Very good weekend.

[First Shirt]

Don't let the size throw you off! My newest Senior Minion is 11, and about average size for a 9 year old. She started shooting in March, with a .22, and got her "big girl's rifle" for her birthday in June.

Granted, she's shooting a reduced load 120 gr. bullet, at about 2500 fps, but she can keep three rounds around 1 1/2 inches off the bench, at 100 yards.

And she's 3-for-3 on hogs!!!

(As the great philosopher Jerry Clower said "Friend, size ain't in it. I've seen a yellerjacket a inch long make a one-ton Brahma bull clear a six-strand bob wire fence!)

[Jericho941]

Awesome.

[Denis]

Splendid! Keep up the good work. Nice touch getting the Chicagoan dad shooting too!

[Netpackrat]

Nice work.

[SoupOrMan]

I was going to disassemble and reassemble my air gun last night after knocking all the rust off of the buttplate and touching up the nicks in the finish. I just used some steel wool, 3-in-1 oil and elbow grease to remove the rust off of the buttplate since it's what I had available at the house, then used some Rust-Oleum touch up paint to give it a nice new layer of corrosion prevention. The nicks on the barrel sleeve got some touching up with one of Rust-Oleum's paint pens. It wasn't perfect but using the pens on the nicks and scratches gave it more of a matte finish than using the touch-up paint that I used on the buttplate.

Sadly one of the screws in the top of the plastic housing is being a right bastard even after being soaked with penetrating oil and I don't want to round it out any more than it already is, so I can't disassemble the gun just yet. The gun is 30 years old and I want to pull it apart so I can examine the piston and o-rings for any signs of cracking. It still seems to hold a good air charge, but I'd like to make sure. Of course there's that voice in the back of my head going "Dude! It works! Don't mess with it!" so I may also just leave well enough alone once I've taken care of that topmost screw. Everything that can be oiled has been oiled.

Honestly, I can't wait to try the BB Gun once I put up a proper backstop... I'll get to shoot again without breaking the bank on .22LR! Er, I mean, my boss's son will love using this gun. That's it.

[Vonz90]

Outstanding!!! I've learned that Minions can be recruited from just about anywhere, and it's a lot of fun getting them started safely.

Apropos of absolutely nothing, Savage makes a single shot boltie, available in right and left hand versions, called the Rascal.
And if, at some point, there was a pressing need to put a scope on it, it's already drilled and tapped, and takes the Mk II bases.

Rascal .22.png

My youngest (12, but adopted from Russia so a bit behind) uses one of these. Decent little learner 22. The one I have was a package that came a scope, but the scope is crap and I need to trade it out when I get a chance.

[Greg]

Splendid! Keep up the good work. Nice touch getting the Chicagoan dad shooting too!

Indeed. Glad he's using his powers for good.

[First Shirt]

My youngest (12, but adopted from Russia so a bit behind) uses one of these. Decent little learner 22. The one I have was a package that came a scope, but the scope is crap and I need to trade it out when I get a chance.

I've got a spare Simmons 4X32 that doesn't have a job right now. Nothing fancy, and got a couple of little nicks, but still very serviceable.

If you can use it (it's a one-inch tube, if your rings will work; otherwise you'll have to pick up a set of rings) tell me where to send it.

[SoupOrMan]

Well, I told the little voice in the back of my head to take a hike and I was able to get the top screw out of the plastic housing. As soon as it began to round I drilled it out. Now my largest phillips head screwdriver will remove it with ease. I popped it open, checked for internal corrosion, added a little 3-in-1 to the necessary spots and checked the piston. Despite all the abuse I put it through at age 12 (like trying to pump it multiple times, something that usually wrecks the plastic piston) it holds its seal and works properly.

Now to dig that carpet remnant out of storage. That and some phone books will be plenty to stop a pellet travelling a leisurely 300fps, much less a BB at 350.

[evan price]

The Price kids have a Henry Mini-bolt .22LR that I got NIB but used for a song.


Williams FireSights, stainless construction, dead nuts accurate and reliable. Can't pry it out of their hands.
I have a Savage Springfield 120 single shot 22 they like but LOP is for adults not kids.
They don't like my Savage 64 semi, because loading the mag is not fun.
Next trip will be with a Marlin 60 to see if a tube mag is better.