I'm looking for a new hangout. I got banned from GTA a year or so ago for arguing with Dave (all in private messages). Oh, well. I hung out at Airgun One and Airguns Forum, but Airguns Forum doesn't have much activity. Seems like mostly a small group who message there to avoid GTA censorship. Seems like mostly good guys though. No disrespect to Grumpy who does a good job of running it. Air Gun One seems to have faded to nearly nothing since Splash got tired of managing it. I do have a good interaction with some of the guys at Air Gun Home, and Bob Sterne who I respect as a builder and tuner is a regular there. Its always nice to get his feedback on a project.
My main hobby lately has been airguns, but I do a bit of bass fishing, and sometimes ride motorcycles. Both of those are past all consuming passions. I've been a licensed communications contractor for 22 years, but for the last year I have been transferring over to machining custom molds for fishing tackle makers.
My first PCP was a B-50 which I currently have apart because all the seals failed. I'd already have it back together, but I am doing some minor valve and hammer setup mods. I'm hoping to tune it similarly to a B51 Bob Sterne did to get 25-26 shots with JSB heavies at a little over 900FPS. When I got it apart I saw some of my work was already done. Mike Melick sold this rifle. The poppet is already turned down to reduce the engagement circle, and the poppet spring has already been ground flat on both ends. I think I may still look for a slightly weaker poppet spring so I can run a lighter hammer spring and maybe a lighter hammer to reduce cocking effort.
I've got a couple Marauders purchased from Norm. Neither is stock any longer. The .177 is regulated with an extension tube. I can easily tune it for 120 shots, but currently have it tuned for 85-90 at a little over 20FPE with 10.65 grain copper plated pellets. If I recall the only other mod I did was open up the transfer port. This gun seems to lose accuracy if I shot lead pellets for very long, but when I switch back to copper coated it comes right back in 10-20 shots.
I've also got a .25 Marauder that is not super impressive. I bottled it and get 24 shots at 900-908-900. 25.39 Exact Kings. Those numbers could be off, but its in that range. The lead pellets do shoot accurately shot after shot out of this gun. I did a lot of work on the valve to improve air flow. If I was better it would shoot one pellet size hole at 25 yards. At 50 it shoots a largish ragged hole. I do have a regulator, but its set at 3000 PSI so it acts more like a flow regulator than a pressure regulator. I think its the reason my shot string is so flat. I suspect my shot string would be longer and still flat if I took it apart and set it at 2400 PSI. The gun starts to drop off around 2300.
I also just purchased a .25 Cricket, and its amazing. Accuracy is way better than the Marauders. Might even be better than the B50. Since its regulated shot velocity is very flat. 945-949 with 25.39s for the handful of shots I put through the Pro Chrono. I think it might do 70 shots in a string, but it sprung a leak after the first refill. Since its a brand new gun I sent it back to be resealed rather than tear it down myself, but make no bones. I like the gun. It shoots off hand easier I think than any of my other airguns.
Yeah, I own a couple springers, but those are last ditch guns for me. Benji NP Trail in .177 and Hatsan 155 .22. Also a few old pumpers. Daisy 880 metal frame. Daisy 880 plastic frame. Crosman Model 1 .22. Crosman 760.
My best kill shots were a gopher at 91 yards (paced off) with the .177 Marauder. I've made hits with it out at 112, but they were all luck, and I won't do it again, because they did not result in kills. My next best kills were back to back shots with the .25 Marauder on collared dove at 68 yards.
My main hobby lately has been airguns, but I do a bit of bass fishing, and sometimes ride motorcycles. Both of those are past all consuming passions. I've been a licensed communications contractor for 22 years, but for the last year I have been transferring over to machining custom molds for fishing tackle makers.
My first PCP was a B-50 which I currently have apart because all the seals failed. I'd already have it back together, but I am doing some minor valve and hammer setup mods. I'm hoping to tune it similarly to a B51 Bob Sterne did to get 25-26 shots with JSB heavies at a little over 900FPS. When I got it apart I saw some of my work was already done. Mike Melick sold this rifle. The poppet is already turned down to reduce the engagement circle, and the poppet spring has already been ground flat on both ends. I think I may still look for a slightly weaker poppet spring so I can run a lighter hammer spring and maybe a lighter hammer to reduce cocking effort.
I've got a couple Marauders purchased from Norm. Neither is stock any longer. The .177 is regulated with an extension tube. I can easily tune it for 120 shots, but currently have it tuned for 85-90 at a little over 20FPE with 10.65 grain copper plated pellets. If I recall the only other mod I did was open up the transfer port. This gun seems to lose accuracy if I shot lead pellets for very long, but when I switch back to copper coated it comes right back in 10-20 shots.
I've also got a .25 Marauder that is not super impressive. I bottled it and get 24 shots at 900-908-900. 25.39 Exact Kings. Those numbers could be off, but its in that range. The lead pellets do shoot accurately shot after shot out of this gun. I did a lot of work on the valve to improve air flow. If I was better it would shoot one pellet size hole at 25 yards. At 50 it shoots a largish ragged hole. I do have a regulator, but its set at 3000 PSI so it acts more like a flow regulator than a pressure regulator. I think its the reason my shot string is so flat. I suspect my shot string would be longer and still flat if I took it apart and set it at 2400 PSI. The gun starts to drop off around 2300.
I also just purchased a .25 Cricket, and its amazing. Accuracy is way better than the Marauders. Might even be better than the B50. Since its regulated shot velocity is very flat. 945-949 with 25.39s for the handful of shots I put through the Pro Chrono. I think it might do 70 shots in a string, but it sprung a leak after the first refill. Since its a brand new gun I sent it back to be resealed rather than tear it down myself, but make no bones. I like the gun. It shoots off hand easier I think than any of my other airguns.
Yeah, I own a couple springers, but those are last ditch guns for me. Benji NP Trail in .177 and Hatsan 155 .22. Also a few old pumpers. Daisy 880 metal frame. Daisy 880 plastic frame. Crosman Model 1 .22. Crosman 760.
My best kill shots were a gopher at 91 yards (paced off) with the .177 Marauder. I've made hits with it out at 112, but they were all luck, and I won't do it again, because they did not result in kills. My next best kills were back to back shots with the .25 Marauder on collared dove at 68 yards.
