Tag Archives: airguns

Crosman Mark I and II reseal

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Today’s report is a guest blog from reader Ian McKee who writes as 45 Bravo. He’s going to tell us about the Crosman Mark I pistol he recently acquired and what he did to fix the leak it came with.

If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me.

A history of airguns

Over to you, Ian.

Crosman Mark I and II reseal

by Ian McKee
Writing as 45Bravo

This report covers:

  • Just kidding!
  • Four major changes over the years
  • I got this one cheap
  • It’s mine!
  • Bringing it back to life
  • BB’s end cap
  • Resealing both caps
  • How did it go?
  • Outer barrel removal
  • Wrong o-rings

Back in December 2018, and January 2019, B.B. reviewed a classic Crosman Mark I pistol in .22 caliber.

There were many comments about how it worked internally, and how the power adjuster worked, so today I thought I would give you a little peek inside the gun. read more

What effect do heavier airsoft BBs have on accuracy?

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

ASG CZ Shadow 2 Part 1
ASG CZ Shadow 2 Part 2
ASG CZ Shadow 2 Part 3
ASG CZ Shadow 2 Part 4
Sig Air M17 ProForce Part 1
Sig Air M17 ProForce Part 2
Sig Air M17 ProForce Part 3
Sig Air M17 ProForce Part 4
Sig Air M17 ProForce Part 5

This report covers:

  • ASG CZ 75 Shadow 2 first
  • The test
  • Game Face Maximum Precision 0.25-gram BBs
  • Trigger!
  • ASG 0.30-gram Blaster Devil
  • Umarex Elite Force Milsim Max 0.32-gram
  • Wearsoft Sniper Grade 0.36-gram
  • Swiss Arms ProGrade 0.36-gram
  • Discussion 1
  • On to the Sig Air M17 ProForce
  • Game Face Maximum Precision 0.25-gram BBs
  • ASG 0.30-gram Blaster Devil
  • Umarex Elite Force Milsim Max 0.32-gram
  • Wearsoft Sniper Grade 0.36-gram
  • Swiss Arms ProGrade 0.36-gram
  • Discussion 2
  • Summary

Today is a special report, done at the request of reader Michael. He wondered whether heavier airsoft BBs than I used in the final test of the Sig Air M17 ProForce airsoft pistol would be more accurate. Read what he said.

“I have always read that heavier Airsoft “BBs” are more accurate than lighter ones. One theory is that in order to be heavier, they are manufactured to have fewer and smaller gaps inside them. Theoretically, that would reduce imbalances in the sphere and make them spin and fly more true. read more

Air Arms Pro-Sport: Part 7

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Pro-Sport
Air Arms Pro-Sport.

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

This report covers:

  • Disassembly
  • Rotate forward spring guide
  • The washers
  • Factory top hat
  • Last note
  • Assembly
  • Relubed
  • Gun back together
  • Velocity with RWS Hobbys
  • Velocity with Baracuda 5.50mm heads
  • Cocking effort
  • The question
  • Summary

Today we look at the Air Arms Pro-Sport with the Vortek PG3 tune kit installed at its most powerful setting. This test was suggested by reader Yogi in the comments to Part 5.

“To finish up the review, how about exploring the other 2 notches in the PG3 kit? Maybe one notch is full OEM power, second notch is the desired 12 foot-pounds, and the third one(the one you have it set on) is good for 10.5 foot-pounds.

This way you have a full report on the Pro-Sport AND the PG3 kit.”

I though that was a great idea. Unless I test it, who knows what the other notches will do? And also there are the two heavy washers that add weight to the piston and more tension to the mainspring. read more

Diana Bandit PCP air pistol: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana Bandit
Diana Bandit precharged pneumatic air pistol.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

    • Filled to 200 bar
    • Not able to adjust the rear sight
    • The test
    • Superdomes first
    • UTG Micro Reflex dot sight
    • Take rear sight off
    • Hades pellets at 200 bar
    • 180-bar Hades target
    • 170-bar Hades target
    • Is the sight mounted tightly?
    • How is the gun rested?
    • Ah HA!
    • Oh, well
    • Final target — Meisterkugeln
    • Discussion
    • Summary

    Today we look at the accuracy of the Diana Bandit PCP air pistol, and I have to tell you that it’s just a first look. This gun took a LOT of work to get it to shoot!

    Filled to 200 bar

    I re-read Part 2 and saw that the .22-caliber Bandit that I’m testing, as it comes from the factory, only gets 7 or 8 good shots per fill. I also saw that a 200-bar fill is probably too high but I didn’t have much to go on, other than the customer comments that seem to agree. Many who gave the pistol a high rating say they had to back off on the fill pressure to get any accuracy. read more

Diana 27S: Part 2

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana 27S
Diana 27S.

Part 1

A history of airguns

This report covers:

  • Velocity day
  • A happy accident
  • Breech seal
  • No problemo!
  • BB isn’t daunted
  • Problemo
  • BB has a backup
  • HOWEVER
  • What size are the seals?
  • What now?
  • Cocking effort
  • Trigger pull
  • Today’s report
  • Summary

Today is Part 2 of my test of the vintage Diana 27S. From the comments to Part 1 we learned that several of you own them, but you all seem to live in Europe and the UK. This model is very rare in the U.S. Today’s report is about a failure that turned out to be a huge success!

“Oh, oh! BB’s talking like Mr. Miyagi again! Better get out the rags and car wax!”

Velocity day

I normally test velocity on Day 2 and that is exactly what I intended to do. My guess was that a .177-caliber Diana 27 should shoot around 650 f.p.s. with lighter pellets when it’s in good condition. I put five drops of Crosman Pellgunoil down the air transfer port that is located behind the barrel when it’s closed and then I shot three shots to just spread the oil around. Normally I would cock and uncock the rifle to spread the oil, but we learned in Part 1 that the 27S has an anti-beartrap device that prevents uncocking except by firing. read more

Springfield Armory M1 Carbine CO2 Blowback Airsoft gun: Part 1

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Springfield Armory M1 Carbine airsoft
Springfield Armory M1 Carbine Airsoft gun.

This report covers:

  • History
  • M1 Carbine production
  • Carbine performance
  • Carbine requirement
  • It lives on
  • M1 Carbine airsoft gun
  • M1 Carbine BB gun
  • Two stocks
  • Expected power
  • Adjustable Hop Up
  • Which model Carbine?
  • Sights
  • Can’t be disassembled
  • So much more!
  • Summary

Today we start looking at the Springfield Armory M1 Carbine airsoft gun. It’s not rifled so no matter what anyone says, it’s not a rifle. It’s a smoothbore airsoft gun.

The M1 Carbine is a favorite of B.B. Pelletier, so this blog may sound a little different — as in having a lot more history attached to it. In fact, let’s go there now.

History

Ask any red-blooded American shooter what was the standout soldier’s weapon in World War II and they will not hesitate to say it was the M1 Garand. Canadian-born firearm designer John Garand (pronounced GAR-und, with Gar rhyming with care) worked for years to perfect a design that was initially created in the late 1920s or early ’30s by firearm company, Irwin Pederson. By the late 1930s the design was accepted and in September 1937 low-rate production (10 rifles a day) began. During the war 3.5 million-ish Garands were produced, and production continued into the 1950s. It is believed that a total of approximately 5.4 million Garands were eventually produced. read more

Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X Gen II air rifle: Part 3

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by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Gamo Swarm Fusion
Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X repeating rifle.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • Today’s test
  • The test
  • Trigger adjustment
  • Sight-in
  • Air Arms Falcon
  • H&N Match Green
  • Gamo Master Point
  • RWS R10 Pistol
  • Firing behavior
  • JSB Exact 8.44-grain domes
  • H&N Baracuda Green
  • JSB Exact Heavy
  • JSB Exact RS
  • Firing behavior
  • Whew!
  • 10-shot group with Match Green
  • Conclusion?
  • Summary

Today we start looking at the accuracy of the Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X Gen II repeating breakbarrel spring-piston air rifle. I’m hoping for a great result!

Today’s test

The Swarm Fusion has open sights, and I’m testing them today. It also comes bundled with a scope that I will test in another report. Since this is the first accuracy test, I decided to just shoot 5-shot groups so I could test lots of different pellets. Let’s get started.

The test

I shot off a sandbag rest at 10 meters. I used a modified artillery hold, because the thumbhole stock on this rifle doesn’t permit a classic hold. The only difference is I did grasp the pistol grip. read more