I can hardly believe it happened.....

[Black Mamba]

Tonight I had a most amazing occurance I'll likely never have again.

Living a bit high on the previous evenings roam through the neighbor's lands I decided to take it easy tonight.  After dinner, I pulled out the Shadow and went out back do to some 30yd practice.  I had fired about 8 shots when I cocked the gun, dropped in another CPP and looked at the target.  To my utter amazement 5 yards behind it and maybe 5' to the right of it was a squirrel that had not been there seconds before.  He didn't move fast and he didn't seem concerned that moments before I'd driven a round into my pellet trap.  He inspected the tree that he was in front of from the ground, apparently unaware that I'd just put another round into my Shadow.   He moved a bit to get another view of the tree from a different angle, STILL on the ground and still unconcerned for his safety.  And then, as I looked at him through my scope with that little voice inside my head saying, "This must be a joke or something..."  he STOOD UP and gave me a perfect profile.   The trigger was squeezed, the gun barked and the round hit the squirrel just behind the front legs with a very heavy "Thud".  He jumped and twisted, got 3' up the tree and realized he couldn't climb it, fell out of it, twitched twice and died.

 My only guess is that he'd been drinking heavily and mistook that tree for his.  I have no other explination.

 

 

 

Dumb critter, poor survival skills.

[daved]

Hey, Greg, tell me about your muzzle brake.  That's definitely not stock, but I like the look.

Dave

[Gene_SC]

LOL Mr. Mamba. I never get that lucky....:) I have woods all around me and the squirrels never show themselves around my house..

Good shootin

Gene

[Black Mamba]

is a one of a kind custom job.

I had a 7" piece of Delrin like material sitting around in my workbench for about 7 years.  It sat next to a similar sized stock piece of Stainless Steel.   After I'd been into airgunning for a bit I decided I'd like to try a muzzle break on my Shadow.  I remembered I'd had the piece of plastic lying around and took it over to my neighbor's house. (Bruceland)  Bruce buys, repairs and resells tractors as a hobby and 'fun money' earning system.

His garage is probably very similar to Charlie's.  All sorts of tools, machines etc.   He took this round stock plastic, some measurements of my barrel and made me the muzzle break in about 45 minutes using his lathe and drill press etc.  In return I gave him a 12pk of Miller Lite.    Not a bad deal eh?

It works well for me (the break) and I've no complaints.  I have thought about having him take about a 1/4" off of the diameter to lighten it up just a bit more but I haven't gotten around to it.  Maybe never will.

It is nice to have neighbors with cool tools.

[PBJ]

Great post - did you drill you butt pad to hold pellets and how did that turn out?? What size drill did you use? Also, does your bipod cause any accuracy issues? What brand it is and where did you purchase it?? Lots of questions but your picture says's a 1000 words. Good hunting!!

[Black Mamba]

The buttpad was standard issue with my gun.  I lucked out and never had to do anything with it.  A good buddy of mine recently purchased his own Shadow and it being a 2006 manufactured one, had a different buttpad with less recoil holes but also they were larger.  

As near as I am able to tell my bipod does not adversely effect my accuracy.  I have shot the gun without it and have found I do better WITH it thus, it's on the gun most of the time.

It is a Leapers bipod that I got from Leapers but there is a bit of a story behind it.   I had originally bought a very similar model through cheaperthandirt.com for $20.  I had about 1200 rounds through my gun with it on there when the bipod broke at the point where the top of the clamp meets the bottom of the base.   I called Leapers and talked to a fella there.  Once he understood what had happened and where the break was he went and did some research with a feeling that the one that I'd purchased was not right for my needs.  A half hour later he called back and said that after talking to the engineering dept. he had determined that for my style of shooting I'd be better off with a slightly different model.  I sent them back the old broken one and they sent me the newer model at no cost.  It's held up ever since.   I've recently seen the newer one in my latest cheaperthandirt catalogue here: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/BIPOD103-41834-724.html

It's very easy to put on and take off, fits a good range of barrel diameters and in my opinion, really helps me get the shots off.   I am currently able to hit knickles at 30 yards.  The only negative thing I can say is that after a few rounds out of the Shadow it seems to loosen up a bit.  I know I could fix that with some blue locktite but I prefer to have easier removal if so desired.  Therefore, after about 20 rounds or so I usually just tighten it up again.  It's hand tightened so it takes no more than 1/4 turn and it's back to normal.

Hope this helps.

[PBJ]

Thanks for the reply - my CFX buttpad has triangular holes and will not take a pellet! Changed my mind - see the next post!

[PBJ]

I went back to my CFX and sure enough, you can slip 13 .177 pellets into each side of the pad at the "diamonds". I just never gave it a thought. Just goes to show what a great post can do for us when we share.

[Gene_SC]

Thats what its all about.... Sharing

Gene

[Gene_SC]

Hey PBJ

That looks like you are ready fer war wiff all dim pellets packed in da butt and side pouch. Would like to make a point.. not me head either hehe... I found that most pellets have thin skirts and when you pick thos pellets out take notice that the skirts are not deformed. I was doing the same thing for a while but noticed allot of flyers. The skirts bend easy and do not make for good accuracy. It is just something I have noticed and thought I would mention it.

Even roughly shipped pellets in tins can get distorted and not shoot well. I can now always tell when i have used a pellet that is distorted or fits to loosly in breech will not work as well as a good pellet with no distortion.

Good Luck
Gene

[Knighticus]

I would like to get one of those pads to hold pellets. Where at? The holes on my CFX buttplate are too big also.

[longislandhunter]

That's a good point Gene,,, I also use the butt plate for pellet storage on some of my rifles and have noticed the same thing with certain pellets.  I make it point to put a pellet in every other hole thus leaving a space between the pellets so I can easily get my fingers around the pellet and then I remove it as gently as I can. I also make it a point to only insert the pellet deep enough to keep it securely in place.   I only use this pellet storage method when I'm hunting so 6 or 7 pellets in the butt plate is more than enough.  

Jeff

[PBJ]

I just got a Hunter 440 I bought from Gene and .177's fit the but pad holes like a charm. I only use the middle row that looks like a diamond. I have two Philips holders but must tell you that they spit/drop pellets for me. I have one on my Mendoza and one I wear on my arm. I suggest you get some firm foam and drill out holes. then glue the foam strip to the side of your gun where your loading hand goes on the way to the breach. I saw a guys gun from a post out of the Middle East and he had these strips on all his guns. Very nice. The foam needs to almost be a solid plastic to work right. If you want to buy my Philips carries, I will sell them to your for 1/2 of my cost and pay the postage. They work OK with short pellets but not with Predators or long heavies (10+ grains).