Ha! 1st 'non-admin' post

[possom813]

In this subforum [smilie=s:

Anyways, is it really cost effective to cast for airguns?

The .177 caliber?

[fishhawk]

It's bad enough trying to cast .224 can you imagine one of the wasp waisted .117 pellets?

[Bent Ramrod]

I have an English brass mould that casts a hollowbase spitzer .177" pellet. There is no sprue plate; you have to bend the sprues off the castings after they cool. I ran about 40 casts and only got a couple keepers. I have tins of Benjamin and Beeman pellets to use up still. They should last me the rest of my life.

So I guess my answer is "No." Unless, of course, sanity is optional.[smilie=b:

By the way, thanks to the webmaster for starting this specialty thread.

[waksupi]

Considering air guns are now available in calibers up to 12 gauge, I will stick to larger bore sizes than .177 for casting! If I ever get any extra money, I'd love to have one of the .45 caliber air guns.

[Baja_Traveler]

Considering air guns are now available in calibers up to 12 gauge, I will stick to larger bore sizes than .177 for casting! If I ever get any extra money, I'd love to have one of the .45 caliber air guns.

Me too! In fact I was just surfing the web this morning looking at Big Bore air rifles. Quackenbush makes a 45 Outlaw (http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/LA_Outlaw.htm) that uses 3-400 grain cast bullets intended for the 45-70 - so I'd get dual use out of the mold...

[dilly]

So how does it work do you hook the gun up to an air compressor on those big boys?

[waksupi]

So how does it work do you hook the gun up to an air compressor on those big boys?

Hopefully one of the guys who own them will chime in, but I believe you need a compressor capable of charging a scuba tank. Not many work shop compressors could handle the job I don't think.

[John Allen]

Ok, I will chime in considering I own a scuba shop and a compressor shop. Most of the airguns the guys bring in require at least 3000 psi. You will need a special compressor to compress air to this pressure. They do make cheap ones but you get what you pay for. The best option happens to be buying a scuba tank and transfilling your gun from there.

[dbosman]

More questions for John Allen. Please.
I use CO2 for soda water and growing aquarium plants so I'm familiar with the rules for gas cylinders.

Do scuba tanks have to be hydro tested or a scuba equivalent, every X number of years? If so, how many years is X?
Gas cylinders are stamped with the test month and year to certify them. How does one know scuba tanks are still safe and legal to use?
What range of sizes do scuba tanks come as?
What is an approximate price for a tank refill?

Thank you.

[MT Chambers]

I have 3 nice PCP airguns, all are filled from my "Omega" fibreglass tank, the tank must hold 4500psi for my guns as they need up to 3900psi fills. I have a Daystate .22 cal., an Air Arms .25 and a Daystate Wolverine in .303. Fitting cast boolits to these barrels is kinda tough as they have no leade and it is not required for pellets, I am testing cast bullets in all 3 guns and will report results when ready. With the 50 gr. pellets, I have dispatched 100s of gophers to 125 yards or so, and very quietly.....even the folks that don't want their gophers shot get them thinned out!! Most scuba tanks are only 3000psi which is not enough for most guns, cost of a fill range from free at Firehalls to $5 or 10 at dive shops. Glad to see this section on this site and if anyone has any questions, I would be glad to answer any questions folks have.

[roachcreek]

I guess it would be me that needs to chime in.

I have two air guns I cast for, so for answers, correct you do not want to cast Diablo pellets (wasp Waist. You do not want to cast for traditional air gun barrels either, and you fill from or shoot tethered, either way.

I have a Ranger 45 that uses a .452 TJ barrel it is 28 inches long and shoots a 250 grain 45 LC bullet at 900 FPS on mid power, so basically a 45 LC in power. On high power it shoots a 410 grain bullet at 800 FPS.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af343/chbartlemay/CIMG1814_zps6e98430c.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/chbartlemay/media/CIMG1814_zps6e98430c.jpg.html)

50 yards with the 410 grain bullet

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af343/chbartlemay/1999%20match%20results/DSC06209.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/chbartlemay/media/1999%20match%20results/DSC06209.jpg.html)

My other rifle is a Haley 257 Scandalous it is a two barrel two scope set up and has TJ barrels, one a 1-10 and one a 1-14 both 36 inches. It is roughly in power what the starting loads are for a cast bullet 25-20.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af343/chbartlemay/CIMG2362_zpsd0774dab.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/chbartlemay/media/CIMG2362_zpsd0774dab.jpg.html)

Here are two groups I shot at 300 yards yesterday, one with the NOE 100 grain bullet and one with the Ideal 257464 94 grain Loverin bullet, both are 1.5 inches for 5 shots at 300 yards.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af343/chbartlemay/CIMG2483_zps9e81e35c.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/chbartlemay/media/CIMG2483_zps9e81e35c.jpg.html)

Here are utube videos of the Haley and a 615 yard shot on a 12 oz cola can, which is the longest shot known for an air gun on a small target.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxalPh0FV7c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd9GXcrnZrM

I have a 4500 PSI compressor I use to fill 5 scba fireman tanks, I can either shoot 3 accurate shots at 300 yards with one fill, or shoot tethered and regulated from a tank. If I shoot tethered and regulated, my velocity will stay within a 4 to 8 FPS spread for 45 to 65 shots depending on the size of the tank.

[country gent]

A very intersting concept and technology. Im going to have to watch this thread and do some research on this. It really has me wondering now

[MT Chambers]

PCP airguns are pretty addicting, Euro made guns are usually very high quality, nice wood stocks and correspondingly high prices. It's nice to buy the rifle with no government BS(no background checks), take it home and shoot it in your driveway or backyard, shoot crows off your roof, or your neighbor's. Once you're set up, it should be fairly inexpensive, and with little or no noise or recoil; it's very relaxing.

[Spruce]

Very interesting, a great topic for this site. Thanks to those involved.

[Baja_Traveler]

I already have 2 HP steel tanks from my scuba diving days. I use one of them to charge up my .22 Discovery PCP rifle, but next year a big bore is definitely on the list - probably after I pick up a 22 hornet though.

I'd just love to show up at the silhouette match and drop 200 yard rams during practice with an air rifle though...

[Love Life]

Wow. I am quite impressed. I thought I was cool stuff with my Benjamin .177 caliber rifle. It is a spring gun and LOUD.

It's accurate at squirrel distances though....

A 410 gr boolit at 800 FPS would fill the freezer.

[EMC45]

I would think a simple swage die for .177 pellets would be better. Bench mounted, or even male/female die used with a mallet to swage and knock out the pellet.

[MT Chambers]

I would think a simple swage die for .177 pellets would be better. Bench mounted, or even male/female die used with a mallet to swage and knock out the pellet.

You are right of course, but anything with the word "swage" in it costs $600, and I/we are trying to find something better at long ranges, because although pellets are very accurate, they slow down fast due to their "badminton shuttlecock" shape.

[roachcreek]

Swage dies, while available, have yet to prove worthwhile for making pellets, for one thing you can't form the wasp waist. For bullet air gun shooters the serviceability of swaging has also proven elusive, read that not one success that I am aware of in either case, although the makers are glad to sell them.

[felix]

I just got through clearing my pecan tree of rodents during the last 10 days or so. About 30 shots, and at least 20 kills, having only 4 DRT because of clear neck shots. Gun: 22LR Kimber Super America (Oregon). Ammo: 22LR CCI (rounded) shot capsules, which shoot full choke to 35 feet and emulate closely a natural round at point of rodent; Remington 22CBee which shoots point of rodent at 35 feet. whereas at 20 feet it will shoot a 0.200 group all day long. Both rounds have a noise level to about equal to a pump pellet gun at 10 "pumps". I offer this info in the situation where a very accurate and dormant 22 rifle exists that can be used in lieu of an expensive air gun setup. ... felix

[MT Chambers]

While I certainly applaud your shooting of tree rats, airguns offer a diff. means to the same end, most have match triggers, match barrels, super quiet, and endless fun. I betcha that if you tried my .30 Cal. Wolverine out past 100 yds. you'd be hooked too!!! Long range shooting of PCPs is still kinda in it's infancy, and cast bullets seem like the key for success on targets and game way out yonder!
Air powered cast bullets, the best of both worlds!

[EMC45]

I was talking more of a cylindrical pointed pellet. The base being hollow and the tip pointed. Same profile for the base as the point just inverted. For small pest control I would prefer a .22LR.

[MT Chambers]

I was talking more of a cylindrical pointed pellet. The base being hollow and the tip pointed. Same profile for the base as the point just inverted. For small pest control I would prefer a .22LR. Why?? If you're like me and miss now and again, the gopher hangs around and you can get another shot because of the quiet report. My .30 cal. seems to kill better then a .22 rimfire, esp. body shots on gophers.

[NoZombies]

I've got a number of air guns but nothing too fancy or high dollar. (No PCP's)

I've got a .20 mold of the type previously mentioned. For the amount of work required, I'll stick with buying pellets as long as they're available for the old benjamin.

When I was a lad, I spent most afternoons after school in the back yard hunting squirrels. I used a crossman 760 for the task, and it did handily.

Today, I use a crossman model 140 in .22 for pests around the lake house (primary residence), as it doesn't bother the neighbors. Out at the old homestead, I still find uses for air rifles, even if sometimes the use is simply trigger time on the cheap.

[Pakprotector]

Zombies, I saw your pic of that 'Benjamin', and it looks more like an up-to-1957 production, push button safety Sheridan. High comb on the stock, partridge front site, narrow pump arm, short, straight bolt handle...:) and ov course it is a 20 cal.

Felix, a .2" group at less than 10 yards is huge. good enough for the work you put it to no doubt, but in decent AG land...it is a big group. That is a reasonable group size at 25 yards even with me driving, and only with a front support.
cheers,
Douglas

[NoZombies]

Zombies, I saw your pic of that 'Benjamin', and it looks more like an up-to-1957 production, push button safety Sheridan. High comb on the stock, partridge front site, narrow pump arm, short, straight bolt handle...:) and ov course it is a 20 cal.


You are probably right Douglas. I have had the thing for years, and it has needed a reseal nearly as long. Until recently it would hold air for a short time, but now it doesn't even do that.

BTW, I got an email saying you tried to PM me, my inbox was full, but I've cleared it out some if you want to re-send the message.

[roachcreek]

A word on scuba and scba tanks and air gun pumps.

I don't want to hurt any ones feeling here, but I have tried all three of the above options, I own a Shoebox compressor and 6 4500 PSI tanks, I did the pump thing, I did the scuba tank thing and for big bore cast bullet shooting, they simply will not work.

Scuba tanks are mostly in the 3000 to 3300 PSI realm, scba tanks, what fireman wear on their backs, are 4500 PSI although there are some 3000 PSI tanks.

Cast bullet guns operate at 3200 PSI and higher as a general rule so scuba is not really a good option for PCP rifles whether pellet or bullet shooters unless the rifle is a 2000 PSI gun, like the Benjamin Discovery.

With a 3000 PSI air rifle and a 3000 PSI scuba tank, you will only get one full fill on your rifle, you are far better off to avoid the heavy scuba tanks and go straight to the much lighter and higher fill 4500 PSI SCBA tanks.

Pumps that are made for airguns are also a product that do not get along well with cast bullet shooting air rifles, they are designed to pump up to 3000 PSI, and due to the fact that most bullet shooters only get 2 or 3 shots per fill, you will wear yourself and the pump out in short order.

[dilly]

So when you cast bullets for these guns do you lube them? If so, what kind?

[roachcreek]

Felix,

Is your Kimber Super America one of the ones that Phil and Maryln Fischer made?