Tag Archives: Ralphie Parker

With a Compass in the Stock: Kermit triple-dog dares you to give air rifles a shot.

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“You’ll shoot yer eye out, kid.”

Ever since Ralphie Parker pleaded for a new Daisy BB gun for Christmas, despite the numerous warnings, the Daisy Red Ryder has become the iconic first gun for millions of youth. Introduced in 1938, the Daisy Red Ryder was modeled after the Winchester 94 lever action rifle, named for the comic strip character Red Ryder, and is still in production today. This simple, air-powered rifle is the standard gun used by the NRA in its youth shooting programs, as well as the Boy Scouts of America and the 4H clubs.

BB guns are a type of low-powered air gun designed to shoot projectiles named BBs after the birdshot pellet of about the same size. These projectiles are usually spherical but can also be pointed or triangular; those are usually used for bird hunting. Modern-day BB guns usually have a barrel with a bore and caliber of 0.177 inches (4.5 mm). There are many different shapes of BB guns. BB shot for modern BB guns are usually steel, plated either with zinc or copper to resist corrosion. Some manufacturers also still make lead balls of slightly larger diameter and that are generally intended for use in rifled BB gun barrels, as were formerly used in BB guns. Although being low-powered, these guns sometimes can be lethal.

While air rifles cannot compare to modern, high-powered firearms, air guns have a rich and storied past. Lewis and Clark carried a .46-caliber air rifle on their exploratory expedition in 1804. In the 1890s in England, competitive air rifle matches were held in public houses, which led to the creation of the National Small Bore Rifle Association in 1899. They are still used in the Olympics, governed by the International Shooting Sports Federation.

The earliest air guns were more effective compared to contemporary early firearms for many hunting and military uses, but, as firearms improved, the air gun became largely relegated to sport target shooting and plinking. Neither of these uses required much power, so air guns came to be seen as a safe, less threatening alternative to firearms and typically treated differently by legal systems. In recent times, there has been a resurgence of interest in more powerful air guns. Most modern air rifles are low-powered because of legal restrictions and safety concerns. These types of firearms are used primarily for teaching new shooters, plinking, some small game hunting and backyard pest elimination.

A step up from the BB gun is the pellet gun. These guns fire a lead pellet, most in .177-caliber, used for target practice and small game hunting. Gamo Industries has been producing high-powered precision pellet rifles, pistols and ammunition for more than 120 years for use in small game hunting and pest control. They manufacture both lead and non-lead alloy pellets in .177-, .22- and .25-calibers.

Unlike modern firearms, which use a propellant charge to fire its projectile, air guns use a variety of propulsion systems: spring piston, gas spring or CO2. Spring piston guns can achieve muzzle velocities greater than the speed of sound from a single cocking of the barrel. Spring-piston guns operate by means of a coiled steel, spring-loaded piston contained within a compression chamber and separate from the barrel. Cocking the gun causes the piston assembly to compress the spring until a small hook on the rear of the piston engages the sear; pulling the trigger releases the sear and allows the spring to decompress, pushing the piston forward, thereby compressing the air in the chamber directly behind the pellet. These are single-shot, breech-loading guns with long service lives and are relatively easy to maintain.

Gas spring guns incorporate a gas spring instead of a mechanical one. Consequently, they require higher precision to build, have less recoil and are more expensive.

CO2 guns use a disposable carbon dioxide cylinder, called a powerlet, that is purchased often pre-filled with 12 grams of pressurized carbon dioxide. These guns are generally lower powered, but more expensive to use due to the purchase of the cylinders.

If you are interested in purchasing a simple gun for target shooting, plinking, pest control or competitive shooting, spend some time researching the options. Air guns, rifles or pistols come in many types and configurations for many different applications. A Daisy Red Ryder is still a great choice for a youngster’s first gun—an inexpensive and safe way to teach proper gun handling and safety. A Gamo precision rifle, on the other end of the spectrum, is a high-powered, highly accurate rifle that will set you back several hundred dollars and produce superior results for hunting and pest control.

Whatever type you choose, be sure to practice the same gun safety as with a high-powered firearm. Proper training and supervision, eye protection and a safe backstop will ensure many years of fun for a minimal cost.

            

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