Author Archives: B.B. Pelletier

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

Benjamin 310
A Benjamin 310 multi-pump BB gun from 1952.

This report covers:

  • Hollow bolt
  • All that I want to test
  • Steel BBs
  • Lead balls
  • Darts
  • Traditional airgun darts
  • Non-traditional airgun darts
  • Pellets
  • Velocity test
  • Sad BB!
  • Next day
  • Discussion

I’m at the Pyramyd Air Cup today. Veteran readers please help the new guys with their questions while I’m gone, because I won’t have much chance to answer email. I will be back in the office on Monday.

Today we begin looking at the velocity of the Benjamin 310 BB gun. There have been so many comments and requests for me to test different things with this gun that I won’t get through the whole velocity portion today. But I will get a start.

Hollow bolt

I mentioned the hollow bolt nose that differentiates the 310 from other Benjamin air rifles, but I don’t think all of you understood what I was talking about. I remember the first time I encountered this as a kid, it fooled me, too. read more

Hatsan 135 QE Vortex .30-caliber pellet rifle: Part 4

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 

Hatsan 135 30 caliber rifle
Hatsan’s .30 caliber 135 QE Vortex is a large breakbarrel — both in size and caliber.

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Sight in
  • JSB Exact 44.75 grain
  • JSB Exact 50.15-grain
  • Predator Polymag
  • Next
  • JSB domes at 25 yards
  • Predator Polymags
  • Polymags with the tips removed
  • Summary

This Hatsan 135 QE Vortex .30-caliber pellet rifle is full of surprises and today is no exception. I scoped it in preparation for a 50-yard test. Today was confirmation at 25 yards.

I installed an obsolete UTG 4-16X56 scope in a pair of BKL 300 High Rings. The 135 has an adjustable comb that I raised about 3/4-inches to align with the eyepiece. It was very comfortable, shooting that way.

This scope had been shimmed for an earlier test, so it was very close to on target when the test began. I only fired one shot at 12 feet and one more at 10 meters to get on target. Then at 25 yards I refined the scope with two more shots. read more

Benjamin Fortitude precharged rifle: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

Benjamin Fortitude
The Benjamin Fortitude precharged air rifle.

This report covers:

  • Point one
  • Crosman Premier lites
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • Why such a large velocity spread?
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • RWS Superdomes
  • Shot count
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger pull
  • Inlet valve failed
  • Evaluation so far

Today we look at the velocity of the Benjamin Fortitude. As this is one of the new price point PCPs, this test should be interesting.

Point one

My test rifle leaked down from the initial fill in three hours. I had filled it to 3,000 psi, then set it aside to do other work. When I returned three hours later nearly all the air had leaked out. However when I refilled it, I couldn’t hear a leak. It was apparently slow enough to allow testing, so I proceeded.

Crosman Premier lites

The first pellet I tested was the Crosman Premier 7.9-grain dome. They averaged 885 f.p.s. over 10 shots. The low was 872 and the high was 900 f.p.s. That’s an 18 f.p.s. spread. At the average velocity this pellet produced 13.74 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. read more

Umarex Trevox air pistol: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

Umarex Trevox air pistol
The Umarex Trevox is a single shot breakbarrel gas spring air pistol.

This report covers:

  • RWS Hobby
  • Discussion
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
  • Firing behavior
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger pull
  • Summary

Today we look at the velocity of the new Umarex Trevox air pistol. I said in Part 1 that this is a pistol to watch, so consider today’s report watching!

RWS Hobby

First up will be the RWS Hobby pellet. I’m going to show you more than just the average velocity today, because there is something more to learn from this test. Let’s look at the first 4 shots.

Shot………..Velocity
1……………..708
2……………..665
3……………..656
4……………..617

The Trevox started out dieseling strongly, like so many spring guns do when they are new. Veteran airgunners are used to this, but it may surprise a newcomer to the hobby. Let’s resume this string at shot 5. read more

Hy Score 816/Diana model 6 pistol: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

A history of airguns

Hy Score 816
This Hy Score 816 is a Diana model 6 recoilless target pistol. This is the photo from the auction.

This report covers:

  • RWS Hobby
  • Qiang Yuan Training pellets
  • Trigger improved
  • Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger pull
  • I goofed on the trigger
  • Summary

Today we look at the velocity of my new/old Diana model 6 target pistol. There was a lot of interest in this gun last Friday — more than I expected. I really do feel fortunate to have acquired it. Now that I’ve learned that a reseal could cost over $200 with shipping, I really hope this one is doing okay! Let’s find out together.

RWS Hobby

First up is the lead lightweight, the RWS Hobby wadcutter. These are often the fastest lead pellets in an airgun, though my Diana model 5 actually shot a heavier target pellet faster. Let’s see what this pistol does. read more

Hy Score 816/Diana model 6 pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

A history of airguns

Hy Score 816
This Hy Score 816 is a Diana model 6 recoilless target pistol. This is the photo from the auction.

This report covers:

  • The deal
  • Almost a PCP!
  • Sights
  • Model 6 variations
  • My pistol
  • Hold
  • Size
  • Power
  • Cocking
  • Trigger
  • The real world

It’s Friday and you now know what pistol shot that small group this week. It was a Hy Score 816 that’s actually a Diana model 6 target pistol. I had told you that I won this auction on Gun Broker. In fact, let’s look at what I said.

A seller had listed a Hy Score model 816 pistol for $119.99. Now, if you have listened to reader ChrisUSA, you have purchased your Blue Book of Airguns that has a manufacturer cross-reference table in the back. Hy Score was based in Brooklyn and did manufacture some airguns in the 1940s through the ’60s. They also bought airguns made by other companies that were marked with their name — not unlike business is done today. One company they bought from was Diana. I search Hy Score listings frequently, hoping to stumble across a model 807 rifle which is really — quick, someone tell me! That’s right, it’s a Diana model 27. read more

Benjamin Fortitude precharged rifle: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Benjamin Fortitude
The Benjamin Fortitude precharged air rifle.

This report covers:

  • Price-point PCP
  • Not a Marauder!
  • Description
  • Stock
  • Shrouded barrel
  • Free-floated barrel
  • Regulator
  • Impressive!
  • Conclusions

Today we begin our look at yet another price-point PCP — the Benjamin Fortitude. Unlike the Umarex Gauntlet that was the first price-point PCP to be announced, and then suffered early launch jitters, the Fortitude stayed under wraps until the airgun company formerly known as Crosman decided it was ready.

Price-point PCP

What is a price-point PCP? An argument could be made that the Benjamin Discovery was the first one, though if you go down that path you will soon turn up a crowd of similarly low-priced PCPs. We have looked at several of them over the years. But they are not what I am calling price-point PCPs. Those airguns are fine, basic airguns. A price-point PCP is a precharged pneumatic that offers features formerly found only on guns costing many times the penny-under-$300 that the market has decided to make the line in the sand. In short, a price-point PCP (PPP) is one that gives a lot of value for the price. read more