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Air Guns 2023 Pyramyd A.I.R. Cup: Part Three

2023 Pyramyd A.I.R. Cup: Part Three

Crosman 362 Anniversary
Crosman proudly displayed the 362 Anniversary multi-pump.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • Crosman
  • Vortek
  • AirForce
  • Field target pistol
  • Hatsan
  • Pyramyd A.I.R. booth/range
  • Field Target
  • Shhhh!
  • Banquet
  • Summary

Happy Labor day to my American readers.

Crosman

Today we return to the report on the 2023 Pyramyd A.I.R. Cup. We’ll start on Vendor’s Row. At the Crosman Booth the big news was the new Benjamin domed pellet that I started reviewing for you in the middle of August.

New Benjamin pellets
Crosman was proud to display the new Benjamin domed pellet.

I met Crosman’s new Vice President of Marketing, Joe Brown. And the airgun they were most enthusiastic about showing was the new Crosman 362 Anniversary multi-pump shown above!

This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to hold one and examine it closely. And I did look closely. The wood is smoothly finished in a dark walnut matte stain with even stippling on the firearm and pistol grip. It’s an attractive rifle that I hope to review for you soon!

Vortek

Okay guys, if you didn’t attend this year’s Cup you missed Tom Gore selling many of the spring-piston air rifles he has tested and modified over the years. One of these was a Gamo Hunter Extreme that he never took out of the box. It’s still sealed in its original shipping container and I bought it to review for you. This is a breakbarrel rifle that promised 1650 f.p.s. in .177 caliber. He sold it to me dirt cheap, just to get it off his hands.

Vortek Gamo
Boring, right? It is until you realize there is a brand new Gamo Extreme Hunter from 20 years ago inside. This shipping box has never been opened! We get to open it and experience it together.

There was a second Hunter Extreme that Gore had unboxed, as well as at least one Webley Patriot made in the United Kingdom (I think there were two). And, if I’m not mistaken, there were a couple Weihrauchs as well. He had a truck bed full of airguns to get rid of at fantastic prices. I hope you didn’t snooze!

AirForce

Remember that lucky shot I made at the Vortek booth with a Weihrauch Tom Gore called a blondie? I told you about it in Part 2. Well, after visiting with Vortek I wandered over to the AirForce booth/range and picked up a RAW MicroHunter like the one I’m testing for you. This one had a scope and was sighted in and John McCaslin asked me if I’d like to shoot it. Duh!

He pulled two strings and two field targets stood up at the base of the berm. I sighted on the closer one that was about 30 yards away. Just as I shot the target fell, so it must have been defective, because there is no way I can hit a one-inch kill zone offhand with a rifle I don’t know. Ian McKee said it was a good shot; I say I was lucky. Maybe it’s good that I’m lucky?

Field target pistol

The other thing I saw at the AirForce booth was a new field target pistol that was made from a RAW MicroHunter receiver and chassis. It’s 12 foot-pounds and will no doubt be quite accurate.

AirForce field target pistol
The AirForce field target pistol is based on the RAW MicroHunter.

Stock Up on Shooting Gear

Hatsan

Then we were off to the Hatsan booth/range. We saw a man test-fire the Hammer carbine and Ian commented how big the kick was. Then both of us settled down to shoot the new Notos PCP carbine. For the price it’s a lot of airgun. Ian also shot the Hatsan Jet II.

Hatsan Notos
Ian draws a Hatsan Jet II down on a Firebird explosive target at the Hatsan range.

The Firebird target folks had a booth on the range and Hatsan had laced their range with Firebird exploding targets.

Pyramyd A.I.R. booth/range

I headed toward the Pyramyd A.I.R. range and booth several times but never made it. I was always distracted by an electric bicycle that whizzed by. Pyramyd calls them Ebikes, so use that term to search their website.

I then saw one parked at a different vendor’s booth and one of Pyramyd’s staff asked me if I’d like to take a ride. And that is when both I and Pyramyd discovered at the same time that my weakness, which is also my strength. I have short little legs. My inseam is only 28 inches, despite a height of 5 feet 10 inches (inseam 71.12 cm, height 177.8 cm). That means I can’t mount most bikes, even when their seats are adjusted as low as they will go. So I couldn’t ride the Ebike they offered.

I recently traded in my motorcycle, a Harley Road King named Miss Peach, for a Harley Street Bob whose seat is an inch lower.

Miss Peach
Miss Peach was a shade too tall for my stubby legs.

Bob
Bob’s saddle is an inch lower than Miss Peach’s and rides like a motorcycle for me. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also close to 200 pounds lighter!

My short legs meant Pyramyd A.I.R. needs to send me a step-through Ebike to test. Of course I’m going to test one for you! I’ll probably test a Rambo PURSUIT (in orange, please, hint, hint). What it also means is a large number of their customers have the same short inseam issue and they need to think about that if they want to sell Ebikes.

Field Target

We have seen the Benchrest and the Gunslynger competitions, now let’s look at the field target match. Usually Tyler Patner would compete, but he was too busy running all the matches, so he had to be the match director.

The FT competitors checked their sight-in before coming to the match, because any scope can change zero when it travels.

FT sight check
Field target shooters check their sights before the match. The shooter on the right is wearing a 10-meter shooting jacket.


Another look at the FT competitor wearing a 10-meter leather shooting jacket. The jacket keeps the shooter still for offhand shots.

Shhhh!

A field target match is so quiet that the sport of golf sounds like a raucous party by comparison. Reader Cloud9 mentioned that he conversed with a You-Tuber during the match, but his squad had four shooters and there were times when he was able to talk because he had no other duties on that lane.

FT Jeff
Jeff Cloud adjusts his elevation for his first shot in the field target match.

Banquet

On Saturday evening Pyramyd A.I.R. hosted a banquet for all who came to the Cup. After the meal the awards for competition were passed out and also a pile of raffle prizes were given away. Tyler Patner and Emily Phillippi  ran the show. Cash prizes and cups were awarded for Benchrest and for Gunslynger. There were 15 prizes for Benchrest and all shooters competed for them. The top prize was a cup and a check for $7,500. That went to Thayne Simmons who posted a score of 232 with 8 Xs.


Thayne Simmons took first in 100-yard Benchrest.

The Gunslynger Match has three divisions — Springer, single-load PCP and PCP. And I have to mention this. Ian and I both saw a man who had what looked like a breakbarrel Gamo springer. He held his own for several heats, loading as fast as the higher-end springers and he seemed just as accurate. So it doesn’t take a fortune to compete in these matches. It take desire and a knowledge of your equipment. We also saw a single-load PCP competitor with a thousand-dollar plus rifle who never got off one shot!

Awards for Gunslynger were to the top three placements in each division. Ian finished seventh in his division of PCP, for reasons we have already discussed.

Field target competition continued on Sunday and the awards were made at the registration building. Winners in each category received a cup and, instead of cash, they got to choose a valuable prize from a large selection of prizes. You can see all the winners over at Hard Air Magazine.

Summary

I went way longer than I should have today. But I wanted to finish my report. Ian McKee has his own Cup report coming very soon. My advice is to plan to attend next year!

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.

68 thoughts on “2023 Pyramyd A.I.R. Cup: Part Three”

  1. “I recently traded in my motorcycle, a Harley Road King named Miss Peach, for a Harley Street Bob whose seat is an inch lower.”

    BB,
    Smart move!…in my opinion, anyway…a friend had me test his Road King on the perimeter road around our local AFB; for me, it seemed like I sat too high; it seemed like I was up ON the bike, whereas, with my Softail Classic, I am IN the bike…I’m sure you know what I mean; it looks like with Bob you will be more IN than ON, and that’s a much better way to be. 😉
    Good riding to you,
    dave

  2. “Ian draws a Notos down on a Firebird explosive target at the Hatsan range.”

    BB,
    Perhaps it’s just an optical illusion; but the Notos PCP Carbine Ian is holding looks shorter than the 34″ listed on the PA website. *shrugs* I’m glad you guys had some fun. 🙂
    Blessings to you,
    dave

  3. Yes Tom said it, there was one competitor using a Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 in the springer class Gunslynger Event going head to head with guns such as heavily customized Airarms TX 200’s, various models of Weihrauch, RWS, Beeman break barrels, and some heavily modified side lever guns as well.

    He may not have finished first, but he definitely wasn’t last.

    And his peers knew he had given a good accounting of himself on the field of honor.

    I love to see an under dog win.

    Ian

    /product/gamo-whisper-fusion-mach-1-air-rifle-cat?m=4021#7682

  4. I would like to use the opportunity and refresh the Diana Oktoberfest topic a bit. There is already my comment in the right blog: /blog/2022/12/diana-oktoberfest-gewehr-bb-rifle-part-five/
    but I was asked to refresh for all who do not subscribe this topic, to not get it lost “in the deep space”.

    tomek
    August 25, 2023 at 4:49 am
    Guys,

    I have to reject all I thought about it all the time watching the BB’s test progress. I bought one Oktoberfestgewehr. It came yestarday afternoon. I started first to clean everything I could, the barrel especially. I was amazed about how good, big and rifle like it is. The barrel is rifled and had a pretty nice crown made. All metal parts looks really good. The second “wow” was to fill the magazin – how great idea it is to use this aluminum cone device to put all BBies at once without loosing none. Just great.

    I started to shot with it. Oh man… I was lost for several hours, shot around 400 shots at once. After that I was amazed again how the trigger and the whole system stabilized. The groups started to be really tight. Now I know already that it will be my favorite all-rounder plinker!
    I tested the Diana Oktoberfest round balls (4.4mm, 0.48gram) dedicated for this gun – great. Also the H&N (a bit heavier, 0.5gram) are ok and accurate. Talking about it – tested free hand 8meter distance. For a plinker I don’t need more! After 100 shots there is a whole one inch diameter and that without any bench support. I assume without wind you can shoot can-a-like target at up to 20 yards without any problems.
    Velocity is pretty stable, now around 360-380fps for the Diana balls. This thing is damn accurate for such a device at this price.

    To be honest – again I learned to first try things before I will judge. I’m alread addicted to it, it makes just so much fun!

    Remarks: the barrel was dirty as hell out of the box. It helps to make it clean at the beginning.
    The accuracy will come first when the system sattles down, don’t judge after 100 shots.
    After 500 shots out of the box I put some silicone oil into the barrel and I left the gun standing barrel up for the night (today middle in the night). It was really required for the piston seal. Now it is smooth like it should be. I put some grease on the trigger parts at the very beginning, and on all “moving against each other places”.
    The mainspring was lubbed with some dark grease out of the box, not too much though, I left it first like it is. you can see it when you separate the system from the stock and remove the plastic cover above. The system now works just fine. Perhaps after 10k shots I will dismantle it and re-lube after cleaning.
    Shoting cycle is smooth, very soft, with some good-feedback recoil and without any metallic noise.

    For that price I’m pretty amazed to be honest, and it happens not very often recently to amaze Tomek at all. I wonder now what will the NEO model do Definatelly it makes you addicted from first dose

    Reply
    tomek
    August 25, 2023 at 11:39 am
    OK I could not leave it be like this. I dismatle it, cleaned and put all together again. It is not easy. First I make one mistake and the trigger assembly was blocking the safety – you could not shot after put the system on the tension. It was not funny to discover when all work was done.
    It has to be done – the result is amazing smooth cycle and the trigger which now is still long but butter soft, much more predictable. The accuracy increased. It is now fully OK for me at 10 meters for plinking.
    The barrel can be cleaned all way down when the system is disambled – and I took a look all way through it. It is really nice inside.
    The out of the box grease is terrible. You just need to do it once properly.

    Warning: shar edges, I cut my finger badly durign the process.

    Do not assemble stronger mainspring – you will kill the fun of it, probably the system will not hold for ever with a very strong spring. There is no need for this, after clean-lube it properly it is just pure fun to shot.

    What really helped me was the german blog here:

    https://www.co2air.de/thread/105649-diana-oktoberfestgewehr-zerlegen-instandsetzen/

    It is a good general instruction for some advanced tuner which is more than enough. Unfortunately it might be disaster for some unexpierenced user It is difficult to describe some steps which just needs this “know how” coming from the pain (which I call experience if there are some lessons learned caused by the pain).

    Latest update:
    I had to try it and I purchased a stronger mainspring (made of 2,8mm wire, original is approx. 2,5mm). The difference is not dramatic in terms of velocity increase, there is some + velocity, stays constant at approx. 320 fps. now. The cocking effort is a bit more than it was original, the firing cycle and feedback is in my opinion better (short cycle with some more recoil which makes more fun). So there is no need to do it actually. The original mainspring is not very high quality so it will bend and will lose pre-tension fast. It will stabilize after 2k shots at the level around 290 fps and everything is smooth (4.4mm / 0.48gramm Diana Okroberfest original ammo). The difference now is a very smooth cocking and clean shot noise.

    After all action done I finally started to use it properly – to shot at some “stuff” which you can find in the caravan shooting gallery. Distance approx. 8m (26feet) works just fine. It makes fun. I can’t wait to check it outside at also some bigger distance.
    Money – performance is just fine there 🙂

    Here some more information about the past model series which had some issues:
    https://www.co2air.de/thread/114001-unterschiede-diana-oktoberfestgewehr-v1-und-v3-welches-habe-ich/?postID=1061926855&highlight=oktoberfest%2Bversion#post1061926855

    The latest version SN started with 1721 (improved shaft quality and improved housing / mechanics) has no big issues anymore.

    • tomek,

      I enjoyed reading about your adventures with your bb blower.Thanks. 🙂

      The Oktoberfest is an event I’ve wondered about and this year, I intend to visit. I imagine working up a thirst at the fun fair side of things, including shooting in some galleries (wonder what airgun they’ll have?), before finally quenching it inside one of the beer hangars. 🙂

      As for the Diana 30 neo version of your Oktoberfest rifle, mine has disappointed me and currently awaits disassembly to establish the cause for almost total loss of power. 🙁

      I look forward to further experiences you may wish to share of your Oktoberfest rifle…

      • Hi3, one of the things we saw when we were shooting the Oktoberfest rifle is that they are going to be
        selling the frangible clay stars that are traditionally used for targets.

        The vendor did have a whole bulk case of the stars she was using for targets, but also had a display of the retail product.

        Something to be on the lookout for.

        Ian

          • They are quite satisfying, and the “stick shift” of the rifle is a hoot, BUT!!

            There is a small hole on the top and bottom of the targets to hang it from a hook, twice I bullseyed the lower hole and the BB bounced back from the hard backer never shattering the clay star.

            Just something to be aware of.

            Ian

            • 45Bravo,

              so, had it been a semi automatic rifle, you might’ve ‘Robin-Hooded’ the first bb?

              Even if they weren’t consecutive shots, still a sign of good consistency.

              I hope I’ll remember to aim for those holes, to make sure I don’t hit them! 🙂

              • I was using the Oktoberfest rifle, so it’s a springer.

                Both shot’s fired consecutively, I made a comment on both shots about the bounce back so I went to the next star on the board.

                We called the range cold to hang more stars, and I examined the dents in the backer board under the hole.

                I didn’t think to photograph it.

                The Diana marketing people were using steel BB. As projectiles..

                More economical I guess.

                Ian.

      • Hihihi,

        Sorry to hear that it is not working properly. It is possible that you have the older version which was, unfortunately, full of issues. Please check your serial number, first 4 digits are important.

        In general I have to tell you one thing why I’m so enthusiastic about it. The main reason is that I forgot what is all about this airgunning, searching for ultimate pellets which gives the ultimate grouping… my gosh, it is all about fun at the end! 🙂

        • tomek,

          as you can see from the picture, they made it easy to date the ‘Diana 30 neo’ (mine’s 2022).

          I agree that plinking is fun. I have no idea what it were without. 🙂

          • Roamin Greco – please don’t overestimate the one struggeling in the dark 🙂
            Simple truth is that the concepts like this cheap repeater are made for fun and there is no place for malcontent each time you miss. You miss this shot – then shot another one! Hehehe – and it goes pretty fast to reload. Once watched fully excited people shooting the caravan gallery to win the “flower for your princess” made me re-think my FWB300 approach a bit.

    • I managed to clean out the bore of my Oktoberfest using a loop and plastic rod and cut down paper swabs. One can’t us a full swab or it may jam when one reverses direction at the end of the stroke at the “breech”.

      It was a longish process of Sheath/Barrier-oiled 1/3 “patches” until the black turned into oil-colored ones. Then I switched to dry ones and swabbed out the excess Sheath/Barrier product. The barrel is, I think, clean enough now. I did this BEFORE starting shooting because this isn’t my first Jung Gwo-produced air arm. The debis in the bore is almost as disgusting as Hatsan bores (but, to date, all my Hatsans can be cleaned from the breech as they are break barrels).

      Now we WAIT UNTIL MID TO LATE OCTOBER FOR THE H&N SMART SHOT TO ARRIVE according to H&N sales representative statement on email. The current owners of Diana have seemed to have a marketing problem in recent times as evidenced by the Diana 34 with all the supposed adaptable features and then none of the parts or the release of the Oktoberfest with a shortfall of lead shot. Come on guys, get your German act together in your holding company!

      HINT TO TOM G: A blog post on the best way to clean the bore of the Oktoberfest and to avoid the linkage breakage would likely be greatly appreciated by your readership. Us trial-and-error folks could use a little bit of guidance here, I think. Also, a survey of what rounds should NOT be used in the Oktoberfest might be a really good thing; I found the Gamo shot was unacceptable and not worthy of a jam.

      • LFranke,

        To be honest I don’t like this strategy of Diana to design it all for these special 4.4mm BB’s. It is of course a big business as the gallery shooting in Germany still stays very popular and the oldies (Haenel and Diana 30 model, etc.) are not available any more (or too expensiv as rare stuff to be used in a shooting caravan). Many will buy the cheap version of the 30, many will buy the Neo30 modell. ALL of them will have to buy tons of BB’s 4.4mm which are mostly produced by Diana and H&N (they are very similar), and not some “two dollars bag full of steel BB’s” cheap ammo.
        Guys, there is no way around – you can’t shot it with to large cal. BB’s, you have to be careful with the lead BB’s as for example 4.5mm Gamo. It will cause a big issue!

        To clean a long bore I use the cleaning rod which you can put together like this example:
        https://www.versandhaus-schneider.de/product_info.php/cPath/40_102_1287_2401/products_id/303
        Now the cleaning rope becomes more popular (works fine with break barrel).

        After long time I realized that this is the first air rifle I have only for plinking, short distance, only for fun. How good it is to sometimes turn this “perfection” off and be more relaxed, just like a non-engineering type teenager 🙂 I see how much I need it to escape from my… Sometimes friends are telling me: “please stop beeing such a engineer all the time”.

        • I have several different cleaning “rod” systems. I have a three piece aluminum set with different “heads” and an handle. However, for my break barrels and underlevers where I CAN get it inserted, I use the Breechway flexible plastic “rod” system and felt cleaning pellets (pushed not shot, as in “shaken, not stirred”).

          The problem with the Oktoberfest, obviously, is that the breech is not accessible without disassembly of the rifle – not a task I relish doing. So, the aluminum rods with the loop was and is the only solution, but one has to be careful about the amount of cleaning paper or cloth that one uses because the “wad” has to reverse direction at the breech and that presents a possible “friction clutch” situation that would likely require disassembly of the rifle to free it.

          I suspect that Diana isn’t making the 4.4mm Cu coated Pb BBs, but subcontracts that to H&N or other supplier. Don’t have ANY actual intelligence to this issue, just conjecture. I know that Diana used to carry Norma bullets (I think they were) so maybe they have a subdivision that manufactures shot in various forms? It’s all part of German Sport Guns now so it probably has a “shot tower” somewhere?

          The BB rifle is, indeed, what appears on these pages so regularly, namely, a “fun gun.” I actually consider all my various arms locker pieces to be such, but with some being more annoying and challenging (think, “vexing”) than others. I think what is meant here is a piece wherein one accepts a wider latitude of accuracy without becoming obsessive/compulsive about it? In other words, “Heck, it’s at least in the black; I can live with that!”

          I understand engineers. My father was a ceramic engineer, my father-in-law was a chemical engineer (who taught me how to make Mustard Gass for groundhog holes!), my son is a mechanical engineer with a master’s in geologic engineering. My late father always said that I was a natural engineer even though I am, by profession a clergyman, social worker and drug/alcohol counselor.

          Having minds that seek to constantly improve and refine by structured approaches can be a tyranny. It is, indeed, hard to simply let go and enjoy something for what it IS rather than seeking to immediately strive to MAKE IT WHAT IT CAN BE. This latter thought, with respect to the Oktoberfest is probably an exercise in futility since the nature of the round itself is fraught with inconsistency.

          Not so long ago Crosman brought its mobile shooting trailer to a local sporting goods shop for a grand opening. After waiting in a line to shoot at the various pop up and drop targets, I had my turn at a bulk-fed 1022 CO2 rifle. Ten shots from the rotary mag put down ten targets as fast as I could pull the POA to the next target. The Crosman representative was a bit amazed at the performance and asked where I learned to shoot that well. I told him “in my basement” with thousands of rounds of practice MISSING the bullseye. He laughed. What I then told him was that my collection of RWS/Diana and some Hatsan ADULT air guns were more inherently accurate than I could ever be, but the point was to try and emulate their precision. He agreed.

          You and I, apparently, need an Oktoberfest just to relax and not take ourselves too seriously!

          • LFranke,

            How truth it is! Now how to translate some “sentences of wisdom” properly

            — >; “Relaxation is the ultimate driving school”.

            I think H&N is doing most of the stuff like this 4.4mm BB. They are really a big one in the airgun pellets world. Actually those Oktoberfest BB’s are pretty expensive also in Germany – have to pay same as for casual pellets, where you can really buy cheap steel BB’s everywhere.

    • tomek,

      I just checked my Oktoberfest, and the first four digits of the serial number are 1722. Does that mean mine is an improved version? (My apologies if that is a stupid question.)

      Michael

      • Michael,

        After reading the German blog that Tomek provided the LINK for i think you can rest easy; you have apparently got a V3.
        If it has the extra weld beneath the DIANA it is supposedly a certainty. They did any number of other welds that are only visible when you take the action out of the stock. Speaking of the stock you are lucky you don’t have a gurkenweichemshaft (pickle soft stock) of a V1! There was also a V2 (not the WW2 rocket) identified.
        Does your Oktoberfest have the FREIMARK (F inside the Pentagon) symbol? If it doesn’t all bets are off on what version you have!

        shootski

        • shootski,

          My Oktoberfest has “diana” in two places visible on the assembled rifle: on the badge on the forearm and “Designed by Diana, Germany” on the left side of the compression tube. I see no welds (or much metal at all) under the Designed by Diana, Germany as there is very little space between that and the wood forearm. I do see a pin there.

          Also, the buttstock on mine has a thin profile, not a pronounced cheek rest. So it looks like the lower one in the buttstock photo.

          What do you make of these details?

          Michael

        • shootski,

          The pin below “Designed by DIANA, GERMANY” is directly below the D in DIANA, not below the word “Designed.” The head of the pin appears to be tidy, with no glob of material over it.

          Michael

          • Michael,

            The immediately below is the wording from the LINK Tomeknprovided:

            Hier am ausgeschäfteten System nochmal die Schweißpunkte.
            Wo beim V1 nur 2 Punkte unten und ein Punkt oben unter der Spannschiene den Zylinderboden an Ort und Stelle halten, hat man beim V3 noch zusätzliche Punkte seitlich gemacht. Das hält bisher, mir sind keine Risse mehr bekannt.

            Die V1 und V2 die bei mir bisher gelandet sind, haben alle auf der Unterseite 6 zusätzliche Schweißpunkte im unsichtbaren Bereich bekommen.

            V1 oben, V3 unten:
            (No way to capture the photo.)

            The GIST is that the V1 has only on Spot Weld on either side where you are talking about a pin. On the V3 there is one additional Spot Weld. If you remove a V3 from the stock it has six additional Spot Welds on the underside of the tube that are hidden by the stock.
            Those additional Spot Welds are apparently to “fix” issues the previous versions suffered from.

            Can’t be of more help without having your Oktoberfest on my workbench.

            shootski

            • shootski,

              I now have a translation in English of the article.

              My rifle has the ridge on top of the “clamping rail” that indicates V3. It also lacks wood soft enough to make an indentaion with one’s fingernail. :^)

              I am finally (!) confident my Oktoberfest is a V3.

              Thank you and tomek for your help and patience. I assure you I appreciate it a great deal.

              Michael

              PS, I hope your health is OK. I caught a reference to your having an eye exam a few blogs ago, but anything prior to that I must have missed.

              • Michael,

                Your welcome!
                My cataracts was becoming an issue in my Left eye (non dominant) had it done in late December. This past June i had the Right eye done. Both were done with newish J&J IOL.
                https://www.jjvision.com/press-release/johnson-johnson-vision-receives-fda-approval-next-generation-monofocal-intraocular
                I went with this “monofocal” because i wanted distance vision to be best. With this new lens i can see as close as the front sight on a carbine or the front sight of a pistol with my arms at half extension. Anything closer than 20″ requires readers which is just fine with me.
                Both eyes have been corrected to better than 20/15 which is a blessing.
                Thanks for asking!

                shootski

                • Shootski: Welcome to the post-pseudophakia world! You made the same choices I made in ’19. I opted for the set distance implant, the “pseudophakia,” or, “fake lens,” since I have been used to progressive lenses for decades. The thought of a progressive implant sounded like a place for trouble. My choice has worked very well for me.

                  This year, however, I developed the post-capsular opacity, a.k.a., “secondary cataract.” It ISN’T a new cataract, but the growth of a thin, couple of cell thick, membrane at the posterior of the lens capsule. The treatment is way less than 15 minutes with a YAG laser and a competent opthalmologist. The YAG blows holes in this membrane and then, as Dr. Parschauer said, “I connect the dots.”

                  The YAG did ever so slightly change my glasses Rx. Just enough to make extremely small print blurry. I got a new prescription for lenses, went to America’s Best and I was back in business. The neat thing about their lens option is one that retains a degree of transition so that one actually has a semblance of sunglasses IN THE CAR. With all my other transition lenses, the darkening dissipated when driving requiring Rx sunglasses. These new glasses do it all.

                  There is, BTW, no set of parameters as to whether one will develop the PCO, the post-capsular opacity. There is no set of parameters as when it might occur. Things will just get duller and duller, color-wise, and it will become harder to see in dim conditions. When the YAG procedure was done, the brightness of colors and vision was AMAZING. The PCO happens so slowly and progressively, that one adapts and adapts and it gets pretty progressed before one wakes up to the loss.

                  Keep your annual eye appointments with your optometrist or othamologist. They can see the PCO and let you know when it gets to the point of a major medical insurance claim and a quicker fix than the time it takes in the waiting room or for the eye drops to work!

                  Lance

                • shootski,

                  Whew! I was worried. There has been so much eye illness in my family I am quite gun-shy about it. If any friends or family has symptioms of anything, I lose sleep over it.

                  Good to know all is well.

                  Michael

      • Michael,

        It is a good question and it should be asked.
        Shootski already explained it based on the german blog information – everything older than 1721… (1722 definately is) will be the latest version, even without the F mark (which is usually used only for the german market due to this stupid 7,5J max kinetic energy restriction).

          • “1722 is older” = is latest design, sorry for confusion. Seems that you have the latest version, known as unproblematic. This “F” is actually only intended for german market and it is not marked for others. It is “this german thing”. Without it you need to show directly some permission, certificate etc. in Germany. Does not reflect to anything actually.

            • tomek,

              Thanks for you (and shootski) helping me figure out I have a V3.

              Now I’d like to see Diana come out with lead ammo for it again! :^) I might have some H&N around. I don’t want to use steel because of the rifling.

              Michael

  5. B.B., I’m glad you and Ian had a great time and safe travels. It sounds like it was an exciting event. Competition, airgun show, and a banquet all rolled into one. What’s not to like?

    When is next year’s Pyramyd A.I.R. Cup?

      • FawltyManuel,

        I’m intrigued by that picture. Is that you wearing the german tank officer fieldcap whilst chauffeuring Scooby Doo? 🙂
        Please elaborate on the background story, thanks.

        • ¿Qué? No, not FM but the dog’s and Zundapp’s owner at last month’s Kubel Korps USA gathering in Pioneer, Ohio. You don’t have to own a period military vehicle to be a member or to attend. It is a yearly event, since 1988.

          It is much fun to drive thru muddy/sandy trails and for the Schwimmwagen crowd to sail or “swim” them in local ponds and small lakes.

      • Once the Russian embargo is lifted, you can once again get the Ural. It is a copy of the late 30’s German BMW.

        Now if we could just get the Russians to pull their collective head out.

        • Matter of fact, one of the guys owns a Ural which he turned into a very credible-looking R75, runs nicely. He ought to get the Umarex MP40 to display with it. FM will stick to the VW side, Mrs. FM not too crazy about motorcycles – and not enough space to accommodate any other fun hardware.

    • Ridge, I am torn between the 2 guns, the Jet2, and the Notos.

      I like the feel of the Jet as a pistol, and I like the feel of the Notos better as a carbine.

      The Notos is regulated, and moderated, the Jet has the included folding sights, and a removable stock.

      The 2 finger side lever of the Jet is comfortable, the metal side lever of the Notos is slimmer.

      They both have the same velocity and mag capacity in .22, and similar shot count and accuracy.

      The Jet2 has a special foster connection that uses a slimmer longer female foster adapter, and the Notos uses a fill probe, but it does connect to a standard foster connection. So that is a wash between them.

      It is a tough call, and something you should try both to see which better suits your needs and likes.

      Ian

  6. Tom,

    The Rambo Pursuit ebike has a 45% higher price for orange instead of blue, and the frame of the blue and the orange are structurally different. Hmmm. Any explanation why those significant differences might be?

    Oh, incidentally, most modern thinkers probably agree it is better to be lucky than good. :^)

    Michael

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