Break Barrel Air Rifle | I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

Archive for the ‘Break Barrel Air Rifle’ Category

Break Barrel Air Rifle: Let’s Talk Physics!

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

A word to my readers:

Tom Holzel

The following post contains air rifle ballistics information obtained solely from http://VelocityPress.com, a fantastic resource for air rifle ballistics, conceal/carry information and a host of other “uncommon” information. The following post is written in the first person in order to to produce a fluid read, please understand that these are not my first hand experiences but the journaled labors of a very knowledgeable and well written fella named Tom Holzel. At Toms request, I have removed the article in it’s entirety from my website due to copyright issues, but I have retained a brief summary of the article and have included a link to it so you may read at your leisure, and I do suggest you read it (http://www.velocitypress.com/air_rifle_ballistics.shtml).

Dave

Tom, thank you for giving us a little more insight into the range and trajectory of springer air rifles, from a layman’s perspective, and backing it up with solid science. As Tom mentioned, the RWS Model 54 is not a break barrel air rifle but it is a “springer” which I have decided qualifies it for inclusion on my site. Besides, it is one of the sweetest air rifles I have ever seen and I look forward to owning one soon.

-Dave Dillard 5-25-11

The Physics Of Pellets

These are some high dollar air rifles…

It would take about $600 to make ‘one’ of these baby’s yours, and you would be getting an exceptionally good air rifle indeed.

I don’t have $600 to spend on an air rifle so thank goodness I can go to Pyramyd Air and get a quality break barrel air rifle at a price I can afford.

Check some out right here at Pyramyd Air or at Amazon here Break Barrel Air Rifles.

Now, lets talk about drop, trajectory and ballistics…yeah!

Premium Anschutz Air Rifles

With premium air rifles costing as much as they do, figuring out what particular brand and model to buy can be quite confusing.

On what do you base your choice?

Take this Anschutz 9003 for instance, definitely out of my price range.

Anschutz 9003 Premium Air Rifle Precise £2,634.00 ($4,097.89 USD)

Click Here For Quality Affordable Air Rifles

The first step is clearly deciding how much money you can afford to spend.

This will determine the quality level, and the features of the gun.

4 Pellet Calibers

After deciding this, the next most important factor is to chooser the correct caliber for the gun’s intended purpose.

If you are going to own only one gun, this can be an agonizing choice.

Here’s the approach I used to decide between a 5mm and .22-caliber Theoben Eliminator rifle for hunting in southern England.

As a long time air rifle crow hunter in the U.S., I recognized that to English farmers, hares, not crows, are more of a nuisance, so they would be the varmint of choice in my new home in Oxfordshire.

With crows, long range is more important than high power, so for that task the longer reach of the 5mm would be the obvious choice.

Custom Pellet Calibers

Would that caliber also be the optimum for fur bearers?

When I examined the published performance I was puzzled by the ballistic data given the Eliminator on the Theoben website (http://www.theoben.co.uk/).

Their highly regarded 5mm rifle is listed as having a muzzle velocity of 880 fps, with 840 fps remaining at 50 yards.

(FYI: 4.5mm = .177cal / 5mm = .20cal / 5.5mm = .22cal )

Energy figures are quoted as being 24.5 ft/lbs at the muzzle and 22.4 ft/lbs at 50 yards.

These figures indicate the Crosman Premier pellet used loses only 4.5% of its velocity over 50 yards — yet drops by 23% the next 50 yards.

The .22-caliber figures were equally confusing.

Stay On Target… Stay On Target

There are two ways to determine the trajectory of a pellet:

Empirically on the range — (this is the most reliable method) or
Theoretically (and much more rapidly) by means of a ballistics software program.

To help me clear up the issue, I bought an air rifle ballistic program developed by Jim Baumann of Lame Rabbit Software (Note: Jim is apparently no longer in business).

Let’s see how the two calibers fare (at least on paper).

(CLICK HERE For All The Charts and Ballistics involved in this study)

Click Here For The Best Price On Pellets Delivered To Your Door

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Tags: .177 Pellets, .22 Pellets, Air Rifle Scopes, Air Rifles, Airsoft Guns, Beeman, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Feet Per Second, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifle, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, Pyramyd Air, RWS Model 54, Spring Piston
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, Let's Talk Physics! | No Comments »

Break Barrel Air Rifle: RWS Model 54

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Click Here For Break Barrel Air Rifles

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Click Here For Quality Pellets

A word to my readers:

Tom Holzel

The following post contains air rifle ballistics information obtained solely from http://VelocityPress.com, a fantastic resource for air rifle ballistics, conceal/carry information and a host of other “uncommon” information. The following post is written in the first person in order to to produce a fluid read, please understand that these are not my first hand experiences but the journaled labors of a very knowledgeable and well written fella named Tom Holzel. At Toms request, I have removed the article in it’s entirety from my website due to copyright issues, but I have retained a brief summary of the article and have included a link to it so you may read at your leisure, and I do suggest you read it (http://www.velocitypress.com/air_rifle_ballistics.shtml).

Dave

Tom, thank you for giving us a little more insight into the range and trajectory of springer air rifles, from a layman’s perspective, and backing it up with solid science. As Tom mentioned, the RWS Model 54 is not a break barrel air rifle but it is a “springer” which I have decided qualifies it for inclusion on my site. Besides, it is one of the sweetest air rifles I have ever seen and I look forward to owning one soon.

-Dave Dillard 5-25-11

Click Here For The RWS Model 54

Recoil-Less Spring-Piston Magnum Test

RWS Model 48 Side Lever

After years of successful hunting with the .22-cal side-lever RWS Model 48, I finally decided to try its recoil-free variation…

—the Model 54.

I had resisted because the M-54 anti-recoil mechanism seemed like a needless complication.

One of the most notable qualities of RWS air rifles is their legendary reliability; why complicate that, I wondered, with a gimmick? Boy, was I wrong!!

Model54-Kodiak2W

Bing!

The instant after the first shot I discovered an amazing fact:

My sight-picture of the target remained rock-solid throughout the shot!

With my M-48, the sight picture would always jerk off the target or even momentarily black out due to recoil motion. Maintaining a steady sight picture had two immediate beneficial effects.

First, it let me see where I had hit (or missed) my target.With the M-48 (and all other magnum powered spring-piston air rifles) the recoil causes the rifle to move enough to knock ones view off—and even sometimes to result in image black-out. (And what a surprise at that first shot to keep seeing a rock-steady target!)

And second, by being able to view the target uninterruptedly, I was able to notice my post-shot barrel motion. I discovered I was sometimes waving the barrel right after the shot; was I also waving it during the shot?

Click Here For The RSW Model 54 from Amazon.com

Stay On Target, Stay On Target...

RWS Pellets

Click Here or on Image For Best Selection of Pellets

The Spring Action Air Rifle As A Training Device

I was—thus answering the question of why, sometimes, I just couldn’t get on target. This is a very useful effect. It seems to me that practice with a Model 54 might do a lot to cure wandering magnum marksmanship! Air gunners who use PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) rifles are used to this advantage. The mass of the compressed air that squirts out their pellet is too low to cause much of an “equal reaction” (recoil). The mass of the piston and spring of a springer are enough to cause a significant recoil.

Exit Pupil

Recoil

Because the exit pupil of a telescopic sight (the shaft of image light coming out of the scope) is quite small—usually only about 5 mm—it doesn’t take much movement to misalign the exit pupil with your eye pupil (itself 2-6mm in diameter), resulting in loss of the sight picture.

Springers vs. PCP Rifles

But PCP rifles require a lot of supporting equipment—a scuba tank of compressed air, fittings, tubes, etc… and leaks are a problem. The big advantage of spring piston rifles is they sit quietly in the back of the closet. When you are ready to shoot, you pull then out, cock them—and shoot. Nothing could be simpler.

Click Here To Make Your Own Awesome Video With ANIMOTO

The Model 54 Is One Big Gun

RWS Model 45 With Sling

You really must have a sling to carry it around.

Bushnell Trophy XLT 4-12x40

A big gun deserves a big scope, and I used the RWS 4-12X 50 telescopic sight with one- piece rings. The ring has two anti-creep pins—a real necessity for most springers (but not needed for this one!)

RWS 4-12X50

The wider 50mm aperture gives a larger exit pupil meaning it is easier to get a sight-picture when you bring the gun to the ready, e.g., 6.5mm at 8X magnification—30% greater than 5mm at 8X for a 40mmm aperture scope.

Click Here For Quality Air Gun Scopes

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

RWS Model 54

Tags: Air Rifle Scopes, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifle, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, RWS, RWS Model 54, Spring Piston, Tom Holzel
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, RWS Model 54 | 7 Comments »

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: A Word About Pellets

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Click Here For Break Barrel Air Rifles

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Click Here For Quality Pellets

Click Here For The Best Selection Of Pellets Anywhere!

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

Not A Break Barrel Air Rifle

A Word About Pellets

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

There are break barrel air rifles out there with muzzle velocities above and beyond 1200 feet per second.

But a fast pellet don’t mean shit if you can’t hit anything with it.

Gamo Raptor Pellets

I’ve still got every trial container of that gold plated Raptor PBR crap that ‘ whoever’ was trying to push.

I’m sure that it really does go 1200 fps out of my break barrel air rifle but keeping it on paper much less inside a quarter was just about impossible.

The standard weight for a pellet is about 8 grains.

Gamo Tomahawk Pellets

I have had trouble keeping those inside a quarter too.

You would think that a heavier pellet would just cause more problems; drop quicker, not go as far, but I have found the opposite to be true.

I’ve been going with the ‘heavy as hell’ Beeman Silver Arrow (I think) that I got from Pyramid Air.

Beeman Silver Arrow Pellets

They are a little more than 12 grains each, with pointed tips and a ridge around the heavy part (like the edge of a quarter) that make them fit tight in the breech.

They are not cheap but they are F’n hammer droppers.

Not much walks away after getting hit with one of those, and they are unbelievably accurate, time after time.

Here are some comments from the Pyramid Air website:

My TF-89 really likes these! I can cover the group with a quarter @ 25 yards, much better than the 4 inch groups that I was getting with the Crosman Premier Heavies.

This is the most accurate pellet I’ve tried in my RWS 460. Can drop a crow at 40 yards! The additional groves in contact with the rifling add to the accuracy. Goes supersonic out of the 460.

These pellets are great for long range shooting in a high powered spring rifle. I tried using these pellets at 15 yards and they didn’t perform as well as some of my other pellets. ( I.E. crow magnums rock!) On the other hand, they are superb at distances past 30 yards. I went shooting with my cousin today and we were hitting bottles past 50 yards. Was one heck of a shot, but with a little luck and no wind it all played out very well.

deep pentration with massive shock to a 3/4 inch plywood. accuracy is superb. at 35 yards, 5 shots are printing .20 c.t.c to .35 c.t.c. Used my chronograph. average velocity 742.6 ft./scd. on 20 shots. high 747.4, low 736.2 (std.deveation 4.15 )11.5 grains generates about 14lbs. of energy.

Buy 3 and the 4th Tin of Pellets Will be FREE

Every 4th tin of pellets will be FREE.

Click Here For A Selection Of Pellets From Amazon

Pellet guns have come a long way since you fathers lever action BB gun and pellets have come right along with the air rifles.

Today’s pellets are precision cast lead pellets (some have alloys mixed in) and are designed for just about any shooting application.

Wad cutters for target practice
Hollow points and pointed pellets for hunting
Round ball (for some reason)
Ballistic tip
Plastic
Ceramic

and then there are the various types of traditional pellets, just to name a few.

Of course, if you are a serious shooter, you have to factor in the different grain weights each pellet comes in and calculate the ballistics and trajectory taking into consideration barrel length, rifling and spring strength.

I know it’s just a pellet gun, but these break barrels really are quite a bit more.

Pyramyd Air

Click Here For Quality Air Gun Scopes

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

RWS Model 54

Tags: .177 Pellets, .22 Pellets, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Feet Per Second, FPS, Gamo, Iron Sights, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifle, Pellet Rifles, Pellets
Posted in A Word About Pellets, Break Barrel Air Rifle, I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: | 5 Comments »

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: The Joys and Pains of Break Barrel Air Rifles

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Buy 3 and the 4th Tin of Pellets Will be FREE

Beeman Pellets

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle:

My Scope Just Fell Off…?!?

I learned most of what I know about a break barrel air rifle with the first Gamo spring piston gun I owned.

I bought it about 10 minutes after I saw what my buddy Ryan’s pellet gun could do.

It’s only a single shot, buy at 1000 feet per second the trade off is fair.

There are some BIG differences between a lever action BB gun and one of these monsters.

One of the biggest differences is the 2 way recoil.

- The 2 Way Recoil -

I see in the ads these days, most of the newer springer air rifles come with scope stops and “spring piston airgun scopes” or at least warnings about not to use a regular scope on a spring action air rifle.

I ruined about 3 pretty nice scopes and missed just about everything I aimed at after about 6 shots before I figured out what was happening.

-2 Way Recoil -

The internal recoil these spring rifles produce is tremendous.

CenterPoint Adventure Class 3-9x40AO Rifle Scope, Illuminated Mil-Dot Reticle, 1" Tube

Center Point "Adventure Class" 3x9x40 AO Rifle Scope

Break barrel air rifles are unique because the recoil goes both ways, and the transferred energy is incredible.

Most rifle scopes, even high quality ones, are only anchored one direction (internally).

They are designed to withstand the one way recoil of a powder driven charge.

Spring action break barrel air rifles have a secondary recoil that transfers through the body of the rifle and will eventually dislodge the internal anchor that holds the scopes lenses in place.

Another result of this secondary recoil is, your scope mounts will start to walk backward.

With every shot, no matter how tight your scope mount is, that scope will start walking backward off the top of your air rifle.

I was at a pond, missing turtles with a rifle I had just zeroed in, when I finally figured out what was happening.

I had to make the scope stop on my springer out of stuff I had lying around (and a little machining) but stops are pretty easy to come by anymore.

Mine didn’t look anything like this…

Gamo Scope Stop

Are “Air Rifle Scopes” Actually Special?

Question:

I want to put a cheapo $40 large objective scope on my break barrel air rifle. I know apparently air rifles kick forward, but i can’t see any scope being damaged by the virtually non-existent recoil. Just setting it down could be more forward recoil then when firing it. Tell me, what are the chances of breaking it?

Answer #1:

Yes, air rifle scopes are different from firearms scopes in several ways. The two main differences are, airgun scopes are designed to withstand the recoil of a spring piston air rifle and they are parallax adjusted or adjustable for use at airgun ranges. If you put a scope on a spring piston air rifle that is not designed to be used on one, you’re just wasting money.

Answer #2:

On a ‘springer gun’ the ‘recoil’ is in the wrong direction. It’s not the magnitude, but the direction. Also a standard scope will be parallax set at 100yds. Further than you will be shooting. There are ‘cheapo’ airgun scopes available in your price range. Get the proper scope, You’ll be happier with it.

Click Picture For Prices

Tags: .177 Pellets, .22 Pellets, Air Rifle, Air Rifle Scopes, Air Rifles, Beeman, Break Barrel, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Crosman, Feet Per Second, Gamo, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, Pyramyd Air, Spring Piston
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, The Joys and Pains of Break Barrel Air Rifles | 6 Comments »

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: I’ll Buy My Next Break Barrel From Pyramid Air Too

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Pyramyd Air

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle:

I really do love my break barrel air rifle.

I bought a Gamo Shadow Break Barrel Air Rifle a couple years ago from Pyramid Air not really knowing that ‘adult air rifle’ and ’1000 feet per second’ meant I was shooting a ‘high power air rifle’.

Gamo Shadow Sport w/ Scope

My Next Break Barrel Air Rifle Will Be From Pyramyd Air, Too

I was putting quarter sized groups completely through a 1×10 pine board at about fifty yards, consistently.

That is 150 feet, right through the board!

Birds didn’t stand a chance.

Neither did rabbits, squirrels or possums either, for that matter.

Talk about a backyard sniper.

I’m going to look at the Crosman Outdoorsman 2250XE Break Barrel Air Rifle here real soon.

It’s about time for an upgrade.

Buy Pellet Guns From The Convenience Of Your Home

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

Buy 3 and the 4th Tin of Pellets Will be FREE

Tags: .177 Pellets, Air Rifle, Air Rifle Scopes, Air Rifles, Beeman, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Crosman, Feet Per Second, FPS, Gamo, Iron Sights, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifle, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, Pyramyd Air, Spring Piston
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, I'll Buy My Next Break Barrel Air Rifle From Pyramid Air Too, I'll Buy My Next Break Barrel From Pyramid Air Too | 11 Comments »

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: My Gamo Shadow Is Definitely An Adult Air Rifle

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

Break Barrel Air Rifles:

My first break barrel air rifle was a Gamo Shadow that I bought online from Pyramid Air.

With a muzzle velocity of 1000 feet per second, this air rifle is definitely an adult air gun.

I found out when I bought my pellet gun, that when you buy pellets from Pyramid Air, every 4th tin of pellets is FREE.

That’s right, every 4th tin of pellets that you add to the shopping cart will be free of charge.

That was pretty sweet.

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

Here’s your science lesson boys and girls.

I love physics about as much as I love my break barrel air rifle and I like knowing just how that pellet is capable of punching through a 2×4 at 100 feet.

I remember my dads 10 pump BB gun and the Crosman 10 pump pellet pistol (I own 2 of them).

600 FPS sounds like a lot but that extra 400 FPS is what make spring piston break barrel air rifles an ‘adult air rifle’.

(physics lesson coming soon)

Crosman Quest 1000x Break Barrel Air Rifle

This is the air rifle I’m looking at next.

I know it’s a step back from the Gamo Shadow (that I cherish), but for about $100 the Quest 1000 X is one of the prettiest break barrel air rifles I’ve ever seen.

Crosman knows what they are doing when it comes to air guns and the places I take my air rifle, I need one that can keep up.

The draw back for the Crosman is having to oil it.

The oiling isn’t so bad, its the tiny tube of oil that leaks all over no matter how tight the cap is on.

Beeman Air Rifle Review.

Diana Air Guns.

Air Gun Manuals.

Air Gun Accuracy.

Free pellets

Tags: .177 Pellets, .22 Pellets, Air Rifle Scopes, Air Rifles, Airsoft Guns, Beeman, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Crosman, Feet Per Second, FPS, Gamo, Iron Sights, Pellet Gun, Pellet Guns, Pellet Rifle, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, Pyramyd Air, Spring Piston
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle:, My Gamo Air Rifle Is Definitely An Adult Air Rifle | 4 Comments »

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle: My First Break Barrel Air Rifle Was A Gamo Shadow

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

Break Barrel Air Rifles

http://breakbarrelairrifle.com

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

A Short History of the Break Barrel Air Rifle

Early Air Gun

Air guns represent the oldest pneumatic firearms technology.

The oldest existing mechanical airgun, a bellows airgun dating back to about 1580, is in the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm.

This is the time pegged as the beginning of the modern airgun.

Air rifles have come a long way since then.

My First Break Barrel Air Rifle Was A Gamo Shadow

Spring Mechanism Of Air Gun

Spring-piston air guns are able to achieve muzzle velocities near or greater than the speed of sound from a single stroke of a cocking lever or the barrel itself.

The difficulty of the cocking stroke is usually related to the power of the air rifle or gun, with higher muzzle velocities requiring greater effort.

Spring-piston air guns operate by means of a coiled steel spring-loaded piston contained within a compression chamber, and separate from the barrel.

Cocking the airgun causes the piston assembly to compress the spring until a small hook on the rear of the piston engages the sear.

Pulling the trigger releases the sear and allows the spring to decompress, pushing the piston forward, thereby compressing the air in the chamber directly behind the pellet.

Once the air pressure has risen enough to overcome any static friction and/or barrel restriction holding the pellet, the pellet moves forward, propelled by an expanding column of air.

All this takes place instantly, during which the air heats to several hundred degrees and then cools as the air expands.

Tags: Air Rifle Scopes, Air Rifles, Beeman, Break Barrel, Break Barrel Air Rifle, Crosman, FPS, Gamo, Iron Sights, Lead Pellets, Pellet Gun, Pellet Rifles, Pellets, Pyramyd Air, Spring Piston
Posted in Break Barrel Air Rifle, My First Break Barrel Air Rifle Was A Gamo, My First Break Barrel Was A Gamo Shadow | 4 Comments »

Archive for the ‘Break Barrel Air Rifle’ Category

A word to my readers:

The Physics Of Pellets

These are some high dollar air rifles…

A word to my readers:

Recoil-Less Spring-Piston Magnum Test

The Spring Action Air Rifle As A Training Device

Springers vs. PCP Rifles

The Model 54 Is One Big Gun

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

A Word About Pellets

Buy 3 and the 4th Tin of Pellets Will be FREE

My Scope Just Fell Off…?!?

- The 2 Way Recoil -

-2 Way Recoil -

Are “Air Rifle Scopes” Actually Special?

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle:

My Next Break Barrel Air Rifle Will Be From Pyramyd Air, Too

Buy 3 and the 4th Tin of Pellets Will be FREE

Break Barrel Air Rifles:

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

Crosman Quest 1000x Break Barrel Air Rifle

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle

A Short History of the Break Barrel Air Rifle

My First Break Barrel Air Rifle Was A Gamo Shadow

About Me

I Love My Break Barrel Air Rifle