Thanks Bob, Shot it a few more times last night after the paint was out of the bore. It really seems to like the cheap Daisy flat nose and also Crosman piranah’s so far.
Okay, after further shooting with my new 397, two obvious problems showed up.I’m shooting a non parallax adjust scope on it for now and the comb of the stock is too low for the inter mount scope bases I have on it now. It’s causing parallax problems because I can’t get a good cheek weld for now.The comb on my 392 is higher and works just fine with that same scope and base.I need a lower base for the 397 to keep good eye alignment with the scope, or a parallax adj. scope, or a raised cheek piece on the stock.The other thing I noticed is retained air in the valve after the shot. It builds with each shot and causes vertical disbursement after a few shots. My 392 retains a very small amount of air after the shot, but never builds... just the same very small puff of air retained after each shot even if you shoot all day on 8 pumps.The valve and hammer springs on my 392 are pretty evenly matched, but i’m going to have to put a lighter valve spring in the 397 to get it to dump the air, or maybe compress the spring.Oh well, I wanted to take it apart anyway to make sure it has a brass air valve and not the aluminum valve they used a few years ago.I may do the two spring and washer mod to the valve eventually, but for now I just want to get it dumping the air on 8 pumps.I’m having to cock and shoot between pumping every 2 or 3 shots to keep it from retaining and building too much air for now.Anybody know a spring size from Ace Hardware that would likely work?
Will, I know you recently picked up a mac1 scope base for your 392.Can you tell me how high it is to the top of the scope rail from the bbl.?I have a feeling that one may be a perfect match for the height of the comb on my 397.
Thanks Will, That’s much better than the intermounts over the reciever.I may well try the mac1 base and maybe a 2x7 BSA or UTG pistol scope mounted scout style on this one.
Quote from: 35 shooter on March 13, 2019, 02:43:29 PMThanks Will, That’s much better than the intermounts over the reciever.I may well try the mac1 base and maybe a 2x7 BSA or UTG pistol scope mounted scout style on this one.I use the over-barrel intermounts. My barska is so low that the bolt actually mars the scope finish.After maybe 1200 pellets, mine is now quite accurate at 30 yards on 8 pumps.
Picked up a new in box 397pa to go with my 392pa today.I have a good friend that has an archery shop and had recently bought out the inventory of a local sporting goods store getting out of the game.They had a 397 that had been in the box since 2005.It is a pa series, but the stock sure looks like walnut and not beech. It has the pa trigger group.I traded my friend a longbow with snake skin backing I can no longer shoot for it, and have spent the last 2 hours getting all the overspray paint out of the bore.Did a little shooting before cleaning the paint out to hopefully loosen the paint up a bit and make it easier to get out.Daisy flat nose, Crosman piranah’s, and Crosman hp’s were all I had on hand and all were trying to group, but had several flyers at 20 yds. “ hopefully “due to the paint in the bore.Now that the bore is clean we’ll see what she can do. Hopefully it will shoot something I have on hand, if not, the hunt will be on for a pellet it likes.
Very Good Trade Buddy ! You have an excellent pumper now.I got my Benjamin Trail NP XL 1100 on a trade for a spotting scope & tripod.Trading is a "win - win" for both individuals involved.Best Wishes - Tom
So last night I put a padded leather wrap around shell holder with a zippered pouch on my 397 butt stock.It raised my comb height almost perfect for the intermounts over the breech. I can get centered with my eye behind the scope now and knew the parallax problem I was having was pretty well solved, plus just a lot more comfortable to be able to get my cheek instead of my chin in the right place on the stock.I started shooting through the pellets I had been using in it ( Crosman hp’s, piranhas, Daisy wadcutters gamo tomahawks) and still was’nt shooting as I thought it should... too many unexplained flyers at 20 yds.I searched around the house and found a tin of gamo red fires which shot 5 shot groups around a half inch outside to outside... not bad, but wanted better lol.I looked around again and found what was left of a tin of Crosman premier pointed that had never grouped well in any rifle i’ve tried them in.First shot hit half an inch right of the red fires.The next shot was a half inch left of the first and that’s all it took to season the bore with them..... the next 6 went into a hole not much bigger than a 1/4” Couple hours later on a cold bore, itput 2 more through the same hole.... this evening I put 4 more in the same spot , and wound up with 12 shots in about 3/8” outside to outside.... winner winner chicken dinner I shot the red fires into a 1” pine board at 20 yds. and the tip bent sideways and it still penetrated just past the skirt.The Crosman pointed went a bit over 1/2” deep to the point. The hollow in the skirt was 3/8” deep with straight line penetration.I was beginning to think something was wrong with my chamber or crown before trying those last two pellets.Lol, nothing wrong at all.... just a bit pellet picky.Oh, and the valve and hammer springs have broken on a bit too. Only a very small puff of air left after 8 pumps now, and still the same after 30 or so shots.Groups are stable with the pellets it likes, so no need to do anything with valve springs or the like for now, except to get every ounce of air and power out of it that i’m Not at all concerned with at this time.I doubt if it would make 5 FPS. difference at this point, unless I did some check and valve work on it too.What’s the old saying? “ if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”?Think i’ll leave well enough alone and look for a couple more pellets it likes just for fun.