Air Rifle/Pistol Interest

[BMF]

I am have a few old BSA air rifles but i only collect spring guns . Used to have the BSA R10 mk2 but found keep filling them up a choir at the local gun shop .The saying is if it aint got a spring i dont do a thing . My guns ,, 10 of them need to see day light i keep them out of sight in 2 lock up gun cabinets .I keep one in the louge resting up against the wall just sighted up and waiting for ratty to show up .They move in from the farmers fields as the vwinter approches . Two types of pellets i use Bisley Magnum in .177 and JSB Heavies in .22 or .177 For comp shooting it was mainly JSB i have boxes of all sorts of the things finding the best to use and i narrow it down to these two .

Yes, I think I will give it a go, I used to shoot Lego characters quite accurately at about 20 yards.

Might I suggest you two fine gents visit the auspicious pages of the:
AirGunForum

 

[DSM10000]

This was with the Webley earlier, 12 shots at approx 20 metres. I was using a rest and 'scope.

 

[BMF]

View attachment 99926

This was with the Webley earlier, 12 shots at approx 20 metres. I was using a rest and 'scope.

That's not to be sneezed at! Over on AirGunForum there is a friendly comp called the BR20 (Bench Rest 20m) it is a monthly comp and has two classes, recoilless (i.e. PCP rifles) and recoiling (Springers), you shoot these targets:
at 20m, score them and detail who you are, what you shot with, class you are entering and pellets used. There are two cards per entry.

 

[Dichtung]

A St Steel 1911 .45ACP. St Steel .357 S&Wesson, 9mm Browning Hi Power. and a couple of 9mm Mauser `08 Lugers. The Browning was the cheapest, least accurate, but the most reliable.

 

[optimusprime]

BMF I am in 4 air gun forums now,, and i dont have enough time to use them . Or shoot any comp . Just happy with plinking on the garden at the rats .

 

[Deleted member 126251]

A St Steel 1911 .45ACP. St Steel .357 S&Wesson, 9mm Browning Hi Power. and a couple of 9mm Mauser `08 Lugers. The Browning was the cheapest, least accurate, but the most reliable.

I've shot the real versions of all those except the Mauser. Owned a .357 SS S&W Combat Special (amongst several others).

I was looking at airguns again on Tuesday (recently purchased a Crosman Ratcatcher) and my interest in "things that shoot" has been stimulated again.

I am amazed at how good they look and also the power & accuracy! Best of all is that it is dirt cheap ammunition.

 

[BMF]

Back in late 80's early 90's when I lived in SW London I did have an FAC with 3 of the slots filled. I had a Smith & Wesson model 19-6 .357 revolver that I shot .38 special wadcutter rounds with, I did have some .357 Magnum ammo and on occasion shot long range pistol there with the club.
this is a library photo of the model19-6


I also had a Smith & Wesson model 39-4 9mm semi-auto pistol and a Beretta model84 .380/9mm short. I also had the kit to make the ammunition that I was shooting except the magnum ammo as that was easier to buy than to make, less chance of an error on my part than factory ammo.
Again, library photo's of these two, just wish I'd taken photo's of them when I had them.
The S&W model39-4 9mm semi:

The Beretta model84 .380/9mmshort:

After I handed them over I realised that I still had the mags for the semi's.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Back in late 80's early 90's when I lived in SW London I did have an FAC with 3 of the slots filled. I had a Smith & Wesson model 19-6 .357 revolver that I shot .38 special wadcutter rounds with, I did have some .357 Magnum ammo and on occasion shot long range pistol there with the club.
this is a library photo of the model19-6
View attachment 99962

I also had a Smith & Wesson model 39-4 9mm semi-auto pistol and a Beretta model84 .380/9mm short. I also had the kit to make the ammunition that I was shooting except the magnum ammo as that was easier to buy than to make, less chance of an error on my part than factory ammo.
Again, library photo's of these two, just wish I'd taken photo's of them when I had them.
The S&W model39-4 9mm semi:
View attachment 99963
The Beretta model84 .380/9mmshort:
View attachment 99964
After I handed them over I realised that I still had the mags for the semi's.

Nice pieces. I've always liked the S&W. First pistol that I ever fired (~12 years old) was my dad's S&W .38 police special. It was eventually stolen and used in a murder - he was in all sorts of doo doo.

I used 'Norma' or "Hirtenberger' ammo for my .357s which was eye-wateringly expensive in SA back in the days of sanctions. I ended up buying a RCBS Rock Chucker (not sure why it was called that) reloading outfit and was able to reload all my .38 and .357 ammo for about 10% or the retail cost of .357 ammo.

I sold off all my gear when I left SA 25 years ago and was happy not to need any "self defence" weapons for my wife and I.

I do miss shooting. I was an army sharpshoter and on my regimental team, had a Walther P38 (later replaced by a Beretta 92) when I was a reservist cop. As mentioned owned several hand guns as well as a Mossberg 12G pump action shotgun and a Brno .22LR.

Now going to invetigate local clubs. Been looking for a new hobby since I retired.

 

[BMF]

Nice pieces. I've always liked the S&W. First pistol that I ever fired (~12 years old) was my dad's S&W .38 police special. It was eventually stolen and used in a murder - he was in all sorts of doo doo.

I used 'Norma' or "Hirtenberger' ammo for my .357s which was eye-wateringly expensive in SA back in the days of sanctions. I ended up buying a RCBS Rock Chucker (not sure why it was called that) reloading outfit and was able to reload all my .38 and .357 ammo for about 10% or the retail cost of .357 ammo.

I sold off all my gear when I left SA 25 years ago and was happy not to need any "self defence" weapons for my wife and I.

I do miss shooting. I was an army sharpshoter and on my regimental team, had a Walther P38 (later replaced by a Beretta 92) when I was a reservist cop. As mentioned owned several hand guns as well as a Mossberg 12G pump action shotgun and a Brno .22LR.

Now going to invetigate local clubs. Been looking for a new hobby since I retired.

I think it's good to have a working knowledge and experience of firearms but it does spoil TV/films when you know what these guns will do.

The guy's I used to go shooting with were brothers, the elder one was a financial advisor and as such was financially secure, Anyhoo, he had several very nice pistols/revolvers and frequently attended firearms auctions in London and the Anno Domini events at Bisley Shooting Grounds. He would let me shoot any of the guns he had when we met up at the range and so I managed to shoot allsorts of guns like 1911a1 .45acp Gold Cup, Webley Mk6 .455 revolver, Artillery Luger 9mm, Mauser Broomhandle 7.63mm, Walther PPk .380, Uberti 1873 Colt Saa .44-40 and his Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Magnum with home cooked V. Hot ammo, near tore up my palm with the chequered grip.

He bought at auction a Webley-Fosbery semi-auto revolver that I didn't get to shoot and an original brand new, never been fired and still in the grease paper in the box Webley Mk6, he was at the range showing it to everyone, he took it to the shooting point, loaded 6 rounds of factory .455 ammo and the first shot blew apart the top chamber and the chambers either side and the top strap, the bits went up and left and right but nothing came back towards him luckily. He was going to salvage what he could and rebuild a basket case with the bits.

 

[Dichtung]

Not surprised about the 455 Magnum blowing up. A guy in the next cubicle to me was using one, and it felt like somebody was smacking the side of my head with a cricket bat ! Had to move further away.
The 357 rounds were bad enough, and I downgraded to .38 specials.

Would have loved to have tried a Mauser Luger Artillery, or even a Navy Luger, but one never came my way.

That CO2 1911 of BMF`s interests me, but I need a .22. (over run with squirrels)

I think it's good to have a working knowledge and experience of firearms but it does spoil TV/films when you know what these guns will do.

The guy's I used to go shooting with were brothers, the elder one was a financial advisor and as such was financially secure, Anyhoo, he had several very nice pistols/revolvers and frequently attended firearms auctions in London and the Anno Domini events at Bisley Shooting Grounds. He would let me shoot any of the guns he had when we met up at the range and so I managed to shoot allsorts of guns like 1911a1 .45acp Gold Cup, Webley Mk6 .455 revolver, Artillery Luger 9mm, Mauser Broomhandle 7.63mm, Walther PPk .380, Uberti 1873 Colt Saa .44-40 and his Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Magnum with home cooked V. Hot ammo, near tore up my palm with the chequered grip.

He bought at auction a Webley-Fosbery semi-auto revolver that I didn't get to shoot and an original brand new, never been fired and still in the grease paper in the box Webley Mk6, he was at the range showing it to everyone, he took it to the shooting point, loaded 6 rounds of factory .455 ammo and the first shot blew apart the top chamber and the chambers either side and the top strap, the bits went up and left and right but nothing came back towards him luckily. He was going to salvage what he could and rebuild a basket case with the bits.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I damaged an Astra .357 with what I can only suspect was a double charged reload of mine (inspite of how careful I was while reloading). As soon as I fired it, I realised that it was different. The round expanded the cylinder (luckily no flying fragments) and I had to knock the case out with a hammer and drift. Happily it wasn't the S&W & I'd never really liked it so traded it in for my Brno .22 rifle.

I purchased the Ratcatcher to reduce our pigeon population. We live in a small village surrounded by farms & I couldn't cross my lawn without stepping in pigeon poo.

 

[Dichtung]

Bit out of touch here I`m afraid. What exactly is a `Ratcatcher` A.22 pistol?

 

[Deleted member 126251]

"A picture speaks 1000 words". Crossman 2250 XL. (.22).

 

[optimusprime]

This should have been shooting posts ,and not just for air guns .
I could start talking about shotguns like the Bereta , Browning B4 Remington 1000 about 20 others i have owned and no long own .
And like shooting for the county 5 times and winning high gun 3 times like - 2 x for Westmidlands and 1x for Worcestershire .
I am just an old has been now ,, done it had it,, sold it on . Shot everything that got in my sights ,but mainly pigeons . Had a pile of them 5 foot in hight on a good day over corn, or maze . But what gives us the right to take a life . But now the pigeons are having their own back by waking me up every morning. Where is my gun ..ha ha

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Anybody had their Ratcatcher uprated ?

 

[DSM10000]

Bit out of touch here I`m afraid. What exactly is a `Ratcatcher` A.22 pistol?

Pistols are not accurate or powerful enough to dispatch Rats etc with any certainty, they are limited to 6 ft/lbs where as air rifles may achieve up to a maximum of 12 ft/lbs before being FAC rated.

The Crossman Ratcatcher is a 0,22 calibre C02 powered rifle based on a pistol design but with a stock and extended barrel and can fire at around 9 ft/lbs.

 

[DSM10000]

Anybody had their Ratcatcher uprated ?

In what way?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

In what way?

You can get the ports polished and altered , similar to porting a cylinder head, which apparently ups the power.

 

[DSM10000]

You can get the ports polished and altered , similar to porting a cylinder head, which apparently ups the power.

Presumably at the cost of fewer shots per CO2 cylinder?

As long as it is tested after modification and is still sub 12 ft/lbs then it will give more confidence at longer range

 

[Dichtung]

Thanks Guys, but I need a .22 that I can keep in a drawer near the conservatory/garden door. Those cheeky squirrels are getting so brazen that they stare at me 3m away ! Will a CO2 bottle leak away over a week or two, if not used?