Took it shooting today. Don't know where to start..... Tried cleaning the barrel and got most of the crud out but it still smokes. Guess it will clear up later. Trigger is great. Very smooth and easy to feel the second stage at the same place every time. Not hard at all but not too soft. No gritty feel except on occasion when firing left handed. Sights clear very easy to see. The adjustment clicks are sharp without any slop. The sights were not set right when I received it, but didn't take long to get shooting quarter size groups at 10 to 13 meters. Would have been better except for my eyes as I couldn't see the target well with the fixed sights. Shoots smooth very little recoil. Feel like it is rather powerful as it would rock the target and tripod most of the time and my wife's Stoeger X10 does not. Also I had several pellets come bouncing back at us and one hit my shoe and it was flat like a blob of solder that dropped on the floor. So we had to turn the target to an angle so the pellets bounced away from us. As I said before the finish on the stock is great even out in the sun. The bluing is not quite as good as I originally thought a little splotchy. Now the best part (I am really impressed) The cocking and bear trap safety is excellent. When you want to cock it you have to release the side lever with a simple perfectly placed release (metal). Then as you pull back on the lever you feel the piston catching on a ratchet so you can cock it half way change the position of your hands and finish cocking comfortably. Once you have the lever all the way back you can see that there is a piece of steal that comes up placing a flat edge (as seen in picture) that when the cocking handle is all the way back it is about a quarter inch from the piston. If you push the orange button on the bottom of the forearm and hold it then you can close the cocking lever. However if you just move the cocking lever just until the piston is touching the metal bear trap catch then the orange button will not move if pushed and the cocking lever will not move except to easily move back a little allowing the release to drop when the orange button is held. If you release the orange button too soon the the cocking lever and the piston gets stopped (as it catches on the same (unseen) indentations the are used for the ratchet works) and you must pull back on the cocking lever, hold the orange button and finish closing the chamber. When you are loading this TF58 rifle if get your finger caught it is an act of God. It sounds complicated to explain but in reality it is extremely simple sturdy and strong. With all the buttons and levers in the right place. Placing the pellet is a little tricky as you can not see the hole because your fingers are in the way but once I learned to hold the pellet right I had no problem as there is plenty of room. Photo of bear trap added to pics.... http://s1020.photobucket.com/albums/af322/donec/Tech%20Force%2058%20pellet%20rifle/ Added note: The manual says that "This air rifle is specifically designed with a device of clearance compression, which will "click" when you are compressing. This device is mainly for pronating and kneeling shooting, which will avoid the inconvenient compression caused by these two positions." Now I think they mean when laying prone and kneeling it is easier to cock due to the ratcheting action and the ability to rotate your hand for easier cocking, but the translation is a little unclear.
Thanks Sam.Mine should be here today or tomorrow.I have a Beeman 4x32 laying around that I am hoping will be short enough to not block the loading port. You don't happen to have the manual still do you?
While I awaiting deliverey of my newest side lever, a QB58, I have been using my Google skills to do research and find the is very little infor on this SAG "Industry Brand" air rifle. http://www.airrifle-china.com/products_detail/productId=82.html.From what I can tell my soon arriving .22 is their QB58C which has the upgraded checkered stock but no hooded front sight. I can not find a tech manual, owners manual or a parts exploded view. Most / all lead to broken links.There is a red button on the bottom of the forearm that I have learned "releases the action" to either close the breech like a Diana 48 or it is described as to "release the spring once the side lever is closed". I did read a severe safety warning to use you right arm to hold the side lever open while loading as a caution so as to not pinch your fingers in the loading port even WITH this redundant safety. (Bow and Arrow guy) I have a SAG rifle (AR7078-B) and their quality seems above average. And most all are accustomed to the QB78 as a good gun.... I have one side lever springer, my FWB 300S and I have somehow managed to bump the light trigger on that while loading a pellet. The black thumbnail is almost grown out now. Is there anyone who has links to the use and care of this QB58? Once it arrives I plan on doing a thorough write up on what it is like.
Yes, FD was the place i sent it for a repair/estimateI wonder how many i would need to tell the manufacturer i wanted in order for them to even reply to an email.