2300S

[Sir William]

2300S Report:
Bought this piece back in May of 2011.  I have enjoyed the gun immensely from the start!  The Williams sight is a good if not great engineering.  The Lothar – Walther barrel seems to be highly accurate. 
I bought the pistol so as to learn how to shoot a handgun offhand and one handed.  This is a work in progress that has borne fruit only in the last two weeks.  I have found – and in retrospect, it is obvious – that the more you shoot the better you get.  Imagine that!
My observation – from this site – is that great emphasis is placed on MORE POWER and higher FPS.   I have taken the opposing view on this and have concentrated on lower FPS in the hope for greater accuracy.  This seems to be working well (for me).  I have also found that the lighter the trigger the better the accuracy.  To this end, I have discarded the adjustable trigger parts and shortened the spring. 
Also, it took me a while to grasp the interaction between the hammer spring and the trigger pull.  To this end I have backed off the "power adjuster" two and a half turns.  After polishing the trigger, sear, hammer and adding Moly lube I have a consistent trigger let off of 17 ounces. 
I don't have a chronograph but I'm guessing 450 FPS or perhaps less.  My range is 21 feet - all I can manage in my garage.  At this range I can keep all shots in the black on a regulation 10-meter target.  This was my first goal so all is good - now to raise the bar.
I have added RB Target grips that are a fine addition – well made, good fit and finish.  These grips are a bit wider that the Crosman grips and so fit my larger hands better.
This week I have filed and sanded the mold seams from the grip handle.  (Wish that Crosman used a better molding process)  This went well and I am pleased with the results except for the paint.  I used Dupli-Color Bumper Coating that has been great for repainting cabinets on ham radio gear but is not adhering very well on the grip frame.  Work in progress.
All in all, I am having a helluv good time with this pistol!

[RC1947]

I too am more concerned with accuracy and smooth operation than velocity.  I think that trigger work on airguns is the most significant mod that we can do.  And yes, practice is important too.  Sounds like you're heading down in the right direction to be a better shooter. RC

[BDS]

good report Sir Will...

I am doing nearly the same here in anticipation of the winter months which will be garage/10 meter paper punching. I have the 2300KT with pistol scope and moderator and yes, the LW barrel is far better at repeat accuracy than I am.

[jdub]

I can understand a focus on velocity and power for the guys who are shooting at ever increasing distances or wanting to humanely dispatch rodents or small game, and in similar circumstances I'd probably be the same.  But like you I'm shooting indoors and have put together an entire collection of airguns that cater to my desire for accuracy while having no need for power.

I do have a few pumpers, which typically get 3 pumps for my indoor shooting but other than those the most powerful rifle I have is the very sedate HW30S (R7), which shoots JSB Exacts extremely accurately at about 600 fps.   My most powerful pistol is the 2240, which I've attempted to de-tune slightly with a 2300S hammer-spring for a higher shot count.  The rest of my air guns are .177 and hover in the 350 fps to 500 fps range.  I was also lucky enough to acquire a 2300S not too long ago and since adding an LDC it has become one of my favorite indoor shooters.  With a tweaked trigger it has proven to be very accurate and it also has great balance.

Someday I may live in an area where I can shoot outdoors at longer distances but until then I'm very content to shoot low-powered guns indoors with the simple goal of making tighter and tighter groups.

[chongman]

2300S Report:This week I have filed and sanded the mold seams from the grip handle.  (Wish that Crosman used a better molding process)  This went well and I am pleased with the results except for the paint.  I used Dupli-Color Bumper Coating that has been great for repainting cabinets on ham radio gear but is not adhering very well on the grip frame.  Work in progress.
All in all, I am having a helluv good time with this pistol!

The alloy that the frame is made of is.. .I call it "pot metal" cleans up really easy. IMHO what you need is an etching primer as the base, then add your color. Going this route your finish will be less prone to wear.You can find this type of paint in the spray can at most any automotive parts store.

My experience with this technique comes from many years of building multi-media (resin and cast metal) model cars. Below is a link to a build photo album if you'd like to check it out (lots of pics, 5mb worth).
http://public.fotki.com/chongman/brabham-bt44/ 

[BDS]

+1 to Chogmans' comments and... the alloy is a zinc type so... a good thorough wipe down with acetone prior to primer coating is important, also, "burnishing the metal" to make it slightly rougher than mirror (not scratched) prior to primer application will help. 2 or 3 light (but wet coats) of primer, steel wool last coat for smoothness and 2 or 3 coats (again wet but light) of your top coat color leaving each to dry thoroughly. Top all of that with a matte or semi-gloss compatible clear enamel, again 2 or 3 coats light but wet. 

[chongman]

Brian's prep stages are outstanding.  It's very important that the metal be absolutely clean. Wear some nitrate gloves to protect your hands and keep the oils and salts in your hands from touching the clean surface. Acetone is wicked stuff but it's good. I use denatured alcohol myself. It's a bit cheaper (in my area) than acetone.

I've got a frame I'm working on right now, almost done with the mold lines.

[jdub]

Dang!  You guys are serious about this painting stuff!  You make my touch-ups with a Sharpie seem a bit backward 

I somehow manage to scratch mine every time I take it apart.  If I ever get to the point where I think I'm done tweaking I'll have to come back here and follow your instructions.

[Sir William]

Chongman: love the car and NICE work!  And, thatns for the tip about "etching" primer – this is a new term to me.

Thanks for ALL the paint input.  My next go-round was and will be primer base coat.  Here is one step I stumbled onto:
A one-hour soak in white vinegar after final sanding and steel wool.  This gives a nice etched surface.  Of course you then need to neutralize with a soda water bath and then a thorough hot water bath.  Don't ever touch it after placing it in the vinegar – use hooks from then on.

[1377x]

the grip frame is not an easy to paint piece
i will try this method when i get ready to take the casting marks off my frames
btw

[chongman]

the grip frame is not an easy to paint piece
i will try this method when i get ready to take the casting marks off my frames
btw

okay!

Here is the start of cleaning up a grip frame. The frame is a 2300 that I got off of evil bay for 25 bucks 

[jdub]

I've been spending all my money getting them to shoot straight and making them comfortable to hold.  I didn't know I was supposed to make them look nice too.

This could get even more expensive. 

[1377x]

chongman
looking good so far!
your going to do a step by step pictorial, right?

I've been spending all my money getting them to shoot straight and making them comfortable to hold.  I didn't know I was supposed to make them look nice too.

This could get even more expensive. 

look closely at the banner on the top of the page
get that checkbook and debit number ready

[Sir William]

"Here is the start of cleaning up a grip frame. The frame is a 2300 that I got off of evil bay for 25 bucks" 

Very nice!

[arkmaker †]

I totally agree with you that the more you shoot the better you get. I tell these guys at work about the hundreds and hundreds of rounds I shoot with the air gun and they think I'm nuts. What I also tell them is that it pays off for when I go to shoot the powder burners big time. I have noticed a huge improvement i my PB handgun shooting over the last year. I have to relate that to all the pellet pistol shooting I have been doing.

Trigger time is trigger time, but sometimes it is minus the recoil. That is the only difference I see.......

Keep Shooting