Author Topic: Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....  (Read 4996 times)

Offline DanoInTx

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3010
    • http://airgunartisans.com
Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....
« on: July 22, 2007, 09:28:38 AM »
Well today I was rumaging through my closet.  In my closet there are a few artifacts of boyhood, namely two Daisy 880's, and two Daisy Red Ryders.  These are guns I bought for my two oldest boys a couple years ago.  They have barely been shot, the 880's haven't even gotten the scopes sighted in, and the Red Ryders are pretty much LNIB.  These are all current production guns, these are not older collectable versions, I purchased all from Walmart within the last 3-4 years.

I personally owned one of the older Daisy 880's and the current production guns don't even come close.  Plastic recievers with plastic scope mounting dovetails that "squish" when you tighten the scope mounts...real airgun junk here.  But the Red Ryders, well, they aren't bad.

I set up my 13 yard range in the backyard.  After some fiddling with the sights I was able to get the Red Ryder to hit my target with the elevation full up everytime.  The trigger doesn't even rival a stock Gamo trigger.  There is no adjustment, the blade is plastic, I suspect it is a direct sear springer, but I am not going to take the gun apart to find out.  The plastic "wood" stock and forend is lightweight and should last forever.  

So, you might be asking,"Dan, you have some really nice air rifles, why would you spend your afternoon shooting a childs toy?".  There's a couple reasons:

650 round repeater...show me an adult air rifle that you don't have to reload except once every 650 shots?
lightweight and low cocking weight....relaxing little plinker.  Much lighter than my B50, and alot easier to cock that my BSA.
Reasonably accurate.  When you are shooting paper and soda cans at 13 yards, do you really need a 6x24x50 scope and an LW barrel?  It's nice, but this is just relaxing.
No pump or scuba tank.  I can fill it full of BB's before I go outside and never worry about reloading or pumping...just cock and shoot...no CO2 capsules, no hand pump.
Quiet, and you don't need a silencer, any ricochets most likely wont break a window, neighbors just laugh when they see a grown man shooting it, no one cares that you're within city limits and if they do...well if they do they have too much time on their hands.
I like to shoot, I mean I really enjoy sitting on my porch, shooting at cans, enjoying the sun, this gun fills the bill....this is a serious short range plinker...just needs better wood:)

I can fully understand how a country of kids could fall in love with this little carbine, it's just so easy.  If I could change one thing it would be the trigger, but it isn't bad enough to warrant me taking the gun apart to polish anything....it feels like a $19.98 gun, as it should.
Dan

Current shooters: Beeman HW97K .177 with Hawke Eclipse 4x16x50SFAO and Steve C. stock, Beeman R9 .177 with Hawke Airmax 4-12x40AO and Gene\'s Midas touch, Air Arms S200 with Bushnell Banner 6x24x40AO Rowan brass bling and Steve C. custom stock, BAM B25, BAM B40 .177 with BSA 3x12x44AO, Benjamin Marauder .22, Benjamin 397 pumper.

\"repeat this mantra:
Air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzzz!!!  ...You will feel better\" T.E.C.2008

Offline Big_Bill

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5615
    • http://
RE: Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2007, 02:41:03 PM »


Hey Dano,



Thanks for a trip into the past !! I think we all can use a moment in the past, happier, simpler, easier, past.. If I were you, I would re-do the stock, and make it my happy time shooter ! but that's just me buddy. Memories are those Kodak Moments, that can only be played on your heart. ;-)

Life Member of The United States of America
Life Member of the National Rifle Association
Member Air Guns Addicted Anonymous
SHOOT SAFE ! - SHOOT WELL ! - SHOOT OFTEN !
Always Use A Spring Compressor ! and Buy the GREAT GRT-III & CBR Triggers, cause they are GRRRREAT !

Offline shadow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11453
    • http://airguncamo@yahoo.com
RE: Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2007, 02:47:45 PM »
This is the little ol Daisy No.25 that I repaired and tuned up for my dad. She was a rusty relic inside and out, she's got a second lease on life now. Ed
I airgun hunt therefore I am... };)  {SHADOWS Tunes & Camo}  airguncamo@yahoo.com

Offline DanoInTx

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3010
    • http://airgunartisans.com
Re: Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2007, 03:08:56 PM »
That's a nice one Ed.  Guns like that are so nice to shoot while sitting on the backporch and BBQing.
Dan

Current shooters: Beeman HW97K .177 with Hawke Eclipse 4x16x50SFAO and Steve C. stock, Beeman R9 .177 with Hawke Airmax 4-12x40AO and Gene\'s Midas touch, Air Arms S200 with Bushnell Banner 6x24x40AO Rowan brass bling and Steve C. custom stock, BAM B25, BAM B40 .177 with BSA 3x12x44AO, Benjamin Marauder .22, Benjamin 397 pumper.

\"repeat this mantra:
Air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzzz!!!  ...You will feel better\" T.E.C.2008

Offline shadow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11453
    • http://airguncamo@yahoo.com
Re: Daisy Red Ryder, we've all had one....
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2007, 03:15:36 PM »
For sure, I was shootin little ol holes in pop can's at 10yrd's, pretty cool. Ed
I airgun hunt therefore I am... };)  {SHADOWS Tunes & Camo}  airguncamo@yahoo.com