Hold...hold...hold

[Gerard]

Of course both of you are dead on in saying that the 46m's grip is a disaster. It lasted approximately 20 hours in my hands (had one previous owner who used it at the Canadian Airgun Grand Prix this year, and he did a couple of trivial bits of wood removal, basically leaving the grip as it was from the factory) before I started carving and adding epoxy putty. I am, and have been since 1986, a luthier, more commonly known as a 'violin maker' although I actually specialize in working with doublebassists. I have made many knives, planes, and other tools, and have no difficulty working in wood and metal. Saw the Baikal grip as raw material much too small for my hand but useful as a platform, a model towards a real grip. I've twice added putty, and the thing now fits my hand like a very nice custom made glove.



Of course it's ugly, and the putty will never be attractive... even with a coat of black paint. But it gave me an opportunity to experiment over the past week or two, especially with rake. I modified the mortise such that the grip was able to tilt back 7 degrees, a figure derived from analysis of about a dozen photographs taken during various dry-fire shots. I would aim with the rear sight at the target, ignoring the front sight and barrel angle, until I found an angle of wrist-to-grip which provided optimum wrist lock without excessive strain. I plugged the lower screw hole and drilled for a bolt from the heel at the location of the lower end of the grip retaining tang. Then I drilled from the non-used side for a 3/8" brass rod which I drilled from the rear and threaded for the bolt. Shooting has only improved since this modification, bringing my average up approximately 1.7% in a week.

So this afternoon I've started work on a grip exactly like it, carving it from a piece of wood left over from making a new neck for a bassist two years ago. I've found an end of this 'scrap' which suits ISSF dimensional guidelines well, and leaves over a piece perfect for making a copy of my wife's 17th century Venetian violin, something I've been wanting to do for years. I've only cut out the blank so far, but after taking my kid out to the woods for a few hours this afternoon I'll get to work shaping it. Gorgeous piece of flamed big-leaf maple, aged about 15 years. I'll likely stain it with aniline dye before doing a linseed oil rub, just because it would get too dirty looking if left blonde. Will post images on CAF, maybe here too, if anyone's interested when the thing's done.

This grip will of course use a more controllable mechanism for rake angle. The Baikal grip was just a simple test. I'm going to use a single large Allen bolt from the rear as before, but this one will have a machined groove and a retaining set screw with plastic bushing from the non-used side. This will reverse the action of the bolt on the aluminum grip tang, into which I will install a brass bushing with threaded hole, and making an oblong vertical slot for small angle changes from bolt head to tang, enabling fine adjustment of angle should I ever wish to change it. Of course this will prove useful when going from my home maximum range of 7m (with appropriately scaled targets) to an official 10m range with same-height targets. Should be about a 1.5 degree change I should think, easily changed with a small turn of the bolt.

I will of course be fitting the mortise more accurately to the pistol frame than Baikal has done. There's is surprisingly sloppy, with almost 1mm on either side showing as a gap. Should firm up the feel of the pistol slightly.[/img]

[Gerard]

Russ,

Did I say anything about using the IZH-46M with its stock grip? No, I didn't. I suggested shaping it to fit properly.

Sometimes I wonder if you take the time to read a post before firing off an answer.

Of course he doesn't read entire postings here. Why bother? He's a simpleton seeking to self-aggrandize at every perceived opportunity, and while he may through his experiences as a shooter be capable of providing some bits of usable information, his insecurities preclude any sort of consistency or depth as a teacher. Those who can, do. Those who can't (and sometimes even those who can, which can be great for students), teach. Those who can't teach, ridicule. I had a biology teacher in high school like that. He routinely called me names, like 'stupid donkey' and the like. Of course he could not avoid giving me an 'A' on every test and every report card, because I performed perfectly in all his silly little tests and labs and this could not be denied without risking his tenure in the school. But his resentment, that of a bitter little man of sub-par intelligence, was tangible in our every meeting, and he wasted no efforts in trying to prove his superiority by shouting me down with abuses. Russ is perhaps slightly less unkind, even a little more eloquent in his expressions. I suspect some potential should he ever really buckle down and decide to accomplish something in life. As it is he seems to flail about madly, trying to find his footing.

Oh dear, past 3 o'clock. Better get out the door. He's all yours boys.

[Russ]

I think if someone able to score 540 or over should not waste time on this tool (IZH-46) if his goal is score. In his case, it will stop his progress. He did well in first stage, but made poor buying decision as many of us did at one time or another. I saw many people not capable to score 530 with $2,000 toys also.

With this new image and time spent of doing so it seems nice job….Nice job, for entry level pistol. Not any competitive pistols have plastic or putty grips. “Will never be attractive” there are different reasons beside: impossibility to maintain consistency too slippery surface and, your hand will be wet in 5 minutes on the real tournament. As I said if it is done for entertainment it is Cool. If your goal is use it for competition- sell it, if you can.
(Walnut preferable) originally is birch it is not good easer.

[Alexander]

He's a simpleton seeking to self-aggrandize at every perceived opportunity, and while he may through his experiences as a shooter be capable of providing some bits of usable information,

Full projection detected. :-D

But tell us more about your wife's 17th century Venetian masterpiece, and how all the musicians of Canada flock to you and lie at your feet, waiting that you may deign to work for them. It is not about shooting; but very entertaining.

Alexander

[Gerard]

Oh no again, caught me on the way out the door... must learn to shut off computer.

Russ, seriously, how can one take you at all seriously with such inconsistencies. Do you not recall telling me in another thread that I should buy a Baikal 46m? Here's the quote from that thread, to refresh your memory:

It is lot of space for improvement for you. You need at least IZH-46M

The Baikal 46m is capable of near-perfect scores on its own. I scarcely think you'll ever achieve such perfection in your shooting, no matter how much you choose to spend on your pistol. Do you even remember posting that thread, during which you went on and on and on about how spending too much money on a pistol was a bad thing? Then you yourself confess to using a Benelli Kite, hardly a cheap pistol. What, am I supposed to come to the church of Russ and beg for a compromise solution? Perhaps a battered old FWB 65 would be more appropriate? I am genuinely amazed that you should so blatantly contradict your own recommendation. I chose the 46m because it was suggested to me by a fellow Canadian shooter who uses one, and who at the time was out-shooting me in the CAF postal match he founded. This month so far I've managed to out-shoot him, but his illness I suspect is holding him back as both our progress is quite decent. If that match continues I expect to see a close race as we share information and seek to achieve great heights, while enjoying the sport very well.

Full projection detected. :-D

But tell us more about your wife's 17th century Venetian masterpiece, and how all the musicians of Canada flock to you and lie at your feet, waiting that you may deign to work for them. It is not about shooting; but very entertaining.

Alexander

Admittedly, it do seem to be tempted to blow my own horn a bit when faced with personalities such as that Russ expresses. Like all of us, I have work to do, and will continue this labour for the remainder of my years. Thanks for pointing this out.

The musicians of Canada, and more often these days of the US, only flock to me when they are so moved by recommendations from their peers. I have no say in this, only the value of my work so far. If I mess up an instrument, I trust that musicians will share this experience with their peers and that my business will become less successful. I seek to do good work, respecting that of those who came before me, without engaging in the gaucherie of 'improvements' so often seen among luthiers who would rather butcher antiques than make mistakes on new wood. This respectful approach, leaving all of my work reversible for future generations who made do better work, is something my clients respect. I do not pass out business cards, advertise in the phone book, only maintain a small website which seeks to inform and perhaps sell the odd fiddle, though so far I've never made a sale based on that website. I deliberately prevent my service provider from 'selling' my site to search engines, so called 'search engine optimization' as I regard this sort of behaviour as being dishonest.

[Gerard]

But tell us more about your wife's 17th century Venetian masterpiece, and how all the musicians of Canada flock to you and lie at your feet, waiting that you may deign to work for them. It is not about shooting; but very entertaining.

Alexander

For what it's worth, the violin is a very slender-waisted and delicately made Pendrozza. It is the only example of this maker's work, and I've not found any entries in dictionaries mentioning him, so it may well be a false name as is quite common in the trade. Many other aspects of the violin tell me its origins. Labels are of course useless in identification. As one fellow recently said, 'I'd only trust a label I saw the maker gluing into his fiddle.' The instrument has a clear but dark voice, not quite as loud as she'd like as it was much abused by earlier owners, and I've never taken it apart to see about improving the rather awkward repairs I see there. She likes it well enough. It's very easy to play and never in the least bit harsh. The Venetians are all too rarely seen in these parts. Seems everyone has a taste for Cremonese style instruments, broader, huskier things with more obvious concertizing qualities. I work on those gladly of course. It's just a matter of taste. I have grown to prefer subtler elements than the myriad Stradivari and Guarneri impersonators choose to make. The one Stradivari violin I have so far worked upon was so much abused it scarcely resembled the work of that master. Such are the tribulations of centuries, with people of widely varying skills deciding all manner of 'solutions' to 'problems' such as heavily French polishing Cremonese varnish to the point where it looks like sprayed polyester. Poor old Antonio would be spinning in his grave... were he a zombie, anyway.

Entertaining enough? Sorry, really got to go. I have a 4 year old dying to go out for a walk. I know you'll miss me. ;)

[Russ]

"least IZH-46M "
Dear Gerard LEAST THE key word for you. I have no clue about your potential, initially, and never told about myself “ I "see" things :))”

I still have no sympathy for you even you accomplish some nice score for reasonable amount of time but you will be punished by yourself as a result of not reading carefully what I wrote and your continuing unpleasant manners. ;)

[Russ]

Russ,

Sometimes I wonder if you take the time to read a post before firing off an answer.

Yes sometimes indeed I force myself to read entire post.:) It is amusing and entertaining in same time.
But I have to be honest with you ...I have not always enough time :(

[Greg Derr]

Duh!

[Russ]

Dear Greg Derr
You have such a cute website. But your informal language too advances for my understanding and very harmful for public forum by attracting too much attention after many sexual expressions of yours. Why it bothering you? Did you spoke with Gerard yet, he has some knowledge and he knows many words in psychology. In addition to you help here is free. You are in good hands.

[Makris D. G.]

Not any competitive pistols have plastic ..... grips.

Don't forget the Hammerlis

[Russ]

I saw pictures. I hope you will never disagree with disadvantages of any kind of plastic grip for 1,5 hour duration of match.
Do you have any experience with final with AP plastic grip?

[Jack Milchanowski]

Russ,

Going back to the beginning of this thread;
would the one word be "natural"?

[Russ]

Dear Jack Milchanowski
At this time are you talking on behalf of yourself or someone else again? Before we will start talking … do you have any personal views or thoughts?
Your last contribution for Olympic Target shooting community smells pretty awful. Are you came to contribute some more?

[Gerard]

Careful what you answer, Jack. He has his magic paranoia-enhancing goggles on.

[Russ]

Listen Gerard, You lost already one good year of going up in your performance by purchasing wrong tool for yourself.
I may assume you do not have unlimited funds to by new Morini tomorrow. I do not mind to provide some help if I see necessity of it. In your case instead of arguing with me in a first place as few individuals did. It is better to you start listen. Next year you will be at the same level 545 tops. You lost ability to correctly analyze information and still doing so. :(

[Gerard]

Okay, point by point:

Listen Gerard, You lost already one good year of going up in your performance by purchasing wrong tool for yourself.

- You say that I have "lost already one good year of going up in performance..." That's a curious thing, considering that I only started casually shooting Olympic-style AP in late December of 2010, only 4 months ago. Some sort of weird Russian time compression theory? I've never heard of this effect. Perhaps if I had spent $2,000 or more on a really, really good air pistol, it would have been real-time, only 4 months? But perhaps by this comment you mean to predict the coming 8 months, suggesting that since I bought the 46m I will be 'stuck' with it for at least that long... and therefore 'will have lost' this year by next December? It is hard to guess when you are so unclear in your criticisms.

I may assume you do not have unlimited funds to by new Morini tomorrow.

- It is not that I do not have unlimited funds. The fact that I like simple tools, tools which are relatively self-sufficient, this is a big part of what attracted me to the 46m. I am not a rich man, in part because I like to spend at least as much time with my family as in working, and in part because I am not a capitalist and as such charge considerably less than the standard rates for my services. At $50/hour it seems to me enough, when considering that musicians are in the main not all that wealthy either. Had I more money available for this hobby, I might have bought a FWB 103. I have zero interest in acquiring a gun which depends upon air tanks and hoses and other such nonsense. Impractical.

I do not mind to provide some help if I see necessity of it.

- You may provide whatever help you wish, as you see fit. Again, as in previous posted replies to similar comments, I have not asked for your help, but of course cannot stop you from trying to help me.

In your case instead of arguing with me in a first place as few individuals did. It is better to you start listen.

I do listen Russ. Hence my rather extensive responses, in detail, to your suggestions and comments.

Next year you will be at the same level 545 tops. You lost ability to correctly analyze information and still doing so. :(

Oh yes? Perhaps. Here's a screenshot of my progress as tracked from February 4th of this year when I started recording 'officially' my progress and keeping a shooting diary. It is a simple graph to which I add each and every score I've shot since that day. There is a vertical line indicating the change of weapon, when I acquired the Baikal 46m on April 13th and stopped using the modified Gamo Center pistol I had used until that point.



From this perhaps you may observe some progress? Towards the end of using the Gamo pistol I was becoming discouraged with it, and was also spending a lot of time attending to my son and wife who suffered a lengthy flu. This obviously translated into a weakening of my average. The 12 days I have had the 46m show an initial leap in performance due to the much tighter grouping potential of this pistol, and then a small improvement in average since that time due to refinements in the grip. I have not been working much on any specifics of technique in this past 12 days, only paying close attention to basics and learning control of this new weapon. Last night I did a half hour intensive weight workout combined with some isokinetics, and then rushed to shoot a quick 15 shot group before bed to see whether I could retain control of my body and focus with an elevated pulse and vibrating muscles. For added stress, I gave myself just 4 minutes between starting and finishing this 15 shot session, for 16 seconds per shot.

I shot an 88% result, 1% below my current week's average, with no shots touching the white, no 7's, only 8's and better with 4 10's. This seems to indicate a good overall improvement in control and my ability to maintain composure during stress. From this and other self-testing exercises it seems to me that my progress is good so far.

Further, when shooting for the CAF postal matches, here are my monthly scores so far:

December - 326
January - 439
February - 498
March - 528
April - 540 (not yet finished of course, as these results are cut off on the 5th of the following month)

Sort of seems I'm well on track, doesn't it? I suppose if by the end of May I am still shooting at an 89% average with a personal best of 545, I will become concerned about progress. As I have in the last week's practice shot over a dozen groups of 4 to 5 10's in a row, and over 15 first shots on target scoring 10, it seems that something is working.

Perhaps if you're interested so much in my progress, Russ, you can send me a PM at the end of May to find out? Or I can contact you if you like? Does it matter, really? I shoot for myself. It's fun. I'm making good progress by my own estimation. I know of no other shooter with whom I've had any sort of contact whose progress has been anywhere near this rapid. I'd suggest you direct your attention elsewhere. But if you insist on taking jabs at my shooting, I'd be happy to email you a few dozen sets of photographic records of my targets with scores, dates, pellet types, etc. marked on them.

[Russ]

Do you want to confront with me or you need my suggestion? I’m not policing here.

[Gerard]

Just answering your rather harsh comments Russ. In detail. You know, like people might like to be answered generally, rather than with cryptic references to secret training words, or assaults on their choices of weapon (too expensive, too cheap, make up your mind maybe), or bizarre commentary regarding fantasies about false usernames designed to bother you. Your paranoia and obscurantism seem to need some adjustment if you are to participate usefully in a public forum. I'm only trying to help, Russ.

[Russ]

Tell me the truth Gerard. Did you bought Zepter cookware or not yet? If not, may I suggest you to buy only URA technology? You are smart gentlemen and you deserve the best :)