Any air gunners on here
Any air gunners on here
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Discussion

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
I have a strange random question and can't wait till the shop opens tomorrow to ask. I've a BSA Ultra multishot - very very lightly used (<400 pellets through it!) and around 10 years old from new.

It has a fully metal cartridge.
I get bored of stopping to refill the cartridge so bought a spare - a new style with the shot counter. Its part plastic, blue inside too.
They are the exact same size/dimensions

Zeroed at 25 yds the old cartridge hits bullseye shot after shot.

The new cartridge when fired is much much quieter but hits about 8inches below consistently, alternate cartridges/shots same result i.e. its not the air pressure in the gun.

Clearly bloody useless to swap in out as they fire differently but is this right - is there a problem somewhere? Help !

Kawasicki

14,355 posts

264 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Could it be that the pellet bore diameter in the plastic magazine is slightly undersized?

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Kawasicki said:
Could it be that the pellet bore diameter in the plastic magazine is slightly undersized?
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.

pequod

8,997 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
David A said:
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.
^^^ I suggest this is answer.

Seldom does a cheaper (ie plastic) alternative perform the same.

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
pequod said:
David A said:
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.
^^^ I suggest this is answer.

Seldom does a cheaper (ie plastic) alternative perform the same.
Hmm it’s a bsa part I think. However air should not get to that part of the gun should it. Could it be the o ring on the loading probe




Probe pushed forward for photo


LordFlathead

9,646 posts

287 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
pequod said:
David A said:
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.
^^^ I suggest this is answer.

Seldom does a cheaper (ie plastic) alternative perform the same.
^^This.

Most aftermarket mags are 3D printed and not of the same OEM quality. I bought 4 printed mags for my Steyr as it munches through rounds and they all shot differently! When I ran the mic through the holes they varied between 5.44 and 5.68mm! They all went back.


Bill

58,574 posts

284 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
I can't see why the magazine would make a difference.

If you load a pellet then withdraw the probe to remove the magazine what happens when you shoot?

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Bill said:
I can't see why the magazine would make a difference.

If you load a pellet then withdraw the probe to remove the magazine what happens when you shoot?
New mag - load pellet, take out mag, re-insert probe, Seems to fire/aim as with original cartridge.

Back to the new mag and still a much quieter shot and shoots lower !

LordFlathead said:
pequod said:
David A said:
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.
^^^ I suggest this is answer.

Seldom does a cheaper (ie plastic) alternative perform the same.
^^This.

Most aftermarket mags are 3D printed and not of the same OEM quality. I bought 4 printed mags for my Steyr as it munches through rounds and they all shot differently! When I ran the mic through the holes they varied between 5.44 and 5.68mm! They all went back.
See the photo below - i thought I had bought a BSA original not an aftermarket.

Still don't understand how the mag should affect it - shouldn't the probe seal it off? Which makes me wonder is the new mag maybe pushing the probe up/down/sideways ?

Edited by David A on Thursday 11th May 18:35

pequod

8,997 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
David A said:
Bill said:
I can't see why the magazine would make a difference.

If you load a pellet then withdraw the probe to remove the magazine what happens when you shoot?
New mag - load pellet, take out mag, re-insert probe, Seems to fire/aim as with original cartridge.

Back to the new mag and still a much quieter shot and shoots lower !

LordFlathead said:
pequod said:
David A said:
Under or over? It does possibly maybe feel a little looser for the pellets. Ie not as tight a fit as the original metal one.
^^^ I suggest this is answer.

Seldom does a cheaper (ie plastic) alternative perform the same.
^^This.

Most aftermarket mags are 3D printed and not of the same OEM quality. I bought 4 printed mags for my Steyr as it munches through rounds and they all shot differently! When I ran the mic through the holes they varied between 5.44 and 5.68mm! They all went back.
See the photo below - i thought I had bought a BSA original not an aftermarket.

Still don't understand how the mag should affect it - shouldn't the probe seal it off? Which makes me wonder is the new mag maybe pushing the probe up/down/sideways ?

Edited by David A on Thursday 11th May 18:35
If it's a genuine mag supplied by BSA, then I suggest you send it back and request a replacement?

Alpacaman

1,091 posts

270 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Am I the only one that saw the thread title and thought this-


Bill

58,574 posts

284 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
David A said:
Still don't understand how the mag should affect it - shouldn't the probe seal it off? Which makes me wonder is the new mag maybe pushing the probe up/down/sideways ?
Seems like it. Or distorting the o ring.

Glosphil

4,874 posts

263 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
I have a Weihrauch WH100 & have 2 OEM magazines & 4 3rd party 3D printed mags. No difference in accuracy with any of the mags.

As the probe pushes the pellet out of the mag into the barrel I can't see how a mag can affect accuracy, unless it distorts the pellet.

LordFlathead

9,646 posts

287 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
David A said:
See the photo below - i thought I had bought a BSA original not an aftermarket.

Still don't understand how the mag should affect it - shouldn't the probe seal it off? Which makes me wonder is the new mag maybe pushing the probe up/down/sideways ?
Certainly looks like a genuine BSA part (sorry I missed your picture reply before I replied). Doesn't mean its any good though!

If the pellet to bore ratio is too large a percentage of air bypasses the pellet around the outside. This means the skirt doesn't fully inflate to seal the pellet in the chamber. Failing that I would be looking at a defective O ring in around the regulator of discharge chamber.

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Just changed the pellet probe o ring as I had a spare service kit. No difference at all. Unless there is someother way for the air to bypass that
towards the mag.

Very very confused about this !

pequod

8,997 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
LordFlathead said:
Certainly looks like a genuine BSA part (sorry I missed your picture reply before I replied). Doesn't mean its any good though!

If the pellet to bore ratio is too large a percentage of air bypasses the pellet around the outside. This means the skirt doesn't fully inflate to seal the pellet in the chamber. Failing that I would be looking at a defective O ring in around the regulator of discharge chamber.
Whether or not genuine, only way to test is to try another mag, I would respectfully suggest?

marksx

5,174 posts

219 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Alpacaman said:
Am I the only one that saw the thread title and thought this-

Nope!

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
pequod said:
LordFlathead said:
Certainly looks like a genuine BSA part (sorry I missed your picture reply before I replied). Doesn't mean its any good though!

If the pellet to bore ratio is too large a percentage of air bypasses the pellet around the outside. This means the skirt doesn't fully inflate to seal the pellet in the chamber. Failing that I would be looking at a defective O ring in around the regulator of discharge chamber.
Whether or not genuine, only way to test is to try another mag, I would respectfully suggest?
I will call the shop tomorrow, i guess it will either be the same result with a change of mag or different.

What is very curious is the sound difference - much much quieter with the new mag but the shot is lower at 25yds which I also don't understand.


pequod

8,997 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
David A said:
pequod said:
LordFlathead said:
Certainly looks like a genuine BSA part (sorry I missed your picture reply before I replied). Doesn't mean its any good though!

If the pellet to bore ratio is too large a percentage of air bypasses the pellet around the outside. This means the skirt doesn't fully inflate to seal the pellet in the chamber. Failing that I would be looking at a defective O ring in around the regulator of discharge chamber.
Whether or not genuine, only way to test is to try another mag, I would respectfully suggest?
I will call the shop tomorrow, i guess it will either be the same result with a change of mag or different.

What is very curious is the sound difference - much much quieter with the new mag but the shot is lower at 25yds which I also don't understand.
Would suggest to me the pellets aren't correctly sized and thus the projectile is leaving the barrel at a lower velocity and hence, shooting low?

Try another cartridge before considering a problem with your rifle.

David A

Original Poster:

3,724 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
pequod said:
David A said:
pequod said:
LordFlathead said:
Certainly looks like a genuine BSA part (sorry I missed your picture reply before I replied). Doesn't mean its any good though!

If the pellet to bore ratio is too large a percentage of air bypasses the pellet around the outside. This means the skirt doesn't fully inflate to seal the pellet in the chamber. Failing that I would be looking at a defective O ring in around the regulator of discharge chamber.
Whether or not genuine, only way to test is to try another mag, I would respectfully suggest?
I will call the shop tomorrow, i guess it will either be the same result with a change of mag or different.

What is very curious is the sound difference - much much quieter with the new mag but the shot is lower at 25yds which I also don't understand.
Would suggest to me the pellets aren't correctly sized and thus the projectile is leaving the barrel at a lower velocity and hence, shooting low?

Try another cartridge before considering a problem with your rifle.
I’m comparing the original mag with one delivered today. Same tin of pellets.

EdR

95 posts

236 months

Thursday 11th May 2023
quotequote all
Could it not be that one of the mags slightly compresses the tail of the pellet more than the other, making the aim (and sound, due to pressure) vary? One of my air pistols has a mag that squeezes the pellet enough that the pellet is slightly deformed once it has passed through the hole in the mag into the chamber, so could be related.