Incessant design flaws.

Universal fill probes or do away with fill probes altogether?

MLE said:

I figured this could be a useful thread both for those of us who want to kvetch as well as for manufacturers who peruse the forum.

What are some airgun design flaws and basic safety/quality of life mistakes that you keep seeing manufacturers make over and over and over?

My example is when manufacturers put the air pressure gauge at the muzzle end of the tank so I have to angle the gun toward my face to check the pressure. Even some very high end manufacturers (FX and Huben, to name a couple) continue this frankly dangerous design. I say it’s time that the practice went extinct.

What are, in your opinion, some atrocious and incessant airgun design flaws that need to go away?

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I have to agree, that's the worst idea any manufacturer/engineer ever came up with, flagging your forehead to read the pressure in your gun has always made me uncomfortable.

The only one that bugs me is AEA's "HP" series valve pin and valve seat which can sometimes break. Cheap and easy to replace, but it should have been recalled or at least immediately improved. From what I know they haven't changed it yet and have come out with new and different guns based on that platform (M50 for example).

I have never had one break on me personally and I've owned multiple of these guns, but I did buy a used gun from someone who did (and got a great deal for an easy fix myself).

I have a couple guns with the gauge on the end of the tank... I guess it's pretty easy for me to look at it from an angle. I never found myself sticking the barrel into my forehead to read the pressure.

well well well, I must be the odd ball, I do not have an issue with gauge, I am quite capable of viewing it with out pointing the gun at my head, I only have guns with probes as I do not like fosters,,, each to own,,, if you happy with your choice, great,,, I am happy with mine

the semi auto Huben to me is a dangerous gun as soon as u load it, there is always a pellet at the barrel,,, unless you are empty,,, yes I have one

MLE said:

I figured this could be a useful thread both for those of us who want to kvetch as well as for manufacturers who peruse the forum.

What are some airgun design flaws and basic safety/quality of life mistakes that you keep seeing manufacturers make over and over and over?

My example is when manufacturers put the air pressure gauge at the muzzle end of the tank so I have to angle the gun toward my face to check the pressure. Even some very high end manufacturers (FX and Huben, to name a couple) continue this frankly dangerous design. I say it’s time that the practice went extinct.

What are, in your opinion, some atrocious and incessant airgun design flaws that need to go away?

Click to expand...

Or they should at least include a little mirror with the gun. Then they could be free from liability if someone shoots them selves in the face.

My one and only true bitch about PCP’s in general is a drain screw. Every PCP on the planet should be mandated to have one. Draining a gun by unscrewing a gauge or jacking with your reg is just pure laziness on the manufacturers part.

Combs that are too low for a decent cheek-weld on modern guns that are equipped with scope grooves. While great for open sights, they just don't work well with a scope.




Cheers,

J~

Vetmx said:

Or they should at least include a little mirror with the gun. Then they could be free from liability if someone shoots them selves in the face.

My one and only true bitch about PCP’s in general is a drain screw. Every PCP on the planet should be mandated to have one. Draining a gun by unscrewing a gauge or jacking with your reg is just pure laziness on the manufacturers part.

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True, The leshiy 1 has a drain screw which is helpful when working on it. It would be nice id you didnt have to dry fire to bleed the power plenum ETC

Manufactures that do not consider lefty's at all ., Even if just a lefty stock available to order .
special order the lefty stock and sell the righty to someone that UPS damaged theirs .

jarmstrong said:

well well well, I must be the odd ball, I do not have an issue with gauge, I am quite capable of viewing it with out pointing the gun at my head, I only have guns with probes as I do not like fosters,,, each to own,,, if you happy with your choice, great,,, I am happy with mine

the semi auto Huben to me is a dangerous gun as soon as u load it, there is always a pellet at the barrel,,, unless you are empty,,, yes I have one

Click to expand...

Can you load it with an empty chamber rotated into firing position? And physically spin it a click over to ready if needed?

This reminds me of what is actually my #1 issue with airguns. Keeping them loaded and at the ready without being chambered or cocked for an extended duration. Regardless of bolt action or semi auto, solving this problem would be huge.

Vetmx said:

Or they should at least include a little mirror with the gun. Then they could be free from liability if someone shoots them selves in the face.

My one and only true bitch about PCP’s in general is a drain screw. Every PCP on the planet should be mandated to have one. Draining a gun by unscrewing a gauge or jacking with your reg is just pure laziness on the manufacturers part.

Click to expand...

I have to "push back" on the drain screw. That's just one more point of possible leakage. Loosening the gauge is easy and it works, and it's also an easy diagnosis and fix if you ever do get a leak there.

Admittedly I am pushing back mainly for conversation, not that a well designed drain screw would actually be a detriment.

Rifle pistol grips that are made for the hands of an 8year old girls rather than the hands of an adult

Bb

One more. Every gun should have front and back sling mounts. One of the reasons I love the controversial Umarex Guantlet 2 design, they make it easy with the QD.

Interesting question...I had to look up the definition of the word "kevetch"...a person who complains a lot...Concerning design flaws on airguns specificly. As a machinist/metalworker and a guy who "fixed" stuff (more often than not) that someone else messed up/assembled incorrectly/or machined a part wrong...I've seen it all in airguns. With very few exceptions I usually have a familiarization tweaking period to get satisfactory preformance from my guns, new and used and nothing is more aggravating than screws with too much locktite on them...Impact backstraps and Bobcat cocking lever retaining screw pin and those thin Hammer spring adjusters come to mind, than the opposite with the HW spring guns I've owned from new ALL had fasteners that were all just ready to fall out that NEEDED locktite. I always marvel when someone posts about a high end gun with an obvious issue that could have been caught with just a cursory preship inspection, like the HW97 stock with a hideous scratch on it with no holes in outer or inner box that was shipped to me new.
Or a 2 or 3k Airgun that dosn't work right out of the box...No excuse...either from the factory or vender...Don't get me started on the work ethic of this generation or manufacturing quility control, or the engineering...I could fill volumes....Just make mine a Taipan Veteran...that outfit knows their business...As my daddy used to say.

silvershooter589 said:

I have to "push back" on the drain screw. That's just one more point of possible leakage. Loosening the gauge is easy and it works, and it's also an easy diagnosis and fix if you ever do get a leak there.

Admittedly I am pushing back mainly for conversation, not that a well designed drain screw would actually be a detriment.

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A PCP is comprised of nothing but points of leakage. I have guns with drain screws from 2017 and never an issue. Unscrewing a brass gauge with thousands of PSI behind it is just plain stupid. Same with a reg. Guys get numb to the fact of the pressures we are actually dealing with. It’s just not necessary in 2024.

Like beerthief, apparently, I shoot from my left shoulder. I am right handed but left eye dominant. I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT WHEN BULLPUP MANUFACTURERS PUT A HUGE MAGAZINE POKING OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GUN RIGHT INTO MY FACE. If you need an illustration of a good way to position the magazine look at the SPA M60. It has a pretty big magazine but it is right in the center of the gun so anybody can shoot it. I've seen youtubes where others say it doesn't bother them to have a magazine in their face. Or they manage to sight the gun without hitting it. That is not me. I am not buying a gun that is uncomfortable to shoot. The other solution that would be OK with me is a much smaller magazine available as an option that does not stick out. I'm OK with a 7, 8, or 9 round magazine I don't need one that holds 20+ rounds. But I DO NOT WANT the magazine in MY FACE. Sorry for the shouting but this seems absolutely assinine to me. It isn't hard to do it right, I do not understand why so many "high end" manufacturers insist on messing this up.

Barrels/rifle designs that do not hold POI. A rifle should hold zero not for just hours but for years or even decades. Like a real gun. Air rifles tend to be too large, too heavy, too long and too complicated.

MLE said:

I figured this could be a useful thread both for those of us who want to kvetch as well as for manufacturers who peruse the forum.

What are some airgun design flaws and basic safety/quality of life mistakes that you keep seeing manufacturers make over and over and over?

My example is when manufacturers put the air pressure gauge at the muzzle end of the tank so I have to angle the gun toward my face to check the pressure. Even some very high end manufacturers (FX and Huben, to name a couple) continue this frankly dangerous design. I say it’s time that the practice went extinct.

What are, in your opinion, some atrocious and incessant airgun design flaws that need to go away?

Click to expand...

Every airgun needs a bleed valve!

bucketboy said:

Rifle pistol grips that are made for the hands of an 8year old girls rather than the hands of an adult

Bb

Click to expand...

Mine are always too big

The people who do the CAD/design should also shoot a lot and tinker with air guns. Some design decisions are flimsy and not robust in obvious places.
This goes of most products, not just air guns; several prototype iterations with proper testing is the only way to learn good design. People say AEA makes flimsy stuff, but I think FX might also be or have been a bit like this.
Also, people often don't know which manufacturing corners not to cut - like leaving sharp leade-rifling transitions on barrels. There are small things that can ruin performance completely.