Do air gunners get into building their own like the centerfire rifle folks do? If so what's the most popular action that's being worked with?
Home builds?
- Thread starter Gos
- Start date
I started by restoring old Crosman rifles and then proceeded to build my own rifles with some off the shelf parts mixed with parts I machine at home. Occasionally I will design something in CAD and have it 3D printed or cut from aluminum from a quick turn house.
I have used old Crosman 160 stocks that I modify to fit modern Crosman triggers because the airtube diameters are the same for 2240/2260/Disco guns.
I think some people have reticence based on the relative dangers of PCP air pressures. I would also point out that off the shelf guns are usually cheaper than some of my homebrew guns but for me it’s more about learning and building than it is about saving money. If cost is a concern I would look at starting fixing/resealing a used gun.
I have used old Crosman 160 stocks that I modify to fit modern Crosman triggers because the airtube diameters are the same for 2240/2260/Disco guns.
I think some people have reticence based on the relative dangers of PCP air pressures. I would also point out that off the shelf guns are usually cheaper than some of my homebrew guns but for me it’s more about learning and building than it is about saving money. If cost is a concern I would look at starting fixing/resealing a used gun.
Upvote 0
To be more specific I would say the the 22xx Crosman guns, eg. 2240, 2260, Benjamin Discovery were/are a popular starting place. In my above photo the open frame stock gun is a 2240 base built with a cut down Disco tube and an ASA threaded onto and extended valve plenum. Almost no 2240 parts are left. The breech, trigger internals, valve, airtube etc are all from elsewhere. This series of guns grom Crosman are often referred to as lego guns because the parts readily interchange.
Upvote 0
Not as complex as some , but a Prod in a 160 stock. I do not make parts, jus cobble together what I can.
Upvote 0
I'd say the 13xx 22xx, and marauder actions are pretty popular. pp700/800/750 are popular as well.
13xx here
pp800 Mine just has a custom valve/hammer/port work. I've seen a lot with drop blocks and bottles, as well as various barrels and aftermarket magazines/stocks, ect.
13xx here
pp800 Mine just has a custom valve/hammer/port work. I've seen a lot with drop blocks and bottles, as well as various barrels and aftermarket magazines/stocks, ect.
Upvote 0
modded then gifted to my last living grandfather
Little project I’ve been working on for the last few months. This is a FX Streamline. Originally bought this gun as a midnight impulse buy used. Had a 600mm barrel and a long air tube. Bought the rifle and shot it some. Chambered on .25 with a smooth twist barrel is was really good. I didn’t dig the synthetic stock at all so it made its way into the closet and sat for about 3 months. I’ve been actively searching for a BSA CLX Ultra with a side lever and bottle in walnut Menelli stock. Those are rare as hens teeth, so I got this Streamline out and decided I’ll just make one. Well, here it is. It still has to be tuned and the stock needs a little attention, but boy am I happy with it. Here’s the run down.
FX Streamline block, nothing fancy there, just rechambered in .177. Next comes the air tube, it’s a prototype Panthera plenum. Fitted to the end is the original air fill port with gauge. The barrel was a 500mm smooth twist X I shortened to 290mm along with the house and fitted a Dreamline Compact shroud over it with a Donny Tatsu to quiet things down. Early FX inline regulator keeps the air at a consistent level. And of that is fitted to a wonderfully inletted BSA Menelli walnut stock I wanted to begin with. Closest I’ve come to the afore mentioned rifle. Absolutely dazzled with this little stick. More to come, I know you fellas would like to know how it shoots and I’ll have you save those chips for the next post. Happy shooting.
FX Streamline block, nothing fancy there, just rechambered in .177. Next comes the air tube, it’s a prototype Panthera plenum. Fitted to the end is the original air fill port with gauge. The barrel was a 500mm smooth twist X I shortened to 290mm along with the house and fitted a Dreamline Compact shroud over it with a Donny Tatsu to quiet things down. Early FX inline regulator keeps the air at a consistent level. And of that is fitted to a wonderfully inletted BSA Menelli walnut stock I wanted to begin with. Closest I’ve come to the afore mentioned rifle. Absolutely dazzled with this little stick. More to come, I know you fellas would like to know how it shoots and I’ll have you save those chips for the next post. Happy shooting.
Upvote 0
This gun sure looks sweet! I am currently working on an old Logun Domin8tor which is a rebranded FX Cutlas. I have resealed the airtube and added an aftermarket Altaros regulator. I also cleaned and polished the barrel by chucking the barrel into my fishing rod wrapping machine (no belt on the pulley), which allows the barrel to turn freely when the mop is pushed into it. Tonight I came into the workshop to replace the valve seat and seals on the action end. FX USA provided the parts and were very easy to work with. The quoted me for a Cyclone stock but then redacted it since the stocks are sold as "accessories" and therefore I need to order from a dealer which probably won't happen. No slight on anyone but I think the synthetic Cutlas stock is butt ugly. Hopefully my gun ends up similar to yours down to the tatsu that I have on my other rifle. The final goal will be another 32ftlb .22 for my Quail/Turkey/Rabbit expeditions in NorCal.
Upvote 0
I guess I can post one more. This is a 2240 built from leftovers: Steel Crosman breech, Crosman 140 barrel cut down. I modified the valve and the trigger. Now it makes 12ftlb on CO2.
Upvote 0
Initially I wanted to shoot 7.9gr crosman hp pellets in this. Thought it be right around 12ftlb and work for what wanted a little better than this current setup. But I just couldn’t get the crosmans to fly straight. I think the choke on these barrels are way important than I have them credit for. So when I cut the liner, I cut the choke end off. That was my one mistake I made. Then I just faced the cut on the lathe and put a loosely measured crown on the end. I must have messed with the liner for 2 or 3 hrs trying to get something that would work. I finally gave up, and tried flipping the liner around. That gave me an exit, so I cut a lead and chamber basically for the inlet side with some moderate success. If I ever cut another one I will do just that to begin with so I have a choke. And I may try that before I buy a compact barrel kit. I didn’t want to do that because the compact is a super lite. No hope of slugs at all with that one and it’s just a little longer than what I wanted. This works for now, I killed to sparrows yesterday, both between 15 and 20yds and they went down without issue. In fact the one bird at 20 had a very nice bullet channel through him that you would have thought was a hp. As pellet specific as this gun is, I’m still very happy with how it turned out. Here’s a group I shot last night. The top pellet was point of aim, I gave it a little low hold so I had a legit group. That’s 4 pellets with a 5th low flyer. This is the only gun I have I can shoot green pellets out of with any kind of real accuracy.
Upvote 0
I’ve done some one off builds. Mostly for testing valve designs but I have done some modding of production models. My Leshiy2 pistol is a highly modded leshiy action.
I wish this forum had a machine shop/home design area. I’m always tinkering with something.
Dave
I wish this forum had a machine shop/home design area. I’m always tinkering with something.
Dave
Upvote 0
The FX barrel on my rifle appears to be
Just curious are you in a region requiring lead free ammo and sub 12ftlb muzzle energy? The Logun had a power adjustment on it, which has 6 holes, I assume 3 for the US etc, and 3 for UK. All that is required is to flip the adjuster over to change which holes are used. I also note the the smallest hole on the high power side was the same as the largest low power setting so in theory a person could shoot full power and if a test was required in situ then it could be switch to work below the FAC limit. Not that anyone would do this, but I am an American and we think this way about rule and guns.
The FX barrel on my Logun appears to be just an old school unshrouded LW barrel. I haven’t worked with the FX barrels with liners before and I am not sure I would have known what to do. I have heard the choke is integral with the their design so it’s impressive what you have accomplished. The closest I have come was cutting down the Crosman 140 barrel just past the near sight since the tapped mounts went all the way through. The crown had a weird shape for the far sight attachment, so that got cut off and recrowned. Once again my fishing rod wrapping machine came into play for both cutting with a cutting wheel while spinning. And once again when I recrowned it.
Just curious are you in a region requiring lead free ammo and sub 12ftlb muzzle energy? The Logun had a power adjustment on it, which has 6 holes, I assume 3 for the US etc, and 3 for UK. All that is required is to flip the adjuster over to change which holes are used. I also note the the smallest hole on the high power side was the same as the largest low power setting so in theory a person could shoot full power and if a test was required in situ then it could be switch to work below the FAC limit. Not that anyone would do this, but I am an American and we think this way about rule and guns.
Upvote 0