BB Gun of the day.

[avator]

Betty Lou and I spend alot of time outside around the house. We are either doing yardwork or just sitting around the fire pit enjoying a cold one. I pretty much always have a BB Gun close by for plinking cans and targets of opportunity around the fire pit. While working, I like shooting during breaks.
I have a mess of BB Guns that I only shoot pellets with, some that shoot both pellets and BBs and some for just BBs.
I grab every plastic fantastic BB Gun I find at yard sales and pawnshops that I can get my hands on. I shoot them until I find a kid whose parents don't mind me gifting it to them. I think I have gifted more than a dozen of these type guns to kids and spent time teaching them to shoot them and safety.
Betty Lou and I have been out shopping and we've heard little voices yelling "Hey, Mr. Bill". We turn around to see one of these kids and all they want to talk about is their new BB gun.
You can't buy that kind of feeling.

[avator]

Today we'll be working in the front yard and the BB Gun of choice will be a PowerMaster 66 that I rescued from a pawnshop that was going out of business. I paid $20 and it has worked flawlessly since.
It's sporting the UTG 4x32 wide angle scope. I don't normally scope one of these plastic BB Guns but this one shoots BBs or pellets with the 5 shot sliding clip.

[avator]

Yradwork got put on hold because Betty Lou wanted to hang out clothes. It's windy and any dirt we stir up would blow into the clothes. So I took the PwrMstr 66 for a walk down the woods trail. I was shooting at stuff floating in the swamp pond. Pretty accurate for that type shooting... Lots of fun.

[Back_Roads]

 Fun times, I do similar when working in the yard, as I hate saying, " the things you see when you don't have a gun" and a simple multi pump or CO2 if warm enough is all that is usually needed.
 Oh and I have one of them scopes also, very good match for such shooters.

[longislandhunter]

that's really nice that  you gift them to local kids 

I think every kid always remembers their first BB gun....... I  know I do 

Jeff

[avator]

I woke up this morning with a BB gun on my mind that has spent more than a couple years in the "things to do" pile. It's one of those transitional plastic fantastic 760s where Crosman still used brass valves and the plastic was, at least, a hard resin (or whatever). This one is most likely a smooth bore.
So with coffee and vape in hand I made my way out to the shop at 5:00 am. I turned on the recorded F1 season opener practice rounds from Bahrain and dug in.
This one was blowing every stroke of air right out the barrel. I did the alcohol flush and let it sit for a few days but no joy. At least I new the pump cup was good. I pulled the valve and cracked it open. Cleaned everything up with alcohol and Balistol. Then I replaced the valve nose o-ring because the valve just kinda slid out of the tube.
I put the valve back in a used a drift punch to hold the piston and linkage and gave it a few pumps... no joy again.
I knew at this point it was the poppet.
I scraped the old poppet seal out and replaced it with an o-ring. Badda Bing...
Next was to clean the rusty barrel up with Balistol and steel wool. I didn't want to go too far so I left some patina.
I must admit, the trigger gave me fits.. at one point I thought I lost a pivot pin and was all set up to cut a drill bit shank when I spotted the pin in an open tin of pellets..   
Got it all back together, loaded up some BBs, shook the BB mag full and clicked the gate closed. I racked a BB in, closed the bolt, gave it three pumps and sent a BB ricocheting around the shop walls.
With the rain forecasted for the entire day, this one will be BB Gun of the day... tomorrow.

Someday this gun will also be some kid's first BB Gun.

[longislandhunter]

My best friend when I was young had a  760 and I had a  Sheridan Blue Streak.  Can't tell you how many starlings he popped with that little 760, it was a great pesting gun 

Wow, that pic really brings back  memories for me 

Jeff

[avator]

I have another one that has the 5 pellet clip and rifled barrel. It will make an up and coming BB Gun of the day soon.

[SpringerGuy]

Bill

ssssch! Do not tell anyone but you are a good guy. 

Heart warming and the kids may develop a love for shooting.  Airguns have bought me much joy and hours of enjoyment, and many freinds too.  A really great hobby!

Randy

[avator]

Randy...
I was fortunate enough to grow up in rural and country settings in times when we didn't have all these modern distractings that kids today have. We had bicycles, wagons, a fishing pole and BB guns. Mom and Dad both had full time factory jobs. Everyday I would get off the school bus, grab my BB gun and jump on my bicycle. I would join up with another kid or 2 from down the road and we would head to the woods. Or we would hook up at one backyard or another where we all had our shooting areas set up. Anything and everything became a potential target. Nothing else going on in the world mattered to us.
Fishing, hunting and just shooting the PB guns with my dad and older Brother are memeories I will take to the grave.
I once met and dated a woman that had a 13 year old boy that had never been fishing or shot a gun of any kind in his life. I didn't get that at all.. I think I spent more time with that kid than I did with his Mom. I bought a jon boat, fishing poles, a tent and BB guns. It was like that kid came out of his shell. It was awesome.

[avator]

Looks like it might be another rainy day today. Thinking about gathering up the rest of the BB guns around here and make sure they are all in BB gun of the day condition.

[SpringerGuy]

Bill

I am lucky to have born on a farm in 1962.  BB guns, bikes, and playing baseball, I had charmed life as a boy.  The Crosman 760 was my 1st bb gun. I bought it when I returned to America in 1975 from Scotland. (Father Naval Officer) great memories.   My 1st pellet rifle was a Diana 23 (Milbro).  Oh how I cherished that little rifle and the endless hours of fun shooting. 

I was given a Winchester model 290 lever action 22LR when I was 6 years old.  Airguns came into my life because Scotland resticted powder burners rifles.  My dad worked as a Winchester salesman the 60s so guns were a big part of my family life. Airguns are great.  Wish I had your fixing skills. 

Randy

[avator]

Bill

I am lucky to have born on a farm in 1962.  BB guns, bikes, and playing baseball, I had charmed life as a boy.  The Crosman 760 was my 1st bb gun. I bought it when I returned to America in 1975 from Scotland. (Father Naval Officer) great memories.   My 1st pellet rifle was a Diana 23 (Milbro).  Oh how I cherished that little rifle and the endless hours of fun shooting. 

I was given a Winchester model 290 lever action 22LR when I was 6 years old.  Airguns came into my life because Scotland resticted powder burners rifles.  My dad worked as a Winchester salesman the 60s so guns were a big part of my family life. Airguns are great.  Wish I had your fixing skills. 

Randy

Randy... basically it's just orings and seals.

[l8p]

 Like a lot of kids in the 60's me and my brother had .22's. Target rich environment in the country, where my aunts and uncles lived. It wasn't till later that I got an 1894. Lost to time.
   Now that I have some spare time I got the Daisy bug, promoted by Youtube's RestoMod Daisy. I don't know but I'm really enjoying the simplicity.

[anti-squirrel]

I've rebarrelled and gifted a number of 760 pumpers, ranging from old mid-80s models to the latest borderline garbage plastic monstrosity 760s put out by whatever business owns Crosman now.  I know the kids that get them will still shoot BBs and whatever else goes down the barrel, but the rifling is tough enough to handle some abuse and still retain enough accuracy for light-duty pesting when coupled with cheap pellets at shorter ranges.  Of course, the main thing with the plastic fantastics is having fun- and they deliver that by the bucket!

When it comes down to it, a cheap BB gun beats no BB gun.  and while we're still in a state of flux as we clean, consolidate, and purge stuff from our move, the cheaper airguns are seeing a good bit of use right now as a way to chase cans, pop a few flies, and generally make our spinners feel loved.

Also- Randy, Bill is on point.  There's YouTube videos for fixing just about everything.  Some basic handtools, a pack of O-rings, and some patience can get you well along your way to fixing many airguns.

Side note- shortly after being born in Portsmouth VA, my father was stationed back in Scotland (2nd tour there, my sister was born there his first); we moved back to the US in 1973, then 3 years in CT, then down to VA for the remaining duration of his 26 years. 

[Methuselah]

I knew at this point it was the poppet.
I scraped the old poppet seal out and replaced it with an o-ring. Badda Bing...

...

Someday this gun will also be some kid's first BB Gun.

I did the same, but it only held up for about a week. I'm thinking maybe a few washers under the o-ring and try again but I may also have to polish the brass seat area?

Ditto on kids first bb gun though, this one goes to a guy at work for his 7 year old son when I get it to stay working.

[SpringerGuy]

Hey Peter,

My family spend two tours of duty in Scotland.  You departed in Scotland in 73' so we were there at the same time.  We lived in Officer housing in Sandbank 1970 - 74'.  My brother and I hung out at the YMCA shooting pool.  We were kids I was in the 6th grade.  How old were you in 1973 Peter?  Take care bro good memories.

Randy

[anti-squirrel]

Hey Peter,

My family spend two tours of duty in Scotland.  You departed in Scotland in 73' so we were there at the same time.  We lived in Officer housing in Sandbank 1970 - 74'.  My brother and I hung out at the YMCA shooting pool.  We were kids I was in the 6th grade.  How old were you in 1973 Peter?  Take care bro good memories.

Randy

I was born in '69 in Portsmouth VA- less than 6 weeks later my dad received new orders to head back to Scotland (my sister was born there his first tour).  So- from shortly after birth until I was 4.  I was born with pretty bad club feet.  Doctors in the US wanted to do surgery that would have left me a borderline cripple.  The UK doctors took one look, fitted me for braces and reshaped my feet and ankles.  Shortly after my 3rd birthday, and pretty much my very first memories, are me trying running for the first time.  I recall running along the rocky beach of the Holy Loch, running around Dunoon with my folks chasing me, and sitting on my dad's shoulders watching the Pass in Review of the Clans at the Highland Games in Edinburgh.  We moved back to the US- to Groton CT- before my 5th birthday.  Once those braces were off, I ran everywhere.  Walking was too darn slow!

We lived with a beekeeper (I referred to him as Uncle Bog) in Claddyhouse on the outskirts of Dunoon.  IIRC, my father was in walking distance of the Canopus (or maybe the Hunley?).  His XO, a Commander Buzzard, had a son who- many years later in 1999- I befriended when a chance conversation with an employee at CompUSA revealed we knew each other and had common history.  Oddly enough, I befriended another employee at CompUSA back then- and that 2nd person is now my boss at the software company I work for.  His father was ALSO stationed in Scotland i the early 60s, but then shifted to West Pacific operations and married a lady from American Samoa.  We all have commonality with Scotland (considering we all have Scottish and Irish heritage) and CompUSA.  Kinda weird.

[avator]

I also lived in Groton for a short time. My brother was at the sub base and his wife have major back surgery. I was laid off from my job in Seattle and they needed help with their 3 small children. Te Navy moved me to Ct and put us in off base officer's housing. When that deal expired I went to work for Ruby Vine's Railroad Salvage stores. I ended up climbing the ranks with Mr. Vine and traveled throughout his stores opening new stores, closing old stores and setting up the carpet departments. I did that for about 8 years.
Small world.
Brother was an OM on the USS Orion (sub tender) and retired after 20 years of service.

[anti-squirrel]

The older I get, the smaller this world seems.  Connections everywhere...

Pretty darn cool, especially with all being airgunners