Custom airgun design

[rick_1940]

I know I'm going to get hammered for this, but it seems to me that a lot of the new customized air guns (particularly my first love the 1377) are being modified into tools that are frankly "agricultural." I realize that form follows function, but as an old-timer (emphasis "old."), I date to an era when guns were generally artistic with polished metal and gorgeous wood stocks. It seems now the standard of design now are the AK 47 and M16 which while admittedly highly functional, are hardly attractive in appearance. While I now have a Crosman stock on my 1377 (too shaky anymore to freehand a pistol), it will soon have wood panels (got a great piece of walnut) and the plastic forend will be replaced with a wider walnut piece to give a better grip. That and a RD sight for these old eyes will be the extent of my modifications. I will not modify my AIR 17, because it would destroy its collector value. Also have a junk 801 rifle that I have started restoring and an old Daisey LA which will be kept in original condition because it reminds me of my misspent youth.

[T191032]

Yea, had that conversation before on other boards about the "blued steel and walnut" vs "fantastic plastic" comparisons of the powder burning arms.  Have you ever been to AirgunArtisans website? http://airgunartisans.com/index.htm  Believe me, there are some fine works of art out there that really look great, and fit that "form follows function" aspect, just browse our gallery section a little bit for a small smattering. 

[arkmaker †]

Walnut and Blue. Love the combination, always will, but my 2240 based stuff tends to go more radical (on the conservative side).
Rich

[T191032]

Nice Marlin.  Well worked action?  Shot one at the indoor range one night, it had belonged to the guys father and he was there to give his young son a little session with it.  First and only time I've ever gotten a chance to shoot one.  Pretty decent group at 25yds (it was scoped), but the action was a bit on the stiff side (perhaps due to not being shot much?), certainly compared to the Henry Lever action I own.  Yea, the "Blued and walnut" has its appeal for sure - that of nostalgia with me.  My cousin's hubby and I trade friendly jabs about the whole thing, he's got a Springfield .45 (more tactical like then traditional), though I've not shot it.  Fellow at the range used to have a pair of Argentine Ballista Molena 1911s - two guns with distinctly different personalities, neither pretty but I enjoyed the chance to shoot them anytime he offered.  Turned out he sold one, so he doesn't have both of "The twins" as I referred to them anymore.  I usually go more for that "form follow function" so a reliable "ugly plastic framed" doesn't phase me.  But put a nice Colt Woodsman down in front of me, and look out for the smile on my face. 

That's why my airguns tend to follow that same train of thought, and the Crosman Custom Shop models I've bought have a small blend of "flash" - the selection of .22 caliber and my choosing the silver coloring for muzzle brake and trigger shoe of the first Custom Shop, along with the "serious" tone of the 1740 and 2400KT - no-nonsense black, made for a purpose. 

[quickster47 †]

Maybe a little off-topic but which Henry model do you have?  I am about to buy one and have been looking for a few weeks and reading all I can.

Carl

[T191032]

H-001 - base model.  Pretty slick action right out of the box.  Over on RFC (RimfireCentral), most recommend the http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-lever-octagon.cfm model, as it comes with Marble sights as opposed to the plastic ones on the base model.

[arkmaker †]

The Henry action is the slickest that I have ever felt on a lever action. They have it over the Marlin 10 fold. I keep this Marlin only because I built it myself. Even then the Henry's action is slicker. Hmmm, maybe I'll have to work on that!
Rich

[dan_house]

well, first let me say that higly figured walnut, highly figured maple and deep rich bluing do make gorgeous guns. When people like DaveG, Chavka,  Corcoran (sorry Steve, speling ) nd Gary Barnes builds them, its the epitome of shooting sports design aesthetic. Part of that is the qulatiy of craftsmanship those guys bring to the project. I should also mention that  consider the AR15/original M16 (not the m4), and the  soviet era Dragunov to be some of the sexies firearm designs ever. More recent designs would include Elesio's Tube gun concept and the Smith Enterprises' Crazy Horse stock concepts for the M14 platform.
I'm not opposed to the use of polymers in firearms or airguns, as long as it not something the bean counters mandated as a money saving effort.
But yea, you can count me as a "polymer punk". I'll take a gun made from duct tape and soda straws if its accurate and reliable. I've also dedicated myself to ridding the world of gunstocks modelled on the clasis"sporter/hunter" form factor. That design has been around for 500 years or so little or no evolution, even though we can see perfromance gains, ease of training and comfort from thumbhole and pistol grips designs.  To be fair the use of stick and steel over that time frame has been dictated largely by the materials and our ability to work them. Had our shooting forefathers had the materials to work with ath we now enjoy, the interfaces to our weapons we call stocks would be greatly different. It was "good enough for my grandfather", cuz that was all Granddad had to work with......
Ive done alot of research on this, and the appearnce of pistol grips, stamped metal parts and the use of synthetics began to appear in observable amounts rigfht after WWI, when the armies of the world had been forced to look long and hard at how the war had changed the way we fight. The "Tommy gun" and the first Soviet sub machine gun were born in that period. WWII saw a number of guns developed by almost all sides with stamped metal and pistol grips. The ones that leap to mind are the M3 "grease gun", the STEN, and Schmiessers (spelling I'm sure) and of course the SturmGehewr.  Then of course in the last half of the 20th century, the MP5, the AK, the AR, and many more have been adopted.
I realize we, as shooters, are a traditional and conservative lot. But the benefits of new materials, better ergonomics and combat tested designs has me thinking we should be looking forward to advance our sport.

[arkmaker †]

We just have to agree to disagree on this Dan. If you.'ve seen my Edge, then you know I'm not afraid of modern gun design. But give me traditional walnut and blue any day!!!!
Rich

[dan_house]

Your Edge? no I dotn think I have seen it. Pics?
Qualify "traditional" walnut.....    Modern designs rendered in XXXX exhibiton grade figured walnut is the stuff . But its becoming more rare, and definitley spendy.  And I dont have The Stones to start hacking on a US$500 blank......
Agree to disagree? absolutley. Makes for good discourse, good discourse generates ideas. Aint that why we're here?

[BDS]

Even a lightly figured beech stock looks great when stripped of the nasty colored factory stains, sanded to perfection and oiled and waxed.

[arkmaker †]

Your Edge? no I dotn think I have seen it. Pics?
Qualify "traditional" walnut.....    Modern designs rendered in XXXX exhibiton grade figured walnut is the stuff . But its becoming more rare, and definitley spendy.  And I dont have The Stones to start hacking on a US$500 blank......
Agree to disagree? absolutley. Makes for good discourse, good discourse generates ideas. Aint that why we're here?

Good, I et to show it off again!! 

[ped]

i think the traditional (walnut blued steel and brass) and the modern(plastic fantastic) guns each have there place most of my hunting type rifles are light weight and are of the plastic fantastic type
where as rifles i shoot at targets/plink with tend to be heavier wooden stocked and more traditional, i like both types but if i'm honest i like the more traditional look of nicely grained wood
ped
ps i do like your edge ark

[Brent]

First time I got to see of your Edge Rich... Nice! 

I am like Ped. I think it all has to do with the style and theme of the design actually.

Well appointed and built for it's specific design, just looks so cool if pulled of right and designed well, for each particular gun.

[dan_house]

Looks great! Why two buttsock setups?
And its RED!