Bam B-50

[Gary]

Does anyone here have any experience with this rifle? MM has them listed on his site on sale for $ 239.00.
Gary

[daved]

What John said, and at that price, it's a deal.  Be prepared to do a fair amount of tweaking, they invariably need some fine tuning and general smoothing right out of the box.  There's a document call "The Book" that's a collection of tuning tips and tricks for the BAM B50/51.  If you want a copy, email me and I'll send you one.  BTW, the B51 stock is a much better fit for the average human than the B50 IMO, and the thumbhole just looks cool :-).  Easy rifle to work on, and they can make good power and be very accurate.  If you're not comfortable working on them yourself, you can always contact Big Ed, he's the BAM tune meister: http://www.bigedmachining.com/  Later.

Dave

[Jay]

Now you have me looking at it Gary!! What do you need to fill one of these, adapter/fitting wise. An how big of a pain to use a pump like the Hill till I get my tank's in.

[Gary]

Not sure on the fill but I think it is a qd like what you have for the Prod. These were a hot item a few years ago but got kicked to the bottom of the gota have list due to the Disco and others. It seems to be a good buy I'm pulling a Darryl and kicking tires.
Gary

[Jay]

Thank's John. The gun is looking better since it has the same fill port as the Crosman's. An run's the same price as a Disco right now.

[jonnnyboy]

John, the Best site has the b50 listed at 8.00lbs in weight. Does that seem right to you?  The Marauder is listed by PA at 7.5lbs and I was wondering if it does seem to weigh more than the Marauder.  I'm looking to go lighter and not heavier.

joe

[eddielee70]

B50 is a single loader also.   I would get a refurb marauder .177 or .22 for $320 shipped.  best of the year.  http://www.crosman.com/blogs/croswords/?p=1119

[Ribbonstone]

It is a heavy rifle.  They didn’t cut corners with this one, its made solid and from steel.The only plastic used is in the seals/o-rings;  only a few parts aren’t made of machined steel .

A good bit of the weight comes from the main units.  Breech is large, mostly solid, steel rectangle and the air tube is  an unusually thick tube of steel (kind of over kill on the gas tube, it’s way thicker than needed,).

Very solid rifle, but no light weight and not a repeater (and no readily available conversions).




Here is an older post, shortened up a bit, from another forum:
MUST DOWN LOAD: It’s a long download, so save it to a file (or to your start up screen).  It’s going to be your best friend if you decide to go inside the rifle.
http://www.klickcue.com/air_rifle/b50_51/technical_details_for_adjusting_the_bam_b50_51.pdf





Probably bought as a “Combo-Special” with the scope.  The Chinese made 3-9 and one piece mount is serviceable.  May not be the best choice for a recoiling springer, but it holds zero, adjusts consistently, and is sharp and clear (but a little dim compared to higher $ glass).

ODD FEATURES:
At least to today’s airgunners. That odd shaped brass thing at the rear is how you cock it; works like a bolt handle: turn it sideways to unlock, pull it straight to the rear.

WHAT TO EXPECT AS ISSUED:

GOOD STUFF:
The blue on this example is the best of the cheap PCP’s .  In fact, the polish and blue is better than several guns costing  2 or 3X as much.

It is fast.  Perhaps too fast.  Won’t quite get the advertized 1000fps with standard weight .22 pellets, but it’s decently close.  Not going to get a long shot count as issued, but are going to see numbers (in .22) in the 960-980fps range with 14-14.3gr. pellets ( a bit over 30 foot pounds) and 865-875 with 18 – 21gr. pellets (call that 34 foot pounds).

Test gun in .22, but reports of the .177 put a stock gun getting a little bit MORE than 1000fps with heavier weight (10gr.) pellets (call it 20-23 foot pounds).

Can be adjusted to deliver a bit more energy or considerably less.

Trigger is adjustable by way of the supplied adjustment screws for a decent pull.

BAD STUFF:
It’s loud.  There is a “brake” on the end of the barrel, but it’s mostly cosmetic.

It’s a bit stiffer to cock than the others.  It runs on a rather short stiff spring and a short striker travel compared to some other PCP’s, so the cocking effort is a little harder. Not excessively so, just noticeably.


Stocks are variable. Some are quite nice, some are butt-ugly (mostly knot holes or dark patching of a blemish).  They fit a standard sized person quite well.

First shot strings:

14.3 gr. CP’s:
Rather than give the shot string, will just sum it up:

Average vel.: 957fps/ 29 foot pounds
Sweet spot shot count (925-955-925fps)= 22shots
Sweet spot fill: 170BAR- 115BAR

This is not bad for this power level, but while I’d prefer less power for my uses, believe it could easily be adjusted to get to  32-33 foot pounds. .

Something in the 22-25 foot pound range would have the most use for me, and if the sweet spot happened at a lower pressure, would make pump-filling a bit easier.

CHANGES MADE:

Added an extension to the issue “brake”.

Took off the barreled receiver and adjusted the striker length.  By screwing that part in, increased the travel of the striker, increased the force of the hit to the valve stem, and boosted power.

Getting the barreled breech off just requires removing the brake, the barrel band,  removing the scope, and loosening 4 screws.  I decreased the length until nearly flush with the striker.

It’s a whole lot easier to take the barreled receiver off, then the end cap, remove screw #26 (from that download at the start of this post), hold the sear lever up, and slide the spring/guide/striker out from the back to do your adjustment.


14.3 gr. CP’s
Average Vel:  992fps /  31.2 foot pounds
Sweet spot shot count: 962-992-962 = 13 shots
Sweet spot fill: 185BAR – 125BAR

That wasn’t a direction I wanted to do, so took the barreled receiver and the end plug out, and cut the issue mainspring by one coil, making a new “dead end”.

With the striker nose adjustment in a middle range, got the following:

Average vel: 848fps/14.3gr./ 22.8foot pounds
Sweet spot:  shot count (823-853-823):  28shots
Sweet spot fill: 135BAR – 95BAR

Not unexpected, by reducing the force of the spring tension to the striker, reduced the sweet spot fill pressure.

Adjusted “up” from there by taking it down again, and screwing IN the striker tip, which makes the striker have a longer travel 9higher vel) before it smacks the valve.

Results:
Average Vel.: 865 / 14.3 / 23.7 foot pounds
Sweet spot shot count ( 835-865-835) =  28 shots
Sweet spot fill pressure: 145BAR – 100BAR

ACCURACY TESTS:

Really, it was simple, I just missed it. Taking the gun apart, checking this, checking that, driving myself with those occasional (about 1 out of 7) “fliers” that randomly landed well out of a tight group.

Short and simple: the barrel is kind of free floated, the barrel band doesn’t grip the barrel tightly, the barrel is free to slide in and out, and even vibrate a bit side to side.

The brake slides onto the muzzle.  DO NOT SLIDE IT INTO CONTACT WITH THE BARREL BAND!.  As soon as I moved the brake forward to leave a little gap between it and the barrel band, my odd fliers stopped.



Wife is home, and she has a bad attitude about me shooting though her Kitchen and out the back door, so am back to 20yard tests.  But with the brake slid forward,  the groups are odd-flier-free. 

Adjusted the scope after the first target.  It really could use a little more “left”, decided to just leave it along for the last 5 targets.  All shot on one fill, pushing things a little bit with the last target (28 sweet spot shots…but I shot 30 shots).

[patton1]

Yep, at 239 it's a heck of a buy. I own a B50 and it's a tuners dream. The fit and finish / wood and metal is really nice, I would highly recommend one.

Ahhhhhhh Eddie my friend. Don't be so fast to make recommendations when one has never held, shot or owned a 50/51. I own both the Mrod & B50 and for the 239 price tag If you like to tinker....it's not bad.

Here's mine

[Gary]

Wounder about spare parts. My understanding is that what is in country is all there is. Noise isn't really a problem. I can't shot in my back yard anyway. I do like to tinker and the reports when these rifles came out were said that they were a good buy for the bucks and a durn good clone of the Huntsman.
Gary

[Frank]

The pdf technical manual for the B50 seems to be broken. Can someone please repost the manual.

[daved]

Yup, looks like the link's broken.  If you need a copy, I have it saved on my computer, email me and I'll send you a copy.  Later.

Dave

[Frank]

I Think I found it, is this it:

http://fieldtarget.sports.officelive.com/Documents/adjusting%20bam%20B50%20B51.pdf

[patton1]

bump...baby ......bump

[Twohsieh]

what is MM.  link to the website.?

[Jay]

Go to the mall at top of main page. He is with "Best Air". Gary just shortened his name to MM, Mike will answer the phone if you call(just got off the phone with him)or if your after one of the B-50's just put an order in on the site.

[Gary]

Don't know how to post a link but it is Best Airguns. I just ordered a B-50 a little bit ago for $235.00 plus $16.95 shipping. Now the wait and worry begans. Hope it is a good one.
Gary

[Jaymo]

I love my B50 .22. It's a little loud, but that can be corrected. I've done some work on mine, per Sysir and "the book". I also enlarged my transfer port to 3mm/1/8" ID.
I also opened up the inside of the valve a little, as per the standard Crosman valve work. It's a hammer. I need to take it outside and shoot it over the chrony. It averaged 850 fps+/- BEFORE I worked on it. That was with 14.3 grain Crosman domes. It's faster now, just don't know how much faster. Before I worked on it, it liked a 2,700 psi fill better than a 3,000 psi fill. It would shoot hard with 2,700, but would valve lock with 3,000. It doesn't valve lock at 3,000 now.

Thing is, I just ordered a .22 Mrod today along with 2 spare mags. Once I get to shoot them both a bunch more, I'll decide whether to keep them both or sell one. I'm pretty sure I'm keeping the Mrod. It's going to be my quiet small game hunter.

[bugshotgta2]

Jaymo,  How is the Mrod?  I am thinking of the B50 but sound really is my main upgrade.  My B40 and rws52 are very accurate out 70 yds or so.  Got 3 red squirrels form 70 recently with the 52.  Did you get the b50 close in sound to the mrod (I understand they are very quiet)?  What seems to dictate the sound in the b50?
Others please chime in.
Thanx Bug

[Jaymo]

I'm loving the Mrod. It's quiet and hard hitting. I was looking at the B50 last night. I'd like to see if I can retrofit a Mrod shroud onto the B50. The bottom of the shroud would have to be contoured to the air tube, I think, to enable installation without a breech riser. I think the baffles would have to be left out. Don't know. There seems to be a lot of power potential in the 50. It has a big tube and valve, and there's a lot of room for transfer port enlargement. I may end up making out a fly cutting tool to enable me to make my own breech. I'd like to make a left handed riser breech. Then, I could shroud the barrel a lot easier.
I got some vinyl tubing for making depingers for the Mrod. I want to make one for the 50, too. It has a healthy ping.
My .22 Mrod is  very accurate. I haven't made any adjustments to the factory settings. It seems to like 1,500-2,500 psi.