The Diana P5 Magnum spring pistol The first Diana model 5 pistol was made in 1933 and, except for WWII, it has been made in one form or another ever since. The P5 Magnum was originally touted as the world's first 700 f/s spring pistol in a rare bit of overzealous advertising. However, they have been tested with Skenco Hyper Velocity Type 1 pellets and got into the 630s. There's not much difference between the appearance of the Diana 5G and the newer P5 Magnum. The 5G could get an average of 450 f/s with 6.9 gr pellets; the P5 bettered that by about 100 f/s in a spring-piston air pistol, that's incredible! It got that boost by a longer piston stroke, which made this gun easier to cock than the 5G it replaced.

The picture should leave no doubt about the origin of the term break barrel. The P5 has a powerful mainspring, yet cocks easily for all the power it produces. The muzzle extension is to be thanked for most of that, because it provides a longer lever for force multiplication. Very accurate! With the exception of the HW45, the P5 shoots rings around all spring pistols. It has near-rifle accuracy if you hold it loosely so the recoil and vibration patterns can repeat. Groups of less than 1/2" are possible at 10m, but it takes some effort to get used to it. A BIG pistol At 18" long, the P5 is BIG. Everything is linear, so it's going to use some room. It weighs 2.5 lbs., which isn't heavy, and the sculpted grips make it feel even lighter. But it is definitely not a gun you carry concealed. Great hunting sights! The front and rear sights are fiber optic. They're bright and quick to acquire. They are also marked very clearly for adjustment - something that's lacking in a lot of handguns. Good adjustable trigger and automatic safety Diana pistols and rifles have had good adjustable triggers for decades, and the P5 carries on the tradition. Both the length of the first stage and the total pull weight can be adjusted and locked down. The safety is automatic and must be taken off each time before shooting. It's a small metal tab in front of the trigger. Once you get used to it, it comes off quickly. If you are looking for a powerful, accurate spring pistol, this one belongs on your short list!

Silencers and accuracy

I've read and heard quite a few claims and queries about how a silencer affects the bullet so I thought it might be a good idea to post some info here: Whether a silencer does affect accuracy, power or range depends upon its construction. Silencers can be separated into two different types; those that touch the bullet as it passes through and those that do not. Silencers that use rubber disks, called wipes, touch the bullet and slow it down, this also lowers power and can make the accuracy so poor that it is only good for close range work. The rubber wipes are very effective in suppressing the noise from low powered firearms because they actually close a bit after the bullet passes and help slow the gas flow. However after a dozen rounds the wipes are damaged so much that they start letting more noise out and become useless after a while. Do a search for the Welrod pistol or the hush puppy, they used rubber disks, were not loud at all but could not hit the broad side of a barn. Modern silencers use metal cone shaped (or K, M shaped or slanted) baffles to divert gas flow much like a free flow muffler on a car. While they are less effective than a silencer equipped with wipes, they will last thousands of rounds as long as they are not overheated. They generally screw onto the muzzle, but some slide over the barrel or are integral to the barrel. A modern silencer equipped with baffles that is mounted correctly will generally not adversely affect accuracy except on the most accurate target rifles. They will affect the point of impact because they add weight to the barrel and change the way it moves under recoil. A silencer that telescopes over the barrel and applies tension can make the rifle more accurate. Because a silencer traps gasses for a moment while the bullet passes through, velocity can increase by up to about 1%; an insignificant amount. All this means is that it does not reduce velocity or power of the bullet. Some barrels are ported to allow gases to bleed off into the back part of the silencer; this slows down the bullet and reduces power, but is more a function of the barrel than the silencer. Suppressed firearms with ported barrels are some of the least noisy. Some people like to say that using a silencer reduces range because subsonic ammo must be used to eliminate bullet flight noise. This is absolutely untrue. Because a silencer only reduces muzzled blast noise and does nothing for action noise or bullet noise, they are still very effective even on high powered rifles. Because most subsonic ammo uses less powder than its full power counterpart, the muzzle blast will not be as loud. Less powder, less noise, it is that simple. "

And from Wikipedia : " There are many advantages in using a suppressor that are not related to the sound. Hunters using centerfire rifles find suppressors bring various important benefits that outweigh the extra weight and resulting change in the firearm's center of gravity. By reducing noise, recoil and muzzle-blast, it enables the firer to follow-through calmly on his first shot and fire a further carefully-aimed shot without delay if necessary. Wildlife of all kinds are often confused as to the direction of the source of a well-suppressed shot. In the field, however, the comparatively large size of a centerfire rifle suppressor can cause unwanted noise if it bumps or rubs against vegetation or rocks, and many users cover them with neoprene sleeves. Suppressors can increase the precision of a rifle, as they strip away hot gases from around the projectile in a uniform fashion. The suppressor can reduce the recoil significantly as it traps the escaping gas. This gas mass is a little less than one-half the projectile mass (approximately 1.6 grams vs 4 grams for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition), with the gas exiting the muzzle at about twice the projectile's velocity, thus giving a reduction in the felt recoil of approximately 15%.[1] The added weight of the suppressor — normally 300 to 500 grams — also contributes to the reduction of the recoil, though a significantly heavy suppressor would unbalance a weapon. Further, the pressure against the face of each baffle is higher than the pressure on its reverse side, making each baffle a miniature "pneumatic ram" which pulls the suppressor forward on the weapon, which can contribute an immense force to counter recoil. A suppressor also cools the hot gases coming out of the barrel enough that most of the lead laced vapor that leaves the barrel condenses inside the suppressor, reducing the amount of lead that might be inhaled by the shooter and others around them. However, this might be offset by increased back pressure which results in hot gas blowing back into a shooter's face. " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressor

Weihrauch HW98

The name Weihrauch or 'HW' as most people use , is synonymous with quality, power, precision and style as well as superior engineering; something which is a German trait when it comes to things mechanical. Herr Hermann Weihrauch has created a monster, one which thankfully is unstoppable.

The high power hunter with custom fit.

This rifle takes sporting performance to an entirely new level, because it not only shoots perfectly, it fits perfectly too. The adjustable cheek piece cushions your head into the ideal position for correct scope use, while the HW98's moveable butt-pad ensures perfect contact between your shoulder and the rifle. The stippled stock provides a non-slip grip and then there's a sleeved barrel for optimum balance.

The HW98 was their 1998 flagship, hence the title. It breaks away from the norm in HW rifles as it has features that can not be seen on any other of their fine rifles. For a start there is the most unusual stock. This beech wood version has sunken fingertip slots in the fore end, seven on each side. These can help grip but personally I would rather have less sharp edges to distract me when on aim. Your fingers do not have to touch these if you prefer as the underside of the fore end features a really large stippled area which helps grip and prevents slip. With a spring gun it is not good technique to grip it too tightly at the fore end as this may cause inaccuracy. Just rest the gun in the open hand and cup it lightly; as you would hold a delicate vase.

The stock features a cross between a sporter grip and pistol grip for the trigger hand. This is quite a comfortable combination of angle and shape. It is stippled all the way up to the top and this means that even if you place you thumb behind the rear of the action there is still grip and no slip. Further back still is the adjustable cheek piece. This is ambidextrous and can be moved up or down to suit the individual shooter. To move it requires a couple of Allen Screws to be loosened and then tightened after the desired height is reached... easy and practical.

Moving to the butt end there is an adjustable butt plate and recoil absorption pad. This will slide up, down or pivot so as to get the ideal position for the butt in the shoulder. For this reason the

HW98 would make a really good target rifle if you were looking for a good spring-powered gun for HFT.

Another interesting feature is the 'bull barrel'. This 16 inch barrel adds forward weight for steadiness as well as giving the gun a more solid and chunky look. It makes life easier when cocking the gun too as it gives more to grip.

Overall this is an attractive rifle and has much to offer the shooter in terms of personal fit. The two stage adjustable 'Rekord' trigger unit is flawless and adds to the all round functionality and quality.

Can you bend the barrel if you shoot a break barrel air rifle with the barrel broken open?

This is a common problem with first-time owners of break barrel guns. They always say the barrel closed accidentally until you press them. Then they admit they pulled the trigger with the barrel broken open "to see what would happen." When the barrel snaps back closed with several hundred pounds of force, it bends at the weakest point. Often, the wooden stock will be cracked at the same time, but the result is always the same as far as the barrel is concerned. This is a classic bent barrel resulting from firing the gun with the barrel open. It takes only one time to do this, and it happens almost every time.

Some airguns have anti-beartrap mechanisms that prevent shooting the gun until the barrel is fully closed. This also prevents personal injury when fingers are trapped in the closing breech joint. Many new shooters are fascinated by breakbarrel technology, and they want to experiment with it. Don't forget this lesson!!!

This is one experiment that always turns out bad.

CZ 200 - A Czech of Many Names

One of the rifles that everyone seems to overlook when buying a new rifle is the CZ200. Probably because they are not familiar with the brand, or maybe they are just overlooking it due to the lack of “bling” that you find of some of the other brands.

Only bad point is that you have to remove the airtube to fill it, but then I suppose that can also be a big positive... if you buy extra airtubes and fill them at home, you don't need to take a heavy scuba tank with you to the veld or shooting range. Should you require a multishot, it can be upgraded with a 10 shot magazine kit.

I spent many thousands of Rands on rifles… some good and some real bad, before I bought my first CZ. Since then I have sold most of those rifles, acquired some others, sold or traded some of them, etc. So far, the only rifle in my collection that is sure of a permanent spot is the CZ… it is THAT good. It is by far one of the most accurate rifles I ever shot.

My best grouping ever was shot with this rifle… 50m, 5 shots, 1 ragged hole measuring 8mm from side to side!

So what exactly is the CZ 200?

Air Arms advertised the S200 as: "Pre-charged sporter. Small in size BIG on performance. Designed to fit below the sensational S 400 range bringing the benefits of pre-charged shooting to the masses." That sums it up quite nicely.

And according to the instruction booklet:

"Series CZ 200 PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) air rifles is a result of the close co-operation between Czech arms factory Ceska Zbrojovka and renown English air guns manufacturer Air Arms"

"Model CZ 200S PCP air rifle can be designated also as Model Air Arms S 200."

"Model CZ 200T PCP air rifle can be designated also as Model AVANTI Valiant."

Each of these models sport different woodwork and power levels. The CZ 200S have the muzzle energy set to 16 Joule (11.8 ft/lbs) for the UK markets, but might be set higher (max 16ft/lbs) when they are exported to other countries. The CZ 200T is set to a 7 Joule maximum for indoor target shooting.

Up till recently these where the available models:

But now, there is something new and exciting… it’s called the CZ200S Hunter, and it’s awesome. The firing mechanism is exactly the same as on the other S models, but it come with a very comfortable, and more classic looking, sporter stock. However, the biggest and most significant change is the bigger air cylinder that offers you up to 30% more shots per fill.

“Pimping” your rifle

I could go into lengthy articles about how easy you can change the look of the CZ, but I’m not going to do that… just look at these pictures, and see for yourself.

Synopsis

If you are considering your first pre-charged pneumatic air rifle, or are looking for a handy second rifle, then the CZ 200 / Air Arms S 200 / Daisy Avanti is not only worth a look, it could be on the top of the list. It offers amazing accuracy and value, and as far as we are concerned, there is nothing in the price range that can be compared to it.

H&N / Beeman - Pellet Chart compiled by Todd Cooper

H&N = Beeman

Field & Target Trophy Field & Target Special

Hollowpoint Silver Bear

Diabolo Baracuda Kodiak

Baracuda Match Kodiak Match

Match Match

Silhouette Ramjet

Silver Point Silver Arrow

Spitz Kugeln Silver Sting

Diabolo Sport Laser Sport

Rund Kugeln Perfect Rounds

Crow Magnum Bisley Pest Control

How long do you keep your springer cocked? Here's a test by Ken Pang on December 25, 1999

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect on a mainspring if airgun is left cocked for an extended period.

Preparation: Airgun was disassembled, thoroughly degreased, examined, lightly lubed with a mixture of silicone oil & moly, then reassembled.

Procedure: After reassembly, airgun was fired 10 times to eliminate any excess lubricant which would contribute to dieseling.

Muzzle velocity in FPS recorded at each period in time was the average of 5 shots.

V0 prior to test

V1 gun left cocked for 1 week (168 hrs)

V2 gun left cocked for 2 weeks (336 hrs)

V4 gun left cocked for 4 weeks (672 hrs)

V12 gun left cocked for 12 weeks (2,016 hrs)

V24 gun left cocked for 24 weeks (4,032 hrs)

At each period, gun uncocked and left uncocked for 72 hrs to allow the spring to regain as much as possible of its original power (memory effect). The gun was cocked and uncocked a number of times to get the cylinder walls lubed and then 2 shots fired over a chrono. The average of these 2 shots were taken.

All pellets have been sized and weighed then batched according to weight. All pellets used in this test were of uniform size and weight. All airguns were .177 cal and all velocity readings are in feet per second.

Rifle. V0 V1 V2 V4 V12 V24 Final %

FPS loss.

HW30 655 648 630 592 521 481 26.6

HW50 705 682 678 640 565 513 27.2

HW35 715 698 689 652 576 533 25.5

HW80 975 965 944 891 789 739 24.2

Webley Vulcan Mk3 818 808 785 739 640 599 26.8

Webley Hawk 655 638 630 589 519 476 27.3

BSA Mercury 695 679 668 630 552 511 26.5

FWB124 794 774 770 728 645 596 25.5

There were 2 spring failures (breakage) suffered by the Webley Hawk on weeks 4 and 12. None other suffered the same fate. I attribute spring failure to the absence of a spring guide in this make and model. While the percentage reduction in m. velocities varied, reduction was generally around 25% of original m. velocity taken prior to commencement of test. It should be noted that these percentage decreases are theoretically optimistic as the air gunner would more likely experience reductions in velocity greater than the statistics shown here. Dieseling, weight & size (diameter.) of pellets used, improper lubrication, temperature, conditions of usage etc. can all have an adverse impact on the life and power of a mainspring. This test does show that leaving a spring airgun cocked, no matter for how long, will adversely affect the life and power of any mainspring.

Dan Wesson CO2 Revolver

The realistic looking AGS Dan Wesson revolver is a wonderful recreation of the original. Full length barrel with realistic speed loader containing 6 six real looking cartridges, the AGS Dan Wesson looks like the real thing and weighs 1040 grams, has an overall length of 338 mm with a velocity of 165 m/s (540 fps).

As far as CO2 hand guns go, the AGS Dan Wesson is the top dog. It has the power, the look, a removable accessory rail and a better than usual trigger.

Airguns For Self-Defence? Don't Even Think About It. Probably the most asked question we get is "What CO2 pistol can you recommend for self defense." The short answer would be "None, they are not suitable for self defense". First of all, a CO2 semi-automatic may sound cool, with rapid fire and an eight-shot magazine, but as anyone who knows anything about airguns can attest, the faster you fire a CO2 gun, the more velocity you lose on subsequent shots - it's because of the cold gas that is released by the CO2 cartridge every time you pull the trigger. A colder environment inside the gun makes a pellet go slower. So that maximum 360FPS will turn out to be in the mid-200 to 250FPS, which will cause a slight bruise for someone running around naked, but will hardly penetrate thick clothing, much less skin. If nothing else, your home invader or bad guy will simply get irritated at the fact that you're trying to shoot him and now it gives him the license to exact maximum injury on you, now that he knows you don't have a "real gun".

Some have said that having something is better than nothing, but I disagree. Having nothing at least poses no resistance to the perp, and unless he's hell-bent on killing or raping you, it may be in your best interest to simply let him take whatever he wants. Now, I know home invasions don't always work that way, but imagine this - you are stumbling in the dark, reaching for your airgun, hoping that the CO2 still will carry at least 8 shots. Even if you get your shot off, you are looking at reduced stopping power for subsequent CO2 shots. That is the nature of a CO2 gun. You will need a lot more than one shot to stop the intruder, and so a CO2 airgun is a really poor choice, even a CO2 repeating air rifle that requires a firearms license. An airgun can be used IF you are such a good shot that you can hit the bad guy in the eye every time. Most airguns will rupture an eyeball without much difficulty, but getting to the point where you can take out an eye is a pretty gruesome thought, and given the fact that the conditions in which you may actually have to do this are less than ideal (low light conditions, time of night and exhaustion issues, movement and space issues, not to mention the fact that you're likely crapping your pants at the time), it's probably more pie-in-the-sky thinking than anything else. Have airguns ever been used successfully to ward off an attacker? Probably, but don't assume that you'll be able to scare off or chase off most criminals. If they are indeed packing heat, then you pulling out an airgun has just authorized them to shoot you with a real gun in supposed self-defense. Do you want to take this chance? For home security, rather contact HP Renovations (www.hprenovations.co.za) and ask them about security solutions such as burglar bars or perimeter fences. Contact details: info@hprenovations.co.za or call on 021-903-1414

People Against Gun-Free South Africa

Like most gun owners you are probably sick and tired of idiots making unfounded statements about how guns are the cause of crime etc. Join the group on Facebook, tell your side of the story and help the guys take up the fight for your rights.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=370373577109