by B.B. Pelletier
Today, we’ll start a review that some of you demanded. You were interested in the new DynaMax from Gamo, and you really wanted to see it put through its paces. Here we go.
The Dynamax is a repeating precharged pneumatic rifle (PCP) that currently comes in .177 caliber, but which is also scheduled for release in .22 in the future. The .177 rifle is advertised as achieving up to 1,200 f.p.s., which I have to assume was with a PBA non-lead pellet, so I’ll test for that. With that kind of power, I suspect we’ll see velocities in the high 800 f.p.s. or even the low 900 f.p.s. range with heavier pellets such as 10.2-grain JSB Exacts and 10.6-grain H&N Baracudas. That’s just about ideal for the .177 caliber because it extracts all the energy the rifle has to offer without going over 1,000 f.p.s. and losing accuracy. I plan to test a wide range of different pellet types.
The rifle has a charcoal gray synthetic stock that’s not ambidextrous. It fits me very well, and my sighting eye is elevated to the right part of the scope’s eyepiece by the high cheekpiece. The barrel is so clearly free-floated that it could serve as the dictionary illustration for that term. The barrel is just under 19 inches in length, but a compensator adds a bit more.
The weight is 8.75 lbs. if mounting the scope Gamo includes with the gun. Since a scope is required, that is a good weight to use. The stock sports quick-detatchable sling swivel studs, which hunters will enjoy. Overall length of the rifle is 38.25 inches, so it’s very compact–almost carbine size except for the weight.
Photo tips
The DynaMax is a black-on-black rifle. That makes it very difficult to photograph. Flash is out because of the hot spots it creates. I want to show you some details on the rifle, so I’ll be painting the subject with light as I go. That relieves me of the need for a lengthy setup with a balanced background, which is the professional way to do what I’m doing. I’ll describe in each photo how I took it.
I have to comment on the obvious BSA lineage. This repeater has strong familial ties to the BSA Hornet single-shot PCP. The tipoff for me was the cocking button in front of the forearm. That was handed straight down from the Hornet and all its offspring. So, this gun isn’t cocked like a typical bolt-action, even though that’s exactly what it is. To cock the DynaMax you press the steel button straight back with the fingers of your off hand until the sear catches.
The rifle I’m testing arrived without an owner’s manual, no doubt because I was sent an early model to evaluate. However, knowing its BSA heritage I suspected the fill pressure would be 232 bar, and it turns out that was correct. That pressure translates to 3,365 psi, a pressure that many U.S. scuba tanks and hand pumps cannot reach. Fortunately I still have a Hill pump, obtained when I tested the last Hornet derivative, a BSA Tech Star. Being British, the Hill had the correct 1/8″ BSPP threads at the end of the fill hose for the DynaMax fill probe to connect to. So, I was able to get a full charge for my testing.
If you have a 3,000 psi air supply you will still be able to fill the rifle and get maximum power; you just won’t get all the shots it’s capable of. You will fill to the middle of the power curve somewhere, which doesn’t mean lower velocity. It means fewer shots before it’s time to refill. I’ll try to sort that out for you in this report. Gamo says you get 30 shots at full power when the fill is also full, so the number gotten with a 3,000 psi fill will be somewhat less than that, I imagine.
Magazine
Let me see….What about the DynaMax would you be most interested in? Why, the magazine, of course. In .177, it hold 10 shots and it’s rotary with a driving spring. The outer housing is steel and the inner cylinder is non-ferrous metal with two circumferential o-rings to hold the pellets in place in their chambers. Of course, with the cylinder residing inside the magazine housing, there’s nowhere they can go until they’re aligned with the bolt and the bore. As you load the magazine, you compress the spring, which will then unwind as the gun is fired, cocked and loaded again.
I find the magazine very easy to remove from the rifle’s receiver. It’s not a bit difficult. Just flip the bolt to the rear, pull out a magazine catch in front of the receiver and the mag slides out to the left. Load it with pellets, and it slides back in just as easily.
The DynaMax has no pressure gauge, so you have to count your shots to know when to refill. That’s why my info on the shot count at 3,000 psi will be so important. Hopefully, it’ll come close to a number of full magazines, probably two, since we know that the higher pressure fill gets about 30 shots. As you become familiar with the rifle you’ll also learn to hear when the shots are no longer on the power curve. They’ll sound both louder and longer.
Scope
I mentioned that the rifle comes with a scope. They include a very nice 3-9×50 Gamo variable scope with an illuminated reticle and its own mounts. The illumination is just a central dot, and you get red, green and blue colors with three brightness settings each. The dot is etched on glass, so there is no internal flaring of light at even the brightest settings. The duplex crosshairs do not light up, just the central dot.
This will make a terrific hunting scope, even for centerfire rifles on big game. But the dot in the center is so large that it covers too much area for precise grouping at 50 yards. It seems to cover more than an inch at 50 yards, making it perhaps a 2-mil dot. So, it’s perfect for hunters but not precise enough for tight groups at 50 yards. I’ll substitute another scope for the accuracy test. However, I do want to say that this is a very nice and capable hunting scope, and the glass-etched dot is a refinement that many hunters really need for low-light hunting.
Very shootable
Look at the lines of the stock in the first photo for a moment. Notice how vertical the pistol grip is. There’s also a scallop for the thumb in exactly the right place on the right of the pistol grip. Whoever designed this stock was a rifleman. I think the pistol grip, combined with the high cheekpiece, is why the rifle feels so natural to me.
Thanks for the start of a very thorough review. I can see it has a couple of strikes already in the fill pressure & lack of a shroud(although there is plenty of space to add one) Also the lack of a pressure gauge in that price of rifle is a bummer as well. I really like the stock. How is the quality of the plastic used? Is the butt pad adjustable? You mentioned it comes with a scope, will it be available without one?
Aloha
Scott,
The synthetic material seems to be high quality. It has a hollow sound when tapped.
The butt is not adjustable.
I have no idea what scope combinations Gamo USA may come up with, but I would be surprised if they sold it without one. The scope it comes with is really a nice one. You just can't shoot groups at 50 yards.
B.B.
Morning B.B.,
Thank you for including the information on how you took the pictures. Did you used and LED bulb? The stock looks very funtional and for some reason reminds me of a T/C rifle stock.
While I'm shoveling the latest snow fall I'll be thinking of CJr flipping off the dive boat into those warm tropical waters.
Mr B.
B.B.,
How is the compensator attached to the barrel? thinking about a shroud. Thanks.
Chuck:
Well, we couldn't beat the guy from CA with the Anschutz, but at least someone else (with a Weihrauch HW97K) did. I think we did OK with ordinary, everyday air guns. Mine cost me $75.
PCSASHOOTER
Compensator,
It's not got a screw that's visible, so I'm thinking epoxy and a press fit.
B.B.
Tom have you done a review on pumps recently? Hint Hint.
Hand pumps? Multi-pumps? Daisy No. 25s?
B.B.
Slinging Lead,
That's a nice collection of bikes as well as airguns!
I've got a pretty big pile–25 years of working in the industry. Vintage stuff: Colnago Super, 7-11 Merckx Team bike (Got Bob Roll to sign the top tube!), Paramount, Mondia…lots of Campy Nuovo Record bikes. Many, many newer bikes too. Litespeed Ultimate, 2 Airbornes, Carbon Raleigh w/Dura-Ace, Ibis Hakaluggi… Need a couple blogs to go through them all. Waaaay to many bikes. I need to cull the pile a bit and get some space back.
Alan in FL,
My LE panel cost me $40 and about $10 shipping. It weighs 40 lbs and is 2 foot by 2 foot by 2 inches thick. Pretty heavy, I know. It is synthetic material so wet sawdust wont hurt it.
http://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=RDP+STOCK
Rather than heavy sawdust I would suggest trying thick carpet over the LE panel. The carpeting and the LE panel both keep the noise level very low. Easy to get carpet remnants where they sell carpet. Even two layers of carpet would be lighter than sawdust.
I would suggest being mindful of the edges of your target box also. If you hit the wood frame accidentally you could get bounce-back. Expect freak accidents and you'll be safer. You might protect that with carpeting, also.
-Chuck
derrick38,
Remember the guns or butter choice from economics? Maybe you need to think about guns for bikes and visa versa. Just my .02 after another snow storm. The Lord certainly paints with a beautiful brush.
Mr B.
Tom, you got me. Hand pumps…Hill, FX, A.F., Benji., axsor etc.
Anonymous Re Hand-Pumps
"Tom, you got me. Hand pumps…Hill, FX, A.F., Benji., axsor etc."
I have used the Hill and the Benji pumps (not mine just used them when shooting with others) The Hill pump seemed more difficult as pressure increased in the gun. The Benji was easier but… the Benji rifle requires less volume and psi (bar) to fill completely.
Also, there are one, two and three stage pumps out there. The more stages the greater the efficiency of each stroke of the pump but… the effort increases also (not x 2 or 3 but more effort)
That's my subjective knowledge on the pumps. Hope it helps.
Brian in Idaho
B.B.,
Hooray! Gamo is finally allowing some interesting products to trickle into the USA.
A while back I was doing some research on Gamo and learned alot. You probably already know this but I stumbled across some intriguing information on the MCH private capital firm. MCH was the primary contributor for Gamo's recent need for growth capital. In public documents (venture capital recruiting) MCH said:
"Gamo is one of the worldwide leading players in the hunting and specialized outdoor equipment market. With subsidiaries in the US, UK and Mexico, Gamo has become the largest European airgun manufacturer and the largest pellet manufacturer worldwide. Products comprise of airguns, pellets, scopes, airsoft, clothing and related ancillary products, commercialized under Gamo Group’s brands (Gamo, BSA Guns, Aftermath Airsoft, Gamolite, etc.)."
It's no surprise that the DynaMax stock looks like it came off of a BSA XL or Scorpion tactical since BSA is Gamo? Is the DynaMax a full power (USA) version of the scorpion?
Want to thank you very much for the "macro photo tips" portion of the article today. I'm making progress with my macro photo "skills" but it's slow. For someone like me that is dense about everything electronic this is the devils handiwork. Exposure metering, exposure compensation, spot metering, metering memory lock, exposure mode set (A, P, T or M?), auto focus or manual focus, etc. etc. Little by little I'll climb this hill.
This is among my many selfish reasons that I want you to visit Colorado. If you're not willing to come quietly then I'll send Guido to fetch you. Decision is entirely up to you.
kevin
Good write up BB,
It's good you put useful info on photography in there because that was it for me. I expect to see a sharp price drop on this one. Ms. Marauder is safe on all counts. Next rifle please. I may sound like a curmudgeon today but I think it's because I missed seeing that Eagle Ray that passed only 15 feet below me as I was getting back on the boat.
-Chuck
Chuck,
Thanks for the point to LE panels. I like the carpet idea. I think I will dispense with the messy damp sawdust altogether.
Are you diving in the Keys?
Slingin' lead,
Didn't know you were THAT kind of biker! Ever heard of a Koga Miyata?
Kevin,
I changed my mind yet again. Finally placed my order 20 minutes ago for the Diana 54 with the Leapers 3-12x44AO scope instead of the 4-16x50AO Air Force. I will try the low Leapers UTG rings first since I didn't particularly care for the vertical split in the Warne rings.
But before I mount that scope for the first time I'm going to put at least 500 shots through the rifle to break it in, as you (was it you?) suggested. And, hopefully by then I will have learned how to shoot by the sights and master B.B.'s artillery hold. I can't wait.
Now I need to work on that nutty shot stopper box. I'll let y'all know how it goes.
-AlanL
Kevin
re the GamoDyna Max (BSA Ultra)
I emailed a friend in the UK and his take on the "new" Gamo is that it is the longer barrel version of the "FAC" BSA Ultra sold over there. (although different stock and metal finish is "lesser" according to him)The UK blokes can only shoot sub 12 ft lbs max with out an FAC license.
Here's a link to a photo of the BSA rifle:
http://www.shootingshack.com/ekmps/shops/shootingshack55/images/bsa-ultra-multishot-1849-p.jpg
Brian in Idaho
B.B.
Well, at least we are learning about how to take a good photo!
Thanks Kevin, for the business info on Gamo. If they bought BSA, then I think the best move is to go for all the old BSAs on the market! I wish I had the Lonestar still.. except it was so damn loud! … and not many shots per fill.. it just ain't no Air Arms.
I see the older BSA PCPs on the yellow in the $400 to $600 range, why would I want a new plastic stock version by Gamo? The Gamo will no doubt go down in value, while a good collectible BSA should go up…. and be a nice wood stock.
The only reason would be the 10 shot mag. That's nice, but really this is a hunting gun and it should be a .22 cal. (I know that's coming).
It's got some nice individual features, but they don't fit together into a package that makes sense…. IMHO .. and the competition has them beat on price and features, hands down!
Wacky Wayne, Match Director, Ashland Air Rifle Range
derrick38
If you had any spare time, maybe you could start a bike blog.
You have quite the stable of little fillys yourself. Have you ever slummed it with the MB set? Nothing like slicing through verdant forest trails at breakneck speeds. I also have a Titus switchblade with 5.5" travel front and rear.
I live just about a mile from the Silver Comet, a rail trail that stretches 10 miles east to the trail head in Smyrna and about 50 miles west to the Alabama border where it hooks up with the Chief Ladiga Trail, which goes another 34 miles or so to Anniston Alabama. Nearly 100 miles of paved trail overall. Now if only someone would do something about the oblivious and inconsiderate that flood it on the weekends.
Bobke! I love that guy. If you ever want to git rid of it, let me know. Domestique is the hardest and most unsung position to hold in all of sports. (OK I'm biased)
When you get the HW35E sorted out, how about a blog on what used to be Volvo's LG55?
Kevin,
I think the DynaMax is a BSA Sportsman HV. Looks and operates similar.
B.B.
Gold mine journey..
Well, it's only a one and a half hour drive on paved roads to the edge of the steep valley creek bottom. The claim is 1/2 mile of creek and 185' up each side of the creek.. This is the Galice creek area, one of the most famous gold mining areas on the planet.
The guy has two other claims for sale also… but they are much farther into the wilderness… at least 5 mile walk after 17 more miles of logging roads. He had his dredging equipment dropped in by helicopter last year..
They got $14,000 in gold the first season in two months… but the copter cost $15,000.. Now though, the equipment is in and they just need a trail to get there! It took them 5 days to get out last fall… fighting brush and wading up the creeks, then climbing up steep mountain sides to the road.
Those two 20ac. claims are only $2,500 ea. The close one is $12,000.
We don't have to put out cash, he wants to trade for a cabin kit we would make for him… mostly he wants a mining community to share the costs of entry and work the huge 160ac claim in the rugged mountain wilderness.
We are thinking of this as a great place to go fish, hunt and collect wild foods and mushrooms.. if we play around and find some gold, all the better! … We might trade into both deals… after much, much more research!
Wacky Wayne
B.B. & Brian in Idaho,
Sportsman HV or Ultra Multi shot. The DynaMax barrel and tube length sure look more like a Sportsman HV. Could be a larger Ultra.
It's also interesting to note, as B.B. said in todays article, how little the BSA design has varied. It's easy to see the old hornet lineage in the DynaMax.
kevin
Alan in FL,
I'm diving in Bonaire about 50 miles north of Venezuela. Bonaire is one of the islands under Dutch influence
(i.e., Netherland Antilles), part of the Caribbean Sea ABC's: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao.
-Chuck
Alan in FL,
Think you made a wise choice switching scopes. I think leapers scopes are among the best for value. Did you get the full size? Assume you switched your ring order as well since the leapers is a 30 mm tube vs. the air force 1" tube.
Mount the base, rings and scope on your 54 when it arrives. Shoot a tin of pellets through it in 30 days. Not only are you breaking the gun in you're also making sure you've got a good scope and making sure the rings you chose will hold that heavy scope in place on your 54.
If you've got a problem you can quickly return them to PA for replacement IF IT'S WITHIN 30 DAYS. Read PA's liberal return policy.
Keep us posted.
kevin
Wayne,
Of course you realize that gold is at an all time high. This is the time to sell not buy.
Finally got out of my last 3 mining claims.
kevin
Mr B.
OOooo! Guns and butter! The Production Possibilities Frontier! Sure takes me back. What a waste of several hundred bucks.
Wayne
Good luck with your mining endeavor. You certainly look the part!
Alan in FL,
I am surprised that no one has talked to your about using Duct Seal blocks to make a silent pellet trap. There is a two part blog on them. /blog/2007/7/silent-pellet-traps-part-2/
A wonderful thing to make. They really work! Mine is used inside and made out of an old drawer that I found along side the road.
Some of the guys use a .22 gun powder steel trap lined with blocks of duct seal for the ultimate in outdoor traps.
Also I've never had anything bounce off it including pellets from a 1077 as it's running out of gas. I've had some of those pellets only penetrate 1/2 the length of a Crosman Premier pellet.
Mr B.
PS Welcome to the wonderful world of springers.
WV unbabil. Blogger says I'm bloviating
B.B.,
Do you think they took off the BSA barrel & put on a GAMO barrel to save costs? Maybe that's why it won't shoot well @ 50 yards. Can the butt pad be removed so the stock can be filled to make it more solid. I assume one could buy any wood BSA Stock that fits that line of rifles if needed. They better drop the price by @ least $100 if want a move these things. Like others have said the comp is better @ a lower price.
Scott
I’ve watched the videos BSA makes of it PCP’s and always wondered about how handy the button operation is in real life, could you include your opinion on this? The stock design is clearly from the BSA Lighting XL Tactical, which is why I am surprised at the total weight number as the Lighting is light. Also I thought PCP “works” were usually light?
Skip – off topic.
Off topic for today, and just barely on topic for the past blog, I bought my daughter a used car yesterday. Her test is scheduled on this Friday and while the odds in Vegas are still 50/50 that she will pass, the time had come.
But first, Fused – I agree with Kevin that honesty is the best policy, but dude seriously? Let me write your ads when you want to sell something. Don’t feel bad for adding some positives; just think of designer clothes and about everything else that is sold. “Over priced crap you don’t need” is correct for just about anything at the mall, but you probably won’t see it stated on the tag.
So back to the car search. I began the hunt Monday by passing on shaving. Every good sales person is taught not to judge a book by its cover, but I can tell you most do immediately. I put on faded jeans and a Carhartt jacket. Quick glance in the mirror, and I decide I look positively perfect. No sales person will feel I have extra cash to spare, which coincidentally is correct.
If you really want to see exaggerations, spend a day visiting cars you found on Auto trader. Most I cannot bring myself to sit in. Finally after about six hours, I spot one on a lot that peaks my interest. I walk around it for some time, rehearsing in my mind what I will say; I actually enjoy the car buying process. The owner of the fine establishment that was once clearly a gas station, located in an area I would not get out of my car of in darkness, unless I had come in heavy, finally walks out. He apologizes immediately, “sorry I took so long, I thought you were a salesman at first.” I ask why. “You just look more like a salesman than a customer that comes here.” Crap.
Clearly one day worth of beard has not hidden my true persona. I quickly think about my dress, the jeans are worn but scrupulous clean. The jacket it spotless. I inquire as to the asking price after some small talk and it is double the real value. My cover is blown; I am done for the day.
Tuesday I up my game, armed with two days worth of stubble on my face. I find jeans that I had painted the basement in; the rest of the outfit is also tweaked. In a nut shell, I located a nice older mid size auto that’s a one owner that with 68k. I negotiate without the dealer knowing I am negotiating until the final moment and the car is mine at a fair price for both of us. That was fun. I miss selling.
Before taking the car home I have it washed and buy new floor mats. As a finishing touch I add a Blue Dolphin air freshener to the rear view mirror. She loves Dolphins. When I walk in the house she is as excited as her first time at Disney at the age of five. I hand her the keys and after a looking it over she proclaims “it’s perfect Dad, its everything I had imagined it would be” I give her a smile and turn, my eyes feel like I’m watching Old Yeller…
Kevin,
Your words of caution are well noted!
And, with gold being at an all time high… and climbing.. why not invest in gold in the ground.. even if you don't have plans to dig it out in the near future.. or know how much might be there? ..
Right next door to this claim is one that was recently sold for $750,000, I guess because it has proven amounts of gold. Braxton, our land manager, perma-culture specialist, is also a geologist major… he's convinced the claim has gold, and lots of it… it's just getting it out. Dredging the creeks is very productive, since the hills are so steep, heavy rains are always bringing in new gold…
With 7 guys from the rifle range LLC interested in the gold mine game, labor contributions is not an issue… and our raised bed business off season is perfectly matched, to this fun way to work/play in the summer/fall.
..why were you selling?..anyway an email to you is in order.. nothing like experience… I'm all ears!
Interesting, every new adventure I consider, (except air gunning) you were there first!
Wacky Wayne, MD. Ashland Air Rifle Range
Kevin,
Indeed I did get the full size scope and 30mm rings.
You raise a very good point. I will be sure to mount and check everything out pronto.
Thanks again for your (as always) excellent advice.
Mr. B,
Thanks for the tip about the Duct Seal and blog posts on it. I am going to check them out right now.
-AlanL
So Volvo, what did you finally buy for your daughter?
Fred PRoNJ
I don't buy anything used anymore unless I know the seller personally.
Not so much from bad experiences…just that I am probably what is best described as a rube (hahahaha).
As a friend said years ago when I was trying to buy a used car:
"the price sticker is $1000…they see me you coming and they rip it down and replace it with a $1200 sticker and you think you're getting a good deal"
AhhhWell….
CowBoyStar Dad
B.B.
Interesting how Gamo continues to evolve. So, a vote for a vertical pistol grip, eh?
Alan, report back about your RWS 54 and Leapers scope. I'll be interested.
Volvo, wouldn't relish you for an enemy. That is some deep strategizing for the car.
Matt61
Volvo
Thank God for off topic posts. That was poetry man, good work.
Next time you have to go to a used car lot show up with dirty boots, body odor, and a healthy bite from a plug of Red Man. And don't show up driving a Volvo for crying out loud!
I wish for many happy motorist miles for your daughter. I prefer the tree air fresheners. The same guy that invented those invented silly string.
Scott,
I haven't shot the rifle for this report at 50 yards yet. I realize you are responding to an older comment, but this is a new test and the gun will get every chance to do well.
B.B.
Volvo,
BSA airgun barrels are as respected for accuracy as Lothar Walther and Anschutz. So I will be interested to see how well this rifle does.
B.B.
Fred,
It’s a Buick Century. I recognize them from having sold a retirement community about 6 years ago. They seem to be the official car of the elderly. This one had all the tell tale signs including the AAA sticker on the bumper. The driver floor mat was worn completely through in one perfect circle; obviously by a woman’s high heal. Don’t think I have ever seen one of these go over 25 mph on the street. Like new in and out.
Matt,
You have keen insight. : )
Slinging Lead,
All good ideas, as my goal was to be able to establish common ground first. However, I fear I would have needed the bubble gum chew in order to not toss my cookies.
Volvo,
Good story, and good choice in cars, although I always preferred the LeSabre, but it can be a little difficult for some to park:). The one I bought many years ago still had a couple of More 120 marks on the driver side visor, with few other signs of use:).
Sounds like your "disguise" worked. In the future, I can send you the perfect scent accompaniment for your wardrobe — I manufacture it from organic sources out in the pasture and it rarely fails to facilitate a quick deal:).
Volvo
The Mercury Grand Marquis is the official car of the elderly. Check the AARP website.
A highschool friend of mine had a Buick century. The catalytic converter was backed up, so we called it the stench-ury. Highschoolers are so predictable.
Volvo,
the friend who got me involved in firearms always used to tell me to beware of cars with AAA stickers on the bumper, a driver who wore their hat squarely on their head, and Buicks.
He's long since passed on but I fear I'm slowly going that route. I have a triple A sticker on all my cars, wear a hat when it's cold out but I don't own a Buick, yet. It was the most reliable car Government Motors was producing for quite some time.
I wish you a lot of luck with the car and perhaps I'll avail myself of BG Farmer's offer for the correct "cologne" to wear the next time I shop for a used car.
OH, and a belated Happy Birthday to Wayne.
Fred PRoNJ
This comment has been removed by the author.
Compensator sounds good for accuracy, maybe not for sound. Built in as it says in the ad.
The scope sounds good, etched glass and color, but can you adjust the parallax?
Trigger is marked down as two stage and adjustable….so do a lot of triggers…what can you really adjust?
Only .177 cal now and a little heavy. Gamo is going to have a hard time following the Marauder now.
Does it cost a lot more to import a AR to the US and why? I know shipping is one main factor, but what other costs would there be? I suppose GamoUSA takes care of the importing headaches for Gamo Ags.
Volvo,
You're the only guy I know that can take two days of used car shopping and make it sound like an adventure I wish I could have joined. Thanks.
You're a good dad.
kevin
Wayne,
Re: "Why did I sell?"
There's an old adage about investing/making money. "Buy when everyones selling and sell when everyones buying."
Seems to have been replaced lately with "buy low, sell high."
kevin
I like the way that BB agreed to do this test almost begrudgingly, but now approaches the test with a new rifle with an open mind and a clean slate. Professionalism.
I have learned (yet again!) a valuable lesson today: stop asking dumb questions and use the little search box in the blog. Why didn't I search for 'pellet trap' before? All my research on the blog for days on end and this did not occur to me.
Thanks Mr. B, for the point to B.B.'s 50,000 pellets (sorry B.B.!) and through that JDB's point to Dr. Matusic's silent trap. I've bit the bullet- instead of reinventing the wheel I will spend less time glueing and screwing and more time doing homework with my kids– that trap kit is almost exactly what I had envisioned, and more elegant.
OFF TOPIC- skip:
Volvo- I sympathize. That time will soon be upon me too. My twin daughters are 15, going on 21, and one wants a car bad. Both get straight A's and listen to my wife. How can I say no? It reminds me of a famous story (could be apocryphal) about Roger B Smith, the president of GM back in the 80's: When his son turned 16 and wanted a car, he said 'okay' and ordered a brand new Lumina– in parts. It cost him over $200K. Then he told his son, "You wanted a car? Here it is. Build it!" It took them more than 6 months to assemble it in their garage but by the time they were done the kid knew what went into making a car and appreciated it a lot more.
-AlanL
Slinging Pb,
MTB? I ride those more than road. Think I've got 5 or 6 plus a couple for the wife in the stable right now. She's got 2 Kleins–1 hardtail, 1 full suspension.
Mostly, I ride a Karate Monkey 29er. Got 2 full suspension bikes, and a titanium and aluminum hardtail, too. Seriously, a big pile. Three cyclo-cross, fixed…Way too many bikes.
Blog the Volvo gun? Yeah, eventually. It does need some work–and I mean that as absolutely no criticism at of of the gun or of Volvo. It is 50 (or thereabouts) years old and there's a certain amount of care taking that accompanies owning older things.
oh the cars…..
in my family the conversations go like this…….
I bought a car for 200 bucks, drove it 3 years and didn't put a penny into it and sold it to the junk man for 100 bucks.
Oh yeah well I bought an 800 dollar car, had it 9 years, drove 150,000 miles on it and only had to replace one cv joint. It only cost 80 bucks to fix because I bought a rebuilt shaft and replaced it myself. Also, this person complained when the fuel mileage went below 50MPG on trips.
oh yeah, well I paid 300 dollars for a car, went over 120,000 miles over 9 years and had no major repairs.
Talk about a cheap bunch of people with excellent on the fly, never tested, experimental repair experience.
——————————–
I think it would be interesting to take a poll to see:
1. What Air Gun would you choose to shoot if you could only shoot one airgun (that you own) and/or
2. would shoot if you could buy one with a 1000 dollar budget.
3. Also, What airgun have you shot the most rounds through in the last year.
For me:
1. Disco .22 with leapers 3-9x32AO scope with custom stock, trigger work and Power adjuster.
2. A Marauder .22 with a nice piece of glass.
3. I went from my Crosman Quest 800 with a scope to my Daisy 953 with 4x32AO scope mostly and sometimes 10m target sights.
Alan,
I just replaced the duct seal in that trap for the first time since making it. A reader gave a source for cheap duct seal a month or so back and I bought enough to do the job twice. But yeah, 50K shots was a low estimate of what the first load of duct seal put up with. Probably at least 4/5 of the pellets fell out, since the trap was never cleaned. It was a huge mass of lead held together with dirty duct seal.
B.B.
B.B.
Are you going to try and recover the lead to make bullets?.. I've been wondering how to separate the duct seal from the pellets… sure would be nice to re-use it all instead of sending it to the dump..
..but I can't think of how to do it.. can anyone?
OH.. I TAKE BACK MY ENDORSEMENT OF THE HP-100X scale for weighing pellets.
Last night, I decided to weigh some more, and checked a few I had already weighed.. The darn scale gives different weights on the same pellet three times in a row! 8.3, then 8.5, then 8.6, then 8.3 again! I have to lift each pellet off real gentle, and set it back real gentle three of four times to pick an average weight!.. and then, I'm still not sure!
Anyone got a brand and item number for a scale to weigh pellets… that really works?
Wacky Wayne, MD. Ashland Air Rifle Range
To Tom and BG_Farmer
Thanks for the comments from the previous discussion. Yeah, I kinda mainlined the WWI and WWII stuff …..got many at less than $20 when they were sold by the NRA at 1600 Rhode Island Avenue in DC and before the CMP was active. They also sold parts by the bushel at that time for pennies, and I was lucky and stocked up. I got enough op rods, bolts, springs, triggers, swivals, etc, to repair several Springfields, M1', Carbines, and even GI 45's. All are still new in the wrapper. Just the other day I came across a 1903 Milled Trigger Guard, still in the RIA Waxed wrapper. BG you mentioned rebuilt Springfields, you might also look at James River Armory in Maryland. They are advertising in SGN and I just had them repark some parts for me. They are as close to WWII color as I've seen. If you search the shows you can still find good parts–but again be wary as many are knockoffs. If you get a bolt make sure it is NS with a swept back bolt handle to insure you are not getting one of the bad heat treat still lurking out there. Use the headspace gages. That is cheap insurance. If you really get bit by the bug, start looking for gages. They can still be found, but much like hen's teeth. They are very pricey now. Brownells sell some current manufactured stuff which do the same thing though. Tom, you mentioned the M1 Carbine. I have a small group of them from Rock-Ola to Winchester and S'G' as well as Inland. In that mix is some MIA1's, and most have gone through military rebuild, but done right. The CMP is peddling them now at eyewatering auction prices. I still like to shoot them at local Vintage matches, but my eyes are not much good any more. BG_Farmer you mentioned rebuilt 1903A4 Springfields…..be wary of those only if you are looking for reality. Any 1903A3 can become an A4 by knocking off the front sight and adding a Redfield mount and M-84 or certain Lyman Alaskan Scope—except for one minor detail– the receiver serial number. So far the rebuilders have not figured out how to change the position of that serial number to be read without removing the scope mount—as you can with an original.
Sorry to rant….I am still learning about air, besides my own hot air.
Wayne, what I do is weigh myself on the scale–first without the pellets then with. Then subtract the numbers and divide by the number of pellet tins in my pockets then divide by the average number of pellets in each tin. If you have cargo pockets, you can weigh even more tins at once. If you need more accuracy, just add more zeroes to the final number.
ie: 1 becomes 1.0000000000
Wayne,
Edith suggested it, too, but it was just too much of a mess. I do recycle all the lead from my bullet trap.
B.B.
Wayne
Whats the low-end capability of the scale that you have (e.g. 1 gram?)
Also, is it an electronic type and does the manual or spec give a "hysteresis" characteristic of + / – some fraction of a gram or other factor, aka % or degree of accuracy at some max or min weight?
Scales are touchy devices but so many of the newer, hi-tech types are awfully good.
I'll look in our Q.C. lab and see what we are using for very low weight measurements and brand of scales.
Brian in Idaho
Joe 3006,
I have a very early Winchester Type I Carbine with all Type I parts. It is in the mid-14,000s (with one million in front of it, of course), so it was made in January of 1943. The finish is at least 97-plus and the stock, which is barred walnut (like curly maple) along the entire length, is without blemish.
Alas, what could possibly be wrong? Well, it's the finest-shooting Carbine I've ever owned. But it's also an early spring-tube Carbine, which means the receiver is prone to crack at the extra square cut in the lip on the right side of the bolt.
Woe is me!
I need an Iver Johnson Carbine that works reliably and isn't worth a fortune.
B.B.
Wayne,
If you are weighing individual pellets what you need is an electronic gem scale or coin scale. Most coin collecting supply places carry a good and inexpensive scale (made in China of course) that weighs down to 0.1 grams. The better ones (significantly more expensive but still under $60) will weigh down to 0.01 grams, display in grains, ounces, etc. They come with a calibration weight and are easy to use. Try South Park Coins or any of many others.
-AlanL
Joe .30-06,
You're giving me too much credit — it is someone else that rebuilds Springfields, although that would be my style of rifle for military interests. No matter, I will take your advice, for surely I'll be bitten by the bug at some point (I've caught everything else), and the .30-06 is the world's best all-around c/f cartridge in my opinion, so it would be hard to go wrong:). I was impressed with the stealth gun you described with the match barrel — that would fit my m.o. well.
Wayne
Our scale is a Jennings Gem Scale that weighs down to .002 grams.
It has a wind screen and other features that make it extremely accurate and repeatable.
The QC guys here thought it was about $80 to purchase.
Brian in Idaho
BB,
Good luck on the Iver Johnson — I was looking for another type of IJ on GunBroker and the prices are getting silly (or at least they were to me).
B.B.,
Looking for that older lead on the Duct Seal that you got cheap, I came across your wonderful post on the Red Ryder of December 11, 2009. In it you mentioned that "…mine is No. 5. It has a wood buttstock and a PLASTIC forearm, with no barrel band around the forearm." [emphasis mine]
You also commented a bit further on that "…today's Red Ryder has an all-wood stock, but the thought of 1947 plastic is becoming kitchy. It wasn't until the 1967 movie…"
I can't help but wonder if in fact that forearm wasn't made of Bakelite? The kitchy plastics of today were pretty much unknown in 1947 I believe, and Bakelite was very strong, durable, heat resistant, and had a great tactile feel to it. (It's the stuff all those black dial telephones of the 50's and 60's were made of.) I wouldn't mind Bakelite parts on a gun today, but of course the advent of much cheaper 'modern plastics' puts paid to that possibility.
-AlanL
Wayne,
There was a detailed discussion awhile back on the yellow about pellet scales. Search.
Having a calibration weight, using it after your scale warms up, then using it during your weighing process, keeping the scale out of a draft, only touching your calibration weight with tweezers, etc. etc. are all as important as the scale itself.
Before you buy a new scale, think about calibrating more often, think about letting your scale warm up, etc.
kevin
I always heard to stay away from the Iver Johnson M1 carbines. Especially late one's.
Never been an M1 guy but a buddy of mine was a fanatic. He never had anything nice to say about Iver Johnson M1's.
As usual B.B. knows something I don't.
kevin
BG_Farmer,
I've seen them as high as $500 in excellent shape.
B.B.
Kevin,I talked to the guy about the thing….down south.He took the pasta…he said don't worry 'bout nuttin'….Frank B
AlanL,
No, I think they were made from plastic.
B.B.
Kevin,
I may not know anything about Iver Johnson Carbines. I have heard that they were great and also that they don't work.
I'm confused.
B.B.
Frank B,
Tanks. Ah owe juice won.
kevin
B.B.,
Riiiight. You're confused. Just throwing us off the trail I suspect.
kevin
Kevin,
I did try to "warm up" the scale, as it said to do so in the instructions.. and re calibrate with the 100 thing.. but alas, it's still doing the same thing. I even tried placing the pellet with tweezers.. but to no avail..
Soo.. impulsive as I am.. I've already ordered the Jennings Gem Scale for $90 delivered… I've got to get on with the testing!
Wacky Wayne, MD. Ashland Air Rifle Range
Folks,
Coachadt posted this on a January 26th comment blog.
Hi BB,
Thanks for all of your insight. I really love reading this resource. I want to know if my RWS 48 .177 can be tuned so that I can shoot it in field target effectively. I am willing to have it professionally done. Is there anything wrong with this in theory? OR should I just go get a CFX for about the same price range? I have read your review on the 48/52 and wonder if this is trying to make it something it's not..Thanks for any advice or hints.
Perhaps Wayne and others can offer their insights for Coachadt.
Fred
Thanks FRED I appreciate the catch and help here. The folks in air gun community sure are great…seriously! Looking forward to your insights. A
Alan in AL,
Here's a comment about duct seal I left on a post last October.
"If you want to make your own trap it's pretty easy to do.
I would recommend using a strong cardboard box for indoor use. The main reason is that you are much less likely to get ricochets off cardboard than you might off wood. Metal may have less rebound because it flattens the pellet more and that absorbs a lot of the energy but there will still be some rebound. Behind the box place a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood with carpeting covering it, again to prevent ricochet and to protect your basement paneling.
The Duct Seal you are hearing about is readily available at Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes, or even your local hardware store for about $1.50 a brick. It is sometimes in the plumbing area but not always. It may be in the area where they sell furnace/AC metal sheeting or ducts.
When I first started looking for it I got a lot of dumb looks because most clerks have no idea what you're talking about. They usually tried to give me a tube of something. Everyone of them asked me what I wanted it for as if that would help them find it. When I said I wanted to use it to trap pellets from a pellet rifle I got even dumber looks and they seemed to not want to help so much anymore. Stick with them until they find the right person who knows.
Duct Seal comes in one pound bricks called pugs. They're there if you can find someone who knows anything. The brand names I have found are Gardner Bender (GB) and Ideal. Duct Seal is a putty like substance that will capture the pellet and not allow it to rebound. And, it's quiet.
My .177 rifles will embed about a 1/4 inch into the pug. I have a .22 Marauder that shoots around 900fps and it will penetrate a pug, so double pugging should be done there.
The advantage of making your own box is you can make it whatever size or shape you want/can afford. A pug is 2" X 6.5" so to make an 8.5 X 11 target you'll need about 6 or so pugs.
Cardboard box – free (grocery store)
6 pugs – $9-$10
plywood – $5
carpet – free (when your parents aren't looking)
If you use the carpet under your living room sofa no one will ever know the difference. JUST KIDDING!!!!!"
-Chuck
BB,I have really taken a liking to these Haenel airguns.That being said,have East German pellets ever surfaced or do we know anything about which ones were probably used?? Frank B
Coachadt,
while we're waiting for the rest of the denizens of this blog to respond,
let me give you a few things to do. I don't know your experience level with firearms or air
rifles so please forgive me if I'm telling you things you already know. First off, a spring
piston rifle, due to it's triple recoil, demands a particular hold for the utmost in accuracy.
It's called the "artillery hold" and you can learn about it here:
/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63
You can do a search of all
these blogs and comments by using the search box at the upper right side of the screen when you first open a blog.
There has been a lot of discussion on Field Target and while waiting for our resident expert, Wayne Burns,
to chime in, you can see what has been discussed by going to the "airgun tips, tricks and reviews"
also on the right side of the screen.
I just assume the lack of comments right now is because
everyone is trying to convince everyone else that they sometimes lead normal lives. We know that's not true.
We're all addicted to airguns and there's no known cure except for some it's high end bicycles
or placer gold claims.
Fred PRoNJ
Coachadt,
Scope that 48 and go shoot a match or two. Don't expect anything from yourself. Just go have fun and shoot what you've got. Before you spend copious amounts of money on a field target specific gun and scope, find out first if you even enjoy the game.
Practice shooting what you have and knowing your gun will far outweigh having a different gun right now.
Forget the CFX for now. If you really want another spring piston rifle after a couple matches, look at a Weihrauch 97K or an Air Arms TX200.
Fred,
Hooray for you! Stepping up to the plate and answering/directing blog visitors is to your credit.
Coachadt,
derrick38 has given you great advice.
kevin
Coachadt,
Keep the 48.. don't buy a CFX! …that's the wrong direction!
Learn to shoot the RWS 48 before you have it tunned… if you must shoot in spring division at all.
It could be that you don't have the right hold, or your scope is moving, or the right pellet, or weighed pellets.. (as I'm finding now)..
Find out the if the 48 can shoot groups.. then consider strongly if you want to shoot in the piston division. You could sell the 48 and buy a used Air Arms S400 and really compete without having to learn/spend money trying to shoot groups that come and go with pistons..
That's what happened with me.. I went through a 48, 52, TX200, HW77 and 97 and then went PCP with an Air Arms S410 and later AA S400 MPRFT .. USFTs and stuff like that..
and in answer to the best all around gun in quality and accuracy.. and flexibility with the power adjuster.. ease of use with the side lever.. it's still hands down the Air Arms S410 FAC side lever!!! ..
.. mine just did 7/16" one hole 5 shots at 50 yards with a first time shooter of PCPS who had me sell most of his springers for him on the yellow and order him a AAs410 after shooting those groups! .. he'd been trying for six months now with many different springs.. the best he is keeping is the HW50 which did a 1/2" -5 shot at 50 for him a few times.. just not over and over like the AAs410 did for him!
..or the marauder is a good second choice at almost half the price.
..but for $400 or so, on the yellow, you can get a nice Air Arms single shot S400 and really be in the game!.. well then there is scopes etc.. make that about $40,000 or so..
Wacky Wayne, Match Director, Ashland Air Rifle Range
BB,
Thanks for the report. I'm sorry if I was a bother asking for it. But I really know a lot of people who awaits this rifle with patience. And your opinion is a very valuable one!
Kevin,
I'll look for the stock refinishing post. I think I was a carpenter in a former life. On vacation I worked on an anatomic cedar grips for my 1377…
Joe_Springfield
Please keep on the table. I wish I had an uncle like you.
Chuck,
I am planning to spend more than a weekend diving in Playa Balandra, in Baja California Sur, near La Paz. Is a marine lagoon, an emerald in the desert. I hope I will survive…
Anthony
Alan in FL,
I left the link for the duct seal that was on sale a while ago, but it looks like the sale is over – we probably put a run on it that scared them. Here it is anyways, but it looks like they are back up to about $2.50 a pound.
http://www.telephoneparts.com/index.cgi/product/General/Installation+Hardware
The duct seal is great stuff, but the trap sure is heavy with it.
By the way, I have the Leapers 3-12×44 scope you ordered and simply love it. Excellent scope for the money – just don't waste your money on the big side wheel for use on your 52. The recoil is too much for it.
Alan in MI
Wayne,those 1/2 in. groups were flukes,that hw50 is no good for your friend.I am building a fence and out of lumber….sell me that ol' thing and get him something new!!:} Frank B
Coachadt,
As Fred said, the RWS Diana 48 is very well-suited for field target. Much more so than the Gamo CF-X, I think, because the 48 is easier to tune and also responds better. Many FT shooters use the 48.
And the next move up would be the TX 200, as Derrick advises.
B.B.
Frank,
I have never seen East German pellets, but I have a huge supply of 4.4 mm lead balls made in East Germany. They are just as precise as anything made in West Germany.
B.B.
Anthony,
Remember all your training and never panic and you will easily survive the most awesome adventure in the whole world. Report back on the most current blog when you get back. I'm anxious to hear from you again.
-Chuck
Alan in MI:
Thanks. The cheapest I was able to find was right around that $2.50 / 1 lb brick for the Gardner Bender, but by the time I add shipping I'm blown away. Meanwhile I discovered my local Lowes home improvement megastore has the Ideal brand in stock for $1.97 – problem solved. Home Depot doesn't even list duct seal online at all, not even by brand
As for the sidewheel on the Leapers, I had decided to try doing without for now just to see how the parallax adjustment goes with the normal thumbwheel. But, my rifle is a 54, not a 52. Do you think the "softened" recoil would still hurt it?
(Sorry to post in the previous blog, but I wanted to keep it together.)
Thanks,
AlanL (Alan in FL)
Alan in FL,
Home Depot does carry them, at least here in Illinois they do. You might want to search their store, just remember what I said in my re-posted comment about the sales clerks, most don't know jack but it seems like there is always one person who does, if you can find them. They store these things in the most unlikely places. There was a significant difference in prices too between Menards, Lowes and Home Depot but I don't remember who had the cheapest. They ranged from $1.65 to $1.94 depending on the store. When I first started building my target I cleaned out all three stores and it took them a month to restock. Then I found the same online site Alan in MI mentioned and bought the 30 quantiy at $2.14 so I;m set for life now.
Alan in FL,
Sidewheel on your leapers scope when mounted on your new diana 54
I had the large (100 mm?) sidewheel on my scope that was mounted on my 54. No problems.
If you get a sidewheel pay attention to the small dots on the backside of the sidewheel when aligning it on your ao scope knob. If the sidewheel isn't aligned correctly the screws will not fit into the holes on your ao knob and it will never tighten down.
Just like tightening screws on your scope rings, tighten the screws on the sidewheel a little bit at a time rather than snugging down one completely then moving on to the next. You want to tighten the screws evenly.
kevin
Kevin & CJr,
Thanks! I'll check Home Depot in person too.
The 100 mm sidewheel IS the bigger one of the two (the other's 80 mm). PA has two different (apparently) 100 mm wheels for sale. They look identical to me but have different part numbers: PY-A-875 and PY-A-625. I was planning to do without. Did you really find it much more useful than just the knob alone?
Thanks,
AlanL
AlanL,
I've purchased many blocks of duct seal at my local Home Depot, but it took a few trips before I found where they stock it and how to ask for it.
It's stocked in the electrical section because it's typically used to waterproof the connections between conduit runs. Once I learned to ask for it that way, then the staff normally could point me to the right general area for it. Since they don't sell much of it, there will probably be only one box of it on the shelf, so expect to dig around a bit to actually put your fingers on it.
Oh, and their website doesn't list it, but then it doesn't list lots of things that the stores will actually have once you get to them. Cse la vie.
AlanL,
Duct seal is used primarily in electrical boxes to seal. Therefore, don't overlook your local electrical supply houses. Although these wholesalers usually only sell in large quantity, you need large quantity. My nearby electrical supply house sold me duct seal at a fraction of what lowes and home depot wanted.
Yes, I liked the LARGE sidewheel on my scope that sat on top of my 54. The large sidewheel allowed me to make fine adjustments in AO without taking my support hand off the gun. This was critical in my hunting/pest eradication process since I could keep the gun on target and still put it in focus. If you plan on shooting targets from a benchrest position it's probably not as important since you can take your time and you can keep the forearm of the gun rested on a bag while you remove your support hand and adjust the little AO knob on your leapers scope.
kevin
AlanL,
When talking with your electrical supply house the correct terminology is "pugs" of duct seal.
kevin
Kevin,
Indeed! I knew that, but the image of a lovely wrinkled flat-faced canine always comes to mind instead…!
AlanL
AlanL,
I found "duct seal" on Home Depot's site just now. It is at the following URL.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgt/R-100212441/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
AR
AlanL,
Those side wheels have different part numbers cause the AO knobs on the scopes come in two different diameters. As the sales people at PA to give you the correct one to fit your particular scope.
Mr B.
A.R. Tinkerer,
Incredible! This morning nothing came up on H.D.'s website, and now here they are!
Mr B.,
Thanks. This wasn't too clear to me on PA's site. I suspect it may have to do with 30mm versus 1" tubes. But if I do order it I'll be sure to call in so as to get the right one. My scope is the 30mm Accushot SWAT 3-12x44AO.
Thanks guys.
-AlanL
AlanL,
I've got your scope on my Talon SS and really like it. Get the rings that will place the scope the closet to the bore of your gun. It'll make a consistant cheek weld alot easier.
Mr B.
Mr. B,
I did. I got the LOW 30 mm Weaver UTG rings. From everything B.B., Slinging Lead and others told me before, the custom Leapers UTG droop compensating base for the 54 will give me so much clearance that the low rings will do nicely, supposedly even with a 50 or 56 mm objective scope. Can't wait to let you guys know how my first shots turn out. I first have to set up my range in my backyard, get my trap and the putty and measure carefully. I can shoot 10 meters easily enough, but for longer shots I need to stand on the other side of my pool, and my LEM 30 laser range finder gives me 25 meters for that. No in between I'm afraid, unless I float!
-AlanL
AlanL,
I thought it might be helpful to have the part # from the web site when you go into the store 🙂
AR
B.B.
Is this a semi-auto?
BBA
BBA,
No, it's a bolt action. The action is described in the 6th paragraph down, just above the photo of the cocking button. You have to release the bolt, then push it home, THEN pull back the cocking button to cock the hammer before every shot.
B.B.