Technical Airgun Literature?

[TheBrickyardKid]

New member, pointed this direction from the Reddit forum after asking a question and am excited to participate in this community as well!

I was told this was the most welcoming and knowledgeable group of airgunners, and I hope that you can help with my question!

Is there any literature related to airguns that is faceted towards the technical/ engineering aspects of airgun construction that is regarded as the best on the subject?

Interested in the mechanics of all; multi-pump, single stroke pneumatic, break barrel and pre-charged pneumatic even if it is over several volumes/ authors.

Thank you for all of the knowledge you're willing to share,
Dallas

 

[PumaCarl]

Start here:

Best series of videos to learn on.

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

Start here:

Best series of videos to learn on.

Thank you! already a few epsiodes in, and it's very informative. Would love to find an in-print version of this type of information if anyone knows of any examples. Have mostly only seen books dealing with the collecting and light history of airguns, and not so much the mechanical engineering aspect of the design and development of them.

 

[WorriedMan]

Brickyard,
If seeking printed technical airgun manuals similar to a Chilton's Manual for automobiles, not sure they exist. WM

 

[Ballisticboy]

Thank you! already a few epsiodes in, and it's very informative. Would love to find an in-print version of this type of information if anyone knows of any examples. Have mostly only seen books dealing with the collecting and light history of airguns, and not so much the mechanical engineering aspect of the design and development of them.

Do not watch the videos dealing with projectile flight, They all contain mistakes and one or two of them are complete rubbish. Basically, he does not know what he is talking about and shows basic ignorance of aerodynamics and external ballistics.

I am not qualified to comment on the other videos in the series.

 

[PumaCarl]

Trash talk him all you want, but he seems to have figured out enough to show up at competitions all over the world and win. None of, whoever, the silent ballistic geniuses are, out there, have made a more complete video series yet. I look forward to watching any that are made and appreciate the effort they put in, doing so.

 

[Privateer]

For Springers. The AirGun books are a good read.
Trigger to Muzzle and Trigger to Target.

You want to fry your brain?
Try this.

 

[dv8eod]

Look for the H.M. Buckley books. They are an actual how-to on making an airgun.

 

[Ballisticboy]

Trash talk him all you want, but he seems to have figured out enough to show up at competitions all over the world and win. None of, whoever, the silent ballistic geniuses are, out there, have made a more complete video series yet. I look forward to watching any that are made and appreciate the effort they put in, doing so.

The fact that someone makes nice videos and is able to shoot well does not mean that they know and understand the basic science and engineering behind the equipment they are using. After all, formula one drivers do not design and build their own cars, they leave that to the engineers and aerodynamicists to design and solve problems for them because they know the basic science behind car systems design. When it comes down to it, who would you want to design the brake systems on your family car, a bus driver with 40 years of experience driving a bus, or a fully qualified 40 year experienced brake design engineer?

I am not trash talking him, I am simply stating facts which have nothing to do with his abilities as a shooter. However, if he is making and putting out videos purporting to explain scientific phenomena, then he should make sure what he says is correct and not misleading the public who follow his videos with the aim of learning about scientific facts. Unfortunately, the video on pellet stability in particular, is completely wrong and merely repeats old myths which can be easily disproved.

As for the original OP, you will find far more accurate data and information on the forums than you will on any paid for videos.

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

Look for the H.M. Buckley books. They are an actual how-to on making an airgun.

Hey thank you! this is exactly the type of book I am looking for! I found one of his about modern pneumatics, is this the only book of the series? It seems they are very obscure and self/ small batch printed in the UK.

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

For Springers. The AirGun books are a good read.
Trigger to Muzzle and Trigger to Target.

You want to fry your brain?
Try this.

Awesome additions to read as well, thank you. I've made an account and bookmarked the link, I greatly appreciate everyone taking the time to point me in the direction of all of these amazing resources!

 

[Ballisticboy]

Awesome additions to read as well, thank you. I've made an account and bookmarked the link, I greatly appreciate everyone taking the time to point me in the direction of all of these amazing resources!

Some of the data in the Cardew books is strictly for relatively low powered spring air rifles (6-7 FPE) with very short strokes, particularly the parts referring to the necessity for combustion, and the pellet acceleration taking place in the first 6 inches of the barrel. Subsequent work by other authors has shown that high powers can be obtained with large compression chambers and require more than 6 inches of barrel.

Before anyone accuses me of trashing Gerald's work, I worked with him and advised him on the Trigger to Target book. Gerald was a personal friend of mine, and we did a lot of work together on lightweight slugs back in the late eighties and early nineties.

 

[Privateer]

Well said. Notice I included a link that has a Sticky of yours.

 

[Ballisticboy]

Well said. Notice I included a link that has a Sticky of yours.

Must admit, I didn't follow the link, assuming it was just for the books. I've been found out now.

 

[dv8eod]

He wrote 2. The "The Modern Pneumatic Airgun," and I can't remember the second title. Basically a bottle in the front for the first one and a bottle in the rear for the second one. Complete machinist's drawings for both with reasons why step-by-step. If he still has any left, he'll autograph them for you.

 

[GeneT]

I tried to buy the Buckley books (actually, IIRC there was only one ostensibly available at the time). Mr. Buckley replied to my first email, but then nothing thereafter. I would still like to find a copy of both (or either).

GsT

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

Well said. Notice I included a link that has a Sticky of yours.

One of the first things I noticed following that link was that Ballistic was the author of several threads there, and that it must be a small intermingled community haha.

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

He wrote 2. The "The Modern Pneumatic Airgun," and I can't remember the second title. Basically a bottle in the front for the first one and a bottle in the rear for the second one. Complete machinist's drawings for both with reasons why step-by-step. If he still has any left, he'll autograph them for you.

Thank you, Ive found his hotmail email if thats the most recently known, and have reached out.

 

[TheBrickyardKid]

I tried to buy the Buckley books (actually, IIRC there was only one ostensibly available at the time). Mr. Buckley replied to my first email, but then nothing thereafter. I would still like to find a copy of both (or either).

GsT

The name of the second one seems to be MPA stock reservoir, which of the two is the one I'm most interested in from the engineering standpoint, if I receive a reply and an opportunity to purchase both from Mr. Buckley I would be happy to pass along the forward bottle addition.