Pop out / gat guns

[trajectory]

I know that these designs are not the most accurate of air pistols but I was wondeering what the best "group" anyone on here has shot with one of these using either pellets or darts at around the 5 - 8 yard range. Single handed or double handed or rested if that's what it took. Just interested in what sort of spread of results we might see with them too, any pellets that they really didn't shoot well with, & what seemed to suit them. What make or model pistol used might be worth mentioning too.

For my part around 4 1/2" ( four & a half inches in case anyone thinks that its 41 or 42) at 5 yards with marksman pellets, but all thrown high right of poi from a Harrington.

Just curious, never really seen one reviewed or discussed before so as I say, just curios to find out how others experiences of them might compare, thanks

[harry mac]

Marksman pellets? There's your problem, right there! Get some RWS R10 Match. Just the ticket. Group in the 8 @ 10m, nae probs

[clarky]

Marksman pellets? There's your problem, right there! Get some RWS R10 Match. Just the ticket. Group in the 8 @ 10m, nae probs

Yeah use really expensive pellets and the groups should tighten from 6 inch dia at 6 yards to 5.5 inches lol
God those things were awful werent they ...even as a 12 yearold i wouldnt wear it as my first gun....had to be the Junior

[trajectory]

Mmm, suppose that's one possibility, but I'm sure other factors in the design might have an effect, that 12lb trigger pull with unpredictable creep can't be good........
Has anyone fired one recently or recall how their one "grouped"?

[Hsing-ee]

Now you have brought it up, there could be a flurry of interest in 'tuning' these maligned pistols. Given that people will spend hundreds of pounds modifying 6mm plastic ball firing guns, I can't see why someone should not have a go at one of the pop-outs.

First up would be a rifled barrel, maybe one of the thin inserts from the Crosman range would be easy to machine to fit. That will give the pellet some spin, and ought to tighten groups from the off. Next, address the issue of the heavy, creepy trigger. An active system would be best, maybe someone could adapt a Perfekt unit from a Weihrauch, or make up similar from scratch? I have never really understood how the pop-out works, initially thinking that it works on inertia alone, but apparently they are pneumatic. So, a better spring, better piston seal, smooth out the transfer port, fit snug guides where possible. Increase the weight with a barrel shroud and heavy wooden grips to increase inertia and damp down the two-way surge.

You could be hitting 2 pences at 5 yards before you know it.

[MikeHW45]

I have one of these. https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...=16&ajaxhist=0

It was my dads before he passed away and is around 50-60 years old. It is wildly inaccurate and where people are talking inches grouping i'd be lucky to hit a square foot with this one. I've kept it for obvious sentimental reasons, its in excellent condition and still boxed.

[Thegreg]

Now you have brought it up, there could be a flurry of interest in 'tuning' these maligned pistols. Given that people will spend hundreds of pounds modifying 6mm plastic ball firing guns, I can't see why someone should not have a go at one of the pop-outs.

First up would be a rifled barrel, maybe one of the thin inserts from the Crosman range would be easy to machine to fit. That will give the pellet some spin, and ought to tighten groups from the off. Next, address the issue of the heavy, creepy trigger. An active system would be best, maybe someone could adapt a Perfekt unit from a Weihrauch, or make up similar from scratch? I have never really understood how the pop-out works, initially thinking that it works on inertia alone, but apparently they are pneumatic. So, a better spring, better piston seal, smooth out the transfer port, fit snug guides where possible. Increase the weight with a barrel shroud and heavy wooden grips to increase inertia and damp down the two-way surge.

You could be hitting 2 pences at 5 yards before you know it.

I put a rifled barrel into a GAT when I was a 16 year old apprentice. At the time the club I was in had a "fun shoot" competition using pop-out pistols, so I thought it would be novel to try to trick one up! It did improve it massively. Still not great but would land every shot on a 10 meter pistol target at 6 meters, which a standard GAT would struggle to land a single shot on!

I ended up trading it with another club member, can't remember what for, but if anyone comes by an unusually accurate GAT, it could be it!

Cheers
Greg

[pnird]

My first airgun was a Harrington Gat. It was possible to hit my father's garage with it, but only from the inside. The trigger pull was about twenty-five pounds, but it needed a monumental jerk to make it work at all (no progressive pull possible) and in the end I bought a Webley Junior.

Merry Christmas everyone

John

[trajectory]

Odd things these pop out pistols, not sure if it's the frustration that they are inaccurate & the mistaken belief that practice with them will make you or them better or the fact that they are one of the few airguns where most shooters can potentially group better than the equipment they are using but there is an appeal. Maybe a limited appeal but they are a bit of fun, frustrating too but still fun. Never thought about trying to get a rifled barrel in one before but it's certainly an idea to ponder. The trigger is obviously ripe for attention too & then who knows?

[greenwayjames]

BSA considered making a pop out before the second world war in rifle form and a bit more sophisticated than the Gat I remeber seeing patent drawings and a prototype in one of the comics. Looked quite smokey.

[IanSea]

I was given a Diana SP50 as a birthday present which looked really cool but was impossible to hit anything with. Also the end of the barrel barely protruded from the end of the frame which made it difficult to cock unless you carried a block of wood to cock it on. I later acquired a Gat which could actually hit a tin can at a few yards and could be cocked on the toe of a welly boot, if you curled your toes in. You could also use it as a large spud gun.

[Josie & John]

I once tested a pre war Britannia pop out for Airgun World. Part of the test involved shooting at a soft drinks can at a distance of 3 yards. I had the unenviable task of reporting that I missed with my first shot

John

[trajectory]

I agree they can be awkward to cock & not very accurate, even at 3 yards (did you get it with your second shot?). Generally speaking despite all their inadequacies they seem to be remembered with a degree of fondness, but why is that? Is it because it was the only thing we had at the time, or has time clouded the frustration experienced by missing a target at two places with a tin funnel over it? What do you reckon?

[Josie & John]

I agree they can be awkward to cock & not very accurate, even at 3 yards (did you get it with your second shot?). Generally speaking despite all their inadequacies they seem to be remembered with a degree of fondness, but why is that? Is it because it was the only thing we had at the time, or has time clouded the frustration experienced by missing a target at two places with a tin funnel over it? What do you reckon?

Ahem, I missed with the second and third too

[ggggr]

Ahem, I missed with the second and third too

I can beat that John. I got given a little Diana Model 2. I sorted the problem and found a spring that might have been a bit harsh. Shooting 2 handed I could just about get a fist sized group at about 7ft. However, when I went outside, I couldn't hit an old, small boiler casing (maybe 2 ft high and a foot wide) at 6 yards! I then tried darts and found I could hit a tin can more often than not at that range.