Bought a cheap Chinese B1 Air Rifle.

[Slingworks]

Ok I "finally" bought a Chinese B1 airgun for my son to shoot (he's 9) in 22 cal.

It was a pretty "cheap" gun both price and quality wise. Solid steel and wood of some kind.

I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I couldn't expect much for the price, but it does seem to work. Talk about dieseling though! We shot maybe 50 pellets through it tonight and it's still blowing puffs of smoke on each shot. The first 2 shots were pretty wild. I shot a pine skid at around 10 feet and the pellet blew right through 1" of rough wood. I was pretty surprised at that. after a couple more shots it seemed to settle down, mostly just burring the pellet flush in the wood. In all maybe a little more powerful than I had expected but decent for some shot range paper shooting.

I am curious if this rifle has a leather or synthetic piston seal and how long it might take to burn off the grease/oil in it? I'm starting to wonder if it will?
Anyone know the expected lifespan of such a cheap airgun?

 

[Septicdeath]

A perfect gun to learn and tinker with. The new ones have synthetic seals. At least the one I messed with did. There's a ton of cheap grease in it I bet. Tear it apart clean it up and use some good lubrication. A new seal will run you $10 I think I bought one on ebay.

 

[survivor45]

I picked this up a few months ago. I bought it used but it is in like new condition. I don’t know how old it is.
It is a Cummins Industrial B3-F in .177.
It had a leather seal. It grouped ok when I first started shooting it but as weeks went on groups opened up and pellets kept shooting lower and lower. So I finally tore into it. There was a bit of rust in the piston sleeve. And seeing that it had the leather seal. I just decided I would replace it. Now it has a Vortek HW style seal and Vortek spring. I made a new delrin spring guide and top hat. It now shoots good groups at about 12 yards. But they seem to open up at 20. It shoots 10.5 gr Crosman premiers good enough for plinking. But it shoots H&N 10.65 gn Baracudas A lot better.
So , I strongly recommend you completely disassemble your gun then clean and polish any sharp ruff surfaces.
And re lube everything.

 

[Sqwirl57]

Probably synthetic seals. I really can't weigh in much more than to say make sure your son under no circumstances lets go of that barrel while loading a pellet. Those guns have been known to snap shut and if his finger is in there loading a pellet when it happens, his age and remaining number of fingers will have something in common.

 

[Slingworks]

Probably synthetic seals. I really can't weigh in much more than to say make sure your son under no circumstances lets go of that barrel while loading a pellet. Those guns have been known to snap shut and if his finger is in there loading a pellet when it happens, his age and remaining number of fingers will have something in common.

Probably good advice.

He has a rusty side lever Chinese air rifle that actually fit him better, but I dissuaded him from shooting it for that very reason. The side lever gun needs a pellet thumbed in it while cocked. Spooky.

 

[efem09]

put a scope on it

 

[Slingworks]

put a scope on it

Why? Just to make it easier for a boy to shoot?

 

[efem09]

Why? Just to make it easier for a boy to shoot?

yeah, a small centerpoint 4x32 will do the job

 

[skink]

I've had some of those things around for 30 years and they still work. I keep a couple in my barn. they're covered with rust and still shoot just like when they were new. They're pretty nasty as far as fit and finish but they seem to last a good long while

 

[Slingworks]

Well a bit of a follow up on the B1.

I ended up cutting a couple coils off of the main spring, trimming and polishing/buffing contact points on the back of the piston, cleaning the bore out and greasing it in appropriate places and polishing/greasing the locking chisel body.

Seemed to make it a "new" gun. Much lighter cocking effort that he can handle and very smooth on cocking. (Smooth relative to what it was).

Feels like velocity is pretty low, but still cab burry a pellet flush in pine at 10yds...Overall just right I think. I haven't trimmed the stock, but wont be far along.

I actually enjoyed shooting his cheapie as much as my "grown up" HW.....

 

[El_Pistolero]

Solid steel and wood of some kind.

I inherited a .177 B3 a while back. I came to the conclusion the stock is made from old shipping pallet wood and then slathered with that funky paint* to fill in the coarse grain. It shoots alright under 30 yards.

I think it's cool the B3 looks like an SKS. I put on the correct sling and it looks great. It just has a Daisy scope now but I've thought about tracking down a used Russian or Eastern European optic for it.

It's uncool about never letting go of the B1's barrel or the B3's cocking lever as the rifle is loaded. Yikes! What a design!

*What color are these rifles, anyway? They're not really brown and they're not really orange. What do you call that color?!? Over Ripe Pumpkin? Used Diaper? Polluted Sunset? Baboon's Butt? That color wasn't in my box of 64 crayons when I was kid, I know that.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

I picked this up a few months ago. I bought it used but it is in like new condition. I don’t know how old it is.
It is a Cummins Industrial B3-F in .177.
It had a leather seal. It grouped ok when I first started shooting it but as weeks went on groups opened up and pellets kept shooting lower and lower. So I finally tore into it. There was a bit of rust in the piston sleeve. And seeing that it had the leather seal. I just decided I would replace it. Now it has a Vortek HW style seal and Vortek spring. I made a new delrin spring guide and top hat. It now shoots good groups at about 12 yards. But they seem to open up at 20. It shoots 10.5 gr Crosman premiers good enough for plinking. But it shoots H&N 10.65 gn Baracudas A lot better.
So , I strongly recommend you completely disassemble your gun then clean and polish any sharp ruff surfaces.
And re lube everything.

We use to have fun with the cummings tool truck guns .. + the green plastic tin of them cheap china pellets.. ya, more fun then a barrel of gamos.. bog hit at creek party's.. lol..


Fyi..

Cummings tool truck was like a china import tool store on wheels that came to small towns and set up shop for a weekend or so . Maybe use to come once every few months.. like a harbor freight on wheels.


That cummings stamped gun maybe a better novelty collector item today ..

 

[Shuggoth]

The Chinese guns are good learning guns for both shooting and tuning, and are sturdy. But the safety aspect is always there with these. I have had lots of Chinese guns over the last 30 yrs and still have 7-8 including my old TS 45 elite Snow peak sidelever. Back in the 80s this gun closed on my palm leaving a scar I can see to this day. I am sure glad I didn't have my finger in it or I may have lost it! The break barrels are the safest of those Chinese guns if you keep a hold on the barrel while loading.

 

[SteveP-52]

Cummins truck rifle. My brother in law's father had it, taught all his kids to shoot with it and passed it to him. He did the same with his own kids, then it disappeared. Great nephew showed up with it one day asking could it be fixed. My niece got one look and asked where I got her father's old rifle from because they thought it got tossed when my sister sold the house after they divorced.
Brother in law now has it back after I got done. Rebuild kit came from Archer.

 

[Treefrog]

Not to jack the thread (much), but...

A friend recently offered me his old B1 "$19.95 tent-sale gun" a couple of weeks ago. It's been sitting in his shed out back and he says that it's almost impossible to sight in. "It shoots farther left than our current politicians" he said. I've only recently forgiven him for handing me his old Quest 1000.

My neighbor's kid is old enough for a pellet gun and I've cleared it with his dad, so I was thinking of taking it and fixing it up for him. Is that juice gonna be worth the squeeze? I've seen it and it isn't beaten up.

Thanks,

J~

 

[Deleted member 50136]

Not to jack the thread (much), but...

A friend recently offered me his old B1 "$19.95 tent-sale gun" a couple of weeks ago. It's been sitting in his shed out back and he says that it's almost impossible to sight in. "It shoots farther left than our current politicians" he said. I've only recently forgiven him for handing me his old Quest 1000.

My neighbor's kid is old enough for a pellet gun and I've cleared it with his dad, so I was thinking of taking it and fixing it up for him. Is that juice gonna be worth the squeeze? I've seen it and it isn't beaten up.

Thanks,

J~

You'll have the same "problem" I had with this gun, belonging to my next door neighbor:

The problem is that you will want one of your own:

I much prefer the early stock on the neighbor's gun.

A "shade tree" crown job will bring a big improvement in accuracy.

I have a huge investment in rubber dremel points and SiC paper in both of these!

 

[survivor45]

Not to jack the thread (much), but...

A friend recently offered me his old B1 "$19.95 tent-sale gun" a couple of weeks ago. It's been sitting in his shed out back and he says that it's almost impossible to sight in. "It shoots farther left than our current politicians" he said. I've only recently forgiven him for handing me his old Quest 1000.

My neighbor's kid is old enough for a pellet gun and I've cleared it with his dad, so I was thinking of taking it and fixing it up for him. Is that juice gonna be worth the squeeze? I've seen it and it isn't beaten up.

Thanks,

J~

If you can get it for cheap. And you enjoy tinkering and tuning stuff. It’s just another fun hobby project.
If you get frustrated easily and are not mechanically inclined. It may not be the gun for you.
I paid 60 for mine it was in like new condition.
Knowing what I know now.
Would I buy another one? Yes.
But I doubt I’d pay more than $25.00 for one

 

[Deleted member 50136]

If you can get it for cheap. And you enjoy tinkering and tuning stuff. It’s just another fun hobby project.
If you get frustrated easily and are not mechanically inclined. It may not be the gun for you.
I paid 60 for mine it was in like new condition.
Knowing what I know now.
Would I buy another one? Yes.
But I doubt I’d pay more than $25.00 for one

Yep! Got my latest one for $20!! Cracked stock and a failed weld, but other than that doesn't need any more fixing than a brand new one!

 

[Treefrog]

Lol. Thanks guys!

I have access to my Dad's machine shop, so some of the necessary improvements shouldn't be a big deal.

That said, I recently watched the kid in question hang on to the tailgate of his dad's truck while his big sister slammed it shut. Visible blood, tears, and the inevitable run to Mama followed. They weren't mashed "too bad" she said. Between that and reading BB's review of the gun here. - https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2007/01/testing-a-b3-1/ I'm thinking that a gun that can take a finger off probably isn't the best choice for a young man of that level of intelligence. I do like him enough to spare him the grief (even if I did catch him throwing rocks at my dog). I did have to teach his dad that, yes, you really do have to sharpen a chainsaw and not to loop the rope around your hand when pulling a tree over, so that apple... Well, you know...

I think I'll go ahead and pick it up. After all, it's free and will be fun to improve. I'm wondering just how accurately I can get it to shoot. After that, perhaps I'll find a kid that I don't like as much... I'd give it to my Dad, but he's already down to nine fingers.

Stay safe,

J~

 

[Deleted member 50136]

Wow... Am I ever glad that I just now happened upon the term "spring scragging" before I cut two inches off of the brand new spring I bought for the neighbor's B3! There are a lot of YouTube videos that set me down the wrong path - Fortunately I did one last bit of due diligence before cranking up the hacksaw!

But I am wondering whether I really want to crank up 400+ pounds on a (Chinese!!!) spring using a hunk of threaded rod from Home Depot. Time to get out the old McMaster-Carr catalog. Full face shield and heavy leather gauntlets for this trick. I'm wondering whether it's possible that if the spring breaks during scragging it might shatter into fragments that fly all over the place. I think I'll sleeve it with some plastic hose before I start.

The hacksaw method is starting to look mighty appealing.