Tag Archives: 1960s

FWB 110 target rifle: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

A history of airguns

FWB 110
FWB 110 target rifle.

This report covers:

  • Sliding compression chamber
  • Velocity
  • RWS Hobby
  • Vogel Match Green
  • Accuracy
  • How good is it?
  • Summary

Today I will finish the report on the FWB 110 target rifle. Some readers thought I was testing the rifle myself. Jerry and Tommy Cupples offered to leave it with me, but given its rarity and value, I declined. I would hate for anything to happen to it in shipping! So, they did the testing for me. Let’s take a look.

Sliding compression chamber

When you pull the sidelever back you also pull the sliding compression chamber back, which in turn moves the piston. The piston compresses the mainspring, and when the sear catches the piston, the rifle is cocked. I showed you the compression chamber open in Part 1, so link back to that (above) if you have forgotten. read more

FWB 110 target rifle: Part 1

Posted on by ↓ 148 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

A history of airguns

FWB 110
FWB 110 target rifle. I’m the one who cut off both ends of the gun in this photo.

This report covers:

  • FWB target rifles
  • First target rifle
  • How rare and what is it worth?
  • What’s it like?
  • Sliding compression chamber
  • Same as a 300
  • Trigger
  • What does it feel like?
  • Summary

I was going to run the Daisy 99 today, but this opportunity to review the FWB 110 came along and things were just right for it. How about I do Part 2 of the Daisy 99 on Monday?

Most of today’s pictures were provided by Tommy Cupples. My thanks to him for their use.

FWB target rifles

After World War II the world of airguns got a jump start from the reorganization of economies worldwide. In many countries there was disposable cash to spend and airguns vied for a share of it. In Germany the production of fine target air rifles like the Weihrauch HW55 and the Walther LG50-series brought formal airgun competition to the forefront. By the 1960s, things had heated up in both the competition realm as well as in the innovation and production of the guns. There were national titles to be won, and, before long, a world cup! read more

The Diana 27: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana 27
My .22 caliber Diana 27 is actually a Hy Score 807.

Part 1

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • RWS Superpoint
  • RWS Superdomes
  • Crosman Premier
  • Am I satisfied?
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger pull
  • The ball bearing trigger
  • How to adjust the ball bearing trigger
  • Summary

Today we look at the velocity of my vintage Hy Score 807 breakbarrel air rifle that you now know is a Diana 27. Besides that I will test the trigger pull, the cocking effort and I will tell you how to adjust the ball bearing trigger. That, alone, is worth what you paid for this entire blog, so settle in and let’s have some fun!

RWS Superpoint

The first pellet I tested was my go-to pellet for a .22 caliber Diana 27 and many other old air rifles — the RWS Superpoint. I believe that Superpoints have such thin skirts that they seal the bore better in these lower powered spring rifles. I told you about the lithium grease “tune” I did about 20 years ago. It’s still performing well after all this time, and I never oil the leather piston seal. As I recall, the Superpoint averaged around 475 f.p.s. in the past. Today 10 pellets averaged 468 f.p.s. The spread went from a low of 458 to a high of 474 f.p.s., which is 16 f.p.s. So, the rifle is still pretty much where it has always been. At the average velocity this pellet generated 7.05 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. read more

Crosman’s V-300 BB pistol: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman V-300 BB pistol
Crosman V-300 BB pistol.

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Update on the 2017 Texas Airgun Show
  • Update on the V-300
  • The test
  • Crosman Copperhead BBs on high power
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs on high power
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs on low power
  • Crosman Copperhead BBs on low power
  • Summary

Update on the 2017 Texas Airgun Show

If you have plans to get a table at the 2017 Texas Airgun Show, you had better move fast! The inside of the hall is almost sold out! AirForce and Sun Optics have decided to move outside, to make more room inside for private dealers, but there is still not much room left. There will be room on the covered porch outside the hall, and there will be two large swamp-cooling fans to help with the heat so there is still some room left, but when that is filled the show will be sold out.

I expect to announce a major attraction soon who will draw many more firearms shooters. He is coming to film the show for his You Tube channel. Those who attended last year will tell you this show is jam-packed and there is a lot of money spent, so make your reservations today. For registration information, read their show flier. Now, let’s get to the report. read more

Crosman’s V-300 BB pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman V-300 BB pistol
Crosman V-300 BB pistol.

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • For those who care
  • History
  • M1 Carbine
  • Enter the V-300
  • The model name
  • Oiling, loading and cocking
  • Sights
  • General specifications
  • Summary

Sometimes I write these historical reports about airguns that many of us know and have either owned or wanted. The Beeman R8 is one example. American readers could have bought one when they were new and readers from other parts of the world could have bought the now-obsolete Weirauch HW 50S that it was based upon. Both air rifles are no longer produced, but used examples should be available in their respective markets. And Weihrauch does still make a rifle they call the HW 50S, although it is based on a different platform.

Then there are times when I dredge up some strange airguns that few of us have ever seen. The Lov 21 target pistol I recently reported on is such a gun. Unfortunately I have jammed the CO2 fill cap in the gun and am still trying to extract it so I can write the accuracy report. That one will have to wait, but it wasn’t the only odd duck I found at the Findlay airgun show this year. Today we start looking at a scarce and little-known BB pistol that Crosman once produced — the V-300. read more

Crosman’s M1 Carbine BB gun: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman M1 Carbine
Crosman M1 Carbine BB gun is a classic lookalike airgun.

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • The test
  • Daisy BBs
  • Hornady Black Diamond BBs
  • Accuracy spoiler
  • Air Venturi Steel BBs
  • H&N Smart Shot BBs
  • Hornady Black Diamond BBs
  • Results
  • Value
  • Summary

This is accuracy day for the Crosman M1 Carbine BB gun we are testing. I have tested this BB gun several times in the past, so I have a pretty good idea of what it can do, but there is always the hope that a new BB that hasn’t been tried will surprise us.

The test

I shot from 5 meters (16 feet 4 inches) using a UTG monopod rest to steady the gun. I was seated for this.

Daisy BBs

I have tested Daisy BBs in this gun several times in the past, so I didn’t test them again. The last time I tested them at 5 meters, I put 10 into 5.148-inches, with 9 landing in 1.354-inches. I think that one wild shot was a fluke and the 9 shots better represent what this gun will do with this BB. In fact, I learned something in this test that probably explains that wild shot. I’ll tell you about it in a moment. read more

Crosman’s M1 Carbine BB gun: Part 2

Posted on by ↓ 56 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman M1 Carbine
Crosman M1 Carbine BB gun is a classic lookalike airgun.

Part 1

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Cocking effort
  • 2013 test
  • Oiled the gun
  • Magazine
  • Velocity Daisy BBs
  • Air Venturi steel BBs
  • Hornady Black Diamond BBs
  • Trigger pull
  • Summary

Today we look at the velocity of Crosman’s M1 Carbine BB gun. You learned in Part 1 that this gun is based on Crosman’s V-350 powerplant which gets its name from the expected velocity — 350 f.p.s. That’s pretty hot for a BB gun — especially one from the era of the 1960s.

I may not have mentioned it before, but my Carbine weighs 5 lbs. It’s a good weight for kids. Too bad they can’t cock it!

Cocking effort

Let’s get this out of the way first. I think this will be the first time I have measured this effort, and I made a big deal of it in Part 1. So I placed the muzzle of the gun in the center of my scale and pressed down until the gun cocked. It took about 42 pounds of force to cock my gun. It was hard to measure it precisely because the gun jerked a lot while being cocked, but it was definitely greater than 38 pounds to engage the sear. No wonder kids had a hard time! read more