GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Airgun Gate => : johncedarhill July 13, 2008, 01:32:05 AM
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I have heard the term "bear trap" and "anti bear trap" used. I looked in the Cardew book but I do not see any references to the term. Is this a term that only applies to underlevers? Where is the "bear trap"?
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I believe it is a mechanism that will prevent the trigger from firing the gun wile it is being cocked
You can look at the sk1pdf or the cfxpdf files in the library it is part #15330
and also Gamo Hunter 220 to 890 Schematics
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The bear trap or anti bear trap is a safety system in side lever or under barrel lever type rifles to prevent the breach from closing on your finger when loading a pellet , the break barrel rifles use a auto on trigger safety for the same job. some rifles like the QB 88, TF 41 , and the fast deer have 2 bear trap safety's on them , you still need to be careful of fingers or you could end up with what we called a M-1 Thumb. ((SMASHED GOOD )) not a lot of fun. On a break barrel if you have the rifle broke and hit the trigger you could cause the barrel to slam shut it could hit you or break the stock or other stuff. I hope this is a help howie
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John, check this clip out. At the 8.18 min mark you will see it. Watch the whole video for the full explanation. It's not that bad a watch bro.
http://www.pyramydair.com/video/?video=agr-episode-1.flv
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Now still use caution when operating these finicky babies :o alway's keep a grip on the cocking arm when loading em. We want all our family to keep their finger's. :) Ed
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Where is it located? Is it part of the trigger group?
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John, the term "bear trap" used for airguns shouldn't be taken at face value/taken literally.
It is a term (bear trap) used to compare how an open breach, pertaining to spring powered rifles or pistols is like a "bear trap" that could snap (like a trap) and catch your finger/hand as you are loading it if the safety on the gun suddenly disengages.
This is dangerous since the gun is already cocked and the spring loaded.
The anti-beartrap device is added to a spring powered gun sometimes in tandem or added to the gun safety so that the breach won't close abruptly smashing the operators finger/hand.
Sometimes this is just a levered metal that wedges itself between the opening of the breech that you have to disengage/swing out so that you can close the breech after loading it.
This lever swings into place when the breach is cocked and opened.
Hope this helps 'coz from your question if I understood it right is "where is it (bear trap)?".
I've attached additional pix to help in the illustration of the "anti-beartrap" device.
Pix 1 shows it ready to spring into place to hold the spring cylinder once the breach is opened all the way.
Pix 2 shows it already engaged and holding spring cylinder by its edges.
Pix 3 shows how you disengage it to free the spring cylinder after loading the breach to set it loaded.
Pix 4 shows the spring cylinder free to close the breech.
Note: this is just one type, there are other kinds of a different configuration but doing the same thing..prevent the fingers to get smashed accidentally.
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Thanks for the pics. Which gun is that in the pic? I have seen at least one airgun for sale which has the bear trap removed. Seems like this is not good practice.
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You don't want to disarm the bear trap safety's it's not a good idea unless you really don't care about your fingers maybe you are mad at them LOL. howie O it's OK I've got 9 more. ha ha
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As Howie said, removing or disabling the anti-beartrap device isn't a good practice and is just an accident waiting to happen.
The one on the pix is a QB-57.
My Beeman RS2 doesn't have an anti-beartrap device or its just built-in with the automatic safety..'coz everytime you cock it, it automatically engages the safety.
I still hold the barrel though when loading..or another trick is just to tap the barrel before fully cocking so that you can load the breech (breakbarrel).
Once I have loaded it, then I fully cock it so that my fingers/hand is already out of the "broken" barrels way and just have to bring the barrel back in alignment intead of taking a long time fussing with loading while the spring is pre-loaded in its cocked position.
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Can you comment on B3 beartrap or lack of it? I have one I got at cummins last year and after reading all the cautions I am concerned about its safety.
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My Gamo has a bear trap device as well as my Crosman. They both have manual safety's so I always set them to "safe-on" before I ever cock the barrel down. Therefore you can't ever inadvertantly pull the trigger, release the Bear-trap, and have the barrel swing back up and cause damage to you or the weapon. Some shooters remove this device so they can uncock/unload the rifle. To me it would just be easier to fire it off at a safe target. Like stated before, just an accident waiting to happen!!!tjk
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There is a tuning guide for the Hercules/Cummings B-3 go to our library you will find the (( kermitair gun club ))they have a tune guide for the B3 By R. Sauer & V. Palitang it shows the bear trap and some mods. That you can do to make your B-3 nicer. howie
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I had a lot of big ideas about tuning etc. but never got around to building a spring compressor and I do have a lot of other things to keep me busy. It is interesting to note that a manual safety can be set before cocking --I sort of like the automatic safety but really it would be nice to just have one way so you dont have to remember between guns.
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A spring compressor can be as simple as you want to make it mine is just a board with a half of a C clamp bolted to it on a slight angle so the end with the screw doesn't rub on the board some of the guys use a bar clamp and some of the guys buy a factory made one. it's your call. howie
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I have a few pipe clamps which I would not mind using if I can work up something.
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I used a 6 inch C clamp my concern was the amt. of travel you needed to compress the spring.howie I have pipe clamps too