N/A Reloading a springer help?

[.20calguy]

A fellow worker who found out that I shoot airguns brought me a springer with a problem that I repaired. I made him a video of it performing flawlessly and attempted to return it. He says I meant for you to keep it. I asked why, and he held up his finger, missing the tip, and said that's why.

 

[Dead-On]

Always Hold the barrel with your off hand while loading with your trigger hand.

This keeps your finger away from the trigger when open. A few things can happen if you accidentally trigger the gun. None of them good.

1. the barrel will slam closed and definitely bend upwards.

2. The stock might break at the wrist.

3. You can chop off your
loading finger or fingers if you're loading when the barrel slams closed. It really happens.

I'm not one for the overcautuious nanny state trying to idiot proof the world but you're new and should develop these particular safe habits from the start as this is a real concern.

These are all very real concerns. I have had situations where I was glad I followed these safety protocols. I'll add..

4. Always keep gun pointed in a safe direction.

I more than once closed a break barrel only to have it immediately fire. Holes in the ceiling just down range.

I've also witnessed someone who did not hold the barrel on their Stingray Carbine deluxe and it slammed shut bending the barrel.

 

[beerthief]

I always crack the barrel open, load the pellet then cock the rifle, unless it's a underlever or sidelever then I always hold the cocking lever when loading.

This makes more sense ! crack the barrel load the pellet with no tension on the spring . then one smooth cocking motion hands never need to let go .

 

[beerthief]

Hi, I’ve just bought my first gun “sabre .117”I watched a tutorial for safe gun handling and had a question. When loading it why do I need to keep my hand on the barrel after the click of the spring? There is no more tension so couldn’t I remove my hand from the barren and use it to load the pellet??

Thanks

I always crack the barrel open, load the pellet then cock the rifle, unless it's a underlever or sidelever then I always hold the cocking lever when loading.

This makes more sense ! crack the barrel load the pellet with no tension on the spring . then one smooth cocking motion hands never need to let go .
Stan in KY.

 

[MDriskill]

I don’t like the idea of loading underlevers, even when holding the lever tightly. I tried some reverse tweezers to load and it was actually pretty easy. Need to get some with a rubber tip. Will report how it goes.

If you like a fixed barrel but have reservations about a sliding breech...you may be a candidate for a classic tap-loader!

A loading tap is a simple rotating plug that fits across the breech, with a hole drilled across it to accept the pellet. To load, rotate the lever forward, exposing the opening through a hole on top of the receiver, and drop the pellet in head first. Then rotate the lever back 90 degrees, and the pellet is aligned with the transfer port and bore. This is, IMHO, the safest springer mechanism ever invented, because an open tap completely blocks the transfer port. Even if you deliberately pull the trigger, it's physically impossible to discharge a pellet, or slam the action shut.

To shoot, operate the cocking mechanism (underlever or sidelever), then immediately close it and operate the tap - your digits are never in harm's way. As long as the lever is up (where it also serves as a handy visual reminder!), you can carry even a cocked and loaded gun in perfect safety.

The basic idea has been around since the classic BSA underlevers of the early 1900's, and for decades thereafter most manufacturer's top models were tap-loaders. Here is a Webley Tracker sidelever from the 1980's, and shots of its loading tap open and closed.

 

[maxtrouble]

The TX200 has that lovely anti-bear trap click click click noise when cocking. And I still hold the cocking lever. All my break barrels are held also. I am a big fan of my 10 digits. I use a pellet pen or tweezers in cold weather to help loading.

 

[.20calguy]

If you like a fixed barrel but have reservations about a sliding breech...you may be a candidate for a classic tap-loader!

A loading tap is a simple rotating plug that fits across the breech, with a hole drilled across it to accept the pellet. When open, you drop the pellet in head first to load. Rotate the lever back 90 degrees; the pellet is aligned between the transfer port and barrel bore. This is, IMHO, the safest springer mechanism ever invented - because an open tap completely blocks the transfer port. Even if you deliberately pull the trigger, it's physically impossible to discharge a pellet, or slam the action shut.

To shoot, operate the cocking mechanism (underlever or sidelever), then immediately close it and open the tap - your digits are never in harm's way. As long as the lever is up (where it also serves as a handy visual reminder!), you can carry even a cocked and loaded gun in perfect safety.

The basic idea has been around since the classic BSA underlevers of the early 1900's, and for decades thereafter most manufacturer's top models were tap-loaders. Here is a Webley Tracker sidelever from the 1980's, and shots of its loading tap open and closed.

View attachment 525545

View attachment 525544

View attachment 525546

I shot one of those once!

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

It is wise to remember, that safeties and anti-bear traps on air rifles are a relatively new commodity.
Safeties do not always engage.
Anti-bear traps can wear with age.

 

[Bedrock Bob]

This makes more sense ! crack the barrel load the pellet with no tension on the spring . then one smooth cocking motion hands never need to let go .
Stan in KY.

That's perfect. I'm going to start doing that!

I don't hold the barrel on my springer. But I think about it every time I load it. Loading it before the cocking stroke just makes good sense. I load it in a way my fingers are at little risk. If it snapped up it would probably just bend the barrel. But loading it first and then cocking it is a perfect solution.

The HW97 is a bear trap in a pipe. I'm not sticking my fingers in there with a 20 ounce trigger. I don't just keep my hand on the lever. I hold the spring tension on the lever after I hear the trigger engage. Every. Damn. Time.

 

[RicL]

Yeah its all about redundancy, while not relying on them. Safety + anti bear trap + sear disengage + tweezers + whatever, still hold on to the lever….. I would add that is easy to cheat/get overconfident and not do it 100% of the time. I’m not the only one either. Seen many do the same. I’ll kick the bad habit.

 

[jkingrph]

HW 57 has a pop up tap block between the breech end of barrel and the sliding breech, Impossible to hurt fingers with it. One of the easiest cocking and shooting guns I have, maybe not the most accurate, but fun.

 

[beerthief]

My thanks to Septicdeath . I have never gotten so many replies or likes to a post , and all i did was quote his post , Again many thanks
Septicdeath said:
I always crack the barrel open, load the pellet then cock the rifle, unless it's a underlever or sidelever then I always hold the cocking lever when loading.

 

[MDriskill]

HW 57 has a pop up tap block between the breech end of barrel and the sliding breech, Impossible to hurt fingers with it. One of the easiest cocking and shooting guns I have, maybe not the most accurate, but fun.

The HW 57 is an interesting rifle! Other modern interpretations of the vintage loading tap - all of which combine a fixed barrel with danger-free loading - include:

+ Similar swing-out block on the Gamo Center springer target pistol
+ Spring-loaded pop-up port on the Hammerli CO2 pistols (pic below)
+ "Martini" rotating plug on late BSA Airsporter springer underlevers
+ Flip-up loading block on the Walther LGR SSP, Diana 46 and Webley Eclipse underlever springers, etc.

 

[Bedrock Bob]

I tried to load a pellet before cocking today. It works great but old habits are hard to break. I kept slipping into my old cocking routine.

It's going to take some focused effort to change a routine that I've done about 500,000 times in the past 6 years.

After a shot I break the barrel open and cock it without thinking. By the time I realize I should have loaded it first it's too late.

I'm going to tie something around the barrel to remind me to load first. Maybe that will help. It's a routine that gets burned into your brain and it's hard to do it differently.

Loading before cocking is definitely a better way to do it. Sooner or later I'll train myself to do it like that. It might take shock therapy or hypnosis but it's going to happen.