get the information sorted.
I didn’t realize that the blog was posted quite this early. 🙂 I can believe everything that is said about this revolver. The write-up of the SW 686 convinced me to buy the firearm and it is one of my favorites. A friend dry-fired it single-action, and he was shouting for joy. That is curious that 4 inches is the optimum length for a .357 magnum. I came across a letter by some famous gunfighter–perhaps it was Bat Masterson–who was ordering a nickel-plated revolver, and he specified that it have a barrel of 4 inches or the length of the loading rod. I can see the advantages of that for a fast draw, but I thought that the magnum was for power, not speed of deployment. An additional two inches of barrel (a 50% increase) would give a lot of extra velocity. And while a 4 inch .357 magnum may be fun to carry, I don’t think it would be fun to shoot. My six inch SW 686, while enjoyable, is about at my threshold. On the other hand, I read somewhere that the .357 magnum gained a lot of popularity from reports from explorers in the Amazon who praised it as a “rifle in the pocket” for protection, so handiness was important for them. I suppose it depends on what your purpose is.
Looking around the internet, I see things to stretch the imagination. I was surprised that it’s possible to shoot .357 magnum rapid fire, but it seems to be possible with a .44 magnum. And then there’s speed shooter Jerry Miculek. He can fire a .500 SW magnum and a Barrett .50 BMG rifle rapid fire at 5 rounds per second. But that is a mere warm-up. He can pop a balloon at 1000 yards firing a Barrett .50 caliber rifle offhand with one shot. He can do the same with a 9mm pistol with two shots!??! This guy is really beyond.
On another sadder note, I was gloating just this evening that my gun collection is finally complete when my Crosman 1077 broke. The trigger became immobile. Any guesses on what the problem could be? This is just out of curiosity since Crosman says to send the gun to them for repairs. I’m wondering now if it’s worthwhile. My first 1077 broke within a year, and I got it replaced on warranty. This one broke after eight years of very infrequent firing. Given that PA is selling the gun for $67 I wonder if it’s even worth it send for repairs. The rifle feels like a toy, and I guess it is sort of built like one too. The smart money seems to say that I should just get a new one. What do you think?
Matt61
Matt61,
Insomnia? 😉 I say tear into that 1077. See what makes her tick. You have nothing to lose. I know that is not your forte,…. but hey,…. this would be a good ice breaker. Chris
No, it was yesterday evening my time. 🙂 I believe that if I tore into my gun, there would be nothing left to put back together.
Matt61
Matt,
Your 1077 needs a serious repair. Not a DIY, I’m afraid.
B.B.
My thoughts exactly, but my repair was along the lines of getting a new one. When you add up the mailing costs and whatever labor and parts go into this, I’m not saving that much. How long are the 1077s supposed to last anyway? Clearly not centuries. I haven’t had good luck with the durability.
Matt61
The four inch is preferred with the .357 Mag. because its easy to carry. A longer barrel will give more velocity and power. BTW, a barrel to the end of the ejector rod of a SAA with give a length of 4 5/8 inches.
Mike
Yes, I knew there was some extra fraction for the barrel but I rounded it off. 🙂
Matt61
Nickel plated ,gutta percha grips ,and light on the trigger , thank you Bat Masterson
Matt61, one of my 1077s locked up like that and when I took it apart I found that the molded-in “pin” that the hammer spring anchors to had sheared off. All the loose parts just jammed everything up. The repair was to simply drill a small hole where the pin used to be and screw in a small screw (from the outside in), then hook the spring on the screw. Works good as new. Lots of disassembly instruction (and more important, in my experience, reassembly instruction) on youtube. Was my first tear down and it went off without a hitch. Hope this helps.
Well my trigger is not budging for sure. You make it sound so easy, so I will have to reply with a scene from the first Iron Man movie with Robert Downey Jr.
Villain (Jeff Bridges): Well, have you reverse engineered the arc reactor yet?
Engineer: No quite, sir. The problem is that…well…it’s impossible.
Villain: Impossible! Tony Stark built in in 3 days in a junkyard!!
Engineer: I’m not Tony Stark.
Matt61
Matt61 Really doesn’t take a Tony Stark. Right now all you have is a weird looking window prop. Whatcha got ta lose? ( or are you one of those that have no interest in what goes on behind the curtain?) 🙂
Easy for you to say.:-) But I have no aptitude for this kind of thing. And what I’ve got to lose is “Tempes fugit” as the saying goes. Time flies. And I have a ton of other guns to shoot, knives to throw, rounds to reload. It’s kind of an ongoing circus.
Matt61
Matt61,
Fair enough! May your circus remain ongoing and 3-ringed as well. 🙂
Matt61,
For the fun of it, if for no other reason, I recommend this link. Mr. Hickok45 touting the joys of of a SW 686 with a 3″ barrel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn2XX81_kPU
While there is a significant difference between a firearm and a long bow, Jerry Miculek brings to mind Howard Hill. This link has some info, starting at the top of the first column.
https://books.google.com/books?id=-IXx9y49niUC&pg=RA1-PA160&lpg=RA1-PA160&dq=shooting+dimes+out+of+the+air+with+a+longbow&source=bl&ots=QdGSGOLBvF&sig=pqU8G3QzP-3kAXuKyuAASCOpO6Y&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVwKKFq4HSAhUjs1QKHf1LDZ8Q6AEINDAE#v=onepage&q=shooting%20dimes%20out%20of%20the%20air%20with%20a%20longbow&f=false
Based on what B.B. and Chris USA wrote, I’d say buy a new 1077 if you up to it, and do an autopsy on the one you have on hand.
~ken
I’ve seen Howard Hill and he has that same otherworldly accuracy. Without him, Jerry Miculek was putting some pressure on my theory about the superiority of primitive man, but I think it is possible to separate the technology from the man. Miculek has a cerakote covered Barrett rifle with a huge scope. I can’t imagine the expense. His 9mm shot is a little harder to explain since he only has an optical sight on it, not even a real scope. Still, he has a lot of technology on his side. It’s not unlike people in Hawaii who have surfed 70 foot waves. It turns out that to catch a wave, you need to have the same velocity. Really big waves require being towed by a jetski, so, it is safe to say that no one in history has ridden waves of that size. However, the legendary Hawaiian surfer, Duke Kahanamoku, apparently rode a wave for a mile which is a test of pure skill.
Anyway, when you remove Miculek’s technology and his extraordinary natural talent, what’s left is an obsessive work ethic. He says that to be good you have to be the first one on the range and the last one off. That is something that the primitives were good at with their very different circumstances. Still, I’m sure the Miculek would have stood out in any age.
Matt61
Matt,
I had a 1077 once that leaked. I tried to open it up and fix the leak. When I tried to reassemble it-no can do.Too many moving parts that all had to come back together at the same time. So I just put it aside in case I ever bought another one, I would already have a broken one I could use for a gun to Kball parts from, if I could find someone to do the work. I dont know what Crosman said, but in my experience, what they would do if you sent them your broken gun would just send you a new one. Its too expensive for them to try to repair a cheap “throw away” gun like that. It would be much faster and cheaper to just send you another one. Yeah-its out of warranty but I think they would still honor it. They’re a big enough company. The only time I had to pay for an actual repair to an airgun was when I sent it to the nearest repair depot, be it Daisy, Crosman, Benjamin, etc. steve
Hi Matt, 4″ is in no what optimal ballistically for a 357, in fact they go rather better out of the rifles chambered for them (usually lever actions) but is optimal because its a convenient size whilst still retaining far more advantage than the 2″ which is really too short for such a high pressure round and loses much of its thrust into thin air as it were, a 357 is only 20% more powerful than a 38 special out of a 2″ barrel whilst being much louder and having a hefty kick, out of a 4″ barrel you are looking at something like 40 to 50% which makes all the drama a bit more worth while
Get yourself an 8″ barrel and you can add another 15% to that energy too, and have a longer sight radius to assist accuracy, but then your gun is getting a bit on the large size 🙂
It’s a compromise and it all depends on the factors behind the compromise. If I were defending myself in the Amazon or if I were a government G-man facing armored gangster cars in the 1930s, I would go with the 4 inch barrel. With 2 inches, I would be afraid of the muzzle blast.
Matt61
I shot a 6″ Dan Wesson that fired both the 357 Mag and 38 Special. Not sure if they all do but I can tell you, it sure is nice to use the 38 Specials for fun plinking. I prefer a Dan Wesson over a S&W mainly because the pistol just feels better in my hand.
Anyone know the reason they modified the grip? Best I can figure it looks like it forces your wrist down, more or less locking it up with your arm and transferring the recoil into your arm more through the web of your hand to reduce recoil lift, or to increase aiming stability? Or is it just ergonomics?
BB can you comment on how the new grip compares to the old style for any possible improvement in shooting or comfort.
Bob,
To the best of my knowledge, you can shoot .38 special in any .357 magnum.
RR,
You got it! Same case, just shorter. Like a .22 short.
B.B.
BB,
I have often shot .38 special in a .357 magnum. It’s lower cost and lighter recoil is great for teaching and training.
I shot a 6″ Dan Wesson that fired both the 357 Mag and 38 Special. Not sure if they all do but I can tell you, it sure is nice to use the 38 Specials for fun plinking. I prefer a Dan Wesson over a S&W mainly because the pistol just feels better in my hand.
Anyone know the reason they modified the grip? Best I can figure it looks like it forces your wrist down, more or less locking it up with your arm and transferring the recoil into your arm more through the web of your hand to reduce recoil lift, or to increase aiming stability? Or is it just ergonomics?
BB can you comment on how the new grip compares to the old style for any possible improvement in shooting or comfort.
Bob M
Got a 409 conflict code so I hit send again …Double entry resulted !
Bob,
To the best of my knowledge, you can shoot .38 special in any .357 magnum. 😉
Bob,
I wondered the same on the grip. I like the look of the old style better,…. but the new one may feel better? If it did, I would opt for the new style. I have big hands, so I like a big/full grip.
B.B.,
Best wishes and a prayer that the surgery goes well and a speedy recovery.
On the reports,.. I have often thought that combining parts would be good. Less words, condense the data,… just “meat and potato’s” so to speak,….. at least until you can clear the back log. Of course, help in some capacity would be good too. No doubt you have a plan. That was a good “teaser” you slipped in there.
Love the Dan Wesson’s. I do not own one, but love the looks. The 8″ beckons. Love that smoky chrome finish they offer on some. The allen wrench seems to be the best way to go. The 92FS works, but the tightening screw/wheel is tight/hard to turn for some reason. I will be converting it to allen screw type at some point in the future.
The pistol pac idea is good. Speed loaders, extra shells and a laser are the best inclusions. The laser is great for folks that have a tuff time with open sights.
Good Day all,….. Chris
Chris,
If the 92FS screw is “tight/hard to turn”, you may be tightening it too much. In fact, the manual warns against over tightening.
/airgun-resources/manuals/beretta-umarex.pdf
DWF,
Not sure what is going on. I have had it apart. It worked pretty good to begin with. Brass on pot metal may be a factor. I have been a mechanic all my life,… so I have a “good feel” for tight/not too tight. Plan is to drill out the swing lever for allen wrench clearance and replace the brass piece with a set screw,… or something better. Oh yea, drill and tap a securing screw for the swing lever. We will see,…. I have yet to really study it hard. I do not shoot it that much, but it is fun to shoot.
I had it apart 100%. Not something I would recommend. It works great now. The trigger and safety was jamming for no reason. Clean and re-lube made it like new. The Co2 screw is the only flaw.
I missed that about the surgery. Good luck, B.B.
Matt61
BB,
We will pray that all goes well with your surgery tomorrow.
We may whine a little bit, but we can learn to be patient. 😉
BB, our prayers are with you on your surgery.
I recently read a report on a 2″ barrel S&W. The chronograph put the 38+P at 1030 fps and the 357 at 1050 fps. The comentary said that the small increase in fps was not worth the extra recoil. I do not know myself as I do not shoot any of the magnum calibers.
Gopher,
Yes. With a short barrel all you get from a magnum load is a huge fireball in front of the gun. Most of the powder burns outside the barrel. Four inches is the length at which handguns like the .357 start coming into their own, and longer is better — to a point. After 18-inches or so, all the powder is burned (depending on the powder used and the weight of the bullet) and there is little gain.
B.B.
BB,
Don’t forget about the flash of flame from the barrel / cylinder gap!
A lot depends on barrel length , bullet weight and powder. Most now use low flash powders. the hottest load I have seen from a major manufacturer out of 21/2 barrel 357 is a Winchester 145 gr silvertip, at 1050 -1070. A plus p 38 will go around 850 depending on wt between 135 and 158 gr. What changes this and precludes a 357 from a short barrel, is the Buffalo Bore 158 lhp plus p. This load will beat the 357 out of the same barrel length, at around 1075 -1100 fps with a bullet 12 grains heavier. In a 2 inch 38 it will hit 1025 -1050fps. This from revolvers I have chronographed it from. From a 2.5 this load hit s close to 1100fps. Move up to a 4 inch barrel and you see a real increase from both this load and 357 as the burn becomes more complete. A short barrel 357 looks cool, and shoots easier than a small frame revolver , but in on target power , it is a plus p 38. Really like the 4 inch Dan Wesson , have the 6 incher and the 2.5, but do not like the rail, precludes it from fitting into leather holsters made for the actual firearm or a Colt Python. I would like to see a rail less version , in the steel gray finish. Time has come for magnum velocity in magnum sized air guns made for the US market. Gassing this one up to 475 plus fps would be a good start.
Best wishes for four surgery. Listen to what the doctors tell you. Our prayers are with you.
Don’t worry about the blog. You can always have someone put up a “Best of” for a while
Jim
Auto correct. Four should be your.
Pyramid Air lists the 4″ at 410 fps.
Can’t wait for the Texas airgun show!
First time to an airgun show last year and it was amazing (even drove 4 hours).
Got to shoot the Texan big bore and the airbolt.
Also bought my Diana 34 (.22) for $150!
I can’t say it enough … Listen to BB and go to an airgun show!
Also thinking about taking the plunge to the dark side and trying out this whole PCP thing.
Hope to find a used Airforce Talon, Discovery or Marauder at the Texas Airgun Show.
Belgrath04,
Don’t forget the Maximus. Love mine. (.22)
Chris,
Have you had the opportunity to try the discovery?
If so how does it compare to the Maximus?
They both run on 2000 psi, maximus has the longer barrel, disco higher speed .
I am trying to decide whether to get a Diana 46 from RidgeR or pcp and pump.
I love the Airforce Talon and condor for their interchangeable barrels but they’re a little out of my price range at the moment.
Belgrath04,
No on the Discovery. They are close I hear. The Maximus is light and points very well. And,… it looks **** good. The Maximus is said to have the reamed barrel,…. prior to rifling and is accurate. My advice is to keep asking questions. GF1 has one and swears by it.
I do not know about the 46, but plenty of people here have experience with the other 3 you have mentioned. I have a .25 M-rod but if you are thinking 2000 psi hand pump, I would stick to the Disco or the Maximus.
Keep asking for opinions and then go for it.
I do have a large 80 cu in 4500 psi tank from paintball, but it looks like I would have to buy a reg which is close to the same price as a pump.
Hmm, GF1 was the previous owner of the Diana 46 before RR.
Nice coincidence that he also has a Maximus.
Sounds like I need to get his opinion between the two.
Belgrath04,
Keep in mind,…. neither would sell anything so accurate that they would rather keep. A tank is good. Not sure why you would need a regulator. Crack the valve and fill to 2000 and done. My Guppy tank goes to 4500 and has no regulator. It fills the 2000 Maximus and the 3500 the same. The M-rod has a heavier hammer spring to allow it to do 3500 instead of the usual 3000.
If you do decide to go for a new Maximus, let me know. I may be able to give you some tips on getting a new scoped one for 160ish. Not mine. Not giving it up. 😉
Do your homework.
Belgrath04
I’m going to keep it short and simple here.
Get a Maximus.
Chuckle,
10-4, I hear you loud and clear.
One follow on question: .177 or .22?
I am leaning towards .22
Belgrath04
I have the .22 caliber and love it. Great shooting gun. I know people that have it in .177 and think it’s great also.
Even with pump + rifle being the same price here for both the Maximus and Discovery, you would still vote Maximus?
Belgrath04
I have had 3 Discovery’s over time. Two of them was .177 caliber and one was .22 caliber. All 3 was good shooting guns also.
The Maximus is basically a Discovery with a nice synthetic stock. But a longer barrel. And I believe they use the new barrel making process on the Maximus barrel. I myself think it’s a better barrel than the Discovery.
If I was to make a choice I would have to get another Maximus over a Discovery.
Belgrath04,
Well,…. there you go. There is some tweak’s for lightening/modding the trigger and the bolt. The bolt could stand to have some more resistance. Pull the knob and cut some gas line the right length and good to go. It is easier on the finger too,… though I never found the cocking effort to be a problem. It is like an 1/2 hr. of messing with it. Easy.
Again, I love mine.
Thank you both.
Lots of research done, but nothing like talking to humans with first hand accounts.
Next ones gonna be the maximus
Belgrath04
All good.
I’m willing to make a bet that you will be satisfied with the Maximus.
And please do let us know when you order. Can’t wait to see what you think. 🙂
Mr. Myagi. You taught me patience. Eye’ll wait. Will be pullin’ for ya. I’m good for about 2 weeks worth of what KNOT to do blogs if that’d help? Shoot/ride safe.
Beaz
Beaz,
By now you know that I am the poster boy for what KNOT to do! It’s good to have your support. 😉
B.B.
B.B.,
Just adding my hopes for a good outcome tomorrow. We’re all pulling for you, and many prayers are being said.
I needed an idea for a birthday present for my shooting buddy, and this Dan Wesson revolver may be just the ticket.
Best wishes!
Walt
B.B.
One feature about the S&W 586 pellet revolver I really like is the interchangeable barrel. I bought the complete 6 inch 586 revolver and the 4 inch barrel conversion kit.
Your title today says, “Dan Wesson M512 4-inch pellet revolver.” Shouldn’t that be model 715?
Charles,
My lysdexia strikes again! 😉
Thanks,
B.B.
B.B.,
I would like to add my thoughts and prayers for your health to those above.
On a different note and subject I must say that this air gun is a looker! Is this also available in that amazing smoky black chrome finish?
Michael
Michael,
No. It’s only available in the two finishes I have mentioned. The darker finish is more of an attempt at bluing, but, like you, I prefer the smoky gray.
B.B.
B.B.,
Praying for success and rapid recovery from your upcoming cataract surgery.
Siraniko
B.B.,
I think with this specific air gun either ASG has made some trigger improvements, or it is an example of how individual examples can vary a great deal. You found his revolver has a very nice trigger in both S.A. and D.A.
I just reread Parts 2 and 3 of your report on the 6 inch pellet version of the 715 Dan Wesson. You gave it a “thumbs up” overall, and like here the single action trigger pull was smooth and “crisp,” but you also described the single action pull as “on the heavy side.” The double action trigger pull was “very stiff and heavy, causing the revolver to rotate in the shooting hand. I would estimate it at 12 lbs.”
I guess in every bushel basket some apples are sweeter than some others. :^)
Michael
B.B.,
My prayers are with you and your surgeon for tomorrow’s operation.
Bruce
All the very best of luck for your operation, my prayers will be with you at this time
BB
Do you have to wear a patch over that eye after the surgery or have they gave you any details yet? From what I hear people say is I think you will be happy after the surgery. Let us know whats up after your home and settled in if you will.
GF1,
I am told there will be no patch. Just a clear protector to wear when I sleep. But when I’m awake, I wear nothing at all.
B.B.
BB
Well that sounds like good news. I have had a cataract for a few years so the Doc was telling me. But really never noticed anything. But here lately I can see something float in front of my vision when I shoot. My right eye which is my shooting eye. Guess I better head back to the eye doctor pretty soon.
I will be interested to hear about what you think off the surgery. And will be thinking about you with a prayer.
BB
Speaking from personal experience having had cataract replacement last November, you wear the clear eye patch at night so you don’t accidentally touch/scratch the incision in your sleep. My issue was that during the day, your brain is trying to focus one clear eye with the cloudy one and you end up with poor vision. I usually drove with the cloudy eye closed as a safety item, however this prolonged squinting got to be annoying. My work-around was to purchase an inexpensive black eye patch at CVS. That let me keep both eyes naturally open, no squinting to see better, and I had clearer vision until the blurry eye healed and cleared. Plus you looked menacing when out in public.
Bob,
That’s good advice! I’ll do that if I need to.
Thanks,
B.B.
B.B.
Didn’t realize your surgery was right around the corner. Good Luck and a speedy recovery. Don’t give this blog a second thought while you recoup. We’ll just have to endure. After all, what choice do we have? Think any of us got the energy to take on your workload?
I have one of the Daisy 44 revolvers that interchange barrels (4″,6″, 8″) ,that came in a plastic case to house the barrels, extra speedloaders, barrel wrench and cylinder gap gauge and included Quicksilver pellets and Jett CO2 five-pack. Always wondered why the Dan Wesson air guns I’ve seen didn’t have interchangable barrels since this Daisy seems to work on the same principle as the Wesson firearms. (it’s easy to change and is fun to shoot with different lengths) I guess you’ve answered my question with the company’s response but I don’t know if I buy it. This gun gets changed back and forth all the time and I haven’t noticed any degradation in the barrel connection.
We’ll miss you ’til you’re back in the saddle, so to speak, but we’ll be OK. Focus on recovering. 😉
Halfstep,
I’m jealous of you for your Daisy 44 package. I have two Daisy 44 revolvers, one in nickel and one black. Both have just the 8 inch barrel. I feel they are right up there with the S&W 586 (I have one of those in 8 inch, too) in every respect.
Michael
Michael,
They,re fun shooters aren’t they? My 4″ barrel seems to be the most accurate, for some reason. That is shooting it in a vise. Don’t really know which is best with normal shooting since my eyes don’t take well to open sights anymore. I only know that all the barrels shoot better than I can.(Dang It !)
B.B.,
I found this comment to be interesting:
“The velocity is listed as 344 f.p.s. That’s faster than the 8-inch gun I tested in 2014, but the 6-incher I tested last year was much faster — nearly 400 f.p.s. We shall have to see in Part 2. I do know I got better results from seating the pellets deep in each cartridge, so that may be the difference.”
I have no doubt there are possible explanations I can’t begin to guess, at least not without having all three guns to test and examine. Even then, I don’t know if I could fathom it.
Strictly off the cuff, before I read much of your writings, I would have guessed that the 6 inch barrel was near optimum of the expanding gas to push, with the 4″ and the 8″ being less than optimum at opposite ends of the scale. I know, however, that even this doe not happen in a vacuum.
I offer a minor update here. I discovered that using the scope, the adjustment of the objective is quite minor relative to the change in magnification. I have settled on 6x for now.
A more important update, to me, is my shooting at 20 yards with the Titan .22. I don’t shoot every day nor even every week sometimes. Recently, however, I concentrated more earnestly than ever on the Artillery Hold. After a bit of warm up, I put 4 or of 5 shots into the 10 ring of a 6″ target.
Yesterday, again after a bit of warm up, I placed 4 or 5 shots into one hole in the center circle. May be a fluke, but I believe I can duplicate this more often now (if I just get out there often enough).
I got the Titan in the fall of 2011 but the neck surgery caused a lapse so, I’ll say it has taken a bit over four years to reach this point. If all goes well, I will have to start shooting distances both nearer and farther (out to 90 yards so I can hit that darn pale), and work on estimating distances. Although, not set up as a field course, there is a group that is shooting field targets at varying distances.
As always, thank you for your dedication to the sport. I have learned a lot, even if most of it is not field tested yet.
Oh, I also wanted to tell you I appreciate today’s blog. I do like replica pistols. I like them to be mostly metal. My experience with plastic hasn’t been good (I know I haven’t had any of the modern Glock type material so I am not referring to that kind of “plastic”. I also like the method of seating the CO2 cartridge with the hex wrench, even more than the type on the Crosman Vigilante. I never got used to the method used by the CP99 Compact and I will avoid that method at all costs. Lastly, although it isn’t much of an issue on revolvers, I will avoid pistols with safeties that are just a nuisance and unrealistic. At least let it be a one that uses double action for the first shot, then single action after that. I’ll deal with making it safe from there.
~ken
Ken,
I find it interesting, too. I won’t know for sure until I test it.
B.B.
Hi BB et all..
Hope your surgery and recovery go well!!
As you all remember I had a very successful carpal tunnel release done the end of October. I’now waiting to have the same surgery done to my left hand (wrist) the end of March. A few weeks after the surgery l bought a Hatsan Torpedo 155 in .177 cal. and it has just been waiting to be shot. My right hand has healed nicely and although a little stiff and sore at times I thought, yesterday, now is the time to start shooting it.
I set up my indoor range for 10 meters and put 25 shots through the gun. They were all on paper in the 4.5″ square Gamo pellet trap but the first 10 shots were at least 2″ groups. I expected this as it took me that many shots to figure out how to hold the gun and adjust the iron sights. Finally with 3 clicks to the left to center the POI, the artillery hold and target sling hold combined I was able to refine my groups to a reasonable size – about 1″ with 5 holes touching out of 8 shots on the last group.
I found the target sling hold to be a necessity for me as the 11 1\2 pound weight was hard to hold with my gimpy left hand and I needed the extra support to hold steady.
As of now I’m pleased with the accuracy and it looks like the gun will not require much of a break-in.
The next order of business is to mount a scope. I have another of the BSA Contender Chinese knock-off that I will mount this evening.
So far, with just a few shots of Crosman Premier Heavy pellets I’ve determined that the rifle has the potential to be accurate but also that there are numerous Pros and Cons to be considered. More so with the Cons!!
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
The Good
Accuracy seems to be good – time will tell as the gun gets broken in.
The Safety is under your thumb on the rear of the receiver when in shooting position.
No sliding breech to decapitate finger tips.
The breech is easy to use and loading is very easy for big fingers.
The underlever cocking arm is a heavy solid steel rod.
The cocking arm release and lockdown are flawless.
The trigger pull is about 4 to 5 pounds.
A 1″ AK canvas sling fits perfectly on the already mounted EU style sling swivels.
General build, fit and finish are outstanding.
The scope rail is Weaver.
The stock is an awesome piece of Turkish walnut.
Out of the box there was no dieseling or pre-ignition. No smell of combustion products at all which leads me to think the gun was lubed correctly at the factory.
The Bad
The gun is heavy – 11 1\2 pounds.
I find the iron sights are difficult for me to use. The front plastic fiber optic sight is indistinct in the sight picture.
I find it hard to steady without using the target sling hold.
It’s a big gun. Normally I require a long trigger pull to be comfortable yet with all the butt inserts removed I find the trigger pull is still a bit too long for me.
The Ugly
Did I say the gun is heavy!!
Very hard to cock!! I’m good for about 2 or 3 times against my hip then I have to put the butt on the floor and push the cocking lever down using my weight.
The recoil is bad – this may decrease as the gun gets broken in.
Loud – in future I will be wearing hearing protectors on my indoor range as it is way louder than a
High Velocity .22LR.
This thing is rated at 1250fps and is doing a number on my Gamo Pellet Trap. I am seriously thinking of angling a piece of 3/8″ plate steel in front of the heavy conveyor belting in my normal trap. I have’nt tried a direct shot on the conveyot belting yet but I think it may end up cutting the surface. The belting does stand up to 700fps with no problems. When I have the accuracy pinned down I may try shooting a piece of scrap belting to see what happens. Or maybe just insert a second piece of belting as a sacrificial layer and use it till the surface is destroyed then replace it. I have lots of the belting stockpiled. Although, it might just be easier getting one of the .22LR indoor traps.
I’ll keep the blog up on how everything turns out.
Cheers
Dave