by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
This report covers:
- Good for everyone
- Back to the LG55
- Oiling the piston seal
- How to tell
- How to oil the piston seal
- Other maintenance
- Cleaning the barrel
- What pellets?
- Cleaning the outside
- That’s it
I received this question on Tuesday.
“I just received an LG cal 4.5 mod 55 Walther’s patent air rifle. It’s a great gift, and I would like to keep it in good condition. I live in Europe though, And like most Europeans, I know almost nothing about guns.
Could you write an article about basic airgun maintenance and important things to check when laying hands on an old gun?
Thanks in advance for any help, Jean”
Good for everyone
With the enormous number of readers we have, I imagine Jean is not alone with his question. I put the answer here in the History section because his Walther LG 55 is a vintage breakbarrel spring-piston air rifle that’s no longer made. It was made from 1955 to 1967, according to the Blue Book of Airguns. For some of those years (until 1963) it was Walther’s top target air rifle, and even today it has a smoothness and robust construction that cannot be overlooked. You don’t have to know airguns to recognize the quality of this rifle.
The LG (stands for Luft Gewehr, which is German for air rifle) 55 rifle was followed by Walther’s LGV — the top of their spring-piston target rifle line. It was manufactured from 1963 and remained in the line until 1972. By that time, technology was replacing spring-piston air rifles for target use, and Walther’s LGR, a single stroke pneumatic that would come out in 1974, was far and away a more refined target rifle.
Back to the LG55
The reason I put this report in the historical section is because these older spring-piston airguns often have leather piston seals. Leather seals need lots of oil on the piston seal. It keeps the leather supple enough to do its job.
A spring-piston airgun works by means of a piston being shoved forward by a spring when the gun fires. The piston compresses the air in front of it and pushes it through an air transfer port at the end of the compression chamber. The amount of air compressed is very small, but the pressures generated are quite high. Like the cork from a champaign bottle, the pellet is overcome by this intense burst of pressure and, when it can no longer resist, it goes speeding down the barrel.
Spring-piston airguns have no valves. The piston compresses the air that travels through the transfer port to the back of the pellet. It’s simple and reliable.
The air transfer port at the front end of the compression chamber conducts the air compressed by the piston to the rear of the pellet that’s sitting in the barrel.
Here is a closer look at the transfer port.
Oiling the piston seal
The reason I’m telling you this is because you need to oil the piston seal from time to time. If the seal is leather, oiling with 5 drops once a month is not too much or too often. If it’s synthetic, you can oil it once every 6 months with regular use or once every 1,000 shots.
The seal in the Walther LG 55 is synthetic, and the original ones have a problem. The material the original piston seals are made of dry rots over time. They all do, and will eventually fai, regardless of whether the gun is fired. Jean, this is the first thing you need to watch for. If the pellet starts moving very slowly, to the point of not coming out of the barrel, the seal is bad. Sometimes you will see chunks of a yellow or brown waxy material in the barrel. Those are particles of the dry-rotted seal that have broken off. When you see them you know for certain the rest of the seal is gone, too.
Diana target rifles (models 60, 61, 65, 66 and 75) also have this problem. So do the original Walther LGVs — not the ones made today, but the ones made in the 1960s and ’70s. The FWB models 121, 124 and 127 also have this problem.
Replacement seals for all these airguns are available today and they are made from material that does not break down. They can be thought of as lifetime seals — especially at the lower power levels of these rifles.
How to tell
Disassembly is the most positive way to know if your gun has an original seal that’s gone bad or a new seal, but most new airgunners don’t want to do that. The good news is, it’s pretty easy to find out without disassembly — by examining the rifle closely and by shooting it. Look in the barrel for chunks of a yellow or brown material. If you see them, don’t shoot the gun any longer until the seal is replaced. If you notice the pellet start coming out slower (it will be very slow) the seal needs replacing. Stop shooting until it is replaced. If the gun vibrates hard or has a sharp jolt when shot — especially if it jumps forward a lot, the seal needs replacing. All spring piston rifles jump forward when they fire — this would be an exaggerated movement. If you are so new that you can’t tell if the forward recoil is excessive, better stop and have someone who knows airguns examine the rifle.
How to oil the piston seal
The pistol seals on these older spring rifles need to be oiled much more than modern ones. One drop of silicone chamber oil every 6 months or every 1,000 shots is about right for vintage guns with synthetic seals like the LG 55. Do not use household oil or regular silicone oil from a hardware store for this. The oil must be silicone chamber oil because of the high heat the gun generates when it fires.
To oil, cock the rifle but don’t close the barrel. Look at the flat end of the spring tube that is now exposed and you will see a small hole that aligns with the rear of the barrel when it’s closed. That is the air transfer port.
This is what you are looking for. An air transfer port.
Drop one drop of silicone chamber oil into this hole, then uncock the rifle by holding the barrel at the muzzle, pulling the trigger and slowly letting the piston go forward. Let the gun stand on its butt for a couple hours before shooting.
Another way to do this is to stand the rifle on its butt and drop two drops of oil down the barrel. The extra drop will stay on the inside of the barrel. Let the gun stand for 12 hours before shooting.
Other maintenance
Oiling the piston seal is the biggest maintenance step with this rifle. You can also oil all the hinge points of the cocking linkage with household oil or good gun oil. And it doesn’t hurt to oil the mainspring with the same gun oil. To do that the rifle comes out of the stock. Remove the two forearm screws and the front triggerguard screw to remove the stock. Then you will be able to see a portion of the mainspring through the cocking slot in the rear of the spring tube. Drop 5-10 drops of oil through this slot then cock and uncock the rifle several times to spread it around.
Cleaning the barrel
I have one piece of advice on cleaning the barrel. Don’t do it! It doesn’t need it. If you shoot good lead pellets all the time your barrel should never get dirty. There is no residue from gunpowder and lead pellets that move at less than 800 feet per second don’t leave deposits in a well-rifled bore. Your Walther’s barrel is rifled very well and the gun shoots a lot less than 800 f.p.s.
What pellets?
Your LG 55 is a target rifle. It was made to shoot target pellets. Those are flat-nosed pellets called wadcutters. You can shoot other shapes if you want, but wadcutters are what your rifle was designed for.
Shoot lead pellets, only. Your rifle was not designed for lead-free pellets. They might work very well, but I haven’t tested a vintage Walther with lead-free pellets, so I don’t know how it will perform.
Cleaning the outside
Ballistol! This is the oil that’s used all over the world by armies for their automatic weapons. This is the oil that coated my friend Mac’s gun collection that stood in water for a week and never rusted! This is the oil that dissolves rust. Saturate a soft rag with Ballistol and keep it in a plastic bag to wipe down your air rifle after handling.
That’s it
Jean, that’s all that comes to my mind at the moment. Tell us how your rifle shoots. Is it smooth? Does it cock easily? Is it accurate?
What questions do you have?
B.B.,
Wouldn’t it be better for them to use lithium grease or better yet Almagard to lubricate their mainspring instead of gun oil which can migrate forward and cause detonation?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
Yes, of course it would. But this is a basic tutorial. These guys know nothing of the insides of spring guns, and they may not be as deep into airguns as you and I. So I kept things dirt basic.
You know, it’s ironic in a way. As I wrote this report I was examining my own LGV target rifle, which is as close to a 55 as I have. It buzzed a little when I shot it, so I did put Almagard (Tune in a Tube) into the mainspring and quieted it right down.
B.B.
B.B.,
As long as they are old enough to utilize leather washers I see no problem with that. My concern will be the first timers who have bought a modern “magnum” springer for the speed and suddenly finds himself with a heavily dieseling or detonating air rifle.
Isn’t that the LGV Olympia you used way back in 2013 to see how accurate a 10 meter gun would be at 50 yards just for fun? It developed a buzz while in storage? Could its lubrication have dried up?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
Yes, the very same rifle. I just looked up that 4-part report and I reported a small twang in the spring in Part 1. I said it would remain forever, but I didn’t know about Almagard back then.
B.B.
BB
Very useful and informative report today. Do you plan to say more on this subject? I needed reminding that two drops of silicone chamber oil down the barrel does the same job as a direct application if the rifle is left standing barrel up for 12 hours. Might be good to know the difference between dieseling and detonating. I actually returned my first pellet rifle because the first shot was too loud for my neighborhood. I know now that the first shot likely dieseled due to a little too much oiling at the factory. If I had shot another pellet the sound may have been much less.
Decksniper
Decksniper,
Any more? I’m not sure. It depends of the comments. The dieseling/detonation thing is certainly a topic to cover.
B.B.
B.B.,
Another good write-up and reminder on some basics, which we old folks sometimes forget!
Taking us off topic here, but are you still planning to try some holographic sights? I’m looking for options other than open sights for a pistol, and am not sure I want to go with a pistol scope (though open to recommendations there too). Considering a red dot or similar, and I can go 11mm or Picatinny. Anything along these lines readers have tried and liked I’d be interested to hear, too. Thanks!
HS,
Holographic sights, let me see. You know, I almost wrote that the really good holos cost $300 and up. Then I remembered what I spent on that Meopta spotting scope. I guess if it works and you need it, the money is just an expense.
Let me look around.
B.B.
Thanks, and I’m hoping for something under $100 which may restrict the choices to red / green dot sights rather than actual holo. Also probably should have told you what I plan to use the gun for: backyard plinking with occasional small pest control.
HiveSeeker
I find that a green/red dot sight is useful. It can be quickly mounted on almost anything and give you a fair idea of accuracy potential. If you are shooting paper be sure to get one that adjusts to a tiny dot. I eventually put a scope on guns that are more accurate than my unassisted eyes except in the case of 10 meter guns.
Decksniper
Thanks, and have the dot sights worked well on pistol for you?
HiveSeeker
Yes for same reasons I mentioned but I like to mount a scope on some pistols for the extra weight it adds for stability. Weight is no problem for me because I do what you do; backyard plinking. Even an out of proportion large scope can do wonders for accuracy. Obviously I hope, this is not good advice for hunters who don’t want to carry the extra weight.
Decksniper
How about a warning ⚠️ against using water displacing lubricants. These are among the most common types of lubricant and found in most homes. The temptation to use these rather than getting the appropriate lube might lead to bigger problems down the road.
Coduece,
Do you mean just WD-40, or are there others?
B.B.
Right WD 40,I’m not sure if there are similar products in other countries going by different names. But they are definitely not appropriate for gun maintenance.
Coduce,
Man — are you right about that! I used to love WD-40 for the smell more than anything. Before I went to Germany I sprayed the actions and barrels of all my guns before storing them at my mother’s house. When I returned 4 years later the WD-40 had turned to yellow varnish, gumming the actions of all guns. I also destroyed the silver plating on an unfired second generation Colt 1851 Navy I had paid dearly for. I was never able to fix that one, because the WD-40 reacted with the thin silver plating. I lost money when it was sold.
When I was getting into horology (fixing watches and clocks) I attended a seminar of what not to do and WD-40 was at the top of the list for the same reasons. It’s great for drying the points on a wet distributor, but keep it away from your guns.
B.B.
B.B.
I discovered the same thing about WD-40. I thought at one time that it was a good lubricant….WRONG! It’s virtually useless as a lubricant on anything, even squeaky hinges. I sprayed it on the surface of my table saw thinking it would prevent rusting…wrong again, also useless for that application. The only use I have found for WD-40 is for removing tar from the paint on your vehicle. It won’t harm the paint and does a pretty good job of removing tar. That’s it. Even silicone spray does a better job of lubrication were oil isn’t an option but never on an airgun. I bought some Ballistol a while back and have found it to be an excellent lubricant. It’s wonderful for applying on the outer metal parts of any gun to prevent rusting finger prints and such. The only lubricant I have ever used on my airguns is RWS spring oil for moving joints and RWS silicone chamber oil for the piston seal. I have also used a little dab of Outers Gunslick on the trigger sear. But forget WD-40 for lubrication or rust prevention. I also have found that it will turn yellow and get gummy over time. Too bad about your Navy Colt. I bet you were really upset about that one. I would guess that you disposed of all the WD-40 following that experience.
George,
Yes. I haven’t had WD-40 in the house for the last 40 years.
B.B.
(Gasp!) WHAT?! Well…what about duct tape?
Just kidding. WD-40 and duct tape are the two handyman staples for a lot of folk.
I will say that learning about Ballistrol is one of my most important discoveries from this blog–great stuff!
HiveSeeker
Duct tape is still in the arsenal…can’t be without a roll of that 🙂
B.B.,
Oh, Man, am I crying (almost literally) for you. Like you I am also very much into fine watches, although I am only able to to own only a handful at most at any one time. And I have also made similar errors.
Ouch, Brother,
Michael
Paper towels have a place, but I feel they may have a mildly abrasive quality, and then they’re linty you can’t beat cotton imho.
B.B.,
Both the blog and comments are instructive, as always. I am amazed at the things I need to have reiterated.
Regarding dot sights, cheap or otherwise. I did some reading and watched a few videos, including a review of Airgun Academy episode 29 – Red Dot Sights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-1lgK8KHeE
I installed the Gamo green dot sight on the Daisy/Hatsan. Following directions I obtained online I saw the light (pun intended). I will have to learn to use a dot sight on a pistol.
~ken
Ken,
Where I used to shoot in 10-meter competition in Virginia, the club had a bullseye group that all shot .22 pistols with dot sights. They were older men who all felt their eyes weren’t good enough for open sights any longer. Whether that was true doesn’t matter — to a man they loved their dot sights on those pistols.
A dot sight reduces your objects to focus on to just two — the dot and the target. If doesn’t get any easier than that.
B.B.
B.B.,
Thank you. I believe I need to start by using the hand gun with a rest to zero the sight. I obviously wasn’t going to do that free hand. I am rapidly becoming one of those older men.
I still have no clue what was going on when I shot the AR-15 several months ago. I couldn’t see anything through that sight except amber (lines I believe, but not clear on that). I have wondered if the amber glasses I was wearing had anything to do with it, but I don’t know.
~ken
I suppose the rested zero will get you on target, but I believe that the rested zero will also be significantly different from you offhand zero. Some blog advice which I’ve found useful is to just keep shooting offhand and correct for tendencies that you find.
Matt61
Matt61,
Thank you for this information. I will likely shoot rested just to see what I (and the pistol) can do, but move to off hand as you suggest since that is the way I intend to shoot.
~ken
Thanks! I’ve used several on rifles but this will be my first on pistol.
+1 on Ballistol. Marvellous stuff. Though it smells fishy, because (I think) it is made in some way from fish.
Geezer,
I forget who said it now, but someone here said that it is medical grade mineral oil. They sounded quite sure in their statement. I am not sure where mineral oil enters into the medical realm, but that is what he said. Just passing it on. Maybe some other stuff added in too?
Geezer and Chris USA,
According to the Ballistol Material Safety Data Sheet at http://www.co.vermilion.il.us/MSDS/EMA/ballistol%20MSDS.PDF
Ballistol is medicinal grade white mineral oil with some Isobutyl Alcohol added. Medicinal grade because it does not cause any adverse reaction with living tissue.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
The MSDS,.. of course! Thank you.
Stood in water for a week with no rusting?!! I knew Ballistol was good but it never ceases to amaze me. It pretty much is my maintenance routine, until I send the rifle to Derrick. He found a lot of dust inside, but not from pellets. It was all from the disintegrating nylon spring guide.
Matt61
B.B.,
Thank you so much for writing this article, I am truly overwhelmed.
I shot a few pellets in my backyard yesterday, before reading this article. Pellets kepts getting stuck close to the end the barrel, and at every shot I felt the gun vibrate. I figured the vibration wasn’t a good sign, and your article perfectly describes the situation!
Maybe that wasn’t a good idea, but since the pellets that got stuck in the barrel didn’t seem damaged, I tried using them a second time. And that way, the gun managed to propulse the pellets out of the barrel, and the shot was smooth -in my unexperienced opinion. But any new pellet would get stuck when fired (although the gun’s and pellet’s calibers match, I checked).
I didn’t observe any yellow-brown material, nor did the gun jump forward when shooting. I think it cocks easily, although it’s the first airgun I’ve ever had. It doesn’t make any squeaky noise either when cocking.
There is a double trigger on the gun, but it is overly sensitive (it triggers spontaneously). I’m not sure what to do about it.
Three conclusions for me, thanks to your article:
– order a new seal and chamber oil – but how can I know which seal is right for my gun?
– buy Ballistol lube or a similar-type product that I can find in Belgium
– buy the proper pellets for my gun, in my case flat-nosed pellets
Again, that you so much for this clear and well-written article, that applies perfectly to my situation.
Jean
Jean,
Okay, your piston seal is bad. Stop shooting until you get another one in the rifle.
The fact that the rifle still shoots smooth tells me the mainspring is probably in good shape. But you might buy a spare one for the future. They aren’t too expensive.
Don’r re-use lead pellets. When your airgun is fixed it will generate too much pressure that a re-used pellet cannot contain. The piston will hit the end of the compression chamber like it was fired without a pellet in the rifle.
Any seal that you buy for a Walther LG 55 today will be good. The original seals have all gone bad and the material they were made from is not being used anymore.
You have a very desirable version if the 55 — the one with double-set triggers. I don’t know how they are adjusted, but Kevin who reads this blog has owned several Walther air rifles with them. Maybe he can tell you?
Jean, you are on the way to a great airgunning experience.
Good luck,
B.B.
Thanks for the advice!
I tried adjusting a screw near the second trigger, and it solved the problem of the overly sensitive double trigger; quite a user-friendly design!
Jean
BB
Fascinated by your referenced blog on the LGV Olympia. It tells both new shooters and experienced ones what to expect at 25 yards vs 50 yards with 10 meter velocity guns. It also gaves an interesting velocity and accuracy comparison of seated pellets vs pellets flush with the breech.
Have been using Ballistol for a year now. It is almost too good to be true. Yet some gun stores have never heard of it.
Decksniper
Deck sniper,
Thanks for the reference, I had been looking for an explanation of flush vs deep seating and in pt two I found it in the comments. The comparison of the seating of pellets to a compression chamber and piston was just what I needed. Thanks
Sailing ‘way off topic, tell me about a “choked barrel”, please?
I was looking at the yellow board classifieds and among the attributes of a particular gun, tuning, etc was the term “choked barrel.” Huh!? I understand shotgun chokes from small game hunting, but choke a rifled barrel? A mystery to me, most certainly.
BTW bought a very nice.22 cal RWS model 94. Maccari internals and a very nice, light trigger. Sadly the carrier damaged the scope, so there is a claim to sort out. Shipping almost anything has an element of risk.
Now there is a resealed and re-sprung LG55 in my area that is interesting. However, I need to stop buying and focus on learning to use the guns that are in my home, rather than adding more. I need to remember, it’s better to be able to shoot one gun well, than several poorly.
Dan
Dan,
The finest target rifles barrels are choked. They always have been, but most shooters are unaware of it.
Back in the 1880s Harry Pope, the man who hand made the world’s most accurate barrels, started making his barrels with a 0.001-inch choke. Unlike many others who put the choke in after rifling the barrel, Pope cut it that way!
He was also a world champion offhand rifle shot. His most accurate barrel once put 10 rounds into 0.2-inches at 220 yards! Every barrel he made would put 10 into less than one inch at 100 yards. These were soft lead bullets and the powder was black powder. The bullets were loaded from the muzzle even though cartridges were used. His rifles are called muzzleloading breechloaders.
A choked rifle barrel is exactly the same as a choked shotgun barrel, except the amount of choke is much smaller. In pellet rifles the choke makes all pellets leaving the muzzle the same size. It evens them out.
Today’s barrels have their chokes put in by other methods than Pope used. Nobody is going to pay $5,000 for a rifle barrel, though $1,500 is common enough in the benchrest crowd.
B.B.
B.B.
Sorry to ramble so far afield. The mention of Pope brought back some memories of good times with good people who are no longer here.
When in my late ‘teens, a friend and I bought a Springfield ’03/A3 through an NRA program for the princely sum of $25. After we cleaned off the cosmoline using hot water in Ed’s family bathtub, the Springfield was a tack-driver. Of course we couldn’t leave it alone and like VWs and Daina 34s, there were an abundance of aftermarket parts and “upgrades.” That kept us off the streets for the next several years. Some of our experimentation with a Lee hand reloading tool and that Springfield is the reason that I wear heading aids today. We were young and immortal and knew nothing of ear plugs or ear muffs. I recall some “hot loads” that caused ear pain. A 40 gr. bullet in a 30.06 is not a winner.
At that time there was a backwoods gun shop in a tiny town (~150 souls) that my friend, Ed and I frequented. The owner, Harry, was a character but knew guns and gun lore. He schooled us in the finer point of a number of firearms and usually had at hand one of whatever gun he was discussing. That included what he claimed was a Pope black powder rifle. I had never heard of Pope but Harry had a Pope biography which he loaned me. Pope was a genius and produced apex barrels using simple machinery and tooling and a generous helping of patience.
Starting over with air guns now. In many ways airguns are more Zen-like, more subtle than firearms. Two raw teen-agers could fumble themselves to decent 100-years accuracy using a WWI rifle by blind experimentation. Airguns, by contrast, demand much more hold, pellet choice, after-purchase tuning and so on. I don’t think that I’d pursue this further if it were not for the community around this matter. Sharing information and experience is so valuable.
Thanks all,
Dan
Dan,
Anything to report on the Maximus or hand pump? You would love it if it was up and running.
Chris
HI Chris,
Nothing yet. I need to stop trying to be frugal (read cheap) and buy a new had pump. Got a G6 pump that is missing a foot rest. So now to make that. Cheap is not better. Sometimes it’s better to spend the money and move forward, “Git ‘er done!”
Still romancing springers. Bought an RWS model 94, made by Comita to RWS specs. Reputed to be a nicer Diana 34. This one has Maccari internals and a very nice, light trigger.
Dan
Dan,
I am of the frugal type as well. And you are right,.. sometimes it is better to just cut your losses and spend the money. Time and frustration figure into that as well, albeit a tad harder to put a price on.
However you go and whatever you end up with,… I wish you the very best in outcome. I always hope to see you post and often wonder how you are coming along. Thanks for the update.
Chris
10 shot, 0.2″, 220 yds.,.. that is amazing! 10 shots into sub 1″ at 100 yards is nothing to sneeze at either, let alone every barrel. That is quite astounding.
BB,
In the illustration that you used of the offset transfer port it looks like the airflow would be slower because of turbulence. If that’s the case, why are so many guns ( all of mine) set up this way instead of being centered?
Halfstep,
It’s because of where the barrel is located. Only a top maker like Air Arms will position their barrel for a central port, then make the metalwork to make it flow. Look at the TX 200. It’s humpbacked because of that feature. So are the Diana 52 and 54.
B.B.
BB,
You’ve revealed me as a liar (outside my circle of fishing buddies). I said all my guns were offset, but I own an RWS 52, so I was wrong. And I’m aware of the humpback shape that you mentioned. I just never attributed it to centering the transfer port. I thought it was to add to the “cool” factor of the gun. I like the symmetry of one cylinderical shape emerging from the center of the other.
Do you have an example of a break barrel rifle that has a centered port? I’d like to see how the lines look on one of them.
Also I want to share that PA now lists the Diana Stormrider as “IN STOCK” and mine should be delivered by Monday.
Halfstep,
I don’t think I have ever seen a breakbarrel with a barrel that was offset. FWB (or somebody) did have a central port and an angled channel, so the barrel could be in the normal place.
B.B.
Halfstep
Will be interested in how yours does. What caliber?
And did you try anymore guns with the Blaster bb’s?
GF1,
I ordered mine in .22 and am open to getting another in .177 once I see how the production gun in that caliber is received.
As for the Blaster BBs, I’ve been working today on a backstop that will let me retrieve all the BBs that I shoot, for reuse. I had jerry rigged a backstop that caught about 70% of the pellets for the report I did on 10/17/17. I’d like to get 100% if I can. My design, if it works, will be 5 feet long and should allow for shooting indoors with no ricochets and the ability to use the BBs over and over. As targets I have in mind to use the paper Dixie cups that you’d use to rinse your mouth with after you brushed your teeth. They are about the size of a shot glass and at 21 feet should present plenty of challenge and give about a 95% hit rate if I do my part with the XBG that I used in that report.
Before I shoot the Blasters from another gun I will probably repeat the 10 mag string with the XBG to see if I get similar groups with each of the ten mags.( If you remember, I wasn’t just testing the BBs, I was also testing a theory that using different mags in guns of this ilk will give different sized groups. Once I have done that, the next gun that I use will probably be a Colt Python in BB only( not the Pellet/BB version that you have, although the results may still be pertinent to your gun) I’ll put the results in a comment within a day or two of getting the results and, of course, I have to find time in there somewhere to play with my Stormrider ! 😉
Halfstep
A blanket or sheet hung from the ceiling works nice. Then tie a string to each bottom corner of the blanket and maybe one in the middle. Then pull each up about 6 inches and tie to the ceiling.
That’s how I did my indoor airsoft shooting in the basement at my old house. It works.
GF1,
I started with that setup, using a Harbor Freight moving blanket, but the Blasters shot right through it after 3 shots. The design that I’m trying now uses 4″ strips of tee shirt and sweatshirt about 14″ long stapled to a 2″ wide strip of OSB cut 5′ long. I layered them such that the spaces between the cloth strips are covered by the layer of strips in front of it. I alternated like that for 4 layers per wooden strip. I have three of these separated from each other with a section of 2X4. The idea is for the Blasters to be able to deflect the strips enough to keep from punching a hole right away, but still be able to strip off enough energy that the BB will drop into a tray before it gets through all the layers. It may not work, but it’s based on a description BB gave of a commercial bb trap that he uses. I will eventually set it on two cheap camera tripods that I have ordered, but for now I’ll have to rig up something temporary.
Halfstep
At what distance was you shooting the Blaster bb’s at that Harbor Freight moving blanket? And what gun was you using?
I was at 21 feet (7 yards) and I was shooting the XBG the I used in the testing that I did last Tuesday. ( It is a very cheap non-recoiling co2 gun that is styled after, IMHO, the Springfield Armory XDM) The blanket that I used was the one you have to pay for, not the one that they give away with a ” FREE WITH ANY PURCHASE” coupon, if you know what I’m referring to. It just had so much mass and was so stiff that it was like shooting at a sheet of thick cardboard or something. I did try an old sheet after you suggested it, but it blew through on every shot.
I finished the backstop that I told you about earlier and it works great. I fired a full mag of 19 rounds at one spot and it caught all of them. Some did punch through the first layer or two of cloth strips but none got past the trap.( actually it’s more of a curtain that is 5 feet wide and 14 inches high) I set about a dozen of the really small dixie cups on a strip of OSB in front of it and as long as my misses didn’t impact the wood the BBs fell into the collector. ( I used your sheet suggestion as a funnel, except I substituted a split, heavy plastic trash bag) The cups were a perfect target and the Blasters went through them without deflecting over, under or around my trap and they were knocked cleanly from the 2″ wide plank that they were set up on
Halfstep
I think that’s good news that the Blaster’s were shooting through.
To me that means the velocity they are shooting at does maintain some energy.
Sounds to me like you just need to back up some more from the blanket or target.
That’s what I was hoping would happen with the Blaster’s.
GF1,
This project is about shooting indoors. I don’t really have the option to move farther back. As for retaining energy, the Blasters fall off pretty quick. They lose over 150 FPS at twelve yards from this gun.
Shooting some pumpkins with my HW50. Not the funnest shooting but recovered my pellets. Look at the middle pellet my favorite in this gun a 5.53 FTT good engraving on the head and skirt. The the other two an AA heavy 5.52 and the Predator had basically only engraving on the skirt.
My apologies to the squeamish, yes that’s pumpkin guts in the Predator poly-mag.
Coduece
By looking at the pellets I would of picked the middle one as probably being the accurate one of the bunch.
And nice recovery by the way.
What size groups are you getting with it now that you spent some time with it?
Yes your correct the center pellet an HN FTT 5.53 is the most accurate pellet so far in both my HW50 and Marauder both in .22 cal. As far as accuracy I have been very busy lately so I’ve not been shooting for accuracy much this past month. Off a rest at 50 yards my groups for both guns hovers around an inch and a half or less, at 25 yards less than an inch. That seems to be what I call my radius of accurate concentricity, no matter which gun.
So yes I know the R.A.C. For my groups would actually be -.75,and .5. I guess if I’m gonna make up new terminology I should use it correctly.
Coduece
So I’m thinking you mean measuring center of pellet hole to center of pellet hole for your group size?
If so .750″ and .500″ is pretty darn good for both guns.
One of the more popular millwright sayings goes jack of all trades master of none. Which works great for me as I have a lot of different interests. I guess I bring this mentality to guns. I shoot off hand, bench rest, I work on my position shooting with C.M.P. targets and pistol shooting. I’m just trying to be proficient in all aspects of shooting. And this blog, you GF1 and others have always been most helpful TY.
Coduece
I have to say pretty much the way I would of said it too.
🙂
Ok 8 out of a 10 shot group at 50 yards on a calm day under 2” circle ⭕️ In size. I still get fliers, but for me it’s hard to be consistent for 10 shots.
Coduece
Not meaning to pry. But what makes your consistency go away. Or I guess I should say what affects your shot the most? Might be more complicated than a simple answer. But it is now making me wonder what.
Pry away that’s how I learn. One look at my childish scribble is a dead giveaway that my fine motor skills leave a lot to be desired. Couple that with the attention span of a ten year old and add in some declining vision and those are just the physical maladies. An 18 year old daughter, aging parents, and life in general means mental clarity is sometimes at a shortage, Just normal stuff, airguns are one of my escapes, and I’m reasonably happy with where I’m at shooting wise. However that’s what keeps it fun constant room for improvement.
Coduece
Yep I can relate to what you said.
And for sure I enjoy sitting down and shooting some air guns and taking the mind off the other stuff.
Basic airgun maintenance.
While you’re oiling, cleaning and doing regular maintenance on your airgun take a moment and check to make sure all of your screws are still snug.
RANT COMING……………Don’t use your tapered screwdrivers to do this! I hate guns with buggered screws 🙁 Please do yourself a favor and buy a cheap gunsmithing set of hollow ground bits. The most expensive set of tapered screwdrivers (think Snap On tools) are not as good as a cheap set of hollow ground.
Pyramyd AIR used to sell a decent set made by B-Square for around $15 that easily fits in a range bag or drawer. I have this set in my range bag.
/product/b-square-professional-gunsmith-screwdriver-set?a=1007
TIPS….If you buy a set make sure the bit and driver marry with a good magnet. For a large kit on your bench I like Magna Tip but Wheeler also sells advanced/larger kits that are worthwhile.
Great advice on tightening the screws as they came loose on my HW50. I’m not opposed to gun makers using Allen type screw heads. There must be some kind of conspiracy to keep using antiquated slotted screws.
Kevin
Yep agree. I do have a set myself. Not sure what brand they are I have. But definitely do work nice.
I’ve been pretty happy with the advent of using Torx screws after buying a set of drivers. I have to admit to being pretty heavy handed with my fasteners and have managed to bugger up my share. I’m still using the original Chapman Gun Screw Driver Kit I bought some 40 years ago and more recently, invested in a set of JIS bits for the Phillips heads. Here’s some pretty interesting reading I stumbled across on this topic: http://www.instructables.com/id/When-a-Phillips-is-not-a-Phillips/
Larry from Algona
Larry
First off good to hear from you. And thanks for the link. Very informative. I book marked it.