What airgun related did you do today?

[WobblyHand]

Not speaking for Bill, but one way to get better at this is to tinker, and take things apart to learn how they work.  Start on something that you got cheap or for free, so you don't care what happens to it.  After a while taking stuff apart and fixing it becomes easier and easier.

Me, I was taking stuff apart at an early age.  Didn't always get it back together again right, but learned a lot.  Nowadays, if something is complicated or new, I snap pictures of stuff, to give me a clue how it was supposed to go together.  Honestly, I rarely need the pictures, but every once in a while they've saved me.
Better to have the pictures and not need them, than desperately needing them and not having them!

[Matchstickshooter]

 +1! 
         I have a buddy I worked in the machine shop with for years. We are both retired now. (and now live about 80 miles apart)
 I look at yard sales for broken, non working or unwanted air guns. I also look for wind up watches for my buddy.  He looks for airguns down there for me.lol
 He tinkers on watches, and I tinker with the airguns! 
  I have enjoyed it, and keeps me out of mischief.

[Whirligig]

Not speaking for Bill, but one way to get better at this is to tinker, and take things apart to learn how they work.  Start on something that you got cheap or for free, so you don't care what happens to it.  After a while taking stuff apart and fixing it becomes easier and easier.

Me, I was taking stuff apart at an early age.  Didn't always get it back together again right, but learned a lot.  Nowadays, if something is complicated or new, I snap pictures of stuff, to give me a clue how it was supposed to go together.  Honestly, I rarely need the pictures, but every once in a while they've saved me.
Better to have the pictures and not need them, than desperately needing them and not having them!

I've done this too. And usually I can put things that I take apart back together again. Spring piston air guns are no problem for me. Pneumatics and CO2 guns on the other hand are way above my understanding.

[airgunaut]

Not speaking for Bill, but one way to get better at this is to tinker, and take things apart to learn how they work.  Start on something that you got cheap or for free, so you don't care what happens to it.  After a while taking stuff apart and fixing it becomes easier and easier.

Me, I was taking stuff apart at an early age.  Didn't always get it back together again right, but learned a lot.  Nowadays, if something is complicated or new, I snap pictures of stuff, to give me a clue how it was supposed to go together.  Honestly, I rarely need the pictures, but every once in a while they've saved me.
Better to have the pictures and not need them, than desperately needing them and not having them!

This is excellent advice in general. I would add that if you have an iota of writing ability, make notes as you go in addition to taking lots of photos. As a kid, I didn't do any disassembly/reassembly, but my brother excelled at it. My craze for bicycling introduced me to the rewards, and occasionally pains, of doing my own maintenance and repair. There was no digital camera back then, let alone iPads. But I had a good bike mechanic book to help.

When it came to taking apart my Daisy 880, there were schematics, online advice, and I took photos and made notes.

These resources and annotation make it possible for someone who is not a natural mechanic to do the job.

Now, tinkering to improve or change something is another animal, I think. Maybe after doing more basic stuff it is not so intimidating.

[avator]

The main and most important thing to remember is that HPA is no joke. It MUST be respected. I strongly suggest that anyone new to it learn how to degas the gun and do that first before taking the first screw out. As time and experience goes forward you will learn what can and can't be done without degassing.

[Blowpipe Sam]

What Bill said +2.  Pumpers and co2 gun’s work on the same principle as PCP’s.  I played around with them before I started on HPA. Baby steps is best.

[Nukall856]

  The Tinker Time Loop must have come around again,,, I started removing scopes breeches and ldc's to make another mashup of Crosman parts. Also found I got a couple items that I want which have to do with tinkering..
 I also for the first time took apart my Beeman 2027 Marshall to install 2 of 22mm x2.4mm O-rings into the tube in front of the valve. I can see the 2 O-rings have moved the hammer back by a few millimeters. Soo that should be enough to cut down on wasted air. It has been utterly cold out for some time now Soo I don't think I'll be doing any testing until warmer temperatures show up. Another time I'll take the Beeman 1331 Raider apart to add the O-rings for the BStaley Mod. I Might even see if I can get the Iconix BStaley'd.

NVak

[2A Georgia]

Mancave, dremel, scrap lexan.  Made two paracord winding/holders for the short chord I use for connecting the two parts of the climbing stand and the weapon pull up cable.  Now they pack flatter and wont get tangled or knotted.

[NorCal David]

Mancave, dremel, scrap lexan.  Made two paracord winding/holders for the short chord I use for connecting the two parts of the climbing stand and the weapon pull up cable.  Now they pack flatter and wont get tangled or knotted.

You guys probably have seen Mors Kochanski showing the Butterfly Hank which keeps rope or paracord from tangling. He found it in a book about how the Bantu in Africa make their huts. Really neat, but it will not lay flat like what you made. Hope the link works. Happy hunting Charles!

[WobblyHand]

Not speaking for Bill, but one way to get better at this is to tinker, and take things apart to learn how they work.  Start on something that you got cheap or for free, so you don't care what happens to it.  After a while taking stuff apart and fixing it becomes easier and easier.

Me, I was taking stuff apart at an early age.  Didn't always get it back together again right, but learned a lot.  Nowadays, if something is complicated or new, I snap pictures of stuff, to give me a clue how it was supposed to go together.  Honestly, I rarely need the pictures, but every once in a while they've saved me.
Better to have the pictures and not need them, than desperately needing them and not having them!

I've done this too. And usually I can put things that I take apart back together again. Spring piston air guns are no problem for me. Pneumatics and CO2 guns on the other hand are way above my understanding.

Me, I'm leery of big springs.  Actually, I have a healthy respect for all of the mechanisms.  I don't force things, generally I practice "mechanical empathy", which means if it's not coming apart easy I stop and evaluate if I am missing something.  Sometimes more force is required, or more leverage, but I can usually tell when something just doesn't want to move.  Then it's penetrating oil time, or something like that, followed by a thorough cleaning.

To Bill's comment - degas your PCP first!  Relieve the pressure in your other guns.  Then work on things.  Once you become more familiar with a particular piece, well maybe you don't need to degas - but you probably should.  I don't know, but 300 bar, that's 300 atmospheres, represents a lot of stored energy - just like a big spring.  It's dangerous.  Treat it with respect, better yet, neuter it by degassing.

I've taken apart my lego guns no problem, my P-17, but haven't yet fully disassembled my GK1.  Strangely haven't needed to fool with my P-Rod.  Have to say the GK1 is a bit more complicated than any other airgun I've dealt with.  I don't fully understand it yet, even with the parts breakdown in front of me.  I partially took it apart, but not fully.  To be honest, I was struggling with adding a CF shroud to it, and had to take it apart many times.  By the fifth time around, it wasn't so bad. 

[buellm2]

 "mechanical empathy"  Absolutely great expression and I try to practice it also.   I do have a couple different hammers. large vice grips and large channel locks in one of my gun tool drawers.  Sometimes you have to loudly speak to a mechanism in a language they understand.

[WobblyHand]

"mechanical empathy"  Absolutely great expression and I try to practice it also.   I do have a couple different hammers. large vice grips and large channel locks in one of my gun tool drawers.  Sometimes you have to loudly speak to a mechanism in a language they understand.

Have to agree with the loudly speech at times. 

But I hope we are all trying not to butcher some mechanical piece of art.  We all have seen it - a poor use of vise grips and mangled stuff that once was nice.  It's sad to see on anything, but even more so on a once beautiful air gun.

I once had to wait 7 days to free up a mechanism, patiently adding a little penetrating oil everyday.  On the seventh day it loosened up enough to take it apart.

[Blowpipe Sam]

"mechanical empathy"  Absolutely great expression and I try to practice it also.   I do have a couple different hammers. large vice grips and large channel locks in one of my gun tool drawers.  Sometimes you have to loudly speak to a mechanism in a language they understand.

Have to agree with the loudly speech at times. 

But I hope we are all trying not to butcher some mechanical piece of art.  We all have seen it - a poor use of vise grips and mangled stuff that once was nice.  It's sad to see on anything, but even more so on a once beautiful air gun.

I once had to wait 7 days to free up a mechanism, patiently adding a little penetrating oil everyday.  On the seventh day it loosened up enough to take it apart.

Don't force it!  Get a bigger hammer!

[avator]

 

[Rick67]

Wrote to Balistas in the Czech Rep, asking them when they will have this AA S400 in stock as they now ship to the US. I think they gave it a go, this international shipping thing, just a few months ago 

I like this one much better than the heavily discounted BSA R10 AoA is selling, but I have also been looking at that one as so so option.

I like AA's S series PCPs; very simple to work one and they're elegant 

Mundilar also sells the same AG but the stock is not walnut. More expensive in price and shipping as well.

I got a reply right away but they were asking me more questions.

I really hope to get this AG or the walnut S500 XS, which I also inquired about. You can preorder one from PA and wait 3 months; that’s too much waiting for an outright purchase, IMHO 

Not interested at all in the S410/S510 as I don’t really like magazine-fed airguns 

Update!

I got an email again from the lady at Balista's, aha!

Quite frankly , I'm tempted to flirt with her, lol, haha!

Anyway, she said the S500 XS .22 in walnut is not available (I was a bit partial to this one  ), but the one I originally asked about, the classic S400 .22 in walnut, will be in a week or two, aha!

I haven't purchased any whole airgun, just Crosman parts, since 2020, so this will be it 

I'm already having dreams about it   

Their inventory was refreshed last night, 2 of each in .177 and .22, so I was able to order one today.

Had to call my bank though; a must for offshore purchases 👍

I opted for the .177 instead of my original intention of getting the .22 because, upon reading the fine print, it’s actually a low power 16j/12FPE version, which I was planning to make it into 

Their UPS fee has dipped down to $39 from $51, nice. Doesn’t hurt to save a few $ 

I might be charged US Customs taxes though 😂

This is my first AG (not parts) purchase since 2020 🤔

[Rick67]

Wrote to Balistas in the Czech Rep, asking them when they will have this AA S400 in stock as they now ship to the US. I think they gave it a go, this international shipping thing, just a few months ago 

I like this one much better than the heavily discounted BSA R10 AoA is selling, but I have also been looking at that one as so so option.

I like AA's S series PCPs; very simple to work one and they're elegant 

Mundilar also sells the same AG but the stock is not walnut. More expensive in price and shipping as well.

I got a reply right away but they were asking me more questions.

I really hope to get this AG or the walnut S500 XS, which I also inquired about. You can preorder one from PA and wait 3 months; that’s too much waiting for an outright purchase, IMHO 

Not interested at all in the S410/S510 as I don’t really like magazine-fed airguns 

Update!

I got an email again from the lady at Balista's, aha!

Quite frankly , I'm tempted to flirt with her, lol, haha!

Anyway, she said the S500 XS .22 in walnut is not available (I was a bit partial to this one  ), but the one I originally asked about, the classic S400 .22 in walnut, will be in a week or two, aha!

I haven't purchased any whole airgun, just Crosman parts, since 2020, so this will be it 

I'm already having dreams about it   

Their inventory was refreshed last night, 2 of each in .177 and .22, so I was able to order one today.

Had to call my bank though; a must for offshore purchases 👍

I opted for the .177 instead of my original intention of getting the .22 because, upon reading the fine print, it’s actually a low power 16j/12FPE version, which I was planning to make it into 

Their UPS fee has dipped down to $39 from $51, nice. Doesn’t hurt to save a few $ 

I might be charged US Customs taxes though 😂

This is my first AG (not parts) purchase since 2020 🤔

Already have a UPS tracking number, hmm 🤔

Our European brothers seem to know how to please customers, especially overseas ones 

Now let’s see how fast it lands on US soil 👍

[Rick67]

Wrote to Balistas in the Czech Rep, asking them when they will have this AA S400 in stock as they now ship to the US. I think they gave it a go, this international shipping thing, just a few months ago 

I like this one much better than the heavily discounted BSA R10 AoA is selling, but I have also been looking at that one as so so option.

I like AA's S series PCPs; very simple to work one and they're elegant 

Mundilar also sells the same AG but the stock is not walnut. More expensive in price and shipping as well.

I got a reply right away but they were asking me more questions.

I really hope to get this AG or the walnut S500 XS, which I also inquired about. You can preorder one from PA and wait 3 months; that’s too much waiting for an outright purchase, IMHO 

Not interested at all in the S410/S510 as I don’t really like magazine-fed airguns 

Update!

I got an email again from the lady at Balista's, aha!

Quite frankly , I'm tempted to flirt with her, lol, haha!

Anyway, she said the S500 XS .22 in walnut is not available (I was a bit partial to this one  ), but the one I originally asked about, the classic S400 .22 in walnut, will be in a week or two, aha!

I haven't purchased any whole airgun, just Crosman parts, since 2020, so this will be it 

I'm already having dreams about it   

Their inventory was refreshed last night, 2 of each in .177 and .22, so I was able to order one today.

Had to call my bank though; a must for offshore purchases 👍

I opted for the .177 instead of my original intention of getting the .22 because, upon reading the fine print, it’s actually a low power 16j/12FPE version, which I was planning to make it into 

Their UPS fee has dipped down to $39 from $51, nice. Doesn’t hurt to save a few $ 

I might be charged US Customs taxes though 😂

This is my first AG (not parts) purchase since 2020 🤔

Already have a UPS tracking number, hmm 🤔

Our European brothers seem to know how to please customers, especially overseas ones 

Now let’s see how fast it lands on US soil 👍

They’re also very fast to respond when it comes to inquiries 👍

[Rick67]

Wrote to Balistas in the Czech Rep, asking them when they will have this AA S400 in stock as they now ship to the US. I think they gave it a go, this international shipping thing, just a few months ago 

I like this one much better than the heavily discounted BSA R10 AoA is selling, but I have also been looking at that one as so so option.

I like AA's S series PCPs; very simple to work one and they're elegant 

Mundilar also sells the same AG but the stock is not walnut. More expensive in price and shipping as well.

I got a reply right away but they were asking me more questions.

I really hope to get this AG or the walnut S500 XS, which I also inquired about. You can preorder one from PA and wait 3 months; that’s too much waiting for an outright purchase, IMHO 

Not interested at all in the S410/S510 as I don’t really like magazine-fed airguns 

Update!

I got an email again from the lady at Balista's, aha!

Quite frankly , I'm tempted to flirt with her, lol, haha!

Anyway, she said the S500 XS .22 in walnut is not available (I was a bit partial to this one  ), but the one I originally asked about, the classic S400 .22 in walnut, will be in a week or two, aha!

I haven't purchased any whole airgun, just Crosman parts, since 2020, so this will be it 

I'm already having dreams about it   

Their inventory was refreshed last night, 2 of each in .177 and .22, so I was able to order one today.

Had to call my bank though; a must for offshore purchases 👍

I opted for the .177 instead of my original intention of getting the .22 because, upon reading the fine print, it’s actually a low power 16j/12FPE version, which I was planning to make it into 

Their UPS fee has dipped down to $39 from $51, nice. Doesn’t hurt to save a few $ 

I might be charged US Customs taxes though 😂

This is my first AG (not parts) purchase since 2020 🤔

Already have a UPS tracking number, hmm 🤔

Our European brothers seem to know how to please customers, especially overseas ones 

Now let’s see how fast it lands on US soil 👍

They’re also very fast to respond when it comes to inquiries 👍

If it does arrive on Tuesday that’s 6 days then 

Not bad ar all 👍

[airgunaut]

Besides a slew of non-airgun errands, I looked for a Daisy Rocket Launcher at Walmart, Tractor Supply, and Big R. All in vain, even though the Big R store website for this location listed one as in stock.

The device is intended for use by two shooters, or one with a gun that can fire a second shot immediately after the first shot. I think it would still be fun with even the extra delays inherent to pumping and reloading, because if the first shot trips the paddle, then the launched empty soda can (or whatever) is still going to move to some unpredictable landing place.

If I can recock the not-yet-delivered Model 22 fast enough, shooting the can before it lands might not be out of the question. Maybe an inverted paper cone would shoot high and float down a little slower.

[Matchstickshooter]

 Checked my local shop to see if any my consignment stuff moved. not yet.
 But then I found a scope on his "make offer" table, and brought it home for the latest Daisy 880 with the hooded sight and white lettering.
Bushnell 3-9x40  crystal clear! I can see!