Attempting to accurize the no.177 " target special "

[bantam5s]

I quite like them but accuracy could be better.

Originally I had hoped to find a cheap donor pistol or spare shot tube,  but I got tired of waiting/looking and I've got guns 2 so I bit the bullet on sacrificing one of my shot tubes.
I thought about it and couldn't come up with a way to retain the repeating gravity feed, so I took the simplest route and opted for a muzzle loading single shot like the 499.

[bantam5s]

This whole thing was actually pretty simple.

1-measure the overall length of your shot tube and the position of the BB detent wire


2-  drill both ends of the barrel out of the muzzle  and base pieces with a 17/64 drill bit.

3-  cut the BB feedway off of the base leaving just the threaded end.

4- cut and crown a properly sized length of 499b barrel

5- turn down both ends of your barrel to fit into the muzzle and threaded base.

6- file in a notch for your BB retention magnet.
The sidewall is 1.5mm thick, no amount of neodymium magnets I could fit had the strength retain a BB  , so I filed in about 1.mm and got good retention with a pair of 1/4 magnets

7 - press & glue everything together.

[bantam5s]

I'll have to try to get my pictures to post tomorrow.

[bantam5s]

[bantam5s]

I temporarily super glued everything together so I could test it before proceeding, and here were my initial accuracy results.
( it does not like the match grade BB's used in the 499 )
A couple 6 shot groups before with the original barrel from about 7 feet away, standard daisy bb's.



And a 6 shot group from the same distance with the 499 barrel, same bb's


The trigger on these could be worse, but it's a bit heavy and quite thin, so it's hard to really tell just what this is gaining me.
The overall group size isn't that much less, but there was enough of a noticeable improvement for me to proceed.

For the final glue up I used JB weld, and to hopefully keep everything straight and square I have rod ( actually a Crosman 38T clearing rod ) pressed into a squarely drilled hole in a hardwood block.



Now the most surprising thing about all of this is that I gained at least 50% more velocity.
After noticing a difference I took it out back for some testing.
It is very noticeably more powerful, it has more pop and Carrie's much further.
I shot a can full of water with both of my guns and it was night and day.
This was originally the weaker of my 2 guns, and it will now cleanly penetrate one side of a pop can full of water while the stock pistol needs 2 shots in the same spot to just barely compromise the can

[bantam5s]

(Mod note from airgunaut: I deleted a photo already posted in post #4)

[bantam5s]

(Mod note: I deleted another photo already posted in #4)

[bantam5s]

Well I got it all finished, and I would have to say this modification was a complete failure.
I don't know what could be changed, but the accuracy has ended up being exactly the same as before.
It showed promise at first, but after the final glue up with JB weld dried I've been shooting more groups and there's really no difference from how it shoots with an original shot tube.

[airgunaut]

It looks like you had trouble posting the photos last night. Did you really mean to post two of them again this morning?

[bantam5s]

It looks like you had trouble posting the photos last night. Did you really mean to post two of them again this morning?

I'm not really sure what happened.
Stuff wouldn't post, then would show up later.
It was just being very slow and not working for me.

[airgunaut]

It looks like you had trouble posting the photos last night. Did you really mean to post two of them again this morning?

I'm not really sure what happened.
Stuff wouldn't post, then would show up later.
It was just being very slow and not working for me.

No sweat; I've had the same thing happen to me several times. I'll delete posts #5 and #6, then, given that they are the same photos you posted in #4 but didn't know actually showed up.

[eeler1]

The pictures are HUGE when I look at this thread, maybe try reducing them before posting next time.

I think the name 'target special' was just marketing, it really isn't all that accurate.  Still, it was a good effort.  Not a wasted effort either, as you always get something out of the experience.  If it still shoots harder, I'd say that part was successful, even if unintentional.

[bantam5s]

The pictures are HUGE when I look at this thread, maybe try reducing them before posting next time.

I think the name 'target special' was just marketing, it really isn't all that accurate.  Still, it was a good effort.  Not a wasted effort either, as you always get something out of the experience.  If it still shoots harder, I'd say that part was successful, even if unintentional.

Absolutely.
I didn't decrease the accuracy at all ,and now one of my pistols or really whichever I choose to use this shot tube with is now a little more appropriate for outdoor shooting.
I will still be on the lookout for a donor pistol or spare shot tube to though, and this modified shot tube will just be something I use occasionally.
This shot tube could be a good one to use in a no.118 Targeteer if I can ever find one in good condition for the right price.