Big Cat sling question??

[BritSniper]

Hi guys, I am a complete newbie both to air guns and this forum! I have just bought a Big Cat 1200 and I would like to know if it is possible and if so how hard it is to fit a sling to this weapon?? I have good basic DIY skills but never worked n any sort of rifle, any tips or tutorials on this subject would be very welcome.
Many thanks in advance.....

[ezman604]

Clive, welcome to GTA Forums. Glad to have you aboard. Lots of good folks and a ton of useful info here too. Be sure to check in often.

As for a sling on your Big Cat, try this... http://www.amazon.com/GAMO-Gun-Buddy-Rifle-Sling/dp/B00172KHAS

Again, welcome and Happy Shooting!!!!

Dave

:emoticon:

[airiscool]

Welcome Clive,

Or, maybe something like this would work ?

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.com/airguns/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19158&posts=7&highlight=sling&highlightmode=1#M154499

Paul.

[ezman604]

Kewl...and even PA has the one I posted cheaper.

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Gamo_Gun_Buddy_Rifle_Sling_Fits_All_Air_Rifles/2227

[BritSniper]

Guys thanks for the welcome and the quick responses! I should have been a bit more specific - doh I also want to use the mount for a bipod, well thats my thinking at the moment. Is it possible or are they only fitted to wooden stocks? Sorry to be a pain in the *&^

[airiscool]

Clive,
Somewhere on here someone had pix of their plastic stocked break barrel with a bipod mounted farther back on the stock. Can't remember if they also had a sling. Maybe using the search feature and the word "bipod" and it might come up.

Paul.

 

[ezman604]

Attachthis one to the barrel and possible attacha sling swivel to the front bolt, if it's removable.

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Swiss_Arms_Bipod_Includes_3_Mounts/2852

[BritSniper]

Dave, You are a star - this is just the thing I need! I can attach the clamp over the barrel and then use the bipod or the sling!
Just one last question - can I fit a "stud" for the sling to the butt, is it safe to drill into? will it hold in the plastic or pull out?
Thanks again for your help, I can see that I will be getting lots of help and advice here!

Clive

[ezman604]

The problem with a standard swivel is they generally mount withcoursethreads made to screw into solid wood.Synthetic stocksare hollow. So, you don't have much "meat" for the screw to tap into. It would probably strip out or crack the stock and pull out after a while.

A suggestionsfor that, IF you can access the inside of the stock by removing the recoil pad. You could cut a block of wood, say 1-1/2" square and put it inside the stock and screw the swivel into it. But, if you can't access the inside, I'd suggest sticking with the Gamo Gun Buddy sling.

Thanks for the star. Hope some of this helps.

Dave

:emoticon:

[airiscool]

"The problem with a standard swivel is they generally mount with course threads made to screw into solid wood. Synthetic stocks are hollow. So, you don't have much "meat" for the screw to tap into. It would probably strip out or crack the stock and pull out after a while. .........."

If you try to use the wood screw type on the foregrip, yes. But it's plenty strong enough for a sling swivel mount using a machine screw backed with a washer.

You can get sling swivel sets either with all wood screws, or a machine and a wood screw. Even Walmart carries the Uncle Mikes sling ends with both the machine screw/wood screw combo, or just two wood screws. You can also get them from many of the on-line suppliers.  

There are many plastic stocked powder burners that come stock with  sling mounts.  Both my Savage 22mag and model 11 came from Savage with a machine swivel for the fore grip sling with a  washer on the inside so it can swivel. The nut is locked on with thread locker.

For the butt swivel ....
I'm not sure about all the Gamo plastic stocks, but my Whisper has plenty of thickness in the bottom edge of the butt stock near the recoil pad. The Uncle Mikes wood screw is plenty long enough and the tip of it hardly makes it though because the plastic is so thick there.

Paul.

[ezman604]

Thanks Paul for more in depth info. You can take half of my star.

Using the machine screw, nut and washer would still require access to the inside of the stock. The stocks MAY be thick enough material but I wouldn't take a chance of not reinforcing the mount from inside. But, like you said, the stock MAY be thick enough at the very back to be able to hold okay. Good info!!! That's what makes this site so darn good to be a part of.

Dave

:emoticon:

[airiscool]

Thanks Dave !  

The plastic stocks I've seen in recent years are quite strong. Stonger than many give them credit for.

If the proper sized pilot hole is drilled, and the screw is not over-tightened, I don't see the screws ripping out of them anymore than a wood stock. The butt stock swivel on my Whisper, you'd need the leverage of a large claw hammer to pull it out.

As for the foregrip.
True Value and other hardware stores, Lowes, etc,  carry larger outside diameter "fender" washers even in the smaller machine screw sizes such as #10 and #8. They are almost twice the diameter of a standard, or SAE washer. That spreads the load over much more area and makes for a stronger hold.

For that matter, cutting a piece of  16ga to 1/8 inch thick steel, the size of one of the foregrip's 'cavities' and drilling a hole through it makes an even stronger 'washer'. Or cut it out of thicker bar stock and drill/tap it for the machine screw that comes with the sling swivel.

 There are many ways to attach a sling or bipod to plastic stocks that are strong and easy to do with simple hand tools.

Paul.