I didn’t exactly criticize this group the Umarex Notos shot, but I said it wasn’t as good as I had hoped.
This report covers:
- Why?
- Over the line
- What about springers?
- Intended purpose
- Reason for testing
- So what?
- Summary
Before we begin I have a brief word. I’m going into the hospital Monday for what is supposed to be a quick operation after which I expect to be discharged on the same day. I mention this in case there is a disruption to the blog.
Today I will talk about expectations and how they influence our choices.
Why?
On December 30, reader Derrick commented on Part 9 of the Umarex Notos report series. He said, “I think it’s a winner in this category. Sure, we’d like it to be as accurate as the Air Venturi, except thats another hundred bucks. This looks like a great value for the money. Its light, handy, quiet and accurate.It looks ideal as a pesting gun. A red dot or a bug buster scope and a sling and its ready to go.”
I thought about that and saw that he was right. When this blog started in 2005 Joshua Ungier told me to report on all the airguns honestly. I agreed with that; I wouldn’t have done it any other way. But over time the latest crop of hyper-accurate precharged pneumatics (PCP) has jaded me a bit. Airguns like the Air Venturi AvengeX are able to put all their shots into tight little groups, and seeing that has caused me to focus on the size of the groups every air rifle can shoot. That may be good or it may be that I’ve stepped over the line.
Over the line
When you go over the line it affects more than just the airguns you shoot. For me it has migrated over to scopes I typically use. I keep praising the Meopta and Integrix scopes that are so clear, but how am I using them? I’m using them to punch bullseyes at 25 yards. I’m concerned about seeing the reticle superimposed over the ten-dot of a ten-meter air rifle target. Is that all a scope is supposed to do? I don’t think so.
And, by focusing on tight little groups, I seem to have become obsessed with the very finest reticles. I have even snubbed scopes that are ideal, just because I thought their reticles were too coarse. Some readers have exacerbated the situation by suggesting other scopes whenever I seem to get a dud — or at least a scope I can’t do as well with.
Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. The precision scopes I’ve mentioned are wonderful optics. But they may not be as forgiving in some situations as other scopes that have fewer features.
What about springers?
There are a few spring-piston airguns that are highly accurate. I always tout the Air Arms TX200 Mark III and last year I discovered that the HW 97K is equally accurate. The HW 30 and HW 50 are also reasonably accurate. But with springers it seems that you need to spend a lot of money to get great accuracy. With the modern PCPs accuracy now comes at the lower end of the price range, though the actual prices paid are higher than for springers, so it does balance out.
Intended purpose
Another thing Derrick reminded me of was the intended purpose of the Notos. It’s not a 100-yard benchrest airgun. It’s a handy carbine that is probably best for hunting and pesting.
I’m probably not going to change the way I test airguns, but I do hope to change my expectations, based on the intended purpose the airgun seems to serve.
Reason for testing
Not all of you want to shoot small groups. That’s not why I test the way I do, but it sure looks that way when you read the reports. I test the way I do to give you an idea of how powerful and accurate the gun is that’s being tested. That way you can see how well it fits into your intended use.
So what?
Because of what I have said today my plan to test the Umarex Notos in the future will be to mount the kind of scope I would probably select for that rifle. And in tests of other airguns I will do similar things fort scopes, pellets and all other accessories.
Summary
You readers influence the things I write about more than you know. I do read the things you have to say and sometimes I act on them. Like today.
“… I do hope to change my expectations, based on the intended purpose the airgun seems to serve.”
BB,
That sounds like a solid plan for this New Year. 🙂
Blessings to you,
dave
Before I go on any further, Tom, you’ll certainly be in my thoughts and prayers for a successful procedure and speedy recovery on Monday. It’s tough when the docs have to fix what 75 years of living has worn out on our old bodies.
As a dedicated springer shooter, I do concentrate on small groups at 25 and 50 yards, so don’t lose your focus there. I also want to relate my good and bad experience of late. Just after Christmas, I was out on the range shooting when (oh horrors) the entire optical end of my Hawke scope came apart in pieces. I picked up all I could find and went home to reassemble the pieces. An hour of frustration got me no where, I simply couldn’t get those two rear lenses into just the right position to hold a focus. I tried again yesterday and again, no relief. This morning, figuring that most people would be back at work after the holidays, I called Pyramyd AIR. The technician told me that they didn’t have information on Hawke scopes, but he did give me the phone number for Hawke. The technician at Hawke also stated that they don’t do repairs of this kind. Now the good news: he gave me a service number and said that if I’d send my scope right in, a brand new one would be sent out to me straight away. WOW! Aren’t lifetime warranties wonderful. Happy New Year to one and all. Orv.
Orv,
I have had a similar experience with Hawke Optics. They do honor their lifetime warranty. Most of my scopes are Leapers/UTG. They also have a lifetime warranty. I have not had to take advantage of such, but it is there.
“Tom, you’ll certainly be in my thoughts and prayers for a successful procedure and speedy recovery on Monday.”
Orv, Amen!!! I second your prayers for Tom; we all need to have him around for a long time. 😉
B.B.
Do not lower your expectations!!!!
Modern society is full of too many compromises. If it is not accurate it is worthless…being able to put your pellet exactly where you want it is what attracts me to shooting, otherwise, why bother…
Enjoy the Weekend everybody,
-Yogi
PS more than half the time I hear you “complain” about too thin reticles. Just say’n…
Yogi,
Totally agree about NO Compromises and repeatable accuracy!
The complacency, incompetence, and plain mental laziness of our leadership is overwhelming the ingenuity gene of the USA’s working population.
Your PS is accurate! I would suggest Tom look at the M2 MRAD FFP with a DONUT RETICLE: https://www.leapers.com/products/scopes/reticle.html
https://www.leapers.com/products/scopes/reticle/m2-mrad.html
He can put that circle on the white dot and use the green illumination if need be since red doesn’t work for him.
The FFP allows him to change the apparent width of Crosshairs if needed!
shootski
shootski,
I believe green does not work for B.B. either(hope I am wrong)!
I understand that red/green blindness usually goes together.
Agreed that the skilled craftsman trades have been largely ignored in the US for the past 20-30 years.
I believe the German apprentice system is much better…
-Y
Yogi,
Fortunately for Tom and other folks Leapers and other companies have those many color etched glass reticles. I believe UTG Scopes have something called IE 36-COLORS. He can coordinate with his shirt color… don’t want him to have a fashion failure ;^)
shootski
Shootski: Indeed there are those 36 fashion statements in the UTG spectrum! I’m glad I didn’t take a good cut on my coffee cup prior to reading your comment!
The only problem with the spectrum is remembering how many taps are required on the Green/Red buttons to end at the color desired, but do it right and your fashionable shooting is the product.
LFrank,
Currently that buttonology is what i am learning to deal with on my AGM NEITH LRF DS32-4MP
https://www.pyramydair.com/search-results-ext?keyword=AGM NEITH LRF DS32-4MP
Fortunately i got a BIG external Power Bank so i don’t need to change/recharge the on board battery every bunch of minutes of run time. Once i get it down there are ways to spare the on-board battery. I haven’t gotten into the reticle choice menus. There are 10 reticles that can be configured into 5 reticle groups…i have no idea if there are color choices! But the examples seem to indicate that each configured reticle is set up for a specific range.
This from the User Manual seems to indicate…”set parameters such as type, color, and boresight correction (coordinates) for the reticle.” Seems to indicate i can – MIND YOUR COFFEE CUP – avoid fashion failures as well with seven available colors.
shootski
I get the avoidance of fashion failures. And I heeded your warning prior to reading further, thanks! LOL
I get tired of flummoxing around trying to get a fashionable color and surrender to the red/green choice. It’s too easy to get off the color selection and dim or glare the reticle. Obviously, the people who developed the color scheme and dimming power got VERY familiar with the system by the time it went into production. Me? Not so much, and shooting in my basement range doesn’t require much sophistication in choices of color/hue nor brightness level – in fact, most of the time I don’t turn the color on. I’m just selection senile, I guess.
LFranke,
“…selection senile…”
I like that.
shootski
Never have had a scope with “illumination”. I would be afraid the battery would leak and ruin the whole thing. KISS for me…
-Y
Left long enough, that could happen. My electrified scopes use the coin-style batteries that don’t seem to do that, and I change ’em when they fail to light up the reticles anyway.
I’ve crossed back to non-illuminated scope choices from the UTG/Leapers to the Hawke products. More a matter of price points, but my shooting in the basement range doesn’t really need inner illumination of the aiming points. If I was to go back in time about 60 years to my late uncles’ farms, eliminating pigeons in the barns (which crapped on everything), the story would be different. No barns, no pigeons, no uncles makes the IR kind of unnecessary.
Mind you, the illuminated scope is handy for dusk pest elimination, but I also quit putting in a garden, so there’s not much to shoot at as the rabbits can’t find my tomato row, my beet row or anything else for that matter. It’s all just boring old blue grass….
My past neighbor, who was chief of anesthesiology at our local hospital moved to New Mexico and had the aging pine tree line on our mutual property line taken down. So…the squirrel interstate also went bye-bye. The only thing left are the National Target Company sheets illuminated by a construction flood light in the ballistic closet, so the unlit reticles work very, very well.
Now….if those damned racoons return that once crapped up the attic, there might be a change in plans….
BB
Since you look at the new year’s plans maybe you should consider having more tests of air pistols. I know that there aren’t many new ones but I think we have neglected them. The Hatsan Velox could be on top of the list as well as the ultra cheap Umarex Mark. Air gunning is more than old springer and low priced pcp rifles. Don’t you think?
Bill,
I agree. More pistols, please.
I will try my hardest.
BB
Bill,
Be careful what you wish for. Although I will not be buying any in the near future, I would like to read more from BB concerning his take on some of the new air pistols.
As for the new crop of overpriced sproingers and the ultra-expensive PCPs, there are a bunch of video reviewers out there who are quite willing to tell you how great the airguns they test are.
Some, such as myself, collect the older sproingers and are willing to tell you about them. I pay real close attention to what is going on in the sproinger world. I am not impressed. Many of these “old gals” I talk about are just as accurate as what you see coming out these days, are much better built and as cheap or cheaper than what you can buy these days.
I would really like to buy an FX, an Epic, an RTI or most especially a Lelya. That is not going to happen. I do not make a gazillion a year. I recently bought a BSA R10 SE. Because it was a discontinued model, it was on sale for over four hundred dollars off. FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS! There are some nice PCPs out there that can be had for less.
RR
I think I might misled you with my poor use of English. I am not a fan of high priced pcp rifles for the simple reason of economics. Being a retiree in my country is on the opposite spectrum of wealth… I just like to read and learn diverse things about airguns, especially those that I can’t afford; guns like your BSA or the FX DRS for example. They can be found here for € 1.000+. Vintage springers and hi tech PCPs obviously cost the same.
Anyway my point to Tom was just to remind him of the diversity that this blog had in the earlier years and I think he understood me.
Bill,
Please forgive me if my reply was taken to be critical of you. It was not meant to be. There are those who want BB to report on these overly expensive airguns. Thankfully he lets others and me have a place to “talk” about our experiences with some of these older or less expensive airguns. I am thankful to have someone willing to expound upon these and what is involved in maintaining and repairing airguns.
I also do hope to hear more about air pistols, although I do have to admit that the replicas do not do anything for me. Most are identical with the exception of the shell anywho.
I too am now retired and my income has greatly been reduced. It is my intention to be critical of the high prices that are being charged for some things just because they can charge that much. Fine. Keep it then.
BB,
I like the idea of identifying your expectations. Ever since i was influenced by a certain Pelletier and bought a Beeman P17, I have been exploring the lower $$ end of BB and pellet guns. And I like older guns. So now, I’m more interested in minute of dirtclod or minute of tin can repeatability. And your very detailed and thorough reviews definitely tell me which guns can make that grade.
For example, today I went out with my Crosman 454 bb repeater, and at 18 paces I hit a plastic coke bottle 14 of 16 times with one called flier. That, to me, was happy accuracy from this gun and my shaky hands.
Prosperous New Year to you! And I double down on davemysters blessings to you!
I second the motion!
Tom,
Maybe you could work in the Philosophy of Use somewhere in the end of the testing cycle. As in what is the airgun best used for? Is it to punch bullseyes all day long? A pesting gun? An impromptu can roller where you just want to have fun? Of course there are some that it can be used in other ways but having fun with the gun you are with us the best.
Praying for a successful and uneventful surgery next week.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
You always know the right thing to say. That is a wonderful idea!
Thanks,
BB
Tom: Siraniko’s suggestion is spot on. A suggested use category/recommendation would be a relly good thing in reviews. Actually, would also be good in the catalogue page for each piece (especially to help a new person to the hobby/sport). Folks just starting out in the airgun world likely are confronted with the plethora of options and, other than FPS notations and, perhaps, type of propulsion system, have little understanding of the limitations and uses of different arms.
I would suggest some processing of this with some reserve of time. That is, freely write down the types of shooting and/or arms that are common to airgunning. Set that aside for a week on the big old piece of butcher paper, and then come back to it with a critical eye and a detached perspective (like that of a novice), and then see what makes good sense.========================== Let me share an observation here. I own an ’89 RWS/Diana Model 36 in .177 and a Diana 430L also in .177. The first long gun is a great pesting piece for smaller noxious garden invaders or siding chewers, the second less “punishing” for an evening putting round holes in National Targets in the basement range. The M-36 hits hard with a bit of a cheek twang, the 430L is hyper accurate (as is the M-36) but lacks the twang and the more demanding cocking. These are different from the Hatsan 135 in .25 that hits hard, is accurate, but weighs a “ton” shooting expensive pellets (per piece). Each piece has become a great shooter and has its purpose. ================Would a simplified chart of likely successful uses be something of assistance to a new customer? A simplified “guide” in making first choices before time, use and sophistication sets in????
BINGO! The man halfway around the world is a winner! Gary Barnes asked me the question when I was starting into airguns, “What are you going to use it for?”
I did not buy an airgun that day. As a matter of fact, I did not buy an airgun for several years. First, I had to answer that question. It is a question I ask myself to this day.
First of all, I will be praying for you about your Monday appointment.
As to todays blog, it hits close to home.
On my personal guns (both air and powder burners) I figure out the philosophy of use, and equip it accordingly.
Hunting tree rats at reasonable distances, I use something with a large easy to see reticle.
Plinking or paper punching at 100 yards, I use something more complex, and has hold overs for bullet drop and hold offs for wind.
Powder burners for home defense?
Something easy to manipulate at 3am, and has a light and laser.
But I too have come to expect excellent accuracy from the new Airguns, and want to eke out the smallest group I can, and let the readers make an informed decision.
But how I test something and how I will eventually use it may not be the same.
I came to realize this when I put a massive 6-36x scope on an AR15 intended for competition to test accuracy at 100 yards. I found what ammo shoots well enough for my needs.
And then remembered what I was actually going to use the rifle for.
So I took off the 3 lb monster scope and put a 4 ounce red dot optic on the rifle.
Happy new year everyone!
Ian
Ian comes in a close second place! We are on a roll now.
Ian, you just said everything I was going to say.
I will add that I’m interested in finding out how precise a “new” (to me) airgun is, removing as much of the “me” as possible, then I can find out how precise and accurate I can be with it (not very). But it gives me peace of mind to know the gun can shoot better than I can, so misses are on me.
My first airgun of my airgun “Renaissance” was an Umarex Embark, mainly for teaching the kids on. But the gun was not accurate, even though it is the standard arm for the SAR target shooting competitions. And it ended up frustrating the kids. I found out later the gun could be very accurate, with the right pellets, mushy and vague trigger and all, but only at 10 yards. My suspicion is a bent barrel or poor barrel to block alignment, so shooting at any other distance, in the back yard for example, is an exercise in frustration.
So testing for accuracy is great info to have, but together with the perspective of the particular airgun’s intended use.
Good luck with your procedure on Monday, BB.
Good luck at the doctor! Off The Shelf Airguns probably said it best, “Make Airgunning Great Again!”. Sometimes you just want to plink, and you don’t have to beat yourself up looking for the tiniest groups. Or for doing pesting inside a barn, does the 0.1″ difference between benchrest groups really matter?
BB
Prayers for successful surgery.
You’re being too hard on yourself. How many times have you said you wouldn’t scope some gun because it was best suited for the open or peep sights it came with? If one can hit what one aims at, well and good. But who wants a shotgun pattern from a rifled barrel? Self defense in close quarters is another matter but airguns are not defense weapons.
How accurate is accurate enough? We each have our own expectations.
You don’t need to change the way you test or your comments.
Deck
Deck,
Thanks,
BB
One of the aspects of your reports that is of great interest to me is the troubleshooting aspect. Seeing the process of finding out why a gun isn’t performing up to expectations is important and educational for me. Sometimes it has been something like the gun was not fitting you well, so your sighting was inconsistent.
Are your expectations too high? Generally speaking, I think they are not too high. However, I think that Derrick and Siraniko make good points.
I do hope you will continue to troubleshoot until you can determine whether it is the gun’s accuracy limitations, the sighting system, the pellet choice, or something else, that is to blame.
Thanks for all you do. And I am praying for the best results for your procedure Monday.
BB,
We all wish you well Monday and will be saying prayers to our Lord for you.
As I have said previously, when I was starting into the world of airguns, Gary Barnes asked me the question “What are you going to do with this airgun?” That is a question each and every one of us should answer before we buy any of these things.
Many of the “old gals” I have at Ridgrunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns are sproingers. Most of them illustrate the different ways that were used to overcome some of the issues by designers that were encountered along the way. I just wish I was rich enough to show all of the different ways some of the solutions were accomplished.
I do have a few PCPs. Some of them are most definitely antique and do illustrate points in history, while others are relatively modern and are still available. These newer ones I have for my possible “needs”.
What I have noticed is there has not been very much done with sproingers for many years. Mostly the manufacturers have sat back and been satisfied with the basic design and cranked out geegobs of them in their attempt to rake in vast quantities of money.
There has not been that much done with PCPs either. In my most humble opinion, they have actually digressed in some ways. The much simpler knock open valve has replaced the timed valve but took the addition of a regulator and plenum to control the amount of air released with each shot. Our present desire for high shot counts and shorter and shorter air rifles has caused the onboard air pressures to rise from under 800 PSI to over 4500 PSI.
Also, as I have pointed out previously, there are a huge bunch of reviewers who will point out all of the wonderous “latest and greatest” and very expensive airguns available if your pockets are deep enough, but not many who take a more practical look at what is going on in the world of airguns. BB tries. Give him a break. Yes, he has his faults, but at least he listens and tries to correct such.
Data driven decisions. That is exactly what you deliver!
In the old days, pre internet, data was derived from the ARH a d Beeman catalogs. FPS impressed us, but price and your perceived use usually determined what you mailed your check in for.
Sometimes you got a winner, and sometimes you got a lemon. Thereby installing a learning curve. And that BB is why you are here, to mitigate the learning curve with data driven opinions.
First thing is, FM will keep you on the Healing Prayers’ list hoping your procedure is nothing more than a blip on your health-maintaining journey. As for your expectations question, you might consider, based on some of the comments of wiser, more capable and expert airgunners who comment here, to include a Simplicity Analysis or Index in your reviews – that is, “would this airgun perform the same or better with fewer bells and whistles?” Then again, that might overly complicate your reviews and result in more work for you. God forbid!
I have only recently gotten back into airguns. When my uncle bought a Nylon 66 that was my go to for eliminating squirrels. So when I wanted to reduce the local squirrel population I thought I would need similar power levels. So I bought a Hatsan Flashpup Synthetic 22 cal, after putting scope, and a light I now could go get some squirrels. But the power level that it shot best at was WAY more than was needed for my backyard. It was also much heavier than I thought it would be. I should have asked the question of this group about what would be best for the job of removing these little pests. My wallet would have appreciated it, but no “I knew what I was doing.
Next I bought a Marauder pistol and put a UTG Micro red dot on it, with a small light. This was much lighter and when adjusted to about 13-14 ft-lbs was accurate and more than enough power to take on squirrels and rabbits. Though not enough for a one-shot-kill of raccoons and possums usually that took a second shot finish the job, unless I had the Hatsan but that was becoming increasingly rare. Eventually I installed a Huma regulator and an AR stock the OEM stock was not easy to get into a good and comfortable position.
My last purchase was the HW50S in 177, power level was about 12 ft-lbs, with an Air Arms peep sight and modified clear front insert, the OD was reduced to fit the front sight. This is a fun gun for target shooting, plinking, and pesting during daylight out to about 20 yards. Plus I can shoot as long as I desire, with no stopping to refill.
If I had asked for help in the beginning when choosing an airgun I probably would only have the HW50S. Nor would I have this current itch to buy yet another airgun. Along the way I did get a P17 but that does not get much shooting, maybe 50 rounds in 2024.
The first question is “Will the tool/airgun I have do the job?”
If you have a fat wallet the second question is irrelevant “Do I need a different tool/airgun to do the job or do I just want a new tool/airgun?”
My dad always said “Use the right tool for the job.” and “Buy the best tool you can afford”. When you do these two things you will be happier and less frustrated with your work/task at hand.
Mike
Mikle,
Your dad was a smart man. About a month ago I was helping decorate my church for Christmas and happened to use a professional framing hammer for a small task.. Boy — was that an experience! When I came back home I bought myself a professional framing hammer online.
Now — I’m a writer. I have as much use for a professional framing hammer as reader RidgeRunner has for a bank vault to hold his cash! But I wanted that hammer and now that I have it — it’s MINE!
BB
Starting off the year with your New Years Resolution. You are really old school, like so many of us. Best wishes for a successful operation.
BB,
I will add my positive thoughts about the outcome of your Monday procedure. Even though we haven’t necessarily met, you are importantly to this online ‘family’.
When I think about proper usage in regard to these airguns, I think about the grin that must creep across Ridgerunner’s face when he hears the ‘clank’ or ‘tink’ when he has a solid hit on a feral sofa can, with his air rifle that was made in 1906!! Is it the most accurate? Probably not. Does he think that it does what it should? That is entirely up to him.
We all have the final decision of what we like for a personal airgun.
All the best in this New Year!
Bill
BB, of course my comment wasn’t meant to say you’d crossed any lines. It was simply to point out that this looked like more than acceptable accuracy and this looked like a nice air rifle for a lot of uses. Would I test differently, maybe–and thats OK.
No one single feature is everything. Not even accuracy.
Sometimes it might not even factor. When I bought a pocket carry handgun, I don’t remember even considering accuracy. I was far more interested in concealabiility, caliber, reliability, price, round capacity and weight. In fact, holster availability would’ve ranked higher than accuracy.
Yogi, this is going to melt your brain, but I have several 5.56 rifles with round counts in the thousands that have never been fired at a paper target. Are they accurate? Enough to place shot after shot on steel plates at 200+ yards. So, yes they do exactly what I want them to do. Shooting them at a piece of paper with scoring rings won’t affect my opinion of them in the slightest.
I was just looking the Notos from a slightly different perspective.
B.B.,
First things first you have my most sincere wishes for a successful procedure on Monday. You will be in my prayers until you report all is well once more. May your pre-op prep this weekend be perfect and may you sleep soundly to prepare your body for the stresses it will be exposed to on Monday. May your mind be quieted of worries as you know God will keep you as he sees fit. All will be well.
Now for the on topic stuff. You wrote: “When this blog started in 2005 Joshua Ungier told me to report on all the airguns honestly. I agreed with that; I wouldn’t have done it any other way. But over time the latest crop of hyper-accurate precharged pneumatics (PCP) has jaded me a bit. Airguns like the Air Venturi AvengeX are able to put all their shots into tight little groups, and seeing that has caused me to focus on the size of the groups every air rifle can shoot. That may be good or it may be that I’ve stepped over the line.” So what you have done here for over two decades seems to have drawn really large numbers of readers to read the this blog of yours. Some for only the topic their search brought them here for, some stay for a time, many for far longer than they ever imagined. Some become regular commenters others are occasional contributors, still many more are read only members of your blog family. Yes you may on occasion cross some imaginary line but you self correct on your own or on reflection on a commenters post.
More than two decades of success is uncommon in this age we live in you just need to promise to be true to “…I wouldn’t have done it any other way.”
Well done.
shootski
Shootski
I agree, I can not say it any better.
Don
Benji-Don,
Happy New Year!
Just turned 76 one day into the New Year so i’ll Attribute it to the wisdom of my years on or above the Earth ;^)
Hope all is well with you glad to see you commenting.
Happy shooting,
shootski
Happy Birthday, to us! Mine was just the other day. I have not had quite as many as you, though.
I just re-watched “A Few Good Men” last night. I wondered if you have seen it and what you thought of it.
Roamin Greco,
Happy Birthday!
Geezer advice:
Make certain to invest in your functional fitness at every opportunity.
It is the one investment that has the very highest rate of return possible and the only Capital that lasts for a lifetime. The IRS (Tax Collectors) can not touch.
As far as A Few Good Men i saw it and enjoyed both the play as well as the movie. I won’t comment on it since i was a General Court-martial Convening Authority and choose to not comment on the JCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) or cases (even movies) governed by it.
shootski
Roamin Greco,
A belated Happy Birthday to You!
Siraniko
Thank you, sir!
Shootski,
A belated Happy Birthday to You!
Siraniko
Siraniko,
Thank you!
shootski
B.B. and Readership,
Tom talked about scopes so i looked to see what he had covered in the past and found this: https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2007/11/scopes-part-1selecting-a-scope/
But can’t seem to find a Part n+1!
Maybe someone can look to see if i am correct on the “old” missed opportunity…
One of the comments B.B. made in that caught my eye:
“What will you use the scope for?
That may not be not good English, but it’s a heck of a good question. If you have not used riflescopes a lot, or at all, please read this carefully. How you want to use the scope should determine many things about what the scope must have.”
The beauty of that statement is that you can substitute almost any thing for the SCOPE and it still makes sense!
I think we should lobby Tom to at least update this orphaned OLD BLOG or continue it because much has changed in the world of optics and most especially for airgun uses in the past decade and one half.
shootski
shootski,
The rest is there just kinda hidden, https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2008/05/scopes-part-5-zeroing-your-scope/ you can backtrack with the links to the other parts.
Mike
Mike in Atl,
Thank you Mike.
I wonder if Tom ever wrote the book? I know he made a video.
I still think it needs an update to cover the changes that have actually happened beyond the bells and whistles. I’m still sorting the Digital Night Vision improvements…i think the improvement in consumer level resolution and functionality is spectacular…of course that means next year my device will be 2nd Class or worse.
shootski
Shootski, an update on optics might be an interesting subject. I have recently been wondering about the optics that Chris Kyle and his fellow soldiers used in the Middle East conflicts. It appears that they used a separate night vision device that could be mounted in front of a daytime scope. Have they combined those items into single devices these days? If so, is the combination device the preferred one now?
Elmer Fudd,
First things first. Be very, very careful before obtaining anything that has SNIPER tinge to it; especially in places like California. Nota bene:
California Code, Penal Code – PEN § 468
Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
“Any person who knowingly buys, sells, receives, disposes of, conceals, or has in his possession a sniperscope shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.”
“As used in this section, sniperscope means any attachment, device or similar contrivance designed for or adaptable to use on a firearm which, through the use of a projected infrared light source and electronic telescope, enables the operator thereof to visually determine and locate the presence of objects during the nighttime.”
There are some “divide and conquer” exemptions in the full law as per the usual technique of the anti gun/shooting types.
Hunting or pesting laws applicable in your jurisdiction are also important items to review before using or even buying these types of devices.
Now to answer a little of your question: Typically most military optics are separate for the purpose of sequential degradation of the capability.
Digital Night Vision is far less usable for the sniper mission than current generation thermal units. Seeing through the scope is not the only need for night ops. Infrared (IR) typically comes with the active illumination penalty…think blazing like a lighthouse to a properly equiped Counter Sniper unit and not necessarily tera firma based.
For civilian uses the digital is far lower in cost for similar capability for sighting prey in darkness or other restrictions like fog or smoke. There are clip on digital devices that can be mated to optical scopes and dot sights.
shootski
PS: Chris Kyle was a US Navy SEAL which means he was sailor and not a soldier.
Thanks, I am just curious and like to learn a little bit about some of that stuff. Yes, Chris Kyle was a Seal. Thanks for the correction. I guess that I just think of what he did over there as more of what soldiers typically do than what sailors typically do. His book tells about a lot of things that happened a bit differently than they do in the movie. I also enjoyed reading his book titled: American Gun: A history of the U.S. in ten firearms.
Elmer Fudd,
No problem.
You have no idea how often folks get the idea that USAF pilots fly from the USN Aircraft Carriers. It got a little better after the first Top Gun movie but even then it only slowed down a little.
We sailors are just out of sight and out of mind most of the time on and over the Seven Seas. We do on occasion go Feet Dry and raise all kinds of HELL for the enemy when we do! Come to think of it…on a social level as well ;^)
shootski
Too critical?
Good Idea to express your opinion for the best use of or intended purpose for a particular air gun when it comes to accuracy. Some simply have no need to be a one-hole wonder. Especially if they are priced accordingly.
Heard a statement recently, some people like a certain kind of car, but someone who really likes cars loves them all. Thats the way I feel about airguns as well.
“What do I want to do with an airgun?” The answer is easy, for me anyway. “Add it to my collection”. Why, like Tom said, because I want it.
They are all good for something. Just use it accordingly and you will probably not be disappointed.
Not getting what you paid for can be disappointing, especially if was only purchased for high accuracy without consideration for any of its designed usefulness. “But it’s plastic” You need to at least know ‘what’ you are purchasing, and BB is good at doing just that for us. Not to mention the rest of the bloggers here.
I can see BB being critical of an airguns accuracy. We have seen what can be done and expectations can be high, and BB tries his best to make sure we know exactly what we can expect and act accordingly.
When everything you have done to identify and improve an airguns accuracy fails to impress, it can be disappointing.
Hope Monday is successful.
Speaking of collection, just pre-ordered another IPSC replica BB Pistol for my sub-collection. Delayed Christmas gift to myself. Don’t expect it to shoot any better than your average 350 fps CO2 pistol but it sure is impressive and I don’t think it will be available for long. The others I have were not. They are made of unobtanium metal now.
BB: Good luck to you for your surgical procedure upcoming. Best thing is to follow the instructions and if there is any physical therapy to follow do 110% of the recommended exercises as tolerated. Don’t do more than the additional 10%. My experience is that that little extra helps get one on one’s feet faster but more than that seems to tear one down. This is not scientific but by personal experience.
Let us know how you are doing after you are done. We all care about you, if even at great distances!
Lance