Airgun History Project | Air gun blog

AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 2

Posted on May 25, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 22 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

AirForce Edge.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 1 of this series

This report covers:

Edge production
Edge valve
Edge owners
The test
Test strategy
H&N Finale Match Light
RWS R10 Match Pistol
Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
RWS Basic
How fast is the regulator?
Shot count
Discussion
Trigger pull
Discharge sound
Summary

Today I will be shooting the AirForce Edge as a 10 meter target rifle for the first time since 2010. And this one is my own rifle! I have a lot to tell you.

Edge production

When the Texan took off in sales recently, AirForce struggled to meet the worldwide demand and Edge production was set to the side. When you have solid orders for a thousand guns you have to address that before making 25 of another model.

That time gave AirForce a chance to think. The Edge has not been a high volume seller for them — partly because once a team or individual owns one it lasts forever and the demand goes away. And also partly because of the cost. A buyer has to be serious to spend the kind of money that an Edge sells for. Ironically the Texan that is outselling it costs even more, but those sales are too hot to ignore. Big bore airguns are the hot ticket everywhere and ever since the Texan came out this year in .50 caliber at 800+ foot-pounds they can’t make them fast enough. read more

Diana 23: Part 1

Posted on May 22, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 131 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana 23.

A history of airguns

This report covers:

A stripper
The rifle
Two versions of the later rifle
Trigger
Breech seal and locking detent
Sights
Cocking
What is it good for?
Summary

This report should be titled, “By any other name” because the airgun I’m writing about doesn’t say Diana anywhere. It says Gecado, Mod. 23. I know it is a Diana because I have paid attention to Diana air rifles for the past four decades, or so. They can also be named Hy Score, Winchester, Peerless, Original, Milbro, RWS, Geco (of which Gecado is a derivative) and Beeman. And I bet there are more names I haven’t mentioned.

These are the principal markings on the rifle. There is no serial number, caliber or date of manufacture.

A stripper

Decades ago a new car that was basic and was priced as low as that model would go was called a stripper. Well, the Diana 23 is the stripper of Diana pellet rifles. In the photograph above the rifle appears to be the same size as a Diana 27, but when you see them together the difference becomes obvious. read more

AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 1

Posted on May 18, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 47 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

AirForce Edge.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

A history of airguns

This report covers:

Daisy?
Daisy 599
Some history
NRA defines the youth target rifle
The deal
Back to the Edge
Specifications
Regulator
Barrel
Trigger
Stock adjustments
Weights
Velocity
Summary

I have already written a lot about the AirForce Edge recently. But now I’m writing about the target rifle. That is why this is Part 1. There are links to Parts 1 through 5, above, but they are the earlier report on the highly modified Edge.

I had been told that the only difference between the rifle I now own and a stock Edge target rifle was the large plenum that sat between the Edge reservoir and the rifle’s action. But, as you can read in Part 5, that was not the case. The action had a heavier hammer and mainspring that I showed you. read more

The Diana model 50 underlever: Part 6

Posted on May 15, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 112 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana model 50 underlever.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

A history of airguns

This report covers:

The test
Sight in
RWS Superdomes
The trigger
RWS Supermags
Feel of firing|
RWS Hobbys
Why shoot only RWS pellets?
H&N Baracuda 4.50 mm head
Discussion
Summary

Today I shoot the Diana model 50 underlever with sporting sights from 25 yards. Let’s see what she’ll do!

The test

I shot indoors from 25 yards off a sandbag rest. I used the artillery hold with the rifle rested on my off hand, about 8-9 inches forward of the triggerguard. The Diana 50 is an underlever, and that steel cocking mechanism makes it heavy up front, so this is the most comfortable way to stabilize it. I shot 10-shot groups at 10-meter pistol targets.

Sight in

Because I moved the rear sight forward for this test, I had to sight in the rifle again. The first shot was from 12 feet and impacted at the top of my front sight, so I called it good and backed up to 25 yards. I knew the shots would hit higher from back there, but since the first shot hit at 6 o’clock on the bull and this was a pistol target, I reckoned there was plenty of room. read more

The Diana model 50 underlever: Part 5

Posted on May 11, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 72 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana model 50 underlever.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

A history of airguns

This report covers:

Move the rear sight
Rear sight move forward
Change the sight notch
Rear sight adjustability
Not finished
Some disassembly required
Three stock screws
Wait a minute!
Glue the stock
Dry mainspring
Assembly
Velocity check
JSB Exact RS
RWS Hobby
Cocking effort
Summary

To give you guys a break from the Crosman MAR177 today I started exploring the History of Airguns web page. Have you seen how the History of Airguns is laid out now? It’s now a simple timeline. Clicking on the dates brings up the past historical articles.

In checking to see whether they all made it to the timeline, I discovered this report from 2017, in which I mentioned wanting to shoot the rifle with an open rear sight. I never did that, so today is the day. I thought I’d just have to move the rear sight but you know how little projects sometimes expand? This one sure did! This will be the tale of what happened. read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 6

Posted on May 8, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 73 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman MAR
The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

History of airguns

This report covers:

Sight-in
First group
Qiang Yuan Olympic pellets
RWS Hobby
JSB Exact RS
Discussion
Summary

You asked me to back up to 25 yards with the Crosman MAR177 and today is the day I do it. It should prove to be an interesting report.

Sight-in

Because I was using the iron sights that came with the rifle, I skipped the sight-in at 12 feet and went straight to 25 yards. My sight-in pellet was the Air Arms Falcon that was so accurate in the test at 10 meters.

The first shot went two inches high at 25 yards. After seeing that I adjusted the rear sight down 5 clicks. I had adjusted it up the other day for photography when I was exploring its adjustability and writing Part 5. read more

Crosman MAR 177: Part 5

Posted on May 4, 2020 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 39 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

The MAR177 from Crosman.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

History of airguns

This report covers:

The test
Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
What happened?
Second group with Sig Match Alloy
What to do?
Air Arms Falcon
The trigger
Do triggers affect accuracy?
Ten Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
RWS Hobby
Qiang Yuan Olympic
Discussion
The rear sight does adjust!
Summary

I finally managed to schedule for a minute past midnight, so that is back to normal. Today’s report is a follow-on from last Friday’s report. I am still testing the Crosman MAR177 target rifle’s accuracy with the sights that came with it. And I learned something big today. I hope it will help all of you with your shooting.

Actually, I learned two big things today. I had a stupident that I hope will help the rest of you.

The test

I said at the end of Part 4 that I wanted to test the MAR again, and perhaps with different pellets. That test happens today. read more