Category Archives: Roundballs

Roundballs category

Johnson Indoor Target Gun: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Johnson Indoor Target Gun
The Johnson Indoor Target Gun is a catapult BB gun that was made in the late 1940s for youth target practice.

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Who was Johnson?
  • The M16
  • Airgun
  • The gun in hand
  • Discussion
  • Summary

Yes, I’m reviewing a Johnson again. For some reason I keep coming back to this one. I did a short piece on December 28 2015, and before that an article on December 22 2005. Finally I did an initial very short introductory piece on October 2, 2005. That’s a lot of articles. So, why am I writing about it again? Well, the gun we are looking at today is a nearly-new Johnson that I got in the box at the Texas Airgun Show this year. It has many thing that I can show you, plus I will do a complete report on this one. So grab your coffee, boys — this series should be good. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 7

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

A history of airguns

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

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Avanti Match Grade shot
  • Hornady Black Diamonds
  • 4.45mm balls
  • Beeman Perfect Rounds
  • Summary

Today we start looking at the accuracy of the vintage Benjamin 310 multi-pump BB gun. I want to remind you that this is a smoothbore and not to expect too much accuracy from it. That being said, I remember that the ancient Benjamin 700 repeater surprised me. Let’s see if that trend continues with this single shot 310.

The test

I shot the gun at 10 meters off a sandbag rest. I used the one-pump system I developed that stabilizes the velocity around 390-400 f.p.s., depending on the type of shot. I tested both steel BBs and lead round balls, and, knowing that the larger shot were more stable in the gun, I tried to test with them. read more

Crosman DPMS SBR full-auto BB gun: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2

Crosman DPMS SBR
Crosman’s DPMS SBR full auto BB gun.

This report covers:

  • Summary
  • The report
  • The test
  • Hornady Black Diamond
  • Second group
  • Hornady full auto
  • Crosman Copperheads
  • Copperheads full auto
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs
  • Next?
  • Summary

Summary

Buy it, buy it, buy it! The Crosman DPMS SBR is a best buy, both in a reliable full auto BB gun and also in one that’s accurate.

That was my summary. Do I even need to write the rest of the report?

The report

Oh, all right! I’m here anyway, so let me show you what happened. Today is accuracy day for the DPMS and I was excited to see what it can do. I had seen indications of accuracy at the NRA Show a couple months ago, and in his video report Tyler Patner also showed us some good targets at a range farther than we normally shoot BB guns.

The test

Tyler shot at 10 yards. I’m shooting at the usual 5 meters (16.4 feet) until I know that the DPMS is really accurate. You’ll see why when I tell you what I plan on doing. read more

Benjamin 310 BB gun: Part 6

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

A history of airguns

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

This report covers:

  • How to test?
  • RWS Hobby
  • H&N Baracuda Match
  • One pump
  • Another test
  • Fastest shot
  • Pellet tests coming
  • One final test
  • Summary

Today is our final day of looking at the velocity of the Benjamin 310 multi-pump BB gun. You will recall that the reason this has taken so long is because this gun is very flexible about the ammo it accepts. If it turns out to be accurate, this gun may well be an all-time best airgun to own — right up there with an FWB 124 and a Diana 27..

Today we will look at the velocity with pellets. Since the gun is smoothbore I don’t expect it to be accurate past 10 meters, but I will reserve judgement until we test it. If I get nothing better than 2-inches at that distance, though, I won’t be testing it at 25 yards. There are already enough holes in my walls and woodwork! read more

Seneca Double Shot air shotgun: Part 1

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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

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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

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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