Barrel Band - Definitive info

[BlackbirdPS]

Hello fellow Airgunnners,

Many pcp’s have long unsupported barrels. My fear while hunting is by accident hitting the barrel, changing poi.


Recently I 3D printed a “floating style” barrel band that leaves a 0.5 mm gap around the barrel. The band does not touch the barrel but is very supporting if the barrel it hit as it is sturdily clamped to the air tube.

Are there any negatives to a barrel band with tight fit? Improvements?

I’m thinking light weight sleeve barrels would have more harmonic movement.

Will a barrel band affect modern light weight barrels sleeves more than heavier thicker barrels?

Take care,

k

 

[csitas]

check the zero after you put it in place. I would not expect it to change after that. It's a shame to spend the money on a gun that we do, then have to remake the damm thing to shoot it. 

 

[elh0102]

Frankly, on a field gun I'd be more worried about the band getting whacked out of place and preventing the barrel from returning to alignment. I've owned a good many air rifles, currently have 5 PCP rifles. The only one I have ever owned that I consider woods capable is the Taipan Veteran. Not only does the barrel have multiple clamps, but the shank is threaded so it screws into the receiver like a center fire rifle. Which, as everyone knows, is the way the Good Lord intended. I once owned an FX Crown, with barrel liner/sleeve arrangement. I was lucky to get it out of the gun cabinet without a change in POI. That's a great arrangement for the bench, or tinkering, but it's an awful design for hunting. Where did we get the idea of attaching barrels with a couple of grub screws? I'll tell you, the same place that gave us soccer, and look what that did! And they even have the gall to call it football, my goodness. Seriously, there are some grub screw designs that are relatively stable, RAW for one. I would encourage you to choose a rifle that doesn't need additional support. You asked about a tight fitting band. The Taipan is such, but it is robust, and it is solidly attached at both ends, and it is part of an assembly of 12 large machine screws. A tight fit doesn't help if the whole thing moves. 

 

[Blejda]

Elh0102 is right.The only pcp's that never need rezero in my collection was Taipan veteran-bullpup an fx royale 400 and fx streamline which both have free floating barrels. Al the others have shifted from time to time.Some more and some less.And i owned many.

Regards

Marko Ermenc

 

[SteveV]

I think your barrel band idea is a good one. I did that very thing on a streched P-Rod (tube & shroud extension) for the reasons you mentioned -

I was aprehensive about catching a 

floating shroud on brush,etc. while hunting - an extra barrel band gave me peace of mind and one less thing to be concerned about on the hunt -

 

[elh0102]

Elh0102 is right.The only pcp's that never need rezero in my collection was Taipan veteran-bullpup an fx royale 400 and fx streamline which both have free floating barrels. Al the others have shifted from time to time.Some more and some less.And i owned many.

Regards

Marko Ermenc

This reminded me, I forgot to recognize my Royale 400 as a good candidate. I don't hunt with it, but I have never had a shift in POI. Although it uses grub screws to attach, a system I don't hold in high regard, it is a solid barrel, unlike its sleeve-and-liner, gadget laden stablemates. A very solid rifle. 

 

[bandg]

I have an original Varmint and a Diana Stormrider that I've added barrel bands onto. The added bands absolutely make the barrel much more stable to any impact or even light pressure, which previously could move the barrel quite noticeably. But I still wonder how it might change POI with change in tube pressure. I haven't tested it as I believe that shooting around a narrower pressure range would not cause such a change and shot count is not a major concern for me-I shoot as needed and keep pressure high. But many certainly have expressed the belief that added barrel bands might cause such an issue with pressure change over a broader range.

 

[Santa Claus]

I have an original Varmint and a Diana Stormrider that I've added barrel bands onto. The added bands absolutely make the barrel much more stable to any impact or even light pressure, which previously could move the barrel quite noticeably. But I still wonder how it might change POI with change in tube pressure. I haven't tested it as I believe that shooting around a narrower pressure range would not cause such a change and shot count is not a major concern for me-I shoot as needed and keep pressure high. But many certainly have expressed the belief that added barrel bands might cause such an issue with pressure change over a broader range.

 

[dizzums]

in my experience what can happen with a tight barrel band is changes in pressure can flex the overall gun pulling the barrel around more or less ..