This Just In!!!! Epox Badger 40 cal

Ordered this gun back in March (2016) and it finally came in the other day.  Its designed based off the Chinese QB platform so if it looks familiar, that's why.  But this is definitely no QB CO2 air-gun. Its American made 40 cal big bore muscle.  The only QB parts on this gun is the cocking handle and the trigger assembly and the wood stock.  Even the barrel band is different.  This big bore is said to make roughly 200-300 FPE but when testing starts, we will have the final numbers.   The scope she is wearing is an older model Hawke Varminter series in 6-24-44mm with mil-dots and is pretty clear.  Its what she will wear for now for glass and it the scope continues to be trouble free like it has, I see no change in the future.  Word on the streets is Dan McVey from XP airguns made this gun and this company goes by the name EPOX.  This gun was purchased from www.airgundepot.com and was a steal at $599.00.

I bought here a nice new Red and Grey dress complete with Black 3" high heels.  Richards Micro-Fit is one of my favorite places to purchase such items......lol!  Boy did i have some sanding to do.

Stay Tuned!  More to come very soon!
Tofazfou

My Son gets a AirForce TalonP

THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME:

At 9 yrs old, just like me when I was 9, My son gets his 1st PCP airgun.  All i got at 9 yrs old was a Crosman 760 Pumpmaster and this kid gets a PCP.......LOL.  My, how times have changed.  His other gun is a CO2 2240 modded with a 14" barrel.

More to come as MORE parts come in.  This is going to be one fun HPAdventure.

TOFAZFOU

MOLDS, MOLDS, MOLDS........

Various bullet molds and various calibers

As the title states, I own and healthy amount of bullet molds to feed my airguns.  Not only are the manufacturers and calibers different but, the types of metals they are made of also vary.  They are Brass, Steel/Iron and Aluminum. I have owned even more but have since sold some of them and the guns they were for.  Such as my Jack Haley 457 and its bullet molds and the molds for my Corsair+ .308 when it was in .308 cal and also a few 7mm molds.  Lets also not forget that these molds are for Powder Burners and can be used for airguns as long as the cast bullets are properly slugged for your guns bore (same with PB's also).  Even though I have trimmed down my mold collection to the very necessary only, I will be buying more soon......lol!

WHY CAST BULLETS:  Without getting into to much technical jargon, a cast bullet provides more downrange energy via its weight and higher BC/SD (ballistic coefficient/sectional density) than a pellet.  So what does that all mean in layman's terms.  It means that once you find the most accurate cast bullet for your airgun (s), it will allow you to hunt bigger game than one normally would with a airgun and it allows you to take FURTHER shots. Not only on game but also on targets whether it be paper, steel or reactive targets. The debate of head shots often comes up and to answer that quickly, any projectile of a decent weight and shape can penetrate the skull/brain of most game.  Even big game.  But you are seriously pushing the envelope.  I will leave that at that.  But with a cast bullet, the extra weight and SD allows you to make not only head shots but it allows you to make body shots which is what is most presentable on game.  In other words, for the majority of HUNTING shots, its easier to hit the vitals in the body than it is to hit the brain on a head bobbing animal.  Moving on to target shooting, a cast bullet in a powder burner or an airgun allows you to save money.  Target copper bullets (for PB's) are expensive and so are match grade pellets (for Airguns).  Cast bullets are very cost effective and are proving to make some really tight groups far down range at further ranges than what a Diablo pellet is capable of.  Many a cast bullet in my arsenal are providing MOA and LESS at extended ranges out to over 400 yards!

THE MOLDS:

 ARSENAL MOLDS 257388 85.5 gr (1% TIN)-.257 cal

 LBT 285130 130 gr-7mm

LEE Precision (Lee) 7mm 130 gr SOUPCAN

 ARSENAL MOLDS 2574520 Boattail 71 gr (1% TIN)-.257 cal

LBT (Lead Bullet Technology) 258 90 gr. LFN-.257 cal

 LEE PRECISION (LEE) .379 cal 250 gr FP-.375 cal

ACCURATE MOLDS 360109  BBT (Bob's Boattail)-.357 cal

NOE Bullet Molds 288132 FP-7mm

 LEE Precision .358 cal 105 gr SWC

RCBS .458 cal 300 gr FP

These are just SOME of my current and past bullet molds that have provided years of casting service and enjoyment and cost savings.  If you are a shooter of any discipline, you can seriously benefit from casting your own slugs.  There is such a sense of satisfaction when you take time to create a projectile that puts hole in hole in targets downrange or ring that long distance steel plate or take that once of a life time game animal.  If you own a small, med or big bore airgun (even powderburner), I urge you to give bullet casting a try.  It just goes with the hobby.

STAY TUNED!

Tofazfou

N.U.A.H.-Corsair 7mm and Jack Rabbit, 214 yards!

1st, N.U.A.H. means "NOTHIN UNDA A HUNERD" which in layman's terms means no game taken under a 100 yards by an air gun.  It's also meant to show what's being done by airguns whether they shoot pellets or bullets, what can be accomplished past 100 yards whether its GAME or REACTIVE, or PAPER TARGET, so forth and so on.

Which brings us to this post.  While there is no video for this one (again....lol), there is a story.  While out today TESTING my abilities and my guns abilities, I decided to call it a day and head home.  Well, on the way, I decided to stop at the same local I just recently killed a Coyote at 120 yards with the TD257 using Neilson Specialty Ammo (post just below this 1).  I noted that there where more rabbits in this area (6) since I killed that large male Yote last.  As soon as I arrived, I spot 2 Jack Rabbits that where separated by a ways and both under (UNDA) bushes/brush.  Both were about 130 yards away and I decided to go for a double.  Well, while setting up my camera and filling my gun, I spook one of them and that rabbit decided to run.  DAMN BLEED VALVE NOISE!  Well, that rabbit ran for a ways.  Almost another 100 yards and stops cold.  Once it stops, it sits on its haunches and looks around for whatever it was that spooked it (me and my noise).  I quickly range the bush that's right next to the rabbit and VOILA.......214 yards my Leupold rangefinder sais!  At this time, I set the rangefinder on the ground and put the cross hairs on the rabbits chest remembering that 205 yards (100 yard sight in) with this round and a full fill and at 3500' altitude is at 6 HASH marks on my SWFA 12x42 scope.  THIS IS A RANGE I AM VERY COMFORTABLE SHOOTING AT as I do it every weekend.  LITERALLY!  110-205-435 yards are my comfort zones with this air gun and the TD257.

I gently squeeze the trigger while holding dead on the rabbits chest.  About >1 second later, I was kindly rewarded with a THWOCK sound that all us air-gunners come to know as a direct hit.  I could see the dirt behind the rabbit also kick up which notified me of a complete pass through.  But that was NO SURPRISE!  I then saw the rabbit lay down and kick and twitch a lil bit.  SUCCESS!  A DIRECT HIT!  Amazing to me that the impact was so audible from so far away.  You would think I would be used to it by now but it still excites me as it means a HIT!

The bullet (1% Tin) enters the chest and exits the hind quarters completely blowing the hip joint apart.  The damage was extensive also to the abdomen.  So much so, the pic of the quarry had to be taken from the animals backside.

2nd, shooting long range with any type of gun is exciting to me and always will be.  I've been doing it since I was a tyke.  But when using an air gun, it brings about a joy that isn't the same as doing it with a powder burner.  This is 1 of the challenges of using airguns and its VERY rewarding.  Airguns have less power and less extreme long range accuracy than PB's.  This is why it's so rewarding.  When everything comes together as you calculated to make a swift kill at some 100-200-300-400+ yards, you can't beat that.

Thank for reading and of course, STAY TUNED!

Tofazfou

TalonDor .257 takes it's 3rd Coyote @ 120 yards!

I've said it before and I will continue to say it, the .257 caliber is such a accurate, fun and devastating round for target shooting and hunting.  Short or long range.  In this story, I will introduce not only the TD257's 3rd coyote but also a new Swage Bullet maker named Nick at Nielson Specialty Ammo.

THE GUN (TD257):  For those not familiar already with this air gun, the TD 257 started life as a Airforce Talon .22 caliber airgun.  I then bought a 24" .22 cal barrel then switched it shortly thereafter to a .25 cal pellet shooter.  Now this is back when the .25 wasn't even popular or in the hands of the general public.  After converting to a 24" barrel 25 caliber air gun, I soon bought a Condor valve from Air Force and thoroughly enjoyed the boost in power.  Many years later, the gun sat on the garage shelves for many reasons.  The main reason being the accuracy was not consistent enough for me.  In comes Doug Noble over on the TAG forum and he custom machined my guns internal parts along with the installation of a TJ Enterprises 26-5/8" barrel in .257 caliber.  Put all of the above info together and VOILA, I now have what I call the TD .257 (TalonDor .257).  Talon frame with a custom "Condor" valve by Mr. Noble with a .257 barrel.

Now, on to the highest praises.  With this kill, my absolute love for my air gun confirms why I think the 257 is such a accurate, devastating and fun round while using air power.  This rifle has hit a coke can at 446 yards (over a quarter mile) and was what I believe the FIRST to do this.  It has scrambled raw eggs sitting on golf tees at 175 yards.  It has decimated small colonies of ground squirrels and jack rabbits.  It has VIDEO posted half MOA groups at 160 yards.  And with this kill, it has now taken 3 coyotes.  The 257 continues to impress me after all these years and there is no other small bore air powered round quite like it!

THE AMMO, THE MAN:  Now, for those of you that follow me and my AIRVENTURES, you know that with this gun I shoot a variety of self cast slugs.  One being the very popular Lyman 257420 which is custom hollow pointed.  Every now and again, I get to test new slugs.  As of lately, I've had the pleasure of shooting some new to me, SWAGED slugs by Nick at Nielson Specialty Ammo or http://nielsenspecialtyammo.com/.  Nick contacted me via one of my favorite air gun forums and offered to send me quantities of .357 and .257 custom swaged slugs.  Being a sucker for new ammo, I could not and would not say no.  Nick owns a trapping company out of CA and has always been a shooter of various powder burners and used to reload most ammunition he shot. He got into PCP's when he needed a solution for putting down animals he trapped. As he got further into Air guns, Nick noted a serious lack in accuracy with over the counter lead ammo for big bore airguns.  He started out casting and then learned about the swagging process which he liked a lot.  Diving right in, he purchased a Corbin hand press to learn the process.  Shortly after he bought a hydraulic press and many dies, punches and related equipment.  Nick spent over a year developing his craft and doing research and testing on various slug designs.  I have recently been giving Nick feedback and evaluating his slugs.  Which leads me to this kill.  Nick recently sent me some 77.3 gr Rebated Boat Tail HP's that I found to have some serious potential and asked him to remake them at 79 gr instead.  Being a swagged projectile, the maker quickly has the ability to make the projectiles heavier or lighter by simply adjusting a die.  Longer per caliber makes it heavy and the reverse for a shorter bullet.  Nick has some pretty exciting ideas for projectiles that show great promise and will be available for retail.  I won't let all the cats out of the bag and save future info on his slugs for future post.  Lets take a pictorial look at some of the slugs and targets from previous test sessions.  These pics show how much time and detail goes into the testing sessions to find out what works.  These are not all but just a few:

THE SHOT:  I arrived at a location that I haven't been too in over a year but driving by frequently, I had seen a coyote or two and rabbits in the distance before.  When I parked my truck, my wife called me as she usually does 1st thing in the morning.  As we talked, I exited the truck to start setting up to target shoot.  I gathered paper targets and other miscellaneous items I use to target shoot.  I hung up with my wife and went to grab one of the 1st Airguns to shoot for the day.  On the way around my truck, I quickly spotted 2 coyotes trotting by in the distance.  I grabbed the TD257 from the gun case in the back seat and both of the yotes heard me rustling around in my truck and decided to STOP and see what I was doing.  When I removed the gun from its case, I adjusted the power wheel up to 4-12 (REALLY HIGH FOR MY GUN.  NORMALLY IT SITS ON PW 4-4 USING THE LYMAN 257420's at 1010 fps).  As my heart was racing, I grabbed one of the NEW 79 gr RBT/HP's and quickly slammed it in the gun.  I visually ranged the coyote at 100-110+ yards and decided to hold the cross hairs on top of the bigger coyotes spine and the 1st lower mil-dot (120 +- yards) on his chest.  The 2 coyotes started trotting off aimlessly and I soon gave them a loud bark!  The bigger one stopped and looked in my direction PERFECTLY broadside.  I lost sight on the other yote due to the nearby shrubbery.  At this moment, I squeezed the trigger and quickly heard the muzzle bark then the infamous THWACK which sounded like it hit a little bone.  At the point of the shot, I could see the 79 gr RBT HP slug fly and curve right into the coyote in slow motion.  The coyote yelped, spun twice and bit at his shoulder.  He then ran up the nearby hillside and at this point, I thought it was a bad hit and the coyote was going to get away.  I was so extactic to see the whole thing unfold like a movie, in slow motion.  As the coyote ran up the hill, it stumbled twice and at that point, I knew the coyote had been hit well and it started struggling to keep pace.  Soon after, the coyote fell and tumbled and when it fell, it completely stopped moving RIGHT at the moment it dropped.  It was dead while running.  I grabbed my Leupold range finder and ranged the exact bush the coyote was standing right next to at the shot and when I saw "120 yards", I just about yelped as loud as the coyote did......lol!  I kept ranging the shot and every time it read, "120".  This was the very 1st shot with Nick's 79 gr RBT/HP slugs and at that point, I hadn't even tested them yet.  I just loaded and kept the faith that basically, 2 grains heavier would somewhat still have the same trajectory as the lighter ones.  Needless to say, the shot hit the coyote in the lungs/heart on its RIGHT shoulder and exited the LEFT one.  The entrance was a very small hole and the exit was about 3/8".  The entrance hole was perfectly placed and square in the shoulder and the exit shoulder had a exit hole lower than centered due to me shooting slightly downward.  I was hoping the slug stayed in the coyote but it did not.  I was planning on recovering it.  To this day, I have yet to recover many slugs from game animals. Most completely penetrate as this one did.

Later, I set up my new Caldwell chrony and began to test the same exact bullet for muzzle speed.  I was amazed that the slug was traveling 910 fps with the chrony set up 6 feet from the muzzle for 145 FPE!  BC is still untested as of yet because the slugs are in their infant state but, being a RBT projectile with a pretty slick ogive, they retained enough downrange fps/fpe to totally penetrate a large male coyotes chest 120 yards away and cause massive trauma!  More info on these slugs to come!

Stay Tuned!

Tofazfou