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Ranger dV2 Possibilities

Imagine all of these various ways of building the same basic rifle. Then, imagine picking ONE to introduce to people and to field test.

I did. I made this one.

Here are, however; quite a few other possible formats. I've done the Photoshop work - in order that you do not have to imagine.

 

OK ... now you need to know what each possible version weighs, what's the power range of each, how many shots do each get? And, what does each cost ... with the mix and match options listed.

No problem.

Let's start. We'll go thru the logic - the reasons things work as they do. A quick, short price grid would be nice - but it would not answer the hundred questions that apply. Once we absorb the "why" for various formats ... I will post a price grid. Annoying, isn't it? If I don't do it this way, I'll have to cover all of this material a single e-mail at a time ... all the while trying to "undo" initial misconceptions.

I put together a sort of "Gary's Choice" of options for the Prototype you've seen ... and which I've tested. Some customers have joked with me that ... surely, since this series is new ... I've found a way to ignore physics ... and probably make these in a tenth of the time. ;?) I guess you know the responce.

The Prototype is a full rifle ... and it's shrouded. That brings the total length of the whole package to 50" ... which fits inside a standard $29 rifle case. It duplicates the specs. of the Ranger Delta Base model, is lighter, and gets more shots. It's also shrouded, which so many people want.

I chose a medium density Mahogany for the stock ... dressed it up alittle with walnut caps (which could also be relief carved). That prototype stock weighs 3 pounds. Hold it (without the action) and it feels weightless. Still - it's three pounds.

Now ... realize that's already half of what the super weight conscious buyer says he wants. That would mean that I'd have to make the entire steel action within another 3 pounds. Isn't going to happen. The action I made weighs 5.5 pounds. We're at 8.5 total.

Alright ... let's just drop down to the short carbine (much more handy ya know). Shed some weight maybe ... and, let's get that figured walnut stock. Now we're talking!

 

OK ... let's see what we've done by making a Short Carbine.

We reduced the overall length to a nice compact 35" OAL.

We took the stock from 3 pounds to 6 pounds instantly. Figured woods are far more heavy.

And, we bought an additional $800 stock blank/build cost as well.

"We cut back some steel though - right?" Only the stuff out in the middle of the tube which weighs far less. It's the end caps and the valves which weigh up. We still need those same components. We've just dropped a few inches of empty tubing.

We kept the barrel shrouded ... that requires a chamber in front of the actual muzzle (to catch the muzzle wash - which comes out "in front" of the muzzle) so, the interior "actual barrel" is now about 9 3/4" from transfer port to actual muzzle. We have to keep the trigger to butt pad length the standard (approx. 14 1/2") for human usage. All we have to trim is the front, if we are going to shorten the rifle.

That took our power potential from 116 fpe to about 40-50 fpe for a balanced format for this short version. The actual barrel is now shorter than the Victory Pistol/Carbine or Appaloosa Class.

If you'd want to run the shorty carbine with an open barrel - that would give us some barrel length back. Maybe another 20 fpe to boot. But it would give no more air reservoir back. It would just transfer length from sound chamber length to solid barrel - within the same overall length.

Since the pressure reservoir can't hang out way beyond the barrel, we've reduced that to match. This has reduced our air storage capacity by alittle more than half. That will cut our shots per charge, by more than half - since we've dramatically altered how the reservoir works.

Air usage "efficiency" is now out the window. We have to "hot rod" the shots now. That means we kick the slug in the butt with TOO MUCH air, in order to get any velocity at all. We use the same amount of air that was making 116 fpe thru a long barrel, in order to make about a quarter of that much in our short barrel. That's too much air for the short PCP barrel to use efficiently. Now, after the slug is gone, the residual of that initial blast is just wasted exiting the barrel in a raw blast.

That means the whole gun is also more noisy now - even shrouded.

How about the Carbine Length then?

Well, we can add back about five or six inches. If we go to an open barrel ... the reality is we also gain back the interior shroud chamber length as well. That gives us back more yet. But ... no shroud. You note the BASE model Full Rifle with the open barrel(about 45" OAL) is a good bit shorter than the Full Rifle which is shrouded. However ... in that shrouded version ... we use the space under the shroud to continue the reservoir ... giving us max. storage capacity.

In the Carbine, if we remain shrouded - we net maybe another 5-6 inches over the shorty carbine's barrel and reservoir. We'll most likely be in the 75 fpe range now with the shrouded carbine. We still net less air in the Carbine than the prototype. But - we have our total gun to about 40-41 inches.

Convert shroud length to solid barrel in the Carbine format (meaning loose the shroud), and I'd guess you get back another 10-15 fpe or so. efficiency depends upon how HOT you run the rifle. As you "hot it up" ... you loose efficiency. You loose balance as well. You get a couple of hot shots, then you refill. No five shot groups from a fill. Sorry.

OK ... wait .. we haven't said anything about a FAT RESERVOIR! That's the ticket. We keep the gun short - get more air ... right?

Well, you also keep the barrel short - loose power and efficiency. Mainly - you add weight because the fatter reservoir (greater diameter) now has vastly greater interior wall surface per diameter. That requires a much thicker wall material to contain the same pressure. The smaller diameter 1" reservoir, in quality chrome moly seamless extruded steel tubing, requires less wall thickness. Gives a very efficient air storage per weight per foot.

Nuts.

Well, I want a light weight gun. I want it shrouded - I need it quiet. I want significant power. I want a "big bore" caliber with readily available and economical ammo. I want as many shots as I can get per fill. I want it air efficient with a balanced shot group. I want it to hold and point well. I want it to show well at the range. It must have superior accuracy to boot!

Oh ... then you need the Prototype - that's why I built that one.

You know .. you can't get thru the woods with a rifle that's too long now. You know....?

Actually, you need to decide it you are really going to be crawling thru brush and stuff with your custom rifle. Come to think of it ... when people really HAD to go to the woods ...

Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, the guns were vastly longer than our 50" gun. Kentucky Rifle, Brown Bess musket ... ;?) Many antique big bore airguns had barrels alone that were 40-48" Check it out.

Well ... why is everything else shorter today?

You mean like ... 20 fpe FT rifles? You mean like unshrouded open barrel PCPs? Or maybe PCP's producing half the power? Or firearms, which are not airguns at all?

So: you're saying there's no place for carbines or short carbines?

I'm not saying that at all!

You recall seeing my entire Victory Class? How about the Appaloosa? They're highly developed and shown in detail. Have been publicly demonstrated extensively. Produce about 60-80 fpe. Very efficient with air. Deadly accurate. Designed to efficiently use readily available buckshot ball, as well as custom slugs. The carbines are already here. If you like this stock better - that version of the dV2 would be a very similar gun to a Victory carbine. With a little longer scope rail and rear receiver clamp.

I'm offering you what you want. I'm just not lying to you in order to tell folks what they want to hear. ;?) Please don't loose sight of the fact that we're talking AIR guns. The laws of physics apply. You can't make the Yukon in the Victory package. ;?)

 

Well, let's address this weight thing.

OK ... I've engineered billet aluminum components everywhere suitable. "But ... blued steel is so nice". That's fine ... only weighs several times as much and is not required for the many tasks. There are plenty of components made from several alloys of steel - where required - all can be blued. "Engineering" is choosing the correct material for the task ... and designing that material so that it will serve it's intended purpose safely and efficiently.

"Well, we want everything black". Fine ... I'll anodize the billet for you ... aluminum is white. "But ... anodizing costs". That's correct.

Our mahogany stock (at 3 pounds) is already something we need to work around. Double that weight with figured wood, and it's completely unrealistic to expect a light weight rifle to result. We love figured woods. So - we need to learn to love weight too. My custom machined action can't be the only thing that the weight limit applies to. ;?)

You can shoot open barrel guns at a range, where noise is no problem. If you wish a shrouded design; it's going to weigh more, cut down barrel length, increase the gun's total length, and cost alittle more. I've shown you my best compromise suggestion.

 

Let's address the "Classic Firearm Look" thing.

That's just fine ... for firearms. Nothing about a PCP applies to a firearm. A firearm has no pressure reservoir, no intake valve, no firing valve. Uses a tiny little hammer action to tap the firing pin. It's gold fish and gerbils. You can't make a good gerbil that looks exactly like a gold fish. ;?)

 

Well, it would seem we've done the impossible! Designed an efficient, good looking PCP rifle that shoots marvelous, uses inexpensive (easy to acquire) ammo, has great power, excellent accuracy, is quiet, is light weight, holds well, takes a full sized scope well ... and is 100% handmade as well. That's exactly how I'd have done it myself!

;?)

Prices asap. They will be in keeping with all of my work.