Musing on a visual Gauntlet study

[Ribbonstone]

Hadn't really looked hard at the Gauntlet's reviews and pictures (just not my market slot).

But today, I did get down to a visual comparsion.  Still not in the market at this time, but interrested enough to look.

Assuming the pictures are not doctored up or the design changed after the published stuff:

VISUAL ESTIMATIONS (not pure guess work, are photo-clues):

Gas block, screw placements (and can just amke out part of the screws holding the gas block to the tube though the forward stock slot) look like the QB design.  Might be the tube screws are a bit farther back on the tube (which would be a good thing)..,but that's a "could be".

HAs that key-hole shape on the left side of the stock/tube...which AR2078's shared for a degassing key....not a bad degassing system.

Trigger blade is a new shape, but the part of the housing and safety looks a little QBish.  On a guess, it's not the 180degree safety rotation, but I've modded QB safetys to 90degrees, so that doesn't rule out a QB inspaired trigger system (which also would be a good thing).

From the proportions, the reciever is shorter (more like the Beeman Chief's length) and the bolt stroke also shorter.   So it's some type of cock on opening version (also something done with the Chief).

HAs that 2nd bolt handle notch, which is likely where the bolt is locked back to allow the mag to be removed/inserted. With a spring driven mag, you'd need to get the bolt probe out of play, so most likely that's what the 2nd notch is for.

BArrel is listed as 23.5" but the visual on the shroud seems a good deal longer.   Checking on some 13ci bottles, the distace from the reg. Gauge to the end of the bottle is about 7.5" (give or take...different regs on some).  Starting at closed bolt end, takes about 3 1/2 of those lengths to reach the end of the shroud.  So the shroud and barrel is going to be about 26-26.5" long.

Not sure how the foreend fits around that bottle. No visible fasteners, and you'd need to have that wrap-around fore end off to remove the bottle.  Might just be a "clam shell" arrangment that snaps together (can see the vertical seam, not obvious screws, so likely it splits in halves).

All sorts of mysteries await...eventually they'll be out...and eventually somone will take one apart....and hopfully report what they find.

[Killo Coonadillo]

They featured it on the latest American Airgunner.

[Ribbonstone]

OK...missed that (hate their site's design)....so did they take one apart and let us see the parts...or was it a "wow this is great" kind of review?

[Springrrrr]

Standing in wait for one that has been pre-ordered through Pyramyd Air, my first dip into PCP's.  This will have to be all it is fired up to be and then some, to outshoot my three spring guns.

I will be sure to give an uneducated report as soon as I get it (if I ever do), but before long I should have it taken apart cause if it ain't broke, "take it apart to find out why."

[UCChris]

I've been saying it's a fancied up QB ever since it first showed up. The shroud is 28" long, the barrel is the standard repeater kit length, so there is some dead space for shush purposes. The trigger is identical to the QB/Chief. The bottle covering slides off and snaps into the stock when put back on. Gun should be a great gun, if it ever hits the market. My only concern is the repeater kit. The standard kit that's been around for years uses an o-ring on the probe and not inside the barrel. Which means loading can be sticky and that o-ring needs frequent replacement.

[Ribbonstone]

Yeah....but we're not sure until someone gets one and takes it apart (which will happen naturally to repair a leak sooner or later).

So the questions are:

How is it made into a cock-on opening? (And I'm pretty sure it is).

What's the real length of striker stroke (nothing wrong with short-n-stiff if it's setup in balance)?

If the gas back mounted with screws farther back than a QB79?


If the "shroud" is really 28" long, then it could be a sleeve with 4 1/2" of LDC built in at the front...and if a sleeve, is it tensioned?


IF the bottle shell is detachable (and it would have to be to make for quick-change bottles), likely many of the owners would just leave it off and go with the "industrial" look.

IS the trigger really a variation of a QB trigger (with all 3 of the adjustments)?


Will agree that a spring loaded mag and a bolt probe o-ring aren't the best match.  I'ts not so much about chambering a pellet (the holes line up on center for that) but in retracting the bolt.  ASpring loaded mag would roate as the pellet is chambered...so as you retract the bolt the empty chamber scrapes along the bolt....so unless the o-ring was on the tapered part of the bolt probe, would sometimes "catch" on the edge of the empty mag's "chamber" .

[UCChris]

The only answer I have to those questions is the cock on opening. Since the repeating kit is identical to the one that is sold by Air Venturi, it has the same cock on opening system. It uses a hammer that is drilled differently than the stock one.

[Springrrrr]

From past readings about it, the trigger is a single stage adjustable for pull weight.  It is said to be ok but not stellar.  We may be able to buy a two stage kit from Archer Air Guns, originally designed for the QB 78.

[Killo Coonadillo]

OK...missed that (hate their site's design)....so did they take one apart and let us see the parts...or was it a "wow this is great" kind of review?

The latter, they shot it up close and at a distance. I watched it on Pursuit tv channel.
They had a .22 and .177 version.

I always wonder if they use run-of-the-mill specimens or were sent the very best specimen(s)...

It does make me think that PyramydAir must believe they will have them in stock very soon...or perhaps they don't care and hope everyone will pre-order without actually knowing the shipping date.

[Earl]

Pyramyd Air now shows the in stock date as 10-31-2017.

[anti-squirrel]

Chris, I'm pretty certain the Gauntlet is a minor rework of some things from the repeater-breech QB you sold me.  I agree; it should be a great gun, but at this point I am soured toward Umarex and any vendor selling the Gauntlet via pre-order.  5+ months delay in my world (software) brings ruination and lawsuits.  It may not be the vender's fault, but if I were the vendor and my supply line still wasn't delivering, I'd either cancel the product order or force them to drop freight, delivery, and any other costs I could.  Or I'd tell them to pack sand.

And with this new "delivery" date, AGD and PA just lost my business despite me not even ordering one.  This is egg on their face for not being truly upfront and stating "we have no idea".

I don't shoot your old QB as much as I though I would, and I've been considering selling it since it deserves to be used.  The stubby barrel is still wicked with CPdomes and CPHP, and the 15" barrel is a laser with H&N Barracudas.