I’ve been searching for something that doesn’t exist, I ended up building it on Sunday in my Airgun laboratory - first blood 🩸

Putting together a light weight Airgun has proved to be incredibly difficult challenge.

I want something lightweight, extremely lightweight, with enough power to crack a squirrel or a chipmunk or a bunny. Obviously needs to be accurate. Must be comprised of wood and metal. And it must be 17 caliber.

I started out with a handmade Bowkett pistol (no worries, it can be returned to original configuration). I coupled that with a stock from a 1957 Crossman CO2 rifle.

First I refinish the stock and then opened up the trigger port, and modified the stock to fit the pistol action. I heated up the trigger guard and reconfigured it to fit the modified stock. The trigger guard is now angled in such a way that it’s perfect for offhand shooting. I had to extend the trigger as the original pistol only had a plunger type mechanism. I used a piece of a tweezers, I really like it.

Here are some pictures along the way. The grain in the stock turned out to be absolutely incredible. At least grade 3. Beautiful fiddleback.

The entire package scoped, weighs in at 4 1/2 pounds. Incredible. The scope is a 2 to 7 leupold. I keep it on 2 unless I’m shooting at a target.

The squirrels are almost gone at this point. There’s been one that keeps escaping every time we try to get after it. He didn’t escape today. I thought it was a perfect christening for the new squirrel gun. Penny ran ahead and treed him, and moved him right around the tree to my side. 20 yard offhand shot, lights out. Went to the CV.

I am extremely pleased with the end result.

I also have a 25 falcon that will drop right in.

Mike


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I have a couple light weight builds going myself. Using old crosman 180 stocks, I've built a couple I've sold off and am doing it over again lol.

This was a 2240 with a safepac
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Thus was the same stock and action, except with a 2400kt tube converted to pcp.


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This was a 1740 with a safepac. A real 1740 tube also. Should've kept this one.
Had the high comb 180 stock with some nice grain. I can't complain I guess, I made out good on it. I just wish I had used a 14 inch vs the 18 inch barrel, it just looked so long with the TKO on there.

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Sorry for the thread jack, but just giving you ideas that can be sourced for parts pretty easily still. Those 22 models will do upwards of 25-30 fpe for 8 shots or so. The 1740 was doing 14 fpe for 14 shots and was whisper quiet with the pickle.
 
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I looked at that, and called them. They would not build one in 17. Plus I would have to figure the wood part out. But I’ll guarantee you if they had one and 17 caliber I would own it right now.
Maybe get a loth .177 barrel an tune the reg down on a 22 model to work for the .177 barrel. Then remarket as custom like veridum air. You seem like you got the skills to do it.
 
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It seems that the days of 12-18 fpe .177 shooters are getting further behind us, but they're still my favorite airguns. My favorite to date was my .177 Prod conversion with 8ci bottle. Shot 12 fpe and was super packable.

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I'm going to be getting a semi-custom 15 fpe .177 from a well known guy here soon that I imagine will quickly become my favorite.