Beeman Kodiak Island

[kingfisher61]

After receiving my latest rifle...a Beeman Kodiak. 22, I couldn't help but to break out my other two in .25 caliber for a group photo. Far left is the .25 Springer, in the middle is the .22. Far right is the .25 gas ram version. They're all different in the way they feel when fired. But one thing in common is they all are powerful and kick a little. Enjoy!
When these rifles first arrived on the scene in the 80s, they were touted as the most powerful airguns made. The 10 pound, very robust yet beautiful at the same time power house Kodiak ruled the Beeman roost.
English craftsmanship oozes from the deep black bluing. It breaks and closes smoothly with a reassuring click. Very Webley!

 

[willy]

OO"i see Crow mag hieding in the background"

 

[mj102]

JC you must have been very good this year. Santa came early.

 

[Barenger]

After receiving my latest rifle...a Beeman Kodiak. 22, I couldn't help but to break out my other two in .25 caliber for a group photo. Far left is the .25 Springer, in the middle is the .22. Far right is the .25 gas ram version. They're all different in the way they feel when fired. But one thing in common is they all are powerful and kick a little. Enjoy!
When these rifles first arrived on the scene in the 80s, they were touted as the most powerful airguns made. The 10 pound, very robust yet beautiful at the same time power house Kodiak ruled the Beeman roost.
English craftsmanship oozes from the deep black bluing. It breaks and closes smoothly with a reassuring click. Very Webley!View attachment 411439View attachment 411440View attachment 411441

I like ur style..

 

[kingfisher61]

Here's an excerpt from Tom Gaylords blog about this Kodiak .....

Patriots are BIG!
The rifle weighs nine pounds and measures 45.6″ long. That doesn’t sound too large, but when you have one in your hands it seems gigantic. That comes from the full-cut stock that Webley uses to reduce wood breakage from shock and vibration.

They are hard to cock
A Patriot requires about 50 lbs. of effort to cock. If I am prepared for it, I can cock it with one arm a few times; but, if I don’t hold the rifle just right, there’s no way I’m going to cock it even once! First, the muzzle has to be slapped to break the barrel past the super-strong chisel detent. Then, it’s armwrestling time as you lever the fat steel barrel down to sear lock. After about 50 shots, your arm will be sore unless you are a bodybuilder or work a hard physical job.

Patriots are a .25 caliber dream!
The big .25″ pellets were the main reason the Patriots were created. In England, they are so far above the legal limit that the British Home Office never allowed them to be de-tuned – although Ivan Hancock attempted to do just that. He got the power under 12 foot-pounds easily enough, but the Home Office ruled that all Patriots were FAC, regardless of what the chronograph said. With light to medium weight pellets a .25 will generate nearly 30 foot-pounds. No, that isn’t a record for spring rifles, but it’s pretty close. The .22 gets up to 28 foot-pounds and the .177 gets about 24 foot-pounds with the right pellets.

They kick and they vibrate!
Patriots kick more than any other smallbore air rifle that I know. They push your shoulder back at least one inch and feel like a 30/30 fired from a medium-weight rifle. That’s if you hold the rifle tight to your shoulder, which Tom Gaylord said he had to do to get the best accuracy when he tested the Patriot. Some Patriots also vibrate a lot while others are quieter. I don’t know why that is, but I have seen it. A vibrating Patriot will shake your teeth loose in pretty short order, and I don’t know what to do about it. Maybe a cheek pad would help.

All that being said hasn't deterred me from owning these beasts. They are absolutely a cannon!! Love the way they kick around my 10 lb pellet trap.

 

[crowski]

Thanks for showing these time pieces. Love the blueing.
I missed all the good ones through the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. In a completely different direction. Crow

 

[holo07]

Yeah what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you

 

[jccams]

Very nice as usual John. Keep them coming, love looking at them!

 

[kingfisher61]

Very nice as usual John. Keep them coming, love looking at them!

I'm on a beast kick. That isn't a Crow Magnum but it's cousin the Eliminator hiding there. I'm up to 4 of them now. Two in .22 and two in.25.
Not sure who wins the beast title, but they all kick like a mule and hit like a hammer!!!! Lol

 

[KWK]

Thanks for showing these time pieces. Love the blueing.
I missed all the good ones through the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. In a completely different direction. Crow

You can get a nice one used. Like Eliminators, people get them and find out how heavy and hard to cock they are and never shoot them. You can't beat the polished black finish on BSA, Webley, Air Arms, Theoben. Kicks like a 30 30? IDK about that one. Your scope will think so. I've heard Patriots could be had in walnut. I'd like to see it. Anybody have one to show a picture? Are they all Turkey Pats?

 

[A.G.R]

You can get a nice one used. Like Eliminators, people get them and find out how heavy and hard to cock they are and never shoot them. You can't beat the polished black finish on BSA, Webley, Air Arms, Theoben. Kicks like a 30 30? IDK about that one. Your scope will think so. I've heard Patriots could be had in walnut. I'd like to see it. Anybody have one to show a picture? Are they all Turkey Pats?

They were in a pseudo walnut . It was not American Black walnut, or a true walnut.I’ve owned several of them.
In stock form they are twangy and rough. Almost every .25 barrels were loose fitting and un choked. Making them harsh.. Tuned they can do 28 to 30 behaved ft lbs. Get them loaded up with a bigger spring and no additional work they will self destruct Your arm and shoulder.
They need extensive work to make them smooth as can be at 30 ft lbs.

This one is a shell of what a Kodiak it was. It uses the tube and breech block ,which was machined to match the tube .The rear plug was replaced with a solid metal machined one for proper holding power. The barrel was replaced with a Lothar Walther .25, and shrouded . A custom bespoke piston was made as well as guides and spring. The cocking arm was replaced as well as the Trigger re machined with hardened pins at contact points. All reblue and a custom stock make this a 30 ft lb gem.. for 30 ft lbs. There is no free lunch and physics can’t be beat,for evey action there is a re- action , so ,bent yes.. Its not a R9 to cock and had a solid rear recoil, but dead blow and accurate..

 

[KWK]

Oh! there you go cheating on us again! Looks great. You make beautiful stocks.

 

[A.G.R]

Oh! there you go cheating on us again! Looks great. You make beautiful stocks.

It’s not cheating , it’s stretching the truth…. . Thanks I do like my ..

 

[jccams]

Wow! Not only the stock, but the blueing is gorgeous too!

 

[fishing43]

The were in a pseudo walnut . It was not American Black walnut, or a true walnut.I’ve owned several of them.
In stock form they are twangy and rough. Almost every .25 barrels were loose fitting and un choked. Making them harsh.. Tuned they can do 28 to 30 behaved ft lbs. Get them loaded up with a bigger spring and no additional work they will self destruct Your arm and shoulder.
They need extensive work to make them smooth as can be at 30 ft lbs.

This one is a shell of what a Kodiak it was. It uses the tube and breech block ,which was machined to match the tube .The rear plug was replaced with a solid metal machined one for proper holding power. The barrel was replaced with a Lothar Walther .25, and shrouded . A custom bespoke piston was made as well as guides and spring. The cocking arm was replaced as well as the Trigger re machined with hardened pins at contact points. All reblue and a custom stock make this a 30 ft lb gem.. for 30 ft lbs. There is no free lunch and physics can’t be beat,for evey action there is a re- action , so ,bent yes.. Its not a R9 to cock and had a solid rear recoil, but dead blow and accurate..

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Beautiful rifle, thanks for letting us see it!!

 

[aaroncr]

The were in a pseudo walnut . It was not American Black walnut, or a true walnut.I’ve owned several of them.
In stock form they are twangy and rough. Almost every .25 barrels were loose fitting and un choked. Making them harsh.. Tuned they can do 28 to 30 behaved ft lbs. Get them loaded up with a bigger spring and no additional work they will self destruct Your arm and shoulder.
They need extensive work to make them smooth as can be at 30 ft lbs.

This one is a shell of what a Kodiak it was. It uses the tube and breech block ,which was machined to match the tube .The rear plug was replaced with a solid metal machined one for proper holding power. The barrel was replaced with a Lothar Walther .25, and shrouded . A custom bespoke piston was made as well as guides and spring. The cocking arm was replaced as well as the Trigger re machined with hardened pins at contact points. All reblue and a custom stock make this a 30 ft lb gem.. for 30 ft lbs. There is no free lunch and physics can’t be beat,for evey action there is a re- action , so ,bent yes.. Its not a R9 to cock and had a solid rear recoil, but dead blow and accurate..

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That is a beautiful rifle....wow

 

[kingfisher61]

RETURN TO KODIAK ISLAND!
Found yet another one of these beasts. This one is a .22 that is equipped with the factory gas ram.
Very potent and snappy when fired. This one is dead nuts accurate. Cocking these gas ram rifles is different from cocking a spring gun. The majority of the resistance is at the very beginning of the stroke on the ram. The opposite holds true for spring guns. So, if you ever get to try one, I suggest you gear up for a hard pull (+50 ft/lbs).
Here's a picture of the current Kodiaks on the island. 2 left are spring guns...2 right gas rams. .22 + .25 calibers

 

[fishing43]

RETURN TO KODIAK ISLAND!
Found yet another one of these beasts. This one is a .22 that is equipped with the factory gas ram.
Very potent and snappy when fired. This one is dead nuts accurate. Cocking these gas ram rifles is different from cocking a spring gun. The majority of the resistance is at the very beginning of the stroke on the ram. The opposite holds true for spring guns. So, if you ever get to try one, I suggest you gear up for a hard pull (+50 ft/lbs).
Here's a picture of the current Kodiaks on the island. 2 left are spring guns...2 right gas rams. .22 + .25 calibers

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Beautiful collection you have, that’s something I need to acquire someday.

 

[kingfisher61]

Beautiful collection you have, that’s something I need to acquire someday.

Thanks F43!
As I mentioned....I love these big beasts. These and the Theoben Eliminators. ....especially. 25 calibre.
I've been fortunate to acquire these 4 Kodiaks... especially the 2 gas rams.
Some are critical of the Webley trigger, but for what it is....a Magnum springer....it has a very good trigger.
I'll keep on buying these rifles if I can. I'm hoping to find one in .20 calibre.

JC

 

[SteveP-52]

Beautiful collection you have, that’s something I need to acquire someday.

Go have a look on Ebay, pretty sure I saw a couple up for auction over there, .22 and .25 and yes, John has a very, very nice collection and another one that makes me drool when he shows them off...lol.