Airgun thread

[BIggerDanno]

Rather than polluting other threads, I will post info here for those that are interested.

I had never had a pre-charged pneumatic (pcp) until last week. When I bought two of them. Previously, the only airguns I had were break-barrels, which are fairly low powered.
The pcp's are charged with 3000-3600 psi of air for power. The break barrels can approach this level of pressure, but with much lower volume.

I took both outside today to do some sighting-in and penetration testing. The Hatsan Blitz is .22 caliber, with open sights (have a scope on order)
At 25 yards, it is grouping 3 shots within 1.5" & 5 shots at less than 2"


I stacked a bunch of catalogs together and clamped them to see what kind of penetration was possible using a round ball 15.26 gr (will try pellets later.)
The ball was stopped after 70 pages, with broken pages to 160 deep.

The ball on top is unfired. The two pieces at the bottom are what's left after shooting.

I did the same penetration test with the Air Force Texan .45 caliber using a 250 gr hollow point.
It was stopped at 900 pages and broke paper to 1200 pages. This was the 4th shot after filling the air tank. It would have penetrated further on a full tank. Definitely will break bones.

I also shot it without ear protection to see how loud it is...it is VERY loud! Doesn't really sound like your typical firearm. It is subsonic (guessing 1000 fps, will get chrono soon), so you don't get the rip and echo. Not sure what to compare the sound to.
Should make a good deer, elk, hog gun.
Have not got it sighted in yet. So far, it is not holding very tight groups, not sure why yet. Perhaps the valve needs tuning to this weight of bullet. Too windy for any more shooting today.
Amazing what airguns can do these days!

Please stay on topic!

 

[Squidwerd]

I know I've brought this up before but an air gun is what got lewis and clark across the continent.

 

[zxfan]

Nice write-up!
Have you cleaned the barrels yet?
I just cleaned the barrel on my new .25 and was amazed at the crud that came out. Barrels are often coated inside for shipping especially when they come from Chy-na.
I highly recommend the Patchworm system with some Ballistol solvent.

 

[zxfan]

Probably not bad groups for open sights on the Blitz. I wouldn't even be concerned with groups until you get the scope on.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Nice write-up!
Have you cleaned the barrels yet?
I just cleaned the barrel on my new .25 and was amazed at the crud that came out. Barrels are often coated inside for shipping especially when they come from Chy-na.
I highly recommend the Patchworm system with some Ballistol solvent.

I ran a swab thru the Texan before I shot it the first time, it came out clean. Didn't bother with the Blitz. Cannot see thru the barrel on the Blitz. Neither are from China. Blitz is from Turkey, Texan from Texas
I've put 200 rounds thru the Blitz, so will swab it before I shoot it again..

 

[BIggerDanno]

Probably not bad groups for open sights on the Blitz. I wouldn't even be concerned with groups until you get the scope on.

I consider the groups on the Blitz to be good. It's the Texan that isn't grouping, and it has a scope.
It has a fairly heavy trigger. I may be pulling it.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Hmmm. The Blitz has a heavier trigger pull, so that's probably not the cause.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Any of you shoot copper pellets to clean the lead out of the rifling?

 

[Dragon 350]

I wouldn't do that.

As you know, airgun bores are exact, cleaning should be light, should never need a wire brush.

Clean it lightly.

You may need to try different gn bullets?

Or send it back. I bought a decent Benjamin air rifle, it was not accurate.

If you want a tack driver, get a 10/22, use CB sub sonic ammo, sight it in for that ammo. It won't cycle with the CB round, that doesn't matter to me.

That's what I did.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Dont know what a gn or cb is.

No reason to return the gun.

Am asking for advice from other pcp owners regarding the copper pellets. They have been said to be very helpful in removing lead deposits.
There are no lead deposits as of now.

As for accuracy, this gun is VERY accurate. 1.5" 3 shot groups with open sights that cover the entire target. Will be better when I get a scope on it. This is shooting round balls which are not as accurate as wasp pellets.

 

[Dragon 350]

Grain

Cylindrical ball.

 

[HoWnage]

general consensus is that airgun barrels need a little bit of lead in them to "season" them. Try seasoning the barrel first and then see if groupings improve. Usually happens after 300 to 500 pellets/slugs.

I cleaned my .357 barrel pretty squeaky clean and the accuracy dropped big time. After 300 pellets, it was back to being accurate. Most people would say that airgun barrels only need cleaning if you see an accuracy drop, and its only a light cleaning.

You also may want to try different slugs to see what your Texan likes. Slug the barrel and go from there.

 

[BIggerDanno]

I have only shot the 250 gr in the Texan so far. I also have 300, 435, and 143 round balls to try.
I think I'm going to try 300 next. So far, it only has 7 rounds thru it.
Too cold right now though.

 

[Snail]

Whats the felt recoil like compared to a spring piston airgun?

 

[BIggerDanno]

The Blitz has no recoil to speak of. Springer is much greater. The Texan is significant, though not like a centerfire, and much higher than a springer.

 

[Snail]

The spring piston guns knock the shit out of a scope, unless the scope is designed tough. Do some searching. I have a Hatsan spring piston, .22. It blows blue jays in half at 75 yds.

The first cheap scope I put on it fell apart. The second cheap scope I put on it is doubtful. Let me know what you get and a report.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Scopes for airguns need to be designed to withstand the recoil. Springers recoil in BOTH directions, most scopes can't handle that.
All of my airguns have scopes designed for such.

 

[BIggerDanno]

I just got the scope for the Blitz today. It is a Mantis, made in China. Will see how it holds up.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Zeroed at 25 yds today.

 

[zxfan]

How many rounds have you put through that now?
I'd imagine on full auto a 500 count tin of pellets doesn't last too long.

 

[BIggerDanno]

About 600 so far. Over 1000 rpm on rocknroll!

I just received 6 more tins of round balls.

 

[Matt Sterbator]

How many rounds have you put through that now?
I'd imagine on full auto a 500 count tin of pellets doesn't last too long.

I built a "machine gun" bb gun a while back using PVC, copper pipe, some bondo, and air compressor fittings. I spent more money in BBs than it cost to make the "gun" lol.

 

[Master-Cylinder]

I have an olde store bought BB Machine gun that I bought from someone here a long tyme ago. I also made a few using a piece of Inconel tubing for the barrel. At 170psi, it looks like a solid bar of metal coming out of the barrel. It will strip a tree branch of all its leaves. I dump powered graphite in with the BB's just to make them flow better.

 

[Matt Sterbator]

I have an olde store bought BB Machine gun that I bought from someone here a long tyme ago. I also made a few using a piece of Inconel tubing for the barrel. At 170psi, it looks like a solid bar of metal coming out of the barrel. It will strip a tree branch of all its leaves. I dump powered graphite in with the BB's just to make them flow better.

Ha! It was a solid stream of BBs. It ate through 2x4s, plywood, phone books... couple of my house windows, lol. Although I could only get 150psi from my craftsman.

 

[Matt Sterbator]

I still had that thing when I moved to Arizona. A few years in, I was working in the firearms office back in the warehouse attached to the station, and I brought that bb gun in to show the fellas and my supervisor. I loaded up some BBs, hooked it up to the little pancake compressor in the office, pointed the gun out the door, gave the trigger a short squeeze.... and shot out one of the big hanging warehouse lights on the ceiling. Glass everywhere, and a whole lot of laughter. I haven't seen the gun since, lol.

 

[Master-Cylinder]

When my father was a Denver cop, they got to try out American 180 machine guns. He said it would chew through most everything. Didn't get to keep them, higher ups thought it would turn out badly having a bunch of cop with choppers.

 

[Master-Cylinder]

This is how you dispose of a gingerbread house.

 

[BIggerDanno]

Certainly beats eating it!

 

[BIggerDanno]

Ballistics software for airguns and rimfire.
Chairgun

 

[Master-Cylinder]

 

[BIggerDanno]

Where's the bbs go?

 

[Master-Cylinder]

Where's the bbs go?

Factory gun is sitting on the filler cap.
Home grown one gets filled above the "magazine", you can see the filler plug right by the Busa fairing on the computer screen. They both gained a bit of weight when filled. They both held a lot of steel.