new to forum, new to airgunning, been a firearm user for 64 years. I just got a Umarex Ruger 10/22 for a little plinking in the back yard. I watched a couple of youtubes a have a couple of questions: 1. One said you can fire the rifle just fine with one empty and one charged co2 cartridge and there will be no velocity change, is this true? is it safe?, 2. I see nowhere on the web a recommended cleaning method and nothing on the Umarex site on cleaning regimen, or how often. Any help greatly appreciated.
Hello there oldfart71 and welcome aboard. Good choice of air rifle as I have one myself and it is a beauty for looks, handling and accuracy – although I do have a Hawke Vantage 3-9 x 40 AO Mil Dot scope to help out my aging eyes! Andy’s Airgun Reviews (AAR) has good video reviews on both the Ruger and scope which are worth watching
So in answer to your questions …
1. Yes, it is safe and yes, it is true there will be no velocity change but:
a) with the CO2 12g airguns as you fire the rifle (or pistol) a small amount of gas is released and this causes the 12g cartridge to cool temporarily: the colder the capsule the colder the contained gas the slower the velocity and you see a reduction in feet per second (fps) travelled by the next pellet (or BB).
If you pull the trigger in quick succession e.g. by emptying the 10 shot magazine, then there will be a noticeable change in velocity between the first and last pellet which could be measured on a chronograph if you have one, which I don’t as I am strictly a backyard plinker.
You can avoid this if you have a short gap between firing each pellet, as the ‘pause’ will allow the cartridge/gas time to ‘warm’ up again. You might have seen these effects on YouTube as well how ambient temperature affects velocity. Many reviewers will relate the airguns performance to the weather or temperature where the testing has taken place as it can be very significant.
b) Having 2 full 12g CO2 cartridges gives you more shots not more power.
Capsule 1 and then 2 gets loaded, followed by the metal insert which is screwed down into the stock using the hex key attachment. In doing so the 1st capsule gets pierced deep inside the rifle stock, the 2nd capsule gets pierced by the opposite end of the metal insert and the gas is released from both capsules into the chamber ready for use.
If you put one full and one empty capsule into the rifle then you will only have half as much gas in the rifle chamber as you would if you put 2 full capsules in.
http://www.hardairmagazine.com/reviews/ruger-10-22-air-rifle-test-review :One review on the Ruger I read said it gave 60 shots on 2 full capsules so given that, the one capsule would give you 30 shots or 3 full magazines: hardly worth the effort in my mind. They also said that the Umarex Legends Cowboy rifle (Winchester replica), another beauty which I also have, does 110 shots and this has the same system of 2x12g CO2 as the Ruger. So in that that case if the sun was going down I would go with the one full one empty, but I wouldn’t bother with the Ruger.
2) Cleaning is a tricky one, there are many videos and reviews with advice on when and how to clean air rifle barrels and really in the end you have to make up your own mind what to do.
I am fairly new myself having only been at this for a year now, but have amassed several rifles and pistols all 12g CO2, I can assure you I have made many a faux pas with cleaning the barrels even when following the manufacturer’s instructions and believe me I have nearly lost/damaged some cheap and not so cheap airguns in doing so. Therefore I am not advising you to do the following, but merely explaining what I do with my air guns.
I always find the barrels to be dirty and ‘dry’ when new, so I clean mine very carefully before use and as maintenance, using a Pellgunoil, a wool cleaning mop, fitted to a brass rod attached to a rotating handle plus an extension rod for rifle to go deeper into the barrel and these are the basic steps I follow:
a) Wearing a pair of latex/neoprene gloves I carefully finely shave some of the wool pile off the .177 wool mop all the way around, as I find it too thick to go down the barrel when new
b) Attach the wool mop to the brass rod with handle and add Pellgunoil to the mop and work in
c) Holding onto the brass rod gently push the tip of the mop into the barrel rotating it as you do so down to about 1cm and then withdraw – do not use excessive force or the metal in the mop will bend as can the brass rod.
d) Repeat this action by adding another drop of Pellgunoil to the tip of the mop, inserting while rotating it again 1-2 cm and withdrawing.
e) As I repeat this, gradually the distance and ease into the barrel increases and I will use the handle of the brass rod and eventually I add the brass extension rod.
f) As the wool mop comes out it will be covered in black oily dirt which I wipe off in kitchen towel before applying fresh Pellgunoil
g) Once the full length of the barrel has easily been reached, I can agitate and clean the inside of the barrel with the mop and oil repeating the exercise until mop no longer comes out black and I am happy that it is clean enough. I then squeeze the mop ‘dry’ in kitchen towel and to remove the excess oil remaining inside the barrel I insert the dry mop, repeating this 2 or 3 times until I am happy that I have removed what’s needed
NB: Because the barrel is dry, it tends to grasp hold of the mop and it can be difficult to pull back out and that is why I repeat each stage in small sections at a time. If I thrust the mop in too far it is one heck of a job to get out and it can cause the mechanism to jam, as I have found mainly with my pistols.
This is like the kit I use: “9Pcs GUN CLEANING KIT Barrel Air Rifle Pistol Airgun Rimfire 177 22 Rods Brushes” and I have just checked on line and right now on Ebay I see one selling for £8.69 and oh yes, I always have a spare kit on hand just in case.
Okay-dokey, I hope you’re still with me and this has been of some help … it is a very moreish hobby and I am only too glad I am sticking with the back yard plinking as it has already cost me a small fortune and I am in no way up with the big girls and boys… Happy plinking!
So in answer to your questions …
1. Yes, it is safe and yes, it is true there will be no velocity change but:
a) with the CO2 12g airguns as you fire the rifle (or pistol) a small amount of gas is released and this causes the 12g cartridge to cool temporarily: the colder the capsule the colder the contained gas the slower the velocity and you see a reduction in feet per second (fps) travelled by the next pellet (or BB).
If you pull the trigger in quick succession e.g. by emptying the 10 shot magazine, then there will be a noticeable change in velocity between the first and last pellet which could be measured on a chronograph if you have one, which I don’t as I am strictly a backyard plinker.
You can avoid this if you have a short gap between firing each pellet, as the ‘pause’ will allow the cartridge/gas time to ‘warm’ up again. You might have seen these effects on YouTube as well how ambient temperature affects velocity. Many reviewers will relate the airguns performance to the weather or temperature where the testing has taken place as it can be very significant.
b) Having 2 full 12g CO2 cartridges gives you more shots not more power.
Capsule 1 and then 2 gets loaded, followed by the metal insert which is screwed down into the stock using the hex key attachment. In doing so the 1st capsule gets pierced deep inside the rifle stock, the 2nd capsule gets pierced by the opposite end of the metal insert and the gas is released from both capsules into the chamber ready for use.
If you put one full and one empty capsule into the rifle then you will only have half as much gas in the rifle chamber as you would if you put 2 full capsules in.
http://www.hardairmagazine.com/reviews/ruger-10-22-air-rifle-test-review :One review on the Ruger I read said it gave 60 shots on 2 full capsules so given that, the one capsule would give you 30 shots or 3 full magazines: hardly worth the effort in my mind. They also said that the Umarex Legends Cowboy rifle (Winchester replica), another beauty which I also have, does 110 shots and this has the same system of 2x12g CO2 as the Ruger. So in that that case if the sun was going down I would go with the one full one empty, but I wouldn’t bother with the Ruger.
2) Cleaning is a tricky one, there are many videos and reviews with advice on when and how to clean air rifle barrels and really in the end you have to make up your own mind what to do.
I am fairly new myself having only been at this for a year now, but have amassed several rifles and pistols all 12g CO2, I can assure you I have made many a faux pas with cleaning the barrels even when following the manufacturer’s instructions and believe me I have nearly lost/damaged some cheap and not so cheap airguns in doing so. Therefore I am not advising you to do the following, but merely explaining what I do with my air guns.
I always find the barrels to be dirty and ‘dry’ when new, so I clean mine very carefully before use and as maintenance, using a Pellgunoil, a wool cleaning mop, fitted to a brass rod attached to a rotating handle plus an extension rod for rifle to go deeper into the barrel and these are the basic steps I follow:
a) Wearing a pair of latex/neoprene gloves I carefully finely shave some of the wool pile off the .177 wool mop all the way around, as I find it too thick to go down the barrel when new
b) Attach the wool mop to the brass rod with handle and add Pellgunoil to the mop and work in
c) Holding onto the brass rod gently push the tip of the mop into the barrel rotating it as you do so down to about 1cm and then withdraw – do not use excessive force or the metal in the mop will bend as can the brass rod.
d) Repeat this action by adding another drop of Pellgunoil to the tip of the mop, inserting while rotating it again 1-2 cm and withdrawing.
e) As I repeat this, gradually the distance and ease into the barrel increases and I will use the handle of the brass rod and eventually I add the brass extension rod.
f) As the wool mop comes out it will be covered in black oily dirt which I wipe off in kitchen towel before applying fresh Pellgunoil
g) Once the full length of the barrel has easily been reached, I can agitate and clean the inside of the barrel with the mop and oil repeating the exercise until mop no longer comes out black and I am happy that it is clean enough. I then squeeze the mop ‘dry’ in kitchen towel and to remove the excess oil remaining inside the barrel I insert the dry mop, repeating this 2 or 3 times until I am happy that I have removed what’s needed
NB: Because the barrel is dry, it tends to grasp hold of the mop and it can be difficult to pull back out and that is why I repeat each stage in small sections at a time. If I thrust the mop in too far it is one heck of a job to get out and it can cause the mechanism to jam, as I have found mainly with my pistols.
This is like the kit I use: “9Pcs GUN CLEANING KIT Barrel Air Rifle Pistol Airgun Rimfire 177 22 Rods Brushes” and I have just checked on line and right now on Ebay I see one selling for £8.69 and oh yes, I always have a spare kit on hand just in case.
Okay-dokey, I hope you’re still with me and this has been of some help … it is a very moreish hobby and I am only too glad I am sticking with the back yard plinking as it has already cost me a small fortune and I am in no way up with the big girls and boys… Happy plinking!
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