This morning, I tried shooting my new B3. I decided to go ahead and try the open sights, even though my eyesight is maddeningly bad. I had cleaned the barrel with GooGone/weedwhacker/patches, and whipped off external oil. So I put my little portable bench rest on my table out back and set up a large piece of cardboard for my first shots. I tried some Crosman Premier wadcutters at first.The gun shot maybe 6-8 inches to the right with elevation okay. I started adjusting to get the pellets hitiing farhet left, but ran out of adjustment still maybe 4 inches too far to the right.But I did get some good groups (10 yards), including a nice one with RWS Hobbys.I decided the gun might deserve a scope, so I mounted my brand new Leapers 3x9 with adjustable objective as far to the rear as I could get away with.I then did some sight in shots.The scope wasn't too far off.
Then I started to try different pellets. To my dismay, I was getting better groups with the open sights! Its my typical experience with springers. I get my hopes up, decide to put a scope on, and then the good groups just don't happen. I get great groups from my scoped Remington Airmaster multi pump. So I went on like this for a bit., not very happily. I can't seem to get anything to group well. Then, just for the heck of it, I decided to scrap the rest, and try a large rolled up bath towel. Also, as a long shot, I decided to try a few of my Crosman Premier hollow points, the ones that I can't get any airgun to shoot even half way well. About this time, my neighbor, whom I call Mr. Magoo, since he is old (unlike my own young 55 year old self), hard of hearing, and mumbles very loudly and unintelligably, decides to come outside. I seriously don't think he knows I'm shooting airguns because we have a high fence, and his bad hearing.But I figure he'll be having other people come out with him, si I decide to try one last three shot group before I wrap it up.
I take a small piece of photography paper and draw a black bullseye with marking pen maybe 1 1/4" in diameter and use a six o'clock hold, and fire a three shot group..................into one very, very small hole!!!!!! Is it the pellets or the rolled up towel? I don't know, but I had to pick up my stuff for now. I'll get back to it as soon as I can, but I at least ended on a very high note!!
Here's some of my thoughts about the gun:
1.It's pretty rough. The stock has some crappy spots on it for sure. I am considering some of that bedliner/paint maybe.
2.It is a little hard to load, especially with the fairly ling Leapers scope I installed. But I worked out a system. Don't worry, I know to hold the underlever securely while putting my fingers into the breech area to load. I can do it with this big scope.
3.I am hoping I'm onto something either with the rolled up towell, or the Crosman Prem Hollow Points.The last group I got was great.
4.What I wasn't prepared for was the trigger. I have a Crosman 1077, a Beeman 1024, and a Remington Aurmaster.The B3 easily has the best trigger of these guns, with the Remington a close second.Then the 1077, and last, the Beeman.The Beeman requires so much effort, that the tip of my right index finger is getting permanently "tingly".The trigger on the B3 is very nice.
5.It is pretty loud.I was hoping someone wouldn't think I was shooting a .22 Short or something.
6.It does have a little smoke coming out of the breech after a shot, but so did my Beeman soringer (it now has maybe 500 shots through it).
7.If this gun loves the Crosman Premier hollow points, then I will buy a bunch.My other guns HATE these pellets, and I was just going to use them up.I am kind of having to use a scope because it shoots so far right with the open sight adjusted all the way. But if this last group is any indication, then this gun can group.This group is just slightly larger than the best I've shot with an airgun (Remington Airmaster with Gamo Hunters,three shots center to center of 0.0").
8.For $25.00, what the heck.
Jon in Puyallup
