Calling on B-26 owners

[Dehouser]

I'm looking for a budget .22 rifle to see double-duty as a pest control and plinking gun.  The B-26 is both affordable and easy on the eye, and I figured with a bit of home tuning it could be a nice, economical hunter.  Can those who have experience with this gun please chime in?  I'm curious as to what I could expect velocity-wise in stock form and how acceptable the trigger is.  Also, any caveats or recommendations are appreciated.

[ronbeaux]

I got a B-26-2 from MM and absolutely love it. It took about 500 rounds to settle down and is now fully capable of 1" groups at 25yrds. The trigger is SWEET, just like my HW77. Very well built and solid. I can't remember the fps but it is comparable to most other medium duty guns. It's not a magnum and doesn't come with the magnum kick.

[shadow]

The B26 is one of those shooter's that darn good right "out of the box" along with a decent trigger, a tune just sweetens the package. Both of my B26's are .177's and tuned with a avg. 880fps, plenty of punch to drop small critter's and larger one's if I do my part. Ed

[longislandhunter]

I have a .177 and a .22 cal B26 and they are both great shooters.  Both of mine are still bone stock and both are still shooting as nice as the day I first opened the box.  The triggers on both rifles are super !!  Either rifle will give me dime sized groups at 30 yards no problem.  

I've used both of them to take starlings, pigeons, squirrels and rabbits and they have both proven themselves to be excellent small game and pest rifles.  I do use the .22 more often for small game but the .177 gets the job done nicely as well.  

I'd have to go down in my shop and look up the last chrony readings but they are basically right in there with my .177 and .22 cal Beeman R-9's.  

Like I said, mine were great right from the box, but if you get one from Mike and have him tune it it'll be even that much better.....

Ya just can't go wrong with a B-26.

Jeff

[daveshoot]

I don't think anyone would regret purchasing a B26 for pest and plinking. Mine was 630-650 fps in .22 out of the box but it can do better. I fired another recently that was reputed to be a Mike Melick tune, and it was smooth and sweet, although I didn't chrony it.

This is a very loveable air rifle with a wonderful trigger, one of the great values for the buck in airgunning. The trigger is better than some rifles with much bigger price tags and can be made scary-light. I prefer a couple shades this side of "scary".

You will clean it thoroughly on receipt, loc-tite (unless you will be disassembling right away) and tighten stock screws. It's a springer, the Accushot 1-pc. mounts are ideal, size Med or Hi for your scope objective (if you're scoping?). That's about it, until you decide to open 'er up. Trigger adjust to taste and fire when ready.

Mine loves RWS Superdomes but it doesn't seem all that fussy. The auto safety didn't always re-engage if you closed the barrel too gently, this improved with use. I have never torn the internals down and maybe I should.

[oldyankee2]

I've been thinking of putting in an order to Mike for a tuned B26 (not at26-2) in .22 in the near future, and now they've gone an announced the B25 (a clone of the 34, instead of a clone of the R9 which the B-26 is).  Now I am confused as to which I want more.
Either one would probably be great for what you want to do, especially after Mike Melick does his job on it.

[leftcoast1]

I  have a MM B-26 in .22 shoots Predators around 630-640. Trigger is great and the gun is smooth and lite weight. You can preseve the lite weight and buy a BSA 2-7x32 air rifle scope for it and it will be and excellent hunter and plinker.

[Dehouser]

Thanks to all who replied; the comments made in the thread are very reassuring.  I am going to order one of these guns very soon.  The red tape that piles up with bringing a gun from the US side of the fence is significant (pity; Mr. Melick does good work), so I will be buying local and tuning it slowly myself.

[mikeiniowa]

just give me a yell............

[Dehouser]

mikeiniowa - 5/19/2009  9:16 PM

just give me a yell............

Thanks, Mike.  You are indeed, a gentleman.

[BumbleShot]

Why home tune when Mike M will send you one ready for 10 years of shooting?  If you want a project gun, get a Quest or a Gamo.  If you want to nail wildlife out-of-the-box, and keep your hands clean, get a basic tuned sporter 26 from that guy in Iowa.

I have the sporter stocked B26 in .22, which I recommend over the thumb hole stock since the sporter stock is ambidextrous.  

My 26 .22  likes FTS best but shoots looser groups with Superdomes.  Half inch with FTS, 1" with RWS or Gamo Hunters.   With FTS, the rifle shines.  Haven't tried Predators yet, but I just got a tin.

The Quest is a fun rifle to home tune, and will reward you well with .75" groups at 20yards.  But a Quest is not a B26.  I'd take a B26 any day over the Q.  Also, the Quest or any Gamo will need a trigger upgrade.  The GRT III or the RiM insert.

Have fun!  I love shopping with YOUR money!

[cliffspot]

Got one in the summer of 2007. Out of the box it was shooting 920 with CPL's, an exeptional gun! had some delrin guides and tophat built for the stock spring, put in a JM seal and it was doing 845 with CPL's. The seal was a little tight and the spring guide slightly reduced the stack height by maybe a couple mm's. The seal loosened up after a LOT of shooting as this gun was so easy to cock and smooth as butter!~ Silly me, in a moment of weakness....i sold it to my cousin. Chronied it before it shipped and it was doing 885 fps. My Hw77 tuned with a JM kit and seals, buttons has a wayyy better trigger but it's heavier and shoots snappier with LESS power! Gotta get a new B26! Hey Mike, have you tried swapping the trigger blade out of the '26 with a HW blade? Think it will work?

[mikeiniowa]

I haven't tried that yet...with a little work the 26 trigger can be almost good as the HW unit, replace the factory sear adjustment screw and bend the tab in front of the trigger blade for more first stage and it's hard to tell them apart....

[USNCop]

Dan,
I use my .22 B26 Sporter exactly as you mentioned in your post.  It's accurate and smooth enough to punch paper and definitely takes down fur or feather pests around the house.
I started out as a kid with a Crosman .177 rifle and later a Sheridan Blue Streak in .20.
Now I'm hooked on .22 and not looking back.  I'm surprised at several pest shots I've made so far with my B26.  Chops through the shoulder and front leg of squirrels at well over 30 yds thus far and instant kills on gracks at nearly 50 yds.
I've never duplicated that performance with the Sheridan.
I get less run-aways and way more instant kills.
I bought a Mike Melick tuned B26 in .177 last year and it's a great shooter.  For now, my .22 B26 is stock.  I just can't mess with the smooth firing cycle and accuracy right now.
It's hard to beat the performance and weight at that price.
Do yourself a favor and get a MM tuned .22 B26.  I love mine to death!!!

[don_centex]

I've had my MM .177 B-26 for about 2 weeks now and all I can say  is I wish I'd done this sooner.  Sighted in right out of the box,  popping tuna fish cans at 50yds.  Plus all the advice about proper holds and trigger pulling  just as all you guys have suggested in the posts.   It works like its supposed to.    I wasted a lot of time with my TF97, it was a good learning experience.  Gotta start somewhere to appreciate the good stuff.

Now I'm tempted to play with the B26 trigger, but I'm just gonna hold off as long as possible.  I don't want to ding it up.  It looks too good.

I'll direct my shadetree machine shop techniques to the old B3 I've got.

tks Mike
Don