A video you might like with Allen Zasadny about airgun theory

Hey everyone.
I ran across a guy by the name of Allen Zasadny. I know by reading forms that people love him or hate him.
So after several months, I was able to convince him to let me shoot some video while he talked about his favorite things, airguns.
I spent several days camping out on his dirt road while he finished up an FX Impact for me. I might be new to air but not firearms. I live a mobile life style so an airgun would make a nice addition. I'm tired of Karen calling the Rangers just to tell them I have rights when shooting. (You know how people are today about scary guns)
Keep in mind this guy has been working on air guns for nearly 40 years and he is turning 70 this year so he likes his privacy. It took a lot of convincing to get him to agree to make the video. If you have ever talked to him and he seemed rude on the phone. Then you should put yourself in his shoes for a day. He is building himself a house, PLUS the guy is turning 70 this year. So selling and building LOTS guns are not the first thing on his list. (Trust me, I wanted to build him a website. He doesn't want to deal with what it brings) He is verry picky when it comes to taking on new work. At the moment, he does most of his gun work in the evenings and through the winter months when he can't work outside. For a 70 year old guy, he will work circles around you. He works as hard as a guy in his 30s.

So enjoy the information.
I can only hope it helps you understand how you should think about your airgun.

 
Freaking awesome! He has done such great work for me. I absolutely admire his love for the airgun world. He is a master of airguns. I have enjoyed talking with him several times over the years from airguns, Polaris atvs, to his childhood memories. He is an amazing person. I just received my latest Theoben from him and its a master piece. Thank you so much A.Z.
20230411_123944.jpg
 
Hey everyone.
I ran across a guy by the name of Allen Zasadny. I know by reading forms that people love him or hate him.
So after several months, I was able to convince him to let me shoot some video while he talked about his favorite things, airguns.
I spent several days camping out on his dirt road while he finished up an FX Impact for me. I might be new to air but not firearms. I live a mobile life style so an airgun would make a nice addition. I'm tired of Karen calling the Rangers just to tell them I have rights when shooting. (You know how people are today about scary guns)
Keep in mind this guy has been working on air guns for nearly 40 years and he is turning 70 this year so he likes his privacy. It took a lot of convincing to get him to agree to make the video. If you have ever talked to him and he seemed rude on the phone. Then you should put yourself in his shoes for a day. He is building himself a house, PLUS the guy is turning 70 this year. So selling and building LOTS guns are not the first thing on his list. (Trust me, I wanted to build him a website. He doesn't want to deal with what it brings) He is verry picky when it comes to taking on new work. At the moment, he does most of his gun work in the evenings and through the winter months when he can't work outside. For a 70 year old guy, he will work circles around you. He works as hard as a guy in his 30s.

So enjoy the information.
I can only hope it helps you understand how you should think about your airgun.

Information overload! Great vid!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crazy Marty
Thanks for posting that video. That man is amazing with his knowledge and expertise, not to mention more buff at 70 than 99% of men in their 20's! A really informative video. I can't believe I never heard of him but then he operates at a level wayyyy over my head!
The guy will definitely overload you with information. But it’s information that you might not think about. Like how the sun changes where the gun shoots. Or the inertia damper. His gun had an adjustable ball on the front for balance. I didn’t get a chance to video him sitting with his gun. He sits nearly Indian style but he has a way of locking himself into his gun.
 
Freaking awesome! He has done such great work for me. I absolutely admire his love for the airgun world. He is a master of airguns. I have enjoyed talking with him several times over the years from airguns, Polaris atvs, to his childhood memories. He is an amazing person. I just received my latest Theoben from him and its a master piece. Thank you so much A.Z.
View attachment 354545
Well since you have worked with him. Then you know how hard it is to get him talking about guns and what he knows. I spent 3 days in his driveway. It wasn’t tell he had me bang on an old tractor of his neighbors before he understood I was a real mechanic and knew what I was doing. But man that guy is all over the place. He’s like a melting iceberg. Everything happens all the time. From 5am tell 10:30 PM he is running on full power.
 
Thanks for posting, I even watched it in real time. Unfortunately I still have a "Living in Aluminium" earworm... Seriously, lots of good stuff to think about. Reminds me of a spending time with Tim & LD 25 years ago. Contrary to statements at the beginning, Allen is quick to respond and quite entertaining in conversation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crazy Marty
Great stuff... Alan has worked on several of my guns. In speaking with him on the phone, he is a pleasure to speak with. Tons of knowledge. Funny... in speaking with him, we got on the subject of working out and so forth and I assumed he was full of sh... as some tend to be online or on phone. Well, I was mistaken... Dude is a rock, even at 70.. :oops:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crazy Marty
Really nice guy; great to see the video! Thanks!

Here's my A.Z. modified rifle -
Started out as an Anschutz 9015 Black Air model 10M gun. I ran my course with that and wanted a little something more from it.

AZ bumped it up to a sub 12 fpe rifle for FT or ?? use. He did some really great work on that (and some other mod's) and I'm very happy with the finished product.
It IS the most quiet airgun I personally have ever heard. When you shoot it there is a click from the trigger, a small "ping" noise from inside the gun and then the sound of the pellet hitting the target. That's it.
I have to ask the farting mice to be quiet so I can hear my gun go off....:eek:

Picture 1 - May 8 2023.jpg
Picture 2 - May 8 2023.jpg
 
AZwins_1_.jpg

I have know Allen Z for almost 30 years.....
He is the Go To guy for PCP tuning...
Actually he is very EZ to talk to... but you need to catch him at the right time..
He is almost a One man Machine/Airgun shop..
I also have talked to him about a website... and even I would Run it for him....
He was going to think about it at the time...... It would have even provided an Email addy to contact him....
Maybe I need to talk to him again.......

But for me.. His work art was on my Rapid MKII
rapid3_1_.jpg

When was first came out, it had an "integrated" trigger system, not a cartridge. "Sporter trigger"
sportertrig.jpg

Then they released the MFR with their own designed cartridged trigger...Mark 3
Soon Ben Taylor redesigned it for better feel.... The Mark 4....One of the most copied trigger unit!!
So soon everyone was swapping out the mark3 to the Mark 4!
I discussed if it was possible to machine my MKII to fit the Mark 4 trigger with Theoben Co. and Ben Talyor...
Both said in a very clear Tone..NO

So Enter Allen Z, I talked him about , if it was possible to machine the receiver to fit the Mark 4 cartridge.
First he told he had to think this through.. He called me back and said He thought it could be done!
But no Guarantees...So I volunteered my Rapid to be the test subject!
He would make fixtures and make his setups off of my Rapid.
About 6 weeks later I received a box.... my receiver and bag of parts from the old trigger
It was a Flaming Success!! He said he would offer this conversion for All Earlier Rapids Too!!!!!
He still offers this service!!!!!
mytrig.jpg


The funny end to My story.... Allen then called Theoben up.
Told them what he did, how he accomplished it....
Soon I saw on Theoben website, they now offered this trigger conversion for anyprior Rapids
trigger%20conversion.jpg

Nothing like a Happy Ending
 
AZwins_1_.jpg

I have know Allen Z for almost 30 years.....
He is the Go To guy for PCP tuning...
Actually he is very EZ to talk to... but you need to catch him at the right time..
He is almost a One man Machine/Airgun shop..
I also have talked to him about a website... and even I would Run it for him....
He was going to think about it at the time...... It would have even provided an Email addy to contact him....
Maybe I need to talk to him again.......

But for me.. His work art was on my Rapid MKII
rapid3_1_.jpg

When was first came out, it had an "integrated" trigger system, not a cartridge. "Sporter trigger"
sportertrig.jpg

Then they released the MFR with their own designed cartridged trigger...Mark 3
Soon Ben Taylor redesigned it for better feel.... The Mark 4....One of the most copied trigger unit!!
So soon everyone was swapping out the mark3 to the Mark 4!
I discussed if it was possible to machine my MKII to fit the Mark 4 trigger with Theoben Co. and Ben Talyor...
Both said in a very clear Tone..NO

So Enter Allen Z, I talked him about , if it was possible to machine the receiver to fit the Mark 4 cartridge.
First he told he had to think this through.. He called me back and said He thought it could be done!
But no Guarantees...So I volunteered my Rapid to be the test subject!
He would make fixtures and make his setups off of my Rapid.
About 6 weeks later I received a box.... my receiver and bag of parts from the old trigger
It was a Flaming Success!! He said he would offer this conversion for All Earlier Rapids Too!!!!!
He still offers this service!!!!!
mytrig.jpg


The funny end to My story.... Allen then called Theoben up.
Told them what he did, how he accomplished it....
Soon I saw on Theoben website, they now offered this trigger conversion for anyprior Rapids
trigger%20conversion.jpg

Nothing like a Happy Ending
I had a friend like that, drive up with a truck of scrap metal, come back in a year or so and you'd have an early days gas engine. He built replica engines of the Wright Bros. engines, one is in the Smithsonian. Darn I miss him, and his machine shop, good times.