My new Izzy

[Torn Fibre]

Hi Guys and Gals
Just wanted to say that this is by far the most informative BBS I’ve come across for AP shooting. In UK we have a great site Airgun BBS which has around 10,000 members but is not specific to Olympic AP.

I have a few days ago finally after many long weeks, about 8, collected my IZH 46M from my local dealer whom he’d ordered off another dealer as these pistols are so hard to get hold of.

I contemplated buying from the USA but by the time you’ve factored in International money order cost, import duties, VAT and delivery costs it proved to be of little advantage. I ended up paying £268 GBP after a 10% discount off my dealer.

Was quite surprised that the packaging was so simple and it was obvious that the rear and foresights had pierced the cardboard several times during transit. I later discovered that the Izzy had been stored for over two years with the breech block in the cocked position and the rust preventative coating had expired in April this year. The screw driver tool is too large to fit any of the smaller screws so I’ve used my own watchmaker ones. She was bone dry and after several cocking and firings I noticed that the lightweight aluminium piston was starting to show signs of scoring at the non seal end, so I decided to strip her down and take a closer look.

Thanks to the Izzy Page I was able to learn how to at least get to the piston seal. As I said she was bone dry and there was aluminium swarf, which I removed even from around the piston seal/ washer. You guys use Crosman Pellgun lube which is silicone oil but I resorted to using Abbey SM50 which is a blend of silicone oil and molybdenum disulphide and can be used in compression chambers, trigger sears, seals and where heavy metal to metal contact is present. It has no hydrocarbons so works on rubber based items but may diesel if too much is applied.

To cut a long story short she now performs like a dream after lubricating up everything in sight that I could reach. All that remains is to work on each variable one at a time as the case maybe. The palm shelf is the only thing I’ve adjusted several times as I’ve had it so tight it hurt or so lose it might just as well not been there. This is my first single stroke pistol so am on a steep learning curve. My other pistola is a Cometa Indian spring powered doing 460 fps average using Napier Powered Target flatheads at 8 grains.

The grip halves weren’t in line so I sanded here and there so now at least it looks and feels better. Also the pistol was slopping around until I used thin card packing in the grip under the trigger finger rest. Now rock soild.

Does anyone know what the grip wood is made of? Someone suggested best Russian beech.

Also does anyone know what the piston seal/ washer and breech seals are made of?

I have a few other questions but for my first post this will suffice for now, oh and I am sure I am now in love with her.

She started off at 355 fps but now around 470 with 8 grain pellets after getting her lubed.

Cheers Torn Fibre

[joe4702]

I received mine about 6 months after the build/lube date and it was also bone dry, including the barrel. No rust, luckily. I had always heard the Izzy was shipped with heavy lube. Can't explain it, other than perhaps it was cleaned and fired sometime after leaving the factory but before I received it. The front site had also penetrated the box as you noticed, but no harm done. I used Crossman PellOil on the seals and 60% moly paste on the cocking linkages. Exterior and bore get Beeman Metaphilic oil.

I wouldn't worry about the breech seals being compressed for 2 years. They are easy to replace. Your gun should have come with a set of spare seals and seal kits are also available seperately. It should also come with a cleaning rod, extra rear sight blade and two extra front sight blades. These give 12 different sight width configurations. My screwdriver tool does fit the small sight screws.

If you mount up a scope and test from a bench rest, you'll be amazed. Mine was shooting 1" groups at 80 ft with a variety of pellets (domes are best at that distance). This was with a crappy, parallax-ridden 4x rifle scope.


Sorry I can't answer your specific questions about the grip and seal materials. Hopefully an expert will chime in.

Enjoy your new gun!

[ChrisL]

I'm happy to read you like your new acquisition.

Don't wait too long to adjust the grip to your hand - it makes a world of difference!

Search around for what various people have done to their grips, and start filing...

Cheers,

Chris.

[Torn Fibre]

.... thanks joe4702 and Chris for your input and I can believe just how accurate this beast can be, 10mm ctc at 10M partially Bench Rested and how far out she can plink, 55 yards plus so far with open sights and one handed.

I can say that 10M air pistol shooting is proving to be very demanding physically and mentally and it is surprising how useless I can become if I fail to practise frequently and hopefully learn all the time. I have only put about 500 pellets through her so many more thousands yet to go.

Cheers Torn Fibre