Category Archives: Roundballs

Roundballs category

Seneca Double Shot air shotgun: Part 1

Posted on by ↓ 50 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Seneca Double Shot
Air Venturi’s Seneca Double Shot air shotgun.

This report covers:

  • Fast second shot
  • Let’s review
  • Sub-1 crossbow
  • Reality of bow hunting
  • Description
  • How many shots?
  • What it shoots
  • Is this for you?
  • Summary

I usually just review the products and leave my personal opinions out — or I try to weave them in under the radar. Not today. I first saw today’s subject airgun, the Seneca Double Shot air shotgun at the 2018 SHOT Show. I looked at it and then showed it to Rossi Morreale on American Airgunner, all the while wondering — WHY? What possible use is there for a double-barreled air shotgun? Then Val Gamerman, the president of Pyramyd Air, told me. The extra barrel gives you a fast second shot.

Fast second shot

That second barrel gives you a quick second shot at a deer or other large game animal, when you are using Air Venturi Air Bolts. Nuff said! That is a real reason for owning a double-barreled air shotgun. read more

Sharpshooter rubber band catapult gun: Part 4

Posted on by ↓ 29 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

A history of airguns

Sharpshooter pistol
The Sharpshooter catapult pistol was made from the early 1930s until the 1980s by as many as 5 different companies. This one was made in the early 1940s.

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Test 1
  • Test 1 continued
  • Discussion
  • Firing behavior
  • What’s next?
  • Test 2 — A modern Sharpshooter
  • More discussion
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the Sharpshooter catapult pistol. Since there is only one type of ammo for it, I have added something additional to spice up the report. Let’s get to it.

The ad from 1948 said the pistol could hit a fly at 16 feet. Dean Fletcher tested his at a more reasonable 10 feet, which is what I will do. Readers asked me what kind of target I used and today I will tell you. Using a coat hanger, I made a wire target holder that stands up, and wrapped a single sheet of aluminum foil around the edges of the loop at the top. It’s the same target I used for the Daisy Targeteer test. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 5

Posted on by ↓ 39 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

A history of airguns

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

This report covers:

  • Smart Shot
  • 4.4mm balls
  • 4.45mm balls
  • Beeman Perfect Rounds
  • Darts and bolts
  • Airgun darts
  • Bolts
  • Airgun bolts
  • Bolt extraction
  • Not finished yet

Today I will almost complete the velocity test of the Benjamin 310 BB gun. Today we look at the velocity with lead balls and also with both kinds of darts. Lead balls are first.

I don’t plan on testing each lead ball exhaustively. If I find something interesting I can always expand that particular test. And I will exhaust all the air before each shot I record, so you know it is moving that fast on just those pumps.

Smart Shot

H&N Smart Shot measure 0.1725-inches, nominally. Here is their performance. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 4

Posted on by ↓ 25 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

A history of airguns

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

This report covers:

  • Point 1 — does it hold air?
  • Discussion 1
  • On to the velocity tests
  • Test 1
  • Test 2
  • Test 3
  • Test 4
  • Other BBs
  • Test 5
  • Test 6
  • Test 7
  • Test 8
  • Summary

This report is taking on a life of its own! I am going very slowly and thoroughly through the testing of this Benjamin 310 BB gun to record everything for posterity. In Part 3 I started the velocity test and today I intend completing the steel BB portion of it.

Does it hold air?

My last report is dated Friday, September 2, 2018. That means I tested the airgun on Thursday, September 20. While you are reading this report on Monday, October 8, 2018, I actually wrote it on Friday, October 5. That means the tests you are about to read were also performed on that day. First I wanted to see whether the gun is still holding the two pumps of air I pumped into it at the completion of the last test on September 20. A total of 14 days and several hours have passed and I have not touched the gun since the last time. Is it still holding air? read more

Sharpshooter rubber band catapult gun: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 73 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

Sharpshooter pistol
The Sharpshooter catapult pistol was made from the early 1930s until the 1980s by as many as 5 different companies. This one was made in the early 1940s.

This report covers:

  • Why not oil?
  • First test
  • Moly-powder
  • Test 2
  • Test 3
  • Changing direction
  • Test 4
  • Conclusions
  • Summary

I said we would get deeper into the velocity of the Sharpshooter pistol this time, so that’s what will happen today. First I need to tell you that one of the two rubber bands I used for the velocity test last time broke, so I have to install another one today. Before I do that, though, I want to test my other velocity idea, which reader Paul in Liberty County correctly guessed was applying a dry lubricant to the gun. He thought it might be graphite, but I actually want to try powdered Molybdenum Disulfide. read more

Sharpshooter rubber band catapult gun: Part 2

Posted on by ↓ 35 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
A history of airguns

Sharpshooter pistol
The Sharpshooter catapult pistol was made from the early 1930s until the 1980s by as many as 5 different companies. This one was made in the early 1940s.

This report covers:

  • Bulls Eye pistol
  • Sharpshooter velocity
  • The launcher
  • Velocity
  • One band
  • Chronograph problems
  • Discharge sound
  • Trigger pull
  • Accuracy
  • Next time

Before we begin, I want to share an email I received last Friday. It says a lot about the experience of attending the Pyramyd Air Cup.

“Hi Tom, 

Meeting you in person for me was one of the highlights of the Pyramid Air Cup 2018. I’m the tall guy shooting any tournament for the first time. I shot a TX200 and had questions about a second air rifle that weekend. We spoke about the Sig P938 and you recommended a Sig 365 you were testing. I wanted to give you my perspective of what I got out my first shoot and ask you to consider sharing my thoughts. Not the shoot but as a newcomer into competition. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 3

Posted on by ↓ 129 Comments

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