Tag Archives: 1960s

Tuning Michael’s Winchester 427: Part 9

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana 27
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

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Historical baseline data
  • Preparing the rifle
  • Michael’s 427 shooting RWS Superpoints
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • RWS Hobby
  • Discussion
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger
  • Michael’s barrel is choked
  • What have I learned?
  • A hidden gem
  • Summary

Today we look at the velocity of Michael’s Winchester 427/Diana 27. This will be the end of this report.

I used to think that Tune in a Tube (TIAT) grease increases velocity but now I know from testing that it decreases velocity. Yes, it is a type of grease, but it is so tacky that it slows things down just a little. In rifles of medium power (.22-caliber rifles shooting 750-900 f.p.s.) it can drop the velocity by as much as 40 f.p.s. I haven’t really tested it in a Diana 27 before, so this test will be an eye-opener. read more

Tuning Michael’s Winchester 427: Part 5

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana 27
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

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • SHOT Show
  • Today and Monday
  • New parts
  • Scragging?
  • Lubricating the mainspring
  • Rust removal
  • Lubrication
  • Putting the piston into the spring tube
  • Pull the trigger!
  • Attach the barrel
  • Break

Many of you have been reading this series in which I tune reader Michael’s Winchester 427 that is actually a Diana 27. This is not an air rifle for beginners to learn on! The mechanism is too complex for first-timers for a number of reasons that should become clear today.

SHOT Show

I have to tell you — this is a very lengthy report. I won’t get it all done today, so Monday I will finish up. And on Monday I will be in Las Vegas at the SHOT Show. I won’t see your comments as frequently as usual while I’m there next week, plus after I walk out of the show every day I have to go back to my room, write the next day’s blog and have it ready to publish by 9 p.m. which is midnight on the east coast where the WordPress server publishes the blog. So please don’t ask me any lengthy questions. I am not going to have dinner with anyone this year, so I can do my work without being whipsawed! read more

Crosman’s Mark I Target pistol: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman Mark I
Crosman Mark I target pistol.

Part 1

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Loading the CO2 cartridge
  • O-ring material
  • Velocity
  • RWS Hobby
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • Crosman Premiers
  • Discussion
  • Shot count
  • Trigger pull
  • Summary

Today we look at the power of my Crosman Mark I Target pistol. This will be interesting because I don’t remember ever doing it. I probably did, but without a report to read I can’t remember.

Loading the CO2 cartridge

Usually on a CO2 pistol that stores the 12-gram CO2 cartridge in the grip, one of the grip panels comes off to remove and install the cartridge — the left one, more often than not. Not so with this pistol. Instead there is a large knurled cap at the bottom of the grip that is removed, and the cartridge inside slides out. If there is still significant gas in the gun, the pressure will force the o-ring in the cap to seal the cap tight and it may not rotate. Don’t use pliers to force it! Shoot the gun until the gas is gone or almost gone. read more

Crosman’s Mark I Target pistol: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Crosman Mark I
Crosman Mark I target pistol.

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • History
  • Mark II
  • The pistol
  • Two power levels
  • Grips
  • Sights
  • The trigger
  • Power
  • The pinnacle of its time
  • Ergonomics
  • Modified guns
  • How long do they hold?
  • Summary

I wanted to write about the Crosman Mark I target pistol today, but was afraid I might have reported on it too many times in the recent past. However, when I looked, I discovered that I have never fully tested this airgun for you! I wrote about it back in 2005 and re-ran that report in July of 2015, but apparently I’ve never gone all the way and done a complete test. That ends today.

History

The .22 caliber Mark I Target pistols were made by Crosman from 1966 to 1983. In 1980 Crosman removed the power adjustment capability from the gun, so those made from ’66 to ’80 are called the first variation, while those made from ’80 to ’83 without power adjustment are called the second variation. The first variation guns are considered more desirable, only because of the additional feature of power adjustment. read more

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

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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