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Air Guns Labradar Doppler radar chronograph: Part One

Labradar Doppler radar chronograph: Part One

Labradar
Labradar chronograph.

This report covers:

  • The problem
  • What is it?
  • Not new
  • Out of stock
  • Lots to tell
  • Setup time
  • Two things at once
  • Batteries
  • Operation
  • Airgun trigger
  • Sighting in the chronograph
  • No lights required
  • How close can you be?
  • What do I think?
  • My sister

Today we start looking at the Labradar chronograph from Independent Solutions. Pyramyd AIR doesn’t carry them yet and I don’t know if they will, but I bought one after a frustrating day at my rifle range.

Several months ago (August?) reader Vana2 (Hank from Canada) told me about his new Labradar chronograph. It’s a Doppler radar that requires no special lighting, no skyscreens to get shot and nothing that has to be in front of the firing line.

The problem

I was at the range one rainy day recently and all shooters on line were under the metal roof that protects us from the weather. That is a problem for me. My Shooting Chrony (no longer being made) has skyscreens (photo cells) that look up at a uniform light source. When the shadow of a bullet or pellet passes overhead, screen one starts a clock and screen two stops it. The time the clock runs determines the velocity of the projectile.

When I’m indoors I shine a 500 watt photo light at the white ceiling to give this light. When I am outdoors, like I was at my range, the skyscreens have to be pointed up at the sky. A cloudy day is best because the light the screens “see” is very uniform. It was raining this day, so the clouds were there. But I had to place the skyscreens about 12 feet in front of my shooting bench to clear the roof. I used to have an Alpha Master Shooting Chrony that had a 15-foot cord from the skyscreens to the display/control box. I could run everything from the shooting bench, and the only danger was shooting the chrony box and skyscreens that were downrange. Well that chrony got shot up and finally failed.

I tried to find another Alpha Master unit on eBay (they are only available used) but no luck. So on this day my entire replacement Alpha Shooting Chrony box had to be downrange (by just a few feet) and I had to call the entire range cold to walk out to reset it after each string of 10 shots. I was shooting the .30-caliber Gauntlet, so any shot that hit the box this time would destroy it instantly. I also had to read the chrony’s display screen with binoculars.

This was not a good day for me! So when I got Hank’s email and went to the Labradar website I saw what I thought was the answer to my problem. Was it? We shall see.

What is it?

The Labradar is a Doppler radar chronograph that emits microwave pulses downrange and then receives their reflected pulses off the tail of the projectile. It calculates the velocity of the projectile from the delay in the reflected pulse. Actually I think it determines the velocity from the incoming frequency change, which the Doppler effect would cause (think train whistle going away from you).

The transmitter and receiver are in one box that either sits on a stand on your shooting bench or sits on a tripod nearby. No more going downrange.

Not new

This Doppler radar chronograph idea isn’t new. The FX Radar Pocket Wireless Chronograph, along with others, uses the same technology. But I tested the FX for you and found some problems mounting it on certain airguns (multi-pumps, for instance). Also that unit is limited to a top velocity that’s below where many PCPs shoot these days. The Labradar is a stand-alone unit and it works from 65 to 3,900 f.p.s. That is where I need to be.

Out of stock

Like the automobile industry, the Labradar was out of stock for many months because of the lack of computer chips. It came back in stock in early November and I got one of the first from that batch. While I waited I saw two used ones sell on eBay. One sold for almost $900 and the second went for $995. There was also a “buy it now” offer of a new boxed unit for $1,150, but that listing was taken down when the units started shipping. I think the person selling that one still has a lot of toilet paper in his garage from hoarding during the pandemic scare.

The new price of just the Labradar chronograph is $625 at the date of this publishing. It will go up because the demand is high.

Stock up on Air Gun Ammo

Lots to tell

As much as there is to this unit I’m not going to get it all into this one report. I am going to tell you the big things that I found important in today’s report.

Setup time

It takes me about two minutes to set up my Shooting Chrony Alpha model indoors. When I unpacked the Labradar it took me 30 minutes of reading the manual and connecting things for the first time. The next day I set it up a second time and, since I was somewhat familiar with the unit, it only took 10 minutes. That time will no doubt decrease over time but it will never go down to two minutes because the Labradar has more going on.

Time is very important to me because I have to knock out a blog every day. There is no time to waste.

Two things at once

Once the Labradar is set up, though, it starts repaying me in time. Because I can now shoot groups and also chronograph at the same time. Each time I change pellets there are some computer screens I need to update on the unit, but the overall time savings is a big plus.

Batteries

The unit runs on 6 AA batteries or on a 10,000 mAh rechargeable battery pack. That’s a no-brainer. I bought the pack and charged it right away. I suppose I can carry 6 AA batteries as a backup but hopefully I’ll never need them.

Labradar battery
The battery pack has an LED screen that tells you how much juice remains. The chronograph is very sparing of electricity.

Operation

Once the unit is set up and powered on, you have to arm the radar. A blue power light changes to orange to let you know the trigger is set (unit armed). The radar is triggered by the muzzle blast of your gun. There are specific instructions where to put the muzzle, relative to the chronograph so the unit will be triggered. You can set the length of time this trigger remains set (it draws more power when armed) and ten seconds before it shuts down it blinks.

Airgun trigger

I suppose big bore airguns are loud enough to trigger the unit, but most smallbores are not. There is an optional microphone that’s used when you shoot airguns. It sits on the side of the chronograph and so far I have found it easy to position it within 3-4 inches of the muzzle of the guns I have tested. They were the Webley Senior and the Crosman 1322 on 4 and 6 pumps. I only lost one shot out of 12, so far and that one was my fault.

Labradar airgun trigger
The airgun “trigger” is a microphone that fits on either side of the chronograph.

Sighting in the chronograph

The chronograph must be sighted in to work. Otherwise it won’t be “looking” at your projectile as it goes downrange. And this brings up a huge issue.  The startup guide says to make sure there are no obstacles on either side of your line of fire. They say to clear a path of 5 meters on either side of your line of fire. But that is for the outside. I wanted to shoot through a path that is lot narrower than that and, from the picture below, you can see that it worked. I would be shooting through a 30-inch doorway into my garage that is about 20 inches wide because it’s on an angle from the place where I shoot. 

Labradar sighting notch
Sight through that notch and center the target in it. That points the radar into the projectile’s path.

Labradar line of sight
Yep — that was my line of sight. The arrow points to the bullseye target that’s about 25 feet away. The Labradar had no problems seeing the pellet in flight because nothing downrange moved like the leaves on trees would  outdoors. The screen is too bright for the camera to pick up anything. Notice the airgun trigger microphone on the unit’s lower left.

The unit did pick up all my shots! I only lost one shot out of 12 that I fired and that one was lost because stupid BB had not armed the unit before firing.

I didn’t intend for this to happen but the Labradar informed me that my Webley Senior had fired an RWS Superdome at 395 f.p.s. Most went out at 350-355 f.p.s., so I knew the chronograph was reading as it was supposed to. I may need to test the Webley Senior again.

No lights required

Because of the microwave Doppler pulse, there is no need for special lighting when using the Labradar. This solves another of my major concerns.

How close can you be?

The Quick setup guide says you can be as close as 15 meters from your target and 25 meters is better. I have already shot at 25 feet, which is 7.62 meters. The Labradar isn’t something you can set up in three feet like I used to when I chronographed in my office. But I find that the instructions are on the cautious side.

What do I think?

This chronograph is not for everyone. It’s expensive and airgunners will need additional equipment. But it did solve several of my most pressing issues.

But we aren’t anywhere near finished with this report. There is still a lot to say and it will be coming up in future reports.

My sister

My sister is going into the hospital in Tulsa for a heart valve operation next Tuesday morning. It’s not open heart surgery, but it’s still a serious operation. I will drive up there on Monday to be with her before and after the operation. I should return late Thursday evening if all goes well. There will be no new blogs from me on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week. I’m asking the old hands to watch things as I will only be able to look in from time to time.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

56 thoughts on “Labradar Doppler radar chronograph: Part One”

  1. B.B.,

    First off Happy Veterans Day to you and any reader who has served in ANY military around the World. Some of you know it as Armistice Day and others may celebrate it on other days of the year. Sadly some countries do not celebrate their Veterans at all!
    Yes even Veterans from Russia!
    We are after all a band of brothers and sisters who know what SERVICE really means.

    Now for the Labradar.
    I’m glad you have it up and running you will hopefully enjoy yours as much as I have mine for the past two+ years. You will find a greate deal more to like about your unit as you get into more than just the Quick Start capabilities.
    I hope yours is as trouble free as mine has proven thus far.

    shootski

    PS: A belated Happy Birthday to the USMC!

  2. “My sister is going into the hospital in Tulsa for a heart valve operation next Tuesday morning.”
    B.B.,
    I’m praying for her now, and will do so through her operation and recovery.
    As for the Labrador chronograph, I was a radar engineer for over 30 years so how could I not like this thing. 🙂
    Wishing a Blessed Veterans’ Day to you and all other veterans who read this,
    dave
    P.S. A couple of days ago, my wife and I were in our local food store and I saw a gent with a Vietnam Veterans hat, so I went up and thanked him for his service to our country. At first, he seemed shocked (which made me wonder at the ‘thanks’ he got at his home coming), but then his face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he gave me a hearty, “Thank you, and God bless you.”
    It made me happy that I took the time to catch up with him to speak with him (as he was leaving when I caught sight of him); the few minutes I spent speaking with him were heart-warming.

  3. Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier), I am surprised that the news about your sister has affected me.

    I don’t know her, obviously, and yet, I feel sorry that she is currently living with heart problems. 🙁
    But mostly, I feel excited for the time after her operation, when her heart works properly again. What an improvement it will eventually be for her. And you! 🙂

    ‘Bon courage !’

  4. To all you ‘veterans’ everywhere and fans thereof, who so proudly, and noisily, declare your PRIDE: personally I am proud to have successfully avoided any kind of military ‘service’.

    There, I think I needed that. 🙂
    peace

    • 3 X Hi

      One of the reasons we chose to serve was so that others,, like yourself,, would not need to. Obviously that isn’t the only reason,, but it is, I think, one that I can take a little pride in.

      Generally, when someone thanks me for my service, I am taken aback a bit. I, and most others that I know who volunteered didn’t do so for any honors or glory that might be derived but from a sense that if a war was to be fought, it would be best if it were to be concluded quickly. I like to think that my small contribution helped in that in some way.

      I see no dishonor in a lack of desire to go to war. In fact, very few I served with had that desire. We quite simply felt that we should help,, and so we did.

      Ed

  5. BB,

    Best wishes for your sister’s operation. It will be all fine!

    This chronograph is solving the lights issue, yes. But does it work flawless outside, when some particles are flying in the air? I guess you will make some outdoor testing anyway.
    It is too expensive in my opinion. That alone is no go for me, because the price-performance ratio is not looking so good.

    When I do chrony I would like to turn it on and just shoot through. Not set up things and wait.

    I have a cheap small one: ACETECH AC5000. It is really popular in Germany, actually sold as softair chronograph. I’m very happy with this device. I don’t need a high tech certified device with 99,9999% accuracy. When shooting long distance you need of course some protection plate with the hole to protect device, and you have to hit this hole… yes more difficult, but it is working at the end. I do it only to calculate BC on longer distance (sometimes). For checking the zero velocity you can directly just shoot in through it with almost no distance (so it is working very easy). And you can put it on the bench just at the end of the barrel and shoot target (it does not affect sights), it counts the shots. That is the functionality I like. You get it for 60EUR. So more ten times less expensive…

    • Tomek,

      Just wait until Tom gets to the more advanced stuff with it – since it actually “tracks” the projectile in flight with continuous velocity readings, it can calculate BCs of pellets as shot. It does so much more than a simple chronograph . . .

      I love great tools, and have been fighting the urge to get one of these wonderful units since I first read about them. I don’t really need one, but this may be a case of Tom being the “great enabler” for me . . . .

      Alan

      • I like high end tools very much 🙂 Just try to explain myself “you don’t really need them” each time 🙂 You know what I mean…
        That would be something, calculate the BC through the whole range!

        • Shootski,

          That is fascinating. I can understand now why AlanMcD says it’s is much more than just a chronograph. If it’s as good as you say, then it’s worth every penny of the asking price and then some.

        • Bob Ryan,

          That depends on signal to noise ratio. For smaller diameter pellets (.177 and .20) under typical conditions with a properly oriented RADAR Beam (toward the target) and velocity range selection it will easily report on velocity out to 50+ yards/meters. The shape of the base on pellets is almost a perfect Corner Reflector so you will probably be able to detect a pellet much farther than a .177 caliber bullet with a boattail or flat base. I have found almost perfect reliability of detection of .22, .25, and 30 pellets and bullets out to 100 yards/meters as long as there is a clear (of moving objects) area for the entire main beam and sidelobes. I have never missed a .30+ caliber projectile out to 100+ yards/meters. I plan on taking it to a longer range and see just how far it will track Big Bore projectiles from .30 to .58 as soon as I can get out from under the total gut/renovation project on our eighty year old Brick and Block Federal.

          shootski

          PS: only the Canadian and USA versions are set to use full power. Apparently a great many other countries have strict limits on MILLIMETER WAVE device beam power! That will surly mean shorter detection range but no loss of accuracy or reliability at the shorten ranges.

  6. B.B.

    Wishing all the best for your sister procedure!

    I had a Shooting Crony F1 once. I never could get the right light. Sunny, cloudy, never captured more than 40% of my shots. the a storm came and it rusted. No longer able to open and unfold the parts.
    Guys at the range love their FX’s. They get a little tripod, place it 1 -2″ below the muzzle and first time everytime!
    With airguns, why would you ever need more than 1200 fps?

    -Y

    • Yogi,

      One thing against the FX unit is it requires further support equipment to even operate. There are other limitations to these, but if you are aware of them, they are pretty nice.

      The world of chronographs has changed dramatically over the recent years. I for one do not think we have seen the last yet.

  7. BB,

    Many prayers will be asked for your sister, mine included.

    From one veteran to another, I salute and thank you.

    As some have noted, the Labradar is not for everyone. For someone such as yourself, it should prove to be a most useful tool. Over the years, it should prove to be cost effective for you. As for folks like myself, it falls into the “smart” phone catagory. A use can be found for it, but do I really need one? No. I do not use a chronograph near enough to justify such.

    Do not get me wrong. I have been around them before and have “played” with them some. They are nice. Are they worth the cost? I personally do not think so. I can afford to shoot my Caldwell and replace it quite a few times for the price of one of these. Now, if I needed to use a chronograph a couple of times a week, I would give some serious consideration to one of these.

    This thing also has some really nice features that would be difficult to duplicate with even several chronographs. As we follow along, we all will learn of some of these. I myself will learn much as my time with one has been very limited. I look forward to learning more.

    • RR,

      Like I said — this is not for everyone. I agree that if you don’t use a chronograph a ;lot, this isn’t for you. I do use one a lot and the features I mentioned today are what sold me on this one.

      Thank you for your prayers. We need them! 🙂

      BB

  8. Tom,
    Your sister will do well with the heart valve operation. The doctors have come a long way over the years in performing that procedure. My wife had the heart valve replaced at age 81 last year. She was released to go home the following day. Her’s was not open heart surgery either. We wish her the best.

    • Jonah,

      Thanks for your encouragement. My sister is 80 years old, and I suspect the procedure is the same one your wife had, as she is scheduled to leave the hospital the next day.

      BB

  9. BB,

    Sorry to hear about your sister, I’m sure it will go well – surgeons can do amazing things these days!

    As per the Labradar, I received one as a B-day gift from the family and am very pleased with it.

    I do a lot of tweaking and tinkering with my airguns so I find the Labradar to be very useful. I just park mine on the shooting bench and pretty much ignore it as it gathers data. It’s great that I can quickly reference the shot-string/number to a comment in my notebook if I want to see the details in a spreadsheet later or check velocities immediately if there was something unusual with a shot.

    The Labradar is not an investment that everyone would make but it’s the kind of tool that once I started using it I realized how convenient it is. Yeah, it’s pricey but considering the cost per usage, my Chrony is more expensive because I would only set it up a couple of times per year (and then only when I absolutely had to) where the Labradar gets used 4-5 times per week.

    Yes, Remembrance Day! Less we forget! With what is going on in the Ukraine and other areas of unrest in the world I am frequently reminded of how lucky we are here in North America.

    Hank

  10. A blessed Veterans’/Armistice Day to those who served. FM counts himself blessed to have veterans in his group of friends and family.

    Cranking the prayer wheel to full speed for your sister, B.B. FM has faith all will be well with her.

  11. B.B.,

    My DAUGHTER-in-law is a CATH LAB Technician and has done the valve installation procedure almost from its inception. Your Sister’s procedure will hopefully be done by one of the best who with the help of God’s guidance will get it done with perfection.
    Pray God keeps her safe.

    One of the things that keeping your Labradar on (near) the shooting bench that will not typically become apparent is tracking the performance of a particular airgun over longer time intervals. It is an invaluable diagnostic tool for each of your airguns (firearms, catapults, and archery tackle) with just a little thoughtful record keeping.
    It is truly the thoughtful shooter’s tool in many more ways than is posible with the systems that measure velocity at only one point per shot.

    PS: I have heard (uncorroborated) that the LabRadar can be used for fly casting, pitching and other remote velocity measurements.

    shootski

    • Velocity checks…

      Airguns & pellets, check; airguns & slugs, check; bows & arrows, check; slingshots & ballbearings, check; fly casting… fly casting??? OK, will have to try that! 😉

  12. Hi BB,
    I am also praying for a safe and successful surgery for your sister.

    I hope the Labradar isn’t too complicated. Some things seem to be more trouble than they are worth while others seen really easy and instinctual. I have to open a manual every time I need to change the time on my Suunto watch. But time change is only twice a year. The watch will do a lot more than tell time but……

    Thank you to all those who are or who have served this country.

    David Enoch

    • David,

      Vana2 (Hank) said, “I just park mine on the shooting bench and pretty much ignore it as it gathers data.”

      That comment in his reply should allay your concerns. If you don’t change velocity or move to another range/lane you can just turn it on and go. It isn’t difficult and it does the data recording on its own once properly set up. Data is stored on board/removable media/or by Bluetooth or cable link to a Laptop or other compatible smart device.

      shootski

    • David,

      That was my fear, as well. That’s why I mentioned that I unboxed it and had it running in 30 minutes. I take longer than that to program my smart TV.

      BB

  13. My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your sister, Tom.

    Fred formerly of the Demokratik Peeples Republik of NJ now happily in GA trying not to shoot his chrony. again.

    • Fred DPRoNJ,

      “…trying not to shoot his chrony. again.” In my trying to get better BC data i made a number of my Chronograph devices into scrap piles or cannibalization candidates did I realize that the Labradar would be cheaper in the long-run. Then after getting it I began to understand the added value that it brought to my shooting beyond simply safer/faster (COLD Range) BC data collection.

      shootski

  14. B.B.
    Best wishes to your sister. Modern medicine has advanced a lot in recent times so I pray for a quick recovery.

    And, a warm salute to all those who served or are still in service, we are thankful for what you do.

    I have an old Chrony that I don’t use any more. Unless the lighting was just right it would miss shots. Too picky. I now have a Caldwell with the illuminated screens. It is big step forward in sensitivity but it also takes effort to set up and align so it doesn’t get used often. The fact that the Labradar could be sitting at your desk always ready as reader Vana2 said, should represent for you a major improvement over the old light screen based units. Besides, the ability to explore the BC of different pellets opens a door to a whole new world. I think you will be happy as you discover what else it can do.

    As for me, I am still considering the FX. Yes, it has limitations but the price differential is substantial. Comments from other users?

    Henry.

    • Henry,

      I have the FX Radar and it has been working fine for me – it’s a lot more convenient than setting up and aligning regular sky-screen style units. 🙂

      Mounted on a small tripod and paired to a cellphone it’s quick to setup and conveniently portable.

      You do have to learn what sensitively setting to use and where to position the Radar relative to the barrel. Selecting the correct velocity range is important. In addition to the regular Hi, Lo, Average, Extreme Spread, and Standard Deviation it will calculate power (if you enter the pellet stats) as you shoot. Shot strings can be saved and viewed in a spreadsheet.

      The only time I had problems was when I set the pellet trap too close to the Radar and reflections off the trap overwhelmed the signal. Think that a lot of complaints are from this kinda thing.

      Hope this helps.
      Hank

      • Thanks Hank. Considering the pro’s and con’s I think this small unit will work for me. Reading in other forums I found that the main criticism is with the batteries, and many of the ‘malfunctions’ seem related to low battery voltage. This could be aggravated by using rechargeable NMH cells that star at about 1.2V and go down from there. If I get one I will either add a port for an external supply when at home, or perhaps better, use the new rechargeable LiPo cells that have an internal regulator. The output of these is a very constant 1.5V until they suddenly die when discharged . Seem neat for this application if keeping a charged spare set in the bag.
        Have a nice weekend!
        Henry

        • Henry,

          A set of (regular) batteries lasts a couple of hours – which I think is pretty good considering it is generating and monitoring quite an energy field.

          The unit is very quick to turn on and pair so I turn it on when I’m shooting the string and off when I don’t need it. No biggie.

          There is battery power level shown on screen.

          I thought about making an external D-cell battery pack to reduce the weight hanging on the barrel and have more power available but never got around to it. The batteries lasted long enough and mounting the Radar on one of those micro table-top tripods worked well.

          I did make an under-barrel mount for my Impact that was very convenient.

          Hank

        • Roamin Greco,

          Hank said, “The only time I had problems was when I set the pellet trap too close to the Radar and reflections off the trap overwhelmed the signal.” The FX was getting far more “SIGNAL” (reflected RADAR energy) from the BIG metal trap then from the projectile base. That is the desired Signal (from the projectile) being overwhelmed by the “Clutter” (unwanted RADAR energy) reflected by (from) the Trap.
          Just what that distance is depends on a host of variables far to complex for a blog.

          shootski

  15. BB,

    That is a very impressive device, especially if the ballistic coefficient feature Alan McD mentioned in the comment above lives up to the promise.

    Regarding your original motivation for buying a new chronograph – the need for it to function regardless of lighting conditions, I had the same problem with my Competition Electronics chronograph, so I bought a cheap Chinese-made chronograph in Germany last year. I can’t remember the name, but have seen it marketed under a few different brands. The picture below is of the generic model. It only cost about 55 euros and comes with an integral LED lighting kit.

    It works great, both indoors and out. I haven’t tested it in series with my other chronograph to see how the readings compare, but the couple of rifles I have tested on it so far resulted in readings right about where they should be.

    The only disadvantage is the user manual which is crap, even if one is fluent in “Chinglish”. It never ceases to amaze me that the Chinese can put satellites in orbit and reverse-engineer anything we manufacture in the West, but they can’t write a user manual to save their lives.

    The chronograph measures velocity in meters per second by default. To switch it to feet per second you have to press and hold the function button for a couple of seconds immediately after switching on the power. Nowhere in the manual was that explained.

    Happy Veterans’/Remembrance/Armstice Day to you and everyone here on the blog. Safe trip to Tulsa, we’ll be praying for your sister!

    • Bob Ryan, I recognise that one!

      My previous F-1 Chronograph was way more expensive, far more of a faff to set up and, worst of all, it committed suicide by jumping up into my line of fire at the very moment that I pulled the trigger. 🙂

      So now I use the same chrony as you (bought mine even cheaper but that was years ago and direct from china). I agree with your comment as it describes my experience with it as well.

      I couldn’t find an English Instruction Manual either but came across a fairly decent one in German on the website, zwillunken.de ( http://zwillunken.de/downloads/BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG_Multifunktions-Chrony.pdf )

      The strangest thing about this chrony is, as far as I am concerned, that I have yet to shoot it… 🙂

      • Hihihi,

        Thanks very much for the link. That German manual is excellent and will be a big help towards getting the most from the chronograph.

        No need to worry about shooting this chrony, as it’s so inexpensive 🙂

  16. Tom,

    While the time savings by combining the accuracy with the velocity tests will make up for the setup time. The most important part is that you get a little more time to sit back and breathe to analyze the results.

    Well be including you and your sister in my prayers.

    Siraniko

  17. Hello people. : – )
    Off topic as per usual! ( My apologies BB. )
    Well, it’s been a long two months… my Dad drove his camper van off to the big camper van park in the sky. His boots were firmly on at all times. Also I am about to be a Grand Dad, as my Mum said “one out one in” … she was a nurse.
    Phew what a time. A lot of emotions.
    So how does this relate to BB’s blog? Well, not only did I get the gorse farm ( Kiwi joke there ) I got the Beretta 92 Umarex .177 C02 pop gun. ( If you make it to NZ look me up and build your own Field Target course, I have tons of land now. Too much, and real Kiwi’s too. : – )
    The Beretta:
    Wobbly barrel. I mean come on guys. The design leaves a lot to be desired. It’s the worst part of the pistol. Just no. Um, the barrel slides in the frame, the clearances are agricultural, it was never a good idea. Some kind of bushing?
    The rest of pistol is OK. The safety interlock which the wheel mag rotates on is fiddly to put back in. The clamshell design of the frame is not too bad. Put the trigger interlock spring on last as the interlock thing is in the starboard shell and it attaches to the post in the port side. Or maybe the port side is stuck there. Did I mention corrosion? It has corrosion, which I cleaned off most internals. It’s all good to go now with some cosmetic corrosion on the exterior.
    Added a spring packer to the hammer spring to open up the slide vale more. Not sure how much I gained. The first few pops are impressive then it settles down to slowly falling off pops. Till it just puffs. ( I have never used CO2 before…) Maybe 60 shots to a 12grm sparklet. Accuracy ? Maybe, no. Fun? Well, yes. It will hit a barn door at 10m.
    It was Dads air pistol, he let it go bad, I rescued it and brought it back to life. I did good Dad, I did good. She’s a charm now, well oiled and going strong.
    I have more pics etc and a new stock idea for the Gamo CF-S ha ha. : – )

    Robert A.

    PS. As per pic you can see the gap between the barrel sleeve and the slide. What I did was soak a rag in oil and then stuffed it in the gap between the slide and the barrel. Works fine, and very cheap. Won’t soak up moisture. Easy to roll back. : – )

    • RobertA,

      Just plant Christmas Trees and be done with it.
      You can lease the tree lot to paint ball types and Skirmishers during the year as long as they use only Organic compostable ammo and promise not to damage the Christmas Trees. You will of course get a security deposit from them as well as a liability release.
      Them folks running around the trees will keep the gorse down!

      In a few years you will offer folks from the city to cut down their own tree for a healthy sum. If the crop of trees fails you can petition the government for Agriculture Relief monies.

      shootski

      • Shoot, I have a metric ton of trees, I could get carbon points !? I have a grove of Kauri ( five of them ) on a picturesque slope. I will make a 6sqm cabin near there, the view out the door is pretty. Xmas trees? I think not. A bush walk with a bushy campsite for hire is more my style. Just need to install a composting toilet. Small income but low overheads. There is a lot of creative building to do. I think I might still be in shock. or something. It’s been a hecking month.
        Robert A.

    • RobertA,
      Sorry to hear your Dad passed. Sounds like repairing his pistol was good for you. You will remember him through the pistol.
      I became familure with gorse along the Oregon coast it is extremely invasive and almost impossible to get rid of. You have your work cut out for you. Keep us posted.
      Don

      P.S. do you know the story of how the gorse was imported?

      • BD,
        I just worked like a demon for three weeks cleaning up and sorting things out. I made to do lists etc. I even filled holes in the driveway by hand, one shirt front load of rocks at a time. I guess not having time to think emotionally is the trick. The gorse… I will just spray and delete, keep on doing it till it gets the message. I am not adverse to manual labour. why pay to go to a gym ??? I have fence posts to put up etc ! Every now and then I expect Dad to turn up and crack a joke… that’s the hardest part. He had a keen sense of humour, very WW1 actually. Hey here is a story he told me about my Grandad: Grandad worked as a munitions babysitter. One day late at night they were driving into Lyttleton ,which has a magazine back in the hills, from a larger pile of munitions outside of Chch.. Well, they were going down the hill into the townlet when the brakes failed. So they jammed the truck, full of gun cotton, between a lamp post and the retaining wall of uphill side of the road, near the police station…. they ground to a halt. ( phew ) Later they ferried the gun cotton to the magazine and dislodged the truck. No one in the place new a thing….. Lyttleton would have ceased to exist had the truck gone off. ( I think gun cotton is fairly not sensitive … I guess? ) . Grandad was armed with a pair of slippers and a .45 . No boots allowed. He had to read a visiting politician the riot act at a magazine in , um Burnham ( ? ) : no shoes! Put these slippers on. The politician though it was beneath him.
        I better stop gabbing. Gorse: ‘oribble stuff what does not make a great ‘edge. RA.

  18. BB, I wish your Sister and yourself the best of luck and please have a safe easy drive.

    Berreta 92 Umarex internals.
    Here is the inside after I cleaned it up a lot. Note the nut and washer to increase hammer spring tension. I will swap them to the frame end so that they do not add to the hammer mass. Or maybe it is better having the hammer have more mass ??? Ideas?
    The safety interlock ( not “The safety” ) could be removed, this would mean you can discharge the pistol with the slide open. I guess it’s a bit like a skilsaw with the blade cover wired open… not for newbies. My CF-S is sans safety…
    Three hours to strip and clean, but I had already cleaned the gunk out a while back so I think maybe all up about six hours plus. Make it ten as I had it open a few times. Worth it, I wish Dad was here to see the magic. Dad has a few feral cans around his place he would like culled…. I’m on it Dad. Hope you all are in good spirits and free of corrosion. : – )

    Robert A.

  19. Hi Tom!
    First, thoughts to you and your sister.

    I had a EO chrony but after getting so many Err1 and Err2s, I got fed up with it and looked into alternatives.
    LabRadar seemed neat. But the cost and from some reviews I have read said it really goes through batteries.
    I opted for a MagnetoSpeed V3.
    Pros: Dont have to go range cold to mount, set up. The display sits right next to me, and I can see the last three shots, Max, Min, Average, and SD. Comes with a micro SD card that can be removed, and import the data into a spreadsheet.
    Cons, it hangs off the barrel changing the POI. However, the change in POI was consistent enough I could still group using the mil-dots.
    Cheers!

  20. Such a beautiful sunny Sunday, I just had to go outside.
    Today, I decided, was going to be about plinking with my VZ.35, maybe taking some pictures and sharing what fun I had.

    So, I forgot to take any pictures and besides, my shooting was awful. There was something, and I don’t know what, that wasn’t right in me, ie shooting felt awkward. My head was more cramped than relaxed and so it seemed that every shot required too much effort. And the results were that I succeeded to miss about 95% of the time.
    Oddly though, I don’t regret it. I just like playing with my toys. 🙂

    The picture attached is from a previous plinking session!

    • Hihihi, we all have bad days but it helps to remind oneself of all the good ones had. It will be better next time, and it must always be fun. Had a college professor who used to say, “make your work your fun and it will not be work.” Or stressful.

      Nice looking VZ 35!

  21. About the lab radar, I have found it not to be as finicky as the instruction manual might suggest. I use it shooting past a porch guard rail and then down range about 25 yd the pellet passes over a metal pipe fence and then the target is hung on a metal tee post. It works flawlessly every time To assist in aiming it I taped a 2″ piece of plastic soda straw to the top V notch. It’s faster and more accurate. When shooting a very quiet air gun I found I needed to have the muzzle 1 or 2″ behind the microphone instead of beside it.

    It’s very accurate and can be used for air guns and firearms. Since nothing attaches to the barrel of the rifle it has no impact on the POI.

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