Indo air rifle

Varmit hunting with an air rifle

2011-07-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

The sport of varmit hunting with an air rifle can be fun, although the death toll can be high. Small animals such as squirrels, mice, gophers, and rats easily fall victim to these firearms. Varmit hunting is an easy way to rid a barn of pests. An air rifle is usually the perfect caliber to extinguish these animals quickly and humanely.

A lot of patience goes into varmit hunting. You must sometimes sit still for long periods in order to catch the movements of small creatures. Staking out a place near a food source is always a good idea. Remember that most of these small animals stockpile food for the winter, so setting up shop near a walnut or hickory pile with your air rifle usually pays off.

Best varmit hunting prey for your air rifle

Groundhogs, gophers, and marmots all qualify as small game that is often targeted in varmit hunting. Squirrels and rats are also ubiquitous across most of the country. When you take your air rifle into the country to seek your prey, make sure you bring with you a fine pair of binoculars. You may spend many hours scouting the wilderness with the binoculars glued to your eyes, so it is important to have a high quality pair that feels comfortable.

Before going varmit hunting, make sure you are familiar with the seasonal gun laws of your state or territory. Many times, you can only hunt squirrels or other prey during a particular season. The rest of the time, your air rifle might be collecting dust in the garage. Luckily, you will find that in most locations, hunting small game like the species mentioned here is legal year-round.

source:

http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

Airgun hunting and the importance of following gun safety rules

2011-07-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

Airgun hunting has been around for over one hundred years, and the practice has taught many a youth how to use a rifle safely. The sport is popular because gun safety for air rifles can seem like less of a priority than with a real firearm. However, this kind of thinking is what can make airgun hunting dangerous. One should always follow the same gun safety rules with one of these weapons as one would with the genuine article.

By following the same rules with airgun hunting as you would when pursuing prey with a regular bullet-firing rifle, you are correctly maintaining in the essential rules of gun safety. Air rifles and air pistols can, in fact, be powerful learning tools for garnering life-long lessons in the sport of shooting for pleasure and for sport.

Airgun hunting as a lesson in gun safety

Before a youth takes his or her first pellet rifle out airgun hunting, he needs to learn the essential rules about how to handle the weapon safely. No one can follow gun safety tenets properly if he treats the firearm like a toy rather than the potentially lethal instrument that it is. Whether a gun magazine is filled with BBs or bullets, it should still be handled with the utmost caution and respect.

Before going airgun hunting, one should learn how to handle the firearm. This means that one should know about all gun safety rules and commit to following them at all times.

source:

http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

Look for a Shooting Target that Matches your Pellet Gun’s Style and Power

2011-07-18T02:05:00.001-07:00

Skills competitions and practice are very common uses for airguns of all kinds. To achieve success with these activities, you must consider the type of shooting target as well as the airgun you use. If you are planning to perform these activities, pellet guns can help you make the best shots. You have a choice of shooting target you can use as well as a host of pellet guns if you want to become an expert in these activities.

When you’re using a shooting target to practice your skills, you have to be able to steady the weapon. Pellet guns are ideal for this because of their relatively light weight. Even young shooters can handle them easily. Other features of these airguns include an adjustable trigger, scope mounts, and maximum power in many models (especially CO2-powered ones).

Some gun stores offer a shooting target in a starter kit that comes as a package, along with their pellet guns and some pellets, so that you don’t have to buying each separately. As you shop for these airguns, you will find other specialized features that will help you produce better results and learn shooting skills faster.

Innovations are continually being made to improve recreational weapons. The airguns of old were excellent candidates if you wanted to hone your skills on a shooting target. However, modern pellet guns are more durable, reliable, and allow you to make better shots more consistently. In addition, because they have various uses, people have found additional reasons to own these types of guns.

source:

http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

Which Types of Pellets are Best for Your Pellet Gun?

2011-07-18T02:03:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, shooting airguns at tin cans and plinking targets, I never gave a second thought to what kind of pellets I was using for ammunition. Heck, I’d have used rocks if they’d have fired out the barrel! And that’s still an understandable mindset for young shooters these days, even though there are a lot more options when it comes to pellets. For older and more serious airgun enthusiasts, the ammo you put into your pellet gun can make a surprisingly big difference in terms of accuracy and distance. Here are a few of your options.

Caliber

Pellets generally come in three calibers: .177, .20, and .22. Larger sizes are available, but typically only for competition-level shooters or specialty airguns. Virtually any pellet gun sold today will fire .177 rounds, and many will take all three sizes, but you should check before you buy the airgun you’ve got your eye on. Generally, the larger ammunition will reduce muzzle velocity, but will make a larger impact on the target. (Less distance, more oomph!)

Design

There are many styles of pellets these days…more than you would probably imagine. While some are specifically made for one particular pellet gun (usually for world-class shooters who compete), The vast majority can be fired from any standard airgun.

There are four standard designs of pellets. The first is the Round Nose design. This ammunition works well in just about any type of pellet gun as a multi-purpose projectile.

Beeman 'Ram Jet'' Round
Nose Pellet

Pellets made with a Pointed leading end are a great choice for those who use a pellet gun for long-range shooting. They are also often preferred by hunters seeking maximum penetration into the game’s body.

Gamo Magnum
Pointed Pellet

Wadcutter pellets are designed for target shooters who want to improve their scores with a pellet gun. They feature a flat, sharp leading edge, which cuts a nice clean hole in paper targets.

Crosman Wadcutter Pellet

Finally, hunters love Hollow Point pellets! When fired from a pellet gun capable of high muzzle velocity, this ammunition expands on impact, causing much more destruction inside the target animal. Note: this ammo is probably not worth the expense for uses other than hunting or pest killing, and will not work as designed in a slower airgun (less than 500 fps).

H&N Smooth
Hollow Point Pellet

source: http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

Basics of Rifle Shooting with Air Rifles

2011-07-18T02:01:00.000-07:00

Rifle shooting is a skill that one gains with practice. There just isn’t another way. In some ways, this is even more true with air rifles than bullet-firing powder guns, primarily because muzzle velocities vary a lot more and the ammunition is lighter. If you’re working on improving your rifle shooting prowess with air rifles, here are some tips that may help.

Wind Factors

Perhaps the most basic thing to keep in mind about rifle shooting skill is that some factors are beyond your control, and therefore must be taken into account. These include wind speed and direction (in relation to how your shooting range is set up). Because air rifles have comparatively lower muzzle velocities and lighter ammunition, even a light breeze will often affect your aim. A good tip, therefore, is to vary your practice range set-ups. Shoot into a stiff breeze one day, then fire at your target with a helping wind the next. And don’t forget crosswinds!

Temperature Factors

Another weather factor in rifle shooting with air rifles is temperature. Depending on the power plant in your gun, cold air can seriously affect its performance. Pneumatic guns, in particular, are notoriously inconsistent in terms of power if used where the winters get significantly colder. It’s a good idea to practice during all four seasons, so you can learn what your airgun’s particular quirks are.

Gun Limitations

Finally, keep in mind that rifle shooting success is nearly impossible if you practice unrealistic scenarios. Air rifles designed to be effective up to a maximum distance of 400 yards, for instance, shouldn’t be expected to hit targets at 450 yards with any consistency, regardless of how accurately you aim. Read the documentation that came with your airgun, and work on practicing within your model’s limits. Good luck!

source:

http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

The Essentials of BB Gun Safety When Target Shooting

2011-07-18T01:59:00.001-07:00

Many parents who do not feel comfortable with their children handling real rifles buy their kids airguns. However, before you purchase one for your child, be sure to know the essentials of BB gun safety. Target shooting is the best way to learn how to use a new airgun. It's a controlled environment (if set up properly), and it forces the shooter to focus and concentrate. BB gun safety rules dictate that you should always have the weapon pointing away from yourself and others at all times. Also, only put your finger on the trigger when you are about to shoot. It's a good idea to wear goggles when target shooting as well.

BB gun safety for kids starts with adult supervision. Before you begin target shooting, ask an adult to help set up your range. Outdoor ranges with at least 15 feet between you and your ammo’s destination work best. Always have a cardboard box or similar penetrable obstruction behind your target in case you miss. Make sure that you are aware of where your pellet could go if your aim is off. If there is any chance of you hitting another person or an object that shouldn't be hit, then move your range to a more suitable area.

More BB gun safety tips for target shooting

Other important BB gun safety tips for target shooting include using a target that will not deflect the projectile. Many people like using aluminum cans or a piece of cardboard with a bulls eye painted on it. Make sure you have a backstop though, just in case. And never use a thick metal surface. Ricochets are a real danger if you do.

To ensure BB gun safety, make sure that you are not target shooting around any windows, closed or open. Do not reuse your BBs, because they could potentially damage your weapon and can go wildly astray, regardless of how you aim. Remember that, even though it is less powerful than a regular rifle, an airgun still can be very dangerous if used improperly. You need to have your wits about you and be in a serious frame of mind.

source :

http://www.bb-pellet-guns.com

Tips for Selecting Pistol Scopes For Air Pistols

2011-07-18T01:57:00.001-07:00

People can choose from an assortment of pistol scopes when they want to use air pistols for recreational purposes, like target practice. The average shooting enthusiast doesn’t generally use pistol scopes, but there is definitely more potential for accuracy with air pistols when used. Moreover, using them is very easy.

When selecting pistol scopes, you may want to limit your search to those of the highest quality. This is one item for air pistols that you don’t want to skimp on. Top-of-the-line models are coated with a chemical to attract light. When it is foggy outside, better quality optics don’t fog up. You can even find high-end models with infrared night vision capabilities.

Other types of pistol scopes allow the shooter to view a target and then make aiming corrections on the fly. And of course, they need to be mounted onto air pistols. Fortunately, there are plenty of inexpensive mounts that fit virtually any make and model. What you’re looking for in a mount, primarily, is one that will stop recoil and is durable under real-life situations (weather, rough handling, etc.).

Just as there are various types of pistol scopes, you will discover a wide price range. As you would expect, it’s generally the case that higher cost equals better precision in a scope. With air pistols, at least, the amount you’ll spend for both the gun and the accessories will likely be far less than for bullet-firing handguns.

source : bb-gun-pellet.com

Air Soft Gun Safety

2011-07-18T01:54:00.001-07:00

Despite their quite safe-sounding name, air soft guns can be very dangerous. With the right air soft gun safety equipment, you can shoot without fear of unexpected injury.
Air soft gun safety
It is MFI (Multirole Frontline Innovations) recommended that one wear a Snell Rated, full-faced motorcycle helmet, as well as a weather guard for you protection, and double thick face shield is very important. In addition, a bulletproof vest containing a steel insert, plastic hockey hip guards and forearm guards, knee guards and shin guards, steel toe combat boots and leather gloves. All of these are very important to the purpose of air soft gun safety.
More advice from the MFI:
Do not shoot anything other than an official safety target.
2) All protective gear mentioned will save you potential injury in areas of concern
on the body. The protective gear suggestions above are required for everyone who uses any type of bb guns. Air soft gun safety should be something every shooter, hunter or trainee should be conscious of.
THIS IS NOT A TOY! declares the MFI (in fact, it is anything but).
Experienced shooters only should use air soft guns, and always remember to practice air soft gun safety.
The air soft gun safety rules do not end here, however. Air soft gun safety will also depend on your level of skill. Often less experienced shooters will need to have someone experienced to supervise them.
Specific uses for the air soft gun for air soft gun safety are strictly advised. These are purposes limiting the use of air soft guns for people such as experienced firearms shooters, for films and theatrical productions, (of course, these productions always using the proper equipment for air soft gun safety when they do use air soft guns) as well as for weapons training purposes.
There are legal restrictions that one must be aware of to maintain, or in the very least, contain air soft gun safety as much as possible. To be careless or misuse these guns is to ignore laws, to ignore the potential injury of oneself or others, and to ignore the law. Remember above all else, that air soft gun safety is so important that it could even prevent death. There are definitely dangers to air soft guns, so above all else, exercise air soft gun safety.

What You Should Know About Airgun Pellets

2011-07-18T01:52:00.001-07:00


Airgun Projectiles The most accurate airgun projectile is the modern, precision lead pellet with a waist that is constricted - giving the pellet an hour glass shape. Such waisted pellets are referred to as diabolo pellets in reference to the ancient game of Diabolo which used a wooden spool Great article By Robert D. Beeman	Airgun Pellets Terminal Pellet Testing This study was conducted in an endeavor to see what different pellets did upon impact with a "softish" substance. I had read of shooting at bars of "Ivory" soap to test penetration and expansion of pellets, but after shooting at a pack of 4 soap bars, decided that was both expensive and a little messy. Great article By Ian Pellant
Understanding Accuracy When we think of accuracy in relation to our airguns; we think of punching several tiny little 5 or 10 shot groups on paper at fairly long ranges. This is not what accuracy is; but, this is what accuracy enables us to do. Accuracy in its simplest sense, is nothing but consistency. Great article By Jim Baumann & Lame Rabbit Software	Understanding Terminal Ballistics With such a super powered magnum airgun; I was sure that all the rats, pigeons, and rabbits would fall instantly dead, when shot with this high velocity wonder. Well, it killed the rats pretty quickly, when I placed my shots where I was suppose to; but, the pigeons were not dropping like they should. Most of the time, they would fall dead; but, sometimes they would fall and then just get up and stroll away. I could not understand it. Great article By Jim Baumann & Lame Rabbit Software

Airgun Pellet and Caliber Selection
by Tom Holzel
Reprinted from the Beeman Precision Airgun Guide

Airguns are mechanical devices that turn the stored potential energy of a coiled spring or compressed gas into kinetic (moving) energy, and transmit it to a projectile. However, the kinetic energy (or "power") of a gun is not measured directly. Rather, it is the energy imported to the projectile (a pellet) that is measured. This pellet energy is the product of velocity and weight (actually mass), both of which are measured separately.

Target Airguns:

Precision airguns that are used exclusively for target shooting require only enough energy (3-5 ft. lbs.) to speed a .177 caliber pellet through 10 meters of air. The speed component can be low, but the accuracy of a pellet must be exceedingly high, on the order of 0.04" center-to-center (c-t-c).
With target airguns, repeatability of the power plant is a major aspect of high quality. So are such accuracy related aspects of precision shooting as the character of trigger let-off (and its repeatability), adjustability of trigger pull and let-off and the adjustable fit of the airguns to the hand and body. The ergonomics of reloading the airgun is also important to target shooters. This function should be as smooth and unstressful as possible to keep concentration at a world-class level. Pellet insertions should be easy. CO2 and pre-charge airguns eliminate one physically distracting aspect of target shooting, recocking, and contribute thereby to a smoother shooting process.

Hunting Air Rifles

In addition to reasonable accuracy, (two inches at 50 yards) hunting or field air rifles must transfer three to five times as much energy to the pellet as target airguns. The energy of a hunting rifle pellet should be at least as high at the target distance (pest birds for example) as target airguns are at the muzzle (4 ft.lbs.).

Pellet Caliber & Weight

By far the largest number of airguns are sold in .177 caliber, and this is the pellet size of choice for nearly all target shooting, plinking, and some small pest hunting. The .177 caliber offers the highest velocity for a given amount of airgun energy, and results in the flattest trajectory. However, the speed of sound (1080 fps at sea level at 32 degrees) sets a practical upper limit on the energy with which a pellet can be propelled. Breaking the sound barrier results in a loud crack (just like a firearm) and generally send the pellet tumbling wildly. It would take 16.8 ft. lbs. To propel a 6.5 grain pellet to 1080 fps, and 21 ft. lbs. for a 8.1 grain pellet.

The .20 caliber (5mm) pellet is a perfect example of obtaining large ballistic gains in performance with small, optimal changes compared to .177 caliber. The 5mm trajectory remains nearly as flat, but its heavier weight lets it carry about 40% more energy for the same velocity. This is the best general purpose caliber.

The .22 caliber has a large gain in pellet weight and size is only useable in the highest powered hunting rifles. The range of the .22 caliber is less than

the .20 caliber, and the downrange energy less than the larger .25 caliber pellet. The .22 might be the choice if you owned a single hunting rifle.

The .25 caliber is unbeatable in carrying the most knock-down force to the target because of its maximal pellet weight and resulting incredible shock value. It is the perfect round for the tough tree squirrel and the right caliber in high-powered air rifles for any of the larger furbearers such as woodchuck, opossum, and even raccoon.

Pellet Type

The single most important factor in choosing a pellet is to obtain one that is accurate in your airgun! Only personal experimentation will let you discover the most effective pellet for your airgun/target combination. Each airgun varies slightly in the way it handles different pellet types. Since the accuracy of pellets themselves will vary slightly from batch to batch, it may be wiser to buy a years supply of pellets at one time than to buy in smaller quantities.
using the same powerplant, a light pellet will accelerate rapidly and leave the gun barrel at high speed. Its time in the barrel is the shortest, thus reducing the effects of an unsteady hold. The light pellet's time to target is also shortest so gravity can pull on it for only a split second. An accurate, very flat trajectory is the result. Yet in some high powered rifles, light pellets are ejected so rapidly they do not dwell long enough to get the full energy transfer of the decompressing charge of air. While the same rifle can propel an 8.6 grain .20 pellet to 850 fps and a 14 grain to 700 fps, these figures show the 8.6 grain pellet only acquired 14 ft.lbs. of energy while the other obtained 15.5 ft.lbs.

The speed of a heavier pellet is lower in the same airgun versus a lighter pellet. And, because of its slower speed, a heavy pellet take a longer time to get to the target; this gives gravity a longer time to pull it down. Note that the drop of any pellet has nothing to do with its mass or weight, all pellets are pulled down by gravity at the same rate. The only thing that counts is how much time gravity has to don the pulling. It is only because heavy pellets take longer to get to the target that their trajectory is more bowed. A light weight pellet traveling as slowly as a heavy weight pellet would have a equally bowed trajectory.

Pellet Air Resistance

Once clear of the barrel, another 'energy thief' begins its work: air resistance. Air resistance increases with the cube of a pellet's speed: double the speed, and air resistance increases eight times! this means fast pellets lose energy more rapidly than slower pellets. Energy equals mass time velocity squared. Since the energy imparted to a pellet is about the same and a pellet doesn't lose mass, it can only make up for the different weight by changing velocity.

In fact, fast, light pellets lose energy so rapidly, after 35 yards or so they can be traveling slower than heavy pellets. This is inconsequential in 10 meter target shooting, but it becomes a major disadvantage in hunting and field use.

What Pellet Should I Use

Flat-nosed wadcutters punch perfect holes in paper target to aid in scoring, and are required in competition. The slight effects of higher air resistance on accuracy due to the flat head are unmeasurable at 10 meters, but do become noticeable at 35 meters and beyond.

Medium weight roundnose pellets offer the best combination of weight and flat trajectory for medium powered hunting rifles (12-15 ft.lbs.). The closer you can normally get to your prey, the heavier the pellet you should use because heavy pellets will penetrate much deeper and be less susceptible to wind deflection. With the most powerful air rifles consider only heavyweight pellets.

Pellet Accuracy

Assuming an airgun always exerts the same force on a pellet, the accuracy of a pellet's path (it's trajectory) is effected by three major factors.

Crown
During its rush up the barrel, a pellet is constrained from going anywhere but straight forward. At the instant the pellet leaves the barrel, it is desirable that the barrel lip (or crown) always presents exactly the same surface to the spinning tail of the pellet. Ideally, the barrel loses contact with the entire circumference of the tail of the pellet at the same instant, so that the pellet is not tipped one way or the other. Tipping the pellet imparts a wobble, increasing the cross-sections area through the air. The wobbling pellet effectively increases its caliber causing more air resistance! This increased area will slow the pellet down more quickly than if it pierced the air perfectly head on.

Many airguns are "button choked" at the crown of the barrel to assure a perfectly uniform grip on the pellet circumference the instant it leaves the barrel. Others are exquisitely detailed to assure a perfect pellet release. Be sure not to damage the crown of any airgun barrel.

Pellet Uniformity

Spinning is what keeps a pellet from tumbling, and keeps it facing directly forward as it bores through the air. If a pellet is the slightest bit unbalanced as it spins the centrifugal wobble will lurch the pellet off course the instant it leave the barrel. The direction of that lurch will vary with every shot depending on which direction the excessive mass of the pellet is pointing at the instant it is release from the hold of the barrel.

Wind and Pellets

Supersonic bullets are more deflected by wind the slower they go. Surprisingly, sub-sonic airgun pellets are less deflected by wind the slower they go, but this seeming anomaly is due to the higher weight of the slower pellet, assuming in this comparison that both are shot out of the same airgun. For any airgun, a pellet with a higher ballistic coefficient will be less deflected by wind. Generally, heavy pellets have a higher ballistic coefficients than lighter ones.

Airgun Shot Repeatability
An airguns does not exert the same force from shot to shot. Without such high repeatability, even excellent pellets will not be able to do their job. Average pellets may safely exhibit a weight differential of up to a few percent in any one tin. When both pellets and air rifle vary randomly, you will find yourself hitting the target perfectly on some shots and missing completely on others.
Every airguns user should obtain a tin of ultra precise pellets to determine just what the airgun is capable of (from a bench) and what the shooter is capable of (hand held). You can use mid-grade pellets for practice. But always use the most accurate pellets you can find for competition and actual hunting. After tramping in the woods for an hour and stalking a rabbit for 20 minutes, no one will believe it is cost-effective to have finally scared it off with a single missed shot caused by the non-uniformity of a cheap pellet.

Air Rifle Hunting Pellets

To a varmint hunter, an air rifle is a tool for he job of bagging game. Just as different jobs require different tools (you wouldn't use a tack hammer to drive a 3-penny nail) so do different hunting situations require different air rifles. The paramount aspect of hunting air rifles is acceptable downrange accuracy. If you can't hit your target, no amount of super pellet energy or penetration is going to do you any good. Nest most important is downrange energy.
Grackles and other pest birds require one-inch accuracy at 20-30 yards. Grey tree squirrels require similar accuracy, but at least 8 ft.lbs. of energy at that distance. Crows require two-inch accuracy at 40-60 yards, the same as wild woodchuck, but the chucks require 10-15 ft.lbs. of energy at that range, the crow only half that. Suburban woodchucks can be approached to within 30-40 yards, so a less powerful rifle may do.

Airguns shooters should use this guide to help select the three or four different pellet types that seem closest to answering their own shooting needs. Then shoot these pellets for accuracy to get an idea of how well each type behaves in your own airgun. Shoot into bars of Ivory soap at field ranges to learn how well different pellets penetrate and expand for hunting. There is not substitute for this personal testing which will quickly lead to the selection of the most effective pellet type for your own particular use, and boost your accuracy and shooting satisfaction to new highs.

Choosing the Right Pellet for your air rifle or pellet pistol - Umarex USA

2011-07-18T01:49:00.000-07:00

There are several different airgun pellet styles available to use with your air gun and each rifle is unique in that every one has an “ideal pellet” for accuracy and/or speed. Your desired result will dictate what kind of air gun pellet you’ll want to use.

Airgun pellet weight is important because it can affect velocity, trajectory, terminal performance and flight stability. Heavier lead pellets tend to be more stable in breezy conditions and retain their energy better over longer distances. Heavy pellets also hit the target with more force. Heavier isn’t always better, it is important to match the weight of the pellet to your airgun’s unique characteristics and your desired result.

If you’re desired result is accuracy, a convenient and inexpensive way to find which pellet is uniquely perfect for your airgun is to try several different pellet shapes. One product made specifically for this is an RWS Pellet Sampler. It contains five different premium pellets that are made to the strictest quality standards. There’s a good chance you’ll find one of these pellets to provide a very high level of accuracy.

If velocity is what you’re after, a non-lead, very lightweight “hyper velocity pellet” will likely provide your air gun’s maximum speed. Give the RWS HyperMax pellet a try.

For specific shooting activities, some shapes may be better than others. Read further to help you determine which air gun pellet will be best for your shooting objectives.

For fun shooting or informal practice, an inexpensive, “7 grain basic pellet” will do. However, choose a quality pellet, like RWS Diabolos, that will leave minimal lead residue in your airgun’s barrel.

For accurate practice and general plinking, a lightweight 7 grain rifled sport pellet will provide you with an inexpensive and accurate pellet. One such pellet is the RWS Hobby which is very economical to shoot, but still leaves minimal amounts of lead in your air gun's barrel.

For an air gun hunting pellet, choose one with excellent knock down power and accuracy. A heavier rifled English bulldog design provides such performance. English bulldog pellets, such as the RWS Superdome, are great general use pellets as well. They have very aerodynamic heads and are good for shooting at longer distances. The shape causes these pellets to have more knockdown power at the target than other pellet shapes. Hollow point pellets are also good hunting pellets because they really expand on impact. Hollowpoints, like the Super-H-Point by RWS are popular for pest control, however, the hollow mouth can catch wind and cause the pellet to create open groups at longer distances.

If you’re looking for a pellet with penetrating power, a pointed pellet is what you’re looking for. A quality pellet that has a uniform cone can also enhance performance and accuracy of medium powered air guns. They have good penetration capabilities for pest control, but may not work as well as a Superdome pellet in a high-powered air rifle.

For accuracy at longer distances, consider a heavyweight wadcutter style pellet that’s perfectly balanced for accuracy. A pellet of this type, like the RWS Supermag, is ideal for modern ultra high power air rifles.

Extreme accuracy can be achieved with a match grade pellet. These professional wadcutter pellets are perfect for competition and training as well as accuracy and sighting in. The flat head design makes clean holes in paper targets. These pellets, like the RWS Meisterkugeln, can also be used for pest control, but they are not specifically designed for longer distances. They generally perform best at about 20 yards.

Airgun competition shooters desire the highest match accuracy possible. For this, a pellet that is consistent in size and weight from pellet-to-pellet is extremely important. RWS’s R 10 Match Pellets are optoelectronically verified and have a spotless surface finish. To ensure consistency, many air gun competitors desire R10 Match Plus pellets, which are packed in holders that do not allow the pellets to touch each other, thereby ensuring every pellet is flawless.

Tips on Using CO2 with Air Guns

2011-07-18T01:48:00.000-07:00

To increase seal life and ensure a good seal, apply one drop of RWS Chamber Lube (also available in the RWS Shooter's Kit for gun maintenance) or other airgun lubricant on the tip of the CO2 capsule before inserting into the airgun.
88 gram CO2 capsules can be screwed in too tightly. Tighten only by hand. If CO2 does not fill the airgun, the capsule may be too tight. Loosen by 1/4 turn.
Do not leave a CO2 capsule inserted into your airgun when not in use. Doing this will decrease the life of the airgun's valve seal.
Do not leave CO2 capsules in direct sunlight, the extreme heat may cause an explosion. Do not leave them in a vehicle where temperatures exceed that of the natural outdoors.
Use good quality CO2 that is clean to prevent clogging your airgun's valve. Read more about this.

Spring Pistol Air Rifle Shooting Accuracy Tips

2011-07-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips on breaking-in and shooting a spring powered air rifle:

Spring piston airguns, including break barrel, side lever, and under lever, typically require 500-1,000 shots to break in properly. Groups may be erratic for the first 100+ shots.
DO NOT bench rest on ANY solid objects! NO part of the gun should rest on a rigid surface or object.
Utilize sand bags, pillows, or folded quilts as a shooting surface.
A springer's barrel is NEVER to rest on any surface when shooting.
Position the rifle so that it is resting and pointing at a specific target point without being held. You can then ease into the shooting position without changing sight picture. By taking out as much of the "Human Factor" of holding the rifle, your accuracy will most likely improve.
SQUEEZE the trigger - pulling the trigger and or jerking the trigger will result in terrible accuracy.
Follow Through is Very Important. Try not to blink when the rifle fires and continue to focus on the precise point of aim.
Always hold the rifle "loosely" at the forearm and in the shoulder. Spring guns usually become inaccurate when held tightly.
Changing your shooting position or grip can and will affect your point of impact.
Scopes are to be mounted with 2.75" to 3" of eye relief.
DO NOT pull the trigger when the barrel is broken over. The barrel will fly up causing a bent barrel and could result in serious injury to you or someone else. Also, a cracked and/or broken stock may occur.
Each air rifle is an individual and has its own characteristics. To achieve the best performance, you should try an RWS Sampler pack of pellets to see which ammo your air gun shoots the most accurately.
Use only high quality pellets in your air gun, such as RWS air rifle pellets. RWS Airgun Pellets are much cleaner and manufactured to more exacting tolerances than many other brands.
Do not dry fire your spring air rifle as this can damage your rifle.

How to cock a break barrel:
Make sure the airgun is "ON SAFE". With one hand grasp the top of the rear stock firmly, avoid contact with the trigger, and brace the butt end of the stock against your thigh. Grasp the barrel near the muzzle end, just behind the front sight. Pull downward and to the rear until it comes to a solid stop. You will hear a click indicating that the spring piston has been locked into position (see illustration to right).

AIR GUN

2011-07-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Trail XL - Nitro Piston-powered!

Benjamin Air Rifles, from the Crosman Corporation, have been churning out some very nice air rifles of late. The Discovery was the first pre-charged pneumatic from Crosman, and then the multi-shot Marauder arrived on the scene.
For the break-barrel enthusiast, Crosman has now introduced the Benjamin Nitro Piston series of air rifles, powered by the nitrogen-filled gas ram licensed by Crosman. Placing this power-plant into some very fine rifles has given Crosman some wonderful new offerings for the air rifle shooter, and today we will look at the Benjamin Trail XL.

As you can see, this is a handsome rifle that comes with a thumbhole stock, a 3-9x40 AO scope with a mil-dot reticle, and a weaver-base mounting system that is secure and sturdy. White-line spacers between the buttpad and stock highlight the fit and finish of the rifle, and the barrel features a full-length shroud.

I mounted the scope in the provided rings, placed it all on the gun, and went outside for some shooting and pattern evaluation. I shot several kinds of pellets from the Trail XL and found each pellet performed well. This gun was not pellet fussy, though other rifles of the same make may prove fussy. It all depends on the barrel that each gun has, so I always steer new buyers towards trying out several different kinds of pellets just to be sure of what works the best in their gun.

This 3-shot pattern proves how well each pellet performed. All the pellets I tried gave a similar result, as the next photo shows.

I really like a gun that isn't pellet fussy, and this one is on my list of candidates for membership in my stable of airguns!
Now the Trail XL is a long gun, just slightly over four feet in length. That length helps in the cocking of the gun as you have a longer lever for compressing the gas ram that powers this machine. To aid in carrying the gun afield, Benjamin has located a sling swivel at the front, and a mounting stud installed into the butt of the gun.

The power of the Benjamin Trail XL is well into the high 20's in foot-pounds of energy (fpe). With a 15-16 grain pellet, I was getting just over 27 fpe, quite a punch for a break-barrel rifle. This is coupled with the lower recoil and smoother firing action of the nitro-piston rather than the traditional twang and torque of a coiled spring. The rifle feels different during the firing process, and it is quieter than the comparable spring piston rifle. And, you can leave it cocked for extended periods of time in the field with no damage or wear to the powerplant.
For a hunting rifle that is self-contained and powerful, you really need to consider this Benjamin Trail NP XL1122. (That is the designation for the .22 caliber version - the .177 version is XL1500). The chrony readings I got placed the afore-mentioned medium-weight pellets in the high 800's. Here's a pic of a chrony reading from the shooting session to confirm that for our readers.

Chrony reading from a 15-16 grain pellet from the Benjamin Trail XL.

Smack a squirrel or rabbit with that kind of power, and you have game in the bag! Want to knock over a nice metal silhouette? This one will do it!
Currently selling for $299.90, you will receive an air rifle, scope, mounts, and a sling all in one package. Add some pellets, and you are ready to go!

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 30, 2010

My Favorite Crosman Products at Airgun Depot

This post is a purely subjective post, with no reason for the nominations I make other than.....I like them! That's it! That is the whole reasoning behind the following products I'm going to discuss briefly.
Let's start with Ammunition:
For pellets, I choose the Crosman Premier. Why? Of all the pellets I've tried over the years, I have found the Crosman Premier to be an excellent choice for almost every air gun I have. It isn't always the absolutely most accurate, but it always seems to come in among the top contenders on a very consistent basis. They are American-made, hard hitting, and come in the most common calibers available to please a majority of shooters.

The well-designed Crosman Premier in .177

Now. let's move on to Handguns:
Once again, the Crosman corporation has an almost universally-accepted contender for a favorite pistol. I am talking about the Crosman 2240, a work-horse of a CO2 gun for a lot of shooters. Widely available, with an enormous amount of modifications available from the aftermarket, this little pistol truly is a treasure. In stock form, it delivers accuracy and power. Want more? Dive into the world of modifying, and you'll find entire forums and websites devoted to just this one gun!

The Crosman 2240 CO2 pistol

Need a good rifle? Crosman can certainly deliver in that category. Here's my pick of the litter for this category:
Rifles
The Benjamin Marauder has won my heart for an extremely economical bolt-action repeater that delivers power and accuracy. I know that it is labeled a Benjamin, but it falls under the roof of the Crosman corporation, and has become a wonderful seller for airgun companies, and a great shooting piece for the air gun enthusiast. With all the features of the more pricey European air rifles, this wonderful rifle competes with the best of them in the field or at the target range. My first squirrel hunt with the .22 caliber version gave me conclusive evidence that this gun would be a winner for some time to come for Crosman, and I applaud them for their work on this model.

The Benjamin Marauder, a 10-shot bolt action repeater from Crosman

In Accessories, I have to choose the following item:
Crosman CO2 Powerlets
The Powerlet from Crosman powers CO2 airguns with a minimum of fuss, easy convenience, and the ability to carry extra power in the field with out the need for bulky tanks. Well made and able to fit most CO2 airguns designed for their use, this cartridge or powerlet is well designed and stable, and very simple to use. If you've ever wondered how these were made, watch this video for an explanation:
How CO2 Cartridges are Made

So, there you have it....my pick of the Crosman products featured here at Airgun Depot in the 4 categories of ammo, rifle, pistol, and accessories. Give us some feedback and let us know what item you like the best!

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 29, 2010

Nitro Piston Air Rifles

For many years, the spring piston power plant has been the main force behind the performance of the break barrel, side lever, and underlever air guns. It is a tried and true power plant that has performed for many, many decades. Variations of the spring-powered air rifle have refined and brought the firing behavior of the spring piston to unbelievable levels of performance, as can be observed in so many of the beautifully designed 10-meter competition air rifles.
Not too many years ago, the Theoben company brought out a new twist in the power plant design of the piston rifle. Rather than a spring, they used a gas-filled strut, and it has been nicknamed the gasram, a term commonly used for this type of powerplant. Instead of having a spring that is subject to kinking, metal fatigue, and some twang (when not properly fitted), Theoben substituted the gasram and pretty much made history. The results were a definite difference in firing behavior, one that was quite enjoyable straight from the box. I've owned several rifles over the years that were equipped with Theoben's gasram, and found them to be exceptional performers and wonderful guns to shoot.

Now Crosman has introduced the Nitro Piston series of air rifles that use the same idea. Filled with nitrogen, the gas piston technology is now offered in nearly a dozen different configurations in the Crosman line of rifles. Here's a link to the page containing those selections:
Nitro Piston Rifles
Recently, Jim Chapman of the American Airgun Hunter website performed some tests on the Nitro Piston rifles from Crosman. Jim is the airgun editor and columnist for Predator Extreme Magazine, as well as some other outdoor magazines and venues. Click on the links below to access his initial reports of his testing section. You will find some very useful information in regards to the performance and accuracy of the Nitro Piston design.
Jim Champan's Nitro Trail Report
Squirrel Hunting with the Nitro Piston Air Rifle
Jim and I have had the pleasure of hunting together over the years, and enjoy getting together for small and big game hunts. I have found Jim's insight into the many different air guns that he gets to test both useful and accurate when making purchases of my own, or offering advice to others who are in the market for a new air gun.
As Jim notes in his articles, two of the main advantages of using a Nitro Piston air rifle are that you can leave the gun cocked for extended periods without damaging the power plant, and you will realize a decreased effect of the bi-directional recoil that is a proven scope killer. The firing behavior of a Nitro Pistol air rifle versus the traditional spring piston is noticeable, and if you get the chance, I urge you to test them side by side in order to readily notice the differences.
On Airgun Depot's website you will find several configurations of Nitro Piston powered guns. Synthetic stocks, wood stocks, and wood laminates offer a nice range of options for the shooting enthusiast. Be sure to drop by and take a look at all they have to offer the air gun shooter!

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June 24, 2010

Why Do You Enjoy Airguns?

Let me ask you a question that may have not been asked of you before:
Would you please explain to me what is is about shooting an airgun that you enjoy the most?
Now, once that question has been asked of you, I'd like for you to take a minute and think about your response before you put it into words. The rest of this article is my answer to that very same question.
"What do I enjoy the most about shooting an airgun? I suppose that as a hunter, I enjoy taking my prey with the least amount of power possible. The use of firearms in many of the places I hunt would be frowned upon, so I elect to use air guns instead. But that isn't the only reason.
I really do enjoy the satisfaction I get from hitting my target with a well-placed shot. One of my favorite activities is to simply plink with an airgun that can deliver the accuracy I demand of my airguns. Inaccurate air guns don't interest me all that much.
What I enjoy about shooting an airgun is the workings of the mechanisms employed to make the shot possible. The balance of a coiled spring pushing a piston forward just far enough to create that pulse that expels the pellet from the barrel on an accurate journey is sheer beauty. The balance of internal pressure in a sealed cylinder, when directed through a port to arrive behind the pellet, and being able to reproduce that effect shot after shot.....that is interesting stuff to me. The graceful lines of an airgun that incorporates all the moving parts needed to provide a workable power plant for the simple purpose of pushing a small lead projectile through a barrel.....those are works of art that show craftsmanship beyond any simple ability I have on my own.
The history of airguns is also an enjoyable part of my air gun hobby. Knowing even a little about the evolution of the airgun, who carried one in combat, who went on great journeys of discovery with an airgun.....that is neat stuff! I had no idea until I looked into it that the biggest airgun ever used in combat was on a US warship....a neat little tidbit for the history buff!
Shooting with my children is a great pastime, and air guns allow me to do that more frequently than if I used firearms for the same purpose. My children and I sit on the front or back porch and plink away at whatever target is available that day. The simple joys of rolling a can across the yard brings grins to my faces of my children, and ultimately to me as well. It also allows opportunities for safety training in a safer environment.
But perhaps the best thing that I enjoy about shooting air guns is the people I meet while doing it. I have made some very good friends that I talk with on a weekly basis, though we are separated by geographical locations and time zones. With the internet, I converse with individuals from all over the world who enjoy the same sport and hobby I do, though they may have different reasons for that enjoyment. The longest trip I have ever made in my entire life was made with fellow air gun shooters who I met on the internet. And the swap meets and air gun shows I attend serve to further cement those relationships as we all get together to enjoy shared interests and hobbies.
Air guns have enriched my life in a way I never thought possible. All I really wanted to do those several years ago was get the squirrels out of my attic.....I could not have predicted how much air guns would have changed my life a decade ago.
So.....why do you enjoy airguns?

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 18, 2010

Got a PCP? Then you NEED a chronograph!

Alrighty now.....you've picked up your new PCP, either new from the store or new to you from another owner. Out the door you go, targets in hand, a full reservoir of air in the gun, and a pocket full of pellets. At 20 yards you set up your target and run through 20-30 shots, with the pellet producing remarkable patterns that tells you the gun shoots the same place every time! What a gun! You've found the Holy Grail of airguns.....it never misses!
The next day, or even later the same day, you pop a pest bird at a given distance. Then on the next pest you get a clean miss! Huh? All your testing up 'til now tells you the gun is shooting the same place no matter where in the fill you are. What gives?! (I'll bet you the pests were at different distances from you, the shooter).
Did you test your gun at different ranges? Remember you are shooting a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) that has, from shot to shot, a different amount of air pressure driving the pellet. Unless your gun comes with a regulator, it will have a bell curve if you plot out the velocity. And that's why your shots will register at different impact points once you stop shooting at a short-range, given distance all the time.
There was a recent post on the yellow forum that got me thinking about how this was a great topic for the newer air gun shooter. My thanks to Robert for planting this blog topic in my brain, and this is why you NEED a chronograph to better understand your air gun. You see, at 20 yards, there will hardly be a perceptible difference in the points of impact because you are so close to the target. The differences from shot to shot will really show up when you start shooting at longer ranges.
Here's a link to the entry discussing Robert's results, and I challenge you to follow some of his testing procedures to determine how your gun shoots at different ranges and different pressures.

Why You Need a Chronograph

As you can see from the author's testing, there is a sweet spot in the fill pressure where there is little more than 20 fps difference for a series of shots. That's what you want for repeatable performance. At short ranges, you'll hardly notice any difference, but if you stretch out your range, you'll begin to notice quite a bit more variance in the point of impact, though you may be rock solid in your hold and aiming technique. It isn't you, it's the nature of a PCP air rifle. Pay particular attention to the graph that is contained in the post referenced above for a good visual aid on how declining pressure affects your point of impact.
Some things you need to know when you use a chronograph are:
1. The first sensor starts the clock, and the second sensor stops it. There is an oscillator inside the gun that is quite steady, and the onboard computer know how many oscillations between the start and stop points triggered by the shadow of your projectile passing over the sensors.
2. In order for #1 above to work, you need a constant light source. Fluorescent bulbs flicker and mess up the readings. You need diffused sunlight or an incandescent bulb that gives a steady light supply for the chrony to work correctly.
3, Muzzle blast can set off the chrony and produce an erratic measurement that isn't true. Back up just a little in order to make the chrony work better. Point blank range isn't all it's supposed to be when measuring velocities. Back up a foot or two from the sensors.
4. Shooting from a repeatable rested position is best in order to get accurate reading that don't vary because the shooter is moving too much, or not holding the gun in the same position.

Here is a link to Airgun Depot's selection of chronographs. You will find great prices on these useful tools for the shooter. Enjoy!
Chronographs

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May 30, 2010

Shooting for the Physically Impaired

This particular entry's title may come as a bit of a surprise. It is probably an unusual title, but is certainly appropriate considering my current physical condition.
This weekend I broke my back in two places. I had a lawnmower turn over on me and do a number on my spine, but I am home and wishing I could go out shooting. Here are some things I am confident of right off the bat:
1. I will NOT be shooting any hard to cock springers. I have a weight limit of 5 lbs. that I can lift with the doctor's permission. Nothing more! So trying to cock even a spring pistol, much less a rifle is out of bounds.
2. Bending over to get a good sight plane is out of bounds for several weeks. I have a brace covering my entire torso keeping my injured spine in place while it heals.
3. Moving heavy air tanks from place to place in order to air up a PCP is going to be a problem.
4. Hand pumping doesn't even exist in my current universe!
5. CO2 air guns are going to save the day for me!

Once I took stock of my physical condition, I began to see some of the challenges that my physically-handicapped shooting brethren are trying to overcome on a daily basis. What I take for granted as easy to do and achieve has suddenly become almost impossible without some help.
The CO2-powered pistols such as the Crosman 2240 and the EB series of pistols from Benjamin will be the easiest air guns for me to enjoy for the next little while. Airgun Depot has quite a selection of other CO2 air pistols that would also fit the bill for shooting enjoyment. Here is a link to the entire category of CO2 pistols:
CO2 Pistols
These are some of the air guns that I can physically handle at this time, considering the weight limits the doctor has imposed on me, my own ability to aim and shoot, and enough accuracy for me to enjoy shooting at animate or inanimate targets. There is also the added enjoyment of being able to shoot these guns inside with an adequate backstop in place.
Another range of air pistols would be the AirSoft line of air guns that Airgun Depot carries, too. Here is a link to those items which may be of interest to a shooter in my condition:
AirSoft Guns
Being physically challenged as a shooter doesn't have to mean you must give up shooting. You simply have to work around whatever obstacles are in your way to continue your enjoyment of a great sport. Let Airgun Depot help you out with their great selection of equipment for your shooting needs!

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 27, 2010

How Scuba Tanks are Made

I have always found it helpful to know as much as possible about any given subject that interests me.....and knowing about the gear we use as air gunners falls in that category.
Here is a brief 7 minute video on how the high pressure scuba tanks are made. Many airgunners use this kind of setup to fill their PCP airguns, and understanding how they are made just adds to the enjoyment of our hobby.
Direct link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPJpufCj89I
Different tanks from different makers and made in similar fashion. The latest development in high pressure vessels involves the carbon fiber wrapped aluminum tanks that greatly reduce the weight of the gear. And there is a new development for firefighters that puts a flat pack tank, consisting of 5 different chambers, in a harness that is worn in place of the more traditional cylindrical tank on the back. It is slimmer and lighter, and is being tested according to the reports I have read.
Having a good relationship with your local fire department pays big dividends for the air gun shooter. I get my air for free, and as a thank you I will drop a turkey or ham by every so often, or several pounds of venison during deer season. The fire fighters appreciate it, and it goes a long way towards recognizing their contribution to your hobby/sport, not to say the least for the way they lay their life on the line when doing their jobs on our behalf.
Enjoy the video!

sorce: airgundepot.com

Benjamin Trail XL - Nitro Piston-powered!

2011-07-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

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June 30, 2010

My Favorite Crosman Products at Airgun Depot

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June 29, 2010

Nitro Piston Air Rifles

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

sorce : airgundepot.com

Girandoni Air Rifle

2011-07-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Girandoni Air Rifle
Girandoni System Austrian Repeating Air Rifle, Circa 1795, believed to have been taken on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Type	Air rifle
Place of origin	Austria
Specifications
Caliber	.46
Barrels	1
Feed system	22 round vertical hopper
Sights	Iron

Recreation of an Austrian Girandoni system Accouterments Bag, including spare air flasks, air pump, wrenches, bullet mold and ladle

The Girandoni Air Rifle was an airgun designed by Bartholomäus Girandoni circa 1779. The weapon was also known as the "Windbüchse", which means "wind rifle" in German.

[edit] History and Use

The Girandoni air rifle was in service with the Austrian army from 1780 to around 1815. The advantages of a high rate of fire, no smoke from propellants, and low muzzle report granted it initial acceptance, but it was eventually removed from service for several reasons. While the detachable air reservoir was capable of around 30 shots it took nearly 1500 strokes of a hand pump to fill those reservoirs. Later, a wagon-mounted pump was provided. The reservoirs themselves, made from hammered sheet iron held together with rivets and sealed by brazing, proved very difficult to manufacture using the techniques of the period and were always in short supply.
In addition, the weapon was very delicate and a small break could make it inoperable. Finally, it was very different from any other weapon of the time and any soldier using it needed to be highly trained.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition used the rifle in the demonstrations that they performed for nearly every native American tribe they encountered on the expedition.^[1]

[edit] Design and Capabilities

The rifle was 4 ft (1.2 m) long and weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kg), which made it the same basic size and weight as other muskets of the time. It fired a .46 caliber ball^[2] at a velocity similar to that of a modern .45 ACP and it had a tubular, gravity-fed magazine with a capacity of 20 balls. This gravity operated design was such that the rifle had to be pointed upwards in order to drop each ball into the breech block. Unlike its contemporary, muzzle-loading muskets, which required the rifleman to be almost fully erect to reload with powder and ball, the shooter could reload a ball from the magazine by holding the rifle vertically while laying on his back and operating the ball delivery mechanism. The rifleman then could roll back into position to fire, allowing the rifleman to keep a "low profile". Contemporary regulations of 1788 required that each rifleman, in addition to the rifle itself, be equipped with three compressed air reservoirs (two spare and one attached to the rifle), cleaning stick, hand pump, lead ladle, and 100 lead balls, 20 in the magazine built into the rifle and the remaining 80 in four tin tubes. Equipment not carried attached to the rifle was held in a special leather knapsack. It was also necessary to keep the leather gaskets of the reservoir moist in order to maintain a good seal and prevent leakage.^[3]
The air reservoir was in the club-shaped butt. With a full air reservoir, the Girandoni air rifle had the capacity to shoot 30 shots at useful pressure. These balls were effective to approximately 150 yards on a full load. The power declined as the air reservoir was emptied

Airsoft guns

2011-07-17T22:30:00.001-07:00

Airsoft guns are replica firearms that propel plastic pellets (also known as BBs) by way of compressed gas or a spring-driven piston. Depending on the mechanism driving the pellet, an airsoft gun can be operated manually or cycled by either compressed gas such as Green Gas (propane+silicone mix), or CO₂, a spring, or an electric motor, but are ultimately fired from a piston compressing a pocket of air. All these products are designed to be non-lethal out-of-the-factory and to provide realistic replicas.

Manufacturers

Currently, a large number of airsoft weaponry manufacturers are on the market,^[1] these include AGM, A&K, Both Elephant, Celcius Technology, Classic Army, CYMA, D-Boys, DeepFire, Double Eagle, Echo 1, G&G, G&P, HFC, ICS, Jing Gong, Jing Ping, Galaxy, King Arms, KJ Works, KSC/KWA, KWC, Mad Bull Airsoft, Marushin, Maruzen, Tokyo Marui, SRC, Systema Engineering, Wei-E Tech, Well, Western Arms and WG.^[2]^[3]^[4]. Companies, such as Aftermath, Crosman, Cybergun, Echo 1, and UTG, rebrand and distribute guns, sometimes with other accessories in countries where some manufacturers may not have an established distribution network. Many of the best-selling airsoft weapons are high detailed replicas of real lethal weapons, which are manufactured and designed by companies headquartered in Asian countries or territories like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China, however, European and North American brands exist also. Beyond airsoft guns proper, those companies may produce other items like BBs, airsoft grenades and airsoft landmines like S-Thunder, as well as spare parts and a varied range of accessories for the replicas, like scopes and mounts.

[edit] Usage

Soldiers with the US Army 187th Ordnance Battalion prepared to clear a room during urban combat training at the battalion's Field Training Exercise site. The Soldiers were armed with airsoft weapons as part of a pilot program in 2009.

See also: Airsoft and Legal issues in airsoft

Airsoft is used almost solely for recreational purposes. There are airsoft clubs, teams and even sports associations devoted to airsoft events around the world. In many countries, every airsoft gun owner and active enthusiast must be affiliated with an accredited airsoft association or federation. Most airsoft players host games at a registered field where combat situations are simulated using airsoft weaponry like replicas of pistols, carbines (including submachine guns), rifles (including sniper rifles), grenades and landmines. Great variety and profusion of militaria is usually used. Historical reenactment of war situations is another favorite of many airsoft players and clubs. In addition, a number of companies such as Systema Engineering and Celcius Technology manufacture ultra-realistic high-velocity airsoft rifles designed specifically for the police and military for non-lethal training purposes.

[edit] Types of airsoft guns

[edit] Spring powered

Spring-powered airsoft guns are single-shot devices that use elastic potential energy (EPE) stored in a spring to compress air to launch an airsoft pellet down the barrel of the gun. The user must cock a spring gun prior to each shot. This is typically achieved by pulling back the slide (pistols), bolt (rifles), or the grip on a shotgun, which in turn compresses the spring and makes the gun ready to fire.^[5] Because of this, these guns are by definition incapable of automatic or semi-automatic fire. Spring-powered airsoft guns are generally not as powerful as gas and electric models, although some spring shotguns and sniper rifles can be very powerful and shoot at velocities of 400–700 ft/s (120–210 m/s). These are not hard to find and are generally inexpensive, and don't usually last long because of the tension created by a powerful spring. However, many "springers", as they are called, can be modified and upgraded to last longer and shoot better.
While most electric guns also use springs for propulsion of the BB, they are not considered to be in the same category as the single-shot spring-powered guns. Low-end spring guns tend to be much cheaper than their electric-powered equivalents due to their simplicity and lack of electrical components (spring assembly, electric motor, battery, and battery charger) and thus are widely available. These guns are less suited for competition because they are at a disadvantage against automatic guns in close combat and do not provide enough accuracy and power for long-range use. There are some exceptions, however, as higher-end spring-powered airsoft rifles can be quite expensive; these guns are typically suited for "marksman" applications in airsoft matches and provide competitive muzzle velocities. Additionally, pump shotguns are sometimes used, especially in CQB (Close Quarters Battle). In colder weather, spring pistols are more reliable than gas-powered pistols and even the batteries on AEPs (Automatic Electric Pistols) both of which can be adversely affected by extreme cold.
This represents one of the major advantages of spring-powered airsoft gun, as it can be fired in any situation, without reliance on an external source of power, such as batteries or gas. The lack of reliance on external power sources causes some players to favor spring powered guns. Spring guns are also less susceptible to the effects of water, where a battery-powered gun could malfunction when wet.
Spring-powered weapons are often cheaper than electric or gas powered weapons. They are also more readily available in most department stores. Because of their price and availability, spring guns tend to act as "training guns" to bring new players to airsoft games and are considered the primary weapon of "backyard skirmishes". Almost all airsoft players at some point owned a spring weapon, whether for its actual use in the sport or for the replica value since some airsoft weapons are only available as spring versions.

[edit] Electric guns

Electric guns, (Also known as AEG) in their varying forms, use an electrically powered gearbox to compress a spring, which, when released, propels the BB out of the barrel.

[edit] Automatic electric guns

An illustration of the working of a Version 2 gearbox

A Dboys M4A1 AEG

Electric-powered airsoft guns typically use a rechargeable battery or batteries to drive an electric motor, which cycles an internal piston/spring assembly in order to launch pellets. Automatic, 3 round burst, and semi-automatic operation is possible which gives these guns the popular name "automatic electric guns" or AEGs.^[6] These guns often attain muzzle velocities from 150 to 650 ft/s (46 to 200 m/s) and rates of fire of between 100 and 1500 rounds per minute. They are the most commonly used and widely available type of airsoft gun.
These type of guns were developed in Japan and the Japanese company Tokyo Marui dominates the market. In a Tokyo Marui AEG, the motor drives a series of 3 gears mounted inside a gearbox. The gears then compress a piston assembly against a spring. Once the piston is released, the spring drives it forward through the cylinder to push a pellet into the chamber, through the barrel, and forward from the muzzle. Many manufacturers have now more or less replicated this basic model, adding reinforced parts or minor improvements. These guns are powered primarily by nickel metal hydride (NiMH) with varying voltages and milliampere hours ratings. The most common battery is an 8.4 V large battery (between 2200 and 5000 mAh.) Also available are "mini" and "stick" batteries, which generally have 900–1600 mAh capacities. Voltages for NiMH batteries range from 7.2 V, all the way up to 12 V. The rule of thumb usually is the higher the mAh, the longer the battery lasts while the higher voltage, the higher Rate of Fire (RoF). Recently, however, Lithium-Polymer, or Li-po, batteries are becoming more popular in the airsoft world. These batteries can last longer and have higher mAh and Volts while at the same time, being small and light. Li-po batteries are usually at 11.1 V or 7.4 V and at varying mAh from 500 mAh to 6500 mAh.
External modifications, such as metal bodies and reinforced plastics that make AEGs look and feel even more realistic, have become very popular. AEG manufacturers such as Classic Army and Tokyo Marui produce replicas that are visually nearly identical to their real counterparts. Tokyo Marui, however, sticks with a durable ABS plastic, whereas Classic Army features full metal bodied guns and stronger furnishings. Most AEGs produced as of late are designed to be as visually realistic as possible.
The three most common AEGs on the field are the AR-15 series (M16 rifle, M4 carbine, etc.; sometimes referred to as the ArmaLite or Colt series), the Heckler & Koch MP5 series, and the AK or Kalashnikov series. Also increasing popular is the Heckler & Koch G36 and more recently, FN P90. Subsequently numerous parts for repairs and modifications are commonly available for these rifles. AEG models range from a simple pistol to an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) all the way to a Minigun.

[edit] Hybrid guns

Hybrid Airsoft guns are the newest type of airsoft guns on the market. Hybrid airsoft guns are basically standard AEGs or Gas Blowback Airsoft Guns with a "little extra reality" built in.

AEG Hybrid Operation

the magazine is loaded with shell cases, each containing a single plastic pellet. These shell casings can have a small red cap, the same as those found in any child's toy cap gun placed on the top of them. These guns feature an electrically powered, full blowback system and operate on a "round-per-shell" basis such that for every pellet fired, a shell casing is ejected and the cap is fired providing a realistic sound and smoke effect. Since its debut, the only Hybrid guns seen on the market are cheap non-scaled M4 series and AK series guns, as well as M1 Garand, Kar98, and other rifle models. These guns are the least common type of gun on the market today.

Gas Blow Back Hybrid Operation

Hybrid Gas Blow Back Airsoft guns are quite similar with hybrid AEGs and their opereations are similar with Gas Blow Back Airsoft Guns. A single 6mm pellet is still loaded to a shell casing. Then it is placed into a magazine. The Airsoft Replica itself also has a tank for compressed gas as propellant (Such as Green Gas). So as the slide/bolt is pulled back, it loads a shell into the chamber. As the trigger is pulled, it releases a small burst of propellant and the pellet is forced out the barrel.

[edit] Low powered electric guns

Dboys selective fire "Boys" Colt ninja electric rifle, approx. 3/4 scale, pictured with .12 gram Crosman ammunition and Cybergun

Called low powered electric guns (LPEGs) to distinguish them from the original, more expensive and more powerful AEGs even though their mechanical/electrical design and operation is similar. They are not to be confused with Mini Electrics (described below). Originally they were only of novelty value, often regarded below spring operated guns due to their construction and low velocities. Since there are spring action guns that can notably outperform the true low-end LPEGs and can be found at comparable prices, they are generally considered to be better choices.

[edit] Medium powered electric guns

Some companies - like UTG with their popular MP5 and AK-47 models - have improved their quality to such an extent that some models are now considered simply as mid-ranged AEGs that are more affordable but still reasonably effective. Among airsofters, these are commonly called middle powered electric guns (MPEGs). Sometimes, MPEGs are copies or 'clones' of designs by full-price manufacturers like Tokyo Marui^{[citation needed]}. As of late 2008 a small number of MPEG brands such as Echo-1/Jing Gong, and CYMA are considered by many to approach the quality and match the performance of the originals, at less than half the price. "Fully compatible" MPEGs imitate the Marui or Classic Army originals so precisely that standard upgrade parts will work with them, making it possible to hot-rod an MPEG to well beyond stock out-of-the-box AEG performance.

[edit] Electric blowbacks

Electric blowbacks, also known as EBBs, are high-end AEGs which generally run from a rechargeable 9.6 volt battery. Most models utilizing this system are rifles. EBBs simulate the blowback action of a real pistol or rifle but generally have less of a kick. Essentially an AEG in design, EBBs are just as powerful. However, a drawback to having the blowback feature is that the battery is quickly depleted, additionally blowbacks can cause extra stress on the gear box which may result in the gearbox's shorter life span. The blowback system can be disabled with some tinkering.
Electric blowback can also refer to a feature in some higher-end guns which offers more realistic operation. Companies such as G&G^{[citation needed]} now offer guns such as the combat machine M4 which has moving parts linked directly to the main mechanism of the gun, such as the bolt. Echo 1 has recently released a Blowback MP5SD. Also APS (accuracy pneumatics shooting) makes EBB M4A1, M4 Commando, and the AK47. The M4's also have 3 others with an ris unit. These weapons perform identically to similar non-blowback offerings, with the added realism of reciprocating bolts and some recoil. Most models incorporate pneumatic blowback systems but some feature mechanical systems.

[edit] Mini electrics

Recently, the company UHC, well known for its spring guns, began manufacturing a range of electric guns in miniature size that fire only full automatic. They differ from LPEGs in that they are not replicas of real firearms, being miniaturized version of real firearms, mostly made of black or clear plastic.
They have a small ammo capacity, usually between 50 and 100 rounds, but they have good range and a functional hop-up. They have become very popular in recent years, and are now being manufactured by Tokyo Marui. These “minis,” as they are referred to, are not a viable option in games against AEGs since their small ammo capacity, short range and poor far range accuracy leave their wielder at a large disadvantage. Mini electric guns are able to compete with spring pistols at close ranges however, primarily due to their higher rate of fire.

[edit] Automatic Electric Pistols

Automatic Electric Pistols, abbreviated AEPs, were first introduced by Tokyo Marui in 2005 with their Glock 18C (followed later by a Beretta 93R model). They were the first handguns to incorporate an electric powered system that is capable of fully automatic operation.
In cold weather, AEPs are often considered better sidearms than gas powered pistols, because batteries are not as badly affected by frigid weather. Gases like CO₂ and green gas are stored in liquid form and require heat in order to vaporize. A gas pistol at 10 °F (−12 °C) will usually only get one to two usable shots from a full magazine, and even they will be at reduced power because of the lowered pressure of the gas.
Because the AEP gearbox and battery are smaller, the velocity of AEP BBs (usually between 200 to 280 ft/s (85.3 m/s)) is relatively slow by the standards of airsoft simulations, rendering them useful only for close-range simulation. However, the advanced hop up units on these new guns tend to compensate for the low power and can produce an effective range comparable to those of an AEG. CYMA has made a clone Glock 18C, which is a lower priced alternative.
An AEP differs from electric blow-backs because the AEP has a fixed slide (in which there is no external movement of the slide during operation), while an EBB simulates the "blow back" action in the slide experienced in a real pistol or Gas Blow Back (GBB). An AEP, however, has much more power and accuracy.
One of the newer AEP-styled guns is the Marui replica of the Heckler & Koch MP7. It is considerably larger than either of the other guns, and can be upgraded to a much higher power through the use of an external battery, but uses the same system as the AEP, so the classification is ambiguous. It is slightly more powerful than the others and is a suitable choice for CQB (Close Quarter Battle) games due to its small size and decent barrel- to gun-length ratio.
Some semi-automatic pistols can be modified to be automatic pistols. To make them more effective, they use rechargeable batteries supplied with the gun, and can be replaced with a larger battery to make their ROF higher.
Due to restrictions on size, either the electric motor or batteries have to occupy space in the hand grip, reducing the available space for a magazine. Because of this no AEP uses a full size magazine found in most gas powered pistols.
In addition, most AEPs are constructed almost entirely of plastic and have a light, toy-like feeling to them.

[edit] Training Weapons

An airsoft gun made by Celcius Technology (Hong Kong). This Training Weapon model is a replica of the M4A1 and has also a G&P Trijicon ACOG scope replica.

High-profile, top-quality airsoft gun manufacturers such as Japan's Systema Engineering (PTW) and Hong Kong's Celcius Technology (CTW) developed a truly professional concept of airsoft guns and accessories intended for military and law enforcement training. These airsoft guns are made of aircraft grade aluminum combined with stainless steel parts that gives strength, stability, excellent weather protection, and easy maintenance. Using sophisticated electronics and ingenious mechanics, the training weapons offer the most realistic replicas and a proper display of the most accurate military firepower for an airsoft gun. The advanced high performance AEGs engineered and built by these companies are training weapons which are among the most expensive items that an airsoft enthusiast can buy.

[edit] Gas powered airsoft guns

These guns are capable of automatic and semi-automatic operation. The most common gases used are "green gas" and Propane which requires an adaptor, HFC-134a.^[7] Less commonly used gases include "red gas" (which is actually HCFC-22), CO₂ and nitrogen/high pressure air. It is unlawful to use HCFC-22 as a propellant in the US. HCFC-22 is a Class II ozone depleting substance and its use as a aerosol propellant has been banned since January 1994 under section 610(d) of Clean Air Act.^[8]

A gas blowback Heckler & Koch USP Compact replica, made by KSC.

Red gas is usually avoided unless the airsoft gun has undergone modification, as its relatively high critical pressure can cause damage to the airsoft gun, such as breakage of the slide or bolt. CO₂, nitrogen, and high pressure air are less common because they need to be stored at higher pressures than "green gas" or HFC-134a.
The first ever gas powered airsoft guns were commonly referred to as 'classic' guns, owing to their age. These guns were most commonly powered by liquid propellants such as R-12 (Which was marketed by the Japanese as FLON-12 or DuPont tradename Freon 12)CFC-12 feed system with a majority of the configurations containing two tanks, one containing the CFC-12 and one used as an expansion tank, and the gun itself. CFC-12 was a commonly used refrigerant for car air conditioning and refrigerators.
It is considered a highly potent ozone depleting substance and listed as a Class I Ozone Depleting Substance by the US EPA. Its use as a general purpose aerosol propellant has been banned by the US EPA since March 1978 under 43 FR 11301 for use in aerosol use with a very few exceptions.^[9] Its use is also banned in many countries under United Nations treaties. On Dec 31, 2008, the use of CFCs for medical inhalers were banned.
The use of Later users modified these old guns to be powered by regulated CO₂ canisters or nitrogen/high pressure air bottles to increase power and consistency. However, these guns have largely been superseded by the newer and more versatile AEGs, or automatic electric guns. One of the reasons for this is because the most commonly available propellant, R-12, is costly. Additionally, at high flow rates, liquid propellants tend to cool down, eventually freezing. As cooldown progresses, the rate of fire gradually decreases until the gun ceases operation. The user would then be forced to wait for the propellant to warm up again. CO₂ is not affected as badly by this tendency, and nitrogen/high pressure air is immune to it. Furthermore, if liquid propellant is introduced into the gun's mechanism, rubber parts can freeze and eventually damage the gun. However, it is unlikely for this to occur since once the gas is released from the containing cylinder it instantly turns back into its gaseous state, and expands rapidly. It is doubtful whether the retained pressure behind the BB before it begins to accelerate down the barrel is enough to keep the gas in a liquid form. Also, any gun that is expected to be exposed to the intense cold of de-pressurizing gas should have materials that can handle it.
Gas power tends to be used in airsoft pistols where size constraints make electric-powered mechanisms impractical. Other instances where gas is favored are where adjustable velocities are required or where a blowback feature is desired. A blowback feature is a mechanism which cycles a slide or bolt to better simulate a real firearm's operation. Because of the mechanical complexities involved with distributing and regulating gas, these guns have largely given way to electric guns for less specialized applications, however, they still remain favorable amongst most airsofters. They are not just limited to pistols; submachine guns, sniper rifles and assault rifles commonly use gas mechanisms. Whilst the submachine gun replicas typically feature a blowback mechanism similar to the pistol replicas, sniper rifle replicas usually omit the blowback mechanism in favor of reduced recoil and increased muzzle velocity.
Along with using gas to power guns, it is also applied for use in replica grenades. These grenades are both projectiles, fired from a grenade launcher such as the M203 or GP-25, or throwable. The shells work on the system of an internal piston, filled with gas. Either a series of BB's or in some cases a rubber or soft foam head is seated in or on top of the shell. When the pressure is released the projectile(s) are shot from the launcher sent downrange.
In the case of the throwable grenades, inside the grenade there is a similar piston to the one used in the shells, but is on a literal "timer" that allows the user to clear the area of effect. BB's or powder act as the projectile in the case of these grenades. Currently both types of grenades are not very common, mostly because grenade launchers are quite expensive and the throwable grenades are not very reliable.

[edit] Classic guns

Classic airsoft guns are usually older variety airsoft guns which are gas powered. Unlike the gas pistols of today, they can run on either an internal tank using conventional airsoft gas or use an external CO₂ tank much like a paintball gun. They generally cost more than the standard AEG but provide a more realistic approach to airsoft. Some models, such as those made by the Sun Project, feature a type of "recoil" provided by these guns. While these guns can become more powerful than AEGs, almost all users operate them at AEG power. These replicas often are fitted with a LRB (Long Range Barrel) instead of a traditional hop-up unit. The LRB turns the entire barrel into a hop-up system, giving a consistent spin on the BB. The rate of fire on these can be regulated by the amount of air being fed through the system, versus the motor strength of an AEG.

[edit] Sights

Optical sights are fairly common for use on rifles; mostly red dot sights for short-range use, and telescopic sights for longer-range use. These range from inexpensive sights designed for use on pellet guns and .22 rifles, to mid-range sights, usually inexpensive replicas of actual rifle sights (such as replicas of the M68 Aimpoint, Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), and imitation holographic weapon sights that are actually red dot sights), to actual sights designed for use on rifles, including the EOTech holographic sight, and the Trijicon ACOG TA01NSN.^{[citation needed]} Most of these sights are mounted on a MIL-STD-1913 Rail, however some guns including replicas of AK47s, MP5s, and G36s have special mounts for specific sights.

[edit] Magazines

KSC GLOCK magazines for their gas blowback models. Interesting features: the valve up top which releases gas when depressed by the hammer, and the lack of GLOCK logo on the right-hand magazine, as it came with a KWA GLOCK

Magazines are usually realistic looking replicas of real firearms' magazines and as such are made of the same materials like stamped metal or high impact plastic. They occasionally feature markings and/or engravings that match or mimic their real counterparts.
Airsoft magazines are divided into the following classes according to the number of pellets they hold:

[edit] Low capacity (Low-cap)

Low capacity magazines are the type of magazine provided by Tokyo Marui and some other manufacturers with their guns. They are known as "Low capacity" or "low-cap" as they hold much less BBs than most medium capacity or high capacity magazines. Many contain around 68 BBs (the standard amount for a Tokyo Marui magazine) and are normally loaded by inserting pellets down a shaft, compressing a spring held inside that will later feed the pellets into the gun.
Low capacity magazines offer quiet operation (no rattle or manual winding of high-capacity magazines) and are sometimes the only option available for certain airsoft gun models. They are also useful to help players limit their ammunition consumption and simulate more realism by simulating the 20–40 rounds in a real rifle.
Low-cap magazines almost only come with Tokyo Marui guns whereas some companies like Classic Army or ICS supply high-capacity magazines with their guns. However, most magazines will not feed every single pellet, leaving 2–3 pellets at the end of the magazine or in the feed tube of the hop-up chamber (some players may circumvent this problem by inverting the gun to allow gravity to feed the pellets instead).^[10]

[edit] Medium capacity (Mid-cap)

These kinds of magazines are either bought or modded to accommodate from 90–190 BB's Traditionally, they still function like a low-cap/real-cap magazine and as such keep the advantage of quiet operation over high-capacity magazines (that require a winding mechanism), but minimize the disadvantage of a low capacity magazine's lower number of rounds. Increasingly, however, winding magazines are being released to the market and can be placed into this category due to their 200 rounds or less capacity, though usually when magazines are referred as mid-cap it is assumed that they are non-winded magazines with capacity of 90 to 190 rounds.

[edit] High capacity (High-cap)

High-cap mags hold more shots than a mid-cap (about 200–1000), but a wheel has to be wound every 50–100 shots. High-caps are loaded by pouring BBs into the tank and either winding the wheel on the bottom of the mag or operating an electric motor.

[edit] Drum/Box Magazine

Drum and Box Magazines usually have the greatest ammunition capacity of all airsoft magazines; ranging from 2000 to 5000 rounds. These magazines replicate the ammunition boxes used by belt-fed support weapons such as M249s and M60s. Drum Magazines tend to replicate magazines like the Beta C-Mag and the equivalent for weapons such as G36s, AK-47s and MP5s. Internally these magazines work very similarly to High-Cap magazines and most have a push button operated electric motor to wind the spring that drives the feeding system.

[edit] Real capacity (Real-cap)

Real-caps are identical in operation compared to low capacity magazines, but they carry the same amount of ammunition that the real version of the magazine can carry, which is often much less than the low-cap magazine, e.g. an M-16 real-cap will hold 30 rounds instead of the 68 of a low-cap magazine. Some ultra-realistic groups require the magazines to be weighted to actual firearm specs.^[11]
These tend to be used solely by those wanting the most realistic MilSim ("MILitary SIMulation") games. They also offer the stealth of no rattling rounds, but their main use is for the realistic qualities.

[edit] Single Stack

Single stack magazines are reserved for pistols. The magazines hold anything from 7 to 28 shots depending on the weapon type. The BBs are stacked on top of each other, hence the term "single stack".

[edit] "Double Stack"

"Double stack" magazines are reserved for pistols. Unlike the single stack magazines, these are loaded in a staggered column, similar to many real firearm magazines. This allows for more BBs to be loaded without extending the length of the magazine. The term "double stack" or "double column" is a common misnomer.

[edit] Performance

Airsoft guns shoot plastic pellets at velocities from 100 ft/s (30 m/s) for a low-end spring pistol, to 500 ft/s (150 m/s) and beyond for heavily upgraded customized sniper rifles. Most non-upgraded AEGs using the Tokyo Marui system are in the middle, producing velocities from 270 to 300 ft/s (80 to 90 m/s) with the exception of companies such as G&G, G&P, Cybergun, Echo1, Aftermath Airsoft, D-boys, Cyma and Jing Gong which manufacture guns that produce velocities of over 328 ft/s (or 1J with a .2g pellet) stock. The internal components of most guns can be upgraded which can increase the pellet velocity significantly. Using heavier pellets (.25g, .3g, etc.) will significantly reduce the gun's muzzle velocity, but can increase accuracy at range and reduce susceptibility to wind drift. It is often thought that, the lighter the pellet, the further it goes, but dedicated airsoft players found out that lighter pellets are more prone to air resistance, due to the higher initial velocity, and thus lose their kinetic energy earlier than their heavier counterparts. Therefore it recently became commonly accepted, that decreasing the pellet's weight will not increase it's range. High-velocity AEGs often employ heavier pellets, as the velocity penalty does not affect them as much, while the accuracy benefits remain. Most high-end AEGs, such as Classic Army and Tokyo Marui, should not be loaded with anything lighter than 0.2 g pellets, as the lighter pellets (0.12 g, 0.15 g) are typically made for low-end guns, and are not built to the same quality (such as surface smoothness). The stresses the pellets go under upon firing could shatter lighter or poorly made pellets as they leave the barrel, potentially damaging both the weapon and the target.
Airsoft guns can be modified to increase pellet velocity, rate of fire, or reliability. For an electric airsoft gun, the pellet velocity can be increased by simply upgrading the mainspring. Doing this will increase the air pressure subjected to the pellet produced during operation. But due to the higher forces at play, it is advised that other parts should be upgraded together with the mainspring in order to maintain a high level of reliability. The rate of fire is increased by using a battery with a higher voltage, high speed ratio gears and/or a high speed motor. Rates of fire can be increased to over 20 rounds per second with very few upgrades, but with careful selection and extreme modification of gearbox components, rates of fire in excess of 50 rounds per second are not unheard of. In the case of gas guns, a higher pellet velocity can be achieved through the use of different types of gases and/or changing the valve. Some gases have detrimental effects to some plastic components inside the airsoft gun.
Airsoft guns commonly come with mounts or rails on which the airsofter can add external accessories. Some common customizations added are flashlights, scopes and lasers. Since some airsoft guns have the exact external frame as real guns, you can use these external parts meant for real guns, but the opposite does not apply. In no way can an airsoft rifle be modified to shoot real ammunition. In most cases, add-ons are more for aesthetics rather than performance. However, some scopes have scope rings (which are not usually included in airsoft gun packages) that are used to enhance accuracy.

[edit] Maintenance and lubrication

One should wipe his/her airsoft gun with a clean cloth after use, remove any dirt, oil and other contaminants. On the inside of the chamber and the barrel a cotton swab should be used to remove any dirt or possible shrapnel from shattered pellets/BB's. After every 3,000 to 4,000 shots fired, the airsoft gun should be lubricated, by placing a few drops of silicon-based oil into all moving parts of the gun, including the bolt, magazine, and chamber. It is important to not use too much oil, and wipe excess oil off the gun since excess oiling can lead to jams and will accumulate dirt and grime inside a gun. Stored airsoft guns should be placed in a cool, clean room. Storing a gun that is cocked is not recommended because it will wear out the spring.^{[citation needed]}
One of the most important parts of proper airsoft gun maintenance, is to use quality BBs. Some BBs, like the BBs most airsoft guns come with, are too light or carry surface imperfections that can damage the gearbox of a airsoft gun. Using BBs that are at least .2g or heavier is the most beneficial for the airsoft gun parts. One should never re-use BBs, as once fired they become chipped, scarred or covered with contaminants that can jam the airsoft gun. The use of metallic BBs, or any foreign objects, may damage the airsoft gun.
Airsoft guns, like any mechanical device are prone to heat and friction which cause wear. The airsoft gun owner can take steps to reduce wear and get the most life out of his/her airsoft gun as possible. A proper maintenance program that includes regular airsoft lubrication is very important to getting the most out of an airsoft gun. Silicone greases are widely used in airsoft gun parts, internals and mounts in order to avoid corrosion, abrasion and general aging of the materials. A dry-set lubricant is delivered with a solvent carrier to penetrate the mechanism. The solvent evaporates, leaving a clear film that lubricates but does not attract dirt and grit as much as a traditional "wet" lubricant. Airsoft safe lubricants use non-petroleum based, inert propellants that will not harm the rubber and plastic parts on the airsoft gun.

[edit] Trademark problems

Some airsoft guns can be such accurate replicas that they violate intellectual property laws (specifically those regarding trademarks), most notably some models from Tokyo Marui bearing Colt or Heckler & Koch trademarks that may not be imported into the United States. Certain companies such as Classic Army or ICS avoid this problem by licensing their replicas from the original manufacturers like ArmaLite by license from ActionSportGames or Olympic Arms. The airsoft company ActionSportGames has licensed trademark rights from many well-known firearm manufacturers, such as Armalite, DanWesson, CZ, Steyr, STI, B&T, Franchi etc..

[edit] House Resolution 607

On January 22, 2007, House Resolution 607: Military Toy Replica Act was sponsored by Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), which states:

Directs the Secretary of Defense to require that any contract entered into or renewed by the Department of Defense include a provision prohibiting the contractor from requiring toy and hobby manufacturers, or merchants to obtain licenses from, or pay fees to, the contractor for the use of military likenesses or designations on items provided under the contract.

This would have meant that airsoft manufacturers producing airsoft guns based on those used by the Department of Defense would not have to pay licensing fees for importation into the United States, allowing legal airsoft versions of U.S. Military guns, with trademarks intact.^[12]
This bill never made it past subcommittee, and has not yet been reintroduced.^[13]

[edit] Safety concerns

Pest Control With Spring Piston Air Rifles

2011-07-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

By Randy Mitchell

Written Exclusively For Airgun Depot

Air Rifles are bought for a variety of reasons. Many folks want to punch holes in paper, others want to hunt small game with an airgun. There are Olympic competitions that many aspire to, and I would lay good money down that many firearms enthusiasts got their start with an airgun. But sooner or later, either the actual owner of the airgun, or perhaps their spouse, is going to demand that the air rifle be put to a very useful purpose….pest control.

What Are Pests?

Now a pest can come in many disguises. Among the more acknowledged pests are certain birds, such as the European starling and the English sparrow. Rodents such as mice and rats are also almost universally considered pests. Pigeons, fed in many city parks by well-intentioned individuals, create an incredible mess on rooftops and sidewalks, and seem to take a particular delight is decorating the clean exteriors of cars with their droppings.

Why Use A Spring Piston Airgun For Pest Control?

Using a spring-piston air rifle for pest control makes a lot of sense for several reasons. First, it is a self-contained power plant, needing only to be cocked and loaded. You don’t have to insert a CO2 cartridge or place air in a reservoir in order to use it. Secondly, the design of the spring-piston airgun is robust, giving you good performance under a plethora of conditions…..warm weather, cold weather, rain or shine….it is going to work. Third, there are so many different kinds of spring-piston air rifles available that you can find one to fit your budget and shooting requirements. Airgun Depot's new product finder is a helpful tool in selecting an air rifle that fits withing your budget.

Spring Piston Basics

If you are new to spring-piston airguns, here are a few things you need to know to make your shooting experience more enjoyable. Keeping safety in mind, let’s cock and load the most common design in spring-piston air rifles, the break-barrel. This gun is cocked by giving the barrel a rap near the muzzle, breaking open the action of the gun.

Grab the barrel and bend it down until the gun cocks. Now here is where some people make a mistake. Don’t let go of the barrel …..if the action snaps shut unexpectedly, you run the risk of damaging the airgun as well as causing personal injury to yourself. Many airgun designs incorporate a “beartrap” feature to protect against that, but you are placing your faith in a mechanical device that will, one day, fail. Get in the habit of retaining your hold on the barrel and using the other hand to load the pellet, seating it firmly in place.

Don't Let go of the barrel when loading

Then close the barrel while pointing the airgun in a safe direction. Once your spring-piston air rifle is cocked, you need to shoot it within a reasonable amount of time. Leaving the gun cocked for extended periods of time will eventually cause the spring to take a set, reducing the effectiveness and longevity of the airgun. Some break-barrel designs allow you to un-cock the gun, but many don’t. You will have to discharge the pellet by firing the gun in a safe direction if your pest doesn’t hang around long enough for you to take a shot.

Shooting Technique- It's not the same as a centerfire rifle.

Shooting spring-piston air rifles can be a learning experience all in itself. I have found that holding the gun as lightly as possible works well, and being consistent in the placement of my hand on the forearm helps insure good groups on target. Firearm shooters who buy a spring-piston airgun often have to un-learn the habits they picked up firing centerfire rifles. Shooting springers is almost the opposite of shooting large caliber firearms. Experiment with your hold on the forearm to see where the gun likes to be held. This may seem odd, but you will often find there is a “sweet spot” where the gun shoots the best. Refrain from resting the forearm or barrel on a hard, un-yielding surface. The bounce from the recoil will wreak havoc with your accuracy. I get good results by simply making a shelf out of my hand and laying the gun across it, not actually holding the forearm. I can also be more consistent this way, which helps in my accuracy.

Pest Control Basics

If you will take a look at the hunting laws and regulations in many states, you will find that there is a year-round, no-limit rule for animals designated as pests, allowing the airgunner to enjoy the legal, and encouraged, culling of pests. It is a great way to hone your hunting skills, and allows the avid hunter to enjoy an off-season use for his sport that also benefits the local environment by reducing the competition that pests put upon more desirable species. For instance, many kinds of birds are cavity dwellers….among them the bluebird, woodpecker, and purple martins.

The Evil European Starling

The European starling is a huge competitor for nesting sights, and has the assets that nature has provided to evict the afore-mentioned birds from their nests. With a dagger-like beak, and a much heavier build, the starling can and will kill the other birds in their nests, taking over the nesting cavity for its own use. English sparrows are just as deadly to our indigenous bird population. In my back yard, just last year, I witnessed the death of a family of bluebirds at the hands of English sparrows, which subsequently built a nest over the top of the murdered young bluebirds. See the picture below as evidence.

English Sparrow nest built over top of family of blue birds

Payback- 4 Less European Starlings=more bluebirds, woodpeckers etc.

Not all pests are avian. Rats and mice carry disease, and dwell in close proximity to man and man-made dwellings, flourishing nicely off of our refuse. And in some parts of the country, groundhogs and their relatives cause foundation damage by hollowing out the ground underneath support beams and concrete slabs. In Louisiana, my home state, the nutria rat has to be culled by the police department around New Orleans due to their habit of burrowing into the levies that keep the water at bay. Louisiana has even posted a bounty on the pest in an effort to encourage the reduction in population of this animal whose behavior can have catastrophic results.

In addition to these acknowledged pests, there are instances where game animals become pests. If you are lucky, you may reside in a state that has hunting rules that allow one to shoot game animals out of season in the event their behavior becomes damaging to crops or property. For instance, crows may be harvested year-round in some states if they are in the act of crop depredation, even though there is a dedicated season for general hunting of corvids. When squirrels moved into my attic, I called the department of wildlife in my state of residence, and was told to just shoot them. The wise thing to do when you have a game animal becoming a pest is to check with your state and local authorities to keep yourself out of trouble.

Offer Your Pest Control Services

Airgunners can often engender good will by offering their services free of charge to land owners, ranchers, and farmers. Both parties benefit from such an arrangement, the land owner getting pest control for free, and the airgunner securing another shooting venue. I know several airgunners who have a standing invitation to control pests at several different locations. When the hunting season is over, they head for these spots to continue honing their skills by culling pests. There are even individuals who do pest control as a job, coupling their hobby of airguns with a pest control business.

Now I enjoy shooting pests, as I try and give all my desirable bird species a leg up over their competitors. English sparrows and European starlings fall with regularity to my airguns. I actually spend about half an hour each morning as weather permits waiting for starlings to roost in the front yard tree. Shooting from the porch, I discourage them from nesting in the hollows of the tree. I try very hard to reserve those hollows for bluebirds and woodpeckers. I also spend many enjoyable moments observing my bird feeders, and when the English sparrows come calling, their bodies start falling. Squirrels that start looking around the eaves of my house for potential nesting locations are quickly dealt with. Occasionally, a groundhog will take up residence under the old barn on my property, and out comes a suitably powerful airgun to deal with the unwanted pest.

Check Your Laws & Educate Your Neighbors

When you are engaged in controlling pests, you often are in a residential area. In light of this fact, let me share a few words of caution. Check your local ordinances to ensure you are shooting legally. Also consider the attitudes and prejudices of your neighbors. There are very few pests that are worth gaining the enmity of those with whom you interact on a daily basis. I talk with and personally know the head of my local law enforcement department, and as an avid hunter himself, he has shown an interest in my airguns and their uses. All my neighbors know of my airgun hobby, and don’t get alarmed when they see me in the yard with what appears to be a scoped rifle. Be sure of your backstop, always knowing where your pellet will go if you miss. And never, ever shoot a domestic animal that is merely trespassing. It isn’t the animal’s fault, it is the fault of the owner. Go and talk with them in a reasonable manner. If that doesn’t achieve the desired results, contact your local animal control officer. Let them deal with the owner of the offending animal. They have the law on their side and will save you much heartache if you let them do their job before resorting to handling the situation yourself.

In a perfect world, everyone would recognize the need to control pests. However, you will run across individuals who will ask why you are shooting the pretty black birds (starlings), or the cute little sparrows (English sparrows). Knowing more about your pest and being able to speak with authority about their habits goes a long way in convincing those who object to your pest control methods. Explain to the well-intentioned objector that starlings and sparrows (the latter a member of the weaver-bird family and not a true sparrow) were introduced into the United States over a century ago, and that they have spread in almost plague-like proportions, competing with our own songbirds and other indigenous bird life for food and nesting sites. They cause millions of dollars in damage to our agriculture each year, consuming or fouling grain-based foods for the livestock industry, contributing to the spread of histoplasmosis and other diseases, and causing unsightly messes with their nest building habits. Municipalities yearly spend millions of valuable tax dollars trying to cope with the large winter flocks of starlings. Remind them that the next time they are at the grocery store, they should look up at the eaves of the building, or over the entrance of the door and see if they don’t spy an untidy bird nest nestled right over the path they are walking.

Pigeons- Another messy pest

Baiting Pests

From time to time you will find a pest situation that calls for the baiting of the pest in order to eliminate it. Rats are among those pests that are susceptible to being baited out in the open in order to cull their numbers. Nocturnal shoots work best with rats, and baits consisting of peanut butter and other very smelly baits will draw them out into the open allowing the airgunner an opportunity to deal with their unwanted presence. In many pest control situations, over penetration is not desired. Consider using wadcutter pellets, or perhaps hollow points in order to limit over-penetration. Another way to control the results of a missed shot is to build a backstop and place your baits in front of it. I have even seen plans on the internet of a glow-in-the-dark backstop that outlined the pest as they stepped in front of it! There are countless variations on ways to use subdued lighting, baits, and backstops to accomplish the goal of pest control….so use your imagination and enjoy your hobby of airgunning.

Airguns Are Safer Than Using Poisons

The use of air rifles to cull pests is more precise, as well as more environmentally safe, than using poisons that have been developed for the pest control industry. Many of the poisons used to control avians have a nasty tendency to pass from the target pest into the surrounding environment. In other words, if you poison a starling or pigeon, it will fly off and die somewhere other than the poison site, and a scavenger that picks it up and eats it may perish from the same poison. This puts at risk your dog and cat, raccoons, foxes, birds of prey as well as vultures, and many other animals that eat carrion. When you use an airgun, you can pick up after yourself and dispose of the pest in a safe manner.

Which Caliber Should I Use?

The size of a pest will help you determine which caliber of airgun to use. Sparrows and starlings rarely need anything more powerful than a medium-powered .177. Pigeons and crows are tougher, and I like to use a .22 caliber air rifle on these pests. Rats and mice all fall to the tiny .177 just fine, though you will run across some rats that may make you wish you had a .22. Groundhogs and nutria are pushing the upper limit in the size of most common pests, and I recommend a .22 caliber or larger airgun for these larger animals. Remember our discussion earlier about backstop issues and plan accordingly so that your use of an airgun for pest control becomes a positive event and not a negative liability.

In short, let your hobby and enjoyment of airguns be put to the very useful purpose of pest control when the need arises. And if you hunt, let it be an additional training ground for when you go out in pursuit of game animals. Have fun, and shoot safely.

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Air Rifle Caliber Selection

2011-07-17T22:19:00.001-07:00

By Scott Thomas

I often get asked the question: "What's the best caliber of air rifle to use?" The answer depends on what you are going to be using the rifle for. In this article we will examine the pros and cons of the 3 main calibers available for air rifles which are .177, .20, and .22 caliber. Each caliber is unique and each is good for different types of airgunning.

.177 CALIBER AIR RIFLES

.177 cal is by far the most popular caliber on the market today. .177 pellets are the smallest of the 3 calibers and can be fired at the highest velocities for given amount of airgun energy which results in the flattest trajectory. A flat trajectory means greater accuracy from longer distances. If the main purpose of your air rifle is going to be target shooting then choosing a .177 cal air rifle is a smart choice.
.177 caliber air rifles can also be a good choice for small pest control. With current airgun technology .177 cal air rifles can reach velocities of up to 1250 FPS (feet per second) but most reasonably priced .177 air rifles shoot around 1000 FPS. At these velocities you can easily kill small squirrels, birds and other small rodents. We sell a lot of .177 cal air rifles to customers who want the best of both worlds...they want down range accuracy for target shooting but also want the power to kill small pests.
The other nice thing about .177 cal is that you have a lot of different guns to choose from in all price ranges. If you would like some suggestions for some recommend air rifles please read our Air Rifles Overview & Recommendations articl or use our new PRODUCT FINDER to find exactly what you are looking for..

.20 CALIBER AIR RIFLES

Some feel that the .20 cal air rifle is the best caliber for overall use. It provides a lot more knock down power compared to a .177 air rifle and the trajectory remains fairly flat. Unfortunately there are not a lot of .20 caliber rifles on the market and they tend to be more expensive because only the higher end manufacturers such as Beeman make them. The hard core airgunners swear by this caliber. The .20 cal (5 mm) pellet can carry 40% more energy than a .177 cal pellet yet the trajectory remains almost as flat. The .20 cal is great for taking down larger small game especially if distance is a factor. A .20 cal pellet (depending on the rifle used) is effective up to about 60 yards. With a good pellet you might be able to increase that by a few yards.
There is no doubt that the .20 caliber is a great caliber. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of options out there and price is a factor. You can buy a Benjamin / Sheridan pump style air rifle in a .20 cal for a reasonable price. This rifle is good for close range hunting (25-30 yards) but lacks power for any hunting at longer distances. If you want a pump pellet rifle for target shooting or close range varmint hunting this would be a good choice. If you are in the market for a top of the line air rifle and have the money to spend you might want to seriously consider one of Beeman's .20 cal rifles. They are top notch and backed by a lifetime warranty. You can view our selection of .20 cal air rifles here.

.22 CALIBER AIR RIFLES

The .22 caliber pellet has a large gain in weight and size over both the .177 cal and .20 cal and has the most down range knockdown power of the 3. One drawback of the .22 cal pellet is that it has the shortest range of the 3 calibers. The effective range of this caliber is around 45-50 yards depending on the pellet. However, you can get within 50 yards of most varmint so range should not be an issue. If you are going after larger pests such as jack rabbit, crow, wood chucks (wild), racoon and others a .22 cal air rifle is going to be your best choice because of its tremendous knock down power.
Several different manufacturers such as RWS, Gamo, and Tech Force make .22 cal air rifles and usually make both .177 and .22 cal versions of their more popular models. If the primary use of your air rifle is going to be hunting then go with a .22 cal unless your primary prey is at a distance of 55 yards or more. If your prey is at longer distances make sure you get a powerful .22 cal rifle such as the RWS 34 with Scope .22 cal air rifle or the Tech Force 99 .22 cal with scope. Get something that is at least 800 FPS. To view our selection of .22 cal air rifles click here.

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Small Game Hunting With Airguns

2011-07-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

Small Game Hunting with Airguns

By Randy Mitchell

Written Exlusively For Airgun Depot

“Hunting? With air guns? You’re kidding me!”

That is the comment I hear on a rather frequent basis when I am chatting with a fellow hunter, or sharing my hobbies with another interested party. With the ready access to firearms that we in America enjoy, air rifles, pellet guns, and other air guns are often over-looked as a viable way to pursue the great sport of hunting, or as an alternative method of pest control versus the use of poison and traps.

Over the last few years, I have more or less dived headlong into the use of airguns as a means of hunting. As a matter of fact, I haven’t used a firearm for any kind of hunting except shooting birds on the wing for over 4 years. I have found that air guns have met my needs for all the hunting I do very admirably, up to and including the hunting of big game such as whitetail deer. However, that is a story for another day. For now, let’s focus on the issues surrounding the use of air guns on small game.

I’m an avid squirrel hunter, and have been since my youth. Many a youngster has found out, either by mistake or on purpose, that a pump-up BB gun or pellet gun is quite capable of taking small game such as squirrel and rabbits. But how many people do you know who use an air gun on purpose, setting out with the intent of harvesting their game with a device powered by some form of compressed air or gas? Let’s address some of the issues surrounding hunting small game with an airgun….caliber, sights, technique, and care of your weapon of choice.

Which Caliber Is Best For Hunting and How Much Power Do I Need?

There are basically 4 different calibers for air guns that are commonly found and that have ready ammunition available. They are .177, .20, .22, and .25 caliber. The .177 and .22 are by far the most commonly chambered for air guns, so we’ll just arbitrarily make a comparison of those two for now and save the .20 and .25 caliber for another day.

Is the .177 caliber pellet adequate for squirrel hunting? It certainly looks very tiny, and I suppose it is a fair question as to whether or not it is a viable hunting caliber in air guns. Now there is a school of thought in the air gun world that uses this rule of thumb: “.177 for feathers, .22 for fur.” In other words, if you are shooting birds, a .177 is sufficient. If you are hunting non-avian game, then consider a .22 caliber. In my experience, it really comes down to the issue of pellet placement on the target. I have had good luck using both calibers in squirrel hunting, and the caliber issue is less of a concern to me than the issue of what particular air gun do I want to carry around with me today.

In terms of power, Dr. Robert Beeman has a handy little graph that gives one an idea of what level of power is needed for dispatching the game you are hunting. According to Dr. Beeman, 3 fpe is all that is needed to dispatch a squirrel, provided you have placed the pellet in the kill zone. With a pellet weighing roughly 8 grains, that translates to about 415 feet per second at the point of impact. In a .22 caliber airgun, an average weight pellet only has to be going about 300 fps to achieve the same level of energy needed to accomplish the deed. You can look at the graph I am quoting from at the following url:

http://www.beemans.net/field%20use.htm

Now, using Dr. Beeman’s graph as a starting place for what kind of power is the minimum needed, one must also take into consideration the ability of the shooter. If you can’t hit the target, what caliber you use is of little consequence. My personal rule, especially with game animals, is that I need to be able to hit the kill zone, whatever the size, 80% of the time. So if you are hunting squirrels, you need to be able to hit a 1” circle 8 out of 10 shots. A 1” circle is the approximate size of a squirrel’s kill zone on either the head or the heart/lung area. That requirement often brings the range at which I will shoot downwards quite a bit. Depending on the gun, I feel comfortable shooting at ranges of up to 50 yards, sometimes a little more. However, most of my shots are in the 15 to 35 yard range. Air guns will kill at greater ranges, but it is my marksmanship that holds me to those lesser ranges out of respect for my intended prey. I’d rather miss than wound.

Do I Need A Scope?

Because the kill zone on a squirrel is so tiny, I almost always opt for a scope on my air guns. I do use some classic air guns of yester-year that have peep sights, but with my eyes, a scope is a great aid in hunting. Not only does it increase my accuracy, but it is an aid for locating the squirrel that is doing its best to become part of the tree, holding still and motionless, depending on its camouflage to protect it from my prying eyes. There are many airgun scopes to choose from, but I find a 3-9x variable scope with an adjustable objective (AO) to be adequate for most hunting situations. The AO is very helpful in bringing into focus the target and the crosshairs so that one or the other isn’t blurry. And the zoom feature aids me in being very precise with pellet placement on shots that are on the outer edge of my effective range. One other very useful feature to a variable power scope is that if my squirrel hunting gun is doing double-duty as a pest control gun, I need to be very sure of my target. For instance, if there are several small sparrows mixed in a group, I want to be sure that I only dispatch the English sparrow, and leave the indigenous song sparrows alone. One is a pest, the other a very desirable singing bird. Yet they look very much alike. A good scope is an excellent aid in identifying the correct target.

One other consideration when using a scope…..be sure it is rated for the type power-plant your air gun uses. If your air gun is a spring-piston type of air gun, the vibrations from such a power-plant can and have sent many a scope to the graveyard. Air gun rated scopes are cushioned differently than most firearm scopes in order to handle the vibration that occurs when a spring-piston air gun fires. Other types of power-plants such as CO2, pre-charge pneumatics (PCP), or pump-up pneumatic guns need not worry about that issue. They will accept firearm scopes quite handily, though you may need to have the parallax adjusted since you won’t be taking very many 100+ yard shots.

Which Pellets Should I Use?

Practice with your air gun until you have achieved the necessary marksmanship needed to pursue your game. Try a variety of pellets and choose the most accurate for your needs. I personally find domed pellets to be the most accurate in most of my airguns, and if over-penetration is an issue, some of the wadcutter type pellets used in competition matches will reduce the penetration to a degree. This is very handy in the event you are clearing out a barn of pest birds and don’t want to damage the roof after shooting a pest bird.

So, are you ready to go squirrel hunting? Let’s go! We’ve got our air gun of choice, the pellet that shoots the most accurately from that gun, a good quality airgun scope if desired, and we know the range at which we should and should not shoot. As we head off into the woods, we take advantage of natural paths such as dry creek beds, logging lanes, game trails….any means by which we can move quietly through the woods. We’ve located food sources for our squirrels, such as the edge of the woods that borders a cornfield, or perhaps a soybean field. Maybe we are hunting the hardwoods where there is a good mast crop of acorns and beechnuts. If we’ve done some scouting, we may already have noticed where the squirrel’s nests, called dreys, are located. If we arrive early, we can catch them coming out of them. If it is the evening, perhaps we’ll find them heading back to the nest. Using every bit of advantage we can, we sometimes sit and wait for movement in the trees or along the ground. Quite often we will hear the squirrel before we actually see him as he bounces along the ground over the dry leaves.

The conditions under which we can hunt squirrels may range from early in the season when there is a heavy cover of leaves still on the trees, to late winter when the trees are bare and the wind blows cold. In early season, we watch for the leaves and branches of the trees to sway abnormally as the squirrel makes his way through the canopy. We use the canopy against the squirrel by stalking closer, closing the range since he can’t see us as readily as when there are no leaves on the trees. If we are hunting in late fall, we place obstacles between us and our target, using whatever we can to carefully move into range….or we wait and see if the squirrel will come to us. Only time spent in the woods and experience will help us decide which tactic we use at any given time.

After we have finished our hunt, don’t forget to wipe down your air gun with a product designed to protect the metal from rust. There are several products on the market that achieve this, and I do my best to remove my fingerprints and moisture from the finish of the gun. The oils in your skin and moisture and humidity will quickly ruin the finish on metal. As for the barrel, I don’t clean the barrel after every hunt or firing session. Air guns don’t suffer from powder build-up like firearms, and unless accuracy begins to suffer, a patch run through every so often is sufficient. In the event you do clean your barrel thoroughly, avoid harsh firearm solvents. They are designed to removed powder buildup, and they will quickly deteriorate your seals and o-rings that are necessary to an air gun’s proper functioning. A product such as Goo-gone or another citrus-based cleaner is more than enough cleaning power for an air gun barrel.

In subsequent articles, I’ll try and cover more tactics and share stories of squirrel hunts that describe how you achieve the purpose for which you are in the woods. There are several scenarios that can change depending on how many hunters you have, what time of year it happens to be, and whether or not you are using a dog for treeing purposes. In any event, I encourage you to consider the pursuit of small game with an air gun. It is a rewarding experience that can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment.

Randy Mitchell

Adventures in Airguns

www.adventuresinairguns.com

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Air Rifle Scopes- An Overview

2011-07-17T22:16:00.001-07:00

IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING MOUNTING SCOPES ON BREAK BARREL AIR RIFLES
Break-barrel rifles can be inherently inaccurate when used with a scope. This is because of the design; constantly breaking the barrel can cause droop and the barrel can get loose over time. You never replace the barrel in the exact same spot as it was before. It can be microscopic, but with minute of arc in mind it can make a difference at long ranges.

The way to see this is with using the open sights, because they are attached to the part of the barrel that moves you will have consistent accuracy with those sights. When you mount a scope, it is sighted in relevance to the position of the barrel. Should the position of that barrel stray or loosen over-time, it can cause all kinds of accuracy problems when using the scope. This problem is unavoidable with this style of air gun.

We recommend a fixed-barrel spring pneumatic rather than the break barrel style if you are serious about using a scope on an air gun. With a fixed-barrel, you cock the gun with a lever usually positioned on the side or underneath the barrel. You get the power of a spring pneumatic with the added assurance of accuracy knowing you never have to move the barrel. This will make it much easier to sight and keep a scope sighted in. For recommendations, please feel free to give our sales department a call and we'll help you get the right scope/rifle combination for you.

Air Rifle Scopes

Choosing the right air rifle scope can be a daunting task. There are dozens to choose from and all of them have different features to offer you. To make things easier, lets examine the basics of airgun scopes. Essentially, a scope simply magnifies an image you are targeting and puts you on the same visual plane as the object. It does this by using a series of lenses inside the scope to bend the light that enters so that it magnifies the image. An air rifle scope is special because it can withstand the unique vibration and double recoil of an air rifle. NEVER PUT A FIREARM SCOPE ON AN AIR RIFLE. Now, the reason people enjoy having scopes on their air rifles is because it will help you achieve the pinpoint accuracy that air rifles are known for. So, let’s take a look at the two different kinds of scopes starting with fixed air rifle scopes.

Fixed Air Rifle Scopes

A fixed air rifle scope is set on one magnification and cannot be adjusted. It is denoted by something like this: 4X32 or 4X15. The 4X means that the object in the viewfinder is magnified 4 times more than you can see with the naked eye. The advantage to having a scope like this is that once it is sighted in, it requires very little adjusting. The disadvantage is that you cannot magnify an image any more than the set magnification. These scopes are adequate for hunting smaller rodents such as rats or mice or any rodent that can be hunted at closer ranges. See an example here .

Variable Air Rifle Scopes

With this type of airgun scope, an image can be magnified usually between 3-15X. It will be denoted with something like this: 3-9X32. So you can magnify it 3-9 times and the 32 means a 32mm objective lens. More on objecitve sizes later in the article.... These scopes are great for hunting larger game at longer distances. The disadvantage to this kind of scope is that it may require more frequent adjustments because there are many intricate parts inside the scope. See an example here.

Understanding Objective Sizes

The last number in a scope description denotes the objective size. For example, 4-16X50. 50 mean that this scope has a 50mm objective or a 50 mm lens opening. Objective size is important for two reasons. First, the bigger the lens, the stronger the magnification. Second, a larger objective will allow more light to enter the scope giving you a brighter, clearer sight picture. If you plan to use your air rifle scope at dusk or in other low light conditions be sure to pick out a scope with a large objective. Below are a couple of scopes we recommend:

Mounting Hardware

After you've read up on all the different mounting options below visit our Scope Mounts page here.
All scopes need a way to connect to the gun. This is done by using a one or two piece scope mount that fit around the scope and are tightened onto a rail on top of the airgun. I would recommend using a one piece mount for high powered spring air rifles that have a lot of recoil. A one piece mount is more sturdy and can withstand the intense recoil of magnum air rifles. If you are just mounting a scope to a CO2 or a lower powered spring rifle then a two piece mount will suffice. There are a few different types of hardware that you will need to be familiar with.

High mounts: These rings work best with larger scopes because it allows them to sit higher on the gun, giving the large objective lens room to clear the stock and barrel. In most cases high mounts should be used for scopes with a 50mm objective or higher. Only use high mounts if you have a scope with a big objective. You should always try to mount the scope as low to the top of the rifle as possible as this will increase your accuracy.

Medium mounts: These rings are slightly smaller than High rings and will work for most any air gun scope with an objective of 44mm or less.

One piece mounts: These mounts offer added stability to your scope. These mounts work best with high-powered rifles such as Beeman and RWS or any air rifle with a velocity of over 1000 FPS. These mounts are a bit more expensive but a lot of customers feel that it is worth it because of the added stability which means better accuracy.

Scope Tube Size: Scopes come in two tube sizes- 1 inch and 30 mm. Be sure to buy the correct size scope mounts to fit your scope.

Specialty mounts: A few air rifles require unique mounts.. Benjamin Air Rifles requires a B272 mount to mount any scope to their air rifles as well as a set of standard rings to be used in conjuction with the mount.

Now that you know the basics, here are some simple suggestions to help you choose a scope:

Decide what type of shooting you are going to do. For small rodent hunting at close ranges, go with a 4X32 fixed scope. For larger varmints, go with a variable. For target shooting, a fixed scope will work just fine unless you want the ability to zoom close up to your target. If so, go with a variable..
Decide on the quality of air rifle scope you want, then buy one a little bit nicer than that. It’s better to get something a little nicer than to get something you will regret having. The old saying, "You get what you pay for" is especially relevant with air rifle scopes and optics in general.
Make sure you buy the appropriate mounting hardware as well.

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Airgun Powerplants

2011-07-17T22:14:00.001-07:00

By Randy Mitchell
Written Exclusively for Airgun Depot
Airgun power plants have a great deal to do with what kind of airgun you choose to buy. There are many variables that may affect your shooting habits….temperature, distance, if you are shooting targets or hunting, plinking or competition…..a lot of different reasons for choosing the correct type of power plant for your needs.
So just how many kinds of airguns are there? Basically, there are 5 types of airgun power plants, and each one has its pros and cons. Let's take a look at the different means of propelling a pellet or BB and think about which kind would best meet your specific shooting needs. The 5 types of power plants are:

Spring piston
Pneumatic
CO2 gas
Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP)
The traditional BB gun.

Spring-Piston

The most common type of airgun is the spring-piston type. Unlike pneumatic and CO2 pellet guns, there is no storage compartment for air or gas on a spring-piston airgun. Rather, a powerful spring is compressed upon cocking the gun, and when the trigger is released, a piston is driven forward which quickly compresses air to a high pressure, driving the pellet out of the barrel. This type of power plant is tried and tested, and has the advantage of producing the same power level shot after shot, rather than losing power like CO2 and PCP airguns do as pressure decreases. They are simple to use, and can be obtained in a variety of power levels from low-velocity plinkers to higher-powered hunting airguns delivering 30 fpe (foot pounds of energy). They are self-contained, not needing to be re-charged with air, and all you need to enjoy shooting them is the gun and some ammo. Here is an example of how a spring-piston airgun works: http://www.arld1.com/pistonpelletdynamics.html Some of the cons of spring-piston power plants are that they are sometimes harder to shoot accurately for beginners, and in the more powerful models, need a certain type of scope to withstand the vibrations that result from the recoil generated by the firing action. However, once the correct method of shooting is learned, spring-piston airguns deliver years of shooting pleasure that is hard to beat. For proper technique refer to my blog post on small game hunting with spring piston airguns.

Pump Pneumatic

Pneumatic airguns are extremely popular, especially in America. Whereas spring-piston airguns enjoyed a following in Europe and other countries, the pump-up pneumatic gained popularity here in America. Names such as Daisy, Crosman, Sheridan, and Benjamin were household names when describing airguns here in the States. Today, many of the airguns available for the youth market can still be found bearing the Daisy and Crosman names, with Benjamin and Sheridan having combined, and subsequently been purchased by the Crosman brand. Pneumatic airguns contain a reservoir that is filled by pumping up the gun, with the pump usually being built into the gun itself. When the trigger is pulled, the reservoir is opened and the air escapes, propelling the pellet. I grew up with this kind of airgun, and enjoyed one of the obvious advantages of such a power plant. You could vary the power level of the gun simply by varying the number of pumps you used to charge the reservoir. Some of the most accurate airguns available are pump-up guns, many of them using only a single pump to provide a very consistent level of power for target shooting. There is almost no recoil, and accuracy is easier to obtain quickly than from a spring-piston airgun. Here is an excellent demonstration of how a pump-up pneumatic works: http://www.arld1.com/mechanismpumppneumatic.html The drawback to pneumatic airguns is the need to pump the gun up after each shot. If you are hunting, this means you often lose your game if you missed the first shot due to the movement caused by recharging your airgun for the next shot. It does have the side effect of teaching you the importance of making the first shot count!

CO2

Carbon-dioxide, or CO2, is usually supplied to an airgun with a reservoir via bulk filling or from a powerlet, often called a CO2 cartridge. CO2 is an excellent propellant, and allows the shooter to charge the gun and shoot many times before needing to replenish the CO2. Under pressure, CO2 is a liquid, and when placed in the reservoir of an airgun, it self-regulates and provides gas for shot after shot until all the liquid CO2 is converted into gas and used. One drawback to CO2 is its sensitivity to temperature. If the climate is cold, CO2 tends to stay in liquid form, and the power level achieved is much less. In extremely hot conditions, the pressure rises significantly, and often the pressure becomes too great, locking up the valve on the gun. When that happens, you have to cool the gun down before it can shoot again. I've actually put one of my guns in the freezer for a few minutes to regain its use on an extremely hot day! If you are a hunter, CO2 works great in warm climates, or ealier in the season in cooler climates. But once winter sets in, extended periods outside hunting are impractical.

PCP

Pre-charged pneumatics, or PCP's, use a reservoir like CO2 guns, but the propellant is high-pressure air, not CO2 gas. The pressures involved are much higher, from 1500 to3500 psi, sometimes higher. The power levels on PCP airguns usually outstrip those available from CO2 or spring-piston guns, and almost all of the modern big-bore airguns that one might use to hunt larger game such as deer or hogs rely on this power plant. The smaller calibers are almost recoil-free and offer extremely good accuracy. PCP has quickly become the propellant of choice for target and FT shooters who don't shoot in the spring-piston class. However, PCP does have its drawbacks. You need a source for air, either a special hand pump or a scuba tank or other high-pressure vessel capable of containing 3000 psi or more. And then you need a source for filling your tanks. It isn't always easy to find a source of high-pressure air, but the most common places are dive shops, fire departments, and paintball game locations. There are commercially available electric and gas-driven pumps available, but they are prohibitive in cost for the casual shooter. You are better off renting or leasing a large tank from a welding shop and having them fill it for you when you run low on air. To fill a PCP airgun, you must have the correct probe or connector that fits the gun attached to a source of air, either a tank or pump. (The probe should have come with your airgun, but if you are buying on the second-hand market, you will sometimes acquire a gun that has no probe. Contact the manufacturer to obtain the correct probe for your model of gun.) In the example below, the probe is inserted into the end of the reservoir, and the pressure valve on the tank is slowly opened to fill the gun.

Probe Adapter

Insert Probe In Tank

Connect Hose to Air Source Such as a Scuba Tank or Hand Pump
Fill the airgun slowly, no more than 100 psi per second. If you fill too fast, the reservoir will heat up from the pressurized air, which isn't especially good for the seals in your airgun. Once the desired fill pressure is achieved, close the pressure valve and bleed off the excess air in the hose by opening the bleed-off valve. This will release the excess air still trapped in the hose, allowing you to remove the probe from the gun without damaging it. Only fill your airgun to the manufacturer's suggested limit. The valve in your airgun is made to work at that optimum pressure. Air tanks come in a variety of sizes and weights. I would recommend a 4500 psi tank made of lighter-weight materials before using scuba tank. They hold more air and will give you more fills before you need to top them off again. One word of caution: High pressure air is NOT pure oxygen. Pure oxygen is flammable, and you are holding your life and the lives of those around you in low regard if you fill your PCP airgun with oxygen. There have been cases of individuals using medical supply oxygen to fill their guns. Don't be stupid!

Traditional BB guns

The ubiquitous BB gun, such as the Red Ryder from Daisy, is a gun that many of America's youth grew up with. It is a hybrid gun of sorts. It uses a catapult to start the BB on its way, and a very light spring-piston to accelerate the BB down the barrel. They work well, and are often an airgunner's first introduction to airguns. The power level is low compared to other power plants, and you most often find it on the lower end of airguns. The ammo is most often a steel BB that has a nasty habit of ricocheting more than a lead pellet, so caution should be used, especially when teaching youngsters the finer points of safe gun-handling. These are the power plants that allow us to enjoy the sport of airgunning. Choosing which one is best for you is a personal decision that can involve some trial and error….but it is all fun! So enjoy!

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

What Pellets Should I Use For My Air Guns?

2011-07-17T22:13:00.001-07:00

Pellets come in many different sizes and shapes. And with the many designs available today, it can be a bit daunting figuring out what pellet is best suited to your needs. In this article we will discuss which pellet one should use for each particular kind of shooting.

Airgun pellets have many variables….but most are of the diabolo design. Diabolo is a term used to designate a pellet with a pinched waist, and most, if not all, have a hollow skirt that produces drag on the pellet just like the skirt on a badminton birdie, or shuttlecock. This drag is what keeps the pellet from turning end over end, aiding in accuracy. And if you take a look at the many different kinds of diabolo pellets, you’ll find many variations in the skirt…..thick or thin, long or short, and with varying hardness to the lead which affects how well the skirt flares upon firing to engage the rifling and seal the air behind it as it travels down the barrel.

You can divide the different kinds of shooters into 3 basic groups: 1) Target shooters, 2) plinking/fun shooters, and 3) hunters. Each group has specific needs that will determine what kind of pellet they should use.

Most of the major pellet manufacturers offer a pellet design for the above three groups. Crosman, Daisy, RWS, Beeman, Gamo…..all are vying for a place in the market. With the many offerings out there, you are sure to find a pellet that will fit your needs for your intended shooting pastime. Use AirgunDepot’s product finder to aid you in your search for the pellet you need.

Target Shooting

Most target shooting in formal competition is done at the distance of 10 meters. The airguns used for such shooting are very precise, phenomenally accurate, and extremely smooth shooting. They shoot wadcutter pellets that cut a precise hole in the card stock that the target is made out of, which enables officials to score more accurately to determine the better shooter.

Wadcutter pellets have a flat head, pinched waist, and are designed to be shot at lower velocities. The need for extreme accuracy is aided by a slower moving pellet, since projectiles that approach the speed of sound (around 1100 fps) tend to be adversely affected by the sonic wave they produce at that velocity. Keeping the wadcutter moving at a more sedate 500-600 fps, or even slower, results in the extreme accuracy needed for formal competition. Wadcutters have an added advantage for the pest control shooter in that they deliver impressive knockdown power at shorter ranges due to the wide surface on the pellet head.

Plinking for Fun

If you aren’t shooting for extreme accuracy, and simply want to bounce a plastic bottle or tin can around, your choice of pellet opens up quite a bit. Pretty much any kind of pellet you have will work for close-range fun shooting, but if you want to stretch out the distance, using a round-nosed diabolo pellet will help you reach out a little further. Wadcutters are the least aerodynamic pellet available, shedding velocity very quickly. At 10 meters that is of little concern, but for fun plinking at longer ranges, a good quality round-nosed pellet is hard to beat. Check out the RWS Superdome pellet. It comes in either a .177 or .22 caliber and is a very high quality round nose pellet.

If you want to really enjoy the reaction of a child when just plinking, let them shoot at a reactive target. There are manufactured targets such as Daisy’s Shatterblast targets that give a very satisfying burst when hit, which will delight a child enormously. Another idea is to use cheap, unopened soda cans. Shake them up, and when hit, they will spew the contents in a geyser of foam. Popping balloons is also a favorite pastime of many fun shooters.

Hunting

When hunting, there are some issues that seem to always pop up among airgunners. Many desire the gun that shoots the fastest, while others swear by one pellet or another in terms of taking the game of their choice. So let’s look at some of the pellets one might use for hunting purposes.

Accuracy is king when hunting with an airgun. Placing that pellet on target at a lower velocity will always be more lethal than missing the target at a higher velocity. Remember the saying from the firearm world? “A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44!”

Generally, a heavier pellet is desirable for most hunting. In .177, this translates into 10 grain pellets or higher. For a .22 pellet, figure about 18 grains or more for a good heavyweight pellet. The weight of a heavier pellet allows hunters to use the higher-velocity guns on the market, yet still keep the pellet below the speed of sound for optimum accuracy. This results in the most foot-pounds of energy (fpe) being delivered on target. You can take a Gamo Hunter Extreme in .177 and shoot a very light pellet of 6 grains or so out of it, and you will have some awesome velocity. You will doubtless break the sound barrier, have a supersonic crack that will make the gun sound like a firearm, and deliver a pellet somewhere downrange…..but I doubt you will be pleased with the accuracy. When that light pellet breaks the sounds barrier, the sonic wave plays havoc with its flight path. If you take that same Gamo Hunter Extreme and shoot a much heavier pellet out of it, the resulting reduction in velocity will translate into superior accuracy, which is what allows the hunter to hit his target in the desired kill zone.

I have hunted with a variety of pellet types in different airguns that range in power from about 600 fps to some real barn burners pushing pellets over 1100 fps. And experience has shown me that when I am pushing a pellet at top speeds, I get better accuracy with heavy, round-nosed pellets such as the Beeman Kodiak, or the ultra-heavy Korean Eu Jin pellets, regardless of the caliber. If I lower the velocity down into a more sedate range of 750-900 fps, many of the mid-weight pellets such as RWS Superdomes and Crosman Premiers provide excellent results.

For a look at the wide selection of pellet weights available, check out this link which will give you the approximate weight from a vast number of pellet manufacturers, several of which are carried by AirgunDepot:

http://viriato.net/airgunning/techinfo.html

Hollow-point pellets are available in each popular caliber and provide another option for the airgun hunter. But in order to take advantage of the hollow-point’s design, you need to use them in the higher-powered airguns that are pushing the pellet along at a really good pace. Without the higher velocity, the expansion of the hollow-point is negligible, and you aren’t really gaining any advantage over a domed pellet in terms of knock-down power. At low power, the hollow-point pellet hits much like the wadcutter. That isn’t necessarily bad since the flat impact surface translates excellent force to the game you are shooting. And if a particular brand of hollow-point pellet shoots best in your airgun, by all means use that one!

Let me include a brief comment on round balls shot from airguns. If your airgun can shoot them accurately without damaging the working mechanism of your gun, you will find that roundballs penetrate better than the diabolo pellet. This is an advantage under certain hunting conditions, but keep in mind that the roundball leaves the smallest wound channel in living flesh. A test performed by noted airgun writer Tom Gaylord confirmed this information, and if you want to duplicate his results on your own, try shooting a pointed pellet, a round-nosed pellet, and a roundball into a bar of Neutrogena soap at point blank range. You will be able to visibly see the results of what I’ve just described.

So what pellet should you use? Keep in mind the target you are shooting, the power of your airgun, and the type of penetration desired, and you can begin to zero in on the type pellet you will want to use. Also each airgun is different so its best to get several different types of pellets and test them in your particular air rifle or pistol and see what it likes best. For additional information on hunting with an airgun, check out the blog entry titled “Small Game Hunting with Airguns”.

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Choose air rifle

2011-07-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

There are many different types of air rifles available on the market today. On this page we'll go over each type of air rifle available and discuss the differences between each type. The aim of this page is to help you choose the best air rifle available to meet your needs. You should also read our article "Air Rifle Caliber Selection: Which caliber is best for you?" There are three main types of power sources for air rifles: CO2, Spring, and Pump. We'll discuss each type below.
PART I- CO2 powered air rifles- This type of air rifle uses CO2 (compressed gas) cartridges. All semi automatic air rifles use CO2 as their power source.
PROS-One big advantage of using CO2 is that you don't have to stop and pump up your airgun before each shot. Just pop in a CO2 cartridge and your ready to go. Generally one 12 gram CO2 cartridge will give you about 50 shots before you have to change it out. However this number can vary from airgun to airgun depending on the efficiency of the air rifle. One of the most popular co2 powered air rifles is the Crosman 1077. In the last year or so Crosman has released it's new line of Airsource air rifles. These rifles use the new 88 gram CO2 cartridge which will give you up to 400 shots per cartridge before you have to change it out. A nice thing about the airsource rifles is that you can also use the 12 gram CO2 cartridges in them as well. Another big advantage of using CO2 is that it allows for semi automatic fire (fire as fast as you can pull the trigger) if the air rifle is capable of it.
CONS- CO2 air rifles are great for ease of use and semi automatic capabilities but there are a couple of drawbacks. CO2 powered air rifles are usually not as powerfully as spring or pump powered rifles. The most powerfully CO2 powered air rifle(the RWS 850 AirMagnum) shoots at 754 FPS and most other CO2 air rifles shoot at around 600 FPS. While this is decent power, pump and spring air rifles are capable of shooting at 700-1250 FPS. Another drawback is expense. While CO2 is relatively cheap these days the cost over time can add up.
RECOMMENDATIONS- Crosman is king when it comes to CO2 air rifles. As mentioned above the model 1077 is an affordable semi automatic rifle. It comes in an airsource version as well as the standard version. For a premium co2 air rifle check out the Walther Lever Action air rifle. It uses two CO2 cartridges and is the most accurate and powerfully of all CO2 air rifles. In conclusion, co2 air rifles are great for plinking around the backyard and target shooting. They are also fun because of their semi automatic capabilities but they aren't the best choice for hunting. One CO2 pellet rifle that is good for hunting is the Crosman 2250b. It shoots .22 cal pellets so it has enough knockdown power to do the job. Note that this rifle is good for close range hunting (25 Yards) but is not as good for long range because it is not powerful enough.

source: http://www.airgundepot.com

Air Gun History

2011-07-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

An air gun is a rifle (air rifle), pistol (air pistol), or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft guns.

History

Air guns represent the oldest pneumatic technology. The oldest existing mechanical air gun, a bellows air gun dating back to about 1580, is in the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm. This is the timeline most historians peg as the beginning of the modern air gun.
In the 17th century, air guns, in calibers .30–.51, were used to hunt big game deer and wild boar. These air rifles were charged using a pump to fill an air reservoir and gave velocities from 650–1,000 feet per second. They were also used in warfare; the most famous example is the Girandoni Military Repeating Air rifle.
At that time, they had compelling advantages over the primitive firearms of the day. For example, air guns could be fired in wet weather and rain (unlike matchlock muskets) and with greater rapidity than muzzle-loading guns. Moreover, they were quieter than a firearm of similar caliber, had no muzzle flash, and were completely smokeless, thus not disclosing the shooter's position or obscuring his view. Black powder muskets of the 18th and 19th century produced huge volumes of dense smoke when fired, a disadvantage compared to air rifles.
Although some enthusiasts talk about air guns posing a serious alternative to powder weapons, that was never proved to be the case, as valve leaks and bursting reservoirs were known problems. Air guns also were delicate and peasant-soldiers, many of whom had never seen any mechanical tools more complex than horse-drawn carriages, could not have operated or maintained them properly.^{[citation needed]} Later improvements in valve designs and reservoir strength either came too late or were too complex for the few air gunsmiths of the day.
But in the hands of skilled soldiers, they gave the military a distinct advantage. France, Austria, Japan and other nations had special sniper detachments using air rifles. The Austrian 1780 model was named Windbüchse (literally "wind rifle" in German). The gun was developed in 1778 or 1779^[1] by the Tyrolese watchmaker, mechanic and gunsmith Bartholomäus Girandoni (1744–1799) and is sometimes referred to as the Girandoni Air Rifle or Girandoni air gun in literature (the name is also spelled "Girandony," "Giradoni"^[2] or "Girardoni".^[3]) The Windbüchse was about 4 ft (1.2 m) long and weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kg), which was about the same size and mass as a conventional musket. The air reservoir was a removable, club-shaped butt. The Windbüchse carried twenty-two .51 in (13 mm) lead balls in a tubular magazine. A skilled shooter could fire off one magazine in about thirty seconds, which was a fearsome rate of fire compared to a muzzle loader. A shot from this air gun could penetrate a one-inch wooden board at a hundred paces, an effect roughly equal to that of a modern 9 mm or .45 ACP caliber pistol.

Kunitomo air gun developed by the Japanese inventor Kunitomo Ikkansai, circa 1820–1830.

Kunitomo air gun trigger mechanism.

Around 1820, the Japanese inventor Kunitomo Ikkansai developed various manufacturing methods for guns, and also created an air gun based on the study of Western knowledge ("rangaku") acquired from the Dutch in Dejima.
Air guns appear throughout other periods of history. The celebrated Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804) carried a reservoir air gun, later believed to be the Girandoni Military Repeating Air rifle in Dr Robert Beeman's Collection.^{[citation needed]} It held 22 .46 calibre round balls in a tubular magazine mounted on the side of the barrel. The butt stock served as the air reservoir and had a working pressure of 800 PSI. The rifle was said to be capable of 22 aimed shots in 1 minute. That air rifle is measured to have a rifled bore of .452" and a groove diameter 0.462".
During the 1890s, air rifles were used in Birmingham, England, for competitive target shooting. Matches were held in public houses, which sponsored shooting teams. Prizes, such as a leg of mutton for the winning team, were paid for by the losing team. The sport became so popular that in 1899, the National Smallbore Rifle Association was created. During this time over 4,000 air rifle clubs and associations existed across Great Britain, many of them in Birmingham. During this time, the air gun was associated with poaching because it could deliver a shot without a significant report.
Today's modern air guns are typically low-powered because of safety concerns and legal restrictions. High-powered designs are still used for hunting. These air rifles can propel a pellet beyond 1100 ft/s (330 m/s), approximately the speed of sound, and produce a noise similar to a .22 caliber rimfire rifle. Using lead pellets, some current spring powered .177 pellet guns can break the sound barrier. Most low-powered air guns can be safely fired in a backyard or garden, and even indoors, with a proper backstop.
In some countries, air guns are still classified as firearms, and as such it may be illegal to discharge them in residential areas. Air guns can be highly accurate and are used in target shooting events at the Olympic Games, governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), where they are shot at a range of 10 metres.

[edit] Use

Air guns are used for hunting, pest control, recreational shooting (commonly known as plinking), and competitive sports, such as the Olympic 10 m Air Rifle and 10 m Air Pistol events. Field Target (FT) is a competitive form of target shooting in which the targets are knock-down metal silhouettes of animals, with a 'kill zone' cut out of the steel plate. Hunter Field Target (HFT) is a variation, using identical equipment, but with differing rules. The distances FT and HFT competitions are shot at range between 10 metres and 50 metres, with varying sizes of 'reducers' being used to increase or decrease the size of the kill zone. In the UK, competition power limits are set at the legal maximum for an unlicensed air rifle, i.e. 12 ft·lb_f.

[edit] Legal issues

Main article: Air gun laws

The legal definition of an air gun differs from country to country. There may be minimum ages for possession and sales of both air guns and ammunition may be restricted. Some areas may require permits and background checks similar to those required for firearms possession.

[edit] Air gun power sources

There are different methods of powering an air gun. These methods can be broadly divided into 3 groups: spring-piston, pneumatic, and CO₂. These methods are used in both air rifles and air pistols.^[4]

[edit] Spring-piston

Single shot, break barrel, spring-piston air rifle

Spring-piston air guns are able to achieve muzzle velocities near or greater than the speed of sound from a single stroke of a cocking lever or the barrel itself. The difficulty of the cocking stroke is usually related to the power of the gun, with higher muzzle velocities requiring greater effort.
Spring-piston guns operate by means of a coiled steel spring-loaded piston contained within a compression chamber, and separate from the barrel. Cocking the gun causes the piston assembly to compress the spring until a small hook on the rear of the piston engages the sear; pulling the trigger releases the sear and allows the spring to decompress, pushing the piston forward, thereby compressing the air in the chamber directly behind the pellet. Once the air pressure has risen enough to overcome any static friction and/or barrel restriction holding the pellet, the pellet moves forward, propelled by an expanding column of air. All this takes place in a fraction of a second, during which the air undergoes adiabatic heating to several hundred degrees and then cools as the air expands.
Spring-piston guns have a practical upper limit of 1250 ft/s (380 m/s) for .177 cal (4.5 mm) pellets. Higher velocities cause unstable pellet flight and loss of accuracy.^{[citation needed]} Drag increases rapidly as pellets are pushed past the speed of sound, so it is generally better to increase pellet weight to keep velocities subsonic in high-powered guns. Sonic crack from the pellet as it moves with supersonic speed also makes the shot louder sometimes making it possible to be mistaken for firearm discharge and drawing unwanted attention. Many shooters have found that velocities in the 800–900 ft/s (270 m/s) range offer an ideal balance between power and pellet stability.
Most spring piston guns are single-shot breech-loaders by nature, but multiple-shot guns have become more common in recent years. Spring guns are typically cocked by a mechanism requiring the gun to be hinged at the mid-point (called a break barrel), with the barrel serving as a cocking lever. Other systems that are used include side levers, under-barrel levers, and motorized cocking, powered by a rechargeable battery.
Spring guns, especially high-powered ones, have significant recoil resulting from the forward motion of the piston. Although this recoil is less than that of a cartridge firearm, it can make the gun difficult to shoot accurately as the recoil forces are well under way while the pellet is still traveling down the barrel. Most guns seem to respond well to a light, repeatable grip that allows the gun to vibrate the same way from shot to shot. Spring gun recoil also has a sharp forward component, caused by the piston as it hits the forward end of the chamber when the spring behind it reaches full expansion. This sudden forward acceleration helps to counteract the recoil, since the recoil and "forward recoil" forces happen within milliseconds of each other, but it is infamous for the loosening or breaking of lenses and reticles found in low- and medium-priced telescopic sights. All mounted telescopic sights for air guns should be rated as such.
Spring guns can also suffer from spring vibrations that reduce accuracy. These vibrations can be controlled by adding features like close-fitting spring guides or by aftermarket tuning done by "air-gunsmiths" who specialize in air gun modifications. A common modification is the addition of viscous silicone grease to the spring, which both lubricates it and dampens vibration.
The better quality spring air guns can have very long service lives, being simple to maintain and repair. Because they deliver the same energy on each shot, their trajectory is consistent. Most Olympic air gun matches through the 1970s and into the 1980s were shot with spring-piston guns, often of the opposing-piston recoil-eliminating type. Beginning in the 1980s, guns powered by compressed, liquefied carbon dioxide began to dominate competition. Today, the guns used at the highest levels of competition are powered by compressed air stored at very high pressures of 2000 to 3000 lb/in² (14 to 21 MPa).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Gas Spring

Some makes of air rifle (e.g. Weihrauch, Theoben) incorporate a gas spring in some models instead of a mechanical spring. Pressurized air or nitrogen is held in a special chamber built into the piston, and this air is further pressurized when the gun is cocked. It is, in effect, a gas spring commonly referred to as a "gas ram" or "gas strut". Gas spring units require higher precision to build, since they require a low friction sliding seal that can withstand the high pressures when cocked. Gas spring units are available as an upgrade for some popular models such as the Weirauch HW80, the Crosman 766C American Classic air rifle and the Arowsmith 876 Magnum rifle. The advantages of the gas spring include the facility to keep the rifle cocked and ready to fire for long periods of time without harming the mechanism. Also, since there is no spring (and therefore a reduction in moving mass during firing) there is less (although some say slightly sharper), recoil. There is also an elimination of the associated problems of long-term spring fatigue and a faster "lock time" (the time between pulling the trigger and the pellet being discharged). The improvement in lock time makes for better accuracy since there is less time for the gun to move off target. Finally, gas springs are practically maintenance free and last longer than conventional metal springs (research test ch1208); they are an order of magnitude more expensive when they do need replacement.

[edit] Pneumatic

Pneumatic air guns utilize pre-compressed air as the source of energy to propel the projectile. Single-stroke and multi-stroke guns utilize an on board pump to pressurize the air in their reservoir, Pre-charged Pneumatic guns' reservoirs are filled using either a high-pressure hand pump (often capable of attaining pressures of 30 MPa) or by decanting the necessary volume/pressure of air from a diving cylinder. Because of this design, having no significant movement of heavy mechanical parts during the firing cycle, the recoil produced is only the "true" recoil, equivalent to the equal and opposite reaction to the pellet and air volume's acceleration up the bore.

[edit] Multi-stroke

Multi-Stroke pneumatic air guns require 2–10 pumps of an on-board lever to store compressed air within the air gun. Variable power can be achieved through this process, as the user can adapt the power level for long, or short-range shooting. The design of higher quality and match-grade multi-stroke air rifles can propel a pellet to speeds in excess of 1,000 feet per second (300 m/s)^{[citation needed]}.
For beginners and intermediates, multi-stroke air rifles have been a cost-effective choice as they are generally the cheapest form of air gun available. Several manufacturers make multi-stroke air guns including, to name a few, Sheridan, Benjamin, Daisy, and Crosman. Modified multi-pump guns, with stronger pump linkages and improved valves, can produce muzzle energies in excess of 30 foot-pounds (41 J)^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Single-stroke

The Walther LGR single-stroke pneumatic match air rifle.

As the name implies, one motion of the cocking lever is all that is needed to compress the air for propulsion. The single-pump system is usually found in target rifles and pistols, where the higher muzzle energy of a multi-stroke pumping system is not required. Single-stroke pneumatic rifles dominated the national and international ISSF 10 metre air rifle shooting events from the 1970s up to the 1990s.

[edit] Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP)

An example of a Benelli Kite pre-charged pneumatic air pistol, as used in 10 metre air pistol ISSF shooting events.

Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns are usually filled by decanting from an air reservoir, such as a diving cylinder or by charging directly with a hand pump. Because of the need for cylinders or charging systems, PCP guns have higher initial costs but very low operating costs compared to CO₂ guns. These guns are often used for hunting purposes in countries with restrictive firearms laws. A distinction is sometimes made between true PCP guns and high pressure air (HPA) guns. The distinction being that true PCP guns are an integrated high pressure design while an HPA application is an adaptation of a high pressure, regulated air supply to function with components not designed for high pressure—e.g. CO₂ guns. The RWS/Hammerli 850 is a CO₂ designed gun, which is often adapted to HPA.
PCP guns have very low recoil and can fire as many as 500 shots per charge. The ready supply of air has allowed the development of semi-automatic PCP air guns. PCP guns are very popular in the UK and Europe because of their accuracy and ease of shooting. They are widely utilized in ISSF 10 metre air pistol and rifle shooting events and the sport of Field Target shooting,^[5] and fitted with telescopic sights.
Earlier hand pumps for charging carried with them problems of fatigue (both human and mechanical), temperature warping, and condensation. None of those is beneficial to good shooting or the longevity of the rifle. Modern hand pumps have built-in air filtration systems and have overcome many of these problems. Using scuba-quality air decanted from a scuba cylinder also provides a clean, dry, high-pressure air supply that is consistent and available at low cost.
During the typical PCP's discharge cycle, the hammer of the rifle is released by the sear to strike the valve. The hammer may move rearwards or forwards, unlike firearms where the hammer almost always moves forward. Prior to being struck by the hammer, the valve is held closed by a spring and the pressure of the air in the reservoir. The pressure of the spring is constant, and the pressure of the air decreases with each successive shot. As a result, when the reservoir pressure is at its peak, the valve opens less fully and closes faster than when the reservoir pressure is lower, resulting in a similar total volume of air flowing past the valve with each shot. This results in a degree of self-regulation that gives a greater consistency of velocity from shot to shot than would otherwise be expected. A well-designed PCP will display good self-regulation properties, meaning good shot to shot consistency over a range of pressures as the air reservoir is diminished.
More expensive PCP rifles and pistols are often pressure regulated, i.e. the firing valve operates within a secondary chamber separated from the main air reservoir by the regulator body. The regulator maintains pressure within this secondary chamber at a set pressure lower than the main reservoir's. This occurs until the main reservoir's pressure is diminished to the set pressure, after which the PCP behaves in an unregulated manner. Thus shot to shot consistency is maintained for longer than in an unregulated rifle, at the expense of efficiency, shots per fill and often at a lower velocity.

[edit] CO₂

Most CO₂ guns (e.g. Beretta Elite II) use a disposable cylinder, a powerlet, that is purchased often pre-filled with 12 grams of liquefied carbon dioxide, although some, usually more expensive models, use larger refillable CO₂ reservoirs like those typically used with paintball markers.
Carbon dioxide-powered guns have two significant advantages over pre-charged pneumatic air guns: (1.) A simpler system for compact storage of energy—a small volume of liquid converts to a large volume of pressurized gas. (2.) No pressure regulator. Within a temperature range tolerable to humans there is little need to regulate the inherently suitable pressure for low-to-moderate-power air guns. The vapor pressure is dependent only on temperature, not tank size, as long as some liquid CO₂ remains in the reservoir.
These two advantages allow CO₂ guns to be constructed more simply than guns using a pressurized air reservoir. Some CO₂-powered guns have detachable or fixed reservoirs that are loaded with pressurized gas from a larger cylinder. Most CO₂ powered guns use the standard 12 gram Powerlet disposable cylinder invented by Crosman. Recently, the same company introduced a new 88 gram disposable AirSource cylinder that is used in some of their guns.
On the other hand, liquefied CO₂ must be purchased, which introduces an element of cost that does not factor with a PCP gun/hand pump combination using "free" air, or is at least considerably lower when refilling from a diver's tank.
Furthermore, the pressure of gaseous CO₂ at ordinary ambient temperatures is only around 850–1000 psi (6 to 7 MPa), which is only a third of the safe working pressure of a typical full PCP reservoir (20 MPa or 2900 psi or more). The effect of this is that generally speaking CO₂ guns are lower powered and less efficient than PCP guns, which is why CO₂ guns are usually pistols or semi-target type rifles, with few guns (none of commercial note) reaching even the 12 ft·lbf (16.2 joules) licence-free energy limit for air rifles imposed in the UK.
CO₂ guns, like compressed air guns, offer power for repeated shots in a compact package without the need for complex cocking or filling mechanisms. The ability to store power for repeated shots also means that repeating arms are possible. There are many replica revolvers and semi-automatic pistols on the market that use CO₂ power. These guns are popular for training, as the guns and ammunition are inexpensive, safe to use, and no specialized facilities are needed for safety. In addition, they can be purchased and owned in areas where firearms possession is either strictly controlled, or banned outright.
Most CO₂ powered guns are relatively inexpensive, although there are still a few precision target guns on the market that use CO₂.
The CO₂ system has been used in experimental non-lethal law enforcement weapons, where high power delivery systems launch rubber batons or bean bags out of a gas-powered launcher, much like a non-lethal shotgun system (but at lower velocities, thus being safer).

[edit] Safety

For safety, CO₂ containers must be kept at temperatures below 120 °F (49 °C) ; at temperatures above this level, the pressure begins to increase very rapidly, and can cause the container to fail. CO₂ containers with diameters at or above two inches (50 mm) have a pressure release "rupture" mechanism to release the contents over a certain pressure level and avoid explosion because of high temperature. These disks are generally calibrated to a minimum pressure corresponding to the 120 °F (49 °C) level at 100% of the rated CO₂ capacity. Elevated temperatures, even those below the critical temperature, can cause increased leaking through seals.

[edit] Operating considerations

Re-filling Forcing more carbon dioxide gas into a reservoir of liquid and gas CO₂ while maintaining a constant temperature would not raise the pressure but merely convert the additional gas into liquid. By chilling the vessel to be filled, the lower vapor pressure will pull CO₂ from the source container. While the pressure in the reservoir is generally dependent only on the temperature, if the bottle is too full, that changes. The expansion of the liquid CO₂ will take up all the space in the bottle, preventing evaporation. At this point, the pressure increase with temperature becomes dangerously high.^[6]
Cooling Each time the gun is fired there is rapid evaporation of liquid to gas, which is an endothermic process in which the pressure drops until enough ambient heat is absorbed to restore the pressure. When shooting at a rate faster than the cylinder can absorb heat from the environment to counter the cooling of the evaporating liquid, the pressure will drop, and the velocity is likely to drop as well in a non-regulated gun.

[edit] Calibers

The most common air gun calibers are:

.177 (4.5 mm): the most common caliber, also used in ISSF shooting events at the Olympic Games, it has the flattest trajectory of all the calibers for a given energy level, making accuracy simpler. As well as its very effective targetry use, this caliber can be effectively used to hunt small quarry or vermin.
.20 (5.0 mm): found in some European air guns and those manufactured by the American air gun manufacturer Sheridan. This is generally considered to be a "compromise caliber", having a flatter trajectory similar to the .177 but more energy retention. .20" pellets tend to be of a similar weight to .22" pellets, but with an elongated profile, resulting in a higher Ballistic Coefficient (BC) than either .177 or .22 pellets.
.22 (5.5 mm & 5.6 mm): the most common caliber for hunting small game, as it delivers large amounts of energy on impact (more so than the smaller calibers).
.25 (6.35 mm): the largest commonly available caliber. This caliber is renowned for its impact, having the most energy retention of all calibers. It does have a highly parabolic trajectory at low energy levels and is thus more suited for higher powered rifles.

Custom air gun manufacturers regularly produce air rifles in common muzzle loading calibers, such as .45 (11.43 mm), .50 (12.7 mm), .58 (14.5 mm); some recently built custom air guns are even larger, 20 mm (0.79") or .87 (22.1 mm).

[edit] Ammunition

A .177 caliber "Wadcutter" pellet next to a stick of chewing gum.

[edit] Pellet

Main article: Pellet (air gun)

The most popular ammunition used in rifled air guns is the lead diabolo pellet. This waisted projectile is hollowed at the base and available in a variety of head styles. The diabolo pellet is designed to be drag stabilized, though is not as stable as some other shapes in the transonic region (272–408 m/s ~ 893–1340 ft/s). Pellets are also manufactured from tin, or a combination of materials such as steel-tipped plastic.
Most air guns are .177 (4.5 mm) or .22 (5.5 mm / 5.6 mm), and are designed for target practice, small game hunting and field target shooting. Cost per round is less than $0.02 (US) for Olympic-quality ammunition, and far less for cheaper grades. Though less common, .20 and .25 caliber (5.0 mm and 6.4 mm) guns also exist and are used predominantly for hunting.

Steel BBs coated with copper and nickel

Main article: BB gun

The BB was once the most common air gun ammunition in the USA. A BB is a small ball, typically made of steel with a copper or zinc plating, of 4.5 mm/.177" diameter. Lead "Round Balls" are manufactured in numerous calibers too; these are often 4.5 mm/.177" diameter and designed for use in .177 caliber rifled guns normally used for shooting pellets. Steel BBs can be acceptably accurate at short distances when fired from properly designed BB guns with smoothbore barrels.
Due to the hardness of the steel, they can not "take" to rifled barrels, which is why they are undersized (4.4 against 4.5 mm) to allow them to be used in .177" rifled barrels, which when used in this configuration can in effect be considered smoothbore, but with a poorer gas-seal. Were they 4.5 mm diameter, they would jam in the bore. Therefore BB's lack the spin stabilization required for long-range accuracy, and usage in any but the cheapest rifled guns is discouraged not least because the steel-to-steel contact may cause accelerated wear to the rifling's lands.
Typically BBs are used for indoor practice, casual outdoor plinking, training children, or for air gun enthusiasts who like to practice, but cannot afford high-powered air gun systems that use pellets. Some shotgunners use sightless BB rifles to train in instinctive shooting. Similar guns were also used briefly by the United States Army in a Vietnam-era instinctive shooting program called "Quick Kill" (Time magazine, Friday, July 14, 1967).
source: http://www.wikipedia.com

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[edit] CO₂