HomeFrequently Asked Airgun Questions
If you have an airgun question for the FAQ, please email it to me. Thanks.
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Questions
- I have an old Benjamin, Crosman, Daisy, Sheridan, or other air gun that needs repair. Where can I get part or have it fixed?
- I have an old airgun, can you tell me about it and what it is worth?
- What does F.A.C. mean?
- What's better - precharged pneumatic or spring guns?
- Is a fixed barrel airgun more accurate than a break barrel?
- How do you Rangefind with a scope?
- How do you level a scope?
- How do you determine which pellet is right for an airgun?
- Which pellet weight is best?
- What caliber of airgun is best?
- How do I focus the scope reticle to my eye?
- What's the differences between an airgun scope and firearm rifle scope?
- What causes accuracy problems in an airgun?
- Why do you lube the pellets with pre-charged pneumatic airguns?
Answers
I have an old Benjamin, Crosman, Daisy, Sheridan, or other air gun that needs repair. Where can I get part or have it fixed?
- Precision Pellet, service and repair for Crosman, Benjamin, and Sheridan
- Airgunwerks, most adult airguns, NOT Crosman, Daisy, Benjamin, or Sheridan
Benjamin Sheridan is now owned by Crosman so if you have any of these guns, contact Crosman through their website or call at 1-800-724-7486.
There are a lot of service and repair stations listed under the Airguns Service and Repair link on this site. A few reputable dealers that I have worked with are listed below:
Other major Airguns Companies are listed below:
I have an old airgun, can you tell me about it and what it is worth?
Try posting this question to some of the forums listed below:
Fun Supply General Airgun Forum
Genral Airgun Forum
Strait Shooters Airgun Forum
Pilkington Target Talk Airgun Forum
Chinese Airguns Forum
Gamo Airguns Forum
Airguns Canada Forum
Airgunforum UK
Airguns Online UK Forum on Delphi
UK Airgunning Forum on Delphi
There are a lot of knowledgable airgunners and collectors reading these forums and should be able to tell you all about your airgun.
What does F.A.C. mean?
F.A.C. stands for Fire Arms Certificate. A F.A.C. (usually printed as FAC) is required in the UK for airguns over the 12 ft. lbs. of energy since anything over that limit is considered a firearm. FAC in the US is only relevant in that you know that a FAC airgun is not limited to 12 ft. lbs. or energy.
What's better - precharged pneumatic or spring guns?
Both are very good. Both have advantadges and disadvantadges. A spring gun requires more discipline from the shooter to fire accurately on a repeatative basis. However, some can be nearly as accurate as a PCP gun. The advantage of spring guns is that they are a lot less expensive than most PCP guns, you don't have to worry about running out of air or lubing your pellets.
Most shooters will tell you it is easier to shoot a PCP gun accurately. They are more forgiving than are spring guns should you make a small error in your shooting discipline. They are easier to follow through with and they can typically be set to shoot at higher powers with almost no recoil or vibration that you would get with a spring gun. To their disadvantadge is their cost, the fact you have to keep an air tank or hand pump around, and to extract the most accuracy from them you almost have to lubricate your pellets.
Is a fixed barrel airgun more accurate than a break barrel?
A fixed barrel airgun will give slightly better groups than a break barrel gun. This is because the relationship between the barrel and scope doesn't change with each shot. A break barrel moves the barrel with each shot so it isn't in the exact same place with each shot. However, todays modern break barrels rifles are typically so well made that the differences are very small. With a high quality airgun, the average shooter will never see a difference between the two types.
How do you Rangefind with a scope?
Range finding with a scope consists of adjusting the objective on the scope until the target is in perfect focus. The distance is then read from the objective bell. Most shooters don't rely on the factory yardage marking on the scopes. They calibrate their scopes by actually focusing on targets at fixed intervals, say every 5 yards, then mark that distance on the scope objective bell.
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How do you level a scope?
To properly level a scope you will need two things, a bubble level and a plum line. A bubble level can be bought at a local hardware store. You can find small levels with multiple bubbles in it. I like to use one buble tube removed from the level for leveling the scope. A plum line can be made with about 4-6' of nylon cord and a 2 oz. lead sinker. Mount the plum line to a tree, post or other object so that it can swing freely.
To level your scope, first loosely mount the scope on the gun (your gun should be in a vice or on sand bags). Adjust the gun and scope so that you can see the plum line through the scope. Adjust the scope so that the verticle crosshair is about parallel to the plum line. Put the bubble level on the receiver perpendicular to the receiver and scope. Now adjust the gun so that it is level. Look throught the scope and adjust it until the verticle crosshair is parallel with the plum line. Now tighten the mounts screws. Check that the verticle crosshair remains parallel with the plum line when the gun is level as you tighten the mount screws.
How do you determine which pellet is right for an airgun?
The only way to determine which pellet is right for an airgun is to shoot a variety of pellets through it and see which one shoots the best. Ten meter match shooters typically use wadcutter pellets while most Field Target shooter use domed pellets (most use either Crosman Premiers 7.9 and 10.5 or Beeman Kodiak Match pellets) and hunters will used either domed, pointed or hollow point pellets. Most pellets can be bought on the web for a better price than directly from the manufacturer.
Which pellet weight is best?
The is no definite answer here. A lot has to do with personal preference and what you plan to use the pellet for; hunting, plinking or formal target shooting. It also has a lot to do with the velocity of the airgun you shoot. Lower power airguns may want a lighter pellet so that the downrange trajectory is less. However with a lighter pellet you will have to deal with more wind drift. Heavier pellets will lessen the wind effect but will have more drop at longer ranges than a light pellet shot at a given velocity.
Another factor is energy retention. A light pellet won't retain as much energy as a heavy pellet at a given distance and velocity. If the pellet is used for target shooting this doesn't matter much but for pest control or hunting energy at the target makes a big difference. This also is a factor in what caliber of pellet you choose.
What caliber of airgun is best?
The is no definite answer here. A lot has to do with personal preference and what you plan to use the airgun for; hunting, pest control, plinking or formal target shooting. Generally, most target shooters and plinkers opt for the .177 caliber. A lot of shooters select .20 or .22 for pest control and hunting. Some even use some of the bigger calibers like .25 and 9mm that are now available. However .177 can be used for hunting and pest control as well. Generally speaking, larger calibers retain downrange energy better so they impart more energy onto the target.
How do I focus the scope reticle to my eye?
- Loosen the eyepiece lock ring (if applicable).
- Rotate the eyepiece in the negative direction (check your scopes
owners manual, typically counter clockwise).
- Look Through the scope toward the sky, or at
a white wall about 10’ away. Rotate the eyepiece
clockwise until the reticle appears sharp and
black at a quick glance . Do not look through
the scope as you turn the eyepiece, as your eye
will adjust to the out-of-focus condition.
Glancing through the scope will immediately
reveal the reticle as distinctive and black
when it is properly focused.
- Lock the eyepiece in place by tightening the lock ring.
The focus adjustment on a scope is much like the adjustment an eye doctor uses when they test your eyes for glasses. Turning the eye piece will strengthen or weaken the "prescription". Follow the steps below to adjust your scope.
What's the differences between an airgun scope and firearm rifle scope?
Spring-Piston airguns generate heavy recoil and vibration in both the forward and rearward directions. Most rimfire and centerfire riflescopes are made to withstand only the rearward recoil of these types of rifles. Airgun scopes are made to withstand heavy bi-direction recoil and vibration. They typically also have parallax adjustment that allow closer focus. Typically these adjustments will allow focusing down to 10 yards. Recoil is typically not a problem with pnuematic airguns.
What causes accuracy problems in an airgun?
- Loose stock screws (particularly on spring guns). Clean all
screws with alcohol and use a bit of Threadlocker Loctite on the
threads before reinstalling. Periodically check for tightness.
- Loose barrel pivot bolt. Periodically check for tightness.
- Loose iron sights or scope. Periodically check for tightness.
- A dirty barrel. Clean the bore periodically.
- Incorrect pellet type. Test several pellet types for accuracy.
Use the most accurate pellet in your gun.
- Poor shooting technique. Practice, Practice, Practice!
- Inconsistant hold of the airgun. Practice, Practice, Practice!
Why do you lube the pellets with pre-charged pneumatic airguns?
There are several reason. The high pressure air in a PCP tends to contains a small amount of moisture. Lubing pellets increases accuracy, keeps the barrel lubed so it doesn't rust, and also reduces leading in the barrel. NEVER LUBE PELLETS USED IN A SPRING PISTION AIRGUN!
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