Enjoying the collection

[jirushi]

Hi,
Lately my focus has been less on expanding the collection, and more on enjoying what I have.
After a period of mostly shooting, I am now back to tinkering a bit.
These three have been on the surgery table. And the Boyt gun slip has a new zipper.
It has the right length for the Sears 180. I do like these short slips; most are way too long for my airguns.
I have put a valve stem in the Sears, that was resealed by Lawrie. That will provide many years of trouble free plinking.
The Victory had a slight leak from the valve; that is solved now with some new o-rings.
It is harder to pump than an Innova, but a nice gun nonetheless.
The Light Pattern had a few loose screws after about 200 shots: the two screws that attach the trigger guard to the action, and the two screws for the plate on the side of the tap.
Those are now secured with a bit of blue Loctite.
The screw for the trigger guard in the stock, had no "bite" anymore in the wood.
After consulting my friend Zuko, I filled the hole with JB Weld, then drilled a new hole, and now the screw "works" again.
It is nice to experience that these little airgun tasks make me very happy; I guess most people on here know what I mean.
Cheers, Louis

[Waltherfan]

Hi,
Lately my focus has been less on expanding the collection, and more on enjoying what I have.
After a period of mostly shooting, I am now back to tinkering a bit.
These three have been on the surgery table. And the Boyt gun slip has a new zipper.
It has the right length for the Sears 180. I do like these short slips; most are way too long for my airguns.
I have put a valve stem in the Sears, that was resealed by Lawrie. That will provide many years of trouble free plinking.
The Victory had a slight leak from the valve; that is solved now with some new o-rings.
It is harder to pump than an Innova, but a nice gun nonetheless.
The Light Pattern had a few loose screws after about 200 shots: the two screws that attach the trigger guard to the action, and the two screws for the plate on the side of the tap.
Those are now secured with a bit of blue Loctite.
The screw for the trigger guard in the stock, had no "bite" anymore in the wood.
After consulting my friend Zuko, I filled the hole with JB Weld, then drilled a new hole, and now the screw "works" again.
It is nice to experience that these little airgun tasks make me very happy; I guess most people on here know what I mean.
Cheers, Louis

Looking good sir! Enjoy

[ratbuster2240]

Great idea shortening the slips they are annoying when too long and flop about.

[TonyL]

Lovely little ensemble.

[jirushi]

Cheers!
This gun slip isn't shortened actually, but I have indeed had a few shortened to get rid of those floppy ends.

Yesterday evening I was struggling a bit with the Light Pattern tap.
It's slightly off center, but I think that was also the case before I secured the screws with blue Loctite.
Will have to test in the field soon, if accuracy is still good.
I can't get the tap totally centered (moved more to the right) as the screws are already at maximum tightness.
There's always something lol.

[junglie]

Nice guns, & a nice jay well mounted, i prefer to see them alive on my bird table though.

[AllanM]

Love the little Sears 180 -- do you still have the J C Higgins with the nice blonde stock?

[jirushi]

Love the little Sears 180 -- do you still have the J C Higgins with the nice blonde stock?

Hello Allan, sorry for my very late reply.
Unfortunately I sold the J C Higgins with the nice blonde stock to a friend here in the Netherlands.
I was using the "short tube" Sears 180 more often and wanted to thin out the collection.
I should do that again, but it is always difficult to let nice airguns go.

Here is a photo that I took a few days ago after returning from my lovely holiday in Suffolk.
One of the GR-75's will hopefully go to Ped in a while.
I have started to disassemble the darker one. When it holds gas, I shall be testing a few types of .20 ammo, as I have understood these are quite pellet sensitive, due to their magazine/loading system.

[AllanM]

The Sharp GR-75 is a very interesting and rare rifle, especially in the UK and Europe. You are vey lucky to have found two such tidy looking examples.
I seem to remember reading a lengthy review in (I think) Airgun Shooter and the writer saying the magazines were a bit weird and very pellet fussy.
I'm sure they will tax your skills (and Ped's) and patience to fettle them and getting up and running properly -- Good Luck!

PS -- Shame about the blonde stock J C Higgins -- they are my favourite little plinking rifle and I would have bought it in a heartbeat!

[jirushi]

Hello Allan,
It might be this article?
https://www.airgunmagazine.co.uk/tag/gr75/
I have a selection of .20 ammo to try after the resealing is done.
The resealing will be challenging; I have had a look in the gun's "engine room" and it looks well made, but complicated. Lots of parts.
There is a later type Innova in .20 caliber on its way from Japan to me (will take about 2 months), with a tub of Sharp .20 pellets.
I won't use many of the original pellets, but at least I will have something that the gun likes.
Sorry about the Sears 180. If my friend Milo here in Holland ever sells it, I will let you know. It is always a bit stressful to take airguns over the border to the UK, even though it's legal, but it can be done.

[AllanM]

Yes Louis, that's the article I remember and it's still well worth reading -- it's interesting to see the price he put on them over 8 years ago!
Finding a suitable pellet seems to be their Achilles Heel and judging by the write-up something like a flathead/wadcutter might work although I have admit I've never seen one in .20.
Please keep us posted on your progress.