Author Topic: Is this a safe loading method? (Read 655 times)

VictorLouis · « **on:** June 06, 2004, 11:35:12 AM »

One of the Brit boards has a post showing the rather 'explosive' results of an HW Beeman that was let go just prior to cocking it. The point was to emphasize the importance of holding the barrel throughout the cocking, loading and locking procedure.

The poster now inserts the pellet right after first breaking open the barrel, PRIOR to actually cocking it. Two hands can concentrate on what's important for safety, rather than trying to brace the rifle against your body with one hand and loading with the other.

What do you all think?

gunnstack · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2004, 02:41:21 PM »

Hi VictorLouis. When I was new to airgunning I had the misfortune to have the rifle fire immediately on locking the barrel, the safety gave way. The gun was not pointing at the target so it was a potentially dangerous thing to happen. Got the safety fixed (I thought). I then made the fatal mistake of fully cocking the rifle before inserting the pellet- a Magpie made a sudden appearance and excitement took over common sense. Anyway the safety gave way again and the barrel snapped up, luckily the rifle was pointing down otherwise I would have had a permenant dent in my head. I could also have lost the end of my thumb. Now I break the barrel, insert the pellet, fully cock the rifle keeping the barrel pointed at the ground. This particular rifle had the safety right at the end of the chamber so some readers will know the one I am referring to. I own a HW95 (Beeman R9 & a Norica Marvic Gold) and both have good safetys but I still follow the above procedure when loading. Some rifles can be adjusted for trigger pressure but this can also have the effect of not fully engaging the safety if taken to extremes. Better to opt for a slightly heavier trigger pull and avoid potential serious mishaps.

VictorLouis · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2004, 06:35:21 PM »

So, you load the pellet after the break. Then, keeping the muzzle toward the ground, just cock the stock

IOW, the reverse of what we're used to doing?

:cool:

gunnstack · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2004, 08:57:19 PM »

Hi VictorLouis- nope not quite. Most air rifles have the facility whereby you can "break" the barrel open slightly which gives you enough room for you to insert a pellet up the spout without fully cocking the rifle. You can then pull the barrel back up to the lock position. At this point the rifle is not "cocked"-just "ready for cocking"-the safety will not fully engage till you fully cock the rifle. It just means that when you are hunting you have one up the spout ready to go but in a safe mode. When you are ready to point at the target or the vermin etc. pull the "barrel" all the way down until you hear the safety engage-still keeping the barrel pointed to the ground. Being R handed I tuck the stock under my R arm and pull down firmly and slowly with my L arm until I hear the safety "engage" then pull the barrel up slowly but firmly to the fully locked position. The R9 has a a safety which locks and can't be "taken off safety"-not a bad thing. Some rifles come with 2 or 3 stage triggers which are excellent for the well informed but deffinately not to be mucked about with by the novice. You can in some circumstances overdo the trigger pull which also can affect the 'safety" to the extent that it will fire prematurely just by cocking and locking. Sorry for the long post guys but I think safety is the way to go regardless of whether it's an Air Rifle or a "real gun" which they all are.
Regards Gordon

VictorLouis · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2004, 10:43:01 AM »

I understood about just loading the chamber. What I was addressing was your technique when routinely shooting...plinking, target or whatever. :-)

Keeping the muzzle pointed at the ground until you are finished with the cocking stroke seemed just a bit awkward to me. However, I'm in full agreement as to dropping the pellet in PRIOR to the cocking function. I figure that as you bring the barrel up to the locked position, you will almost certainly be keeping the muzzle aligned in a safe direction. That is, pointed at, or at least toward, the target. :-)

thedeester1 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2004, 12:57:52 PM »

To load a Spring i break the barrel pop in the pellet then cock fully. i dont trust safetys and some guns dont have em at all. try to keep your fingers clear once the spring is cocked is my method. An exeption to this was the HW77 i once had where the loading port opened with the underlever. I was once slipping in the pellet during the cocking my hands were wet and my hand slipped before the gun was fully cocked and the safety was engaged. I managed to nearly get my thumb out of the loading port but still lost a thick slice of skin to the rapidly closing loading port. I think they cured that danger on later models that was prolly 15 or more years ago but i still see HW77's around. As for which way to point the gun when loading, not at yourself or other people

. the ground is good if your outside but if your on an indoor range with hard walls and floor, up is usually prefered to avoid richochet.

VictorLouis · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2004, 04:09:13 AM »

deester, was there no ratchet mechanism of some sort like the current TX200MkIIs/IIIs ?

gunnstack · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2004, 11:04:47 PM »

Hi VictorLouis & the deesteer1
Sorry to be a pest and post again but I must hold up my hands and admit the rifle which gave me the greatest grief was the Winchester 1000. I have no confidence in this rifle, which was described by the dealer to have a "foolproof" beartrap safety- yeah well why does the "foolproof" safety give way twice?- as well as break springs. As regards ricochet deester1. I used to work and test high pressure fuel systems with pressures up to 26,000lbs/sq /in (Lloyds of London). The last thing you want in a situation like that, indoors- is for a plug to give way pointing "up"!! I have seen and heard plugs (slugs) ricochet round the factory, go through ducting etc ,someone's hand, leg but never to be found again. OK this is very high pressure stuff but is it any more dangerous than firing a bullet? I have always-always been taught that when you you load/cock a rifle it points "down"-at all times-no questions asked-you bring the the rifle up only when you intend to fire!! No offence but with hard walls/floors I would have thought you would have more chance of a ricochet doing damage pointing in any direction other than up.
I've probably started a never ending thread here-sorry guys-it must be my Scots upbringing-Glaswegians never die-just takes a while to sink in!!

thedeester1 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2004, 04:42:53 AM »

No but i think they added a safety method to the HW77 later as i sais i owned mine some 15 years ago and it was second hand. Im not sure when this gun came into being but i would guess mine was an early model.
As for the argument of aiming up or down for safe i guess its just what was taught when i was younger. The theory being than if you do fire a pellet upwards when it hit the roof most of it forward inertia will be lost on impact by the time it gets back to ground it shouldnt be going fast enough to hurt anyone. Out side there is no roof. Either way pointing down range or away from yourself and others is better gun sence! i did actualy manage to shoot my self in the foot once as a child with a fairly low powered air pistol held by my side. If you carry your rifle shouldered in the hunt then its also posible to shoot yourself in the foot.