Pioneer model BB76 BB gun: Part Three

Pioneer BB76 BB gun.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

• Finally
• Then what?
• For ChrisUSA
• From Michael
• Got it out
• Except
• Summary

Finally

I wanted to title this report, Finally, because it’s been six long years and one week since I did Part 2. Why? Because I tried something you readers suggested and stuck a BB in the shot tube. 

First of all, reader Michael suggested I try Marksman BBs in this BB gun. I did and got one stuck.

Today will be the story of removing the BB. So although this is titled as Part 3 it’s really out of synch with the other reports.

First I’ll share some comments readers made. 

Reader ChrisUSA said, “The Blue Book does state the bore is 4.4 mm and too large for American bb’s. It also mentions a (3) stage adjustable trigger? Huh? Also, how is the lever accessed? Is there a cut out somewhere for a finger to get in on? Pic?”

Reader Halfstep said, “I suggest that you consider Siraniko’s suggestion about dropping the bbs down the barrel, at least in the case of the Marksman bbs. If they are the variety that I have, you will find that they won’t even start into the barrel of a typical , modern bb gun. I’ve tried them in half a dozen of my co2 blowback replica guns and they jam in the breech on the first shot. Sometimes it takes considerable effort to remove them. The type I have came in a package that contained a rubbery speedloader and a ziplok bag of loose bbs and they are plated a gold color. They are pretty much worthless in my book. If you can find out what they are intended for I would like to know.”

Then author BB Pelletier said, “Half,Thanks for the info on the Marksman BBs. Pyramyd AIR has sent some to me that I should receive soon. I will probably test them by themselves if they are that different.”

When I got the BBs this is what happened.

“If you are a veteran reader of mine, you know that I have harped for many years on the fact that steel BBs are labeled as 4.5mm, when they are really 4.3mm or so. Steel BBs range in size from 0.171- to 0.1735-inches in diameter. If you are curious about where the BB came from, read this report.

And then came the Marksman Premium Grade steel BB. To the best of my knowledge, it is the only steel BB in the world that comes close to 0.177-inches in diameter.

I measured five Marksman BBs and got the following:

BB……….diameter in inches
1……………0.176-0.177 — a range, depending on where on the BB I measured
2……………0.1765
3……………0.176
4……………0.1755-0.176 — a range
5……………0.175

Right away the Pioneer76 BB gun came to mind. I know from past testing that it isn’t that accurate. Perhaps that’s because the bore is too big for most BBs. So I grabbed the gun and started evaluating the BB’s fit.

Step one was to drop a BB into the Pioneer’s muzzle and see how it fit. It went into the barrel about 3/8-inch and then stopped.

When dropped down the muzzle the Marksman BB only went in about 3/8-inches.

So the BB seems too large for the Pioneer bore. But what if it’s just that one spot and what if it’s only slightly too large? I didn’t push the BB any farther because I didn’t want to get it stuck hard, but I tried something different.

I tried loading three Marksman BBs through the Pioneer’s 50-shot forced-feed magazine. They went into the mag all the way, dropped to the bottom and seemed to make it around the curve at the bottom to line up with the bore.

The BBs rounded the curve and fed into the breech.

When I released the magazine follower the third BB was pushed into alignment with the barrel. Now I tried to install the shot tube back into the BB gun. As you may recall, when this is done, the long air tube that sticks out from the plunger (piston seal) pushes the BB deeper into the breech.

But the shot tube would not go into the gun. I tried to push it in and it resisted. That means the air tube has pushed the BB into the barrel as far as it will go and the BB is now stuck. I can’t show you a picture of that because the BB is too deep in the barrel. But I can show you how we can tell that it is stuck.

I tried to rod the BB out of the barrel with a cleaning rod from the muzzle. The shot tube was out of the gun while I did this. The BB is so stuck that the jag on the end of the rod was bent.

Then what?

I set the Pioneer shot tube aside for some time and periodically attempted to pound the BB out to no avail. Then I misplaced the shot tube. Then I forgot about it—except the gun was standing in my office missing its shot tube.

I recently found the shot tube and used heat on the breech to try to expand it but the BB refused to come out. It was buried 0.050-inches inside the breech and I hammered it out to about 0.010-inches but It would go no farther.

The Marksman BB is stuck about 0.050-inches up the shot tube.

For ChrisUSA

Here is a photo of the cocking lever cutout that reader ChrisUSA asked for.

Cutout allows you to get your fingers on the cocking lever.

Adjustable trigger?

Here’s the trigger adjustment.

From Michael

And finally an apology from reader Michael for suggesting I try this BB in the Pioneer.

“I’m sorry I suggested these for your Pioneer76. I shot two muzzle-loaded from mine, but they might have been just slightly smaller than the ones you have, and my barrel might be just a hair bigger. Also, I didn’t check to see if the BBs made it all the way down to the breech.”

Got it out

After trying heat and beating the BB I went the other way and pushed it from the breech to the muzzle. It came right out and now I can continue the test—except.

Except

When I loaded the shot tube with Daisy steel bbs and cocked the gun they fell out. So did H&N Smart Shot lead BBs. Now I have to find something that fits the larger shot tube and can be tested.

Summary

Sometimes stuff gets away from me and today you’ve seen an example. 

Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)

Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on 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.

See Full Bio