New CAMO stock for my Theoben Rapid .25 (PIC HEAVY)

Not too much to say about this one except, I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY with this stock that Ernie Ohlsen (aka SWIFT 220) over on www.airgunadvise.com did for me.  He has done only a couple to a few stocks before and upon looking at the very first one that he did for himself, i knew i wanted him to make me one.  He gladly agreed to do a stock for me and my Rapid .25.  All that i had to do was to pick the wood that i wanted and send it to him and he would do the rest.  I choose a CAMO LAMINATE as my choice.  This gun IS and will remain a field hunter.  I purchased the laminate blank from Boyd's Gun Stocks and it is no longer offered with this particular color pattern.  The stock also comes with a black Morgan adjustable butt pad, swivel studs in the forearm as well as the butt stock, a quick fill dust cover complete with brass insert and a stock mounting screw with brass insert.  Ernie also included and installed brass inserts for the swivel studs also.  In the pictures below, you will see the inserts as well as more detail.  What an eye Ernie.  Details also include oval recesses on both sides of the forearm for you finger when shooting offhand, flared tip that contour along the air tank (bottle), high cheek rest, finger grooved pistol grip with the butt of the pistol grip widened, lots of room (just enough) in the thumb hole for the biggest thumbs around..lol, and the above mentioned inserts and trinkets.

Long Story shorter i would love to thank Ernie for doing such a great looking stock with a ton of character and detail and to also thank Dave G. for his recommendation...........

The stock UNFINISHED:

The stock FINISHED (Min-Wax Polyurethane):

Gun and Stock goodies:

Truck Bedliner Spray + Logun Solo stock =

Been wanting a sythetic stock for my Logun Solo for some years now but just could not justify the cost.  I actually love the lines of the factory solo stocks also plus it keeps the gun pretty light.  After reading some one elses post on truck bedliner sprays being applied to gun stocks, i was hooked.  It does give the factory stocks a bit more of an agressive look plus, i do like black on black on guns.  So why not i said, i'll do it.  I personally love it.  I like the feel and the look and i look forward to seeing it perform in the field.  And i forgot who i got the idea from but, THANK YOU!

Before light sanding:

After sanding:

After 2 coats...DONE!:

Stock on the gun:

Another fun day AG'nin (AirGunnin)

After toying with some ideas about DE-tuning my Logun Solo, i wanted to move the velocity down a bit to around 800 or so.  After doing so, i found the groups to be LESS THAN STELLAR or acceptable.  So then i decide to set the velocity at around 880-890 fps with Crosman Premiers and JSB Exacts in .20 cal.  I still have not come to a conclusion as to which pellet i like more, the CP's or the JSB's in this caliber so for now, i shoot them both.  They both have produced some stellar groups at different velocities.  More testing and more time behind the Solo's trigger will tell me which ONE pellet the gun likes.  But i know i prefer the heavier weight of the CP at 14.3 grs.  For the climate here in California, the heavier weight projectiles suite my cravings for longer shots while in windy conditions.  The .20 does get blown of course EASILY.  I was using 3 mil dots of windage to shoot a couple of balloons at 100 yards.  I attached a small video below of me popping those 2 balloons (nothing fancy).

My usual morning started off with setting up to sight in.  The Solo would be up first as the winds were i shoot usually don't start blowing till around 8'ish.  Now would be a great time to start with the smaller and lighter caliber.  Since moving the velocity to 880-890 in my garage, this would be the first group from the gun at that FPS range.  I also had previously cleaned the barrel.  Aside from the CP's and JSB's, the Dynamic SPC-5 pellets at 12 grains were also brought along for testing.  These pellets to date seem to only like high speed.  i've pushed them around 1000 FPS and they perfom well but not stellar.  Shooting them at 890+ fps would prove interesting.  What i also want to do from here on out when i post a GROUP picture of any of my daily targets, i want to show the first group with the gun instead of a hand picked on.  Random groups like these ones are to me what a normal group looks like.  Its not the best of 10-15 groups from the day, these pics are the FIRST 2 at about 7:45 am.  Here are the results:

 My .20 cal Logun Solo:

Groups with the 14.3 gr Crosman Premiers:

Group w/13.5 gr JSB Exacts.  Again, the DYNAMICS were no good in the solo:

A little more fine tuning and i think i will keep it there.  880-890 FPS seems to be a good place for this gun and what i wanna do with it.  She also shoots this accurtely at 1000 fps with CP's but, i wanted to make this gun a lot more conservative with air.  Even though i've shot it numerous times at 100 yards, i will call 75 yards MAX on small game for this gun at this setting.  I'm good with that.

After plinking and playing with the Solo, i broke out the Rapid .25 and tried some 100 yard groups with the Benji domes and the the Kings.  Both pellets shot very well to say the least.  I really could use either slug but, i guess i'm just a die hard JSB man.  I have a bunch of those and i was given about 100 Benji Domes so, that's good as i don't have to buy more pellets.  Here is a 55 yard group from last month with the domes and kings.  Again, these groups were shot FIRST.  No best of the day groups but, pulled the gun out and simply shot these groups:

I then pull out my Corsair and JH 457 and i attempt to sight them in at 100 yards.  Unfortunately it did not go so well as i forgot my Corsair bullets (don't ask).........ARGGGGGHHHH! and i only found about 20 in the bottom of my ammo box and the Haley needed some fine tuning as i've been playing with trying to make the gun more efficient.  I think I'm headed in the right direction with the Haley but i will see come this weekend when i can shoot it again.  Well, these things happen so i then decide to put up the big bores but not before i blasted another 2 water balloons at 100 yards with the Haley.  This gun is a beast and is very accurate.  Time for a group photo of what i brought out for the day.  The picture explains it all:

After packing up the hardware...lol.  I head to one of my ground squirrel spots to let the ole trusty Rapid .25 stretch her legs.  It had become too windy to break out my LS.20 which is the gun i had planned to primarily hunt with on this day.  I took 3 ground squirrels and 2 were at 75 yards and one was at 68 yards.  One of the 75 yard shots had to be made in the heart while shooting just under a branch that was half blocking the squirrels head and body.  When i say my Rapid .25 is a Surgical Scalpel, i'm not exaggerating in the slightest.  Today was a good day for the Rapid .25 and the JSB Kings:

 

Here is a lil fella i appropriately named WOODY as he kept flying next to me to get a look.  Must have been a FEMALE bird....lol.  So i shot her too...........WITH MY CAMERA:

Despite the big bore issues, this day like no other was thoroughly enjoyable as any day in the field no matter the outcome is better than any day in the office.  Air guns are truly a BLAST.

3 gun jack rabbit hunting

Sunrise @ 6:10 am

While it's been hot not only across the country but, in Cali as well, i've been holding off on my usual once a week hunts/shoots.  I had been in constant talks with my NEW buddy RJ and he asked me if i wouldn't mind looking at his 2240 (RJ did all the work).  I agreed as this would keep me busy until i could get out and hunt again.  Well after some playing around with his gun and numerous phone conversations, i gave him the numbers he wanted and he gave me permission to keep the gun for a while but asked me to take the gun out with me the next time i go hunting to field test it.  I easily agreed as i had a couple guns i wanted to play around with when that day happened.  I had actually planned on leaving my big bores at home this time and taking only a couple of my small bores.  The guns would be my CrosMods 22, my Rapid 25 and RJ's 24" 2240.

Sight-In

2240:  After arriving at my locale i pulled out RJ's gun, topped it off to 3000 psi, set up the target stand and started to sight her in at about 35 yards.  I would soon find out that the red dot scope had just enough battery life in it to get me 2 handfuls of sight in shots and very little hunting shots if any so i had to use the scope sparingly if that makes any sense.  I managed to get about 12 shots on paper and dead center before i noticed the red dot light fading.  I turned the scope off and put the 2240 aside as i had seen enough to be satisfied with the groups and POI.

CrosMods:  Up next was the CD22 or CrosMods Discovery 22.  After setting the target stand at 50 yards, it was time to check zero.  Shots 1-3 were just a tad right and high.  A couple clicks down and a few over left brought the POI dead center and a tad high.  That was good enough for me adjustment wise.  The next 5 shots went into a 1" group and that's okay cause believe it or not, this gun is still in the testing phase and i don't expect "GREATNESS" from the stock 22 Disco barrel (please, no negative comments about that statement).  I would then shoot another 20 shots + or - at various reactive targets and objects located on the desert floor.   The CD was shooting well.  This gun is turning out to be quite the performer.

Rapid 25:  Well, what can i say about the Rapid.  A LOT actually..lol.  Next was time to sight in the R25 and the pellets of choice for the day would be the JSB Kings.  After replacing a few targets with fresh ones and topping the tank off to 3200 psi and loading my 3 mags full of JSB Kings, i began to sight in.  The guns zero was off a bit as the last time i shot it, it was in windy conditions.  As usual though, once sighted in, the gun simply drove tacks.  As it was getting really warm and i was happy with my groups and POI on target, it was time to hunt some Jacks.

The HUNT:
2240 @ 900 FPS w/16 gr JSB Predators
The 1st rabbit of the day came shortly after i started my walk of the desert terrain.  I spotting this rabbit at 52 ranged yards and snuck to with in 37 yards of him.  I used the shrubbery to my advantage by stalking the rabbit while behind Creosote bushes.  I could tell he was a tad spooked as when i walked over in a clearing to spot him, he was standing straight up with his ears perked and scanning for noise.  I quickly turned on the red dot scope as i knew i did not have enough battery life left and i had to make my first shot count.  I aimed the red dot center mass into the rabbits chest and sent the 16 gr Predator pellet on its way.  Direct hit and one rabbit in the bag.  The battery in the scope was done.

CD22 @ 865 FPS w/15.9 gr JSB Exacts
After walking back to my truck to grab my CrosMods 22 and put away the 2240, i spotted another jack giving me the opportune shot.  I passed knowing that i could barely see the red dot within the guns scope.  I hurried to the truck and grabbed the CD22 and a couple handful of Predator's and went back to the area where i had just spotted the other Jack.  Needless to say, he was gone.  I turned left and walked a good ways before i spotted another Jack under some desert brush hiding from the sun.  I ranged him and he was at exactly 48 yards.  Taking careful aim with the aide of my shooting stick, i lined up the cross hairs for a shoulder/heart shot and sent a Predator poly mag pellet his way at 865 FPS.  The rabbit lunged forward, twitched a couple times and expired.  I simply love the Predator pellets as they just perform so flawlessly.  Another rabbit in the bag and the second of the day.

R25 @ 940 FPS w/25.4 gr JSB Kings
As the time approached 11 am, the sun was starting to really heat up and i knew i would not be out very much longer.  I headed back to my truck to put the CM22 away and grab a bottle of water and fruit, and to grab the final gun of the day...the Rapid 25.  I always get excited when i hunt with and shoot my R25.  Its simply the most reliable and well built PCP i have or have ever had...period.  Since it was very hot, i decided to pick up from this location and drive to another locale as it would give me time to sit inside some much needed A/C.  After reaching my final destination, i grabbed the gun from its case, topped it off to 3200 psi and began my last walk.  I soon saw 2 jacks in the same area but by the time i set up to take a shot, they spooked and ran for the horizon.  I continued my walk opposite the direction the 2 jacks ran in and soon saw another jack slowly hopping behind some brush.  I guesstimate the brush to be about 75 yards away and decide to wait a bit to see if the jack would come from behind the bush.  I then ranged some dead debris next to the bush and it was at 68 yards.  As the jack hopped from behind the bush, he sat on his hind legs to see if i was still there.  I then raise my R25 and set it on the shooting stick and placed the 2nd lower mil-dot slightly below his ear and between eye and the ear.  The JSB Kings found its mark.  Jack #3 down.  I snap a couple of pics and move on.  By this time i'm super hot and i tell myself, 1 more and i'm done.  So off in the same direction for about 30 minutes and i decide to head back to the truck and call it a day.  I knew though, that i would see more jacks as i headed back.  Another 10 minute walk would provide 1 more spooked jack that ran and ran but it would also provide another jack quartering away from me at a ranged 58 yards.  His positioning would not only provide for a lung shot but would also provide the opportunity to see the penetration potential of the Kings as the pellet would also exit through the heart and chest.  I again sent the JSB Kings speeding on its way.  Upon impact, i could hear and see the pellet ricochet off in the distance.  It was a pass through from the right ribcage near the last rib up through the lung and out the chest.  Roughly 6.5 inches of travel with i'm sure, power to spare judging on the ricochet zing.

While i've owned a lot of airguns, but NOT ALL, the Theoben Rapid is just my go to gun and my favorite.  Every since i first shot my buddy's Rapid 25 i knew this was the gun and caliber for me.  And she has not let me down since.  While admittedly not being PERFECT from the factory, she has proven herself to be not only laser accurate but it's unique, powerful, reliable, well built, has a great history and following, highly tunable if need be, and has ton of nice features.  While i sing high praises about my Rapid, if you have another name brand of airgun and you hold it in such high regards as i do my Rapid, then rejoice in your guns qualities but don't preach its superiority.  There are MANY good airguns on the market today and just like our taste in them, individual expectations of airguns vary.

Stay Tuned

CrosMods Discovery .22 hunting Jack Rabbits and Ground Squirrels

I only had about 5 hours to get out for a quick hunt on this particular day.  With the winds being air gun manageable, it was time for my new CrosMods Disco .22 to get in some shooting time.  I've finally settled on the JSB Exact 15.9 grain domes to be the guns pellet of choice.  There aren't very many airguns were the Exacts DON'T perform.  My CrosMods Discovery is no exception:

I wanted to get an early start to make the most of my short day.  When you beat the sun up and get on the road early enough, you will be fortunate to see sites like these.  Ahhhhh...the SUNRISE:

As usual upon arriving at one of my shooting locales, i recheck zero to make sure the gun is still sighted in from the last outing and to my pleasant surprise it still was very close to Point of Aim.  Gotta love quick sight in sessions.  I then grab a handful of JSB pellets and refilled my gun back to 2000 psi, locked my truck and began to scour the desert floor in search of some California Black Tailed Jack Rabbits.  It wasn't long until i ran across my first Jack sitting under a desert creosote shrub.  I lasered him at exactly 52 yards and surprisingly, i did not spook him.  I quickly set my CM22 (the air rifle) on my shooting mono-pod and set the video camera to record.  I calmly placed the cross hairs center mass on the rabbit head as he faced me and then I gently begun to squeeze the trigger, and VOILA...my first Jack of the day at 52 yards:

I then begin to hike in search for more jack rabbits.  Because of the hot weather, i did not see as many as i normally do nor did i want to walk too far from my truck.  So i searched for another 1/4 mile or so with no luck, and i decide to go back to my vehicle and drive to my Ground Squirrel location.  About 150 yards from my truck, i spot movement and it was another rabbit about to make his way up the side of a hill that i was walking alongside.  As he trotted off i thought, "hear he goes...up the side of the mountain and down the back side.....HE'S GONE!".  And to my surprise, he only sprinted off a couple of yards and stopped, and sat up on his hind legs to catch a glimpse of what i was.  That would be his mistake.  Again, i set up my shooting sticks and took aim all the while turning on my camera and hitting record again and placed the crosshairs center mass of the rabbits head.  Being as the rabbit was 64 yards away, i knew the shot would fall low and penetrate the chest cavity striking the heart region.  A gently squeeze of the trigger again and BOOM....rabbit number 2:

So now i head back to my truck to take a look at the time and i had decided that it was time to move on to hunting a couple of ground squirrels and try and get some video footage.  Off i go to my ground squirrel area and upon arriving, the wind had picked up just a little and i didn't have very much time to hunt.  I arrive and I quickly get out of the truck and grab all my necessities and refill the gun back up to 2000 psi again.  My first squirrel would come in at a lasered 41 yards and I did not have much time to set up on him as he was skiddish.  It was a cleanly placed head shot that would do that fellow in.  As i walked the area, i spot another squirrel at 79 yards but i did not want to make that kind of shot cause i'm still getting used to this gun.  So i stalked to right at 52 yards of the squirrel.  I sat on the ground and collapsed my shooting stick to where i could place the rifle on top of it while sitting and quickly started the camera rolling.  I then lasered the log the squirrel was sitting on just to verify the distance and it was again......54 yards.  The squirrel was looking at me with his head turned sideways giving me the perfect shot opportunity (between eye and ear) and i decided to place the JSB right down his ear canal.  Once i squeezed the trigger, i could very clearly hear the impact.  The CrosMods .22 had again, done her job:

Attached is a video of the above listed shots.  The video runs 2 minutes and 32 seconds.  In that video, i included the last 2 ground squirrels of the day.  Whats different about the shots in the video on the last squirrels is that.....I MISSED!  I included the misses cause missing is a very real part of hunting and or shooting.  And i'm not afraid to say or admit that i have enough video of misses that i could make a 2 hour video out of it......lol.  Ok, so not 2 hours worth but enough.  Whats kind of funny too is that the majority of the time that i miss, i miss very cleanly and the animals are not wounded and run down their holes to die and agonizing death.  The first ground squirrel i OVERCOMPENSATED by like 2 mil-dots and the shot was to the far right.  I missed the squirrel but i did manage to kill the log he was sitting on...lol.  The second squirrel again, was a clean miss as i simply did not ADD enough compensation for wind doping and the shot was close but, i got no cigar.  Both squirrels lived to see another day:

STAY TUNED!!

.308 Corsair Long Range Session (part 1 of a 4 part series)

Hey guys, and welcome to another one of my H.P.A. expeditions.  On this trip and in this series, i wanted to dwelve into some BASIC long range shooting with my airguns.  In this first installment, i opt to start with the .308 Corsair. A gun and bullet combo well suited for long range shooting.  The gun is making roughly 240+ ft lbs and has a true bore diameter of .308".  The bullets that i shoot through the gun are sized to .308" diameter and cast by myself.  I have found that in my particular gun, .308' works better than bullets sized to .309".  I start the day off with a simple sight in to zero the gun at 100 yards.  The gun proves to be plenty accurate at 100 yards as a few bullets that i used that day printed 2 shots touching each other.  The three bullets are the 135 grain Spitzer, the 148.5 gr RCBS HP and a 155 gr LEE mold Flat Point bullet.  Remember, this is an airgun and not a powder burner so shot count is limited per fill.  At 3600 psi, i get 4-5 shots but only the first couple are consistent in velocity and accuracy.  Its the nature of a big bore airgun.  You simply don't buy them to shoot 20-50+ shots off of 1 fill.  You buy them for all out POWER.  Lets take a look at a few targets from that day:

As you can see above, the accuracy is there.

After sighting in and getting the POI pretty close, i then set up some of the REACTIVE targets that i brought along.  REACTIVE targets are basically anything that you can shoot that simply lets you know you hit it.  Such as a can filled full of soda, or an aspirin tablet or a jug filled with water or even a metallic swinging target that GONGS when you hit it.  I set up 2 water bottles/jugs at 91 yards and hit one with the 308 Corsair and the other with the Jack Haley 457.  The targets fell easily at the shots.  I then move out to 100 then 150 then 200 yards with my steel swinging target that sways when its hit with something powerful enough to make it move upon impact.  At those distances i also managed to shoot a MELON and a couple of jugs filled with water.  The gun/bullet combo proves to be accurate and have plenty of potential all the way out to 200 yards.

During the session which you will see in the video, my rear scope ring is not tight and the clamp manages to come slightly out of the dovetail groove on the receiver.  My groups all of a sudden move upward and the gun continues to shoot a tad high for the remainder of the day.  It was not till i went home that i found the issue.  I reset the rear scope ring and also REPLACED the entire scope with another that i had on a gun that i don't shoot too often.  So that should resolve the POI issue on the following shoots with this gun.

All in all, i am very pleased with the gun as it performed very well at distance.  Probably better than i thought in the beginning even considering the scope malfunction during the making of this video.  Lets go ahead and review the video and it explains the story in more detail.  ENJOY:

STAY TUNED!!!