Mini Spree

Not a bad day here, today.

Cabela's Winnipeg store is having a moving sale. Store's kinda empty- last day open before the move.

Looked at the Browning Hi-Power B.B. , d/a only, and passed. The poly-co-polymer frame makes it far lighter than even an empty original. The 79 dollar price point aint bad, but I need another d/a only b.b. pistol like I need a hole in the head.

Guy ahead of me at the gun counter got the last tin of 14.4 gr Gamo copper domes in .22. I guess they are finally wising up on the lead-free front, and making pellets near normal weight. More on this in a bit...

Didn't leave the store empty handed, though. Grabbed one of these:

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps665b0aa9.jpg

I'd been after a 32 mm a/o for a while now. They got rid of their crappy demonstrator that I had looked at a year ago. The new demonstrator showed a bright and clear colour corrected image. Simmons 3-9X 32mm A/O. Plain plex reticle. The center wires a shade on the heavy side, but what the heck- 89.95 OTD, taxes included. I'm hoping to get this on one of the 78's- without a riser...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...psa6a40f00.jpg

There's the quick focus eye-piece...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps1b4485f1.jpg

...and the objective collar ring. It turns down a bit past the 10 yd marking.

Went down the road aways to Wholsale Sports. They have the Stoeger pellets in now. Doesn't look like the complete line, but enough to peak my interest...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps87d2d169.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps6042bac6.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps9063e4fa.jpg

They appear to be copper, rather than "PBA". They are close in weight to my favourite Cr. .177 Ultra Mags...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...psd30b53a9.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps3786914b.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps24fb4272.jpg

The X-Powers are kinda steep- 13.99
The F/T domes are 6.99, and look like a H&N die...

Hopefully will have a user report in the next few days...

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

Gave myself a break from working on the 78's tonight. Set the new Simmons up on the .177 22-89 with 24 bbl.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...psff3f4951.jpg

Target turrets are pretty good for such a cheap scope. Gradation clicks on the elevation turret are quite tactile, and positive. Clicks on the windage turret are a little on the soft side. No big deal though- it's entirely controllable. Turrets click around the grid fairly well, with there being a 1/4 minute of dubiousness on the windage side, from full left to full right, and then back to zero.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps0989b475.jpg

Construction seems a little robotic hurried, with the mis-aligned cover on the elevation knob.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps00e24552.jpg

Gradation marks and reference lines are clearly marked, and easily visible from the shooting position.

The scope can't quite come into clear focus at 9X at 12 meters. No big surprise there- it is a 79.00 chinese scope. It is finely in focus at 9X at 25 yds, which is actually a bit more than what I need.

6X at 12 Meters is razor sharp with the objective collar turned down as far as it will go.

The scope flares a bit under the harsh T-5 fluorescent lighting in the shop. It corrects for colour though, with no green/yellow cast. A sunshade for this scope would be a good idea, as would a roll-over rubber cup at the eye-bell.

Cross-wires at the center are a shade on the thick side, but nothing insurmountable. A BR-50 scope it ain't, and I don't expect it to be, at the price they are selling for.

Do I like it? So far, yes, a lot. It is fairly light and compact, with good sharpness. Eye relief is a little long for a rimfire scope at 3", hence the forward mounting. It makes a nice scope for an air rifle- well suited to plinking and hunting. We shall see in a while how it stacks up to normal use and care...

About those pellets...

The X-power is a huge improvement accuracy-wise over the earlier light weight "PBA" offerings. They are slippery to handle, enough so to cause a bit of fumbling. Feels like case lube, without the residue...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps5974a578.jpg

No where near competition accurate, yet, but good enough for plinking. 5 shots at 7 pumps each, 570-580ish, if the weight is correct on the tin. I didn't run them over the chrony. 6X on the Simmons 3-9, 12 meters.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...psae3ebac4.jpg

5 shots more, and the group is still a shade under 1/2" on centers. At this rate, we may end up with an accurate lead free pellet by the time lead is banned out-right.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps34a26820.jpg

They engage rifling fairly well at both the head and skirt. Batteries on the camera crapped out before I could close up on the head. Rifling grooves are there.

They will fully penetrate a wet water filter at 12 meters, at that measly 7 pumps. Not sure I'd hunt with these- groups are still a little wide for reliable head shots. Zombie killers? Heck, yes! I'd go for it. I like my zombies up close and personal :awink:

Maybe they'd group better with the power cranked up..

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

I'm not sure I understand. Are the X-power $13.99 for 500? and the F/T $6.99 for 200? I.E. the X-power are $2.80 per100 and the F?T are $3.50 per100. Why do you say the X-power at $2.80 per 100 are steep, when the F?T are much more expensive
Are the X-Power solid copper or are they lead with a copper coating?
Thanks.
Red.

Perhaps I didn't explain myself fully- as compared to other 500 count tin pellets, they are steep (Daisy, Crosman, etc.)

X-Powers have lead in them. I sectioned one, and it appears to be die formed in a jacket. There was a bit of a fuss over this on the "other" forum, with some claiming them to be electro-plated. Copper looks awfully thick for plating to my eye...

I do need to try them in a few other bores, to see if I can get them to group. Some time on holidays, I'll find the time.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

Thanks for the explanation.
Red

Nice, nice!! :)