Need help :)

[Cliffhanger]

Leila,

If you haven't already, cram that box full with junkmail, phonebooks, newspapers, things like that.  This will keep the pellets inside the box, so they stay there, instead of whizzing right through it.

Try to keep the power level down to just 3-4 pumps on that for now, until you get the sights adjusted, and start hitting the target consistently.  The 1377, if it has iron sights, you can adjust up or down, and left to right to get the pellet on target. Small screw on the back is for elevation, and the large screw that looks like it only holds the site on the tube is the left/right adjustment, as that hole is slotted somewhat.  Simply loosen a tiny bit, and it should move.

Yes, get safety glasses..  Try them on if you can, as many are uncomfortable.  Home Depot, etc. have several kinds, and gun stores will raise the prices on things like that, so it pays to look around.  Your target already shot back once!   

Stephen

[althawk]

2nd the used phonebooks.  
You remember seeing all those free newspapers at the entrances to restaurants and grocery stores? Next time you're out on the town, grab a stack.

Agree with Cliffhanger, ya don't really have to pump a 1377 all the way up.

When we say safety glasses, we don't mean those ones you used in chemistry or biology.
Think we can ALL agree those safety goggles were annoying. (see the 1st pic)

You want polycarbonate something or other... hard lenses. Quite a few of the newer ones have uv coating. I think i saw somewhere some fancy ones online that looked like sunglasses and could be used as such in a pinch.

http://www.coopersafety.com/safetyglasses.aspx

These are the ones crosman and others sell cheap, only this is cheaper (if you ignore s/h):
http://www.coopersafety.com/product/aosafety-virtua-safety-glasses-1185.aspx

[Bullit]

Leila, welcome to the GTA.  I just want to add that you can legally have any speed .177 cal in IL, (yes, over 700fps is fine) just not a .22 without a FOID card here in IL.  
Stephen

Stephen, Leila, and Illinois GTA Members:
Here is the Illinois State definition of a firearm, provided by the I.S.P.   It is quite clear on the .177 & 700 fps issue.  Stephen, you have to take notice of the 700FPS maximum.

What is the definition of a firearm according to the FOID Act?
"Firearm" means any device, by whatever name known, which is designed to expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of an explosion, expansion of gas or escape of gas; excluding however:
(1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun or B-B gun which either expels a single globular projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter and which has a maximum muzzle velocity of less than 700 feet per second or breakable paint balls containing washable marking colors;
(2) any device used exclusively for signalling or safety and required or recommended by the United States Coast Guard or the Interstate Commerce Commission;
(3) any device used exclusively for the firing of stud cartridges, explosive rivets or similar industrial ammunition; and
(4) an antique firearm (other than a machine-gun) which, although designed as a weapon, the Department of State Police finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.

If it is FASTER than 700fps, in the .177 size,,,then it IS a firearm.  The owner must possess or get a FOID.  Also the firearm must be registered with the I.S.P.     Let's make sure our posts are accurate for everyone.

Here's the Illinois State Police Link concerning FOID questions:
http://www.isp.state.il.us/foid/firearmsfaq.cfm

[althawk]

.177, under 700 fps at the muzzle?

With light weight pellets, isn't that fairly easy with even a crosman 2100?

Had not realized it was so bad in Illinois.

Does canada have 495 fps limit or an fpe limit (like britain/germany)?

If 700 fps is your max, you might have to get an underpowered, canadian version of an airgun.

Is the R7 safe for use in illinois?

https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2010/09/the-beeman-r7-part-2/

RWS Hobby, 7.0 gr was getting "spread went from 661 to 687"
A second chronograph of the same gun, same pellets gave a spread of "649 to 666 fps"
I would imagine it'd be easy to break 700fps with those 5.4gr Gamo Raptors.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-raptor-pba-177-cal-5-4-grains-round-nose-100ct?p=399

[Lambchops]

Sounds like the Crosman 1377 is right up your alley then

[dpricenator]

That 1377, with a stock a new barrel, a muzzle brake for recoil, and a scope and you'll be safely killing birds inno time.

[Lambchops]

Recoil? Muzzlebreak? What do you think this is, a Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum? Lol

[althawk]

Well considering the 700 fps limit...

I'll reconsider the Daisy 850/853/753/953 platform that kymike and others recommend highly.

Even with a mediocre 4x15 crosman scope I was able to get the below with crosman premier hollow points on the Daisy 850, over 10 shots.
With a better scope, better pellets I should be able to tighten the grouping up even more (pennies vs quarters).
Should be able to reliably get head/neck shots on starlings at 10m with any of these, since they are essentially the same (the 853/753 have better barrels, are they worth the cost for pesting? no). Just get a better scope then what i used. This things annoying to look thru.
Plus as others have said, its quiet.  I was expecting p17 quiet, but this things quieter.  

The 1377 you have is under 700fps. So you're good to go there.

There is a carbine version sold in Canada, 1389 Backpacker (the .22 version is  2289).
Its at I believe 495 fps limit.
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews89778.html

You could convert your $10 1377 into a 1389...
Just need a longer crosman barrel, 1399 shoulder stock, 1389 pump arm (or stick with the 1377 pumparm), maybe a crosman steel breech.

http://www.crosman.com/gear/custom

There u can see the shoulder stock and steel breeches.
Theres currently a 15% off online coupon code in the bargain gate.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,18274.0.html

[dpricenator]

Recoil? Muzzlebreak? What do you think this is, a Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum? Lol

Not at all, but if youaim at my faceand hit me in the belly with the S&W you still kill me.  With a pellet on a 3 inch bird, you better be on target.  They make brakes for a reason and it's not just becausethey look cool.  Certainly not nessesary, but it'll help, especially with a slightly longer barrel and a stock.    

[althawk]

Its always funny to me how much more then the gun the normal mods are for the 1377.
Kind of why I've given up on mine.
Its a great gun, modular... just for specific tasks there are better.

Now the 1322 when it finally comes back this fall... If its priced near the current 1377, i'll probably pick one up plus a shoulder stock. Unless crosman re-releases the 2289 in the U.S. *drooL*(no fps limited version).

[Smaug]

I've got a Daisy 953. It chonos at around 400 fps. That might be marginal for birds by the time they're 10 yards away or further. I googled it up before buying mine and found a post in a New Zealand airgun forum and one bloke said it was pretty good for birds at short range, so maybe it'd be OK! It's a really great little gun for target shooting, even if it doesen't pan out as a pest killer.

The 1377 is a great little gun too. I think Leila should invest the $25 or whatever and get a shoulder stock for it right away. Be aware that to properly mount a scope on it requires that a steel breech be ordered from Crosman, and they're out of stock quite often...  Also, this is a 500 fps gun with real world pellets. (despite Crosman's marketing claim of 600 fps) Skenco's 4 gr. pellets work pretty well and I believe are over 600 fps from this. But then it requires 10 pumps to get to that level. I don't know if Leila's up for that. She'd have to sight in at one range for 10 pumps and bird shooting, and 3-5 pumps for target shooting. Don't get me wrong, I like mine, but all that pumping can get old in a hurry.

The Crosman 2100 is a neat little gun, but again with all that pumping. 3 pumps for target shooting at close range isn't bad. But they'll shoot about the same with 3 pumps as the Daisy 953 with it's single pump. They may not be easy to find in IL, since they're advertised as a 725 fps gun. Too bad, because realistically, they're not that fast.

Some is selling a pair of scoped Crosman 1077s in the Classifieds right now; one of those might be perfect, if Leila doesn't mind buying CO2. I think they shoot around 600 fps, right?

I think we're probably over-analyzing things now. (as usual, hehehe)

Leila and I are going to meet up at the local airgun range and she can try my rifles in a couple of weeks. Maybe she can hold off buying any more guns (it's hard, I know!) until she tries out a few rifles in the different categories at the range. I bet she's going to LOVE the 953.

[althawk]

Yeah I would imagine she is gonna love it.

Have you taken the plastic stock off yet and seen the assembly in its entirety?
Did that on my 850... was very impressed (open mouthed shock). Daisy needs to bring that kinda engineering, quality control back to their other airguns.

Its like eating at Fuddruckers when all you've ever had for a burger joint is a White Castle.

About the only con with respect to design in a 953 is that flat hand grip in the stock. Why is it like that?

[lizzie]

Leila and I are going to meet up at the local airgun range and she can try my rifles in a couple of weeks. Maybe she can hold off buying any more guns (it's hard, I know!) until she tries out a few rifles in the different categories at the range. I bet she's going to LOVE the 953.

That is soooo cool!
leila is my buddy from one of the purple martins, and I think it's great of you to take her under your wing. Kudos to you Jeremy.

[leila]

The 1377 you have is under 700fps. So you're good to go there.

You could convert your $10 1377 into a 1389...
Just need a longer crosman barrel, 1399 shoulder stock, 1389 pump arm (or stick with the 1377 pumparm), maybe a crosman steel breech.

http://www.crosman.com/gear/custom

That looks nice! Thank you for the idea... I think like it!

[leila]

Its always funny to me how much more then the gun the normal mods are for the 1377.
Kind of why I've given up on mine.
Its a great gun, modular... just for specific tasks there are better.

Now the 1322 when it finally comes back this fall... If its priced near the current 1377, i'll probably pick one up plus a shoulder stock. Unless crosman re-releases the 2289 in the U.S. *drooL*(no fps limited version).

I wonder why they no longer offer 2289?

[leila]

The 1377 is a great little gun too. I think Leila should invest the $25 or whatever and get a shoulder stock for it right away. Be aware that to properly mount a scope on it requires that a steel breech be ordered from Crosman, and they're out of stock quite often... 

Sounds good to me!

Also, this is a 500 fps gun with real world pellets. (despite Crosman's marketing claim of 600 fps) Skenco's 4 gr. pellets work pretty well and I believe are over 600 fps from this. But then it requires 10 pumps to get to that level. I don't know if Leila's up for that. She'd have to sight in at one range for 10 pumps and bird shooting, and 3-5 pumps for target shooting. Don't get me wrong, I like mine, but all that pumping can get old in a hurry.

Since I have a such limitations on what type of air gun I can own due to my residence, my idea is to have many air rifles, have them all ready pumped up and then shoot when the birds show up, usualy very early in the morning! Unless that is too silly, and I don't know what I'm talking about...

Some is selling a pair of scoped Crosman 1077s in the Classifieds right now; one of those might be perfect, if Leila doesn't mind buying CO2. I think they shoot around 600 fps, right?

I don't know anything about CO2 I'll try library...

 

Leila and I are going to meet up at the local airgun range and she can try my rifles in a couple of weeks. Maybe she can hold off buying any more guns (it's hard, I know!) until she tries out a few rifles in the different categories at the range. I bet she's going to LOVE the 953.

It's not just hard, it's super hard ok..., but I know I totally should wait, even though I want to have an air rifle collection right now, I should not go crazy and buy every available of the Craig's list no matter how reasonable the price is! 

Before I joined this forum, anyone could have convinced to buy just about any type of air rifle. But just a few days on this forum and already it would not be that easy. So, thanks everyone!!!

[leila]

Leila and I are going to meet up at the local airgun range and she can try my rifles in a couple of weeks. Maybe she can hold off buying any more guns (it's hard, I know!) until she tries out a few rifles in the different categories at the range. I bet she's going to LOVE the 953.

That is soooo cool!
leila is my buddy from one of the purple martins, and I think it's great of you to take her under your wing. Kudos to you Jeremy.

I know! I really lucked out to find someone nearby in the same state and be able to test the rifles. But you did actually tell me this part, that everyone here is pretty amazing and always willing to help.

[lizzie]

I know! I really lucked out to find someone nearby in the same state and be able to test the rifles. But you did actually tell me this part, that everyone here is pretty amazing and always willing to help.

Yes ma'am- this is a good place to be.

[leila]

If you haven't already, cram that box full with junkmail, phonebooks, newspapers, things like that.  This will keep the pellets inside the box, so they stay there, instead of whizzing right through it.

Try to keep the power level down to just 3-4 pumps on that for now, until you get the sights adjusted, and start hitting the target consistently.  The 1377, if it has iron sights, you can adjust up or down, and left to right to get the pellet on target. Small screw on the back is for elevation, and the large screw that looks like it only holds the site on the tube is the left/right adjustment, as that hole is slotted somewhat.  Simply loosen a tiny bit, and it should move.


Stephen

Stephen,

Thank you for the tip about filling up the box, I get so much junk mail and all kinds of catalogs, now all that junk can be actually useful to me.
And I did noticed the screw in the back, when the guy was selling it to me he told me that everything should be in a line and the middle part that what should  focus on the target, he never told me about moving it, maybe I'll play with it and if I can't get it then I'll just put it back the way it is now.

[althawk]

Ahh gosh... Co2 guns...

one word: seals. (no not the endangered baby seals)
two words: weather dependent (work well in warm weather, not well in winter)
youtube:
three words: buy co2 (carbon dioxide).

Pistols---------
Crosman 2240 (best value co2 pistol, .22 cal., single shot)


Benjamin EB22 ( c02 pistol, .22 cal., single-shot)
what not to do with an air gun...
 
don't shoot glass... should be obvious why.

Crosman 357 (repeater, c02 pistol, .177 cal, 10x shots per clip)


Theres alot of co2 pistols, some are bb only, some are bb/pellet smooth bore, some are bb/pellet rifled bore... Daisy and Gamo make some models that are ok, but i can't remember which model #'s are the good ones.

Rifles-----------
Crosman 160 & its clone QB78/TF78:
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/tech-force-tf78-gold-series-air-rifle?m=2324


Crosman 1077 (repeater, c02 rifle, .177 cal., 12 shot clip)
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-1077-air-rifle?m=204