Posted by Don Nygord on November 18, 1999 at 08:57:11:
There is a rather long string on this subject below, but I thought it might be easier to start over. We have read some good
comments, but also see a few misconceptions. Having been blessed with over 20 years of getting to shoot at the world level and
actually competing through the spring piston gun era and then through the CO2 era and now watching the PCA guns mature, I'd
like to share the history with you newer shooters. First, of course CO2 didn't suddenly turn into dog-doo when PCA came out.
Second, remember that world level shooting is about consistency and that world level shooters are the most dyed-in-the-wool
pragmatists you'll ever find: If it works better, thats what they'll shoot. Doesn't matter what it is or how it smells or what color - if
they can get better scores they'll shoot it! The high-performance air pistol era started in the '70s with the FWB65. We thought this
gun was better than sliced bread and scores took off. Scores that are great even today were being shot with this gun. I won the
PanAM Games Gold in '79 with it and then the World Championship with a short barreled version in '81. (World record was 583
then!) The next year a Russian used a Model 80 to shoot 590! (Some speculate it was the advent of testing for beta-blockers that
is the reason scores are still in the high 580s, low 590s today, but that is another article.) Still, when the FWB model 2 came out,
everybody switched and spring air guns disappeared from the line. This was because it was so much EASIER to shoot them with
equal results. There were problems we had to solve, however. And, the effect of temperature was one of them. Even just a few
years ago, the USA Coach was handing out chemical cold packs to the shooters to rest their Steyr CO2 guns on while shooting in
a particularly warm venue.
When I was in my prime, I would take a click without even thinking twice if two shots in a row would touch the line of the 10 ring
from the inside! A CO2 gun could cause this small change. The rifle shooters pretty much skipped CO2 entirely, depending on the
singlestroke pnuematic rifle until recently. Now, they are finally endorsing PCA in a big way, but they had to prove to themselves
the consistency was there that CO2 lacked. (1 mm to them is a 9 for sure!) One problem with the FWB Model 2 was an
occasional gun that would change zero significantly when you changed the cylinder! It was the fault of the cylinder of course - the
valves were different (or the clip ring inside had moved and shut off one of the exit ports.) So, all makers went to internal valves.
Then we found that the large volume of gas behind the pellet needed to be "stripped" to avoid it deflecting the pellet in flight and
this gave birth to strippers and compensators. This large volume of gas was a good in one way: You could really drive a
compensator and tune the gun/comp to get zero movement. It was a big pain, though, to fill the gun's cylinders. All that chilling,
bleeding, weighing, etc. We learned to underfill 10% to avoid the worst of the temperature effects. Then we learned to leave 20%
in the cylinder and switch for best consistency. Fortunately CO2 is an energy dense propellent and we got 4-5 shots per gram. So,
50 grams max. = 45 grams "full". Leave at least 10 grams when switching to a new cylinder and you had 35 grams to shoot with =
140 shots minimum. This is about what you get with a PCA today. But the real problem was hard to recognize. I would often shoot
200 shots in a training session. And, it seemed I would "get in a groove" just about the time I had to switch cylinders - shooting 99s
and 100s. Then, after the new cylinder was on, a 96 was not uncommon. I believed the stopping to change the cylinder had broken
my concentration or something - but almost always? Finally, while experimenting with barrel weights and placement and constantly
weighing the entire gun, the light went on: You put 45 grams on your gun, it is a LOT different that shooting without it! And there is
one of the biggest advantages of PCA: The gun stays at the same weight and balance ALL the time. (We compensated for the
weight change in the CO2 pistols by creeping the barrel weight forward a bit every 20 shots or so, but it was nice to forget about
that with the PCA gun.) This I think, explains why the switch is so complete at the top level. On the other hand, the FWB 65 is still
being made and there are a lot of good CO2 pistols at reasonable prices that can be used to shoot pretty darn good scores.
HTH. Don Nygord
Posted by PKuemin on November 20, 1999 at 12:14:02:
I don't know about his tale of ancient times, and I don't know him personally (although the picture which he leaves with his "notes"
all over the Internet give me a rather well-founded impression), but if all the facts in this article are as correct as the one about the
PCA pistol having a constant weight...Somebody should tell this guy that air has a specific weight, too, and an empty cylinder on
my Steyr is 15 grs. lighter than a full one. This means that moving the weight is standard on a PCA gun, too.
Has anyone thought about the reason for the switch at top level being found in the sums payed to top shooters for using somebodys
product ? And please, Don, don't tell me that's not true - someone who does business with Pardini should know better (ask Di
Donna and Schumann).
And by the way, if you let off the last 10 grs. of CO2 in your cylinder, it will be cool enough to fill again. Forget about cooling it
separately.
Posted by Jon Powell on November 22, 1999 at 20:33:52:
I'm certain that I speak for (nearly) all 10 meter pistol shooters when I say that Don Nygord has earned his outstanding reputation.
I'm personally honored that he chooses to take the time to give us the benefits of his experience, and I see no reason to believe that
his response is in any way tainted by his business interests.
For those very few who feel otherwise, the technology for NOT opening his posts is available. Just don't click on them. The rest of
us are waiting in anticipation of our next opportunity to learn from a person who is a master in more ways than one. (No, I don't
idolize him, but I'm wise enough to give him my enormous respect).
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