by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Announcement: Charles Spillman is this week’s winner of Pyramyd Air’s Big Shot of the Week on their airgun facebook page. He’ll receive a $50 Pyramyd AIR gift card. Congratulations!
Charles Spillman submitted this week’s winning photo for BSOTW.
Just a reminder that the Roanoke airgun show is next Friday and Saturday — a week from today! I hope to see some of you there.
As immersed as I am in airguns, it’s hard to surprise me these days. But that wasn’t always the case. I remember the time when I shot springers and CO2 guns but avoided precharged guns out of the fear of handling highly compressed air. I saw the movie Jaws and watched the great white shark blow up when the scuba tank let go!
So, I have a frame of reference for the newer airgunners — the guys who may have been shooters for a long time and have now decided for whatever reason to check out airguns. If I write for anyone, I write for them and also for the brand-new shooter.
And I hate jargon. Even though I use it too much, I know how confusing it can be to try to follow a story when the author keeps dropping acronyms and slang terms in your path. I could say PCP, and sometimes I do, but I try to say precharged pneumatic first. And I say silencer, when others attempt to skirt the issue with terms like Lead Dust Collector and Decibel Reduction Device.
Keeping a fresh outlook
One exercise that keeps me fresh is examining and using various firearms (I try never to say “real guns”). Not only does this keep my own perspective fresh and curious — it also gives me a busman’s holiday from airguns, when things become too much the same.
Several years ago, I decided to write a long series of articles for Shotgun News about the Ruger 10/22 .22 rimfire carbine. Why that gun? Because I’d never owned one before and had only shot one a few times. It would appear as new and confusing to me as a Benjamin Trail NP XL appears to a new airgunner. I called my five-part series, “What can you do with a 10/22?”
The Ruger 10/22 is an iconic .22 rimfire. It is to .22s what ARs are to centerfires.
Like any shooter who reads, I had read a lot about the 10/22 — or at least it seemed as though I had. In my mind, it was a superior .22 semiauto that was highly accurate, infinitely reliable and utterly desirable. So, I asked for and received one for Christmas. Just like any airgun, I immediately took it to the range to see what it would do. I was prepared for the best — and got the worst! My 10/22 shot 2-inch, 10-shot groups at 50 yards, on average, with just a couple getting close to the 1.5-inch range. Bummer! I’d owned dozens of .22s that were more accurate. Oh, well, nowhere to go but up!
Just like an airgun, the next step was to tune the rifle. But tuning a .22 means machine time, plus I knew absolutely nothing about the model, so I sent it off to a place in Connecticut that lightened the trigger, installed a trigger stop, jewelled the bolt, drilled a cleaning hole in the rear of the action so the barrel can be cleaned from the breech, rechambered the barrel with a match chamber and installed an extended magazine release that looks suspiciously like a thumbscrew!
Yes, they simply drilled a hole through the back of the aluminum receiver so a cleaning rod could pass through, once the bolt is removed. It’s a great idea!
A simple thumbscrew extends the magazine release so human fingers can operate it. For shame, Ruger!
What I got back was a different rifle. The trigger was now very good (Ruger should be ashamed of the trigger they put in that rifle!), the barrel could be cleaned from the breech, thus preserving the crown, the magazine now pops out fairly easily (another point of shame for Ruger) and — best of all — the rifle was much more accurate. Ten-shot groups of one inch were not uncommon.
Does this look familiar? I tested the Ruger at 50 yards, just like I would an air rifle.
Well, the ulterior motive for buying the 10/22 was so I could buy and test a legal silencer, but the drill to get one occupied more than a year of my time and finally a personal appeal to the head of the branch that approves such requests. I needed something to do in the meantime. My friend Mac donated one of those electric guitar-looking custom stocks to the project, and I bought a Butler Creek bull barrel to see if there would be any accuracy difference…and there was a huge difference! The new custom 10/22 now shot 10-shot groups of less than three-quarters of an inch, with a couple that were under 0.60 inches between centers.
You’re looking at the same rifle in two versions. At the top is the custom stock and bull barrel on the action. Underneath is the standard rifle with the custom trigger features Photoshopped out.
And all it took was spending a further $500 (factoring in the custom work, plus the cost of the custom stock if I had bought it and the bull barrel) to get this $130 semiauto to shoot! Boy, did I ever feel like a new airgunner!
Then, Mac proposed a test of my whomptydoodle custom 10/22 against a box-stock Ruger 10/22 Target — a rifle that Ruger makes and sells for about $450 (at the time the test was being conducted). I said sure, and another huge test was run. At the end of that one, I knew that the factory Ruger 10/22 Target was slightly better than my custom gun, though my rifle has the better trigger. I was kinda like the guy who buys a Beeman HW 97K and then spends $500 getting it tuned, only to discover that the TX200 Mark III was better in the first place!
This is what $450 bought. A Ruger 10/22 Target that out-shot my custom rifle at 50 yards.
By this time, the silencer had come in and I had to reconfigure the rifle with the factory barrel, because the silencer adapter Dennis Quackenbush supplied was made to fit it. I found in that test that a silenced .22 rimfire isn’t as quiet as everyone imagines. Also, the accuracy remains about the same with or without the silencer attached.
And the entire drill was to acquire this legal silencer so I could report on it. It works, but not as well as most people think.
Along the way, I sort of got a brief reputation among the Shotgun News advertisers as a 10/22 guy, so Magnum Research let me test both their .22 rimfire and their .22 Magnum semiautos that are built on the Ruger pattern. The long rifle version is incredibly light, and the magnum gun was a tackdriver. If only I had the money to buy it at the end of the test!
Boy, was this Magnum Research .22 Magnum a tackdriver!
Then, I tested another 10/22 wannabe (the Rhineland R22) and that was the extent of my exploration into this unfamiliar realm. I knew that Volquartsen (a maker of aftermarket upgrade parts for the 10/22) makes complete guns that are no doubt the best that money can buy, but I never sampled them.
This Rhineland R22 doesn’t look like a 10/22, but it is on the inside. This one was chambered for .17 HM2.
But in all of this, I learned some fundamental lessons. First, with all the hype, the Ruger 10/22 is a pretty standard firearm…and other semiautos, like the Marlin model 60, for instance, are just as good. What makes the Ruger stand out are all the aftermarket accessories and all the talk — most of which is just talk and not to be believed. I learned that you do get what you pay for. By spending a little more money up front, you can save a lot more down the road.
Just FYI — this little trip down memory lane originally occupied seven feature articles, taking over 30,000 words and 130 pictures. I mention that because all the detail was omitted for today’s report.
No rambling harangue today
That R22 sure looks like it wants to be an HK/CETME look-alike… <G>
Bought a 10/22T several years ago. One of the first things I did was install a Volquartsen trigger and bolt. Improved the pull weight and had an extended magazine release. They were a vast improvement over factory parts. If they still offer it, you can change it over to a .17 Mach 2 with a barrel and bolt change. Though it’s extremely loud and ejects spent brass with enough velocity to worry me as a lefty. It’s the reason I now wear safety glasses when I shoot firearms.
How many different types of .22 rimfire ammo did you try? I always found the subsonic target ammo to be fairly quiet and did well at 50 yards. It may have made the silencer a little more useful if it didn’t have to dampen the little sonic boom/crack. I’ve seen people that have shortened the length of the barrel to drop some more velocity when they use a silencer. Sometimes the mods get out of hand.
Shawn,
I tried over a dozen brands of ammo, including all the $10/50 stuff, from Eley, Wolf and others.
I tried every subsonic round on the market. Aguila and Remington subsonics did quite well.
B.B.
I did a whole lot of research before I bought my 10/22 Target model. There is so much misinformation (and lies) from retailers of aftermarket upgrade components. Real knowledge of the Target model was either inconvenient, or something that they deliberately confused with the standard model in terms of individual component specifications (e.g., trigger weight).
I wanted a reliable plinker, but also one that was reasonably accurate. I knew that I’d never get Anschutz accuracy out of my Ruger, but I also wanted to have fun hitting targets ALL DAY out to 100 yards.
After reading MANY reviews, articles, forums, and talking to dealers, I started to realize that the Target model provided a best-of-all-worlds compromise; good accuracy, reliability, a decent trigger, and was still upgradeable. The only upgrade that I found necessary for me was to add the Bell & Carlson Odyssey stock.
In my opinion, this aftermarket obsession can get downright silly. Look, Ruger 10/22’s are, above all else, known for their reliability, and thus why they are the biggest selling “fun guns” on the market. Also, they are of reasonable quality and cheap to buy and feed. I still see them at Wal-Mart for just over $200.00. But buying a low-end 10/22 and then adding $500 to $1000 in upgrades doesn’t make sense to me. Why? Well, lots of guys want Anschutz accuracy out of their 10/22, but by the time they get every ounce of accuracy out of their fully upgraded 10/22, it’s no longer a 10/22. At some point, because accuracy requires much tighter specs. (e.g., head-space), the rifle is less reliable. In my opinion, if you want this much accuracy, buy an inherently accurate gun, and not a Ruger 10/22.
I bought my 10/22 Target model with the stainless steel barrel for just over $400.00. It’s never jammed using the original magazine, or even the 25 round extended magazine also made by Ruger. I did buy a 50 round magazine that is complete garbage. I’m lucky to get 4 shots before it jams, and I’ve tried at least 4 types of ammo. But with all Ruger products never a single jam. But being an accuracy nut, I’m very pleased with my purchase. Again, I never expected Anchutz accuracy.
Yes, group sizes can vary, but much of that is because 10/22 are auto-loaders, which means that in order to be reliable, a looser fitting chamber is required. The pattern with mine is that the first shot can be the worse, sometimes blowing a group. All subsequent shots load more consistently, giving much better overall accuracy.
My understanding is that the Marlin 60 is more accurate than the standard Ruger 10/22, but also more prone to jams. My father owned a Marlin 60, but I never got to take more than maybe 10 shots with it, so I can’t compare the two.
Victor
B.B.,
Speaking of subsonic ammo. During our discussion of the Rogue, I asked about .22 bullets, and you said something about Eley bullets not being available.
I read a report a couple years ago where some guy demonstrated that the wax lubricant used on Eley bullets can benefit other manufacturers bullets. This guy shot a bunch of groups using the Eley ammo, and then shot other brands. Knowing how this other ammo normally perform, this guy noted that it performed better when following the Eley ammo. As the Eley lubricant wore out of the barrel, the accuracy of the other manufacturers ammo degraded.
This makes me wonder of the Rogue might perform better with lubricated ammo? Just a thought.
Victor
Victor,
Two of the round I shot were lubricated and it didn’t seem to make much difference. But that wasn’t as test — just an observation.
Seth Rowland is sending some special bullets he’s making custom for rhe Rogue, and if they work there will be another part to the report.
B.B.
B.B.,
That would be very interesting.
Victor
B.B.,
I don’t think that two shots would be enough to sufficiently prime the barrel. I think that was part of the point of that one guy’s experiment where he primed a barrel with Eley and then other brands. That lubricant eventually wore off, but I think that just a few shots wouldn’t have shown any benefit.
Victor
My experience with semi-autos are that they tend to be very expensive. It is too easy to pop off a bunch or rounds real quick, most of which end up everywhere but your intended point of impact. I am a bolt action fan myself. They tend to slow you down so you make every shot count.
RR,
I concur. I even like single-shot actions because they are even more precise than bolt-actions for the same reason.
But the 10/22 was something I wanted to try, so I had to choose it.
B.B.
When I was a little boy who wanted a .22 rifle, my father bought me a used single shot Remington 510 with a Lyman receiver sight on it. I wanted the new Ruger carbine real bad though, and to give younger readers of this blog an idea how long ago that was, they(the carbine, with a walnut stock no less!)) retailed for $57 dollars then, and the sporter version was about $75 bucks. That used Remington was about as much as the carbine was new. Dad didn’t own a semi-auto .22 rifle at that time and bought into the bull that a semi-auto was less accurate than even a cheap bolt action, and a kid with one would just shoot up the neighborhood and get himself into trouble, never developing good shooting habits . So I struggled with the Remington until it blew out a bit of it’s chamber and bulged cases. It was also extremely hard to manipulate the stupid rotating bolt safety , which got me into the bad habit of carrying it around without it being on. Finally , after my younger brother received a brand new Winchester bolt action repeater, he relented , ( and I suppose, felt guilty too, because that Winchester cost more than the Ruger and the Remington put together )and bought me the Ruger. I love that gun, and still have it forty years later, and it’s the one .22 that I reach for when it’s got to be dead right now . I remember sticking the butt into the soft mud of the marsh where I trapped muskrats and raccoon , to keep it from falling over . This was long before I could have or carry a pistol legally. Personally , I am amazed that folks will pour silly money into a 10-22 . It’s a fine gun as it is, but it is what it is. Many are like the airgunners that send a new gun off to a tuner before even shooting it first, even once. Most of them should stop reading so many ads and shoot more…
FrankB,
Crank that BSF trigger adjustment screw in clockwise at least another full turn–inward. That should make that trigger set properly. That BSF had so much old crusty grease in it that the trigger wouldn’t hold at all. Cleaned it all out and thought I had it adjusted safely–and with some additional margin of sear overlap. I couldn’t get it to misfire after cleaning/adjusting even by tapping the compression tube repeatedly with a dead-blow mallet. Very sorry that it’s become a problem. Turn that screw in and let us know.
Derrick
Your advice is GREATLY appreciated Derrick.You must know there was zero interest on my part to lay the blame at your feet.Adjust it I will…….and you will recieve both a full report & credit for the save!
My landlord has NO idea who perforated the aforementioned ceiling.A dab of Bob Villa’s toothpaste will eliminate my moonroof with little effort.
BB,
I purchased a used 10/22 with two barrels (the stainless stock and the one shown in the next to last photo – is that a Green River barrel – I forget?), two stocks (one being synthetic) for a very attractive price – around $300. The former owner had used it in bench rest competitions but couldn’t compete with the bolt action Anchultz’s and other target specific rifles being used. He also did some trigger work which resulted in double-taps at least once every clip. Not wanting the Range Safety Office (a county Sheriff) to inform me of my rights because I had a automatic weapon, I spent $90 and had a smith fix the problem.
It’s a neat rifle for what it is but I’d still like to get a bolt action target rifle. I learned too late that CMP was selling some military surplus Kimbers but they sold out real quick. As for Jaws and the exploding SCUBA tank, wasn’t Roy Scheider using an M1? I still want one of those, too. Boy, all you need is money!
Fred DPRoNJ
Fred,
I suppose I shouldn’t tell you this, but I AM an enabler, you know. Mac has a military Kimber that I din’t think he is wed to.
B.B.
Well, I did intend to come to Roanoke with some extra cash in case a TX 200 showed up calling to me to take it home…..
Boy, just don’t tell me you have a lovely Garand you’d like to do a deal with me on …..
Edith, I think you need to speak to Tom very sternly as he’s not being nice.
Fred DPRoNJ
Fred,
You’re safe from me. No extra Garands this time.
B.B.
Fred DPRoNJ,
This is probably around a 5 hour drive for you but……….this auction tomorrow morning has some nice guns and great airguns. Wish they allowed internet bidding. Probably going to be some great deals since they don’t allow internet bidding though.
http://70.84.121.99/~hessney/Auction_191.htm
kevin
At least 5 hours! But they have some great stuff I want.
Fred DPRoNJ
Fred,
Yes, I know. I saw that TX 200 on the list of guns that will be auctioned tomorrow.
kevin
Yes, I bought Ruger 10/22s for customers from Jerry’s. Never shot them, naturally, but handled them to make sure stuff was complete in the boxes. Terrific fit and finish and quality, but did not fit me, what so ever. Weird. The Marlin 60 with the clip is a perfect fit for me. I understand that the Marlin 60 has sold over 6 million. Some say it is number one in total sales. The compact Marlin 795 is now the way to go. Being in California, no longer have my FFL after over 20 years due to not wanting to deal with the state’s over the wall regulations, as you know.
Pete
Edith
Could you please post a link to the article that BB did on the Magnum Research .22.
THANKS
FlyBoy,
That article is not online. Shotgun News puts my column online, but not my feature articles.
B.B.
I would love to get me one of these small .22 rifles if the registry for long guns finally dies in my province like it did in the rest of Canada.
The Ruger target model seems like a very nice rifle, I would probably get myself a lever action in the same caliber.
I don’t hunt so .22 is plenty for me, I would only get those (I know, I know. It’s like chips and cookies you can’t have just one and before you know it you have a safe full but I’m going to try!).
J-F
I think just about everyone has run across one of these 10/22’s… I got one for the boy back in the eighties and was underwhelmed by the accuracy. They’re way too small for me too, so I never bought one for myself. You can sure burn up a lot of ammo quick with a 50 round mag though! (a problem that I now have with my PS90…) Convenient though, one box of ammo, one full mag! Now, I much prefer my bolt action TOZ78. Still on the small side, but way more accurate than old Ruger was (me not being much of one for aftermarket “fixes”). Not to dis Ruger, I really like tha accuracy and reliability of my wife’s bull barrel Ruger 2245.
/Dave
Ah, never thought I’d read a 10/22 article on this blog. I bought one, the vanilla version, as my first ever personally bought firearm. I like that gun very much. I’ve never tried to see how really accurate it is but I can shoot empty shotgun shells at 20 yds with it and knock over bowling pins at 20 feet. I did put in the Volquartsen trigger and that rubber like thingy at the back of the breech to dampen the effect of something hitting the back of the breech. Here’s a picture of mine:
https://picasaweb.google.com/cjrley/Ruger1022?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWr5PX75fTbkQE#5798466501458612162
Oh, and I changed the stock if you didn’t notice.
-Chuck
That thing looks good!
Now I’m thinking about a more tactical one… that “I only need 2 guns” thing sure didn’t last long!
While surfing firearm .22’s the backpacker where everything fits inside the sealed stock also caught my attention.
J-F
anyone know how the target 10-22 compares to the mark ii, and cv 453. I’m looking for an accurate target gun.
Typo, that’s the savage mark ii..
Johng10,
I would expect the Savage Mark II to be more accurate. While I’m not a “gun expert”, like a lot of guys here, I believe that Savage makes very accurate rifles, and given similarly accurate barrels, bolt action rifles will usually out perform auto-loaders. If accuracy was my number one criteria, I’d go with the Savage over any 10/22. As I said above, I bought my Ruger 10/22 Target model because it is the best of all worlds. I’m very pleased with my Ruger, but doubt that I would have regretted buying a Savage Mark II. But the Savage is a different kind of gun.
Victor
Well, thought I’d relate my initial thoughts on the FWB 300s and 65 I was ‘gifted’ last week.
They are both flawless. As in one small nick on the forend of the 300s and not a mark on the 65. Bluing on both is what I would call 9+. Maybe not new in box, but no more wear on either than you’d expect from demo in a reputable store.
Did I mention I have these for free 😉 (really not trying to brag…but man am I a happy camper).
First, the rifle…it has a big honkin’ Bushnell Elite scope on it! The fellow was a long distance shooter and all his shooting was scoped and these were his trigger practice guns so he outfitted it with an optic.
I’ve already asked him and he said he has no issue with putting a good aperture on it…I’ll probably get another of the Gehmann Compacts that I have on the Avanti but that will have to wait as I made another purchase last week that has to be paid for (more on that a little later).
My first impression is…this is one heavy gun!!!
After a few years shooting the Avanti this thing is going to be a bit of a chore to shoot offhand, 10m style. But is shoulders well and with the scope it literally puts 5 pellets in one slightly oversized hole at 10m.
In truth I’m not sure how much I’ll use it. From my limited time with it I find it just too heavy for indoor standing offhand shooting…maybe come spring taking it outdoors will be more ‘fun’…but right now I’m more into the beauty of it than shooting it.
Same can’t be said for the Model 65. I will definitely be gifting the Gamo Compact to my sons because it just is no comparison to the 65. What a sweet pistol
The grip of the Gamo is pretty good…at least I thought it was. But when you pick up the FWB it is so ergonomically balanced that you can just pick it up, close your eyes and point and it is perfectly aligned to the target…all I have to do is final sighting to make the shot. The Gamo is front end light and the front sight tends to dance around because of this whereas the FWB front sight just seems to sit where your point it. It’s wonderful.
A little history on the fellow who has loaned them to me. He is a client of mine (professional photographer) who in the early 80’s helped train Marine snipers (before he moved to Canada). His hobby was long distance shooting. Don’t know what kind exactly but he said he had a number of custom built rifles, all single shot and that anything under 1500yds was considered casual plinking.
But his forte was pistol shooting with a fellow named Don Bower who was a buddy of his: http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=583&
I’m thinking you’ve heard of him B.B….though I never have.
He showed my his Contender in .308 (.308 pistol for gods sake). He used it in 200 and 500yd pistol competitions.
I really had no idea people are actually even attempting to hit something with a pistol at 500yds.
So…my purchase…I’ve been doing pretty good with the Savage .22WMR I purchased last spring. Lets say consistent 1.25″ groups at 100m.
But I think it (I) can do better and came to the conclusion that the cheap Bushnell scope it came with is the holdup so I ordered this yesterday: http://www.hawkeoptics.com/rifle-scopes/sidewinder-tactical.html
Man this past week I’ve felt like a kid at Christmas!!
CSD,
No, I’ve not heard of Don Bower.
Bet you warm up to that 300S is a bit though!
B.B.
CSD,
I’ve tried to restrain from commenting but can’t hold back any longer. Be prepared for a penned up/dammed up amount of opinion about the FWB 300 that has just burst.
The FWB 300 is one of my favorite platforms for a 10 meter springer. This is my justification for and your “escape capsule” for all that I say from this point forward that you disagree with.
Compared to an Avanti, Yes, the FWB 300S is heavy. By design it is heavy to accentuate offhand shooting. It’s also muzzle heavy since this helps in target acquisition. It has a long flat forearm to accomodate a variety of shooters dimensions. The weight forces one to perfect an offhand hold. Even with todays equipment (shooting jacket, shooting pants, shooting boots, etc.) technique must be learned to shoot any airgun since balance with any springer is paramount (where do I place my hands and fingers to milk the ultimate accuracy out of this airgun? Notice I didn’t say model of airgun since I’ve owned 8 different FWB 300S models and three FWB 300 RT variations that performed differently with the same holds).
Have fun learning how to hold a true Olympic match airgun offhand. Unlike the Avanti you need ground up bone on bone support. Kicking your hip out helped me immensely.
Let’s realize that in its’ day the FWB 300 kicked butt in 10 meter shooting. Let’s also recognize that in 10 meter competitive shooting you take a shot, put the heavy gun on a stand and in full regalia waited for your next shot. The FWB300 is heavy offhand because when you take shot after shot, whether on paper or plinking, it will wear you out. That’s not what this gun was designed to do! A sitting FT position or mini sniping from a bench will get praises from everyone shooting an FWB 300 all day long.
Allow me to shift gears……….
You were blessed to receive your fwb 300s from a long range shooter that mounted a big honkin bushnell elite scope on top. Do you think your photography friend that was a long range shooter shot this setup in his basement at 10 meters? Of course not. The setup you received was for long range shooting off of a bench since that’s what he does/did. An FWB 300XX is one of the least hold sensitive airguns I’ve shot. As such I would strongly encourage you to bench your gun, load air arms falcon pellets and shoot this airgun at 40 yards when no wind is present.
I’d be very interested in knowing if any of your other springers could consistently group anywhere close to what that FWB300s with that big honkin bushnell can do at that distance.
Provided your barrel and port haven’t been ruined, I doubt that any of your other springers can come close to the accuracy of that FWB300s benched.
kevin
CSD actually has me considering putting a Tasco Benchrest scope on my 300S Kevin,and you certainly aren’t helping matters with your enthusiasm.A Burris scope would be your preference for 40yds,no?
My question for you is how does that LG55 DSTT that Paul Watts set straight compair at 40yds without wind?
Frank,
Wow, what good questions.
When you say burris scope I assume you’re referring to one of my all time favorites the Burris Timberline 4.5-14 AO with ballistic plex reticle. The short length, light weight, great reticle for holdover, Adjustable Objective and very good glass for the price point makes it a good choice for many airguns. BUT no I’ve never put a burris timberline on any of my FWB 300’s. With most FWB 300’s I either shot with the match sights and an iris installed or a short scope since a long scope interferred with loading a pellet. On the U models I adjusted the cheek piece tall, used tall mounts and put a long scope on. Although the scope hung over the loading port the additional height of the mounted scope made loading a pellet easier. I’m down to one FWB 300 and it’s an RT version. I have a huge scope (bushnell 3200, 7-21×40 AO with mil dots) on that gun. Since this version was meant to be scoped the sliding compression chamber is open to the side not just the top so loading a pellet is not hard.
The LG55 DST Tyro that recently returned from Paul Watts is the only springer I’ve owned that can keep up, accuracy wise, with my FWB 300 RT without any wind. The LG55 has an amazing barrel. The tyro stock on the LG gives me an advantage over the stock on the RT. The LG is a break barrel so I’m limited to a shorter scope. I have a burris timberline 4.5-14X on the LG for this reason. The 21 power bushnell on the RT gives that gun the advantage at 40 yards. The almost recoiless behaviour of the FWB 300 gives it an advantage over the LG55. Because of these trade offs these guns are neck and neck accuracy wise. Please note, none of the other walthers I’ve owned could come close to the accuracy of this LG 55 DST Tyro. It’s unique. All but two of the FWB 300’s I’ve owned were as accurate as my RT. In my experience, accuracy is a given in the FWB 300 even for a mediocre shooter like me.
kevin
Kevin, how can I be angry with comments that are well intentioned…and exactly what I needed to hear 🙂
Firstly, at 57 years old I’m not about to take up serious Olympic class shooting. With two young boys around I just wouldn’t have the time nor do I want to even consider the clothing and such that is mandatory for this kind of endeavour. I remember when I did some competitive rimfire shooting in the late 70’s…a stiff leather jacket and a pair of shoes with good support was what most of us showed up with. I have a catalogue of shooting clothing (just to look at) and it seems to be entirely possible to spend on clothing what not too long ago would have bought a descent used car.
Anyhoo…that and the fact that my boys love shooting, and want to be included precludes me spending hours of alone time that would be required to perfect this style.
I actually find that I really enjoy the Avanti for basement shooting. We can go down after dinner and be set up and shooting in minutes.
But…all that being said…it’s the rest of your comments I’m going to take to heart.
I kinda castigated my friend in my last post for putting the scope on such a fine rifle. And I’m imagining your comments on what he used the rifle for are bang on. The scope is a Bushnell Elite…but it is the one with the big honking target turrets and he has a whole set of come up sheets for the pellet he found most accurate (they were some in the box but they are in a plastic container so I don’t know the brand….they are pointed so that gives credence in my mind that he wasn’t using the gun at 10m)
I’d said I wouldn’t shoot the gun much…feeling that when it had the ‘proper’ aperture sight on it, it would just be too heavy.
But after reading your comment I’m going to do exactly what you suggest. It will become an outdoor range gun. With the new scope I’m getting for the .22WMR I’m going to see how it performs on the 150m at our range.
I’ll see if I can replicate those results at 50m with the FWB.
Thanks for helping me see this gun in a different perspective Kevin.
CSD,
One last suggestion if I may.
Before you shoot that wonderful FWB 300 too much remove the mount and check to see if it’s the right mount for an FWB. The bottom of the rear mount should have a hardened cross bar that marries into the cross slots on top of your gun.
I’ve owned many FWB’s that previous owners used incorrect mounts on and the vertical stop pin eventually gouged a ditch through the bluing on top of the gun since it moved.
kevin
CSD,
I lied. I have another suggestion.
At longer ranges try the Air Arms Falcon pellets in your FWB 300. This was the favorite pellet in most of my FWB 300’s at longer ranges like 40 yards.
kevin
CSD,
I lied. I have another suggestion.
At longer ranges try the Air Arms Falcon pellets in your FWB 300. This was the favorite pellet in most of my FWB 300’s at longer ranges like 40 yards.
kevin
B. B. and assembled experts, have you found a 46m difficult to load? This one doesn’t seem to load straight in – with the pellet directly in line with the barrel. It prefers the pellet tipped ~ 30 degrees with the skirt angled towards 4 o’clock. The pellet will work its way in (and straighten) without deforming, but it isn’t easy with the left hand. Dome or wadcutter doesn’t matter and I’ve also tried different weights and brands. Thanks.
Spritzer,
I use RWS R10 7.0 grain and do not have problems with feeding. Also the 46M seems to like the H & N Match Pistol pellets that are 4.49 mm heads. Try some of those.
Spritzer,
I’ve used RWS R10’s, Gamo Match, some Chinese or Japanese Wadcutters and even domed. All can be finicky trying to load IF you don’t line up the pellet perfectly with the breech. Once that’s lined up, they will slide in although with a bit of resistance.
Fred DPRoNJ
Spritzer,
I use the RWS R-10 with my 46M also and don’t have a problem. Although rarely, one will be a little more difficult, but it’s solved with a little more pressure. Are you saying every pellet will not load in straight? So far the RWS R-10 are the best pellets for my pistol.
-Chuckj
Spritzer,
I tried to duplicate what you are experiencing by using my R-10s. I have to say, looking from what I think is your perspective, do not expect pellets to just drop in. They must be pressed with a little force. Tight is good, I believe. Tight is better than loose. I also tried some JSB Exact RS, they’re domed, and they go in easy but must be lightly pressed in. They don’t fall in. I suppose lightly pressed is subjective. I don’t know what you’re used to.
-Chuckj
Spritzer,
Perhaps your pellet heads are too large? That’s all that comes to mind. They should load straight.
B.B.
Spritzer,
Mine was pretty tight too and had the same problem. If you want to, and don’t mind doing a little work on it, taper the inlead with a small cone shaped grinding wheel. Like one from a Dremel. This can be done by hand since you won’t be doing any heavy metal removal. Just deburring the inlead to make it easier to get the pellet started. Finish with rolled cones of 300-1000 grit sandpaper. Helped mine immensely!
/Dave
The receiver on my Izzy is a little small in diameter. Tight is good; less air blowby, more consistency, etc. If you find it too tight and unforgiving, PA undoubtedly has some H&N competition pellets marked as being 4.49 mm or even 4.48 mm in diameter. Try those, and your problem is cured.
Otherwise, you might try to scrounge an old Beeman pellet seater, the kind with a narrow head on one end and a spherical one on the other. It avoids wear and tear on your thumb.
I sure wouldn’t take a Dremel or any grinding tool, even manual, to the inlead!
pz
Everyone, thanks for your help and suggestions. I think the problem was my force perception, and also my finger placement. I believe I’ve used the tip of my thumb for loading most things, and the starting pressure was also much lower. In this case that will not work. Using my thumb pad and a ‘stout’ initial push will cause them to snap – then the pressure required is very reasonable. Thanks again for your expertise and experience, and your posts/comments.
That pic of the week reminds me of a line from a potboiler novel, “The end of the gun looked as big as a water main.” Bad figure of speech.
This article is very timely. I’ve been thinking about the 10/22. I’ve heard good and bad things about the 10/22 Target. I’ve also been wondering about the Magnum Research .22 and if it’s really worth the $450 or so. Much is made of the fact that it is light, but I would see that almost as a disadvantage for accuracy. For that reason, I had been leaning towards the Ruger Light Target Varmint. But the review here is written so deliciously as to make me lean back. And is the magnum that accurate? I thought that .22 magnums were more hunting rounds. But whenever I work myself up to a pitch of enthusiasm for a 10/22, I keep coming back to the fact that my 1077 does everything that the 10/22 could do in my circumstances and more.
B.B., now that you mention the glass rod trigger on your Wilson Combat, I realize that for all of my triggers, there is no sense of movement in the firing stage. It just feels like I apply pressure until the trigger releases. But how could this be if the mechanical action of the trigger has to do with sliding along the surface of the sear until falling off the right angle? Is the sear just extremely short?
Saw Taken 2 last night. My standards for action films are low but I’m capable of appreciating something higher. Liam Neeson is quite a good actor and he brings the personal qualities of this genre alive–which is what we’re mostly looking for after all. The combat scenes themselves were done in a clever montage fashion which was highly evocative. But it also mostly concealed the fact that Neeson himself is not too athletic and probably doesn’t know any martial arts. At least he was better than the 70 year old Chuck Norris in Expendables 2 who just walked around shooting from the hip. Don’t know if I mentioned that Chuck Norris’s acting skills seem to have gotten worse if that’s possible.
Whew, it’s time for the weekend. I was in an endless meeting this morning driven by nothing more than the desire to yack and to dive like Brer Rabbit through a thicket of bureaucratic regulations to no purpose. I felt an almost irresistible temptation to get up on the table and yell, “Shut up!” And then after two minutes of golden silence say, “Now we’re exactly two minutes ahead of where we were before”…
On a happier note, you may all remember the gigantic obliterating smile from the young man of the previous pic of the week. Well that is me as I anticipate going home and taking delivery of my Roman gladius machete. Pretty cool. And I’ve even figured out uses for it. I’m going to stab a few pumpkins over the weekend. And with the rains coming on, I can array myself in my poncho from whose folds I can withdraw the deadly pointed sword… My King Arthur accident of some time ago, cutting myself open with the kitchen knife, turns out to be fortuitous as I have decided not to put a razor’s edge on this weapon. Any accident could do some serious damage.
Matt61
Roman forces had some metal armor, so a “razor’s edge” is not appropriate. Think “cold chisel” instead. Razor would chip too far back on impact. Heck — swords against metal is really one of the least effective weapons around (which is why it was so favored by medieval knights&nobility — the odds were good that one would survive the fight; a flanged mace, OTOH, could dent the armor and break bones under it).
Unlike Japan, where armor was cloth and bamboo — a good cutting edge would have more effect in getting through the armor.
Matt,
I was surprised by the 22 Magnum’s accuracy, too. They aren’t usually that accurate. Bit the one from Magnum Research was! The .22 long rifle was average.
The 10/22 Target I tested was really accurate. But only one gun.
B.B.
BB,
What do you mean by “But only one Gun”?
You tested more than one gun but only one was accurate OR
You only tested one gun and it was accurate.
I assume and hope you meant #2.
thanks BB,
AJ
AJ,
I tested BOTH the .22 LR and the .22 Mag. Only the Mag was extremely accurate. The LR was average.
B.B.
BB
What does “jewelling” as was done to the 10/22 mean?
Ton,
Makes it look pretty. Some people will say it helps to hold lubes but that’s their way of justifying jeweling.
Look at B.B.’s second picture of his 10/22 that shows a “drilled a cleaning hole in the rear of the action so the barrel can be cleaned from the breech”. Just forward of that you can see the silver bolt (sliding cover plate to the breech) and can make out the typical swirls that are added to a polished piece of metal that is referred to as jeweled.
kevin
Kevin,
This term is new to me also. So jeweling is purely an embellishment? It doesn’t improve function, just cosmetics.
Victor
Victor,
IMHO, yes. Cosmetic. The process of “polishing” the bolt may smooth things out and jewelling may allow lubes to adhere better but 99% of jewelling is bling IMHO.
kevin
It’s a procedure using polishing/grinding compounds and a rotary tool (drill press?) with a flexible tip (like a rubber suction cup dart) to produce overlapping scales on the bolt.
Done properly, one does not remove enough metal to affect fit, but does reduce the total amount of the bolt in metal-to-metal contact with the receiver. The grooves may also retain lubricants.
http://www.customjewelshop.com/sav.html
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/06/joe-grine/gun-review-thompsoncenter-icon/
Wulfraed,
Most important piece of equipment for jewelling a bolt is a bolt vice with micro markings and positive locks. The right abrasives and polishing wand (looks alot like the attachment your dentist uses to polish your teeth with a shallow cup that holds polishing compound) are also helpful. You’re absolutely correct. A drill press with good light and a steady hand also help a great deal.
kevin
Ton,
I always thought it was done for the bling. American Airgunner had a segment last year where Paul Capello did a jewelling job I believe using a pencil eraser with some compound on it, if my memory is correct. Personally, I care much for it since I think it makes a gun look more un-gun like, but that’s me.
-Chuckj
I sure DON’T know where the word DON’T went because I swear I put the word DON’T in there. As in:
“Personally, I DON’T care much for it since I think it makes a gun look more un-gun like, but that’s me.”
Gremlins, it’s gremlins, I tell you!
-Chuckj
I’ve always wondered about why the 10/22 became the object of so much customization — it really is perfect as is, but not worth the effort to do much more with it. I think the magazine design lends itself to augmentation, thus the “black rifle” upgrade stocks and such, but I’ve never really figured out why anyone would wast time and money making an autoloader a bench rifle. My .22 autoloader needs have been filled since 1982 by a Glenfield 60, looking very un-tacticool with its embossed squirrels and acorns. One is enough.
BG: I agree with you on that why? part too. The Ruger 10-22 is a fine field gun as is, and even as a child I recognized that. It has the best lines of any clip fed.22 auto-loading field gun . The magazine and it’s release catch in particular , are better than any of the others , as neither stick out (or down ) to catch on crap. Also the magazine design has less problems,(really none) with damaging the ammunition as it is fed through the action. Most repeating .22’s damage the bullets, which will destroy accuracy. That magazine, and the easy and simple to remove, unique barrel attachment of the Ruger is probably why they are so often customised. I think that the solution to extend the magazine catch on BB’s gun is a disgrace to gunsmithing. A real primitive pete solution in my estimation. As far as having too many RF’s I cannot agree with you as I have several, and have learned much about shooting because of the variety. One is never enough!
Primitive Pete! Great instructional movies!
I agree on the rimfires, but I’m not really intrigued by autoloaders for some reason, so the G60 is it for that genre. I also agree about the 10/22’s utility and reliability — I used a friend’s frequently for several years and found it quite handy in the woods just as it is.
B.B.,
A ‘cold group’ update. This is day 5 for me, and the TX (or me), finally threw a shot. It landed about .4 inches away from the center of the first four, which measured .28 inches. The release and sight picture felt good, so I don’t know what to attribute it to. I fitted a Rowan ‘hamster’ to the stock making shooting off the knee easier, but bench resting the gun is not, and my technique or position may need to be revisited.
I decided to shoot second through fifth shot ‘follow up’ groups and all other groups are very close to half inch. This is not the norm, and suspect the hamster is just conducive to a proper artillery hold. I’ll need to pull it and start over.
The R7 started a grinding, galling kind of feeling during the cocking stroke, so I inspected it yesterday. I pulled the action from the stock (and needed to tighten a loose scope ring), so I’ll start the R7 test over. Not surprisingly, the groups were questionable and unimpressive.
The Crosman 1700 has been turned up a bit, and is not back yard friendly. Because of this, I’m only shooting a single cold group with no follow up groups. At 25 meters the group is nice and round, but big at .65 inches c-t-c. I really like this pistol, but it might not be my best late night first shot pesting gun.
I hope your and everyone else’s cold group experiment is as fun as mine has been.
-hm
One of the nicest upgrades for the 10/22 is Timney’s drop in trigger unit. It replaces the entire factory lower receiver and gives a really nice trigger pull and a mag release that is great. BTW, I have had good groups with CCI Standard velocity ammo.
Mike
Well, since we are not dealing with airguns this time, I’ll keep it to not airguns. It is quite amazing what you can do with various guns. I recently got an eye full of the new AK-12. It’s russia’s “M-4”. Naturally my mind mentally took the gun apart and figured out what it was and of course, how can I get one. They are not out for the general public yet. Fortunately for me I have all the stuff needed to assemble an AK-47 so this is child’s play to me. I figured out it’s simply a retooled AK-74 with new furniture. Naturally I got an AK-74 parts kit, whipped together a reciever from sheet metal, and set on some identical furniture. I put on a laser, combat dot sight, and I decided to put one of those new centerpoint action cams on the front rails, and a 75 round drum magazine. (yeah, I know, a bit insane, but I like it. Naturally I make everything better so instead of leaving it black I dipped it. Barrel, Receiver, and dust cover are done in a dark skull pattern, furniture in a digital camo pattern.
My test fire was amazing. The AK-74 has almost no recoil. My ak-12, thanks to my recoil dampening sniper butt stock and a few other Infidel arms exclusives, has about as much recoil as a benjamin discovery, A muzzle velocity of around 3400 fps and I rechambered it to fire a nato .223 (5.56×45). And best of all. I now have a gun that is not even issued to the russian army yet. $35.00 got me a snap on device that squeezes behind the trigger so that if I’m not too ham-fisted with the trigger, I get full-auto legally. Goes to show. If you got the time and tools, you can do almost anything.
John,
Wow! That is interesting! What kind of accuracy do you get?
B.B.
Interesting question. Since I do have several AK variants i’ll try to answer this as well as I can. Keep in mind the army trained me to be a weapons expert and on the range in 6 years of military service I have never missed a target on the qualification range. Keep in mind that a qualification range is far different than a firefight on the streets of Iraq. The AK-47, where I’ll start in the intrest of going throuth them chronologically), was the first actual assault rifle. It was designed in 1948 by Mikhail Kalashnikov while in the hospital recovering from battle field injuries. It wasn’t really designed for pinpoint accuracy. It was designed to kill a target, go through a cinderblock wall and kill the target on the other side. It has a bit of recoil so expect a 2-3 inch ctc acuracy on semi-auto if you are patient and practice. That’s accurate enough for a battle field where your kill zone is several inches across. Depending on what ammo you are shooting, 2 shots is usually all you need in a target. On full auto, the ak-47 is all over the place as it bucks and jumps. But on full auto you aren’t really aiming. You are just causing chaos.
In 1965 the Hungarians came out with a variation called the AMD65. It’s a lightweight inexpensive weapon with a 12 inch barrel and side folding wire stock. It’s function and caliber are the same as a full sive ak-47 but with the shorter barrel, accuracy was pretty much out the window. However it wasn’t designed for sniper duty. It was designed for special forces, vehicle crews, and beach landings. In those cases you aren’t too interested in long range accuracy. It’s basically an up close and personal weapon designed for taking out a man sixed target at 300 meters or less. On full auto it’s for making a cloud of brass coated lead and giving you time to get away.
In 1974, the AK 47 was replaced with the AK-74. (anyone seeing a pattern in the numbers). It was given a 5.45×38 bullet (.214 cal) which recoiled less than the 7.62×36 (.308) then they designed a compensator for the front that took away almost all the recoil. This also gave it better accuracy and made it easier to keep on target for a faster follow up. I see a 2′-1.5″ ctc on semi-auto. On full auto it grows to around a 6″ ctc (50 meters for my accuracy tests)
In 2012 they decided to upgrade to the AK-12. It was basically a AK-74 they upgraded with a 6 position stock like the M-4. Mine has a 6 position sniper stock which means adjustable cheek rest as well. They added a picitanny rail on the top cover and stuck on optics. the wood foregrip went away and they added a quad rail system like the M-4, and stuck on accesories like a horizontal foregrip, laser, flashlight, and camera. They also put a night vision scope in the package and a few other goodies. Mine also has a smoother action, lighter trigger and buffer on the recoil spring. All together at 50 meters I see a 1″ ctc. on full auto it goes to 2.5″ due to the fact it doesn’t buck and jump like the AK-47. Most AK-12’s still fire the 5.45×63. I rechambered mine for 5.56×45 (.223 cal) which makes it a great deer rifle as long as I use a 5 round magazine. (keep in mind the AR series rifles are popular deer rifles. So, please don’t judge too harshly.)
O hope I did a good enough job explaining these rifles. If you wish to ask anything else, feel free to ask. They aren’t the frightening guns politicians think they are.
John,
That was an excellent explanation! I wish you would consider writing a guest blog about the development of your AK-12. I would find some good way to relate it to airguns.
B.B.
John,
just to echo BB’s comment, this was a great explanation of a combat rifle that I have absolutely no experience with and little more knowledge of it. Thanks!
Fred DPRoNJ (Democratik Peoples Republik of New Jersey)
It would be nice to do at some point. If there was a way to post video from the gun mounted camera that might show the capabilities a bit more than a picture. Perhaps in the summer when I can get out to my range I will do so. Right now I have a shooting restriction out there due to deer season coming soon, and I love venison.
That would also give me some time to set up an even prettier bunch of AK series rifles. I figure I better give your readers something to really drool over. I do all my own dips and other stuff including building from parts.
I also have a custom pcp rifle I’m working on that is being built out of a crosman 2240 you might be interested in. Light weight, powerful, unique…and of course accurate as any benjamin discovery. It features a real AK 47 folding stock ans M-248 pistol grip as well as a load of other bonus goodies. It’s a customer gun but I bet he’d let you review it at some point in your busy future.
John,
Now the airgun sounds even better! Could you perhaps do a short report on it for us?
B.B.
It’s a work still in progress. I only have it about 2/3 finished so it’s not able to be fired quite yet. So, it will be a progress report only. But being Who I am and having a mind that works kind of like a CNC machine, I can tell you plenty about it.
I got a 2240 on a trade and I have a customer that wanted a custom 2240 pcp gun. I can do that but it would only have about 5 useable shots and be good only to around 1000-1500 psi so I gave it a bit more air volume by adding on a 6 inch extension to the body tube and setting in a pcp valve where the co2 valve used live. I capped it off with a foster quick disconnect like the discovery has.
I got rid of the cheap plastic breech and replaced it with a crooked barn ultimate breech which can be a left handed or right handed by unscrewing the cocking handle and putting it on the other side.
Since the 2240 doesn’t come with a foregrip I ordered one from rbgrips.com. I went with a black-black laminate 2260 forestock which is held on by 2250 barrel band and adapter. I didn’t like the trigger so I replaced it with my last blue fork designs trigger which made it possible to bolt on an M-248 pistol grip I bought at cheaperthandirt.com. Mellonair provided a butt stock adapter with a power adjuster. Rockstartactical provided an AK-47 folding stock adapted for a tippman paintball gun. It’s the exact same stock i use on one of my AK-47’s with a different attachment end.
The barrel was lengthened to 20 inches and is a .2 caliber. Tko muzzle brakes made me a wonderful carbon fiber wrap sound suppressor and optics are a bug buster scope. If you don’t have suprrior optics the best gun you can buy/build won’t be worth anything on the range.
I got my trigger pull down to 1 pound or less, single stage like a real firearm and had to modify my seer with a dremmel to make it hold with such a light seer spring. The gun is a feather weight. I haven’t weighed it yet since it’s not quite done but I expect it to only weigh in at 5 pounds or so since everything is light weight materials. The entire design is fairly well ballanced and easy to build your sight picture from even an unsupported firing position. The down side is it’s very sensitive to breathing and heart beat. That being said you have to watch your breating and listen to your heart to get the accuracy out of the gun. I expect to se 15-20 good shots out of it at around 850-900 fps. Maybe more if i play with the power adjuster a but. I expect the gun to be about as loud as a powerful springer with the baffles in muzzle device. The appearance of the gun is a nice tactical look.
If I had the ability to add a picture, I’d show you my work. I’m just not sure how to do it. But the 2240 is an incredibly adaptable air gun if you put in some time and effort. It can be a pistol, mini-rifle, or full size rifle, either co2 or pcp. You just have to figure out what you want it to be them build it up.
My biggest problem with these guns isn’t with the guns. It’s with where I live. The 2240 needs to be shipped to an ffl holder then treated as a real handgun…take it to the police station, register it, have it safety tested ect. So, getting them is problematic even for my purposes. But, when I do get them, they turn into something cool.
John,
That makes me appreciate your earlier comments about New Jersey! I understand.
B.B.
You might have me a bit confused with another John. I live in Michigan. I don’t know much about New Jersey except it is near New York. I’ve only been there once and my stay was only a few hours as I out processed from the army in 1990. I haven’t been back to the east coast since then. I don’t think i have ever said anything good or bad about the state.
BB might be confused, but I was 90% certain your description was Michigan…
Filling out the paperwork when I moved back from California was a pain given that I’ve four pellet pistols, along with the four powder burners (actually five, but one of them had been purchased before I’d moved to CA, so should still be in their records).
Surprising that way — For all that CA is this big restrictive state for firearms, pellet pistols were no-paperwork over-the-counter purchases (at least, they were — but the recent bills that were passed to make the LA bureaucrats happy have changed that)… Yet the more open MI, a shall-issue CCW state, makes it so miserable that practically no store will stock pellet pistols. Even if the state does decide to get rid of the registration scheme (over the state police desires), it probably won’t help the pellet pistol situation.
John,
Yep, as the old streetwalker said, “We just have too many Johns.” 😉
B.B.
I haven’t heard that one before. Funny. Sometimes haveng such a common name is a curse as much as anything else. But it also allows me to hide from people I don’t want contact with, such as my ex-wife. Kind of hard to find one specific john in a sea of them when you shout “Hey, John!” and everyone says, “What?”. On a sadder note I get more “dear john” letters than you have ever gotten. In fact most of mine are.
The AK 47 is actually a very simple design. Much more simple to build and operate than the AR series/m-16/m4, and far more reliable. However reliability is gained at the cost of some accuracy.
To fire it you simply have to pull back the bolt carrier, let it go, aim and squeeze the trigger. The safety is one piece. The fire control group is 5 pieces held in place by 2 pins and a clip. The bolt is one piece and the carrir is one part. Taking the gun apart to clean it is simple and can be done with mittens on in -30 degree weather. (you can’t do that with an AR series.) I’m sure BB can tell you that building an AR lower receiver is a fairly complicated operation since he wrote an article about it. I can put an AK reciever together with a needle nose pliers in 15 minutes or less.
People don’t think the AK series is a credible hunting rifle, but in reality it is a great deer rifle. Let’s look at this a bit because I know somebody will argue it isn’t since it’s got the record for the most human deaths in history for a gun type. The AR is a popular deer rifle which is a civilian version of the M-16/M-4. It chambers a .223 (5.56×45) All it needs is a 5 round magazine to be legal for hunting.
An AK series. (For this comparison we’ll use the ak-47) chambers a .308 (7.62×39) and all it needs is a 5 round magazine. If a smaller .223 is acceptable for deer hunting which is basically just a slightly larger .22 on serious steroids, when a .308 which is bigger, slightly slower with more mass and more kinetic energy surely is acceptable. Both are good for 300 meters which is the longest shot I have ever been required to take with either gun.
I imagine Michigan policy makers are about as afraid of certain air rifles as they are of the AK-47. Here in Michigan I can’t get anything under 30 inches with a rifled bore (including things like the drozd pistot), or anything with a shrouded barrel or noise reducing part. Which means my gamo whisper can now only be gotten trhough an FFL holder. However I can get these things through a private party as used with no restrictions.
I actually find this kind of stupid since you can get a real AK-47 in kit form without a single background check then build your own receiver which is as easy as drilling some holes in sheet metal. I build an AK variant per month and haven’t had a single fbi check since kits are a non-firearm by the ATF.
True. In michigan you don’t need to go through all the B.S. for a rifle that you do for a pellet pistol. But for things llike the marauder or whisper you still need to buy it through an FFL holder unless you buy it used through a private party. They still treat them somewhat like a firearm even though they are not. You don’t need the fbi background check for an air rifle with a shrouded barrel or police pistop permit like you do for a pellet pistol here, but it is a bit rediculous to require that since far more powerful “weapons” can be had if you can answer just one question….”are you 18 or older?’ I can answer yes to that so I can easily go pick up a .50 cal black powder rifle or pistol like I can a red ryder bb gun. And like I said before, if you are willing to do a bit of work, just about any gun can be had without a scrap of paperwork. Of course after you got something that shoots there is a bit of paperwork to keep things legal. But that’s only for the honest person. Criminals don’t worry about such trifles, but criminals don’t normally build their own weaponry.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the new Ruger stainless steel 10/22 Take-down. The whole reason this blog started was to talk about a survival gun that could be carried around in a back pack without the barrel sticking out…this look good, although it’s close to $400. Then there is the Henry survival gun for $250 that only weighs 2.5 lbs. and the barrel and action folds down into the stock. Can you experts chat about this? Also, please talk about suppressors too. I need to shoot squirrels on my 3 acres in a neighborhood where no shooting is allowed and my 1000 fps Crossman only seems to deliver a 5050 kill to wound ration and only up to 50 yards….meaning I can confirm a kill at 35 yards, but can only confirm a wound at 50 yards. I hate the wounding part. I think if I switch to a .22, I’ll up the kill ratio. What does John say?
CORRECTION: I fat-fingered this sentence…”only seems to deliver a 5050 kill to wound ration”. What I meant to say was, “only seems to deliver a 50/50 kill-to-wound ratio”. Not to disrespect the Crossman VARMINT .177 break-barrel rifle. It only cost $135 at Walmart and came with an adequate 3×9 scope! I actually wore it out and bought another one before they quit carrying them. I have a brand new one…I didn’t know you were supposed to oil them!! It’s a great varmint gun up to 35 yards, for varmint shooting ability. But I think I need something that will drop a squirrel at 75-100 yards with a head-shot that doesn’t make any noise so I can get 4 or 5 of them.
Regarding your test of the 10-22 with a suppressor, resulting in lackluster noise suppression…. Did you use subsonic ammunition?
If you used standard velocity, high velocity or hyper velocity ammunition, the bullet exits the rifle at supersonic speeds. The ‘crack’ you hear is the bullet breaking the sound barrier, in effect a miniature sonic boom. A suppressor will reduce the muzzle report, but the supersonic bullet crack will drown it out, rendering the suppressor useless or greatly reducing its function.
Swith to subsonic ammunition and there is no sonic crack. The suppressor cuts the muzzle report greatly, and the loudest noise is the action cycling. My 10-22T with a shortened, threaded barrel, is quieter than most pellet rifles. In practical terms, similar to a Crosman 760 at four to five pumps.
As for accuracy, I’ve found, with subsonic ammunition, the accuracy increases. Subsonic ammunition does not cross the transonic barrier as it slows down. This badly buffets the bullet and opens groups up. With high speed or hyper velocity ammunition this occurs at roughly 80 yards out, making 100 yard groups lousy. Then, the suppressor helps strip gasses that would envelope and/or buffet the base of the bullet. I can easily bust eggs out to 100 yards offhand (standing) with my suppressed 10-22T with subsonic ammunition. If you can bust an egg, you can make a headshot on a varmint.
Drawbacks with subsonic ammunition are rainbow trajectory and lack of power. A scope with a target elevation knob is a good idea, marked for range, or a mildot style crosshair, using the dots as range points. And you’ll run out of useful power before you run out of accuracy. Subsonics only work for body shots on the smallest varmints.
Briaqn,
When I tested the silencer for Shotgun News I did test it with several types of both subsonic and standard velocity ammo. It did well with most of them. But it still does not silence the gun. There is a definite report that sounds like a magnum springer.
Maybe I should do a couple of blog reports on this?
B.B.