Stainless PCP?

[akairgunner]

I'm moving out to Dutch Harbor Alaska in 6 weeks. My Airforce Condor .25 is coming with me to knock out the abundant red foxes with some 60gr solids. However, I now desperately "need" a repeater pcp in .177 for Norway Rats and Ptarmigan. It rains over 300 days a year out there, and 10-20mph wind is a constant. So I'm looking for a stainless/synthetic repeater PPC. .177 to minimize wind drift and flatten trajectory, as I'll be doing lots of shooting up into sea cliffs (the rats are up there looking for seabird nests).  Preferably the gun would have an integrated shroud for in town work.

I haven't been able to locate one, does anyone here know of a make/model with these features?

Cheers

[UCChris]

Budget?

[akairgunner]

Somewhere around 2k tops for the bare rifle. Cheaper would be great of course.

Budget?

[UCChris]

Somewhere around 2k tops for the bare rifle. Cheaper would be great of course.

Budget?

Oh, that's plenty. I'd go with a FX Revolution 

[akairgunner]

I'm not seeing stainless on any of the specs?  A non-stainless rifle will develop a rust film out there in an hour or two, because of all the salt blowing around.

[Ribbonstone]

Really is a lack of stainless airguns, and I've often wondered why.  Are various types of stainless with various properties (and some aren't as "stainless" (rustless) as others).  Not really sure of it's properties as a pressure tube.

Do remember years back (12? 15?) a really long FARCO (like 30" barrel) co2 shotgun made of stainless...but can't think of a stainless PCP.

[dcorvino]

Hi you might want a to contact Don Cotheran and he might be able to make something for you
Hope this helps

Dave

[UCChris]

I'm not seeing stainless on any of the specs?  A non-stainless rifle will develop a rust film out there in an hour or two, because of all the salt blowing around.

Oh, if you want stainless you'll have to go full custom.

[Ribbonstone]

Just wonder at times. Al., steel, even Titanium as major parts.....but they skip stainless?  Even to the point of HW occasionally plating rifles to get the stainless look?

Have bought stainless/plastic stocked rifles specifically to survive saltwater environments.  Yet, shotguns that see even more use in the marsh are seldom stainless (ahtugh I think tradition has much to do with that).   It may be as simple as that they can, but choose not to as they don't see the market.

[Taso1000]

I remember there was a bullpup listed in the classifieds recently that had a titanium tube? maybe?  I think it was an Mrod-Air P-12?  Titanium is more corrosion resistant than bare aluminum or steel.

I don't know anything about them other than there was titanium in the description.

Would a duracote or an NP3 coating work?  It's been a long time since I've researched anti corrosion coatings.

Taso

[akairgunner]

Hmm, I'll hunt around for a model with titanium tube and aluminum receiver/shroud. Then all I'd need to upgrade would be the barrel, which could honestly wait until the non-stainless one gets rusted up. 

[Jeff Marshall]

They made some Titanium Falcons.

I do not think that a .177 will flatten trajectories or lessen wind drift.

[UCChris]

I do not think that a .177 will flatten trajectories or lessen wind drift.

I'd shoot for a .22 rifle that will push 15.9 JSB at 900 fps. Plenty flat shooting and bucks the wind pretty well. Quieter and higher shot count than a .25 rifle that shoots as flat.

I personally don't bother with .177 above 5ish mph wind.

[akairgunner]

I'll be dealing with a target-rich environment, and I need to fill with a hand pump.  My thinking was a high-velocity .177 would keep trajectory flat and shot counts high. For some reason I thought the BC of heavy .177 pellets was higher than .22, but I had it backwards.

Caliber choice not withstanding, I'm on the model hunt now.

[UCChris]

I'll be dealing with a target-rich environment, and I need to fill with a hand pump.  My thinking was a high-velocity .177 would keep trajectory flat and shot counts high. For some reason I thought the BC of heavy .177 pellets was higher than .22, but I had it backwards.

Caliber choice not withstanding, I'm on the model hunt now.

Since you are probably going to have to go full custom to get stainless, there's no reason you can't get a large, regulated air cylinder. 100 shots at  36.62 fpe (18.13 grain JSB @ 900 fps) only requires 1.55 fpe/ci efficiency with a 500 cc tube. 1.55 fpe/ci is pretty easy to hit with regulation and/or an SSG device.

I'd trust a 18.13 JSB going at 900 fps to be good against a 20 mph without too much trouble.

[Sprungout]

From what I understand, stainless is more difficult to machine than normal steels...so they probably don't even want to deal with it. IMO, a $1,000 gun should be stainless whether it's an airgun or a PB.

[PelletsForPests]

This might be a stretch as I don't know a ton about PCP rifles, but have you ever considered wrapping the external parts susceptible to oxidation with gun wrap?

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/396175/mcnett-tactical-camoform-protective-gun-wrap?cm_mmc=pf_ci_google-_-hunting%20-%20blinds%20%26%20furniture-_-mcnett%20tactical-_-396175&gclid=CL--98WW_c0CFQhkhgodUDkFYQ

With respect to the fact it may change barrel harmonics, a couple go-rounds with a good gun wrap will generally protect a gun from less than ideal conditions. It's not a fix all, you still have to maintain and clean your weapons at the end of the day, it just guarantees you more time outside without worrying about oxidation. Also, I always bring an extra rag or paper towel just in case the rain let's up as to not let the process begin.

I'm interested in a stainless steel, polymer, etc. pure hunting rifle myself, as I personally enjoy the rain, but the constant high humidity/ dew point where I live makes for rusty guns.

[25ACP]

Have you researched "Frog Lube"?  If I was going to work in that environment I would have to try it, even on stain-less. You basically low temperature "cook" it into the micro pores of the metal. I wouldn't use it in the pressure chamber of a PCP (although it's not supposed to have any petroleum), but all exposed surfaces would get a treatment if it were me.  It wouldn't be hard to see if it works or not, in constant salt spray. I live in Florida (I live 15 miles from the beach), and all my stainless firearms will get mild rust on them, that will turn into major rust if left unattended.     

[JohnnyD143]

You could possible duracoat the rife. That will definitely eliminate the corrosion issue.

[LI Airgunner]

I would think stainless used in guns would be a 400 type like 416 these machine easy but not as rust resistant as the 300's steels used in marine applications.
So in a salt water IMO as stated above a good coating would be best.