Tag Archives: accuracy test

Diana Stormrider Generation II precharged pneumatic air rifle: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana Stormrider II
Diana Stormrider Generation II precharged pneumatic air rifle.

Stormrider Gen 1 Part 4
Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • Open sights
  • The test
  • Sight-in
  • Crosman Premier Heavy
  • JSB Exact Beast
  • RWS Superdome
  • H&N Baracuda Match with 4.53mm head
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • Summary

Last week reader Krasi asked me when I would do Part 3 of the Gen. II Diana Stormrider. I had to be honest with him — I had totally forgotten it! It’s sitting here in my office and I never gave it a second thought. So, today I make up for the oversight and start reporting the accuracy of the Gen. II Stormrider.

Open sights

The Stormrider has good-looking open sights and I wanted to try them first. It’s a very good thing I did, which I will discuss in a moment.

The test

I shot off a rest at 10 meters. I shot 5-shot groups that gave a rough idea of the accuracy and also allowed me to test more pellets. I decided that if there was a pellet that was particularly accurate I would also shoot a group of 10 with that one. read more

Tuning BB’s Diana 27: Part1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Bias
  • The deal
  • Krytox
  • Diana peep sight
  • Cheap peep
  • Same idea — more elegant
  • The best
  • Ebay
  • BIG teaching point
  • On with the Diana peep
  • So, what?
  • My 27
  • RWS Superpoints
  • Air Arms Falcons
  • Discussion
  • Summary
  • Sad news

Today’s report isn’t quite what the title says. I am going to tune my Hy Score 807/Diana 27 for you, because, after the success I had with Michael’s rifle, I felt it was time to strike while the iron is hot. But reader comments entered the picture as I was extolling the virtues of Tune in a Tube. One reader said he had his best luck with a lubrication product called Krytox, and then several more readers piled on, saying similar things. So, the subtitle of this report could be “The Great Krytox Experiment, or Krytox versus Tune in a Tube.” Because that’s what I plan to do — tune my Diana 27/Hy Score 807 with Krytox to compare it to a Tune in a Tube tune. read more

Hatsan Vectis .25-caliber lever action PCP repeater: Part 4

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Hatsan Vectis
Hatsan Vectis lever action PCP repeater.

This report covers:

  • Mounting a scope
  • Scope solution
  • Which pellets?
  • The test
  • JSB Exact King first group
  • How many shots per fill? 2nd JSB group
  • Predator Polymag
  • Benjamin domes
  • Predator Polymag
  • Summary

Today I mount a scope on the Hatsan Vectis lever-action rifle and we see how accurate it really is. As you learned in Part 3, when I used the iron sights that came on the gun and I aimed at the center of the bullseye, the rifle didn’t do very well. A couple of you reminded me that the best way to used sights like these with a bead front sight  is to stack the bullseye on top of the front bead, rather than to try to center it. I knew that of course — I’ve been doing it for decades. I don’t know why I aimed for the center of the target, other than to convince myself that it isn’t the right way to aim with a post and bead front sight. read more

BSF S54 Match rifle: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

BSF S54
BSF S54 target rifle.

Part 1
Part 2

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • The test
  • RWS Hobby
  • Resting on the sandbag
  • Artillery hold off hand extended
  • Discussion
  • Adjusted the rear sight
  • Falcon pellets
  • Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
  • JSB Exact RS domes
  • H&N Finale Match High Speed target pellet
  • Something extra
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the BSF S54 Match rifle. Now, while this rifle is called a Match rifle and did come with a large aperture sight, it’s not a serious match rifle and never was. Sometimes I have guys ask me questions like, “Could it be used in a match?” and I have to answer, “Yes” but they don’t let me finish by saying, “… but it will never win!” You see, some guys are so enraptured by the design of the S54 Match (and that huge rear aperture!) that they want it to be a real match rifle. Other guys own one and don’t want to spend the money for something different. The bottom line is — The BSF S54 Match rifle is not for formal competition! I think you will see that today. read more

Testing H&N Baracuda FT pellets: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
AirForce Edge 10-meter rifle: Part 1

This report covers:

  • Scoped the Edge
  • The test
  • 4.50mm heads
  • Discussion of the 4.50mm heads
  • 4.51mm heads
  • Discussion of the 4.51mm heads
  • General discussion
  • Summary

Today’s report combines two reports, as you can see by the links, above. I’m testing the H&N Baracuda FT pellets that I was given last year, and today I’m testing them in the AirForce Edge target rifle that I got from reader RidgeRunner. That’s why I baselined the Edge in Part 1 that’s linked above. We know from that report that this pellet moves out at 685 f.p.s. in the modified Edge, which is 10 foot-pounds on the nose.

Scoped the Edge

I scoped the Edge for today’s test with the vintage UTG 8-32X56 SWAT scope I got from Leapers years ago. I last used this scope on the Benjamin Fortitude I tested last year. This scope adjusts for parallax down to 25 yards, but since today’s test was at that distance, there was no problem. I ran it at the full 32 power and the target image was crystal clear. read more

AirForce Edge 10-meter rifle: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

AirForce Edge
The AirForce Edge target rifle.

This report covers:

  • How to begin?
  • Jump in
  • Edge reports
  • THIS Edge
  • Trigger
  • Velocity
  • Discussion
  • Off the reg.
  • Plans
  • Summary

How to begin?

Remember me telling you I had a backlog of reports to do? This rifle that I got from reader RidgeRunner is one of them. But I need to change my report format this time because I need the AirForce Edge target rifle for another test I’m doing — the report on testing the H&N Baracuda FT pellet.

I wanted to test that pellet with an accurate precharged rifle as well as several spring piston guns, and this Edge is my most accurate PCP in .177 caliber. It’s also more powerful than a standard Edge target rifle. RidgeRunner modified this Edge by adding a firing chamber to boost the power to almost double that of a conventional Edge. A firing chamber collects and holds the compressed air that has passed through the regulator, so more air is available for the shot. Nothing has to be done to the regulator when a larger chamber is used. It simply provides more air to push the pellet — a bigger or longer push, if you will. read more

Air Venturi Seneca Aspen .25-caliber precharged pneumatic air rifle: Part 4

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Seneca Aspen PCP
The Air Venturi Seneca Aspen precharged pneumatic air rifle.

This report covers:

  • Interest
  • Oiling the pump head
  • Not changing the scope today
  • Shooting at 2700 psi
  • The test
  • Benjamin domes on low power
  • Benjamin domes on high power
  • Predator Polymag on high power
  • JSB Exact King on high power
  • JSB Exact King on low power
  • Discussion
  • Pumping is easier
  • Summary

Interest

Wow! We didn’t get many comments on Part 3, but those who did comment had a lot to say. Reader shootski wants me to try 5 shots at 2700 psi, maintained by the onboard pump. He said I could pick whether to shoot on high or low power. Tyler Patner told me to try JSB King pellets. Bob M wants me to change the scope. And August reminded me that the pump head may need to be oiled more frequently.

Today I am going to do everything you readers have suggested. This is still not the 25 yard accuracy test, though I will be shooting from that distance again. read more