by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
The RAW field target rifle built on the new chassis frame.
This report covers:
- The beginning
- It’s here!
- Scope
- How does it shoot?
- Results?
- October 25, 2020 Chronograph
- October 30 & 31, 2020 Chronograph
- Accurate?
- Pellets & Accuracy
- Summary
This report is a first look at a very special RAW. The RAW air rifle is manufactured by AirForce Airguns. It was formerly made in Tennessee and some work is still being done there, but the main manufacturing has moved to Texas.
RAW stood for Rapid Air Weapons before AirForce acquired the company. Since airguns are not considered weapons in the United States, AirForce has dropped the name, but they retain the acronym RAW because it is recognized to be at the top of the industry.
This report is about a RAW that was specially built for field target. It is built up on the new RAW aluminum chassis frame instead of residing in a wooden stock. It was built for blog reader Cloud Nine, who had a part to play in its design. He also gathered all the data and even wrote some of today’s report
The beginning
Cloud Nine (I’ll now call him Nine) is a field target match director at the Arlington Sportsman Club in Texas. He built his field target club up from scratch and it is now quite active in north central Texas. But he has been shooting in the spring-piston class. He wanted to get into PCPs, but was always waiting for the right rifle to come along.
After placing third in the 2019 AAFTA Nationals, shooting in the WFTA spring-piston class, Nine came to the attention of AirForce owner, John McCaslin, who wanted his RAWs to break into field target. RAW has made 12 foot-pound rifles before, but they were never optimized for the sport of field target. This was their chance to participate in the hands of a proven competitor who would feed back information on the performance of the rifle as he went.
It’s here!
Nine received his new .177 TM 1000 field target rifle in August and immediately set to testing and getting used to it. It was set up to shoot just under 12 foot-pounds, which is a requirement for the WFTF rules that govern his matches.
It has an aluminum chassis that functions as the frame and the forward part of the stock. It’s a single-shot with a sidelever to operate the bolt. The titanium reservoir fills to 250 bar (3600 psi) and the rifle is regulated. It has an adjustable buffer tube that incorporates a highly adjustable stock. It came with an adjustable buttpad that Nine exchanged for a RAW butthook. He also installed a Rowan Engineering adjustable forearm that FT shooters call a “hamster” and he added an ergonomic target pistol grip that he finds more comfortable.
Scope
Nine mounted a Sightron SIII FT 10-56X60 scope in Burris signature mounts that have a +/- 10 degree tilt that he adjusted down, of course. He uses a BKL dovetail-to-Picatinny riser to elevate the scope to his sighting eye. He has also mounted a thermometer to the scope to help figure out the scope shift as the temperature changes.
How does it shoot?
His first outing was August 25. Here is what he says, “I began testing the RAW TM1000 by determining the muzzle energy, to see how it varied and if any adjustments were needed to keep the rifle shooting below 12 ft-lbs.
Test 1………………RAW TM1000
Notes………………First test
Gun………………..RAW TM1000
Date:……………….8/25/20
Time………………..8:20 p.m.
String……………….1
Shots………………..104
Ext. Spread…………..23
Avg, Vel…………….783
Std. Dev……………..5.44
Avg. Energy………….11.7
Pellet wt………………8.44 gns.
Hi Vel…………………796
Low Vel………………773
Results?
The extreme spread was 23 f.p.s., which was larger than I expected, but the gun was new and would probably settle in to something more stable. In addition, even with this ES of 23 f.p.s., the gun still shot a 3/8-inch group at 25 yards when rested on a table, which is more than accurate enough for field target matches. At 50 yards, the gun was shooting a little more than 1⁄2-inch groups off a table, so I believe the observed ES had little effect on accuracy. This was a good finding.
October 25, 2020 Chronograph
After winning the first FT match that I shot in warm weather, I shot my next match in much cooler weather and noticed a large drop in Point of impact at 55 yards, and my scope zero of 27 yds. was also off. I re-zeroed the rifle at the sight-in lane, but didn’t quite figure out the new click chart for the change in POI at colder temps, so I didn’t shoot quite as well in that match. The next weekend, once again in cooler temps, I chronographed the rifle again.
Name………………RAW TM1000
Notes………………Rifle shot 3 MOA low (50X) at 55 yds. Chronoed the rifle and recalculated the click chart for 55 degreesF.
Gun…………………RAW TM1000
Date:……………….10/25/20
Time……………….9:46 a.m.
String………………1
Shots……………….25
Ext. Spread………12
Avg, Vel…………..800
Std. Dev…………..3.55
Avg. Energy……..11.98
Pellet wt………….8.44 gns.
Hi Vel………………806
Low Vel……………794
October 30 & 31, 2020 Chronograph
I had the chance to shoot the next weekend in colder temps (40-47F) to ascertain velocity change and scope shift once again. The results were almost the same as they were at 55F, but the ES had dropped to 10fps.
Accurate?
Nine was pleased with his new rifle’s accuracy, overall, but as he tested it he learned its peculiarities. Here is what he says, “I am convinced that the POI shift is not due to the gun changing velocity. It could be related to air density increase in the colder weather and scope shift. I will have to investigate more thoroughly as I learn this rifle. I did measure a scope shift due to temperature. I setup my yardage markers at 85F in September, and now in October at 45F, the scope ranges 3 yards short at 55 yards.”
Pellets & Accuracy
“You will notice that I changed pellets from AA 8.44gr to JSB 8.44gr because I noticed that the AA’s weren’t grouping as well as I expected. In fact, they were grouping no better than about an inch at 55 yards. I used a PelletgageR to measure the heads on the AA’s and they were almost all 4.49mm, with a few 4.50mm, so the head sizes were very consistent, but also on the small side, I believe. I measured the JSB head sizes, and they were all 4.50mm to 4.51mm, so just a little bigger.
“The slightly larger head size of the JSB seemed to help reduce the group size. I hadn’t started holding the rifle with a firm hold as I will describe now, so these groups @ 27yds might get a little smaller with a firm hold.”
PelletgageR was used to rapidly sort pellet heads.
I also noticed that group sizes were affected by how I held the rifle — a light grip with rifle resting on the hamster versus a firmer grip with rifle resting on hamster, my hand on the hamster, and the butt pulled into my shoulder with a good cheek weld. The firmer grip, which is the way I shoot the rifle in matches, resulted in best group sizes, so I captured a 60yd group below to verify.
I shot at the range with Cloud Nine as he was learning his rifle and I was present on the day he learned that the JSB 8.44-grain pellet was superior to the Air Arms 8.44-grain pellet that Martin Rutterford, the former owner of RAW, had recommended. I am skipping past bushels of targets and data he gathered between field target matches.
Cloud Nine on the windy day he learned that JSB 8.44-grain pellets with 4.51mm heads are the best in his rifle.
A 13-shot group at 50 yards with Cloud Nine’s new RAW field target rifle.
After learning the right pellet and the hold, Cloud Nine’s RAW put nine pellets in 0.630-inches at 60 yards.
Summary
This is just our first look at Cloud Nine’s field target RAW. He has made several reports to AirForce regarding things he would like to see on the rifle, and they are talking to him at length. As I told you I have bypassed bushels of targets and data to give you this quick look at a RAW field target rifle that currently only exists as a work in process. It’s a work that has won several field target matches so far, so it is a labor of love for the man testing it.
As much as I like reproductions of black military AR types I really like the Chassis concept with the High Tech Mil Sniper (Target) look. This rifle is very impressive and in line with the latest offerings.
I predict custom chassis airgun rifles that are infinitely adjustable and highly adaptable to all kinds of accessories and modifications will be at hand soon. Even in big box stores. FX is already there and they are not alone.
They may be made of composite material for lower cost and that’s fine if they are durable.
Just look at what is out there for Remington 700 rifles for example. And the rifle would not have to be a copy of anything. A new evolution in air gunning to go along with PCP’s and everything else.
Take a deep breath RR. Traditional wood will always be out there. Although it may look like the stainless side folder on the Ruger Mini 14. Just kidding!
Bob M
Bob M,
Makes sense. Let the companies make the main body and let the boutique makers supply the “skins”.
Siraniko
Bob,
Like you, I like the modular concept. Build to suit. Build to what fits you and your style. Having that option at time of purchase would be ideal.
As for “composite material”,.. I agree,.. to a point. Look at the simple 880 which used to be metal. Now it is plastic. Which is better? Sure, that is a cheap composites/plastic example. Then, you have high end/light weight metal and composites. Aluminum alloys that are stronger than steel. Carbon fiber. With metals at the low end,.. there is cast/pot metal/stamped variations.
So,… can we have that and have it be (cheaper) and still be (durable)? I would think that no would be the answer if both are required. While it all sounds great,.. I think the better base raw materials are more expensive to begin with. Not to mention,.. maybe also harder to fabricate/machine.
A modular platform at big box stores? That is an interesting concept. What would it be? Even if it did happen, it would still be typical big box store quality. And, how often does a big box store gun design ever stick around? There is always some new latest and greatest whammy blaster coming along to replace the previous whammy blaster at Walmart. To work, a maker would have to choose a platform and (stick) with it, Then,… offer 50 add on items in different styles, colors, features, etc.. Add on stuff is good eh? Add on stuff has better profit margins eh? Sure, in the end it would all be made in China crap,.. but it would give the big box consumer some real options.
Still,… I am with you and your points and think that we will see more platforms trending that direction, be they high end or low end.
Chris
Bob M,
LOL! You might be surprised that most of the old gals that live around here are mostly machined steel with a walnut buttstock. It is my more “modern” air rifles that have all the wood. Now, if I am going to have wood there, I would just as soon it was a nice grade of walnut. Hey, why not look good while you are shooting it.
My HM1000X has a laminate wood sporter stock. The laminate is less affected by weather (humidity). A good quality composite polymer stock would be real nice. Unfortunately, most air rifles have cheap plastic hollow stocks. Cost is a major factor in what is available.
As Siraniko points out below, there has been a plethora of “accessory parts” companies come into existence to supply to customizers. Unfortunately, almost all of them are catering only to the very high end air rifles and most of them to just one in particular. Also, there stuff is not cheap. “Hey, the people have the money for the top enders, they can pay top ender prices, right?”
The truth is I have seriously considered the new stock for my HM1000X to both lighten it and give me more accessory freedom. The problem is I do not think it will fit mine as it is .357. If I am not mistaken, it has a larger action block than the others. That is why you do not see it now offered in .357. The .177, .22, .25 and .30 just have a few swappable parts to go from one to the other. Not the .357.
I do not have a problem with sketelonized air rifles and good quality polymers. I just do not like the Mattelomatic.
Cloud Nine and BB,
Thank you for that fascinating look behind the scenes of this project and its development. I like all of the data collected and what is then done with it. I like all of the precision aspects.
Here we have a top end shooter, a top end platform, the best of scopes and target measuring equipment and all of it being refined right before our eyes. While I will never rise to such lofty levels,.. I appreciate getting to see this play out.
Looking forwards to upcoming reports.
Chris
Cloud Nine & B.B.
What a wonderful series of article we will be expecting. What a wonderful airgun. I am assuming that this should be at “the top of the heap” of accurate airguns that have been tested here?
A few things have surprised me so far. The last shot string is really very close to the 12 fpe limit. Do WFTF rules say that guns must be less than or equal to 12fpe, or just less than? He is cutting very close!
The other thing has to do with the scope shift with temperature. I know FT competitors who use a sun shield to cover their scopes during a competition, now I know why. Still I would have thought a $1,000+ scope would be less affected?
Also wondering, before Cloud Nine went to the Darkside, what springer did he compete with?
-Y
PS B.B.
No recommended Christmas list this year? Maybe I missed it?
Yogi,
Yes, this rifle is the very top of the heap.
As far as the scope goes, an expensive scope with large lenses is affected more by temperature shifts. Just as a Ferrari is affected more by bad gasoline than a Ford.
The sun shield does nothing to protect the scope against temperature changes. It protects the objective lens from the sun, which would cause the image you see to go cloudy.
Cloud Nine competed with an Air Arms Pro Sport set to 12 foot-pounds.
No Christmas list this year. I just forgot to do one. Oh, well. I guess that makes a perfect end for 2020. 😉
BB
B.B.
By sun shield I mean an umbrella that covers their whole rig. Not a little screw on piece for the front objective.
-Y
Yogi,
Sorry — I didn’t understand you.
BB
Not one of these:
/product/aeon-scope-sunshade-56mm-3?a=5450
But a full canopy that covered his rifle and the cradle that they used to carry the gun.
They told me it was to minimize the scope shift. Other people carried their guns upside down in the cradle, also to avoid the direct sun on the scope body.
-Y
Yogi,
I keep my rifle out of the sun by keeping it in the case when out on the course, but just the air temperature differences between when you zeroed the rifle and an extreme of hot or cold temperatures will cause the POI to shift slightly due to ranging or even deflection of the scope body from internal stresses or even those from deflections of the aluminum rifle action. I am not able to point to just one reason, but I do think that all precision scopes will suffer from some amount of temperature-influenced POI shift. The top-tier shooters realize this shift is there and then learn to compensate for it.
As Cloud 9 points out, there are a number of factors that may cause what we FT shooters term as “Temp Shift.” In my scope testing, temp shift rarely results in a scope losing or changing zero/POI, but I have heard of it happening to others. In most instances, the temp shift alters your ranging. So depending on how your scope shifts, you may range a 55 yard target at well over 55 yards, or well under (different scope brands shift in different ways). By well under, the most dramatic shift I have seen resulted in a scope reading a 55 yard target at 50 yards, but only in temperatures above 86F. That same scope would read the same 55 yard target at 58 yards when the temp dropped below 45F. In between those ranges, it was very stable and read spot on. But I had a whole separate set of marks on my yardage tape for those other temp ranges.
Another thing to point out, at least in my testing, temp shift is harder to perceive at lower magnifications. For me, 30x and below, I have a hard time seeing it unless it is extreme. Since most all WFTF or Open Division FT optics run at or above 35x, you will run into it at some point. Though a number of manufacturers have put a great deal of time, research and money into trying to eliminate as much shift as possible. March, Nightforce and Kahles are three such manufacturers that have successfully mitigated much of this shift, at least on certain models….granted any of those scopes will run you $3k or more. But if you’re going to spend the money for an FT scope, at that price point, the expectation should be as little shift as possible, and that is not always the case.
Tyler
Finally.
I been saying it for years. Why wouldn’t it be real?
Who said it wasn’t real LOL
Tyler
Its been brought up before and it’s like they think it doesn’t change things enough to worry.
The way I see it is when I’m professionally pesting and people are watching I need to know those things.
After all thats kind of where field target eviolved from. Was field hunting. Pesting is the same. And I’m not talking sparrows or starlings hanging out in a tree. I’m talking like when things have been tried to get the pest out and the dispatching is the last resort
That pest better go down fast with no twitching because the home owners and such are watching.
Where that pellet hits and what can make it hit different is even more important when you are shooting at something alive.
Thanks Tyler for clarifying my response. To all, I actually experience the POI shift as ranging differences within the temperature boundaries you stated. If I don’t compensate for a ranging change due to temperature shift, the POI will be high or low because I ranged incorrectly. I also didn’t experience this temperature shift when I shot in the Hunter class that is limited to 16X, but I do see it now in WFTF where I shoot at 50X.
RR, I did shoot an Air Arms ProSport in the Hunter class at about 14 ft-lbs, but my primary competition springer is a Beeman/Weihrauch HW97K at 12 ft-lbs for WFTF in a custom adjustable walnut stock. Same scope setup as the new RAW.
Cloud 9,
It makes sense to keep as much the same as possible. It is enough to go from a sproinger to a PCP, even if they are putting out the same power. Learning a new scope on top of that?
You have probably run into Hector quite a bit at matches. He likes the Diana 54.
Yes Hector and I have shot together many times, and he does like his 54!
Hector’s 54 is cool.
Yogi,
All optics are affected by temperature. The aluminum tube will expand and contract with temperature and so will the lenses themselves. It is with those high end high powered scopes that it becomes most obvious. You are not likely going to notice this with the Grumble 2X-4X 32 thick reticle scope you put on your sproinger, but you will most definitely notice it with your Thick Wallet 1X-75X 90 ultrafine ultrabusy reticle scope on top of your custom built pellet popper.
1X-75 X90 scope hahahah .it may seem like a joke today but might be reality tomorrow
Mildot
You know what. I wonder if anybody has ever put a telescope on a pellet shooting air gun.
You know how this will go.
Probably so.
I heard Hubble space telescope company will start making rifle telescopes lol
Mildot
Now days you never know. Maybe they will have the scope connected to a satellite for global positioning then have a picture sent to your scope screen. Place the cross hair and shoot.
I heard that US snipers use a form of GPS for ranging and other calulations
Mildot
Wouldn’t surprise me that’s for sure.
RR,
Are titanium tubed scopes as sensitive?
-Y
Yogi,
No they aren’t but…
https://ameriti.com/titanium-vs-stainless-steel/#:~:text=Titanium%20is%20more%20resistant%20to,at%20very%20low%20cryogenic%20temperatures.
It depends more on what the other non Titanium parts are doing as the temperature(s) of all the parts are changing at different rates and shifting every part and combination of optical elements all around. For the designer it calls for lots of compromise and calculation and it will never survive the manufacturing floor without being messed with…the stack on effect of specification tolerance, variation limits, will bedevil any predictability. So you need to do the testing and documentation that Cloud Nine has the patience to do and obviously is doing and B.B. doesn’t have room to show us!
Aim small hit small is only the beginning!
shootski
Shootski
That’s what I always say. Shoot and see what happens.
That’s only the true way to know.
Yogi,
In the US, AAFTA rules allow a 2% margin on velocity to account for chronograph variances. I am within that 2% variance almost all the time, but I will be turning down the velocity a little bit to ensure I stay just under or at the 12 ft-lb limit and not risk going over and then being disqualified.
…Cloud9 has also shot FT with a beautiful blue Weihrauch HW97K and a Whiscombe. I’ve had the pleasure (except getting beaten) of shooting with him.
Merry Christmas, BB – and all of my fellow followers!
Thanks Guys!
I would have been putting my three cents (inflation) in earlier except one of those durritto thingys came through last night and killed the power until this morning.
Nice looking pellet popper. This is a good choice for a base to build on.
Off topic:
News is stating that more “stimulus” money is headed out. Done deal. $600 this time as long as your under 75K and single. 75!!!!? If I ever made 75, (I) would be handing out 600 checks several times over to charities. Oh well.
So,.. did anyone spend the previous one on any new airgun stuff? This newest one?
Me? Mine went in the bank as will the next one. From financial channels,.. savings is at an all time high and there is a huge amount of money sitting on the side lines that has yet to be put back into the economy. I guess that is one positive side effect of all this mess as American saving habits have been dismal at best for years now.
Chris
ChrisUSA,
GOOGLE: Famine 2021
The results are sobering but some think understated.
Africa, China, FarEast/SE Asia, and India are all going to suffer with no ability of the West saving them from the worst.
2020 is only the first year of a likely horrific decade if a True Miracle doesn’t come to pass.
shootski
Shootski
That’s what I think too.
A miracle.
Shootski,
Well, I did Google it. Yes,.. it is bad and likely will get worse for those around the World. If your point is (for me) to be grateful,… you are darn right that I am. I consider myself very fortunate.
I also have to ask,… when does the U.S. stop trying to bail out the rest of the world and take care of our own, right here in the United States? (first) You can say humanitarian,.. and that would be just fine. You could cite regional peace and stability and that would also be fine. Still, how about our own people?
Will there not be the same 2021 Famine in the US? Maybe not as bad as in 3rd world countries,… but it is ok here? to any degree?
How much of the latest gov. budget (and) stimulus is pork barrel waste? How much of that could have been spent else ware to help out (now) hurting Americans? It is sickening.
So,.. if your point was to make sure that I am counting my blessings and that I should be grateful,.. I was already ahead of you. Beyond that,… it is not good any way you stack it.
As for a miracle,.. I will settle for something very short term at the moment. That also is gut wrenching. Forget about the virus doing us in,.. we are doing a pretty efficient job all on our own.
Chris
ChrisUSA,
If you find yourself grateful that is not my job. As far as the USA bailing out other countries that is sometimes cheaper than going to War or doing things just short of War. We will need that wall on the Southern Border and a Blockade of our shores if the World suffers Biblical Famines. Our farmers will bear the brunt of the demand and we all will pay the tab with higher prices and scarcity unless our leadership says USA First for real.
If you hear the thunder of hoofbeats just pray it isn’t the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse let loose upon the Earth…only three Seals will remain to be broken.
shootski
Shootski,
On “bailing out”,.. I eluded to as much. Yes, pick the lesser of the two evils. As for the rest of it,.. I am really wondering. The few (elite) taking over the many. Attacks on all fronts. Common sense and right or wrong is trampled/ignored. What was once absurd/radical/extreme is now openly touted and even embraced. Justice?,.. is there any anymore? What a mess.
Chris
Chris,
It ain’t a done deal. Trump may veto it because of all of the other spending in there that has nothing to do with American relief.
RR,
You are correct in it not being signed yet. He was backing something even bigger about a month ago, but Nancy was playing hard ball. The extra greed and waste killed it back then.
Most interesting, I was catching the news this morning and Trump was asking for 2,000 per instead of 600 (AND) the more wasteful stuff to be cut out. The news report said that it has enough backing from all sides that what is now on the table,.. is veto proof. I guess that probably means 600 with waste/bail outs included.
What a mess. The more you know, the more it makes you sick.
Chris
Chris,
Only now it will be $2000 and tons of bacon.
GF1,
From yesterday. The Katana stock will fit the Maximus. The Marauder stock has enough wood there that you can do up something real nice once you strip off that chincy finish that is on them now.
RR
My 2260 has that same finish. I was thinking about sanding it down and staining it. So I’m going to see how it turns out. If I like it I may do something with the SAM stock.
GF1,
I would go with stripping the finish off first. Whatever you take off you cannot put back.
RR
I already done one of the FWB 300 guns I got from you and it turned out real nice with a oil stain.
And I have that other 300 I got from you that I modified. It needs the stock done. It’s a heck of a shooter but I really need to get on the stock to make it a looker as well as a shooter.
So it’s in front of the 2260 and SAM. I’ll probably wait to do them up after they get a few charecter mark’s. The 2260 and SAM will get used in multiple conditions. So I’ll wait a while on them first.
That’s the thing I like about wood. But how do you do up a synthetic stock that has seen some action. I guess you need a bunch of different grit sand paper too. Then what. Do a satin clear coat on the stock after you finish and shape it how you want?
GF1,
I guess you just take what you get unless when you are done shaping, etc. you take it to one of those truck bed liner places and have it sprayed without grit. I think that is what they do with those soft touch stocks.
RR
Here’s what came to mind first.
Please truck bed spray liner!
And yes there is what they are calling soft touch stocks.
Sorry. Give me nice wood and in certian types of guns synthetic.
But no rubber spray painted stocks for me.
LOL! I will not say never, but it will have to be something.
RR
Not me. If it came from the factory with soft touch. That’s one thing. A spray can maybe. But probably not.
RR,
I would take a well sprayed stock,.. over a cheap finish, over cheap wood,… any day. I am interested however to see how well it holds up over time. Will it get soft over time? Will it loose it’s adhesion over time?
Chris
Chris,
I have seen some very nice stocks made of “cheap” wood. What is under that sprayed stock? Will it wear off over time? Will it come loose from the wood? I have no experience with these things. I have never handled one of these things.
Gunfun1
We fix synthetic bases with PTEX Candles dripping the hot plastic into the scrapes and gouges. Let it cool scrape and sand. Might work on synthetic stocks or something similar…Bondo?
shootski
Shootski
Maybe the candles. Never really thought about it till now.
I think I’ll do a search and see if anyone has tried refinishing a synthetic stock.
It seems like field target guns are taking their cues from the 10 m guns. When I first started shooting field target, everyone was shooting RAWS with the laminate stocks. Now it seems that all the competitive shooters are shooting the Thomas, which this present RAW resembles. The guys who shoot more for fun are still using the RAWS with laminate stocks. I wonder if the WFTF Springers will start to look this way or if they will continue to keep their traditional looks?
Brent
Brent,
That is a very good question.
BB
Brent,
There is a small manufacturer in Portugal that makes chassis or aluminum stocks for many of the more popular FT springers out there. BMS Precision is the name. Only know a handful of people that have one, but they do look very good and allow for true customization from a fit and feel perspective. I think it’s unlikely that we will ever see such a thing in production at Weihrauch or Air Arms but it’s possible. I think it’s more likely that you might see a highly adjustable wood stock variant before an Aluminum stock or chassis. But with FT being a relatively small market (even by airgun world standards), I am sure doing something like that would be very expensive (both for the manufacturer and in turn, the consumer).
Tyler
Tyler,
Thanks for the information on BMI precision. Looks like they have stocks for the Walther LGU and the HW 97 but I didn’t see anything for the Diana 54. A bit harder because you have to put a sledge in the stock. It would be nice to have a adjustable stock with a pistol grip since I have such small hands but I imagine the asking price for one of those custom machined stocks is about twice what I paid for my 54. I’ll probably end up saving up for a Diana 56 stock from PA as a birthday gift to myself.
Brent
I emailed Brad Troyer about this. He said that he had checked into it last year but the people he talked with said there was too much vibration in the stock from a springer. It seems that wood is still the best choice for a stock for a spring airgun.
Brent
Brent,
LD and Mac1 (Tim) with the USFT rifles were well before their time, both in the look as well as the Precision…credit where credit is due!
shootski
Shootski,
You are right. I would love to have a USFT with a high volume lower pressure fill but at the price they are going at it probably ain’t ever going to happen.
Brent
BB,
Nice to see a review of a high end airgun set up for precision work! Accurate guns are intresting, I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!
For the past while I have been shooting small groups (3-shot groups and single shots – so I can see each pellet hole) at my targets so I can score them by measuring the distance from the POA to the POI. The stats included in the last picture look to be very useful, would you tell me what software was used to score that target.
Thanks!
Hank
Hank,
I’m sure Cloud Nine will be happy to answer that.
BB
Hank,
I am using OnTarget shooting software for group size. http://www.ontargetshooting.com
Thanks much!
Will check it out!
It would of been nice to see what a heavier 10 grain JSB pellet would of done in his gun on that same day as this target your talking about.
“Cloud Nine on the windy day he learned that JSB 8.44-grain pellets with 4.51mm heads are the best in his rifle.”
You only mentioned one other 8 grain pellet he tried.
GF1, Since I am shooting at 12 ft-lbs, the trajectory of my pellets are more exaggerated than if I was shooting faster. I decided a long time ago that the 10 grain JSB pellets had too much arc in the trajectory at longer distances and it was easier to miss with them than a lighter pellet that didn’t drop as much. However, as you can see, the wind affects the lighter pellets. I am pretty much settled on using around 8 grain pellets for WFTF for now. So far I used AA and JSB, but the next time I go out, I will try H&N. I decided not to try FX, because they are really the same as JSB IMO.
Cloud 9
Have you ever tried the JSB 10.34 pellets.
From what I have seen is they fly faster and have a flatter trajectory than other 10 grain pellets that are the normal shape. And in some cases have a flat trajectory similar to the JSB 8 grain pellets.
If you haven’t, give them a try and see what you think.
RidgeRunner,
Today I compared my new AV-46M to my IZH 46M. First off the grips on the AV fit the IZH gun. The only difference I can see other than the grips is the pump arm is steel on the AV gun and Aluminum on the IZH as can be seen in the picture below. It looks like the whole pump arm assembly from one gun would fit the other. I can’t see any other difference. Except the grips grip screws and the pump arms.
Shootski,
Mine did not come with the owners manual either. It may only be available on the PA site. I checked the Air Venturi site and it did not even show the gun much less the manual.
Don
Nice Don!
Twice the fun!
Hank
Hank,
I used to be much better with a pistol but still love the 46M. I have not had time to try the new one yet but expect it to be very good. If you like accurate pistols I think you deserve one.
Based on Shootski getting out his pompoms and chearleading dress I expect the new 46M to be at the top of the list.
I can tell a little difference in the dry fire cycle of each gun but they both seem very predictable.
As shootski stated the AV 46M grip did not fit my thumb well and will require some shaping, right up your alley. My meat hooks are large not extra-large, they fit the stock IZH better.
So: get one you will be happy!
Don
Don,
Thinking about an AV 46M. Would like to get one but since I already have a 10 meter SSP it is not high on the priority list. Still, I am going to check the local suppliers for price and availability.
Hope you enjoy yours!
Hank
Hank,
I did not remember you having a ssp 10 meter pistol. Which one do you have?
Don,
Forget about it. It has been willed to me. 😉
FWB103
Don,
It’s a FWB 100 that I use mostly for plinking and mini-sniping as my pistoling is not up to target par. LOL!
I had an IZH 46M for a (very) short time but sold it to get the FWB 100 – I liked the IZH but couldn’t afford both. That is why I an still quite interested in getting the AV 46M, just have to find a way to free up some cash.
I do my 10 meter target shooting with 100’s SSP cousin, a FWB 603. I also have a FWB 300SU but that is scoped for plinking spinners, a bit of 25 yard paper punching and light pesting, don’t use it for indoor target work.
Hank
Hank,
Ok, I vaugly remember now. That is a nice set I see why you have to think about getting the 46M.
I’ll trade you my Izzy.
RidgeRunner,
WHAT! It must be End of Days!
shootski
Shootski,
No, just an even better air pistol.
nice try LOL!
Thanks but no thanks 🙂
Vana2,
Off Topic: Last Winter you posted a photograph of a two year old Buck bedded down in the snow in your yard has he been back this Fall?
shootski
Shootski,
Yes that buck spent most of the gun hunting season hanging around the property where it is safe. Never got a picture but he has a nice symmetrical 10 point rack and is about 200 pounds.
Hank
Vana2,
Thanks for the Buck Report Hank.
Ten point and 200lbs he is doing well…does he undertands the girls any better this year?
shootski
Don,
Thanks for the comparison. Very likely many of the parts will swap out. I may have to get me a set of grips, although I would have to reshape them as I did for my Izzy.
Benji-Don,
Thanks for the information about the lack of a hard copy Owner’s Manual. I received and Email from:
“Yesika A (Pyramyd Air)
Dec 21, 2020, 18:06 EST
We do not have any hard copies of any manuals it is all online now. I am Sorry.
Kindly,
Yesika A. with Customer Service Support & Solutions Dept.”
It will be interesting to find out if B.B.’s came with the Paper Owner’s Manual; his photograph, Part 1, looks like the airgun is posed on a REAL Owner’s Manual!
I’m going to Email AV directly after the Holidays, since the white lettering on the gun says Owner’s Manual is available from AV for free.
I concur on your steel (magnet attractor) pump lever but can’t make up my mind on the material of the Receiver. I used a small point magnet and the barrel and Pins attract the magnet and causes it to crab over and away from open areas of the Receiver. See what you think!
Yours looks just like mine other than the Pom Poms on mine! LOL
shootski
Shootski,
I got the same results with my magnet. Not sure what the material is, I figured aluminum. It looks cast though by its roughness. All the steel is smooth.
If I put together a printable half size version of the manual that can will have a stapled back I will make it available for printout.
Don
I see now there are two variants of the pump arm on the IZH 46M, steel and aluminum.
BB, How does the shot pattern of your tank main gun compare to this precision shooter’s patterns,
and do you need to consider your breathing when firing the main gun?
This one’s for 9, does the shooting software trac the order of the shots, or does it matter? I always thought it was some kind of special target backer board for dimensioning a group.
Thanks,
Rob
Rob,
The software doesn’t track the order of the shots. I scan the target and indicate the pellet holes in the software after I get home. Usually I can’t remember which one was first. The order of shots shouldn’t matter unless there was something changing with the gun like velocity as you shot, so that earlier pellets were perhaps closer to your POA. I dunno.
Cloud 9,
The attached target is the one that I use for a lot of my testing as it give me 8 columns of 10 targets to shoot at.
With 80 targets on the sheet I usually shoot one pellet at a fresh target each time, that way I can see exactly where it hits and always have a clear POA without any distracting holes. I have been “scoring” my targets by measuring the distance between the POA and the POI – hence, the interest in the software that you use.
Cheers!
Hank
I have those too, but like to see my group size while I’m shooting to quickly ascertain if the pellets are grouping well or not. You’ll see some of those later. Also the OnTarget software will take a target like yours and combine them into a composite group and give you the statistics for accuracy. One of the printouts BB showed was like that.
Cloud 9,
In the software does the user place the circle on each shot?
Don
Yes, or it can do it by itself.
ok thanks, that makes it much more interesting. Have you tried letting it pick the pellet holes?
Don
Rob,
Well, we shot on the move with a stabilized platform, so even the bumps in the field weren’t a problem.
BB
Here is a target at 50 yards shot with the illuminated reticle on my Athlon scope right at dusk with AA 10.34 4.52 mm pellets. The two low shots at 6 o’clock and one at 12 o’clock were from zeroing in after trying to shoot AA 8.44’s 4.52mm at 50 yards (they’re OK at 35 yards but not at 50). The group on the left is 1 1/8” and the group on the right is 3/4”. The remaining random shots are the shooter’s fault. I’m finding out the Diana 54 can really shoot when it’s not being held back by the shooter.
Brent
Brent,
That’s some good shooting.
Assume that’s rested off bags? If I’m correct would you mind telling me about your front and rear bag setup?
Kevin,
Nope. That’s off one of a those longer extendable bipods. That’s what I do most of my shooting off since I shoot HFT ( not very well yet but hopefully the 54 will make a difference) I’ll add a picture tomorrow.
Brent
Brent
So your glad you got the 54? I remember when you asked about it. I think at the time you was thinking about the 54 or a pcp. What was the pcp you was thinking about. Did you ever say?
Gunfun,
A used HW 100. I decided that if I bought that I’d also have to buy an 80 ft.³ carbon tank. Together, they would’ve cost me about $1600. Since I was retiring at the time, it was just too much money to spend in these uncertain times. I ended up spending about half of that for the Diana 54 and the Athlon 6 x 24 scope.
It’s funny. You and Ridge Runner encouraged me to buy an FWB 300 so I ended up buying a magnum FWB 300! About the same weight, but twice the power!
Maybe I’ll save up for a used USFT. With a 650 mL tank, a full pressure of 1800 psi and a refill pressure of 1400 psi, you can get 51 fills from a 80 ft.³ aluminum scuba tank!
Brent
Brent
Ok I forgot what pcp you said.
And yep that’s kind of how I look at the 54’s too a magnum FWB 300. Only if the 54 could have a trigger like the 300. The 54 would be a dynamite gun.
I was hoping you liked it. I see you are trying the JSB 10.34’s. Stay with them for a while. Your going to find that the 54 shoots better as time goes on too. Kind of like how the TX200 does.
But definitely keep giving updates as you go. Will be waiting to hear.
Brent,
Look into used Steel SCUBA Tanks. They are heavier but last forever and are usually rated for 3,600psi compared to Aluminum at 3,000 that is a great deal more air. Also last time I checked the used Steels are far cheaper and don’t normally have Hydro or corrosion problems.
shootski