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AirGunEric · Site Admin

Minor update on the Phantom with the stock plastic washers/bushings. I had a bit of time today, so I took the Phantom out to try and separate issues with targeting it.

I shot about 40 pellets, re-sighting after each group of 5-6 pellets using the cheap Crosman 4x15 bottom-end scope at 106ft (30m). First shots were low and right, after adjustment they were centered but still too low, more adjustment then they were higher and to the right again. Basically I spent too much time "chasing" the bullseye and the scope would never center properly. Best "group" of 5 shots I got was 2" with 4 shots, the fifth flying about 2" above that. So- that didn't work worth a crap. Is it barrel shift or the cheap scope? I hoping the scope- which is, by all accounts, about the lowest end POS you can find- like $10 at Wal-Fart kinda quality, and certainly not rated for springers.

Next, I got rid of the scope to use the open sights, after some adjustment I could get 1" groups at 30m and was not doing any better because I actually couldn't see the target all that well (10m target) and had to "estimate" every shot. Anyways- the gun was pretty consistent like this.

Next, I will get out a better scope and see what happens.

leadman · Veteran Member

lol your at about the same faze of testing im at im just waiting for some funds to get a new scope and better mounts

Mar · Veteran Member

I'm gonna have to get me one of these but I don't recall seeing them yet at Wallyworld, though I haven't really look that hard.

calvin0 · New Member

after a couple more shots today i found out somthing intresting.. when I rest my phantom directly on the bench surface and shot it.. the shot goes a little bit up and to the right as oppose to when i rest it on my hand... maybe the bench would bounce the gun up and to the right with the recoil? where as when i use my hand, my hand absorped the recoil? Question

Cal.

Mar · Veteran Member

I'm not sure what you mean by. "directly on the bench surface". Do you mean bench rest, a soft padded surface? A gun should always be fired from some sort of non hard rest surface, including the hand.
When I hunted, there were times when my rifle was cradle in the crook of my hand, between my thumb and forefinger while the hand was resting against a tree or whatever.
Plus sometimes you can get different results between resting the fore arm of the stock vs resting the barrel against something.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Resting any part of a springer on a solid surface will create a 'bounce' effect. It's the initial recoil of the spring, moves the gun around because there is no 'play' or 'give' in what it is resting upon, so the gun itself moves- and of course the pellet hasn't yet exited the barrel at this point ("duration" or "lag" time), so the shot goes askew.

23ib0d0n · Moderator

Spring torque and piston rebound are fairly extensively discussed in the Cardew book "The Airgun from Trigger to Target" and the shooting characteristics of springers tend to lean toward user repeatability.

An 'artillery hold' that allows the action to torque without interference until the pellet leaves the muzzle is most widely agreed upon for springer accuracy.

Since springers recoil as the piston moves forward and then again in the opposite direction when the piston 'rebounds' against the compressed air trapped behind the pellet before it starts moving up the barrel, higher energy magnum springers can often be pretty tough to shoot consistently.

Even lower power spring guns take finesse and most also require a major learning curve. Not just point and click like most of the better co2 and PCP.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

calvin0 · New Member

Ahh.. thanks for the info guys.. that's what i thought.. I will stop shooting on a hard surface.. heh

Nice!! did you install the new washers you got yet? how was the result? So the washer you got is even thinner then the craptire ones eh...? if you happen to take your gun apart.. could you please measure the thickness of the plastic washers please? I want to find the metal washer that is the same thcikness as the plastic ones.. Wink

Cal.

Mar · Veteran Member

I just joined the 500 club, pick it up this evening, can't wait to shoot it but first I may just clean her up.

This is exciting folks! Cool

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Congratulations to Mar! Hope you like the smell of burning Chinese "secret lube" every time you fire for the first 500 shots! Razz

As for the washers- I bought them (and measured them), but haven't gotten to taking the Phantom apart again quite yet. If I determine that my barrel isn't shifting or creeping once I get a better scope hooked up- I likely won't be taking it apart anytime soon.

Mar · Veteran Member

Thanks Eric, chinese lube hey. I'm going to past a patch or two through the barrel first and see how it come out.

I do have a question though after looking over the rifle. Looking through the trigger guard at the adjusting screw, I see a thin wire crossing the path of the screw head. Seems to be the trigger spring maybe, haven't taken anything apart yet. Was it like that for you guys also or should I move it over to the side of the screw?

AirGunEric · Site Admin

That wire shouldn't interfere with the adjustment screw- so it either shifted around a bit, or it wasn't placed properly at the factory. shove it off to the side (I believe it is supposed to sit to the left-most side of the gun- but due to the spring's angle- you may only be able to shove it to one side anyway- so it maybe be error-proof).

Also- the adjustment screw loads up the bottom of the sear piece to shorten the pull distance on the trigger- don't overdo it, or setting down the rifle heavily might allow it to discharge (I'm not sure how much it will move the sear piece ultimately- but be careful as you try to find out). I personally don't like the fact it's anchored by the silly little plastic piece- it allows too much movement or wobble in my opinion- perhaps I should look into a metal piece to replace it with...

Mar · Veteran Member

Well this is boring, no new post for awhile so let me have the honors then. Smile

So if I have this all clear then, to get to 500fps, All I need is a spring compressor, and a couple.three washers?

Is the Quest piston the one I would want to go beyond? Part no cik 77-003?

What else?

A Maccari Trantula spring?

Trigger, a Micro GTX insert good enough?

So many question but I need to get it from the horses mouth. Laughing

Mar · Veteran Member

I think I will return mine for an exchange and hope it performs better. This one seem to have a mind of it's own and shoots where it wants too till a few shots later. Still, seems like it's wondering all over the place even though I 'm almost getting decent groups.

Btw, I've been shooting guns for years and I'm not to impress with this gun besides it being a 22