Another "Magnum" Air Rifle

[911boost]

My dad loves the RWS I got him a few years ago.

For Xmas my kids each got some entry level Crossman pumpers to plink with when we go camping.

Bill

[M.D. Holloway]

Lewis and Clark didn't have an air compressor. How did they charge a rifle to shoot 30+ rounds without a recharge? Hand pumps?

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Lewis and Clark didn't have an air compressor. How did they charge a rifle to shoot 30+ rounds without a recharge? Hand pumps?

Yup, hand pumps. Pretty laborious process.

Our modern PCP's operate at far higher pressures than theirs did. Our expectations as far as ballistic performance exceed theirs as well. Even their .54 caliber Harper's Ferry rifles were mere pop guns compared to our lowliest deer rifles of today.

[john70t]

With such high air pressure pushing a small lightweight round, just wondering if lubing the barrel would have an effect on overall accuracy.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by john70t

With such high air pressure pushing a small lightweight round, just wondering if lubing the barrel would have an effect on overall accuracy.

It sure does - it ruins it altogether. Just like powder burning firearms, dry bores are best.

So, back to the Steroid Benjamin. I removed the scope from it today. I simply could not get it to shoot consistently; it would group three or four in a nice, tiny, evenly distributed group and then throw a flyer five to six inches out. This is at 30 yards.

I thought it might be the rifle - new Benjamins are notorious for having paint down the muzzles (they don't plug the barrels when they paint the rifles) and rough crowns. Sure enough, this one had paint in the barrel, which I removed. Then I re-crowned it. Then I lapped the barrel. All to no avail - it still threw flyers. So I removed the scope to see how well it would do off a bench with the open sights.

Lo and behold, it shoots as well as I can with open sights. There must be something amiss with this scope mounting plan, wherein the receiver is dovetailed to accept standard 7/8" mounts as used on .22 rimfires.

I'm thinking the brass is just too soft for the dovetail mounts to get a good purchase, and the scope moves around when the rifle is pumped up. You can't help but push on the scope when pumping up the rifle, and the pump handle really snaps down on the last few pumps. So it's either the scope mount shifting in the dovetails, or possibly the scope getting jarred in a direction it shouldn't be when pumping.

Pretty frustrating either way, since I bought this rifle with the dovetails cut specifically so I could scope it. There are other scope mounting options for these that I might have to explore, just none as clean as the milled dovetails.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

So it's either the scope mount shifting in the dovetails, or possibly the scope getting jarred in a direction it shouldn't be when pumping.

A little sacrilege:

[JTO]

I too removed my scope from my 392 due to erratics shots
I can hit better with iron sights
Maybe the same problem
Troy

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by john70t

A little sacrilege:

I think you are suggesting adding a vertical handle on the pump arm, then grasping that and the rifle back by the pistol grip? That would certainly change the vectors through which the pumpiming forces are applied to the rifle and scope.

The problem is, I'm not sure if grasping the rifle that far away from the pump arm would allow me to pump it up fully. Eight pumps in a stock rifle takes a fair amount of effort; fourteen pumps in this beast are a whole new ballgame. I'm not sure I could actually get it closed on the last few pumps if I had to grasp the rifle anywhere but even with the end of the pump arm.

I'll keep playing with this. Last night, I simply moved the forward scope mount to the little bit of receiver ahead of the loading port. Now when I pump it, I grasp the rifle right over the front scope ring. Shooting with three pumps in the garage last night, it put every pellet through virtually the same hole at about 20 feet. Granted, it's not seeing the pumping forces it will with full power shots, but it looks promissing. I'll try it in the back yard this afternoon.

[Evans, Marv]

I was thinking of getting a scope for my RWS 48, but after doing a decent job of zeroing it in, I thought the results using the iron sights worked plenty well for my use - namely the elimination of ground squirrels. Although I have the propensity to collect things, I resist it. So I'm happy with the air rifle I have and don't plan to collect more. I do like the looks of the old models though. I understand my rifle gets 1,100 fps out of a .177 cal. pellet, but I don't know if that's hype or not. I do know the trajectory seems to be really flat, at least within the range I'm shooting at.

[Jeff Higgins]

Great rifle, that RWS 48. A couple of buddies shoot them. I really like the side lever arrangement, with the fixed barrel. That just has to be better than a break barrel. I'm going to have to get myself one someday.

The only reason I scope air rifles is for night shooting on rats. Open or peep sights just don't cut it for that duty. My RWS 34 came with outstanding open sights - micrometer adjustable, with fiber optic inserts. In the daylight I shoot it almost as well within its effective range as I can with a scope. A scope just makes them big and clumsy to me. My vintage Sheridans will never be scoped. Just wouldn't be right.

My buddies' RWS 48's do about 900 fps with standard weight .177 pellets over my Chrony. That's outstanding "real world" performance. That 1,100 number is, indeed, with super light pellets. My RWS 34 is advertised at 800 fps in .22 caliber, but does an honest 700 with standard weight (14.3 to 14.66 grain) .22 pellets.

Something like a Webley Patriot (also sold as the Beeman Kodiak) or RWS 350 might actually break 1,000 fps in .177 or 800 fps in .22, but many agree they are past the point of diminishing returns. They start getting hard to shoot well due to excessive recoil and vibration, and just overall harder to live with. Most folks seem to agree that the power level available in the RWS 48 or 34 are up at the top end of friendly, useful, springers.

[vash]

fingers crossed.

[Jeff Higgins]

Last day for the auction, Vash?

Update: Relocating the front scope mount seems to have cured the problem. No more wild flyers. I can now grasp the rifle right over and around the front mount, directing the pumping force straight down through the mount.



It won't shoot with the RWS 34, but it is certainly "rat worthy". It groups into about 1 1/2" at 30 yards for ten shots, so that will do. I've only tried two pellets in it, so maybe there is another one it will like better. Right now it's Crossman Premier round noses. It hate the H&N's that RWS likes so well.

I still have to get some of the extra heavies this thing is meant for. They are on their way, so we will see how it does when they get here.

[Jeff Higgins]

Well, the new Benjamin Steroid proved itself rat worthy last night, bagging a couple of the little bastards. Pretty impressive performance - at 20 yards, the pellets hit the tree about ten feet behind my bait so hard I though I must have missed. It sounded like I was just shooting at the tree, with nothing to slow them down in between. Lo and behold, though, two dead rats:



This "steroid" gun, launching the 14.5 grain Crossman Premier round nose at an honest 800 fps +, just blew right through them like a hot knife through butter. They are in big trouble now...

[Jim Bremner]

bait them with penut butter with raisens and birdseed.

[williecoyote]

I still have my early 70's Sheridan Blue Streak. My parents didn't want me to have a skateboard, so Dad got me this instead. I haven't used it lately because I figured the seals were probably worn.

Do you suppose Tim Mac would be able to "hot rod" it?
How would I find him? Google?

Thanks.

[vash]

Google Mac1 steroid gun

[williecoyote]

Thanks Vash.

I just pulled it out, and it was made in Racine, Wisconsin fwiw.

[Jeff Higgins]

The Racine built Sheridans are the ones you want. Even if the seals are bad and the pump lever is worn, Tim can build it into one of his Steroid guns. He replaces all of that stuff anyway.

Mac1 Ultimate Airgun Shopping

His website isn't all that great, and there is precious little information about his Steroid conversions. Reading his web site, as a matter of fact, would never lead one to believe he still does these conversions. Rest assured, he does. Just email him for the latest info on pricing, options, and turn around time. I'm sending another one his way in the next week or so - a mid '70's Racine built "rocker safety" Blue Streak I just found on Guns America.

[vash]

I'm sending mine soon! I laughed searching his website. It is awesomely vague. That peep sight is the main reason he is getting my rifle. (I'm naming my rifle "higgens".)

[williecoyote]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

The Racine built Sheridans are the ones you want. Even if the seals are bad and the pump lever is worn, Tim can build it into one of his Steroid guns. He replaces all of that stuff anyway.

I don't know for sure that the seals are bad, I just haven't fired it in years.
Mine looks like the one in your picture with the exception that mine has a peep sight.

I looked at the web site yesterday, and I got no indication from it at all that they rebuild them. I will send him an email. Thanks.