CMP Rebuilt Daisy 853 Break In

[Random Plinker]

So FedEx delivered a very well used, but rebuilt, CMP Daisy 853 single stroke pneumatic to my door yesterday.  What is the first thing I did?  Why shoot it of course!  Two very disappointing 5 shot groups at 10 meters.  We're talking ~1" to 1.5", vertically strung, and shot seated, not standing.  The wadcutters weren't doing much in the way of cutting clean holes either.

So today, I broke out the Chrony.  Put 3 shots over it with 7gr RWS Basics: 478, 465 and 432 fps.  Not good.

I had assumed rebuilt meant "oiled" too, but I added some Pellgun Oil to the felt ring at this point and saturated it well.  It seemed thirsty and the seal rings didn't look wet with oil at all until after I added it.

Ahhhh:  483, 507.8, 526, 504.4, 521.4, 532.3, 526.8, 510.5, 521.4, 510.3, 554.2 (!), 555.3 (!), 541.2, 549.8, 522.3, 533.4, 547.1, 530.7, 507.8, 526.5.  Seems to be settling out somewhere around 530 fps +/- 15 fps.  Not too bad I guess.

Lesson learned.  Don't assume the felt was oiled if you get one of these.  I'll go for some targets tommorow and see if things improve.

Hope the 11 or so shots I took "dry" didn't damage the seals?  Is it typical for these to need a break in?  I was hoping for better consistency.  No point in a project to work on the trigger if the shooting doesn't settle down.

[northern lights]

I love my 850 an also have the 900 an the 850 on the way. my 850 is super accurate an loves tech force domes having lots of pellet to try will help with accuraccy an having the gun settle down will help. the 900 takes the small self indexing clip or single shot an the 850 will shoot bb,s or pellets. I bought the 850 hoping it,s a good bb-shooter cause my 900 is very accurate with bb,s out to 15 yd,s but don,t what to ruin the rifling an it does have a magnut to hold bb,s. so hoping the 850 will be a hot bb-shooter. I meant to say 853 for first gun. The 853 usally ain,t to pellet fussy but having different pellets to try does help alot some times. Enjoy the cmp daisy are a great deal

[Random Plinker]

Looking forward to learning it.  Thanks for the encouragement.  Now that its oiled up, I'll give it some plinking time before I get too serious about grouping with it.  I love how quiet it is.  MY QB78's  give quite a pop indoors, but the 853 just a nice psst!  No ear plugs required with the 853.

[White Eagle]

I just purchased a couple of the 853's this week, also CMP rebuilds, but I got them from someone who ordered several from CMP.  I am thrilled with these rifles.  I didn't have the issues you did, but I think you hit on the solution by making sure the felt is saturated.  The top two targets shown here were shot from one rifle with two different pellets, and the bottom target was shot from the other rifle.  They both shoot better than I can hold them.  I will crony them soon, but they seem to be extremely consistent, based on the groups.  The triggers are a little heavy, but not horrible.  Someday, I might do a trigger job on them, but for now, I'm just having a blast with them!  Yours should settle in, but I found they grouped much tighter after I cleaned the barrels.  Anyhow, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I am mine!

[ac12]

RP
Congrats on the 853.
I shoot my 953 with ear plugs.  It makes it easier for me to concentrate on shooting w/o hearing the report of the rifle.

I never thought of checking the felt seal.
Maybe I should oil mine.

[VAFarmer]

this is a great gun, parts are cheap....so are rebuild kits.

break the gun down and clean all internals thoroughly, I also smooth out all spring ends. Polish the sears, and that can suffice for a decent trigger break weight, but does nothing for the long pull.

they are not hammers, but excellent guns for 10-15 yd pest bird control, especially in a city setting.   all laws still need to be heeded.

quiet, and low powered enough to shoot indoors.   Light pellets will produce a little bit faster shot, but mid to heavies buck the breeze a little better and trust me....any small breeze can throw them off at this speed.

with a smoothed out trigger, this is a great gun to teach folks with.

with a little 4x scope, they are great "bee snipers' out to 20 yds, and with the scope it almost feels like cheating.

God bless,

Farmer

[Random Plinker]

Thanks all.  After some lubrication, consistency has improved and the pellet holes are touching at 10 meters (seated position).  This one will make a great tinkering rifle.  As time permits, I'll go through the tear down and rebuild process, and give the stock a less porous finish.  It seems to like HN Sport Wads a little better than the RWS Basics I started with.  This is my first set of aperture sights.  I now have a full appreciation for that "wobble" ac12 keeps describing.  Good stuff.  Nice addition to the collection.

[Lee4019]

My CMP 853 had the 753 Monte Carlo stock and trigger job already done. I did notice that after 500 rounds, my groups started shrinking from .220 to about .10 and even some 1 hole screamers with beeman H&N match pellets, off a benchrest. I did a humongous pellet test and found out any midgrade $8 or more, wadcutter pellet will shoot very tight groups.

I oiled mine up after I quit hearing that "swoosh" sound at the top of the cocking stroke. It took a few pellets to tighten up the groups, but it's back to normal. Heck of a rifle for $115 delivered.

[lillysdad621]

I love the 853 series rifles, but I was able to get an 888 this summer and i am a convert to CO2... i get 94 shots + - 3fps at 510 with hobbies, and from a rest they print a little ragged hole... i love this rifles... great for minisniping with optics... also the co2 gun seems to balance a bit better due to a heavier front... IMHO

[Bullit]

I noticed that Northern Lights posted using the Tech Force pellets in his.   I thought I'd add that the local ROTCs and kids shoots were supplied the TF brand wadcutters, and they shoot really well in the 853.   Of course, those kids are pretty good shots...too...  Worth a look for a cheaper 10m pellet.
   Mike

[lillysdad621]

yep, i have shot them and they are really consistent out of several rifles, including the R7. But my favorite wadcutter is the crosman flatties... good weight, decent quality and cuts really neat holes

[ac12]

LD
You are right about not having to charge the rifle with air, that makes it easier to shoot.  This is especially so if you shoot 3P, where you don't have to break position with a co2 rifle.  Sorta like a springer vs. a PCP/CA gun.  But you are tied to a co2 tank or cartridge.  I like the 953/853 because I don't have to deal with the logistics of co2, and it is a LOT cheaper than a 887.  That makes it easier when dealing with new shooters and the question of "what rifle should I buy?"
I recommend either a 953 or a CMP 853 with a red dot sight.

It is easier, for me, to shoot with a muzzle heavy rifle.  The muzzle heavy balance (balance point forward of my support hand) dampens out my wobble more than a rifle where the balance point is on or rear of my support hand.  Another barrel weight would shift the balance forward on any of the x53 rifles.  Or wind some lead solder around the barrel, up next to the barrel weight.

My 953 isn't picky about pellets.  If the pellet is not damaged, they all seem to shoot well at 10m.  I use the inexpensive Daisy or Crosman wadcutters that I bought from Pyramid in a bulk order. 

[lillysdad621]

the 953 is THE rifle everyone should own... You cant get a more accurate and inexpensive rifle anywhere. I love mine and it wore a Bug buster 6x32 for the longest time. Sparrows and starlings should call that little "black rifle" the plague...
As per the 888, i had a 853 and even if its only a single pump i found that the velocity would vary more depending how you "pumped' the gun... fast pump/ higher fps... slow pump... slower shot... pump and a half??? (dont do it... it ruins the gun) faster still. The 888 i fill with a 20 oz co2 bottle and a female to female screw on valve... consistent and at full fill (check the weight) you can get 100 shots no problem... that is a lot of little clusters in paper... and the 888 has the rail underneath... so you can mount weights, slings, etc...
But i like shooting this one with the peep sight...

[ac12]

LD
You are putting that bug in me....to get an 887.
But, I have a TAU-200, that should be good enough for co2.

[lillysdad621]

oh yeah... the Tau... so nice! for anyone who is reading this also consider the AR2078 or 79 A or B... chinese made but with a little love are excellent performers... and if you want a 88x rifle i might let mine go...

[Random Plinker]

Problem with those QB 2078's is the beautiful target stocks they come with are backwards for the left handed, left eyed plinkers of the world!  For the other 80% of you, you lucky dogs!  Now a backwards bolt, well, I can put up with that.  I really enjoy shooting my QB78D.

However, there is something aluring about the Daisy.  I can let a few shots fly, and stop.  With the CO2, I have this compulsion to finish off ~30 shots or so per 12g cartridge.  The Daisy 853 is a little quiter, a little lighter, and a little shorter on pull length to start new shooters out with.

I think the QB is the better all around shooting experience so far, but variety is the spice of life, and my opinion will probably shift with the wind.

[LAairguns]

Interested in the CMP rebuild 853.  A quick question about CMP that I am not really clear on, if I bought an M1 rifle from CMP about 5 years ago, would the information sent previously still be valid, or would I have to resubmit information ( more specifically the rifle club membership info)?

[ac12]

RP
Try adding some extra weight on the 853.  The extra weight will help to stabilize it better in the standing position.  I've seen pix of shooters with lead solder wound around the barrel.  And I think you can drill a couple holes in the butt and fill the holes w lead shot.

LA
I don't think the 853 is subject to the same club membership rules as the other rifles.