Category Archives: Uncategorized

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Ruger 10/22.

This report covers:

• Well-suited
• History
• My 10/22
• Barrel lottery
• Custom barrel
• Why this report today?
• BUT

Whaaaat???

BB is writing about a firearm? And it’s a 10-shot semiautomatic firearm, at that. Many countries ban semiautomatic firearms! So this one isn’t even legal in a lot of places.

What gives?

I’m not telling — yet! I do have a reason for doing this. It’s a real good reason, but for today you just have to trust me.

Well-suited

Of all the airgun writers on this planet — are there more than 20? — I’m probably the most qualified to write about the Ruger 10/22 because I have written about it extensively for Shotgun News — the previous title of Firearm News, many years ago. I wrote the feature series, What can you do with a 10/22? in which I investigated accuracy, reliability, modifications, customizing, and the use of a silencer. read more

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Hastsan Proxima underlever repeater.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

• Single shot?
• The test
• Sight-in
• Remember the sights!
• JSB Exact Heavy
• Firing cycle
• RWS Superdome
• Baracuda Match
• Discussion
• Summary

Today we start looking at the accuracy of the .22-caliber Hatsan Proxima. Since it has open sights, I started with them.

Single shot?

You guys dumped on me last time about the single-shot feature. Okay, I admit there are some aftermarket single-shot adaptors for the Proxima, but I doubt anyone will ever use them. You see, cocking this rifle and closing the cocking lever is a two-handed proposition. Don’t forget the cocking lever release has to be pressed to close the lever. Unless you have a third hand to load a pellet with one of those adaptors while all that is going on, I don’t think it will happen. Is it possible? Sure. But it’s a bar bet — not a way to shoot. read more

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Michael’s Winchester 427 is a Diana model 27 by another name. The rifle pictured is my Hy Score 807/Diana 27.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9

A history of airguns

This report covers:

• The fix
• Michael’s rifle
• Then came Carel
• But wait…
• While I’m at it…
• Goals
• My first 35
• Blue Book

Tuning Michael’s Winchester 427/Diana 27 really ignited a spark in me! That’s why I linked to all the reports. It put me in mind of many things I have experienced over the years. The one that stands out the most is the Diana 45 I tuned for Johnny Hill of Tin Starr Bullets in Weatherford, TX back in 2015. His rifle was bone-dry on the inside and also had a classic Diana bent mainspring. I say classic because when Diana started the velocity race against the FWB 124 in the 1970s, they over-hardened their mainsprings with the result they always bent or broke off at both ends. read more

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10

Beeman P1 air pistol.

This report covers:

• Good things happen
• The test
• The “Holy Cow!” group
• Adjusted the sight
• Second group of Sig Match Ballistic Alloy pellets
• Discussion 1
• H&N Finale Match Pistol pellets
• Discussion 2
• Crosman Premier Light pellets
• Summary

Good things happen

Sometimes everything works as it should. No, even better, things sometimes work like you think they are supposed to. Today’s report is such a day.

This report is now 11 parts long, so I will summarize. I’m testing a Beeman P1 pistol that someone traded to me at an airgun show. He included the parts I needed for a rebuild, so I did that for you in Parts 4 and 5. Then I tested it for accuracy again in Parts 6 through 9.

In Part 10 I introduced you to the UTG RDM20 Reflex Micro Dot sight that Pyramyd Air doesn’t currently carry — but they had better do so! Because I am about to show you a dot sight that was made for the Beeman P1! read more

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 

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